Lin Tian looked up from his cultivation notes at the sound of three sharp knocks on his door. It was early—the sun barely peeking over the compound walls. Puzzled, he set aside his brush and opened the door to find a young clan servant standing rigidly, holding a small cloth bag tied with red string.

  "Young Master Lin," the servant bowed, offering the bag. "You're instructed to pack immediately. Only essential items. You depart within the hour."

  Lin Tian accepted the bag, frowning. "Depart? To where? On whose authority?"

  "Elder Jin awaits you at the eastern gate, Young Master." The servant bowed again and retreated before Lin Tian could ask further questions.

  Another summons without explanation, Lin Tian thought with irritation as he untied the bag. Inside was nothing but a small jade token carved with a mountain and cave symbol he didn't recognize.

  Sighing, he gathered only what he considered truly necessary—cultivation manuals, writing implements, medicinal herbs, and a change of clothes. Ever since his breakthrough and Elder Zhou's publication about his meridian pattern, Lin Tian had been preparing explanations, anticipating interrogation from the Patriarch upon his return. But in the days that followed, there had been nothing but whispers and sideways glances from clan members.

  And now this cryptic summons.

  The eastern gate was normally quiet at this hour, but as Lin Tian approached, he was surprised to see not only Elder Jin waiting but also the Patriarch himself, standing slightly apart, his imposing figure silhouetted against the rising sun. Several attendants bustled around with supply bundles and equipment.

  More unsettling was the presence of Lin Mei, his third sister, arguing heatedly with one of the elders in hushed tones. When she spotted Lin Tian, her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. Though he had the original Lin Tian's memories of his siblings from his past life, this was the first time meeting on of them face to face. The hostility in her gaze made it clear just how much Tian had been ostracized.

  "Ah, Lin Tian," Elder Jin nodded, his usual severe expression softened slightly. "Right on time."

  Lin Tian bowed deeply first to Elder Jin, then more deeply to the Patriarch, who acknowledged him with barely a glance. He deliberately avoided looking at Lin Mei, whose hostility radiated like heat from a furnace.

  "Great Elder, Honored Patriarch," Lin Tian said respectfully. "May I ask where we're going?"

  The Patriarch's eyes flicked to him briefly before returning to a scroll he was examining. "You may ask Elder Jin. He'll be overseeing your training."

  My training? Lin Tian's mind raced. Since when was I scheduled for special training?

  Before Elder Jin could respond, Lin Mei stepped forward, her jade-like features contorted with barely contained fury.

  "This is outrageous," she hissed, loud enough for all to hear. "Six months of exclusive access to the Sacred Spirit Cave? For him? I've been requesting access for two years!"

  The Patriarch didn't even look up from his scroll. "Your accomplishments didn't warrant it, Mei."

  Lin Mei's face flushed crimson. "And his do? This... this cripple? How could this be?" She turned to Elder Jin. "Surely there must be an error with the resonance stone! How could this cripple be a 'cultivation prodigy'?"

  "Enough," the Patriarch said quietly, but the single word carried such weight that Lin Mei immediately fell silent, though her eyes still burned with resentment.

  "I've seen the purple resonance back in the Celestial Dragon Sect, but that still doesn't give him leeway. This is merely an investment to truly see if the stone was right and if he really does have potential."

  Elder Jin cleared his throat. "We're traveling to the Sacred Spirit Cave of Malling Mountain," he explained to Lin Tian. "Also known as the Graveyard of the Immortals."

  Lin Tian's eyes widened slightly at the ominous name.

  "The clan has secured exclusive access rights to the cave for six months," Elder Jin continued. "It was... not an inexpensive arrangement."

  The Patriarch rolled the scroll and handed it to an attendant. "The Lin clan's resources are not deployed frivolously, boy," he said, addressing Lin Tian directly for the first time. "Elder Jin believes your potential warrants this investment. I remain to be convinced. Although, I wish to be proven wrong."

  Lin Mei gave a derisive snort, which the Patriarch ignored.

  Before Lin Tian could respond, a familiar figure appeared at the gate, moving with characteristic grace.

  "Young Master," Lin Feng greeted with a slight nod.

  "You're late," the Patriarch said, but his tone lacked the usual mockery he reserved for Lin Tian.

  "Apologies, Great Lord," Lin Feng replied with a bow. "The preparations with Elder Mei took longer than anticipated."

  The Patriarch studied Lin Feng for a moment. "You understand what you must do while Elder Jin and Lin Tian are at the cave?"

