The days melted into weeks, and the once-foreign hum in Wu Ken's shoulder had become a steady, familiar rhythm—like a second heartbeat. His secret visits to the Whispering Willow Grove were no longer just routine; they were sacred. Each session sharpened his focus, and the Qi he drew in now flowed with precision, fortifying his bones, toughening his skin, and deepening the glow of the crimson lotus etched on his shoulder.
He didn't know the names of cultivation levels, nor did he count stars. But he felt it. His strength had more than doubled. His reflexes were crisp, his balance near perfect, and his senses so sharp he could smell crushed mint leaves from across the field. He was solidly within the Body Tempering Stage's first star, and the energy within him pulsed with quiet confidence.
One crisp morning, Elder Huan stood by the village well, his voice rising above the chatter.
"The market in Stonegate Town is open this week! Supplies are low, and the healers there have remedies we can't find here. We need strong hands to help carry the goods."
Stonegate Town. A place spoken of in half-whispers and wide-eyed tales. A bustling hub **just a few hours' journey from Sunstone Village**, filled with stone roads, strange foods, and cultivators who walked like they owned the sky. For Wu Ken, it was more than a supply run—it was a glimpse beyond the veil.
He volunteered instantly. Old Man Li grumbled about bandits and broken ankles, but even he couldn't deny the boy's eagerness—or the way Wu Ken now lifted bundles that once required two men.
The next day, very early in the morning, they set out.
The journey wound through mountain paths and dense forests, the air thick with pine and moss. Wu Ken walked beside Brother Tian and a handful of village men, each burdened with baskets of dried herbs, root vegetables, and handwoven cloth. The others sweated and strained, their steps heavy. Wu Ken, by contrast, moved with quiet ease. The weight on his back felt like feathers. He watched the others, noting their fatigue, and realized just how far he'd come.
It took them almost four hours to reach Stonegate Town.
When they finally broke through the treeline, Stonegate Town unfolded before them like a painting come to life. Stone buildings lined paved streets. Flags fluttered from rooftops. Merchants shouted over one another, hawking spices, talismans, and glowing stones. The air buzzed—not just with noise, but with cultivated Qi, thick and vibrant, unlike the serene energy of the grove.
Here, cultivation wasn't myth. It was woven into daily life.
Wu Ken saw a young man lift a cart with one hand, his muscles rippling with unnatural grace. An old woman, her spine bent with age, moved faster than a sprinting child. Robed figures passed with quiet intensity, their eyes sharp, their steps light. He overheard talk of "refining Qi," "pill breakthroughs," and "meridian burns." He even spotted a stall selling Qi Gathering Pills and Body Strengthening Elixirs—items that had only existed in stories back home.
A strange mix of awe and unease stirred in his chest. In Sunstone Village, he was exceptional. Here, he was invisible.
His secret strength, once a marvel, was barely a flicker in this world of roaring flames. But instead of discouragement, he felt something else: hunger. Not for food or praise, but for growth. For knowledge. For power.
He had only scratched the surface of his potential.
And now, the world of cultivation—vast, vibrant, and terrifying—had opened its gates.
The path ahead was long. But Wu Ken, with the lotus pulsing on his shoulder and the ring quietly responding to his progress, was ready to walk it.