Liang Chen had never been good at patience. Yet, after rebirth, he had no choice. Every pulse of spiritual energy, every faint shimmer in his Energy Sea, demanded focus. And every moment he wasted was a moment closer to mediocrity — or worse, exposure.
Breakfast was silent, the aroma of steamed buns filling the room. His mother, busy with her own thoughts and daily struggles, didn't notice the intensity behind her son's calm exterior. To her, he was just a normal seventeen-year-old. To him, she was the only anchor he had left in a world that had already betrayed him once.
After breakfast, he gathered his herbs and small flasks, preparing to sell his first batch of pills at the local market. Simple combinations, easy to make, but enough to earn money and subtly train his body and mind.
He moved through the crowded streets, the world unaware of the faint aura rippling around him — spiritual energy he could now control in small bursts. It wasn't enough to fight an awakened cultivator, but enough to sense people, detect tension, and even feel the faint tremors of other latent powers in the crowd.
At the market, he carefully displayed his concoctions. Small pills to improve energy, focus, and minor endurance. Ordinary humans would see them as herbal remedies. Only a few sharp-eyed cultivators, hidden among the shoppers, might recognize the subtle aura emanating from the boy.
The first customer was an elderly man with keen eyes, inspecting the jars with suspicion. Liang Chen smiled politely.
"These are natural," he said softly. "Safe. Will help strengthen your body if taken daily."
The man hesitated, then bought three jars. Liang Chen pocketed the coins quietly.
Enough to buy ingredients for the next batch, enough to begin building resources. One step at a time. Every coin, every batch, a brick in the foundation of his new life.
As the crowd shifted, a figure lingered near the edge of the market — a young man with sharp features and an unmistakable aura. Liang Chen didn't need to see clearly to recognize it: a cultivator, someone who had awakened their spiritual energy, hiding in plain sight among the ordinary.
Their eyes met for a moment, and a faint smirk tugged at the stranger's lips. Then, as quickly as he had appeared, he vanished into the crowd.
Liang Chen's pulse quickened. This world was not empty. Hidden forces, powerful sects, gifted bloodlines… all watching, waiting, calculating.
He returned home as the sun began to dip below the horizon. Sitting at his desk, he began grinding herbs for the next batch of pills, his fingers deft and precise. The faint glow in his Energy Sea had grown slightly stronger after the day's work. Small victories, yes. But they mattered.
Every movement, every breath, every calculation — they were training in disguise. And training was life.
When night fell, Liang Chen sat by the window, staring at the city lights stretching endlessly before him. Somewhere out there, hidden cultivators had already noticed him. Maybe some would approach. Maybe some would challenge him.
He allowed himself a small, cold smile. Let them watch. Let them test him.
The spark of spiritual energy in his body burned brighter. One day, it would grow into a flame. One day, the world would remember the name Liang Chen.
Chapter Ending Quote / Hook:
"The world is full of eyes that watch, waiting for weakness. But strength is forged in silence, unseen until it erupts."