The Heavenly Cloud Sect had three thousand outer disciples.
Among them, Li Tian was famous for one reason.
He was the weakest.
"Three years."
On the training ground, a chubby young man stared at the cultivation stone in disbelief.
"Brother Li, you've been cultivating for three years! Three whole years! Even the spiritual turtle in my uncle's pond has reached the Third Layer of Qi Refinement!"
The young man clutched his chest as if his heart were breaking.
"Tell me honestly. Did you offend the heavens in your previous life?"
Li Tian glanced at him.
"Perhaps."
Chen Wei froze.
He had prepared ten different arguments to comfort his friend, but he hadn't expected Li Tian to agree so readily.
After a moment, he lowered his voice.
"Brother, don't worry. I have a plan."
Li Tian immediately stood up.
"I'm going home."
"Wait! You haven't even heard it!"
"That's precisely why I want to leave."
"Listen to me!" Chen Wei grabbed his sleeve. "Tonight, we sneak into the medicinal garden. I've discovered a loophole in the security arrangements. If we're lucky, we can obtain three or four spiritual herbs. With those herbs, you might finally break through!"
"What do you think?"
"How did you discover the loophole?"
"I was caught stealing medicinal herbs last month."
"And?"
"They beat me for two hours."
Li Tian nodded.
"So the loophole is that the guards are willing to beat you."
Chen Wei's smile disappeared.
"Brother, sometimes your words hurt more than a sword."
"Then cultivate your body."
"Then cultivate your body."
Li Tian walked away.
Behind him, Chen Wei stared at his friend's retreating figure.
"One day," he declared solemnly, "the entire cultivation world will understand our genius!"
A passing disciple heard him and burst into laughter.
Chen Wei pretended not to notice.
He had dignity.
At least, he had decided to start developing some.
The outer sect occupied the lower slopes of the Heavenly Cloud Mountains.
Spiritual energy was abundant enough for ordinary cultivation, but the best locations belonged to inner disciples and elders.
Outer disciples received modest monthly allowances, basic techniques, and occasional opportunities to compete for better resources.
Those with talent advanced quickly.
Those without talent became laborers.
Li Tian belonged to the second category.
According to the sect's records, he had a mediocre spiritual root and almost no aptitude for combat.His cultivation remained at the First Layer of Qi Refinement.
He had failed three advancement examinations.
He had never won a duel.
He had never received personal guidance from an elder.
Even the instructors had stopped expecting anything from him.
Yet Li Tian was not discouraged.
In fact, he was in an excellent mood.
Today marked the end of his third year in the sect.And today, he would finally use his greatest advantage.
He returned to his small residence, closed the wooden door, checked the window, and activated the simple soundproofing formation he had purchased for two spirit stones.
Then he checked the lock.
Then the window again.
Only after confirming that nobody was watching did he sit cross-legged on his bed.
"System."
A faint golden screen appeared before his eyes.
HIDDEN CULTIVATION SYSTEM
Host Li Tian
Current Realm Qi Refinement, Layer 1
Public Assessment Low Talent
Stored Cultivation 1,095 years
Passive ability: Hidden Aura
Special condition: Remain unrecognized by powerful cultivators.
Li Tian stared at the final line.
One thousand and ninety-five years.
He had accumulated that much cultivation energy without anyone knowing.
Three years ago, when he had first awakened in this world, he had been terrified.
He remembered his previous life only vaguely. An ordinary existence, an ordinary death, and then a second chance in a world where cultivators could shatter mountains with a palm.
His first thought had been to become powerful.
His second thought had been to avoid dying.
The second thought had won.
He had seen enough stories about cultivation worlds to understand one fundamental principle. The moment someone discovered that he possessed extraordinary talent, his peaceful life would end.
Geniuses attracted rivals.
Rivals attracted grudges.Grudges attracted assassins.
And assassins rarely send warning letters.
Therefore, Li Tian had made a decision.
He would cultivate in secret.
He would become powerful enough to protect himself.And unless absolutely necessary, he would never allow anyone to discover how powerful he had become.
The system had made this strategy considerably easier.Every day he remained alive and maintained his hidden identity, the system accumulated cultivation energy. It also concealed his true aura, making even experienced cultivators perceive him as an ordinary First Layer disciple.
At first, Li Tian had suspected a trap
He had spent his first month testing the system with tiny amounts of energy.
Then he spent the next six months testing its concealment.
