They returned before sunset.
That alone drew attention.
Most of the people who had taken similar tasks were either still out or had only just begun returning, carrying smaller bundles, moving at a slower pace. Lin Mo and Shi Yue walked straight through the outer path with ten complete bundles of Stoneleaf, their movements steady, unhurried, but efficient enough that a few glances lingered longer than before.
Lin Mo noticed it, but didn't react. Attention wasn't something they could avoid forever, and for now, this level of notice wasn't dangerous—it was simply recognition.
They went directly to the board.
A man sat near it, older, not a cultivator but not weak either. He handled the exchange without much interest, taking the bundles, checking them quickly, and nodding once.
"Clean work," he said. "Full count."
He reached behind him and placed a small pouch on the table.
Lin Mo took it.
Inside were three small stones.
Not as refined as the one from the trial.
But real.
Usable.
Shi Yue glanced at them once and understood immediately.
"Enough for tonight," she said quietly.
Lin Mo nodded.
They didn't stay.
—
This time, they didn't leave the settlement.
That was the difference.
They didn't need to.
There were areas along the outer edge where people rested—simple spaces, not proper housing, but enough for those who couldn't afford or didn't need more. No one questioned them as they chose a spot near a wall, partially sheltered, but still open enough to avoid being cornered.
It wasn't comfort.
But it was enough.
Lin Mo sat down first, placing the pouch between them.
Shi Yue settled beside him, adjusting Lin An'an so she could rest against her.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Lin Mo opened the pouch again.
"…We use one," he said.
Shi Yue nodded. "And keep the rest."
They didn't need to say why.
Resources weren't guaranteed here.
—
They began immediately.
This time, there was no hesitation, no slow adjustment. The technique they had received earlier guided their movements naturally. The Qi from the stone entered more smoothly than before, and even though it wasn't as refined as the trial resource, it was still far better than relying on the environment.
The difference from earlier was clear.
They were faster.
Not just because of the resource.
But because they had already learned how to use it.
—
Cycles passed quickly.
Their control had improved enough that there was little waste now. What entered their bodies stayed, settled, and refined with minimal loss. The structure inside Lin Mo felt more stable than before, his pathways clearer, the movement of Qi no longer something he had to force.
Shi Yue matched him again.
Effortlessly.
Their pacing aligned without discussion, each adjusting instinctively to maintain balance.
—
It didn't take long.
That was the problem.
—
Lin Mo felt the pressure sooner than expected.
Not instability.
Not resistance.
Just—
a limit being approached.
—
He slowed immediately.
Stabilized.
Refined instead of pushing forward.
—
Then—
the shift came.
—
Subtle.
But real.
—
The Qi within him settled deeper, more firmly anchored than before. The flow became smoother, requiring less effort to maintain.
He opened his eyes.
"…Third Layer," he said quietly.
Shi Yue exhaled once.
"…Same."
—
They had advanced again.
Faster than they should have.
Even in a structured place like this—
this speed wasn't normal.
—
Lin Mo didn't celebrate.
Didn't react outwardly.
He simply looked at the remaining stones in the pouch.
"…We slow down after this," he said.
Shi Yue nodded. "We don't draw attention."
That mattered now.
More than before.
—
They stopped cultivating.
Not because they couldn't continue.
But because they shouldn't.
—
Lin An'an shifted slightly, waking halfway. Shi Yue adjusted her gently, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face. Lin Mo watched for a brief moment, then looked away, scanning their surroundings again.
The settlement hadn't changed.
But their position in it had.
—
They weren't just newcomers anymore.
They were progressing.
—
"…Tomorrow," Shi Yue said softly, "…we take a higher task."
Lin Mo considered it for a moment.
Then nodded.
"…Second-tier."
Not the lowest.
Not the ones requiring higher layers either.
—
A step up.
—
Shi Yue leaned back slightly against the wall, her shoulder brushing his for a brief moment before she adjusted, as if nothing had happened. Lin Mo didn't move away.
Neither of them acknowledged it.
But neither created distance either.
—
"…We'll need more resources," she added.
"…And information."
—
Lin Mo agreed.
"…And a place inside."
—
Staying on the outskirts wasn't sustainable.
Not if they wanted to move forward properly.
—
Shi Yue looked at him briefly.
"…We're moving faster than this place expects."
—
Lin Mo met her gaze.
"…Then we adjust."
—
Not slow down completely.
Not stop.
—
Just—
control it.
—
The night settled around them gradually, the noise of the settlement fading into a quieter rhythm. People rested, spoke in low tones, prepared for the next day.
Lin Mo closed his eyes again, not to cultivate, but to rest.
Shi Yue did the same shortly after.
Lin An'an slept between them, her small presence grounding everything.
—
For now—
this was enough.
—
But both of them understood something clearly.
—
They wouldn't stay at this level for long.
—
And when they moved again—
it would be faster.
Cleaner.
—
And harder to ignore.