Li Xuan moved quickly but silently through the narrow back path behind the abandoned kitchen. The moon hung low, casting thin silver lines along the edges of rooftops.
His ribs ached.His legs felt weak.His heart still beat faster than usual.
But he was alive.
He slipped between two storage sheds, staying in the shadows as he made his way toward the dorm area from the opposite side. If Elder Qiu's guards doubled back, they would search the main paths first.
Yan Ling's warning stayed sharp in his mind.
"Elder Qiu is moving tonight.""Someone reported unusual activity.""Don't let him find you awake."
Li Xuan didn't know if she risked herself helping him…but she saved his life today.
He reached his dorm from the back window instead of the door. The wooden frame protested softly as he pushed it open just enough to squeeze inside.
He landed on the floor silently.
No one saw him.No one followed.
Only after several moments did he allow himself to breathe normally again.
—Well done, the Grand Immortal said. But do not relax. Tonight revealed one truth: Elder Qiu fears change, and he fears you.
Li Xuan sat on his bed and wiped the dust from his clothes.
"What do you think Elder Qiu plans?" he whispered.
—He wants to confirm whether you have awakened your Qi. If he finds proof... he will remove you before anyone else notices.
Li Xuan's fist tightened.
He remembered Zhao Ren's calm voice outside his door.
"I hope you survive the night."
Zhao Ren wasn't stupid.He knew exactly what would happen if Elder Qiu found anything suspicious.
Li Xuan breathed deeply.
"What should I do now?"
The Immortal answered without hesitation.
—Grow faster.—Break your blockage.—Open your dantian before they can act again.
Li Xuan looked down at his hands.
Tonight, he had almost died…Before he even began cultivating properly.
He lay on the bed, staring at the dark ceiling.
But sleep didn't come easily.
His mind repeated the events:
Zhao Ren knocking…Yan Ling pulling him into darkness…The guard sensing warmth…The trapdoor…The voice saying: "I feel something."
Li Xuan's hands trembled.He clenched them tighter.
He didn't want to be powerless anymore.
He didn't want to hide in darkness forever.
He wanted strength.
He wanted safety.
He wanted truth.
He wanted justice.
But before any of that…
He needed to open his dantian.
He sat up again, ignoring the exhaustion.
He closed his eyes.
Inside him, the broken pieces of the blockage floated like shards of ice slowly melting under the warmth of a small flame.
He pushed gently.
The flame moved.
Crack.
Another tiny piece broke.
Pain shot up his stomach, but he didn't stop.
Crack.
Another.
His hands shook. His teeth clenched.
His vision blurred for a moment.
But he pushed again.
Crack—
And then—
Boom.
A soft internal explosion—not loud, but powerful enough to flood his entire body with heat.
Li Xuan gasped.
His chest expanded as a wave of warm air surged through him. His arms tingled. His legs felt lighter. His heartbeat steadied into a strong rhythm.
The blockage…
It wasn't gone, but now only a thin layer remained.
The final barrier.
—Excellent, the Grand Immortal said. Tomorrow morning, you will break it completely. You will open your dantian.
Li Xuan's breath trembled with excitement.
"Really…?"
—Yes. And when you do, your Qi will flow freely for the first time in your life.
Li Xuan's eyes felt hot.
He had waited years for this.Dreamed of it.Begged for it.
Tomorrow…He would no longer be the cripple of the Twilight Ember Sect.
He would be a cultivator.
Finally.
He lay down again, this time with a quieter heart.
As sleep slowly pulled him in, the Grand Immortal spoke one last time:
—Rest well tonight, Li Xuan. Because tomorrow… everything changes.
Li Xuan fell asleep.
And outside, hidden in the darkness between two buildings, a figure stood watching his window.
Not Yan Ling.Not Zhao Ren.Not a guard.
Someone else.
Their silhouette did not move.Their breathing did not show.Only their eyes glowed faintly in the night.
Watching.Waiting.
As if Li Xuan's growth…was a threat to them too.