Morning arrived with clear skies over Wu Tan City.
The Xiao Clan training grounds were already full.
Wooden swords clashed.
Dou Qi flickered.
The younger disciples shouted as instructors corrected their stances.
To outsiders, it looked like any ordinary day.
Xiao Feng knew better.
History had already begun moving.
Most people simply couldn’t see it yet.
He wandered through the training grounds with a small basket in one hand.
Not because he wanted to train.
He had been asked to deliver medicinal herbs to one of the elders.
Being forgotten by most people had one advantage.
Whenever there was a boring job…
Someone eventually remembered Xiao Feng.
“…At least they’re paying me.”
After dropping off the herbs, he passed one of the smaller practice fields.
There, a familiar figure was swinging a heavy iron ruler.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Sweat soaked Xiao Yan’s clothes.
His breathing was rough.
Every movement looked exhausting.
Yet he never stopped.
Xiao Feng watched quietly for a moment.
“Cousin.”
Xiao Yan looked over.
“Oh…
Cousin Feng.”
“You’ve been training a lot lately.”
“I have.”
“Trying to become stronger?”
Xiao Yan smiled faintly.
“I’ve spent three years being weak.”
“I think that’s enough.”
There was no anger in his voice.
Only determination.
Xiao Feng nodded.
“I won’t disturb you.”
Before leaving, he glanced once more at the enormous ruler.
“…Interesting weapon.”
Xiao Yan instinctively tightened his grip.
“It is.”
After Xiao Feng disappeared around the corner…
A familiar old voice echoed inside the ring.
“He noticed.”
“I know.”
“You handled that well.”
“I only told the truth.”
Yao Lao laughed.
“Good.”
“Never underestimate careful people.”
“He isn’t asking questions because he isn’t curious.”
“He’s waiting until he has enough pieces before making conclusions.”
Xiao Yan frowned.
“You think Cousin Feng is dangerous?”
“No.”
Yao Lao shook his head.
“I think…”
“…he’s interesting.”
That afternoon…
Xiao Feng returned to the roof of his residence.
He sat cross-legged.
Sword Intent.
Soul Dao.
Spirit Eyes.
Movement Art.
The system had given him many things.
But he hadn’t had time to truly combine them.
He slowly closed his eyes.
The world became quiet.
Wind drifted across the rooftops.
Birds flew overhead.
Somewhere in the city, merchants argued over prices.
Farther away…
Several cultivators sparred.
For the first time…
He wasn’t simply sensing the world.
He was observing it.
The movement of leaves.
The rhythm of breathing.
The flow of spiritual energy.
Everything seemed connected.
Hours passed without him noticing.
When Xiao Feng finally opened his eyes…
The sun had already begun to set.
“…Huh.”
“I think I understand a little more now.”
He couldn’t explain exactly what had changed.
Only that his control over spiritual energy had become noticeably smoother.
Not stronger.
Better.
Sometimes improvement wasn’t measured by power.
Sometimes…
It was measured by understanding.
That night, he opened the diary.
Diary Entry #4
Today I watched Cousin Xiao Yan training.
He’s changed.
Not his strength.
His attitude.
Some people become stronger because they win.
Others become stronger because they lose.
Personally…
I think the second group usually goes farther.
Comfort rarely creates legends.
I also realized something.
Immortal cultivation is strange.
The more I cultivate…
The less interested I become in showing people what I can do.
Maybe that’s because real mountains don’t need to announce they’re tall.
They simply exist.
Although…
If somebody keeps causing trouble…
I reserve the right to change my philosophy.
The brush paused.
Then Xiao Feng added one last sentence.
Besides…
Living quietly sounds much more relaxing than becoming famous.
I’ll happily leave that job to Cousin Xiao Yan.
He nodded.
“That’s enough for today.”
[Diary Entry Completed.]
Reward Granted.
Five Elements Body Tempering Art.
A stream of ancient knowledge entered his mind.
Unlike previous rewards, this technique wasn’t flashy.
It focused on one thing.
Strengthening the body.
Bones.
Muscles.
Organs.
Meridians.
It would continue working throughout the Foundation Establishment Realm and prepare his body for Core Formation.
Xiao Feng smiled.
“Perfect.”
Every reward so far had built another piece of his foundation.
The system wasn’t rushing him.
It was building him into a cultivator with no weaknesses.
Inside the black ring…
Yao Lao silently finished reading the newest diary.
A thoughtful smile crossed his face.
“A real mountain doesn’t announce its height…”
He repeated the sentence softly.
Then chuckled.
“Perhaps.”
“But every now and then…”
“…even mountains shake the world.”
Far away…
The Little Fairy Doctor quietly closed her own diary.
For some reason…
She found herself wondering what kind of person could write something so ordinary…
Yet make it feel strangely peaceful.
Above Wu Tan City…
The stars slowly appeared.
One young man continued training with an iron ruler.
Another quietly cultivated beneath the moon.
Neither knew…
That before long…
Both would leave this small city behind.