  "Yes, Great Lord," Lin Feng replied, his tone serious. "Me and the rest of the 'Shadows' will begin tonight."

  The 'Shadows'? Lin Tian's analytical mind immediately began working. That sounds like an organized group. And if they're being deployed while we're away, something significant must have occurred.

  "Good," the Patriarch said simply. He turned to Elder Jin. "Six months, Elder Jin. Not a day more."

  "It will be sufficient," Elder Jin assured him.

  The Patriarch's gaze swept over Lin Tian once more, inscrutable. "We shall see." Without another word, he turned and strode back toward the compound.

  As soon as the Patriarch was out of earshot, Lin Mei stepped close to Lin Tian, her voice a venomous whisper. "Don't get too comfortable, brother. Your sudden rise has made you more enemies than friends. If something... unfortunate... happens to you in that cave, who would really question it?"

  Elder Jin cleared his throat loudly. "Lin Mei, don't you have duties to attend to?"

  She straightened, composing her features into a mask of perfect civility. "Of course, Elder Jin. Safe travels." With a final poisonous glance at Lin Tian, she departed.

  "Charming as always," Lin Tian murmured.

  "Your siblings feel threatened," Elder Jin said matter-of-factly as they began loading their supplies. "As they should. Your breakthrough has upset years of carefully established hierarchy."

  "I never asked for this attention," Lin Tian said.

  "Yet you have it nonetheless." Elder Jin handed him a particularly heavy pack. "And attention, in our world, is rarely benign."

  As they set out, Lin Feng fell into step beside Lin Tian. For a while, they walked in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts as the compound gradually disappeared behind them.

  After they had put some distance between themselves and the clan grounds, Lin Tian turned to Elder Jin. "Elder Jin, may I ask you something?"

  "You may ask," the elder replied, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.

  "Why has the Patriarch decided to give me this chance? Why are resources now being spent on me?"

  Elder Jin glanced at him appraisingly. "What do you think is the reason?"

  Lin Tian considered his answer carefully. "Because I showed great potential with the resonance stone?"

  "That is only partially the truth," Elder Jin replied. "Yes, you did in fact show great potential with the resonance stone. But there's more to it than that. It also has to do with the publication by Elder Zhou."

  "Yes," Lin Tian nodded. "It apparently is a revolutionary thing that changed everyone's thoughts of cultivation in the eastern cultivation realms."

  Elder Jin chuckled. "That is also a partial truth. It was indeed mind-blowing. I had looked at those meridian patterns myself, and that's why I asked you questions about your process. I was in disbelief that someone so young could come up with something like that." He paused, his expression growing more serious. "But the real truth is, Lin Tian, have you heard of 'enlightenment'?"

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  Lin Tian recalled his earlier conversation with Lin Feng. "Well, Lin Feng told me that enlightenment can come in various forms. It's when a person's eyes or senses are 'opened,' so to speak. He said it's extremely rare, but when individuals are enlightened, they can become immortal cultivators with boosted cultivation speeds. He also mentioned gaining attributes or gifts. He also says people believe I've gone through enlightenment."

  Elder Jin shook his head slightly. "That is a rather extremely simple definition, although some parts are true. But enlightenment doesn't mean getting gifts or anything like that. It means transcending mortal imagination and thinking 'outside.'"

  "Thinking outside?" Lin Tian frowned. "What does that mean?"

  "We're going somewhere that has those answers," Elder Jin replied cryptically.

  Lin Tian absorbed this in silence for a moment before asking, "What is the 'Graveyard of the Immortals'? The name is ominous, but why is it called the graveyard? How could immortals die? What is the history behind it?"

  Elder Jin's expression turned solemn. "The cultivation world has always recognized two fundamentally different paths to transcend mortality: the way of the Immortal Cultivator and the path of Divinity. Though both achieve unimaginable power and eternal life, they stand opposed in philosophy and practice."

  He slowed his pace, his voice taking on the cadence of a seasoned lecturer. "Immortal Cultivators are individuals who, through personal cultivation and refinement, ascend beyond mortal limitations. They rely on their own efforts, discipline, and understanding to climb the ladder of cultivation."

  Lin Tian listened attentively, recognizing the value of this information.

  "Their foundation is built upon Spirit Force—refined over millennia through meditation, battle experience, and insight," Elder Jin continued. "They draw power directly from the natural world and their own accumulated spiritual energy. Their authority stems from personal achievement rather than worship."

  Elder Jin gestured toward the distant mountains where they were headed. "Through their cultivation method, they establish their personal internal world, a domain where they are absolute. Within this space, they can manipulate reality according to their will."

