Seven days after his breakthrough, Li Chen was finally left alone.
No elders "accidentally" passing by his residence.
No disciples lingering outside in hopes of enlightenment.
No hidden probes trying to test the depth of his foundation.
The sect had done something rare.
It had given him space.
Li Chen appreciated that more than any congratulatory gift.
He was seated inside his quiet courtyard, refining his breath and stabilizing his mid-stage Foundation Establishment, when the warning formation at the edge of his residence lit up softly—three steady pulses, calm but official.
A summons.
Li Chen opened his eyes, displeased but unsurprised.
Moments later, a jade slip floated past the formation barrier, stopping politely in midair. He reached out and caught it.
The message was short.
Core Disciple Li Chen is requested to attend the Council Hall immediately.
Matter of joint sect importance.
Li Chen sighed.
Trouble never waits long.
The Council Hall was already occupied when he arrived.
Not just by his own sect's elders—but by guests.
Five banners hung behind the high seats, each bearing a distinct symbol: sword, flame, river, star, and mountain.
The Five Great Sects of the Border Region.
Li Chen's eyes flicked over the representatives calmly. None of them were weak. Each carried restrained pressure, the kind cultivated over decades. Their gazes lingered on him longer than courtesy required.
"So this is him," one of them said quietly, not bothering to lower his voice.
"The one who caused that foundation phenomenon."
Li Chen ignored the comment and stood where indicated.
The main elder cleared his throat. "Li Chen, you were summoned because a joint mission has been approved. This operation concerns the borderlands between our territories."
With a flick of his sleeve, a large projection appeared in the air.
Jagged mountain ranges. Dense forests. Vast wastelands.
And red marks—dozens of them—spreading outward like infection.
"Beast tides," the elder continued gravely. "Multiple ones. Small at first, but growing in frequency and coordination."
A murmur ran through the hall.
Beast tides were not rare—but coordinated ones were.
"Spiritual beasts are gathering," said an elder from the Flame Sect. "Not migrating. Organizing."
"That alone would be enough reason," added a representative from the Mountain Sect, "but the border villages are already suffering losses."
The River Sect elder's gaze sharpened. "This mission has three purposes."
He raised one finger.
"First: eliminate active beast nests and reduce pressure on the border."
A second finger.
"Second: train outstanding disciples under real combat conditions."
A third.
"And third: foster cooperation between the five sects before matters worsen."
The meaning beneath those words was obvious.
This is a test.
Not just of disciples—but of balance between sects.
Li Chen remained silent.
Then the main elder turned to him.
"Li Chen," he said carefully, "you will act as one of the leading disciples for this mission."
Not a disciple.
A leader.
Eyes sharpened instantly.
Some elders frowned. Some smiled thinly. Others observed silently.
"You will command a mixed unit," the elder continued, "consisting of elite inner and core disciples from each sect. You are not the sole leader—but you will be one of the pillars."
Li Chen processed the information quickly.
Joint mission. Border zone. Beast tides.
Leadership meant exposure. Exposure meant attention. Attention meant variables.
Unpleasant, he concluded.
But refusal was not an option.
Nor, he admitted reluctantly, was avoidance.
"I accept," Li Chen said calmly.
The decision sent a small ripple through the hall.
"Good," the elder said, visibly relieved. "Departure is in three days. Duration: flexible. The mission will conclude once the beast tide threat is neutralized or controlled."
Li Chen frowned slightly.
"Flexible duration?"
The Flame Sect elder smiled grimly. "That depends on what's truly causing the beasts to move."
As the meeting concluded, Li Chen lingered briefly at the edge of the hall.
Other leading disciples approached—some polite, some probing.
A tall woman in blue robes from the Star Sect inclined her head. "I look forward to cooperating."
A burly man from the Mountain Sect snorted. "Hope you can keep up, sword boy."
Li Chen nodded neutrally to both.
He committed neither to friendliness nor hostility.
That night, he stood alone on a high balcony overlooking the sect.
The wind was cool.
Beast tides were never random.
They followed pressure, imbalance, or external influence.
Either something is driving them…
…or something is feeding on the chaos.
Neither option appealed to him.
Leading disciples meant responsibility. Responsibility meant being targeted when things went wrong.
Li Chen disliked that deeply.
Still, he adjusted his sleeves and exhaled slowly.
"If danger is unavoidable," he murmured to himself, "then minimizing loss is the priority."
Somewhere far beyond the sect's borders, beasts howled beneath a blood-tinged moon.
And for the first time since his breakthrough, Li Chen felt it clearly—
This mission would not end quietly.