The first rays of dawn had barely crept through the windows when Lin Tian was roused from his meditation by urgent knocking. Opening his eyes, he sensed Lin Feng's familiar Qi signature outside his door, but something felt... different. There was an unusual agitation to the energy, a disturbance in his attendant's normally impeccable control.

  "Enter," Lin Tian called, rising smoothly to his feet.

  Lin Feng slid the door open and stepped inside, bowing respectfully. When he straightened, Lin Tian was surprised to see barely contained emotion on his attendant's normally impassive face. His brows were drawn together, and there was a tightness around his mouth that suggested he was struggling to maintain his composure.

  "Young Master," Lin Feng began, his voice carefully measured.

  Lin Tian raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Lin Feng? Wait—why do you look so... displeased?

  Lin Feng hesitated, his fingers tightening around a rolled parchment he carried. "I... don't know quite how to say this."

  Immediately, Lin Tian's mind began calculating possible scenarios. Had there been another assassination attempt? Had the Patriarch changed his mind about Lin Tian's status after Elder Jin's report? Had his performance during the examination somehow offended clan sensibilities?

  "Just tell me what's happened," Lin Tian said calmly, though internally he was already mapping contingency plans.

  Lin Feng drew a deep breath. "Young Master, do you remember that meridian circulation pattern you created after your breakthrough at the Celestial Dragon Sect? The one you designed yourself?"

  Lin Tian's eyes narrowed slightly. "Of course. What about it?

  In response, Lin Feng held up what Lin Tian now recognized as a Qi Announcer—a specialized parchment infused with communication formations that distributed news throughout the cultivation world. Similar to newspapers in his former world, these scrolls delivered local, regional, and major realm events to subscribers.

  Lin Tian glanced at the bold characters at the top:

  Below this provocative headline was a detailed diagram that Lin Tian recognized instantly—the exact meridian circulation pattern he had sketched that night after his breakthrough.

  "How does this relate to me?" Lin Tian asked, genuinely puzzled by Lin Feng's distress over what appeared to be Elder Zhou's latest achievement.

  Lin Feng's expression tightened further as he stared at his master incredulously.

  Lin Tian skimmed the first paragraph, noting that Elder Zhou had apparently developed a revolutionary meridian circulation pattern. His lips curved into a satisfied smile.

  "That old conniving bastard," he murmured with amusement. "He finally did me a favor. I was wondering where that sketch went—so he had it all along. Probably found it while nosing through my laundry."

  Lin Feng's eyes widened. "Young Master?"

  Lin Tian's smile broadened. "This is perfect! Now all eyes will be on Elder Zhou instead of me. Fewer assassination attempts, less scrutiny—I can finally be left alone. Maybe even take up gardening. I've always wanted to grow some spirit herbs."

  Lin Feng looked completely confused. "Young Master, I don't understand. How does this help you?"

  "Don't you see?" Lin Tian gestured expansively. "With Elder Zhou taking credit for my work, everyone will focus on him instead. That's one less problem for me to worry about."

  "With this new "breakthrough", even more inventions and creations will be created. Less eyes on me. I'll just eventually be slowly forgotten over time."

  Lin Feng stared at him for a long moment, then wordlessly pointed to a section of the text that Lin Tian had overlooked.

  "What?" Lin Tian asked, leaning forward to read where Lin Feng indicated.

  "Elder Zhou credits his disciple, Lin Tian, with providing the foundational concept, claiming that the young cultivator demonstrated 'unexpected insight' despite his previously undistinguished record. 'The original construct was indeed conceived by my disciple,' Elder Zhou was quoted as saying, 'though the final refinements required my decades of cultivation expertise to perfect.'"

  Lin Tian's satisfied smile froze like ice in summer heat.

  Lin Feng flipped the scroll to show the next section.

  He continued to the next paragraph:

  Lin Tian's expression transformed from smug satisfaction to horror. "ELDER ZHOU, YOU BASTARD!" he exclaimed, forgetting his carefully maintained composure. "This was supposed to draw attention away from me, not make me the main character of some cultivation fairy tale! Next thing you know, they'll be writing songs about me and selling little Lin Tian dolls in the marketplace!"

