Perfect! I'll expand Chapter 2 to over 1,000 words, keep the first-person POV, fast-paced vivid tone, emphasize cultivation, Luck Points, and MC's awakening, and replace all _, -, or — with commas for consistency. Here's the cleaned and expanded Chapter 2:
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Chapter 2: The First Test of Power
I awoke before dawn, the faint mist from the mountains curling against the walls of the courtyard like soft fingers brushing against stone. My chest rose and fell steadily as I listened to the quiet of the Wen Clan estate. The world outside felt calm, almost deceptively so. Yet at the edge of my awareness, I sensed a familiar disturbance, subtle, almost imperceptible, but insistent, like the hum of a hidden current beneath a still river.
Swinging my legs off the bed, I rose. The morning air bit against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine as I stepped outside. The courtyard lay empty, dew glistening on the stone tiles, as if the earth itself held its breath. I paused, narrowing my eyes. Something was different today, though I couldn't yet name it.
A faint shimmer flickered in my vision, hovering above an abandoned training dummy from the previous day's exercises. My pulse quickened. A small panel appeared in my mind:
[Luck Points +1]
No one else could see it. No one else could know. This was mine alone.
"Again…" I muttered, lifting my hand toward the glowing point in the air. The shimmer pulsed gently, beckoning me. My fingers twitched instinctively. Despite countless hours of training and pushing myself relentlessly, I had never felt anything like this before.
Moving cautiously, I approached it with measured steps. The air around me hummed faintly, brushing against my spiritual sense like a whisper of silk against my skin. Another point appeared:
[Luck Points +1]
I crouched slightly, scanning the surroundings. Not a single servant or disciple had noticed. Not a trace on the stone floor, not a whisper in the wind, just me and this hidden phenomenon, waiting for me to seize the moment.
Stepping further into the courtyard garden, I made my way toward the bamboo grove at the far edge. Morning light spilled through the leaves, casting long, jagged shadows on the stone path. My heart beat in a steady rhythm, my mind sharpening with focus.
"Focus, one step at a time," I murmured to myself, the words steadying my resolve.
My two attendants, Meili and Hao Lin, appeared behind me, though they kept a respectful distance.
"Wen Chen, breakfast is ready," Meili said softly, bowing her head. "Lady Shen Rong asked that you join her later."
"I'm busy," I replied calmly, without turning to face them.
I felt Meili freeze, then her quiet acknowledgment. Hao Lin stepped back silently. Both understood that when my mind was set, it was not to be disturbed.
I edged closer to the bamboo forest, each step deliberate. The faint pulse in the air grew stronger. Something was here. Something that had remained hidden until now.
And then I saw it, a tiny, glowing orb hovering just above the mossy ground. Its faint white-gold light pulsed softly, like a heartbeat waiting to be claimed.
I narrowed my eyes.
[Luck Points +2]
It hadn't been there yesterday. The orb seemed to sense me, floating toward me as if drawn by an invisible string.
Kneeling carefully, I avoided touching it too abruptly. The orb shimmered brighter, then streaked directly into my chest as if it had a will of its own. A sudden warmth exploded through my body, twisting and surging down my arms and legs. My vision blurred, then sharpened. An unfamiliar energy hummed within me, radiating through my every limb.
[Luck Points +5]
My pulse quickened with exhilaration. I'd never experienced such a surge before. My body, once limited by my Mortal Root, now felt subtly different, lighter, sharper, more attuned. I stood slowly, letting the warmth settle in my chest, anchoring me to this newfound power.
The forest around me swayed gently, leaves rustling in a wind that hadn't existed moments before. I exhaled, a calm smile forming on my lips.
This, I realized, was only the beginning.
Then, a soft rustle broke my concentration, pulling my gaze toward the movement among the bamboo. My stance shifted subtly, fingers curling as I prepared myself.
"Show yourself," I called out, my voice steady.
Silence answered.
The rustle shifted again, slightly closer now. I took a cautious step forward, my body coiled with readiness. But as I reached the bamboo, there was nothing, only the fading residue of the orb's energy, dissolving into the morning light.
[Luck Points +1]
I breathed slowly, my mind still alert. Whoever had been watching was gone, but I knew instinctively that this was no ordinary cultivator. The lingering energy felt different, almost analyzing, cautious. Someone powerful and intelligent, someone curious.
A thin smile curved my lips. "So the game begins," I whispered to myself, a thrilling excitement igniting deep within me.
Returning to the estate, I stepped lightly across the dew-soaked path, my senses heightened, every sound, every movement around me buzzing with potential. I passed Meili and Hao Lin again, yet they noticed nothing unusual. Only I could feel the subtle shift in the world, a growing comprehension just beyond my reach.
By the time I reached my study, my mind began calculating, plotting my next steps. Every point of Luck I absorbed was a stride toward control, control over my body, my skills, my future. Each point was a hidden advantage, a weapon no one else could wield.
Kneeling beside my desk, I wrote carefully, ink flowing like the golden threads of energy still buzzing faintly beneath my skin. Each stroke of my brush was precise and elegant, a mirror reflecting my own inner balance.
The morning sun climbed higher, and the estate stirred to life around me. Yet I remained focused, the sudden taste of power reminding me that with it came responsibility. Every point of Luck I absorbed carried potential. Every advance in cultivation drew the eyes of unseen observers.
I paused, placing my hand over my chest. The warmth pulsed gently, a reassuring reminder that this was just the first of many opportunities. I could feel the invisible current of potential stirring around me, a hidden force that might someday lift me beyond the limitations of my Mortal Root.
And somewhere, far beyond the estate, someone powerful had already sensed it.
My eyes gleamed with determination. "I will not waste this," I said softly. "I will grow stronger, step by step, point by point."
Glimpsing the shadows of the courtyard, the bamboo swaying gently behind me, I felt a thrill pulse through my veins.
They may watch, they may doubt, but only I can see the true path.
The day had just begun, and with it, I had taken my first taste of power, awakening a fire within me that would not be easily extinguished.