Three nights after Luo Han's visit, Xiao Rin could no longer suppress it.
The Ember Spirit Body had reached 68% activation.
Every time he cultivated, heat gathered unnaturally fast.
The air around him shimmered faintly.
Even Chen Wei felt it.
"He's going to break through soon," Chen Wei said quietly.
Lian Zhou nodded.
"Yes."
"But we don't have Foundation pills."
"We won't need them."
Xiao Rin sat in the center of the courtyard at midnight.
No fanfare.
No audience.
Just controlled breathing.
His Qi Gathering 9th Layer was stable.
Normally, without strong resources, a disciple could stagnate at this stage for years.
But Ember Spirit Body was different.
His meridians weren't just wider.
They were aligned with fire affinity.
Spiritual energy responded to him.
Naturally.
"Begin compression," Lian Zhou instructed calmly.
Xiao Rin obeyed.
He gathered Qi inward.
Instead of resistance, the energy condensed smoothly.
No turbulence.
No leakage.
The surrounding air temperature rose noticeably.
Mu Jian wiped sweat from his forehead.
Chen Wei watched silently.
The compression deepened.
The air around Xiao Rin flickered.
A faint ember glow appeared under his skin.
Then—
A pulse.
Clean.
Stable.
Foundation Realm.
No explosion.
No instability.
Just structural transition.
Xiao Rin opened his eyes slowly.
They reflected faint orange light for a moment before returning to normal.
"I… broke through," he said softly.
"Yes," Lian Zhou replied.
Calm.
As if it were expected.
Inside the system interface—
[Disciple Achieved Major Realm Breakthrough.]
[Authority Rank Upgrading…]
Lian Zhou's breathing slowed slightly.
This was what he was waiting for.
The interface expanded.
[Authority Rank 2 Unlocked.]
[New Functions Available.]
He stepped away slightly to focus.
New panel opened:
[Authority Skill: Sect Aura Stabilization]
[Reduces Host Spiritual Load by 20% when disciples cultivate nearby.]
His eyes sharpened.
That solved one issue.
Next:
[Unlock Advanced Constitution Enhancement — Cost: 15 TP]
[Unlock Technique Synthesis — Cost: 12 TP]
[Unlock Resource Conversion — Locked]
This was real expansion.
The system was not just for upgrading disciples.
It was becoming sect infrastructure.
He checked his load gauge.
[Host Spiritual Load: 52% → 38%]
The reduction applied instantly.
Authority Rank 2 stabilized his strain.
Good.
Very good.
Chen Wei approached Xiao Rin.
"You're Foundation already."
"Yes."
Mu Jian exhaled slowly.
"Three months ago, you couldn't even stabilize Qi Gathering."
Xiao Rin looked toward Lian Zhou.
"Sect Master…"
"Yes."
"Is this because of you?"
Lian Zhou met his gaze calmly.
"Yes."
No false modesty.
No secrecy.
The disciples understood now.
Their growth was not coincidence.
It was design.
That morning, something subtle changed in the sect.
The courtyard felt warmer.
Not physically.
Structurally.
There was now a Foundation cultivator tied to Heavenly Ember.
Not borrowed.
Not hired.
Built.
By noon, word had already spread to nearby sects.
"Heavenly Ember produced a Foundation disciple."
Impossible.
They had three disciples total.
How?
Crimson Blade received the report that same afternoon.
Their Elder frowned.
"That fast?"
"Yes."
"They don't have resources."
"No."
Silence.
The Elder's expression darkened.
"Regional gathering," he said.
"We deal with them there."
Back at Heavenly Ember—
Lian Zhou opened the system again.
He had 9 Talent Points remaining.
Now with Authority Rank 2 unlocked—
He saw something new in Xiao Rin's profile.
[Ember Spirit Body Activation: 72%]
[Advanced Fire Vein Awakening Available — Cost: 8 TP]
Interesting.
He could push Xiao Rin further.
But not yet.
Public stage was coming.
He needed balance.
Chen Wei was Foundation Mid.
Xiao Rin was Foundation Early.
Mu Jian still Body Tempering.
He opened Mu Jian's panel.
New option had appeared:
[Body Tempering Reinforcement Package — Cost: 6 TP]
System was preparing him for something.
He closed the panel.
Not today.
He needed to conserve some points for the gathering.
That evening, he gathered the three disciples.
"We attend the regional gathering."
Mu Jian swallowed.
"Crimson Blade will be there."
"Yes."
Chen Wei's eyes hardened slightly.
"Good."
Xiao Rin simply nodded.
Lian Zhou looked at them carefully.
"You will not chase victory," he said calmly.
"You will display structure."
They didn't fully understand what that meant.
But they would.
Soon.
Inside the system interface, one final message appeared:
[Warning: Sect Visibility Increasing.]
[Probability of External Recruitment Attempts: Rising.]
Geniuses attract offers.
Stronger sects might try to poach them.
That was the next real test.
Not combat.
Loyalty.
He closed the panel slowly.
The sect had its first pillar.
Now it needed foundation beneath it.