  He turned back to Lin Tian. "Deities, on the other hand, derive their power from belief, worship, and the collective consciousness of mortals. Their legends and stories fuel their divinity, creating a symbiotic relationship with their followers."

  "So they're dependent on worship," Lin Tian observed.

  "Precisely," Elder Jin nodded approvingly. "Their foundation is built upon Divine Essence—accumulated through worship, sacrifice, and the propagation of their legends. Gods harness the power of faith and belief. The more followers they have, the more powerful they become. However, this creates a dependency that immortal cultivators avoid."

  Lin Tian frowned thoughtfully. "But then why would they fight? If their paths are so different, couldn't they coexist?"

  Elder Jin laughed bitterly. "You would think so, wouldn't you? But power rarely allows for peaceful coexistence. Deities saw the independence of immortal cultivators as a threat to their dominion. Immortals viewed the gods' reliance on mortal worship as a fundamental weakness."

  He gestured toward the mountains ahead. "Malling Mountain range was once the site of a battle that lasted for seven days and seven nights. Hundreds of immortals made their last stand here against a coalition of lesser deities. The clash of their powers carved out these valleys, raised these peaks, and created anomalies like the Sacred Spirit Cave."

  Before Lin Tian could ask more, Elder Jin suddenly stopped, raising his hand for silence. "It seems that some pests are following us. Lin Tian, consider this your first lesson. Watch me closely."

  The forest around them had grown unusually quiet—no birds, no insects, just an unnatural stillness that made the hair on Lin Tian's neck stand on end.

  Elder Jin closed his eyes, his expression serene. He extended his right hand, palm up, and placed his left index finger above it. To Lin Tian's amazement, a small sphere of luminous Qi began to form, hovering just above Elder Jin's palm. The sphere pulsed gently, growing from the size of a pea to that of an apple.

  "Do you notice anything unusual about this Qi?" Elder Jin asked, his eyes still closed.

  Lin Tian studied the sphere carefully. Unlike the Qi he cultivated in his own body, this sphere seemed to be drawing energy from the surroundings. Minute particles of light flowed from the air, the trees, even the ground beneath them, streaming into the growing sphere.

  "It's... not coming from your dantian," Lin Tian observed. "You're gathering it from the environment."

  "Very good," Elder Jin nodded approvingly. "This is external Qi, as opposed to the internal Qi you've been cultivating. Now, observe what happens next."

  Before Elder Jin could demonstrate further, harsh laughter erupted from the trees ahead. Five rough-looking men stepped out from behind the foliage, blocking their path. Their clothing was a mismatched collection of leather and cloth, but their weapons—gleaming sabers and a single bow—looked well-maintained.

  "Well, well," the largest of the men grinned, revealing several missing teeth. "Travelers on the lonely mountain path. And with such heavy packs, too."

  Lin Feng instantly moved into a defensive position, drawing his daggers. "Bandits," he muttered.

  "cultivators don't usually escort simple travelers," said a slender man with a bow slung across his back, eyeing Elder Jin warily. "Which means whatever you're carrying must be valuable indeed."

  "You're observant," Elder Jin replied evenly, the Qi sphere still hovering above his palm. "But foolish. Leave now, and you may yet see tomorrow's sunrise."

  The bandits laughed, spreading out to surround them. "Bold words, old man," their leader sneered. "But we're the Mountain Tiger Gang. This is our territory, and we're taking your supplies." He pointed at the heavy pack Lin Tian was carrying. "Hand them over, and we might let you live."

  To Lin Tian's surprise, the bandits seemed completely unimpressed by Elder Jin's presence. It was as if they couldn't sense his cultivation level at all. Then he realized—Elder Jin was deliberately suppressing his spiritual pressure, concealing his true strength.

  Elder Jin sighed, almost regretfully. "Lin Tian," he said conversationally, as if they weren't surrounded by bandits, "what's the difference between internal and external Qi?"

  Lin Tian blinked, taken aback by the impromptu exam during such a tense moment. "Um... internal Qi is what we cultivate within our dantian and meridians. It's refined, controlled, and limited by our cultivation base."

  "And external Qi?" Elder Jin prompted, the sphere above his palm pulsing brighter.

  "External Qi exists naturally in the world," Lin Tian continued, recalling what he'd read in ancient texts. "It's raw, abundant, but harder to control without proper techniques."

  "Precisely," Elder Jin nodded. "Most cultivators focus exclusively on strengthening their internal Qi, neglecting the vast ocean of energy that surrounds them."

