The following days passed in a blur for Lin Feng, each one a delicate balance between maintaining his facade of normalcy and exploring the newfound power awakening within him. By day, he toiled in Old Man Chen's fields, his movements now imbued with a grace and efficiency that drew curious glances from his fellow workers. By night, sequestered in the privacy of his humble hut, he delved deeper into the mysteries of qi cultivation.
It was on the fifth night after his awakening that Lin Feng made a breakthrough. As he sat in meditation, focusing on the flow of qi through his meridians, he sensed a blockage—a point where the energy seemed to pool and stagnate. Instinctively, he directed his concentration to this area, willing the qi to move.
For what felt like hours, nothing happened. Then, just as frustration began to set in, there was a shift. The blockage gave way with a sensation akin to a dam bursting, and qi flooded through Lin Feng's body with renewed vigor. His eyes snapped open, glowing faintly in the darkness of his hut, and he gasped as a wave of euphoria washed over him.
"Is this... am I advancing?" he whispered to himself, marveling at the surge of power coursing through his veins.
As the initial rush faded, Lin Feng took stock of his body. He felt stronger, more alert, his senses sharpened to an almost painful degree. The constant background hum of qi that he had become accustomed to over the past few days now sang with newfound clarity.
A grin spread across Lin Feng's face as realization dawned. He had taken another step on the path of cultivation, advancing from the initial stage of qi awakening to what the old stories called the "Foundation Establishment" phase. It was still firmly within the bounds of the Mortal Realm, but it was progress—tangible, exhilarating progress.
As the first light of dawn began to filter through the cracks in his walls, Lin Feng reluctantly pulled himself out of his meditative state. Despite having spent the entire night cultivating, he felt more refreshed and energized than ever before. The prospect of another day in the fields, which would once have filled him with dread, now seemed almost laughably easy.
Lin Feng stepped out of his hut, inhaling deeply. The crisp morning air felt different somehow, charged with possibilities. As he made his way towards Old Man Chen's fields, he found himself noticing details he had never perceived before—the intricate patterns in a spider's web glistening with dew, the subtle variations in birdsong echoing from the nearby woods, even the faint pulse of life emanating from the plants around him.
"You're early today, Lin Feng," Old Man Chen's gruff voice called out as he approached the fields. The old farmer eyed him suspiciously, his gaze lingering on Lin Feng's face. "And you look... different. You haven't been getting into any trouble, have you, boy?"
Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat, but he forced a casual smile. "No trouble, Old Man Chen. Just been sleeping well lately."
The old man harrumphed, clearly not entirely convinced. "Well, see that you put that energy to good use. The eastern field needs clearing—new seedlings are going in next week."
As Lin Feng set to work, he found himself marveling at how easy the tasks now seemed. Rocks that would have once required his full strength to move now felt as light as pebbles. His hoe cut through the earth with precision, guided by his enhanced senses and the subtle flow of qi through his arms.
It was nearing midday when a commotion at the edge of the field drew Lin Feng's attention. A group of men on horseback had arrived, their fine clothes and haughty bearing marking them as outsiders. At their head rode a young man who couldn't have been much older than Lin Feng himself, his handsome face marred by a look of smug superiority.
Old Man Chen hurried over to greet the newcomers, bowing deeply. "Young Master Zhao, this is an unexpected honor. How may this humble farmer be of service?"
The young man—Zhao—surveyed the field with thinly veiled disdain. "We're here on behalf of the Azure Cloud Sect. There have been... anomalies reported in this area. Fluctuations in the natural qi that require investigation."
Lin Feng felt his blood run cold. Could they be here because of him? Had his cultivation somehow alerted these powerful cultivators?
As if sensing his thoughts, Zhao's gaze swept across the field, lingering for a moment on Lin Feng. There was a flicker of something in the young cultivator's eyes—curiosity, perhaps, or suspicion.
"You there," Zhao called out, pointing at Lin Feng. "Come here."
On legs that suddenly felt like lead, Lin Feng approached the group. He could feel the weight of their collective gaze upon him, probing, assessing. Up close, he could sense the power emanating from them, especially from Zhao. It was like standing near a bonfire after a lifetime of only knowing candle flames.
"What's your name, peasant?" Zhao demanded.
"Lin Feng, young master," he replied, bowing his head in deference while inwardly cursing his luck.
Zhao leaned forward in his saddle, his eyes narrowing. "Tell me, Lin Feng, have you noticed anything... unusual lately? Any strange occurrences, unexplained phenomena?"
For a moment, Lin Feng was tempted to confess everything—his awakening, his nascent cultivation, the incredible changes he had experienced. But a voice in the back of his mind urged caution. The stories he had grown up with were filled with tales of powerful sects exploiting or eliminating budding cultivators who didn't belong to their ranks.
"Nothing unusual, young master," Lin Feng said, forcing his voice to remain steady. "Just the usual rhythms of farm life."
