A crown of lightning danced around Kai’s head as he sat cross-legged on his cultivation pillow. He'd been at this for days, pushing himself to the limit. But now, finally, he felt it. With one last push, the last bits of resistance in his body gave way, his eyes snapped open, a smile spreading across his face.

Congratulations!

You have successfully opened the Charged Wave meridian!

Cultivation returned to Qi Refining Stage 9

Lightning Affinity increased to 45%

Skill Leveled Up: Crown of Lightning (Level 7)

Effect: A temporary, visible aura of lightning can form around the cultivator's head during meditation, boosting the cultivator's qi regeneration by 35%.

Skill Leveled Up: Sky's Favor (Level 7)

Effect: The cultivator's qi absorption rate increases by 35% whenever they are under an open sky, this increases to 40% when under stormy weather.

Skill Leveled Up: Electric Immunity (Level 7)

Effect: The cultivator gains 35% resistance to lightning-based attacks, reducing the damage taken from electric or lightning-based techniques.

You have gained 300 XP!

Kai let out a satisfied sigh, running a hand through his hair. The progress was welcome, but he couldn't help feeling a twinge of impatience.

"Two meridians left," he muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Two more before I can start preparing for my breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. But with war on the horizon, I don’t see myself entering the next realm of cultivation anytime soon…

In this world, those in the Qi Refining realm were barely considered cultivators at all. They were superhuman, yes, capable of feats that would astound those back on Earth, but their lifespans remained the same as any other mortal.

It was only at the Foundation Establishment realm that one could begin to call themselves an immortal. Cultivators at that level could live for double or even triple the lifespan of a normal mortal.

Kai had even heard stories of the oldest Foundation Establishment cultivator, who was just shy of his 300th birthday. Not that anyone in this world celebrated birthdays like they did back on Earth. Here, such celebrations were rare events, reserved only for when one reached a huge milestone like the millennium mark or beyond.

A knock at the door interrupted Kai's thoughts. "Enter.”

The door slid open, and Chen Wei stepped in. "Senior Brother, I hope I'm not interrupting. I'm here to remind you that a week has passed since your last meeting with... the individual you asked me to keep track of."

"Thank you, Chen Wei. You're not interrupting at all. In fact, your timing is perfect."

"Is there anything else you need?"

"No, that’ll be all."

As Chen Wei left, closing the door behind him, Kai stood up. He had promised Su Jie he would meet him in a week's time, and he didn't want to have a repeat of last time, leaving the disciple stranded. Especially since whatever info Su Jie returned with would determine Kai's next steps.

He quickly changed into fresh black robes and made his way out of his quarters.

I really hope Shen Yu is wrong, Kai thought, his jaw clenching. I hope there is no war. Back on Earth, it always sounded so epic in movies and novels. But living it... that's something else entirely.

Not that I'm likely to live through it if it comes to that.

In a war between sects, what chance does a Qi Refining cultivator really have? Even with my advantages, I'd be nothing more than cannon fodder against Foundation Establishment cultivators, let alone anyone higher.

Sure, I've got a few extra lives thanks to this system, but Shen Yu was right. I'm not immortal. Not even close.

***

As Kai entered the Grove, he noticed something different about Su Jie.

The young disciple leaned against a tree, eyes closed, looking strangely... peaceful.

I hope that means he has good news…

As if sensing Kai's presence, Su Jie's eyes fluttered open. A smile spread across his face as he bowed. "Senior Brother Kai.”

Kai nodded in return. "Su Jie. You look... different today."

"Do I?” Su Jie's smile widened. “I guess I'm feeling pretty good about my mission."

"Oh?" Kai raised an eyebrow. "Tell me what you found out."

"Tell me everything," Kai said, leaning against a broken pillar. "What did you learn about the Crimson Phoenix Sect's movements?"

"They're definitely up to something big, Senior Brother. I visited several towns under their control, and the signs are everywhere."

"Go on.”

"First off, they're recruiting mortals in large numbers," Su Jie began. "Craftsmen, mostly. Weavers, potters, cobblers, tailors - anyone with a useful trade. But here's the weird part: they're not taking farmers or laborers."

"That is strange,” Kai furrowed his brow. “You'd think they'd need food and manual labor more than anything."

"Exactly! It's like they're preparing for something specific, not just general expansion."

"What else?"

"Well, I overheard some drunk men complaining about not being chosen. They mentioned the recruiters were paying in gold coins. Gold, Senior Brother! That's not normal payment for mortal workers."

"Did you notice any increased military presence?"

