Having brought the turbulent Qi beneath his meridians under control, Chen Yuan slowly opened his eyes.
A brilliant flash glimmered in them, clear and deep like the bottom of a lake.
He could feel that the foundation of his realm was now unshakeable, unyielding like an unmovable mountain.
Yet no matter how exquisite his methods or how wide his knowledge, there was always a limit; and that had to be reckoned with.
He exhaled.
"It's time," he quietly said to himself, rising from the stone platform he had occupied beneath the ancient pine tree.
With vigilant eyes and steady breaths, he deeply felt his internal condition.
No longer did the golden lotus in his dantian emanate pure power, but now it possessed a thirst to consume.
"Without resources… this is my limit. I can no longer become a higher level by depending only on the total ambient world's spiritual power. My foundations are vast and deep."
"I have to get better quality Qi Condensation Pills if I want to get to the ninth level of Qi Gathering before the tournament."
He brushed off the dust on his sleeves and straightened out the collar of his robe.
" Today is the distribution of resources for the clan. I should go to the Resource Hall now." Chen Yuan thought to himself; his eyes were calm but full of expectation.
In an instant, he left the courtyard.
Under the drooping leaves of the bamboos, the morning sun shone down cast spotty patterns on the stone path.
As servants tending to the approximately one hundred meter long gravel and stone walking paths and yard bowed down, they seemed to be respectful at first, but soon whispers followed him like a shadow.
"Tch… it's him again. "
"Receiving his monthly resources? Seems wasted."
"Two years and no improvement… how long can the clan indulge him?"
Generally, Chen Yuan's hearing was stronger than usual cultivators; every word the servants and those clan members whispered including the sounds of expressions about him traveled into his ears.
But Chen Yuan continued to have an expressionless face, tired or unbothered, as if he was more concerned with the buzzing of insects.
They are just ant in his eyes and they will be always. He doesn't have time to bother with them.
Just he was about to get inside the Resources Hall.
But then a louder voice cut through the quiet murmurs.
"Hey, check out that waste... Still pretending to be a young master?" At the intersection up ahead stood a young man in a striking red robe, arms crossed and a mocking, arrogant smile on his face as he shouted with contempt as Chen Yuan walked toward Resource Hall.
It was Chen Liang, son of the Third Elder and one of the up and coming boys in the clan's younger generation.
He appeared to be a teenager in early 12th, a flickering aura about him, eighth-level Qi Gathering.
There were a few other young disciples behind him, snickering and whispering to each other.
Chen Yuan hesitated for a moment to meet Chen Liang's gaze, but had no rage in him, only a slight smile.
He walked straight past him, softly commenting, "An approaching tiger is loud, but a barking dog is louder."
The smile on Chen Liang's face became a grimace.
The rest just stared, aghast.
That was not the likely response.
Chen Yuan did not look back. His figure receded into the horizon, like a blade slipping into its scabbard, one that was quiet, cold, and deadly.
Chen Liang's fists tightened.
That nonchalance... that arrogance... was so thick.
"You'll regret that in the tournament, Chen Yuan."
But Chen Yuan had already crossed the threshold of the Resource Hall, not looking backward but forward to the summit he could climb.
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Inside of the Resource Hall
The Resource Hall of the Chen Clan was an imposing structure comprised of dark sandalwood and spirit stone.
Ancient runes were carved into its columns, glowing subtly with spiritual energy. The scent of herbs and medicinal pills filled the room, along with the faint metallic smell from spirit ores.
At the counter sat Elder Zhao, the resource keeper.
He was an elderly man with white hair and sharp eyes. Though he appeared fragile, nobody would dare belittle him. He was a peak Spiritual Soul realm cultivator and achieved a reputation for being stern and harsh towards anyone who tried to steal Resources.
As he entered, a few clan disciples waiting in line turned to look.
A soft stir of whispers followed. "Why is he here again?"
"Every month he takes resources and is still trash overall."
"Honestly, if it weren't for his father, the patriarch, he would've been kicked out years ago."
Elder Zhao lifted his head and noticed that Chen Yuan had come over. He had a neutral expression, but his tone was laced with disdain.
"Chen Yuan. Here for this month's distribution?"
"Yeah, Elder Zhao." Chen Yuan nodded respectfully.
Elder Zhao retrieved a jade slip and activated it. A faint light appeared in front of him with an explicit record of monthly distributions.
"Hmmm... three Qi Gathering Pills, one Refinement Grass, and five spirit stones. Standard of a level five disciple."
There was a slight pause before Elder Zhao continued with a sarcastic chuckle. "Same level after two years, huh? Maybe you should consider quitting for the sake of the clan's resources."
Chen Yuan slightly lifted his head, his gaze calm, but sharp.
"Maybe the next time I come, I will be at the ninth level. Then you can get a better one for me."
No one in the room spoke.
Elder Zhao's fingers stopped, then he scoffed.
"We will see. Don't choke on your own words, boy."
He waved his hand, and a wooden tray flew toward Chen Yuan and hovered beside him. The tray carried the month's resources.
"Thank you, Elder Zhao." Chen Yuan replied and calmly turned around to leave.
Everyone within the room's eyes followed him. Some were mocking, some were skeptical, and some had a glimmer of curiosity for his words.
After that Chen Yuan returned to his courtyard and went inside his room.