Night crept across the Wen Clan estate like a silent tide, swallowing the courtyards one lantern at a time. Dew clung to rooftops, moonlight spilled over the stone pathways, and the wind carried the faint scent of pine. The clan was resting, yet the silence felt strained—unnatural, as if holding its breath.
Wen Chen walked alone.
His footsteps were unhurried, almost lazy, as though he were simply taking a late stroll. No one would suspect that he was deliberately moving through the quieter paths, navigating the estate like a man tracing a map only he understood.
But Wen Chen didn't need to look back to know he was being followed.
His senses—sharpened far beyond his peers thanks to his growing luck-fueled instinct—picked up the faintest distortions: a displaced leaf, a breath held too long, a footfall too controlled.
Four men.
Two on rooftops.
Two trailing from the shadows.
Not ordinary guards.
Not patrols.
Wen Lang's dogs.
Wen Chen's expression didn't change. He continued walking as if he hadn't noticed. In fact, he even paused to admire a lantern hanging from a peach tree—just long enough for the men to believe he was harmless.
Only when he resumed did he subtly alter direction.
The path darkened. The lanterns thinned. The buildings grew older, windows boarded shut, courtyards gated and left to decay. Most clan members avoided this sector entirely. It was the oldest part of the estate—where stories of spirits and old ancestral curses thrived.
Finally, Wen Chen reached it.
A courtyard sealed by age and silence.
The Forbidden Courtyard.
The gate stood half-open, as though inviting him in. Moonlight refused to touch the interior; shadows swirled like ink trapped in a bowl.
Wen Chen stood still for a moment, studying it. Not with fear—but with mild curiosity, as though looking at an abandoned house rather than a taboo place avoided for generations.
So this is the place tugging my instinct tonight…
A faint hum, barely perceptible, brushed his spiritual sense. It carried the same signature he'd learned to recognize—the quiet pull of Luck Orbs.
Ah.
Now things made sense.
Wen Chen looked down at his hand. His fingers twitched once, then relaxed.
He stepped into the courtyard.
Instantly, the air changed. Temperatures dipped. The silence grew heavy. Dry leaves crackled underfoot. A faint metallic scent—old, forgotten—lingered in the air.
If it were anyone else, they'd have turned back immediately.
Wen Chen only blinked.
Behind him, the shadows rippled as his pursuers positioned themselves near the gate, watching closely. They didn't dare step inside; even Wen Lang's authority didn't extend far enough to compel them to enter a forbidden ancestral space.
But they would wait.
Observe.
Report.
Wen Chen ignored them.
His gaze moved across cracked tiles, dried vines, a broken stone lantern… and then—
There.
Floating over an ancient well, eight pale-blue orbs pulsed in perfect synchronization, rotating around each other like a miniature constellation. Their glow was faint but irresistible, like stars caught in a breath of wind.
Luck Orbs.
A cluster.
Rare.
Powerful.
Dangerous if mishandled.
Wen Chen approached without haste.
The orbs brightened as he drew closer, trembling as though they recognized him.
This many at once… someone in the clan must have triggered a karmic imbalance.
Wen Hao.
Wen Lang.
Or both.
He filed the thought away.
Just as he reached out, the stillness shattered.
"Young Master Wen Chen!" a voice barked from behind.
Three men stepped through the gate at once, all wearing dark guard uniforms. They spread out quickly, forming a loose circle around him. Their cultivation wasn't high—fourth-stage Body Tempering at best—but their postures were steady and precise. Professionals.
Their leader stepped forward, bowing stiffly.
"This courtyard is restricted by clan decree. You must withdraw immediately."
Wen Chen turned slightly, meeting their eyes with the calm neutrality he always carried.
"If it is restricted," he said gently, "you should not have followed me inside."
All three guards stiffened. The leader recovered quickly.
"We were ordered to—"
"By Wen Lang," Wen Chen interrupted. His tone remained polite but chillingly firm. "Next time, use his name directly. Speaking around it is tedious."
The guard's jaw tightened. "We are simply ensuring your safety."
"Is that what you call stalking now?" Wen Chen asked with a faint smile. "Interesting."
The man flinched.
Wen Chen's gaze drifted lazily from face to face, analyzing them with quiet disinterest. His posture remained relaxed, almost casual, but the guards felt cornered nonetheless. Something about the boy's stillness triggered instinctive fear.
"We cannot allow you—"
Wen Chen turned away mid-sentence, dismissing them with his silence.
And that was enough.
One of the guards stepped forward. "Young Master, please comply—!"
"Take one more step," Wen Chen said, voice soft as falling ash, "and you will not leave this courtyard with your legs attached."
Cold.
Precise.
Not a threat—just fact.
The guards froze. Their instincts screamed warnings they didn't fully understand.
The leader swallowed. "Young Master… this is not—"
"You followed me into a restricted area." Wen Chen didn't turn. "You are already dead if the elders decide to press the matter."
His voice carried no anger. Just truth.
The silence pressed down like a weight.
With the matter settled, Wen Chen extended his hand toward the floating cluster.
The orbs trembled violently—then burst into shimmering streaks of light.
The courtyard erupted with blue radiance.
Wind howled.
Leaves tore into the air.
Cracks formed in the stone beneath his feet.
The light spiraled into him, entering his chest with a sensation like cool fire. His blood felt lighter, his mind clearer. Something deep in his spiritual root vibrated in response—like a dormant seed finally watered.
A chime echoed faintly inside him:
> [Orb Cluster Absorbed]
[Luck Points +500]
[Hidden Talent Bloom — Early Awakening Progress +2%]
Wen Chen breathed out slowly.
The world settled.
The guards were kneeling, shielding their eyes, trembling from the pressure the explosion had unleashed.
"What… what was that…?" one whispered.
Wen Chen dusted his sleeve. "A small benefit."
He walked past them.
The guards scrambled out of his way without thinking, as though touched by a predator's presence.
At the courtyard gate, Wen Chen stopped and looked over his shoulder.
"You saw nothing tonight."
The leader hesitated. "And if our orders require—"
"Your lives are worth more than Wen Lang's curiosity," Wen Chen replied calmly. "Or perhaps you disagree?"
The man paled. "N-no, Young Master."
"Good."
Wen Chen stepped into the moonlit pathway beyond the gate, leaving the forbidden courtyard behind. The air was cleaner here, lighter. The oppressive weight vanished as though sealed behind ancient walls.
He clasped his hands behind his back, strolling in the direction of his residence. His expression relaxed slightly—not softer, but more focused.
Inside him, warmth pulsed from where the orbs had merged. The sensation was like a thread pulling him upward.
> [Luck Points: 541]
[Talent Enhancement: Available]
A small smile tugged at his lips.
"It seems fate wants me to accelerate."
Lanterns flickered as he passed, dancing in the breeze. His shadow stretched across the stone path—long, sharp, growing.
The night wind whispered against his ear, carrying faint echoes of conversations, distant movements, unsettled energy.
The clan was shifting.
The balance was breaking.
And his enemies were sitting on unstable pedestals.
He tilted his head slightly upward toward the stars.
"Second Elder Wen Lang… you'd better prepare."
His voice was soft.
His tone was even.
But the promise in it was absolute.
"I'll uproot you first."
Wen Chen continued walking, steps steady, posture unhurried.
Behind him, the forbidden courtyard gate creaked shut on its own, as though sealing the night's secrets inside.
The Wen Clan slept on, unaware that the balance of power had just tilted.
And Wen Chen—calm, cold, and quietly ruthless—had taken his first real step toward controlling his destiny.
The night acknowledged him.
The world shifted around him.
And nothing in the Wen Clan would ever be the same again.