The Path No One Saw

Chapter 21: Silent Roots, Hidden Storms

The Lei Clan's entourage had descended into Wu City under a veil of plain robes and soft steps. No fanfare. No announcements. Just silent movements through the streets, their identities carefully obscured. But for those with sharp enough eyes, their bearing, posture, and presence revealed more than clan tokens ever could.

Fifth Elder Lei Jinghong led them with practiced calm, but his thoughts were far from settled.

As expected from the Second Line… with just a few whispers about Wu Yuan, they'd come up with a scheme that could benefit the entire Lei Clan.

Our line has always been stronger in raw strength and battle power. But when it comes to influence, manipulation, and seizing the right moment...

We're falling behind.

His gaze flickered to the juniors walking behind him—young men and women with powerful bloodlines, proud auras, and intense rivalry between them. Yet even now, few among them could compare to the Second Elder's youngest son, Lei Hanwu, in either cultivation speed or strategic subtlety.

We once dominated every martial trial. But now… I can't name a single junior from our line who can suppress the Second Line's talent. Is this the beginning of our decline?

As they made their way through the bustling districts near Wu City's eastern ward, they quickly realized that renting a large number of inn rooms separately would raise too many questions. Too many pairs of curious eyes would start tracking their movements. The decision was made: a private cultivator courtyard.

They soon discovered that such real estate—courtyard estates, secluded and reinforced with spirit formations—was largely controlled by the Jiang Clan.

A shop bearing the Jiang insignia stood just off the main merchant lane. A courteous attendant welcomed them, his eyes widening slightly upon seeing the group's formation and presence—though he said nothing. Transactions were brisk.

In the end, the Lei Clan secured a large cultivator's courtyard for fifteen days. It housed twenty rooms—fifteen on the ground floor, five on the first. A high wall, engraved with formation lines, ensured privacy and muted noise. Stone pines lined the outer gardens, their needles whispering softly in the summer breeze.

After the Lei cultivators departed, the attendant bowed deeply—then quietly stepped into a back chamber.

"Notify the clan," a deep voice hushed from inside.

The attendant nodded and slipped out through a side exit. Less than an hour later, in a distant Jiang Clan pavilion, a jade slip pulsed with faint light as it arrived in the hands of an awaiting steward.

The message was brief, but pointed:

"Fifteen unfamiliar cultivators. At least one at Peak Foundation Establishment."

The steward's brows twitched.

He turned to a servant and spoke without raising his voice.

"Inform the elders. Quietly."

By mid-afternoon, the courtyard bustled with movement. On the ground floor, ten of the Lei juniors settled into their quarters. Some unpacked scroll cases. Others began quiet practice routines—small bursts of lightning, wind, and sword aura flashing in the enclosed space.

Upstairs, the five elders took their seats in the pavilion hall. Cups of fresh spirit tea were laid before them, and the calming scent of brewed lotus and jasmine mingled with the faint tension in the air.

Lei Jinghong finally broke the silence.

"Second Elder," he said, voice low but steady, "while we negotiated for this courtyard, your juniors had already left to scout the city. And now, within twenty days, a Level 1 cultivator—Wu Yuan—has reached Level 5. It is… unnatural."

He paused, swirling the jade cup in his hand.

"My line has always held strength. Loyalty. Honor in combat. But I cannot deny your juniors coordinate faster. Their instincts in political maneuvering are sharper. We strike with force, but your side strikes where it hurts."

The Second Elder gave a small nod, his fingers resting lightly on the stem of his cup. Below them, the laughter of young cultivators echoed faintly through the stone floor.

"I didn't act out of pride or division," he said slowly. "I acted to observe. To chart the storm before it fully arrives. But I accept your criticism, Fifth Elder. Your words carry weight."

There was a quiet moment between them—two rival elders acknowledging truths neither could say aloud in Stormrise Mountain.

"Still," the Second Elder continued, "the boy—Wu Yuan—changes things. If what we witnessed is real, if his progression is not a trick… then he will attract more than just curiosity."

Jinghong nodded. "More than curiosity. Danger."

The Second Elder leaned back. "That is why I suggest we stay. Not as the Lei Clan, but as interested cultivators. Watch. Learn. See if there is more behind this boy."

He paused.

"If there is a treasure, perhaps we gain it for the clan. If there is a threat—then we decide how to contain it."

Jinghong exhaled through his nose. "Then let it be so. For fifteen days, we watch."

Meanwhile, Wu Yuan returned to the Wu Clan's estate, his sleeves fluttering lightly as he crossed the courtyard gates. His expression was calm—but beneath it, the churn of thoughts hadn't stilled.

Soon enough, maybe just two or three more duels, and defeating Level 5 cultivators won't even give me enough SP to matter.

But I need far more points if I'm going to reach Level 12. That's not just another level. That's the threshold before Meridian Expansion. If I rush it, I might cripple myself.

Still… I can't reveal my true cultivation. If I show Level 5 too soon, people will start asking how. And I don't have answers for them.

For at least the next nine days, I need to keep pretending.

