The five days passed quietly.
Too quietly.
Li Chen did not relax because of it. Silence before departure was never accidental. It was either neglect or permission, and Qingyun Sect rarely neglected anything that had already drawn its attention.
He continued his routine as if nothing awaited him.
Morning duties at the Lingxi Field. Half-day work at the storage hall. Evenings spent cultivating just enough to maintain balance, never enough to invite momentum.
Yet beneath that surface calm, Li Chen prepared.
Not with supplies.
With decisions.
The escort mission scroll had been brief. Vague route. Undefined endpoint. Only one thing was clear: once he stepped outside the mountain again, the margin for controlled growth would shrink.
Out there, instability killed faster than ambition.
On the second day, Li Chen visited the outer sect exchange pavilion.
He did not browse openly.
He lingered.
Watching.
Outer disciples traded spirit stones for talismans, pills, low-grade artifacts. Prices fluctuated based on rumor and fear. A broken blade from last month's skirmish still hadn't sold. A batch of calming pills disappeared in minutes.
Li Chen made his choice quickly.
He traded one month's spirit stone allowance and several contribution points for three items.
A qi-concealment talisman.
A low-grade body-tempering pill.
And a cracked jade shard labeled simply as "Formation Fragment."
The attendant barely glanced at it. "Doesn't activate properly. Might be useless."
"That's fine," Li Chen said.
He left before anyone could ask questions.
[System Notice]
[Item Acquired: Formation Fragment]
[Status: Incomplete]
[Analysis Recommended]
Back in his room, Li Chen examined the shard.
The surface was dull, edges chipped, runes barely visible. Yet when he held it, he felt a faint response, like something half-asleep.
[System Analysis]
[Fragment Function: Localized Qi Redirection]
[Efficiency: Low]
[Potential: Moderate if Integrated]
Integrated.
Li Chen set it aside.
That would come later.
The third day brought an unexpected interruption.
Liu Shan summoned him.
Not to the storage hall.
To a side chamber rarely used.
The room smelled faintly of dust and old wood. A single lantern burned on the table.
Liu Shan gestured for Li Chen to sit.
"You're leaving again," Liu Shan said.
"Yes."
Liu Shan poured tea slowly. "You know the escort mission isn't important."
Li Chen accepted the cup. "I assumed as much."
Liu Shan studied him over the rim. "Then why go?"
Li Chen answered honestly. "Because staying is no longer neutral."
Liu Shan laughed softly. "Sharp."
He set the teapot down.
"Qingyun Sect protects those who fit," he said. "And sidelines those who don't. You fall between."
Li Chen said nothing.
"That's dangerous," Liu Shan continued. "For you. And for the sect."
Li Chen met his gaze. "Which one are you more concerned about?"
Liu Shan smiled. "Both."
He reached into his sleeve and placed a thin wooden token on the table.
"No markings," Liu Shan said. "No authority. But if you're ever questioned by an affiliated sect or patrol, show this."
Li Chen picked it up. It felt ordinary.
"Why?" he asked.
Liu Shan leaned back. "Because when you leave, I don't want your death traced back to negligence."
Li Chen bowed deeply. "Thank you."
Liu Shan waved him off. "Don't thank me. Just survive."
As Li Chen stood to leave, Liu Shan added quietly, "And don't come back too quickly."
That night, Li Chen cultivated for the first time with intent toward preparation rather than growth.
He used the qi-concealment talisman.
The effect was subtle.
His qi did not vanish. It folded inward, layering itself beneath his physical presence. Even he could barely sense it unless he focused.
[System Notice]
[Qi Concealment Active]
[External Detection Risk: Reduced]
He tested movement. Breathing. Circulation.
Everything remained smooth.
Good.
The next morning, Chen Yu found him again at the Lingxi Field.
"You're leaving," Chen Yu said, not asking.
Li Chen nodded.
Chen Yu hesitated. "I won't say goodbye."
Li Chen looked at him.
Chen Yu smiled awkwardly. "It feels like saying goodbye makes things final."
Li Chen returned the smile. "Then don't."
Chen Yu left shortly after, steps lighter than before.
On the fourth day, Sun Hao came by.
He didn't speak at first.
They stood side by side, watching outer disciples work the fields.
"You're close," Sun Hao said finally.
Li Chen did not pretend not to understand. "Close to what?"
Sun Hao glanced at him. "To leaving the stage."
Li Chen exhaled slowly. "I was never on it."
Sun Hao chuckled. "That's what makes you dangerous."
He turned to go, then paused. "If we meet again outside Qingyun… I hope it's as equals."
Li Chen inclined his head. "Then cultivate well."
The last night arrived without ceremony.
Li Chen packed lightly.
The talismans. The pill. The jade shard. The wooden token.
Nothing else.
He sat cross-legged until dawn, not cultivating, simply breathing.
Listening.
[Host :- Li Chen]
[Qi Stability: 38%]
[State: Prepared]
Prepared.
Not ready.
There was a difference.
When the morning bell rang, Li Chen stood.
Outside, the escort group was already assembling near the outer gate. New faces. Unfamiliar auras. No one paid him special attention.
Perfect.
As he walked toward the gate, Li Chen glanced once at Qingyun Sect rising behind him.
No resentment.
No attachment.
Just acknowledgment.
He crossed the boundary.
The air changed.
Freedom always did.
Behind him, the mountain remained silent.
Ahead, the road stretched open.
And Li Chen stepped forward, carrying preparation without witnesses, and a future that no longer waited for permission.