"Good." Li Wei steps back, flicking his fingers dismissively toward the cave entrance. "Get lost. And if you screw this up, I'll rip out your spine and turn it into a chair." His voice is casual, almost cheerful, as if discussing the weather.
Jiao Han bows so quickly he nearly loses balance, his hands trembling violently as he clutches the pill and potion. "Yes, my lord! Right away!" He spins around and stumbles toward the exit, not daring to look back more than once before vanishing into the darkness beyond.
Li Wei watches the entrance for a long moment, flexing his fingers slowly, feeling the faint, fragile thread of control linked to the shard in Jiao Han's body. It's weak, barely perceptible, but it's enough—a leash he can yank whenever he feels like it.
"Pathetic," he mutters, eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. He snorts, shaking his head as he turns back toward the depths of the cave. "Spineless worm… but spineless things are the easiest to control." He chuckles under his breath, louder with each step.
"Let's see how useful you'll be now," he mutters, turning back towards the depths of the cave.
Now that Jiao Han is gone, Li Wei settles into his usual spot in the cave, resting his back against the cold stone wall. He retrieves a pouch from his storage and unties it, revealing a fine, pure white ash—the bone essence. Its once faint glow has dulled after days of being steadily drained for Qi during his meditative sessions.
Li Wei grabs a small bowl and pours a precise amount of water into it, mixing it with a portion of the ash. He stirs the mixture slowly, watching the fine powder dissolve into a cloudy, pale liquid. The scent is faintly metallic, but otherwise inert. "Not as much Qi left as before," he thinks, noting the duller appearance of the mixture—a clear sign of how depleted the essence has become.
Without hesitation, he lifts the bowl to his lips and takes a long, steady sip. The liquid goes down smoothly, leaving a dry aftertaste in his mouth. Almost immediately, he feels a faint pulse of Qi spreading through his bones—not nearly as potent as it once was, but still significant enough to push him forward. He focuses inward, carefully guiding the Qi along his skeletal channels.
"Not as much as before, but it'll do," Li Wei thinks, feeling the subtle energy bolster his bones. His strength builds gradually, reinforcing his skeletal structure bit by bit. Though the Qi is weaker than before, it remains consistent enough to nudge him closer to Foundational Establishment Level 2. He knows the breakthrough is imminent, hovering just beyond reach.
Minutes pass in silence as he continues cycling the Qi, maintaining a steady rhythm. The process feels slower now, requiring more focus to extract value from the diminishing essence. Still, Li Wei doesn't let it bother him. He's grown accustomed to wringing every last drop of energy from dwindling resources, knowing that persistence matters more than speed.
He takes another sip, letting the faint warmth spread through his bones once more. His hands remain steady, his breathing controlled, each exhale deliberate. He directs the flow carefully, reinforcing every inch of his skeletal frame. "Almost there. Just need a bit more." Though thinner, the Qi still works, inching him closer to the next level.
Li Wei sets the empty bowl aside, flexing his fingers. He feels a slight increase in grip strength. "Soon." His bones hum faintly with the residual Qi, and though progress feels slower than he would like, he knows it's steady. Foundational Establishment Level 2 is within reach—just a matter of time and persistence.
He leans back against the wall, letting the faint warmth of the Qi settle into his bones. The diminishing returns of the bone essence cross his mind, and he frowns slightly. "I'll need something stronger soon." But for now, it's enough. Even in small amounts, the Qi extracted from the bone essence is valuable. Each drop counts.
Despite the slower gains, Li Wei remains focused. His thoughts drift briefly to new methods of improving his environment and future ways of increasing efficiency. Even with weaker Qi, he knows that careful control and persistence will push him through the barrier soon.
Satisfied for the moment, he closes his eyes briefly, allowing himself a short rest before resuming the cycle again.
The next day Li Wei sits cross-legged in the dim interior of his cave, the air still and dry from his earlier efforts to simulate desert conditions. His eyes remain half-closed as he cycles Qi through his bones, maintaining a steady rhythm. Suddenly, he feels faint presences approaching from the direction of the cave entrance. He pauses, focusing intently.
Li Wei senses five presences approaching, their weak Qi signatures becoming clearer as they draw closer. Among them, he recognises Jiao Han's faint and familiar pulse. Sensing no immediate threat, he remains seated, calmly cycling his Qi as he waits for them to arrive.
Moments later, footsteps echo faintly off the cave walls, growing louder with each step. Jiao Han appears first, bowing deeply before stepping inside. Behind him, four outer disciples follow hesitantly, their expressions tense, eyes darting around the dim cave as if expecting something dangerous to emerge from the shadows.
Jiao Han clears his throat, his voice trembling slightly. "My lord, I've done what you asked. I brought disciples."
Li Wei rises slowly, his movements deliberate, his expression unreadable. He approaches the group, his gaze sweeping over each disciple. Their postures are stiff, their nervous energy almost palpable. "Barely more than fodder," he thinks, suppressing the urge to sneer.
