Chapter Four – Ripples Beyond the Village
The morning light crept through the window, scattering across the floor in long streaks. Lyria opened her eyes the moment the first bird sang — not because she needed rest, but because she wanted to understand what it felt like to wake naturally.
She rose quietly, the wooden floor cold under her bare feet. Downstairs, the innkeeper was already setting out bowls of rice porridge and herbs for breakfast. Kael waved from a table near the window, grinning.
> "Morning, Lyria! Didn't think you'd wake before me."
> "I wanted to observe how people begin their day," she replied, sitting gracefully across from him. "It seems… peaceful."
Kael laughed. "Peaceful? Only until the merchants start shouting."
As if summoned, a loud voice echoed outside. "The elder's here!"
The room fell briefly quiet. Even Kael's cheerful expression dimmed. "He doesn't come out much," he whispered. "Must be something important."
The door opened, and an old man entered — long white beard, sharp eyes that spoke of both wisdom and caution. His robe was plain, yet faint spiritual energy lingered faintly around him.
> "You must be the newcomer," the elder said slowly, studying her. "The one who froze a forest beast with a gesture."
Kael tensed. "Elder, she saved—"
The old man lifted a hand. "I am not here to scold. I simply wish to know who walks among us."
Lyria met his gaze without fear. "I am called Lyria. I came from the wilderness. I have no sect, no family ties. I seek to understand the mortal path."
Her words were calm, but every syllable carried an honesty that made the elder's aura waver. He nodded after a long pause.
> "A cultivator seeking the mortal path… rare indeed. You are welcome here, so long as your heart bears no ill intent."
She inclined her head slightly. "Understood."
After a few moments, the elder turned to leave, his expression thoughtful. "The world beyond is changing," he murmured. "Strange energy flows have been felt near the northern ridge. If you plan to wander, tread carefully."
When he was gone, Kael exhaled. "You handled that well. Most people freeze when he starts asking questions."
> "He was curious," Lyria said softly. "Curiosity should be answered with truth."
Kael blinked. "You really do talk like a temple sage sometimes."
She smiled faintly. "Perhaps I was one, in another life."
---
Later that day, Lyria left the village, following a faint pulse of spiritual energy that tugged at her senses. The air grew sharper as she climbed higher into the forested ridge.
Soon, she found it — a circle of ancient stones carved with fading runes, the remnants of a small formation.
Kneeling, she brushed her hand across the moss-covered surface.
> "Residual energy signature detected… last activation, fifty-six years ago. Purpose: concealment."
She tapped one of the stones gently, and a flicker of light answered her touch — a lingering echo of a sect's barrier.
> "So," she murmured, "a sect once claimed this territory."
As she stood, the wind shifted — and from the shadows, faint footsteps approached. Three figures in gray robes emerged, each bearing the same mountain-shaped insignia on their sleeves.
The leader, a young man with a stern face, frowned at her.
> "Who are you? This ridge belongs to the Azure Vein Sect. Outsiders are not permitted here."
Lyria studied them calmly. "I didn't sense a current boundary formation. If it's your territory, your protections are… lacking."
The man's brows knitted. "Watch your words, girl."
The two behind him stepped forward, their spiritual energy flaring — weak but aggressive.
Kael's earlier words echoed in her mind: Peaceful, until the merchants start shouting.
She wondered idly if cultivators were much different.
> "I don't seek conflict," she said softly, her tone steady. "But if you insist…"
Her crimson eyes shimmered faintly — a small ripple of power brushed through the clearing. The men froze, unable to move.
> "I'll leave your ridge as you wish," she added gently, "but next time, strengthen your wards. The world is not as peaceful as it seems."
She turned, walking away as the three cultivators stood trembling, their knees barely holding.
When she reached the base of the ridge, Lyria looked up toward the sky — the faint outline of mountains stretching endlessly.
> "Azure Vein Sect," she whispered. "Perhaps I should visit properly someday."
And somewhere deep within her, the system core pulsed once — as if responding to the idea.
> [Exploration Path Unlocked: Sect Territories.]
Her lips curved slightly.
> "So this world still has much to offer."