The ten contribution points stayed with Lin Xu for three days.
That alone was enough to tell him something important.
He had nothing worth spending them on yet.
On the first day, he returned to the market.
Not to buy—
But to confirm what he already suspected.
Five points for a single low-grade recovery pill.
Ten points for a slightly better one.
Techniques?
Far beyond his reach.
Lin Xu didn't linger long.
There was no frustration in his expression—only clarity.
Spending without understanding was worse than having nothing.
So he left.
The training grounds became his focus again.
But this time, he didn't isolate himself completely.
He watched.
Listened.
Learned.
A group nearby practiced a basic palm technique, repeating the same motion over and over. Their strikes lacked power, but their coordination improved with each repetition.
Further ahead, two disciples sparred under supervision.
Slower than before.
More controlled.
Lin Xu paid attention.
Not to their strength—
But to their mistakes.
A misstep.
An overextension.
A moment of imbalance.
These were things he understood.
The body moved before the mind corrected it.
So when he trained—
He trained differently.
Not faster.
Not harder.
More carefully.
Qi gathering followed the same pattern.
He still struggled.
Each thread resisted.
Each attempt required focus.
But now—
There was less waste.
Where before Qi would scatter almost immediately…
Now it lingered.
Barely.
But noticeably.
On the fourth day, something changed.
Not in his body.
But in the way he perceived the sect.
The outer sect was not just a place of training.
It was a place of paths.
Some focused entirely on cultivation.
Others took missions repeatedly, exchanging effort for resources.
A few balanced both.
And then—
There were those who gathered around stronger disciples.
Not formal factions.
But beginnings of them.
Lin Xu observed them quietly.
He didn't approach.
Not yet.
On the sixth day, he visited the Technique Pavilion.
Not to enter.
Just to stand outside.
Disciples moved in and out, some carrying scrolls, others discussing in low voices.
The aura around the place felt… heavier.
More refined.
Lin Xu stood there longer than he intended.
Techniques.
That was where real strength began.
But not yet.
He turned and left.
On the seventh night, he returned to the cave.
The Ledger lay where it always had.
Silent.
He opened it.
For a moment—
Nothing.
Then—
A ripple.
Faint.
Almost… hesitant.
Lin Xu's gaze sharpened slightly.
This was different.
Not like before.
The surface did not form clear fragments.
Instead—
It felt… unstable.
As though something far beyond him had stirred—
Just slightly.
Then it stopped.
The page returned to stillness.
Lin Xu remained unmoving for a long moment.
He had not written anything.
He had not changed anything.
And yet…
Something had reacted.
He closed the Ledger slowly.
For the first time—
A question formed clearly in his mind.
What exactly had others done… to fail?
The next few days passed quietly.
Training.
Observation.
Adjustment.
Lin Xu's progress remained slow—
But consistent.
Until—
On the tenth day—
During a routine gathering of Qi—
Something shifted.
Not a breakthrough.
But… alignment.
The Qi he drew in no longer resisted as sharply.
It moved—
Slightly smoother.
Lin Xu's focus deepened instantly.
He guided it carefully.
One thread.
Then another.
They held.
Not strong.
Not stable for long.
But longer than before.
He opened his eyes slowly.
A faint breath escaped him.
This was not progress others would notice.
But he did.
And that was enough.
As he stood, preparing to leave the training grounds—
A distant bell rang.
Not the usual one.
Deeper.
Heavier.
The sound rolled across the sect, low and steady, lingering longer than it should have.
Lin Xu paused.
Around him, a few disciples lifted their heads. Some glanced toward the inner sect. Others simply continued training after a brief moment.
No one explained anything.
No one reacted strongly.
It was… just different.
Lin Xu frowned slightly.
He listened for a second chime.
None came.
After a moment, he exhaled quietly and resumed walking.
If it mattered—
He would understand it later.
If it didn't—
Then there was no need to chase it now.
The sect was vast.
Not everything needed to make sense immediately.
And right now—
He still had his own path to walk.