Dawn tinged the horizon with soft golden hues, but inside the Jun family residence, the atmosphere was far from the tranquility that the light brought. The sound of hurried footsteps, excited laughter, and murmurs spread through the corridors. Rumors... always rumors.
Jun Tian, sitting cross-legged in his small courtyard, slowly opened his eyes. The spiritual Qi around him still trembled slightly, a remnant of his nighttime cultivation. The thin mist that enveloped his body dissipated like smoke in the wind, revealing his calm—and deeply tired—gaze.
"So it's morning already..."
His voice was low, almost a whisper. He could feel, inside his dantian, the spiritual energy moving in an orderly fashion—pure, refined, and dense. Even though his talent was considered "green," the Qi inside him was completely different. The Nine-Colored Lotus had shaped something that transcended ordinary standards.
However, to the world, he was just another ordinary young man.
And that was exactly what he wanted.
But then, the euphoric voice of a servant rang out across the courtyard:
"Young master! Young master! Have you heard? Miss Yun Xiang... she... she has reached the eighth layer of Qi Gathering!"
The sound of the words made Jun Tian's breathing pause for a brief moment.
The eighth layer... already?
It was said that purple talent was rare in the entire city of Lotus Nebula, a sign of heavenly blessing. Yun Xiang, daughter of the patriarch of the Yun family, had become the center of attention since the awakening of her talent. And now, less than two months later, she had reached a level of cultivation that most would take years to achieve.
Outside, the servant continued excitedly:
"They say that the City Governor himself went to the Yun mansion to congratulate her! She received a high-grade cultivation technique, and the elders of the other families are praising the glorious fate of the Yun family!"
Jun Tian remained silent.
He felt no envy—only a strange sense of distance. It was as if the world around him was becoming too noisy, while his own path grew increasingly silent.
The morning breeze gently rustled the leaves in the garden.
Then, inside his mind, a soft voice echoed—serene, yet imbued with unfathomable wisdom.
"Those who walk in the light, Jun Tian, are seen... and observed.
But those who walk in the shadows are feared only when the silence is broken."
The voice belonged to the Nine-Colored Lotus.
She seemed to speak directly to his soul, as if she knew every emotion he tried to hide.
Jun Tian closed his eyes.
"Lotus... did you know this?" he asked mentally.
"I did," she replied, her voice sounding like the whisper of petals opening. "The fate of the talented is to be observed. But your fate... is to be hidden until the Dao itself recognizes you."
A faint glow appeared in Jun Tian's chest, and within his sea of consciousness, the image of Lotus appeared—spinning slowly, radiating the nine colors that made up the spectrum of the world.
Each petal represented a primordial force, but in the center... there was a void.
"While she collects the Qi of the Earth, you are absorbing the Qi of the Void," said the Lotus.
"What she sees as rapid advancement, you will see as the beginning of a long journey.
The power you carry... is not of this world."
Jun Tian took a deep breath.
Those words echoed in his heart, heavy and mysterious.
Still, a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"Then let them talk about her..." he murmured, slowly getting up. "The world rejoices in flowers that bloom early. I will be the seed that germinates in the dark."
As he walked across the courtyard, sunlight fell on his face.
Even with his weak body and "green talent," there was something in his eyes—a silent, almost ancient depth.
That same day, the streets of the city were bustling.
The five great families sent gifts to the Yun mansion, and everyone talked about the bright future of the young woman with purple talent.
But in the shadows of a nearby mountain, a small figure walked silently, enveloped by the night breeze.
It was Jun Tian.
Under the silvery moonlight, he sat on top of a rock, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate.
The spiritual energy around him began to move, dense and vibrant, as if the heavens themselves were watching him.
The Nine-Colored Lotus flashed in his mind—and the world seemed to stop for an instant.
"Your Qi is no longer mortal.
Your path cannot be measured by the time of men.
But remember, Jun Tian... the higher you climb, the colder the sky will be."
He smiled slightly, murmuring:
"Then let the cold come."
And under the pale moonlight, Jun Tian's shadow blended into the wind, as if the void itself was welcoming him.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)