"Not really,” Su Jie shook his head. “If anything, there seemed to be fewer Crimson Phoenix disciples around than usual. It's like they're pulling back their forces."

Interesting. They're gathering resources but not showing military strength. Are they trying to avoid drawing attention?

"Anything else of note?"

"Well... there was one more thing. But it might be nothing."

"Let me be the judge of that," Kai said. "What is it?"

"On my last day there, a Crimson Phoenix disciple came to the town I was in. He was recruiting more workers, but he seemed... distracted. Kept fiddling with a ring on his finger and muttering to himself."

"A ring? What kind of ring?"

Su Jie shrugged. "I couldn't get a good look, but it seemed important to him. He kept glancing at it like he was worried about something."

A storage ring, perhaps? Carrying an important message?

Kai nodded slowly. "You've done well, Su Jie. This information is valuable, but..." He paused, reaching into his robes. "I'm afraid it's not quite enough for two Low-Grade Qi Gathering pills."

He pulled out a single pill and with a flick of his wrist, he tossed it to Su Jie, who caught it in between his index and middle fingers.

Su Jie looked at the pill, then back at Kai. A sly smile crept across his face. "Oh, I think you might want to reconsider that, Senior Brother."

Before Kai could respond, Su Jie reached into his own robes and pulled out a small object.

"Is that..." Kai's eyes widened in surprise.

Su Jie's grin widened as he tossed the object to Kai. "The ring I was talking about, Senior Brother. I got more than a good look. Snatched it right off that Crimson Phoenix disciple's finger."

Kai caught the ring, turning it over in his palm. It was indeed a storage ring, and a decent quality one at that.

"Well, well," Kai chuckled. "I see your fast hands haven't lost their touch."

Su Jie bowed playfully. "I aim to please, Senior Brother."

It seems I was right to choose him.

Kai focused his attention on the ring, calling up the system to examine it.

Item: Crimson Phoenix Storage Ring

Quality: High-Grade

Description: A spatial storage device used by disciples of the Crimson Phoenix Sect. Contains unknown items.

Kai closed his eyes, channeling his spiritual sense into the ring. He encountered a barrier, an intricate web of spiritual energy blocking his probe.

Warning: Access restricted. Spiritual lock detected.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Hmm, as expected. It won't be easy to open.

"I tried to open it myself," Su Jie admitted. "But I didn't have much luck."

Kai nodded, opening his eyes. "These rings are usually locked with the owner's spiritual mark. There are ways around it, but they're not easy."

"Can you break it open?"

"There are two main methods," Kai explained. "One is brute force, but that only works if your cultivation is significantly higher than the owner's. We'd need a Foundation Establishment cultivator for that."

Su Jie's face fell. "Oh. What's the other way?"

"It's like... spiritual lockpicking," Kai said. "Using your spiritual sense to manipulate the lock's energy patterns. It's delicate work, but it doesn't require overwhelming power."

"Are you going to try it?" Su Jie leaned forward.

"Why not?” Kai smirked. “It's a good chance to practice."

He closed his eyes again, focusing his spiritual sense on the ring's lock. Carefully, he began to probe the energy patterns, looking for weaknesses or inconsistencies.

It's like a puzzle. Each strand of energy interacts with the others. If I can find the right sequence...

Kai's brow furrowed in concentration as he manipulated the spiritual energies. Suddenly, he felt a sharp backlash, like a mental slap.

"Ow!" His eyes snapped open, and he rubbed his temples.

"What happened?"

"I made a mistake,” Kai grimaced. “Triggered some kind of defense mechanism."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Kai assured him. "Just a bit of a headache. But I learned something from that failure."

The lock doesn't just block access. It actively repels intruders. I need to be more subtle.

Kai took a deep breath and tried again. This time, instead of directly manipulating the energy strands, he gently nudged them, encouraging them to move on their own.

Like coaxing a stubborn animal. Don't force it. Guide it.

Slowly, painstakingly, the spiritual lock began to unravel and soon the last barrier fell away.

"I did it," he said, opening his eyes with a grin.

Su Jie clapped his hands. "What's inside?"

Kai peered into the ring's spiritual space. "There's... quite a bit, actually. A thousand low-grade spirit stones, for one."

"A thousand?” Su Jie's jaw dropped. “That's... that's a fortune!"

Kai nodded. "For a Qi Refining disciple, certainly. There are also some cultivation scrolls..." He paused, his spiritual sense touching something else. "And a letter."

"A letter?"

Kai reached in and pulled out the scroll. The seal was still intact, bearing the mark of the Boundless Earth Sect.