  Lin Feng couldn't help but let a small smile slip through his professional demeanor. "Young Master, I believe that was Elder Zhou's intention all along."

  "What do you mean?" Lin Tian demanded, snatching the scroll to examine it more closely.

  "These are the two largest stories in the eastern realms right now," Lin Feng explained. "Everyone is talking about Elder Zhou's 'breakthrough'... and about you."

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Lin Tian groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Wonderful. Just wonderful. I might as well hang a sign around my neck that says 'Mysterious Cultivation Prodigy, Please Assassinate.' Maybe add some glowing runes so they can find me in the dark."

  Lin Feng coughed discreetly. "There's more, Young Master."

  Lin Tian looked up, his expression pained. "More? How could there possibly be more?

  In response, Lin Feng withdrew a second scroll from his sleeve—this one bearing the official seal of the Lin clan. "A message from the Patriarch. He has expedited his return to the compound after receiving news of your... theoretical contributions."

  Lin Tian took the scroll and broke the seal. The message inside was brief but unmistakable in its implications:

  "Third Son, your recent achievements have drawn unexpected attention.

  Remain within the compound until my return. Further instructions will follow

  . —Patriarch Lin"

  Lin Tian stared at the message, then at the Qi Announcer, then back at the message. Finally, he looked up at Lin Feng with an expression of profound exasperation.

  "So much for being left alone," he muttered. "The Patriarch couldn't even include a 'congratulations' or 'well done.' Just 'stay put and don't cause more trouble.'"

  "When is the Patriarch expected to arrive?" he asked, already calculating how to adapt to this new complication.

  "Three days, according to the messenger," Lin Feng replied. "Though there are rumors he may return sooner, given the circumstances."

  "Of course he would," Lin Tian said dryly. "Nothing says 'urgent family business' like your trash son suddenly becoming famous. He probably wants to make sure I haven't been replaced by an impostor."

  Lin Feng shifted uncomfortably. "What will you do, Young Master?"

  Lin Tian sighed dramatically, tossing the scrolls onto his meditation mat. "What can I do? Elder Zhou has made sure I can't fade into the background as I planned." He began pacing the room, his mind working furiously. "Three days to prepare for the Patriarch. Three days before I have to explain how I went from 'cultivation failure' to 'theoretical genius' overnight."

  "You could always tell the truth," Lin Feng suggested cautiously.

  Lin Tian shot him a sardonic look. "Yes, that would go over well. 'Greetings, Patriarch. I just had a stroke of genius after years of being completely useless. No suspicious circumstances here at all.'"

  Lin Feng blinked, clearly unsure how to respond.

  Lin Tian waved a dismissive hand. "Forgive my poor humor. The situation is just... not what I had planned. I was quite enjoying my reputation as the clan disappointment. The expectations were refreshingly low. I merely planned to prove myself and just be left alone."

  A knock at his door interrupted their conversation. "Young Master," called a servant's voice, "Elder Jin requests your presence in the Hall of Ancestral Wisdom immediately."

  Lin Tian exchanged a look with Lin Feng. "And so it begins," he murmured. "Next they'll want me to demonstrate my brilliance by reciting cultivation classics while standing on one foot."

  "Inform Elder Jin I will join him shortly," he called back.

  As the servant's footsteps receded, Lin Tian turned to Lin Feng. "It seems Elder Jin wastes no time. The moment my value increases, so does his interest. Funny how that works."

  "Shall I accompany you, Young Master?" Lin Feng offered.

  Lin Tian nodded. "Yes, but remain silent unless directly addressed. I need to understand what the clan wants from me now that I'm suddenly worth their attention."

  As he prepared himself, donning formal robes appropriate for a meeting with a clan elder, Lin Tian's curiosity got the better of him. The scroll had mentioned "enlightenment" as a possible explanation for his sudden advancement.