After three years, he had reached one conclusion.
The system worked.
His only remaining concern was whether using its accumulated energy would attract heavenly attention.
He opened the system's instructions again.
"Release one year of stored cultivation."
The golden screen flickered.
[Request accepted.]
A moment later, a gentle current of spiritual energy entered his body.
His meridians trembled.
The spiritual energy flowed through his limbs, gradually strengthening his muscles, bones, and internal channels.
Qi Refinement, Second Layer.
Third Layer.
Fourth Layer.
Li Tian's breathing remained steady.
Fifth Layer.
Sixth Layer.
Seventh Layer.
He stopped the process immediately.
A faint warmth spread through his abdomen.
His body felt lighter. His senses sharpened, and he could hear insects moving outside his residence.
Li Tian examined his internal condition.
Then he looked at the system.
"That should be enough for today."
[Cultivation release complete.]
[Current actual cultivation: Qi Refinement, Seventh Layer.]
[Visible cultivation: Qi Refinement, First Layer.]
Li Tian nodded with satisfaction.
A sudden breakthrough of six layers would be suspicious if anyone detected it.
Fortunately, nobody had.
And nobody in the Heavenly Cloud Sect had the slightest idea.
Not even the sect master.
At least, that was what Li Tian believed.
Deep beneath the mountain, something ancient shifted in its sleep.
A faint golden rune appeared on a stone coffin.
Then disappeared.
The next morning, Li Tian arrived at the training ground carrying his usual wooden sword.
He had barely taken three steps when someone blocked his path.
A young woman stood before him in white robes, a slender sword hanging at her waist.
Her black hair was tied neatly behind her head. Her expression was calm, and her posture carried the confidence of someone accustomed to victory.
Mei Ling.
One of the most talented outer disciples.
At seventeen, she had already reached the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement. She had recently attracted the attention of an inner sect elder and was expected to enter the inner sect selection within the year.
She was also one of the few people who occasionally spoke to Li Tian without mocking him.
"Li Tian."
"Senior Sister Mei."
She looked at the wooden sword in his hand.
"Are you still practicing the basic sword form?"
"Yes."
"How long have you practiced it?"
"Three years."
Mei Ling was silent for a moment.
"I have."
"And?"
"I decided that the basic form still has room for improvement."
She stared at him.
For some reason, she could never tell whether Li Tian was serious or making fun of her.
His expression was always calm.
His answers were always simple.
And despite being mocked almost every day, he never appeared particularly upset.
Mei Ling found that strangely admirable.
She drew her sword.
"Show me your technique."
Li Tian looked at the blade.
Then at her.
"Here?"
"Is there a problem?"
"Wouldn't that disturb the other disciples?"
Mei Ling glanced around the training ground.
Several disciples were practicing nearby.
Some had already begun watching them.
"You're worried about disturbing them?"
"Yes."
She narrowed her eyes.
"You can simply perform the first three movements."
Li Tian considered refusing.
But Mei Ling had helped him once when an older disciple tried to steal his monthly spirit stones.
Refusing her request without a good reason would be impolite.
He raised his wooden sword.
One movement.
Two movements.
Three movements.
Slow, ordinary, and completely unremarkable.
Mei Ling watched carefully.
When he finished, she frowned.
"Your movements are stable."
"Thank you."
"But your sword lacks force."
"I'll work on it."
"And your footwork is too cautious."
"I'll work on that too."
She sighed.
"You agree with everything I say."
"Would you prefer that I disagree?"
"No."
"Then I won't."
Mei Ling stared at him for another moment.
Then, unexpectedly, she laughed.
It was a brief laugh, but it transformed her usually serious expression.
Li Tian quietly lowered his sword.
Dangerous.
He had survived demon beasts, hidden cultivation breakthroughs, and three years of sect life.
But he was beginning to suspect that dealing with a beautiful, straightforward woman might be considerably more difficult.
Mei Ling sheathed her sword.
"The outer sect tournament begins in two months. You should participate."
Li Tian's expression changed slightly.
"No, thank you."
"Why?"
"I'm not ready."
"You'll never be ready if you don't try."
"That sounds reasonable."
She smiled.
"Then you'll participate?"
"No."
Her smile vanished.
Li Tian gave her a polite bow.
"Thank you for your advice, Senior Sister Mei."
He walked away
Mei Ling watched his retreating figure.