Wu Yuan stepped into the courtyard just as the last rays of the sun dipped behind the distant ridges of Verdant Mountain. The air smelled of pine and earth, cool and clean. As soon as he entered, a voice—bright and familiar—called out.

"Young Master!"

Wu Xiao dashed toward him, her eyes shining with uncontained excitement. "You did it again! That Shan Clan boy—everyone's talking about it! You didn't even need to punch twice!"

Her joy lit up the courtyard, brighter than the last golden rays. Wu Yuan couldn't help but smile. Despite the fatigue in his limbs, her enthusiasm seemed to ease the weight on his shoulders.

Wu Yuan smiled in spite of himself. "You're more excited than I am."

Wu Xiao's cheeks puffed. "Of course I am! You're finally showing them what real talent looks like!"

In truth, Wu Yuan felt more pressure than pride. But Wu Xiao's enthusiasm chased away his worries for the moment. In this life, they had no one else—no noble cousins, no squad of friends. Just each other.

Years of hardship had shaped their bond into something unspoken. Servant and master on the surface, but that line had long since faded. They were just… close.

As they sat beneath the old pine tree in the corner of his courtyard, the branches whispering overhead, Wu Yuan looked down at the stone tiles, thoughtful.

"The duel rings…" he began, his voice low, "won't be enough anymore."

Wu Xiao blinked. "What do you mean?"

Wu Yuan shook his head faintly. "Just… a feeling."

And he stood and walked toward his training platform. The setting sun lit the field in crimson gold as he began his breathing technique.

The Heaven-Eating Pulse Conduction. Each cycle strengthened different systems of the body—arm, bone, organ, nerve, mind.

Lightning flickered through his skin like molten veins.

Wu Xiao watched in silence, awe shining in her eyes.

Once he was done, Wu Yuan opened his status window.

Status:

Name: Wu Yuan

Age: 8

Clan: Wu Clan

Realm: Level 11 – Body Tempering Realm

Stats:

Strength: 80

Endurance: 80

Agility: 80

Defense: 80

Progressions:

Lightning Root: In Progress

Lightning Body: In Progress

Lightning Soul: In Progress

Lightning Spirit: In Progress

Lightning Chakra Progress: 85%

SP: 134 (including 30 SP from three recent duels with Level 5 cultivators)

Techniques:

– Aura Veil (Conceals cultivation level)

– Heaven-Eating Pulse Conduction

– Thunderflash Step

– Lightning Punch

I got 24 Spark Essence Pills when I broke into Level 11. Used five already. Nineteen remain.

I've saved 134 SP in total.

That's barely enough to hit the threshold for Level 12. But the real cost… comes after.

Lightning Punch is simpler than Thunderflash Step. It's a lower-level technique, but even mastering it without a Temporary Clarity Scroll will take effort.

But I'll do it. I don't want to rely on SP for everything. The more I depend on shortcuts, the weaker my foundation becomes.

From her own corner of the courtyard, Wu Xiao peeked around the tree trunk, watching him in silence.

There was no awe in her gaze—only admiration. A quiet trust.

Elsewhere in the clan, news of his victories had spread.

Wu Lu and Wu Feiyan—his former sparring partners—now trained on their own. They had once mocked him, then respected him, and finally fallen silent. After dozens of defeats, Wu Yuan had surpassed them to a degree where dueling again served no purpose.

Yet something remarkable had still occurred.

Both of them had broken through—Wu Feiyan reaching Level 3, Wu Lu reaching Level 4.

So my growth has indirectly helped them too, Wu Yuan thought. That's something.

The Wu Clan had just one Level 4 cultivator in the 9-year-old group—Wu Lu.

The Jiang Clan? Over six.

Among ten-year-olds in other clans, Level 5 was the norm. In the Wu Clan… not even one.

We're so far behind.

The difference was stark—but Wu Yuan's gaze didn't linger on clan comparisons. Numbers, gaps, rankings... they were just background noise. What mattered was that his own steps hadn't slowed. While others trained in groups, clung to elders, or fought over scraps of recognition, he moved forward alone.

Let them worry about face, honor, and clan pride. His path required something else entirely—clarity, silence, and speed. The faster he rose, the narrower the road would become. But that was fine. He had never intended to walk it with anyone.

Night fell.

Wu Yuan's courtyard bathed in moonlight, his training weapons casting long shadows. As he entered meditation, his breath slowed. Lightning energy coiled in his bones—tightly controlled, sharply aligned.

He didn't need scrolls to know this: every breath he took drew him closer to Level 12. But also closer to discovery.

I can't remain hidden forever. But I can't shine too early either. The moment I attract the wrong eyes… they'll come. From within the Wu Clan. From the city. From Stormrise Mountain.

And I'm not ready yet.

He closed his eyes. The storm beneath his skin stirred but did not rise.

The night passed.

But above him, in a courtyard not far away, the Lei Clan was already beginning to move.

Schemes had taken root.

And the one they watched had no idea that his every step now echoed through the shadows.