  "Lin Feng," he began, adjusting his collar, "what exactly does it mean when they say I might have experienced an 'enlightenment'?"

  Lin Feng paused, considering his words carefully. "Enlightenment can come in various forms, Young Master. Whether it's to gain more knowledge or boost cultivation speed. It's when a person's eyes or senses are 'opened,' so to speak."

  "Is it common?" Lin Tian asked, watching his attendant's expression closely.

  "Quite honestly, it's extremely rare," Lin Feng replied. "But when individuals are enlightened, it's said that they have what it takes to be a true immortal cultivator. Their cultivation speeds are also 'boosted' significantly."

  Lin Tian nodded slowly, pieces falling into place in his mind. "So that's why there are so many people trying to kill me. That's why the clan felt the need to protect me so intensively."

  If Lin Feng was surprised by Lin Tian's perception, he didn't show it. "You can also gain certain attributes or 'gifts' when enlightened," he added.

  "Attributes or gifts? What are those?" Lin Tian inquired. "Special talents for brewing tea or folding paper cranes?"

  "Attributes are your body's innate abilities, like constitutions, your meridians, innate skills that one is usually born with or gains through enlightenment," Lin Feng explained, ignoring the jest. "Gifts are similar, albeit they aren't physical—they're more spiritual or abilities, as you might call them. Not all gifts are insane, but when a person is deemed 'gifted,' they have a special ability that others do not generally have."

  Lin Tian's eyes narrowed with sudden understanding. "Then I understand that the 'erasure' power you have is a gift."

  Lin Feng looked down, his composure momentarily disturbed. "Yes, Young Master. My gift is erasure."

  "What is your power exactly, Lin Feng? If you don't mind me asking," Lin Tian pressed. "Besides your uncanny ability to hide your abilities."

  "Everyone overestimates it," Lin Feng said quietly, not rising to the bait. "They say it's a skill that 'erases' one's existence, but I do not believe it is."

  "That's certainly what I saw," Lin Tian countered, recalling the assassins who had simply ceased to exist.

  "It's a power that uses one's innate qi and disintegrates one's body," Lin Feng clarified.

  "Isn't that the same thing then?"

  "Well, no, Young Master. To truly erase one's existence, you must destroy their body and soul. Erasure only disintegrates the body, not the soul," Lin Feng explained, then added almost hesitantly, "Although I've never fully went beyond the limits of this power."

  Lin Tian thought internally, That's why people are scared of it. A truly monstrous power.

  "Can erasure work against anyone?" he asked aloud. "Could you erase, say, a particularly annoying Elder who steals meridian circulation patterns?"

  "No," Lin Feng shook his head, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "If the individual has a higher qi signature and power than me, erasure can't disintegrate their body, so it's ineffective against them. If an individual also has a extremely high regeneration factor, it also doesn't work."

  "But it can erase their attacks?" Lin Tian pressed.

  "Yes, well, erasure also takes up a lot of qi in the process, especially against stronger opponents. I use a technique to 'mimic' or use small bits of erasure in combat."

  "That explains why Shen Wu said it's forbidden when you fought him," Lin Tian mused, recalling the scene Lin Feng had described from their journey to the compound.

  As they prepared to leave, Lin Tian composed his features into an expression of appropriate deference and stepped out to meet whatever challenges the Lin clan had in store for him.

  "You know," he said to Lin Feng as they walked down the corridor, "if all else fails, I could always claim temporary insanity. 'Yes, Patriarch, I had a vision from the cultivation gods. They told me to draw circles in specific patterns, and here we are.'"

  Lin Feng's lips twitched slightly. "I would advise against that particular strategy, Young Master."

  "I suppose you're right," Lin Tian sighed dramatically. "The truth is rarely the most entertaining option."

  Behind, on his meditation mat, lay the beginnings of a new cultivation technique—one that would make Elder Zhou's stolen pattern look like a child's drawing compared to a master's painting. If the world insisted on watching him, he might as well give them a performance worth remembering.