The night was unnaturally still, the kind of stillness that made even the wind hesitate before brushing past the bamboo trees. The Wen Clan courtyard looked almost dreamlike under the moonlight. Long ribbons of silver stretched across the stone paths, turning every shadow into something tall and mysterious. I walked quietly through the open space, my steps slow, measured, and steady. The duel between Wen Long and Wen Bo had ended not long ago, yet the faint hum of their clashing qi still lingered in the air. Anyone else might have felt their chest tighten from the residual pressure, but for me, the lingering energy was nothing more than a passing ripple.
My heart did not stir.
My breathing remained even.
Calmness had always been my greatest shield.
My gaze naturally settled on the spot where the red Luck Orb had fallen. It lay there as if waiting for me, glowing faintly even though no other pair of eyes could see it. It pulsed gently like a small heartbeat. The warmth radiating from it brushed against my skin in soft waves. Something about its presence felt alive, almost sentient.
I crouched slowly, the cool stone beneath my feet grounding my thoughts. Without rushing, without hesitation, I extended my hand toward the orb. The moment my fingertips touched it,
DING,
+5 LUCK POINTS
A rush of warmth surged into my palm. It climbed my arm, wrapped around my chest, and flowed down my spine like a spark of awakening. I had felt something similar before whenever I absorbed Luck Points, but this time, it was different. Stronger. Sharper. More insistent. Like the energy wanted to tell me something.
And beneath that warmth, something else stirred, something faint but undeniable. Deep inside my consciousness, at the core of my Talent Panel, a vibration began to pulse. Light at first, almost like a whisper, then gradually more distinct.
I didn't tense. I didn't panic.
Instead, I inhaled slowly, letting the cool night air clear my mind. My parents always told me that clarity came from steadiness, not strength. They weren't cultivators, not powerful, not people who would ever step onto a battlefield, yet their words shaped me more than any martial elder had.
I steadied my heartbeat and whispered in my mind,
Panel.
The golden shimmer appeared instantly, hovering in the air before me. A familiar warm hum filled the space, but the moment I saw it, I realized something had changed. The edges flickered slightly, as if struggling to maintain their shape. Strange symbols twisted across its surface, glowing for a brief heartbeat before disappearing again.
This wasn't normal.
But fear never crossed my mind.
Curiosity did.
My eyes narrowed, not in alarm, but in sharp focus. The panel stabilized for a moment, allowing the main display to appear clearly.
[TALENT PANEL]
Name, Wen Chen
Cultivation, Body Tempering, Stage 3 (Partial)
Base Talent, Low Human Talent
Current Talent, Mid-Tier Human Talent
Talent Progress, 74%
Luck Points, 56
Everything looked normal on the surface, yet that vibration in my mind told me otherwise. The panel was shifting, breathing almost, reacting to something the orb had triggered.
Then the warnings began to appear, each one flashing brightly.
WARNING, External Luck Surge Detected
WARNING, Hidden Sequence Activation,
HIDDEN FUNCTION UNLOCKED
A golden radiance burst outward from the panel, filling the chamber with light. The shadows on the walls bent as if bowing under its presence. I remained still, letting the glow wash over me like warm water. My breathing didn't change. Calmness was a reflex by now.
Another line appeared before me:
[NEW FUNCTION UNLOCKED, TALENT EVOLUTION MODE]
Requirements, High-Grade Luck, continuous absorption in combat, absolute mental calmness
Host Compatibility, 100%
My lips curled slightly, the faintest hint of a smile. I wasn't one to show excitement openly, but a spark lit inside me. A hidden function. Something dormant within the panel that had finally awakened. My calmness steadied the excitement, shaping it into focused interest.
"So it finally awakened," I whispered quietly.
I reached out, touching the panel lightly with my fingertips. The symbols rearranged themselves instantly, shifting into diagrams and streams of flowing energy. Meridian charts, qi circulation routes, talent evolution pathways, things I had never seen before. My brows lowered in concentration. The system was no longer simply measuring my talent, it was now capable of evolving it.
Just as I began tracing a glowing pathway with my thoughts,
Movement.
A flicker in the corner of my eye.
A shadow outside my window.
I didn't turn my head. I didn't even shift my breathing. My eyes simply drifted in that direction, slow and natural, as though I was just admiring the moonlight.
There, beyond the thin curtain, a presence lingered. It was subtle, careful, almost skilled. But I still felt it. Someone was watching me.
Observe first, act second.
A lesson I learned long before I could walk properly.
The curtain swayed gently, disturbed by a breeze. I tracked the ripple of the fabric, following the faint shift of air to its source. But the shadow had already disappeared. No scent left behind. No qi fluctuation. Nothing.
Whoever it was, they were cautious. Skilled. Intentional.
The panel pulsed again, drawing my attention back. The energy around it softened. I opened the newly unlocked Evolution Mode. Instantly, a holographic outline of my body appeared. My meridians glowed like golden threads weaving in and out of each other. As I touched different points on the display, the routes changed, revealing potential enhancements in strength, agility, reflexes, spiritual sensitivity, even comprehension.
The red orb's energy blended seamlessly into the pathways, like it had always belonged there.
My mind moved quickly, calculating possibilities. But my expression remained composed. If this function required combat absorption, I would need real battles soon. Controlled ones. No unnecessary risks.
But even as the plan formed in my mind, I couldn't ignore the earlier presence.
Why would someone be observing me tonight of all nights?
Why hide?
What were they searching for?
I rose slowly and walked to the window. My steps made no sound against the floorboards. When I reached the wooden frame, I leaned slightly forward, letting my eyes sweep across the moonlit courtyard. The bamboo trees rustled softly, casting wavering shadows across the ground. Everything appeared peaceful.
But I knew better.
Someone had been there.
I exhaled softly, letting the last tension in my shoulders flow away.
Calmness, Wen Chen.
Always calm.
Behind me, the golden panel dimmed, the words "TALENT EVOLUTION MODE READY" shining gently like a promise waiting to be fulfilled.
I returned to my mat and sat cross-legged. The red orb rested quietly in my palm, warm and steady. Its glow was calming, almost soothing, as if recognizing my composure and responding to it.
I closed my eyes. My thoughts fell into perfect order. My breathing slowed, deepened. My heartbeat matched the quiet pulse of the orb.
My parents might not have been cultivators, but their teachings grounded me more than any cultivation manual ever had. Strength without calmness was reckless. Power without clarity was dangerous.
Tonight proved once more how right they were.
Someone was watching me.
Someone knew something had changed.
My eyes opened slowly, and a small, calm smile formed on my lips.
"Interesting," I whispered into the quiet room.
Let them watch.
Let them wonder.