Starvation only works if you're still begging.
By the third day, Iron Lake City should have collapsed.
Qi veins dulled.
Spirit stones turned brittle.
Alchemy fires refused to kindle.
Instead, the Pavilion breathed.
Slowly.
Steadily.
Chen Yu was the first to notice.
"Master," he said hesitantly, "my Qi… feels heavier."
Not stronger.
Not faster.
Denser.
"That's because it's yours," I replied.
I gathered them.
Seven now.
No formation.
Just a circle.
"Qi is residue," I said.
"Understanding is source."
Confusion flickered.
I drew my sword.
Tapped the ground.
The earth answered.
Not with Qi.
With structure.
I showed them how to breathe without pulling.
How to move without forcing.
How to let effort replace energy.
The Pavilion boundary adjusted itself.
Not expanded.
Refined.
Outside, cultivators struggled.
Inside, we adapted.
Heaven escalated.
ACTION: Resource Nullification — LOCALIZED
The nearby spirit spring dried.
Crops withered.
Merchants fled.
Xueyi stood at the gate, eyes cold.
"They're trying to turn the city against you."
I nodded.
"They always do."
I stepped into the streets.
Didn't preach.
Didn't promise.
I fixed a broken well.
Adjusted the draw angle.
Water flowed.
People watched.
Quietly.
Hope crept in.
Heaven recoiled.
Because miracles were supposed to be expensive.