Evan sat frozen on his bed.
The system window still hovered in front of him.
[Warning…]
[Abnormal Energy Signature Detected]
"…Yeah,"
Evan muttered under his breath, voice tight.
"That's definitely not something you want to see after almost exploding."
His heart was still racing.
The warmth in his dantian remained faint but steady—proof that what just happened wasn't a dream.
He had cultivated.
Even if only a little.
Even if it nearly went wrong.
But now—
Something else had happened.
Something worse.
Evan slowly turned his head toward the window.
The outside world looked exactly the same.
Bright.
Peaceful.
Completely normal.
"…So what exactly did you detect?" he whispered.
The system didn't respond.
Of course it didn't.
It never explained things when it mattered.
Evan exhaled slowly and rubbed his forehead.
"Alright. Let's not panic."
He forced himself to think clearly.
Step by step.
What had just happened?
He attempted cultivation.
Qi surged like before.
The seal resisted.
Cracked slightly.
Then stabilized.
After that—
The system triggered a warning.
And something about an abnormal energy signature.
Evan frowned.
"…Did I leak something?"
That thought alone made his stomach drop.
Because if he did—
Then someone might have felt it.
That was not a good thing.
Somewhere in the City
Far from the quiet house—
In a secluded courtyard surrounded by tall stone walls—
An old man sat cross-legged beneath a tree.
His breathing was slow.
Steady.
Almost nonexistent.
The air around him was calm.
Controlled.
Disciplined.
Then—
His eyes snapped open.
"…Hm."
A faint ripple brushed against his senses.
Weak.
Very weak.
But—
Strange.
The old man frowned.
"…What was that?"
He raised his hand slightly, fingers forming a subtle gesture.
Spiritual perception spread outward like an invisible net.
Expanding.
Searching.
Tracing.
But the ripple—
Was already fading.
Gone as quickly as it appeared.
The old man's brows furrowed.
"…Odd."
It wasn't strong.
Not dangerous.
But it was…
Unusual.
Unrefined.
Yet—
Disturbingly pure.
"…A beginner?" he muttered.
"No…"
It didn't feel like any normal beginner.
There was something off about it.
Something that didn't fit.
The old man slowly stood up.
His gaze turned toward the distant part of the city.
"…Interesting."
Back at the House
Evan didn't know any of this.
But his instincts were screaming.
He quickly stood up from the bed.
"…Okay. Damage control."
First—
He checked himself.
Body—fine.
No injuries.
No weird side effects.
Good.
Second—
He closed his eyes and tried to feel inside his body.
The dantian.
The meridians.
Everything seemed…
Stable.
The seal was still there.
Intact.
Mostly.
Evan winced slightly.
"…That 'crack' didn't sound imaginary."
If the seal weakened…
Then next time—
Things could get worse.
Much worse.
Evan sighed.
"Great."
"I finally get a cultivation manual and nearly blow myself up."
He walked toward the window and peeked outside.
Still normal.
Still peaceful.
No angry cultivators flying toward him.
No explosions.
No screaming.
"…That's a good sign."
Then he paused.
"…Right?"
A sudden thought hit him.
Lyra.
Evan stiffened.
"…She can sense Qi."
And not just a little.
Lyra was powerful.
Extremely powerful.
If anyone noticed something—
It would be her.
Evan's eyes widened.
"Oh no."
He turned toward the door.
Just in time—
Footsteps approached.
Calm.
Measured.
Familiar.
Evan's soul nearly left his body.
"…Of course."
The door slowly opened.
Lyra stood there.
Her expression was… normal.
Too normal.
But her eyes—
Were sharp.
Observant.
Focused entirely on him.
"My prince."
Evan froze for half a second.
Then immediately switched to his best innocent face.
"…Yes?"
Lyra stepped into the room.
Her gaze didn't leave him.
"I felt something just now."
Evan's heart skipped a beat.
"Oh?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"What kind of something?"
Lyra stopped a few steps away from him.
Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"A disturbance in the flow of Qi."
Evan blinked.
Then blinked again.
"…Really?"
Lyra stared at him in silence.
Evan stared back.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Four—
Evan broke first.
"…What?"
Lyra's gaze softened just a little.
