The crowd of outer disciples swayed like grass in the wind, voices hushed as they awaited the reason for this gathering, seemingly exited about something Cheng didn't have the chance to hear anyone speak about.

Jiang Chen stood on his tiptoes, trying to get a glimpse of what was happening at the front, as the taller Outer sect disciples, his seniors, blocked the view to the stage like platform they were facing.

"What's going on?" he whispered to Wu Jinhai, remembering to add senior fast enough, not familiar with addressing others so respectfully either of his lives. weird thought. Bad thought actually. Cheng didn't like to think of such things. he had barely managed to come to terms wit his new circumstances.

he had cried, wailed, hit the ground in frustration at night, his young body aching from the work. he had taken many different deep breaths, overwhelmed by the torrent of thoughts in his own mind, feeling like he was one, but two. it didn't make sense. but it should.

"Monthly stipend distribution,junior." Wu Jinhai replied without looking down. "Each outer disciple gets one Gathering Pill. It's not much, but it's the only cultivation resource we receive."

A Gathering Pill? Jiang Chen's heart quickened. An actual cultivation resource, not the waste product of failed alchemy.

Before he could ask more, a hush fell over the crowd.

One moment, the stone platform at the front was empty. The next—

An elder stood there, wearing some kind of fancy robes with a starry pattern etched in the black fabric of his robes.

Jiang Chen blinked, certain he had missed something. But no, there had been no movement, no sound, no indication of the elder's arrival. One instant there was nothing, and the next, a figure occupied the space as if he had always been there.

The elder was tall and thin, with a flowing white beard that reached his waist. His face was weathered, eyes deep-set, a dark blue that spoke of many, many years spent in the world of living.

And seeing the rest of the disciples bow down, he did the same, thankfully quick enough to not warrant any reaction from anyone.

But what struck Jiang Chen most was the pressure that emanated from him. It was as if the air itself had become heavy, pressing down on Jiang Chen's shoulders like a physical weight. His lungs struggled to expand, each breath requiring conscious effort. His small body trembled, not from fear but from the sheer presence of the elder.

the worst part, was that the elder was not even trying to show his presence. yet the mere act of trying to get a good look at him, filled the young mortal named Cheng with such primal terror.

Hell, he stopped breathing altogether, as if his body was worried taking a breath would be a insult to this elder's presence.

It felt as if the man's mere existence was enough to crush him.

"Today marks the first of Fengzhi." the elder's voice was low in volume. yet it carried across the courtyard without him raising it,

reaching every ear with perfect clarity.

already, a terror filled Cheng, questions spun in his mind. First of what? Fengzhi? was this some kind of callendar? no. he knew that. this was the fifth month of the imperial calendar.

and the other question naturally was if the way the elder spoke was some kind of cultivator ability.

"Outer disciples of the Falling Star Sect, receive your monthly stipend."

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The elder made a simple gesture, and suddenly, several wooden crates appeared before the senior outer disciples at the front. Again, Jiang Chen hadn't seen the movement—the crates were simply not there one moment and there the next.

Cheng gulped, his mind screaming at him. that was definitely a spatial ring. it was definitely something he had read many times about, but what exactly eluded his small mind.

Wu Jinhai leaned down slightly. "That's Elder Feng. He oversees the outer sect. A ninth-level Spiritual sea realm."

A ninth-level Spiritual sea realm. The words meant nothing and everything to Jiang Chen. Part of him understood it as a cultivation level, while another part was utterly lost.

But one thing was clear—this elder possessed power beyond his comprehension.

The senior disciples began distributing small cloth pouches to the gathered disciples. Each contained a single pill, Wu Jinhai had said. One pill per month. Was this what cultivation resources looked like in this world?

As Jiang Chen waited for his turn, he couldn't tear his eyes away from Elder Feng. The man stood motionless on the platform, observing the distribution with impassive eyes. There was something eerily familiar about cultivation levels and the presence of a powerful cultivator, yet Jiang Chen couldn't place it. Thankfully, as he had understood, trying to not look too much, diminished the feeling of terror he got. was he special, to be able to feel that?

Was this his.... golden finger?? what did that even mean?

"Pay attention," Wu Jinhai nudged him, taking him out of his thoughts. "It's almost our turn."

When Cheng Chen finally received his pouch, he clutched it tightly, feeling the small round pill inside. He glanced back toward the platform—And Elder Feng was gone.

Not a trace remained of the man who had stood there moments before. No footsteps, no blur of movement, not even a disturbance in the air. It was as if he had never been there at all.

"How did he...?" Jiang Chen couldn't finish the question, his young voice failing him.

Wu Jinhai looked at him with a understanding gaze.

"That, is simply the difference between realms. Rumors say that a Qi condensation cultivator can crush a hundred men."

"I suggest not thinking to much about it, junior Cheng. Cultivators are beyond our mortal understanding."

"What you saw? That's nothing. Elder Feng isn't even one of the more powerful elders in the sect. He just manages us outer disciples because none of the others want to bother."

Jiang Chen stared at the empty platform, his mind reeling. If this Elder Feng, who could appear and disappear like a ghost and whose mere presence felt like a mountain pressing down on him, wasn't considered powerful... then what were the true masters of the sect like?

As the crowd dispersed, Jiang Chen carefully opened his pouch. Inside was a small, cloudy gray pill, about the size of his thumbnail. Unlike the dull brown Satiation Pills, this one gave off a faint, pleasant scent, like fresh herbs after rain.

"That's a Gathering Pill." Wu Jinhai explained, noticing Jiang Chen's fascination.

"What happens when you take it?" Jiang Chen asked, unable to tear his eyes from the small gray pill.

"It helps you sense the spiritual energy around you, makes it much easier to gather, and absorb.

Without proper guidance, that's about all it does though. We lack the cultivation techniques the inner sect members have. Still, it's better than nothing."

Wu Jinhai's voice held a trace of bitterness. "The inner disciples get ten times this amount, plus actual instruction."

Jiang Chen carefully returned the pill to its pouch, tying it securely inside his robes. His mind was still filled with the image of Elder Feng vanishing into thin air, the oppressive pressure of his presence, the casual display of power.

"Come on," Wu Jinhai said, breaking into his thoughts. "We've still got work to do. The herb fields need weeding."

As they walked away from the courtyard, Jiang Chen felt the weight of the pill against his chest, as he hid it in his robes.

It was small, but it represented possibility. A path forward, perhaps. A way to understand this world he found himself in, and maybe, just maybe, a way to become like Elder Feng.

To move unseen. To command presence. To be more than just an outer disciple chopping wood and weeding herb fields.

He thought of Elder Feng's instantaneous movements, the pressure of his presence, and the casual way Wu Jinhai had dismissed him as "not even one of the powerful elders."

Just what kind of world had he been reborn into?

For the first time since waking up in this body, Jiang Chen felt not just confusion and fear, but something else—a spark of anticipation. If such power existed in this world, could he grasp it too?

The thought both terrified and excited him.