Zhao held his gaze for a long moment, and Lin Feng had the uncomfortable sensation that the young cultivator was looking right through him. Finally, Zhao leaned back, a small smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Is that so?" he mused. "Well, if you do notice anything out of the ordinary, you're to report it to the Azure Cloud Sect immediately. Attempting to hide information from us would be... unwise."
With that thinly veiled threat hanging in the air, Zhao wheeled his horse around. "We'll be conducting investigations in the area for the next few days. I suggest you all go about your business and stay out of our way."
As the group rode off, Lin Feng let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Old Man Chen shuffled over to him, his weathered face creased with concern.
"Trouble follows those cultivator types," the old farmer muttered. "Best to keep your head down while they're around, boy."
Lin Feng nodded absently, his mind racing. The arrival of the Azure Cloud Sect changed everything. His secret was no longer just a personal matter—it now carried implications that could affect the entire village.
As he returned to his work, Lin Feng found his earlier enthusiasm had evaporated, replaced by a gnawing anxiety. He had taken the first steps on the path of cultivation, but now he realized just how treacherous that path could be.
That night, as Lin Feng sat in his hut preparing to meditate, a soft knock at his door nearly caused him to jump out of his skin. Cautiously, he approached the door, extending his senses as best he could to try and determine who might be on the other side.
"Who's there?" he called out, trying to keep the nervousness from his voice.
"It's me, Lin Feng. Open up."
The voice belonged to Mei Ling, the village healer's daughter and one of the few people in Willow Creek that Lin Feng considered a friend. Relieved, he opened the door to find her standing there, her usual cheerful expression replaced by one of worry.
"Mei Ling? What are you doing here so late?"
She brushed past him into the hut, glancing around nervously before fixing him with an intense stare. "I saw what happened in the field today, with those Azure Cloud Sect cultivators. And I've noticed how different you've been acting lately. Something's going on with you, isn't it?"
Lin Feng opened his mouth to deny it, but the look in Mei Ling's eyes stopped him. They had known each other since childhood, had shared dreams of a life beyond Willow Creek. If there was anyone he could trust with his secret, it was her.
With a sigh, he sank down onto his sleeping mat. "You might want to sit down, Mei Ling. It's a long story."
Over the next hour, Lin Feng recounted everything—his awakening, his fledgling attempts at cultivation, the breakthrough he had experienced the night before. Mei Ling listened in rapt silence, her eyes growing wider with each revelation.
"So you're... you're actually becoming a cultivator?" she whispered when he had finished, awe and a hint of envy in her voice.
Lin Feng nodded. "I think so. But I don't really know what I'm doing, and now with the Azure Cloud Sect here..." He trailed off, the weight of his situation settling heavily upon him.
Mei Ling was quiet for a long moment, her brow furrowed in thought. Finally, she looked up, determination blazing in her eyes. "You can't stay here, Lin Feng. It's too dangerous. If they find out what you are, who knows what they'll do."
"But where would I go?" Lin Feng asked, the thought of leaving the only home he'd ever known both terrifying and exhilarating.
"My grandmother," Mei Ling said, leaning in close as if afraid of being overheard. "She lives in a village at the foot of Mount Tai. There are rumors... whispers that she knows things about the old ways of cultivation. Things that even the great sects have forgotten."
Lin Feng's heart raced at the possibility. "But how would I even get there? I've never been more than a day's walk from Willow Creek."
Mei Ling reached into her robes and pulled out a small, wrapped bundle. "I've been saving this," she said, unwrapping it to reveal a few silver coins and a jade pendant. "It's not much, but it should be enough to get you to Mount Tai. The pendant belonged to my grandmother—show it to her, and she'll know I sent you."
Overwhelmed by her generosity, Lin Feng could only stare at the offerings. "Mei Ling, I can't take this. Your savings, your grandmother's pendant..."
She pressed them into his hands, her touch lingering for a moment. "You have to, Lin Feng. This might be your only chance to truly follow the path of cultivation. And..." she hesitated, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "Maybe once you've become a powerful cultivator, you can come back for me. Take me away from this place, like we always talked about."
In that moment, looking into Mei Ling's eyes, Lin Feng felt a surge of determination unlike anything he had experienced before. He closed his fingers around the coins and pendant, nodding solemnly.
"I will," he promised. "I'll become a cultivator worthy of the legends, and I'll come back for you. No matter what it takes."
As the first light of dawn began to color the eastern sky, Lin Feng stood at the edge of Willow Creek, a small pack containing his meager possessions slung over his shoulder. Mei Ling stood beside him, tears glistening in her eyes.
"Be careful," she whispered, pulling him into a fierce hug. "And don't forget about us little people when you're a mighty immortal."
Lin Feng returned the embrace, trying to memorize everything about this moment—the scent of her hair, the warmth of her body, the sound of the awakening village behind them. "Never," he vowed.
With a final look at the only home he had ever known, Lin Feng turned and set off down the road. The path ahead was uncertain, fraught with danger and challenge. But as he felt the qi flowing through his body, sensed the vast potential waiting to be unlocked, Lin Feng couldn't help but smile.
His journey into the world of cultivation had truly begun.