Lin Chen felt it during morning cultivation.
Not pain.
Not danger.
Pressure.
The kind that didn't crush you—but reminded you that something larger was nearby.
He opened his eyes slowly.
The Spirit Root Pavilion was quiet.
Too quiet.
> System Alert:
Deep Resonance Detected
Source: Underground
Depth: Unknown
Classification: Ancient
Lin Chen exhaled.
"…Of course it's ancient."
---
The ground beneath the pavilion pulsed once.
Then stopped.
Little Green tilted toward the earth, leaves trembling.
A sign appeared:
SOMETHING IS LISTENING
Lin Chen's expression hardened.
"That's never a good sign."
---
He summoned the disciples.
"From this moment," Lin Chen said firmly, "no one cultivates near the farm without permission."
Zhao Feng raised a hand. "Master… what about the pavilion?"
Lin Chen paused.
"…Especially the pavilion."
The pavilion creaked, offended.
---
> System Recommendation:
Investigate: High Risk, High Reward
Ignore: Low Risk, Long-Term Consequences
Seal: Medium Risk, Expensive
Lin Chen frowned.
"I hate menus like this."
---
Before he could decide, the sky darkened slightly.
Not storm clouds.
Heavenly Markers.
Thin golden lines flickered across the sky like someone underlining the sect.
Su Ming stared upward. "Master… Heaven is marking us."
Lin Chen's jaw tightened.
"So the roots woke something… and Heaven noticed."
Little Green held up a sign:
MY BAD
Lin Chen sighed. "We'll discuss fault later."
---
A deep voice echoed—faint, distant, and old.
Not from the sky.
From below.
"…Cultivators…"
The disciples froze.
Lin Chen stepped forward.
"Azure Cloud Sect," he said calmly, "does not accept underground visitors without notice."
Silence followed.
Then the voice rumbled again.
"…This land was planted before you arrived…"
Lin Chen's eyes narrowed.
"…Planted?"
---
> Hidden Narrative Triggered:
Ancient Spirit Root Network
Status: Dormant (Stirring)
Relation to Sect: Unclear
Threat Level: Unknown
Lin Chen finally understood.
The sect hadn't just grown crops.
They had awakened something older than sects.
---
The Spirit Root Pavilion trembled gently.
Its roots stretched downward—carefully, respectfully.
Little Green backed away from the soil for once.
A sign flipped rapidly:
NOT ME
OKAY MAYBE A LITTLE ME
Lin Chen placed a hand on the ground.
"We're not enemies," he said aloud. "But this is our sect now."
The earth was silent.
Then—
A pulse answered.
Not hostile.
Not friendly.
Evaluating.
---
The system chimed, unusually solemn.
> Major Arc Initiated:
The Root Beneath Heaven
Core Theme: Ownership, Legacy, and Growth
Warning: Choices Ahead Will Alter the World's Foundation
Lin Chen stood slowly.
"Alright," he said quietly.
"Then let's talk."
Above, Heaven watched.
Below, ancient roots stirred.
And in between, Lin Chen—
Sect Master, cultivator, and accidental gardener of fate—
prepared to negotiate with something that had been planted long before him.