Word of the hidden secondary vein moved through the Huo Clan's inner circles like wildfire. By the following morning, the atmosphere in the compound had shifted from routine industry to heightened alert.

  Disciples spoke in hushed tones in the courtyards, and the usual morning drills were cut short as Elders held closed-door meetings. Huo Chen received the summons shortly after dawn.

  A junior disciple delivered the message with quiet, trembling deference. "Elder Huo Wei requests your attendance in the main hall at the hour of the Dragon," the boy whispered, his eyes fixed on the floor. "Do not delay, Brother Chen."

  Huo Chen nodded, and the boy hurried away, practically fleeing down the corridor. Elder Huo Wei, A Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Expert Whose Divine sense that could sweep through a room and detect even the faintest Qi fluctuations, read the truth in a cultivator's meridians like an open book. Huo Chen glanced at the small wooden box where he'd stored the five mid-grade spirit stones.

  They pulsed with faint light even through the wood. Better safe than sorry. Foundation Establishment cultivators possessed divine sense that penetrated far deeper than anything a Qi Refining disciple could imagine. Even well-hidden, even wrapped and sealed, there was always a chance.

  Elder Wei might not be looking for stolen resources, but if his divine sense happened to brush over something unusual... Not worth the risk. He opened the box and carefully removed the five stones.

  Their ember glow filled the small room, casting dancing shadows on the walls. Each one represented more wealth than most branch disciples saw in a year. He moved to the corner of his chamber where a loose floorboard sat beneath his sleeping mat—a small cavity in the foundation he'd discovered years ago during a thorough cleaning.

  Back then, he'd had nothing worth hiding. He placed all five stones into the hollow space, arranging them carefully so they wouldn't clink against each other. The board went back over them with a soft scrape.

  The mat settled into place, and he scattered a few old books and his spare robes across the area to make it look naturally messy. "There. Even if they search my room, they'd have to be specifically looking for a floor cache.

  And why would they?" He dressed in his cleanest gray robe, checking his appearance in the small, tarnished mirror mounted on the wall. Just another branch disciple. Humble and unremarkable. He made his way across the compound as the morning sun climbed higher.

  Other disciples were heading to their assigned duties—some to the mines, others to patrol routes. They nodded to him as he passed, some with curiosity, others with barely concealed envy. Word had spread about his merit points. The main hall stood as the architectural heart of the clan grounds—a massive structure of dark, polished stone with roof beams carved into intricate flame-and-earth motifs.

  Morning light filtered through the high windows, casting long shadows across the polished floor. Huo Chen paused at the entrance, steadying his breathing. Then he pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside. The interior was vast and echoing. The air was thick with the scent of high-grade sandalwood incense, the kind that cost more than a month's worth of merit points.

  Banners hung from the walls, each embroidered with the Huo Clan's flame symbol in gold thread. Elder Huo Wei sat alone on the raised platform in formal robes of deep crimson and black. He was a man in his fifties with a strong jaw, sharp features, and eyes that seemed to weigh everything they saw. The pressure of his cultivation filled the room like a physical presence, making the air feel heavier. Huo Chen's boots echoed as he approached.

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  He reached the center of the hall, cupped his hands, and bowed deeply. "This junior, Huo Chen, greets Elder Wei." Elder Wei regarded him in silence for several long moments.

  The weight of his divine sense swept over Huo Chen like an invisible tide, pressing against his skin, probing at his cultivation. Huo Chen kept his breathing steady, his expression neutral and respectful. "Good thing I left those stones at home." "Huo Chen of the branch line," Elder Wei finally spoke, his voice carrying quiet authority. "You were the one who sensed the secondary vein. A tunnel that our sensors and senior miners overlooked for some time." "Yes, Elder."

  "Explain how you detected it." Huo Chen kept his tone even. "I was on sentry duty near the collapsed entrance. While circulating my Qi against the cold, I felt a density shift through the ground.

  It wasn't a sound—more like a pulse. Purer than the main vein. After years in the deep mines, you learn to feel these things through your feet. The wolves probably disturbed the stone enough to make it noticeable." Elder Wei leaned forward slightly. "You sensed this without spiritual sense?" "My spiritual sense is weak, Elder. This was just... instinct from working underground. Like knowing when a tunnel wall is about to collapse before it does." A simple explanation.

  Believable. The kind of thing that happened to miners who spent their lives in the dark. Elder Wei's eyes narrowed, studying him. The silence stretched uncomfortably. Huo Chen didn't fidget or look away. "Acceptable," Elder Wei finally said. The pressure in the room eased. "Your contribution has prevented significant resource loss.

  You've proven useful." He gestured to a jade tablet on the table. "You're assigned to the excavation team starting tomorrow at dawn. Auxiliary role—marking unstable sections, monitoring Qi flows.

  Additional merit based on performance." Elder Wei's gaze sharpened. "I'll be supervising directly with Elder Rong. Any irregularities will be noted." The warning was crystal clear. They were watching him now. "This junior is grateful for Elder Wei's trust," Huo Chen said, bowing deeply. "I won't fail the clan." "See that you don't. Dismissed." Huo Chen bowed one final time and withdrew from the hall.

  His steps were measured, his expression appropriately humble. Only when he reached the courtyard path outside, well away from the hall, did he allow himself a slow exhalation. That went well. Better than it could have.

  The questioning had been standard—probing, but not overtly suspicious. Elder Wei had tested his composure and found nothing concerning. Back in his chamber, Huo Chen barred the door and sat on his meditation mat. He stared at the spot where the floorboard hid his stolen treasures and reviewed his position with cold logic. Direct oversight by Elder Wei and Elder Rong during the excavation.

  Divine sense monitoring everything. No opportunities to take anything. The work would be completely legitimate, supervised every moment. But that was fine. Actually, it was perfect. He'd already taken what he needed. The five stones hidden beneath his floor were enough for him to use for a long time.

  He didn't need to be greedy. Greed got people caught, got them executed or expelled. The accumulation of Qi from those stones had pushed him to the very brink of the fifth layer. His clone remained his greatest secret, functioning as an internal purifier that let him digest resources far beyond his rank.

  The threads of scrutiny were tightening, though. Huo Lian's pointed curiosity. The whispers among branch disciples about his sudden lucky streak. The way some Elders now knew his name when before he'd been just another faceless worker. He needed to break through to the fifth layer soon, before questions turned into investigations.

  The Bone-Nourishing stage would grant him physical durability, improved meridians and stronger foundations. After that, he could slow down, consolidate his foundation and keep moving forward. Huo Chen rose and began preparing his gear for tomorrow.

  He laid out his basic tools on the table: earth-Qi probes, marking flags, a reinforced satchel. Simple tools for simple work. He would be the perfect auxiliary worker. Diligent, observant, helpful, utterly unremarkable. Let the clan mine their vein while he quietly refined his foundation with resources they didn't know were missing.

  The sun climbed higher in the sky, approaching noon. Through his small window, Huo Chen could see other disciples going about their duties. The fifth layer was within reach. Just a few more careful cultivation sessions with the hidden stones, properly paced so his advancement didn't seem suspiciously rapid. And after that? He'd consolidate, stabilize, and plan his next move. One careful step at a time.