One of the disciples, slightly braver than the rest, steps forward and speaks cautiously. "Senior, we would be delighted to work under you."
Li Wei raises an eyebrow, the faintest flicker of amusement crossing his face as he pieces it together. "Jiao Han must have spun that lie to convince them to come. He probably told them there'd be an opportunity for favour or reward." The thought amuses him—Jiao Han's desperation to survive is predictable.
"No," Li Wei replies coldly, his tone slicing through the tension. "I only need one. I'll test you first."
He watches as unease ripples through the group. The bravest disciple falters, clearly realising this isn't the kind of opportunity he had hoped for. The others exchange nervous glances, but none of them dare to back away or refuse. Whether it's fear of offending a senior or the lingering hope of a reward, they remain rooted in place, too afraid to leave and too unsure to speak further. Li Wei suppresses a smirk—fear makes people pliable. Perfect.
"Step forward," Li Wei commands, his voice sharp and detached. The disciples glance at one another nervously before the first steps forward, his hesitation clear. The others follow in quick succession, unwilling to be singled out.
Li Wei places his hand on the first disciple's shoulder, his grip firm but not overly tight. To the onlookers, it appears as though he's merely checking the disciple's cultivation level. In truth, he focuses his Qi into his fingertip, willing a thin bone shard to form. The shard begins to grow, smooth and needle-like, as he carefully guides it into the disciple's skeletal structure. The process is slow and precise, designed to remain undetected.
As the shard anchors itself, Li Wei feels a faint pulse of Qi from the disciple's body—a sliver of energy that links to the shard. Then, briefly, he senses it again—that strange presence. It's faint, subtle, but distinct enough to unsettle him. "That presence again…" he notes, his brow furrowing slightly. He forces himself to remain composed, withdrawing his hand with a neutral expression.
The disciple bows awkwardly before stepping back. Li Wei moves on to the next one, repeating the process. Each time, he implants a shard while masking his true intent. And each time, he senses that same faint presence—an awareness that lingers momentarily before fading. By the time he finishes, he's certain the shards are functioning as intended, though the peculiar sensation leaves him wary.
Li Wei crosses his arms, studying the group with a critical, indifferent gaze. He allows the silence to stretch, the tension thickening as the outer disciples shift uneasily under his scrutiny. Finally, he speaks, his voice cold and commanding. "What do you do?"
The first disciple steps forward hesitantly, swallowing hard. "Senior, I work in the Weapon Hall. I repair weapons—sharpen blades, mend minor cracks."
Li Wei's expression remains impassive, offering neither approval nor criticism. He waits for the next disciple to speak.
"I've helped with supply runs during missions," the second disciple blurts out quickly, his voice trembling slightly. "Mostly moving goods between the Pill Hall and the Disciplinary Hall."
The third disciple clears his throat, visibly uncomfortable. "I… I've done scouting. Tracking routes during herb-gathering missions."
Li Wei's eyes shift to the last disciple, narrowing slightly. "And you?"
The disciple flinches, lowering his gaze. "I… I gather herbs for the sect."
Li Wei lets the silence drag on, long enough for it to become unbearable. He watches as their anxiety deepens, their shifting stances betraying how uncomfortable they've become. He waits until the urge to break the silence himself fades, and only when he can no longer be bothered to prolong it further does he speak, his tone cold and cutting. "In warfare, what is the most crucial element to secure victory?"
The disciples glance at each other, their confusion obvious. The first disciple steps forward timidly. "Strength?"
"No, no…" the second disciple interrupts, trying to sound more confident. "Resources. Without supplies, no army can win."
"Information," the third disciple offers uncertainly. "Knowing your enemy before they know you."
Li Wei raises an eyebrow, giving nothing away. He doesn't bother to explain or offer the answer, watching instead as their confusion deepens. After another moment of silence, he waves a hand dismissively. "Get lost. You're not what I need."
The disciples exchange awkward glances, clearly bewildered. None of them dare to ask for clarification. Bowing quickly, they shuffle out of the cave, their expressions a mix of relief and embarrassment.
As Jiao Han turns to leave, Li Wei's voice cuts through the dim air of the cave. "Jiao Han, bring me more tomorrow."
Jiao Han bows quickly, mumbling a hurried acknowledgment before following the others into the darkness. Li Wei watches them until they're out of sight, focusing momentarily on the faint pulses of Qi he can sense from the shards embedded in their bones. The feeling is faint but unmistakable—similar to the connection he has with his bone slave, though less defined and harder to describe.
Turning back into the cave, Li Wei takes a seat and begins another session, mixing bone essence into water and sipping the cloudy liquid. It's still enough to push his cultivation forward. Each sip sends faint pulses of energy into his bones.
He smirks slightly as he imagines the outer disciples diligently cultivating, oblivious to the fact that all their efforts will ultimately serve him. "Weak now, but they'll grow. I'll give them time, let them accumulate cultivation… and then I'll harvest it when they're ripe."