The wolf's corpse lay hidden beneath a layer of leaves and soil by the time Li Tian finished erasing the traces of battle. He worked methodically, wiping blood from the bark of trees, smoothing disturbed earth with the flat of his blade. Carelessness invited trouble. Trouble invited attention. Attention was something he could not afford. The fragment inside his dantian remained quiet now, but its earlier surge replayed in his mind with unsettling clarity. It had not merely lent him strength. It had refined his spiritual energy, compressed it, sharpened it. That was not a passive artifact. That was something alive. He flexed his fingers slowly. The faint burn along his meridians had already faded. Recovery far faster than normal. His gaze darkened slightly. Useful. Dangerous.
When he returned home that evening, the village was already whispering about the Shadow Fang Wolf sighting near the outer woods. A hunter claimed to have seen scorched ground deeper within the forest. Li Tian walked past them without pause. His father was washing tools by the well, sleeves rolled up, movements steady. "Forest was loud today," his father remarked casually. Li Tian stopped beside him. "It's quieter now." A pause. The faintest nod. His father handed him a bucket to help rinse the mud from iron blades. No more words were exchanged. His mother later added an extra dish to dinner without comment. Silent reinforcement. Silent shield.
That night, Li Tian sat cross-legged in his room and guided his breathing. He drew in spiritual energy slowly, observing how the fragment reacted. At first, nothing. Then, as the flow thickened, a pulse. The energy entering his dantian swirled before being drawn into the fragment's core. Moments later, purer streams flowed back outward into his meridians. It was not stealing power. It was refining it. He exhaled carefully. If this continued, his cultivation speed would surpass the others in the village within months. That would attract attention. He needed control. He needed a mask.
Morning brought a test of that resolve. A village elder announced that a representative from Black Pine City would arrive within three days to scout potential disciples for outer sect training. The news electrified the youths. Joining even a minor sect meant resources, manuals, protection. Zhang Wei's confidence returned instantly. He boasted loudly about his Third Stage Body Tempering, claiming the scout would recognize talent at a glance. Li Tian stood at the edge of the gathering, expression indifferent. A sect meant structured cultivation. It also meant scrutiny. If the fragment was discovered, he would become either a treasure or a corpse. Possibly both.
Training intensified across the village. Li Tian reduced his visible output deliberately. During sparring, he limited himself to measured counters, never overwhelming opponents as he had Zhang Wei. Whispers faded slightly. Underestimation was safer than awe. Yet inside the forest each evening, he pushed harder. He fought beasts stronger than the wolf, using terrain, precision, and short bursts of fragment-enhanced strikes. Each time he used that hidden surge, he tested the limits. The fragment never acted randomly. It responded to threat and intent. Almost as if judging him.
On the second night, he encountered three Iron-Tusk Boars near a ravine. The first charge nearly crushed him against a boulder. He rolled under its bulk, slicing the tendon of its hind leg. The second boar rammed him squarely in the ribs, forcing a sharp breath from his lungs. Pain spiked. The fragment flared. Energy roared through his veins. He leapt, flipping over the beast's spine, and brought his blade down with crushing force between its shoulders. Bone cracked. The third boar hesitated only a heartbeat before retreating into the brush. Li Tian did not pursue. He leaned against the ravine wall, breathing steady but eyes sharp. His strength was climbing faster than anticipated. Fourth Stage Body Tempering was within reach.
When he returned home that night, he found fresh bandages already placed beside his bedding. His mother did not ask about the bruising visible beneath his collar. She simply said, "Don't train beyond your limits." Her tone was gentle but firm. Li Tian met her gaze. "I won't." It was not entirely a lie. He had no intention of losing control.
The day of the scout's arrival dawned clear and sharp. A tall man in dark robes entered the village square by midday, bearing the insignia of the Azure Wind Pavilion stitched along his sleeve. His presence alone pressed down on the gathered crowd. At least Ninth Stage Body Tempering. Possibly higher. His gaze swept across the assembled youths, cold and measuring. "Demonstrate," he said simply.
One by one, candidates stepped forward. Zhang Wei shattered a stacked stone slab with a powerful punch, drawing murmurs of approval. Others displayed agility or endurance. When Li Tian's name was called, he stepped into the center calmly. He chose a wooden training dummy as his target. No flashy declarations. No dramatic stance. He struck once. The dummy's torso splintered cleanly at its core. Not exploded. Not pulverized. A precise fracture through its structural center. The scout's eyes narrowed slightly. Interesting.
"Fourth Stage?" the man asked.
Li Tian inclined his head. "Recently advanced." Not entirely false. The fragment had indeed pushed him to the threshold the night before.
The scout gestured for him to spar against another candidate. Zhang Wei volunteered immediately. Their eyes met briefly before they faced each other. The crowd leaned forward. Zhang Wei attacked first, more disciplined this time. He had trained hard these past days. Their fists collided mid-air, shockwaves kicking dust outward. Li Tian absorbed the impact without retreating. He countered with rapid palm strikes aimed at pressure points along Zhang Wei's shoulders and ribs. Each blow disrupted energy flow rather than overpowering it. Within moments, Zhang Wei's movements slowed. Li Tian stepped behind him and placed his palm lightly against his back. "Yield," he said quietly.
Zhang Wei hesitated, pride warring with reason. Then he lowered his head. "I yield."
The square fell silent. The scout studied Li Tian for a long moment. "Controlled. Efficient. No wasted motion." He turned away. "You will report to Azure Wind Pavilion in one month. Prepare."
A murmur of shock spread through the villagers. Li Tian bowed slightly. No smile. No outward excitement. Inside, calculations shifted rapidly. One month. Enough time to test the fragment further. Enough time to prepare for a world far more dangerous than this village.
That night, beneath a sky scattered with cold stars, Li Tian stood alone in the courtyard. The fragment pulsed again, deeper than before. As if sensing that the path ahead was widening.
Far beyond Ashen Ridge Village, in a distant mountain range, a sealed stone altar cracked faintly down its center.