The sun had begun its descent, painting the Wen Clan courtyard in warm shades of orange and gold. The air was thick with the scent of earth, sweat, and the faint hum of residual qi from the day's training. Most disciples had grown weary, their movements slower, their strikes less precise. But Wen Chen's body moved with a clarity that set him apart — light, sharp, and unshakably steady.
[Luck Points +1]
His eyes scanned the courtyard. The small orbs of luck were gone, leaving only the lingering warmth of the big Luck Orb in his chest. Every step he took felt deliberate, every breath synchronized with the faint pulse of qi around him. His body had absorbed more than energy; it had absorbed possibility.
Wen Chen crouched low, adjusting his stance in front of a worn wooden training dummy. The impact of a single punch now carried a subtle, flowing force he had never achieved before. He struck again, faster, more precise, and felt the warmth of the orb ripple with each motion.
[Luck Points +2]
This is… incredible, he thought. It's like my body is finally listening to me.
He stepped back, raising his hands, and focused on the flow of qi within his own body. Subtle threads, invisible to all but him, glimmered faintly in the corners of his vision — almost like a map of the courtyard, of power, of motion. Each thread represented potential: in himself, in the other disciples, in the world around him.
"Wen Chen," a voice called. His head snapped up.
It was Wen Ming, his rival, striding across the training ground with a mix of arrogance and curiosity. "Why are you staring at the air again? Practicing meditation like a child?"
Wen Chen's eyes flicked to him, unbothered. He wouldn't understand… not yet. He focused instead on the faint shimmer before him — [Luck Points +1] — a small orb left behind from the earlier surge of the big Luck Orb.
With a flick of his fingers, it dissolved, and warmth flowed through him, settling in his chest once again. Wen Ming frowned, noticing subtle changes in Wen Chen's stance. His punches were sharper, movements lighter. Something had shifted. But he could not see what.
"You… you're different," Wen Ming said slowly, suspicion creeping into his voice. "What did you do?"
Wen Chen's lips curved into a faint smile. "Nothing," he replied calmly. "Just training."
But even as he spoke, his senses tingled. A presence had returned — faint, deliberate, and watching. He scanned the shadows near the Elder Hall, spotting the cloaked figure from before. The man's posture had not changed; he observed silently, like a predator circling its prey.
Still watching… Wen Chen thought, heart steady. I'm not afraid. I'm ready.
He moved toward a cluster of training dummies, testing new techniques he had only imagined before. The big Luck Orb had enhanced his reflexes, his speed, and his perception. Each punch, each strike, was guided by subtle intuition — small adjustments invisible to the untrained eye but perfect in execution.
[Luck Points +3]
The faint hum of energy around him felt like an extension of his own body. His hands glowed slightly with residual warmth, not enough for anyone else to notice, but enough to make him feel powerful, confident, unstoppable.
Then came a shift — a sudden tremor beneath his feet. Not natural. Not from any disciple. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but Wen Chen felt it immediately. His body tensed, senses on high alert.
The cloaked figure had moved slightly, just a fraction, but enough for Wen Chen to detect it. His instincts screamed caution. This is no ordinary observer. They are testing me… watching me… waiting.
He turned back to the dummies, letting his body respond instinctively. Every movement flowed with precision, each strike resonating with unseen force. It was a silent conversation with power itself: his body, the Luck Orb, and the world around him.
[Luck Points +2]
Wen Chen paused, letting his vision sweep across the courtyard. Even the smallest ripples of qi were now visible to him — the faintest breaths of other disciples, the subtle tension in their muscles, the hidden flow of energy through their strikes. He could almost anticipate their movements before they made them.
Wen Ming stepped closer, frowning. "This isn't normal… What's happening to you?"
Wen Chen's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "You'll see… when you're ready."
The subtle challenge hung in the air. Wen Ming's pride bristled, but he had no idea what he was facing. Only Wen Chen could perceive the Luck Points, the hidden flow of fortune, and the way his body now bent to possibilities invisible to all others.
The wind shifted, carrying faint whispers from the distant mountains. Wen Chen's eyes flicked toward the Elder Hall once more. The figure had retreated slightly, disappearing into the shadows, yet Wen Chen could feel the cold weight of observation pressing against him. The man — Elder Wen Zemin — had not intervened yet, but his presence was unmistakable.
He knows something has changed… Wen Chen thought. And now he's curious. Patient. Dangerous.
A small golden flicker appeared in his vision. Another remnant of the Luck Orb's power. Wen Chen absorbed it instinctively, letting the warmth flow through him. [Luck Points +1]
His body felt alive in ways he could not yet describe. Even his thoughts moved faster, sharper. Every decision, every action, carried a hint of intuition that bordered on prescience. The world had changed, and he was beginning to understand it.
As the sun dipped lower, painting the sky in fiery orange and crimson, Wen Chen knew one thing with absolute clarity: his life would never be ordinary again. He had tasted real power — the first big Luck Orb — and the hidden advantages it brought. And now, forces beyond his understanding were taking notice.
He glanced at the shadowed hall one last time. No movement. No sound. Only the quiet certainty that someone, somewhere, was watching his every step.
Wen Chen's hands clenched into fists. A faint warmth radiated through him. [Luck Points +2]
I will grow stronger… he thought, determination blazing in his eyes. I will master this power. And when the time comes, no shadow, no elder, no hidden enemy will be able to touch me.
The courtyard fell quiet as the disciples packed up their training for the day, unaware that the boy who had absorbed the great Luck Orb had already begun reshaping his destiny. Wen Chen remained, eyes focused, heart steady, and mind sharp. He had tasted hidden fortune, felt its warmth, and understood its potential.
The first great surge of power was his. The first observer had noticed.
And the real game was only just beginning.