The following morning dawned with a pale sky stretched thin over Mount Qingyun, and a quiet chill lingered in the courtyard stones as Li Tianyang stepped outside before sunrise.
He had slept lightly, his thoughts returning more than once to the faint tremor he had sensed within the meditation chamber.
Cultivation demanded attentiveness, and small irregularities, if ignored, could grow into unseen dangers.
He began his morning practice beneath the plum tree, drawing breath steadily and guiding Qi through his meridians in slow, deliberate cycles.
At first, the circulation felt normal.
Then, midway through the third cycle, a subtle resistance brushed against his awareness.
It was not pain, nor was it obvious instability.
It felt more like a tightening along the lower meridians, as though the pathways were under faint pressure.
He adjusted his breathing rhythm and reduced intake, allowing the external Qi to disperse gently rather than accumulate.
The resistance eased, though it did not disappear entirely.
Su Meiling arrived shortly afterward, her steps light against the stone path.
"You ended early yesterday," she said, observing his posture carefully.
"There was slight fluctuation within the vein," he replied.
Her brows knit faintly. "The chamber has been stable for years."
"So I believed," Tianyang answered calmly.
She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "You will not attempt breakthrough before the inspector arrives, will you?"
"I have no intention of risking instability," he assured her.
She seemed relieved but still thoughtful.
"I heard whispers that resources may be reassessed after the inspection," she said. "If fewer are selected this year, competition will sharpen."
Tianyang understood what she implied without stating it directly.
Within the Li Clan, cultivation resources were finite, and advancement often required someone else's stagnation.
"I will rely on steadiness rather than haste," he replied.
From the walkway beyond the bamboo grove, Junhao observed them again.
He did not approach this time, but his gaze lingered longer than usual before he turned away toward the western training grounds.
Later that afternoon, Tianyang returned to the meditation chamber to test the instability more carefully.
The carved stone entrance felt cool beneath his palm as he stepped inside.
He seated himself upon the central platform and closed his eyes, circulating only a thin thread of Qi rather than his full capacity.
The spiritual vein responded gently at first, feeding energy upward in smooth pulses.
Then, without warning, the flow intensified slightly.
It was not violent, but it carried more force than before, pressing against his meridians with steady insistence.
He halted circulation immediately and allowed his internal energy to settle.
The pressure lingered for several breaths before subsiding.
He opened his eyes and examined the formation lines etched along the chamber walls.
To the naked eye, nothing appeared disturbed.
He extended his awareness downward once more.
The spiritual vein beneath the chamber pulsed again, faintly uneven, like a heartbeat skipping a rhythm.
A realization began forming in his mind.
If this instability continued to escalate, even ordinary cultivation could become dangerous.
He rose and exited the chamber, intending to speak with Elder Zhou once more.
On the mountain path, he encountered Junhao ascending toward the entrance.
"You are leaving already?" Junhao asked casually.
"There is fluctuation within the vein," Tianyang said.
Junhao's expression remained composed. "Natural veins shift with seasons."
"Perhaps," Tianyang replied, studying him carefully.
Junhao held his gaze evenly before stepping past him into the chamber.
Tianyang remained still for several moments after Junhao disappeared inside.
The unease in his chest deepened slightly, though he could not yet define its cause.
That evening, Elder Zhou and two formation specialists inspected the chamber after hearing reports of minor instability from other disciples.
Tianyang stood nearby as they examined the etched symbols along the stone walls.
"The outer formation remains intact," one specialist reported.
"Yet the internal flow shows irregular pressure," Zhou observed.
"Can it be stabilized?" Tianyang asked.
Zhou glanced at him. "It should correct naturally, but I will reinforce the array before the sect inspector arrives."
Tianyang inclined his head, though doubt lingered within him.
As night fell, lanterns glowed softly along the estate corridors, and most disciples retired early to preserve energy for the coming inspection.
Junhao stood alone beneath the outer pine trees once more.
The cloaked figure emerged from the darkness.
"The destabilization progresses," the figure said quietly.
"Will it be enough?" Junhao asked.
"When he attempts deeper circulation, the vein will surge beyond his control," the figure replied.
Junhao exhaled slowly, staring toward the faint outline of the mountain.
"It must appear natural," he repeated.
"It will," the figure assured him before fading back into shadow.
Back in his chamber, Tianyang sat cross-legged and placed his hand lightly over his lower abdomen.
He attempted once more to circulate a narrow stream of Qi.
The warmth gathered, but beneath it lay an unmistakable strain, as though the dantian walls were being tested by invisible pressure.
He ended the cycle immediately.
Tomorrow, he decided, he would perform one final controlled test within the meditation chamber before the inspector's arrival.
He would not seek breakthrough.
He would only confirm the extent of the instability.
Outside, clouds drifted across the moon above Mount Qingyun.
Deep beneath the meditation chamber floor, the spiritual vein pulsed once more, slightly stronger than before.
The rhythm was no longer steady.
And though the estate slept peacefully, the balance beneath it was nearing fracture.