"Should we open it?" Su Jie asked, eyeing the scroll nervously.

Kai nodded. "We've come this far. Might as well see what's so important."

He broke the seal and unrolled the scroll. The handwriting was elegant, clearly belonging to a well-educated cultivator.

"My dear old friend,

I hope this letter finds you well. It has been far too long since we shared a cup of spirit tea and reminisced about our younger days. How I miss those carefree times!

I must say, your proposal caught me quite by surprise. War between the Azure Sky Sect and the Crimson Phoenix Sect? Again? Sometimes I wonder if you youngsters ever learn from history.

I understand your eagerness, my friend, but I'm afraid the Boundless Earth Sect cannot openly join this conflict at this time. You know as well as I do that these wars between your sects tend to end in stalemate, with both sides licking their wounds for decades afterward.

However, I haven't forgotten our friendship or the debts I owe you. While I cannot commit our sect's full strength, I am willing to send some of my personal forces to aid you. We can use this opportunity to weaken some of the Azure Sky Sect's affiliates, which may prove beneficial in the long run.

That said, if you're truly set on this path, you might consider sweetening the pot, so to speak. The Sect Master is... shall we say, practical in his thinking. If the Crimson Phoenix Sect were to offer some additional incentives, I might have a better chance of swaying him to your cause.

Think it over, old friend. And regardless of what comes, do try to stay alive. I'd hate to lose my favorite drinking partner to another senseless war.

May the earth beneath your feet always be stable, Elder Teng"

Kai finished reading and looked up at Su Jie, who seemed overwhelmed by the contents of the letter.

"Senior Brother," Su Jie whispered, "this is... big, isn't it?"

"Very big. It confirms that the Crimson Phoenix Sect is indeed planning for war. But more importantly, it gives us insight into the political maneuvering behind the scenes."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's break this down. First, we have the Crimson Phoenix Sect, clearly the aggressors in this situation. They're reaching out to potential allies, trying to build a coalition against the Azure Sky Sect."

"But the Boundless Earth Sect said no, right?" Su Jie interjected.

"Not exactly," Kai corrected. "They're playing a more subtle game. Elder Teng, the author of this letter, is offering limited support through his personal forces. This allows the Boundless Earth Sect to maintain official neutrality while still potentially weakening their rivals."

Su Jie's eyes widened. "So, they get the benefits without the risks?"

"Precisely," Kai nodded. "But there's more. Notice how Elder Teng mentions 'sweetening the pot'? He's angling for more concessions from the Crimson Phoenix Sect. It's a delicate balancing act - he wants to help his friend and gain advantages for his sect, but without committing too deeply."

"That's... kind of scary," Su Jie admitted. "All this plotting and scheming."

Kai smiled wryly. "Welcome to the world of high-level cultivation politics, Su Jie. It's all about power, influence, and calculated risks. More than the petty theft you’re used to."

"So, what do we do with this information?"

Kai fell silent for a moment, considering their options. This is sensitive information. If I keep it to myself, I could look to see if there was any way for me to use it for personal gain. But both my guild and myself are too weak, only Qi Refining cultivators. This Elder Teng’s followers are likely above our cultivation and probably by a lot.

It would be better to see if it can benefit the sect instead of myself. If Shen Yu is right and war is unavoidable, I'd rather see the Azure Sky Sect come out on top. At least then I'd have a chance at survival and future growth.

So, my only option is to take it to Master…

Kai didn't trust the Azure Sky Sect Master, but the man was the only one with the power to make a real difference in the coming conflict. And Kai had to be realistic—it was unlikely that his own secret intelligence network (which consisted solely of Su Jie at the moment) was better than the sect's. Assuming the Sect Master didn't already know about the impending war would be naive and arrogant.

Also, bringing this to the Sect Master could earn me some favor. He’s been trying to play the patient teacher to lower my guard, well... two can play at that game.

"We take it to the Sect Master," Kai said finally. "This is too big for us to handle alone. Besides, it's our duty to report such vital information."

Su Jie's eyes widened. "We're going to see the Sect Master? Together?"

Kai chuckled. "No, not we. I'll handle this part. You've done more than enough already, Su Jie. In fact..."

He reached into his robes and pulled out a second Low-Grade Qi Gathering pill. Su Jie's jaw dropped as Kai tossed it to him.

"You've more than earned this," Kai said with a smile. "The information you gathered, combined with this storage ring and letter... it's been helpful. Use these pills wisely, don't want another qi deviation situation happening. Oh, and keep training. I have a feeling we’ll do great things together.”