For some reason, she felt an inexplicable urge to draw her sword again.
That afternoon, Li Tian was collecting firewood near the western edge of the sect when the system suddenly appeared.
[Warning: Unidentified hostile presence detected.]
Li Tian stopped walking.
The forest was quiet.
Too quiet.
[Estimated threat level: High.]
His expression became serious.
He immediately put down the firewood and retreated toward the main path.
Then the system displayed another message.
[Host has entered the detection range of an unknown entity.]
[Recommended action: Leave immediately.]
Li Tian did not hesitate.
He turned around.
A black shadow descended from the branches above.
It struck the ground where he had been standing a moment earlier, scattering leaves and breaking a nearby stone.
Li Tian's heart skipped a beat.
A demonic wolf stood before him.
Its fur was black as charcoal, and red spiritual energy surrounded its claws.
A Black Fang Demon Wolf.
Even a mature specimen could threaten a Qi Refinement cultivator several layers stronger than Li Tian's publicly known level.
The wolf lowered its head.
Its glowing eyes fixed on him.
Li Tian slowly backed away.
"Good wolf."
"I have no meat."
It took a step forward.
"I am also very poor."
Another step.
"Perhaps we can discuss this peacefully?"
The wolf lunged.
Li Tian moved.
His body slipped sideways with an ease that would have surprised anyone who knew his supposed cultivation level.
The wolf's claws tore through his sleeve but failed to touch his skin.
Li Tian landed behind a tree.
He stared at the torn fabric.
His expression darkened.
This was my only good robe."
The wolf turned.
Li Tian sighed.
"Very well."
The demon wolf charged again.
This time, Li Tian moved without hesitation.
His right hand flicked upward.
He struck the beast lightly between the eyes.
There was no explosion.
No dazzling sword light.
No earth-shaking roar.
The demon wolf simply stopped moving.
Its body stiffened.
Then it collapsed onto the ground.
Silence returned to the forest.
Li Tian looked down at the beast.
He had used only a fraction of his strength.
Far less than he had intended.
He crouched beside the wolf and examined its body.
"Dead?"
The system responded.
[Target eliminated.]
[Reward: 30 years of stored cultivation energy.]
Li Tian's eyes brightened.
Thirty years?
For a single demon wolf?
He quickly collected the reward and looked around.
Nobody had witnessed the encounter.
Excellent.
He dragged the wolf into a nearby thicket and covered it with branches.
Then he picked up his firewood.
His robe was damaged, his afternoon was ruined, and he had nearly become a demon wolf's dinner.
But he had earned thirty years of cultivation energy.
All things considered, it had been a profitable day.
He began walking back toward the sect.
He had taken only a few steps when the system displayed one final message.
[Warning: A second entity witnessed the target's elimination.]
Li Tian stopped.
Slowly, he turned toward the trees.
Nobody was there.
He scanned the surroundings.
Nothing.
Then he looked upward.
A tiny white fox sat on a branch, holding a spiritual fruit between its paws.
Its golden eyes met his.
The fox chewed.
Li Tian stared.
The fox swallowed.
Then it spoke.
"That was a pretty good punch."
Li Tian remained silent.
The fox tilted its head.
"Can you do it again?"
Li Tian closed his eyes.
He had wanted a quiet life.
A simple life.
A life in which he could cultivate without attracting attention.
After three years of careful planning, he had finally begun to succeed.
And now a talking fox has appeared.
The fox jumped down from the branch and landed on his shoulder.
"By the way, do you have any more spiritual fruit?"
Li Tian slowly opened his eyes.
"Get off."
"No."
"I'll throw you."
"You won't."
"Why not?"
The fox grinned.
"Because I know your secret."
Li Tian's expression finally changed.
For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt genuine danger.
Not because the fox looked powerful.
Not because it possessed an intimidating aura.
But because it was smiling far too confidently.
The system suddenly flickered.
[Unknown spirit beast detected.]
[Species: Unregistered.]
[Cultivation: Unable to determine.]
[Warning: Do not trust this creature.]
The fox glanced at the golden screen only Li Tian could see.
Then its grin widened.
"Oh?"
It leaned toward his ear and whispered:
"Little cultivator, who told you that this system belongs to you?"
Li Tian froze.
Deep beneath the Heavenly Cloud Sect, the ancient stone coffin trembled for the second time.
And for the first time in ten thousand years, a voice emerged from within it.
"Found you."