  The bandits looked at each other in confusion, then their leader growled, "Enough talk! Take them!"

  With a subtle flick of his finger, Elder Jin sent the sphere floating away from his palm. It hovered in midair for a moment, then suddenly shot forward, striking the lead bandit in the chest. The man flew backward with a cry of pain, crashing through underbrush.

  "In the context of martial arts and Taoism," Elder Jin continued calmly as if lecturing in a peaceful courtyard rather than a forest ambush, "internal Qi cultivation focuses on nurturing and refining the body's internal energy, while external Qi cultivation emphasizes techniques that strengthen the body and enhance its ability to interact with and utilize external Qi."

  Two more bandits rushed forward, their sabers glinting in the filtered sunlight. Elder Jin made three precise gestures with his fingers. The air around him rippled, and both bandits were suddenly thrown backward as if struck by an invisible force.

  "Your sudden and rapid growth," Elder Jin explained to Lin Tian as the bandits struggled to rise, "suggests a natural affinity for Qi manipulation—a rare talent. It's not just your meridian theory, but the knowledge and application behind it. That's precisely why it's so unique and why your resonance test produced such startling results. The purple resonance is exceptionally rare."

  The archer nocked an arrow and loosed it at Elder Jin's throat. Without even looking, the elder caught the arrow mid-flight, his fingers barely seeming to move.

  "This is why the Patriarch has invested in your training," Elder Jin continued. "You've displayed signs of enlightenment, or at least taken steps toward that reality. Your application of cultivation principles could advance our clan's understanding by decades, if properly developed."

  The lead bandit had regained his feet, his face contorted with rage and fear. "You... you're not just any normal cultivator, are you?"

  Elder Jin smiled thinly. "Now you begin to see."

  Suddenly, the air around them grew heavy, as if the pressure had increased tenfold. Lin Tian felt his knees weaken, his breath catching in his throat as an invisible weight pressed down on his shoulders, threatening to crush him into the earth. The bandits fell to their knees instantly, eyes wide with terror as Elder Jin finally released the full measure of his spiritual pressure.

  "This," Elder Jin said calmly while maintaining the terrifying pressure, "is the power of a true Master Realm cultivator. And yet, I've barely drawn upon my strength."

  He closed his eyes for a moment, then formed his right hand into a fist. The external Qi that had been invisibly gathering around them now coalesced, wreathing his fist in a corona of shifting blue-white energy that pulsed with barely contained power. It was fundamentally different from the internal Qi Lin Tian had seen other cultivators manifest—wilder, more primal, yet somehow more harmonious with the natural world.

  "Observe the difference," Elder Jin instructed.

  Without warning, he struck out with a casual punch toward a section of forest where no bandits stood. The air itself seemed to distort as the Qi exploded outward from his fist. A deafening crack split the air, followed by an eerie silence, then the thunderous crash of falling trees.

  Lin Tian stared in awe as a perfect semicircle had been carved through the forest—trees, underbrush, even the ground itself had been obliterated for nearly fifty paces in a clean arc. The bandits, who had just barely avoided being in the path of destruction, lay prostrate on the ground, several weeping in terror.

  "That," Elder Jin said, lowering his fist as the energy dissipated, "is the power of external Qi. Not simply drawing from your limited internal reserves, but harnessing the boundless energy that permeates all things." He turned to Lin Tian, his expression serious. "Do you understand the difference now, disciple?"

  Lin Tian's mouth had gone dry. He swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, Master. I understand."

  Elder Jin turned his attention back to the terrified bandits. "Leave. Tell your Mountain Tiger Gang that this path is closed to them for the next six months. Any who attempt to use it will not receive the mercy I've shown today."

  The bandits scrambled to their feet, bowing repeatedly as they backed away, then turned and fled as if pursued by demons.

  "You're letting them go?" Lin Tian asked, still struggling to process what he had witnessed.

  "They're more useful alive," Elder Jin replied, his spiritual pressure returning to normal levels. "They'll spread word that this path is protected, which should prevent further nuisances." He paused, considering. "Besides, killing every obstacle in your path is inefficient. Sometimes mercy creates more advantages than brutality."

  Lin Tian nodded, absorbing this unexpected wisdom. "That display of Qi—how did you gather so much from the environment so quickly?"

  "That," Elder Jin smiled, "will be your first lesson at the cave. I could be mistaken, but I truly think you have been enlightened, or rather, have stepped toward that reality or stage of enlightenment. I intend to train you to become an immortal cultivator."