But the suspicion didn't disappear.
She walked closer.
Then crouched down slightly to meet his eye level.
"My prince."
Her voice was gentle.
But serious.
"Did anything unusual happen while you were in your room?"
Evan's brain went into overdrive.
Say no.
Say nothing.
Act natural.
He nodded immediately.
"Nope."
Too fast.
Lyra's eyebrow lifted slightly.
"…No?"
Evan shook his head.
"No."
Then he added—
"I woke up."
"I sat."
"I thought about life."
"And then you came."
Lyra stared at him.
Evan stared back.
"…What kind of five-year-old thinks about life?" she asked slowly.
Evan froze.
"…A deep one?"
Lyra's lips twitched.
She sighed softly.
Then she reached out—
And placed her hand gently on his head.
Evan stiffened.
"…Uh."
Lyra closed her eyes.
Her spiritual sense extended carefully.
Scanning.
Checking.
Observing.
Evan held his breath.
Please don't notice.
Please don't notice.
A few seconds passed.
Then—
Lyra opened her eyes again.
Her expression shifted.
Just slightly.
Confusion.
"…Strange."
Evan blinked.
"…What?"
Lyra frowned faintly.
"There is… a trace."
Evan's heart dropped.
"…A trace?"
She looked at him again.
"Yes."
"Very faint."
"But it feels like…"
She paused.
Searching for the right word.
"…You absorbed Qi."
Silence.
Evan's brain stopped.
She knows.
Lyra's eyes sharpened slightly.
"My prince."
"…Did you attempt cultivation?"
Evan opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
"…Define attempt."
Lyra stared at him.
"…You did."
Evan immediately raised his hands.
"Okay, listen—"
"It was a small attempt."
"Like, very small."
"Barely an attempt."
"More like… a curiosity."
Lyra's expression changed instantly.
From calm—
To serious.
To slightly alarmed.
"You tried to cultivate?"
Evan nodded slowly.
"…Maybe."
Lyra stood up immediately.
Her aura shifted slightly.
Not violent—
But heavy.
"Did I not tell you it was dangerous?" she said, voice sharper now.
Evan shrank slightly.
"You did."
"And you still tried?"
"…Yes."
Lyra took a deep breath.
Clearly restraining herself.
Then she looked at him again.
"Did anything happen?"
Evan hesitated.
"…Define anything."
Lyra's eye twitched.
"My prince."
Evan quickly straightened.
"Okay, okay."
"Qi came in."
"Very aggressively."
"Like last time."
Lyra's expression darkened.
"And then?"
Evan swallowed.
"…The seal held."
"…Mostly."
Lyra froze.
"…Mostly?"
Evan smiled awkwardly.
"There was a… tiny sound."
"Like…"
He made a small cracking gesture with his fingers.
Lyra went completely still.
"…You heard a crack?"
Evan nodded.
"…A small one."
Silence filled the room.
The air felt heavier.
Lyra slowly turned away from him.
Her expression—
Was no longer calm.
"…This is not good."
Evan scratched his cheek.
"…How not good?"
Lyra didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
She looked toward the window.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
As if sensing something far away.
"…My prince."
Her voice was quiet now.
But serious.
"You are not allowed to cultivate again."
Evan blinked.
"…At all?"
Lyra turned back toward him.
Her gaze was firm.
"Not until I personally guide you."
Evan opened his mouth to argue—
Then stopped.
Because for the first time—
He saw something in her eyes.
Not anger.
Not frustration.
But—
Concern.
Real concern.
"…Okay," he said quietly.
Lyra relaxed slightly.
But only slightly.
Then she stepped closer again.
"…Something else."
Evan froze.
"…There's more?"
Lyra nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Her gaze sharpened.
"That disturbance I felt…"
"It didn't come only from you."
Evan's heart dropped.
"…What do you mean?"
Lyra's voice lowered.
"…Someone else noticed it."
Silence.
Evan felt a chill run down his spine.
"…Someone… noticed?"
Lyra nodded.
"…I felt a presence."
"Very faint."
"But it reacted."
Evan's throat went dry.
"…Is that bad?"
Lyra didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
She looked toward the distance again.
Her eyes cold.
Calculating.
"…We will find out soon enough."