Advancing to the Middle Stage did not change Li Chen's life overnight.
The morning bell still rang at the same time. The outer disciple quarters were still cold and plain. The food still tasted bland, and the paths still felt steep no matter how many times he walked them.
But Li Chen himself knew the difference.
When he woke up, his body responded faster. When he moved, there was less hesitation, less wasted effort. Even carrying tools to the Lingxi Field felt lighter, though he made sure not to show it.
He kept his head down.
Too much attention was never a good thing.
At the field, the overseer walked past with his hands behind his back, eyes sharp as always. He paused briefly near Li Chen, staring at the spirit crops.
The leaves were greener now. Not lush, not vibrant, but noticeably healthier than before.
The overseer frowned slightly.
"Who's been assigned here?"
Li Chen stepped forward. "This disciple."
The overseer looked at him for a moment, then snorted. "Luck, probably."
He moved on without another word.
Li Chen relaxed only after the man left.
[System Notice]
[Environmental Qi Stability: Slight Improvement]
[Warning: Excessive Influence May Attract Attention]
Li Chen understood the warning immediately.
From that moment on, he became even more careful.
He stopped cultivating while working. He only maintained the breathing rhythm at night or in secluded places. At the field, he focused on manual labor alone.
The qi still responded faintly, but no longer gathered.
That afternoon, something unusual happened.
A group of outer disciples gathered near the main path, voices raised. Li Chen slowed his steps as he approached.
"What happened?" someone asked.
"Heard someone got injured," another replied. "Trying to force a breakthrough."
Li Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.
In the center of the group, a youth sat on the ground, face pale, sweat pouring down his temples. His breathing was uneven, his lips tinged faintly blue.
Qi deviation.
A common fear among low-level cultivators.
An outer sect senior stood nearby, arms crossed, expression impatient. "I told you not to rush. Body Refinement is about foundation, not speed."
"But Senior… I felt something last night…" the injured youth whispered weakly.
Li Chen watched quietly.
He could see it.
The qi inside the youth's body was chaotic, flowing too fast, colliding with undeveloped meridians.
[System Analysis Available]
Li Chen hesitated.
Helping would draw attention.
Not helping meant watching someone possibly cripple their cultivation path.
In the end, he stepped forward.
"Senior," Li Chen said carefully, keeping his tone respectful. "May I say something?"
The senior glanced at him, brows knitting. "Who are you?"
"Li Chen. Outer disciple."
The senior waved dismissively. "Speak."
Li Chen took a breath. "His qi isn't too strong. It's unstable. If he slows his breathing and stops circulating for a while, it should settle."
The senior studied Li Chen for a long moment, then snorted. "You sound confident for someone at Body Refinement."
"I only heard similar cases before," Li Chen replied.
The senior turned to the injured youth. "Do as he says. Stop circulating. Breathe slowly."
Minutes passed.
The youth's breathing gradually evened out. The blue tint faded slightly from his lips.
A murmur spread through the crowd.
The senior looked surprised.
He glanced back at Li Chen, eyes sharper than before. "You've read some manuals."
"Only basic ones."
"Hmph." The senior nodded once. "Not bad."
That was all.
Li Chen retreated immediately.
[System Notice]
[Minor Intervention Recorded]
[Reputation Impact: Minimal]
[Warning: Future Interventions Increase Risk]
That night, Zhang Wei could not stop talking.
"Did you see that? That guy almost ruined himself," he said, eyes wide. "And you, you actually dared to speak up."
Li Chen lay on his mat, staring at the ceiling. "He would've recovered anyway."
Zhang Wei laughed. "You're too modest. If I were you, I'd be bragging already."
Li Chen said nothing.
He knew how thin the line was.
A few days later, the outer disciples were summoned again.
An announcement.
"Outer disciple assessment will take place in one month," the middle-aged cultivator declared. "Performance in labor, cultivation progress, and conduct will be evaluated."
The crowd stirred.
Assessment meant ranking.
Ranking meant resources.
Li Chen lowered his head.
[System Notice]
[Upcoming Event Detected: Assessment]
[Recommendation: Controlled Advancement]
Controlled.
Not fast.
Not slow.
That night, Li Chen returned to the small cliff.
He cultivated under the stars, breath steady, mind calm.
The qi flowed smoothly.
No breakthrough.
No sudden surge.
Only quiet accumulation.
Far away, in the inner sect, an elder opened his eyes from meditation, sensing a faint, steady fluctuation.
Not wild.
Not greedy.
Just… balanced.
He frowned slightly.
"Interesting."
Then closed his eyes again.
And Li Chen continued cultivating, unaware that the first ripples he caused were already spreading, slowly but surely, through Qingyun Sect.