Morning light had just begun to creep across Lin Tian's courtyard when he opened his eyes. His body felt warmer than usual, a steady heat settling under his skin. He sat up slowly and let out a quiet breath. The sensation of circulating qi hadn't faded overnight.
He raised his hand and guided a thin stream of qi through his meridians. Soft light gathered around his palm. Elementary Spirit Realm, Third Level. He still wasn't used to the words in his head. Even thinking about them felt unreal.
He stood in the center of the courtyard and practiced a basic fist form. The cracked stone he had shattered last night sat at the edge of the yard, a physical reminder that this wasn't a dream.
Lin Tian exhaled and lowered his stance. He didn't plan to show anyone yet. He wanted a few days to stabilize his realm, understand this new body, maybe even attempt a small expansion of his meridians when no one was looking. A quiet start felt safer. The clan had lived years believing he was cripple, he had no desire to be the next subject of gossip.
But fate wasn't interested in giving him that choice.
A soft gasp broke the morning calm.
Lin Tian turned his head. A young clan junior stood at the courtyard gate, holding a basket of herbs. The boy's eyes were wide, locked on the faint aura still clinging to Lin Tian's hands. Shock twisted across his face, and the basket trembled in his grip.
"You… you're—" The boy's voice cracked. "Young Master Tian, you're cultivating?"
Lin Tian straightened slowly. "You didn't see anything."
The junior swallowed hard, nodded too fast, and then spun around, sprinting away so quickly he almost tripped at the corner. Lin Tian sighed. The moment the boy turned his back, he knew it was over. Once a rumor started inside the Lin Clan, containing it was impossible.
He wiped his hands with a cloth and waited.
It didn't take long.
Two seniors came first, trying to pretend they were out for a morning walk. They stopped near the courtyard gate, whispering to each other. Their voices rose as more people gathered behind them.The whispers thickened, spreading through the clan like wildfire.
"Is it true?"
"No way… it can't be."
"I heard he showed qi circulation."
"Impossible. His channels were sealed since birth."
"Even if it's true… what does this mean for the Bai engagement?"
Lin Tian stepped out into the courtyard and faced them. He folded his hands behind his back. "If you want to see it, then come inside. Don't crowd the entry."
A few disciples moved aside, hesitant. Even the elders seemed uncertain as they entered the courtyard. Two Heavenly Spirit Realm elders exchanged glances before addressing him.
"Lin Tian," one of them said, "Try circulate your qi. We want to see it for ourselves."
He nodded once. No point in resisting. He pulled a breath into his lungs and let the qi rise from his dantian, guiding it upward until a faint light shimmered along his arms. His aura expanded a few inches, steady and unmistakable.
Gasps broke through the crowd.
One disciple stumbled back, clutching the railing. Another elder leaned forward as if trying to find a flaw in the aura. "Elementary Spirit Realm… third level… it's real," he whispered. "This is real."
A murmur rippled outward.
"It's impossible."
"No, look at the flow. It's stable."
"How did he jump from nothing to this overnight?"
"We might need to inform the Clan Leader."
That last line carried enough weight to silence everyone.
Lin Tian kept his calm, though tension coiled in his stomach. He didn't want attention. He didn't want politics. He only wanted to grow strong enough to protect the people tied to him. But strength always came with a price, and the Lin Clan was already prepared to collect it.
Footsteps approached from the main courtyard.
The crowd parted as Lin Zhaotian, the Clan Leader, approached. His aura pressed lightly on the air, the controlled pressure of an Emperor Spirit Realm expert. He stopped in front of Lin Tian and studied him with an unreadable expression.
"Tian, Show me," he said simply.
Lin Tian nodded and released his qi once more. Qi move around him.
Silence.
Lin Zhaotian's eyes widened. Then he exhaled. A small smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Good," he said. "Now your father can finally rest peacefully."
The patriarch placed a firm hand on Lin Tian's shoulder. A sincere gesture. Lin Tian felt warmth spread through his chest, a faint ache of emotions he hadn't allowed himself to feel in years.
"Train well," Lin Zhaotian added. "Your path has only begun now."
When the clan leader turned to leave, the whispers grew again, though softer now.
"This will changes the clan's future."
"Maybe the Lin Clan won't be in decline from now on after all."
But not everyone was happy. A few jealous glares cut through the crowd. Some elders wore calculating expressions. Opportunities were forming, and everyone wanted to be the first to grasp them.
Lin Tian ignored them.
His gaze drifted to the side walkway.
Bai Xueya stood there, half-hidden behind a wooden pillar. She hadn't stepped forward, but her eyes stayed on him the entire time. Her expression was calm, yet her fingers gripped the sleeve of her robe tightly. Relief, confusion, and something warmer flickered in her gaze.
When their eyes met, she looked away quickly—but not before a faint smile appeared.
Lin Tian wasn't sure why that smile felt heavier than the entire clan's scrutiny.
Before he could speak, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the courtyard again. A messenger sprinted toward the gathering, panting hard.
"Clan Leader! Elders!" he shouted. "The old master… he has returned!"
Every elder stiffened. Lin Zhaotian turned sharply. Even Bai Xueya's eyes widened.
Lin Tian's breath caught in his throat.
Grandfather… Has returned now?
The morning's calm vanished, replaced by a shift in the clan's atmosphere—something weighty, electric, and impossible to ignore.
The messenger bowed deeply, still catching his breath. "He fly through the gates moments ago. He is demanding to see Young Master Tian immediately."
The courtyard erupted into whispers, but Lin Tian heard none of them.
His heartbeat thundered once in his chest.
End of Chapter 9