The Path of the Mind

The candlelight flickered against the walls of Xiao Lian's small chamber, casting long shadows over the parchment in her hand.

"You should have stayed weak."

The message burned into her mind, the words etched in sharp, taunting strokes. A warning. A threat. She traced the edge of the parchment with her fingertips, a slow breath escaping her lips. Fear curled at the edges of her thoughts, but deeper than that...deeper than the anxiety, than the unease, was something else.

Resolve.

She had lived too long being pushed aside, trampled on, discarded like refuse. But now? Now they feared her, however slightly. And fear… fear could be shaped into power.

"SIS," she murmured into the silence. "I need to become stronger."

A pulse of cold logic filled her mind.

[Acknowledged. Analyzing optimal cultivation path…]

The seconds stretched, anticipation coiling inside her. Then, continued.

[Customized technique formulated: The Mindflow Codex.]

Xiao Lian straightened. "Explain."

[Traditional cultivation focuses on strengthening the body by refining Qi. However, Xiao Lian's strongest attribute is cognitive processing. The Mindflow Codex redirects Qi flow to enhance perception, mental agility, and predictive abilities.]

Her heartbeat quickened.

[Effect: Increased tactical foresight, sharper memory recall, accelerated pattern recognition, and rapid adaptation in combat.]

Her mind whirred, absorbing the possibilities. "So instead of overpowering an opponent, I will outthink them?"

[Affirmative. By mastering The Mindflow Codex, Xiao Lian can perceive attacks before they happen, anticipate enemy reactions, and manipulate battles in her favor.]

A slow smile spread across her lips.

"Perfect."

That night, Xiao Lian sat cross-legged on the cold floor, her eyes closed as she focused inward.

[Initializing The Mindflow Codex. Stage One: Mental Qi Refinement.]

The usual cultivation methods required drawing Qi into the meridians, but this was different. Instead of forcing energy into her dantian, Xiao Lian guided it into her mind. It felt unnatural at first, like threading an invisible needle through something fragile.

Then, warmth. A slow trickle of awareness. Her senses sharpened. The distant rustling of leaves outside her chamber became clearer, the shifting of fabric against her skin more distinct. Thoughts that had once scattered now aligned in precise formation.

The change was subtle, but tangible. A single night passed. By morning, she felt it.

The world had always moved too fast, but now… now it slowed. The flickering candle wasn't just a light source, it was a rhythm, its movement dictated by air currents. The footfalls of disciples beyond her door weren't random noises but patterns, some heavier, some lighter, indicating size, weight, and even mood.

Everything had meaning. She had begun to see the world as a battlefield before the fight even started. It was time for training.

"C'mon why won't they shower before a training section, are they pigs?" She grumbles as the bell for training was blown for the second time.

"Cut me some slacks. A clean body plus a. Cultivation equals to victory. Didn't these people know this!" She murmurs as she puts on her boot. Then steps out alongs side the others.

A minute later, Xiao Lian tested her new abilities in the training courtyard. She had never been particularly fast, nor strong. But now, as she sparred against a fellow disciple, she didn't rely on speed or power, she relied on understanding.

The moment her opponent moved, her mind dissected it.

The way he shifted his left foot first, he was right-handed, meaning most of his attacks would favor that side. The slight tightening of his fingers, he was about to throw a punch.

The small delay between his breath and movement, his reaction time was slower than it should be.

She sidestepped before he even finished his swing. A simple dodge. Yet, the gathered disciples stared.

She had moved before the attack even landed. Her opponent, a boy named Zhang Rui, frowned. "How did you—?"

"Oh please don't pour your saliva on me, man!" She growled at him and watches his expression changed from serious to more anger.

"You—You!" He replied, more angrier. But this time, Xiao Lian didn't answer. She was already observing his next move.

This… this is what power feels like. Not everyone was pleased with her growing skill.

In the dimly lit hall of the outer disciple quarters, Wei Zhen paced, his face twisted with frustration.

"She's making a fool of me," he muttered, fists clenched. "And now the elders are paying attention to her."

A disciple leaned against the wall nearby, arms crossed. "She got lucky."

Wei Zhen scoffed. "Twice?" He shook his head. "No. She's hiding something."

The other disciple's eyes narrowed. "What are you saying?"

Wei Zhen exhaled sharply. "I don't know. But I do know this, she can't be allowed to keep rising. If she does, it won't just be me she embarrasses. It'll be all of us."

Silence stretched between them before the disciple finally spoke.

"There are ways to… handle problems."

Wei Zhen's gaze flicked up. "Go on."

.

.

.

Days passed, and Xiao Lian's reputation grew. Whispers followed her wherever she walked. Some were of curiosity, others of wariness. But a few, just a few, were of resentment.

She noticed the change immediately. The way certain disciples stood too close, their eyes lingering too long. The way conversations hushed when she approached.

It wasn't paranoia. It was fact. They were watching her. And some wanted her gone.

The test came sooner than she expected. It was during a routine training session when a challenge was issued.

"Xiao Lian!"

She turned. A disciple she didn't recognize stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "You've been running your mouth a lot lately. How about we see if you can actually fight?"

A fight. A setup, no doubt.

She smiled. "Why not?"

The courtyard filled with murmurs as a circle formed around them.

[Opponent Analysis: Jin Hao. Late-stage Foundation Establishment. Favors aggressive combat. Weakness: reckless openings, poor stamina management.]

The fight began.

Jin Hao came at her like a storm, fists swinging in rapid succession. Xiao Lian barely avoided the first strike. The second grazed her shoulder.

She stumbled. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Jin Hao smirked. "Not so smart now, are you?"

She met his gaze, heart pounding. He's strong. Stronger than me. But strength isn't everything. She focused, tuning into the flow of his movements. His attacks were wild but predictable. Powerful but unrefined. He wasn't fighting with strategy. He was fighting with arrogance.

She let him advance, pretending to be overwhelmed. Then—she saw it.

A slight misstep. A fraction of a second where his balance wavered. She moved.

Darting forward, she twisted her body, sweeping her leg beneath his. He stumbled. She followed through with a calculated shove to his chest.

Jin Hao toppled to the ground. The silence was deafening. Xiao Lian exhaled, stepping back. Jin Hao lay there, eyes wide in shock.

A slow murmur spread through the disciples. "She beat him… again."

"No cultivation, yet she—"

"This isn't normal." Wei Zhen stood in the crowd, his jaw tightening. This wasn't just luck. This was something else entirely. And that meant one thing. She had to be stopped. But Xiao Lian wasn't going to stop. Not now. Not ever.