Chapter 2: The First Spark of Power

The moon hung high in the sky, its silver light filtering through the cracks in the wooden shutters of Lin Mo's small room. The space was modest, almost austere, a far cry from the opulence of the Li family's main hall. A narrow bed, a wooden desk, and a single oil lamp were the only furnishings. Yet, to Lin Mo, it was a sanctuary—a place where he could escape the judgmental eyes of the Li family.

He sat cross-legged on the floor, the Celestial Codex of Feng Shui spread open before him. The pages were filled with intricate diagrams of energy flows, star charts, and cryptic annotations. Some of the symbols were familiar, reminiscent of the talismans he had seen in temples as a child. Others were completely alien, their meanings shrouded in mystery.

Lin Mo traced a finger over one of the diagrams, a complex arrangement of circles and lines that seemed to pulse with an almost lifelike energy. The book had spoken of qi, the life force that flowed through all things, and how it could be harnessed to alter one's fate. It was a concept that felt both fantastical and tantalizingly real.

"If I can learn to control this," he murmured to himself, "maybe I can change my life."

But where to begin? The book was vast, its knowledge overwhelming. He flipped through the pages, his eyes landing on a section titled The Art of Minor Adjustments. It described simple techniques for manipulating qi in small, controlled ways—shifting the energy of a room, calming a restless mind, or even bringing a withered plant back to life.

Lin Mo's eyes lit up. This was it. A starting point.

He glanced around the room, his gaze settling on a potted plant in the corner. It was a small, unremarkable thing, its leaves drooping and yellowed from neglect. The Li family's servants had little time to tend to the plants in the son-in-law's quarters, and Lin Mo had been too preoccupied with his own misery to care.

"Let's see if this works," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Following the instructions in the book, he placed his hands on either side of the pot, his fingers lightly touching the soil. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, trying to quiet his mind. The book had emphasized the importance of inner calm, of aligning one's own qi with the energy of the surroundings.

At first, nothing happened. His mind was a whirlwind of doubts and fears, his thoughts racing too fast to focus. But slowly, as he concentrated on the rhythm of his breath, he began to feel a faint warmth in his palms. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there.

"Focus," he whispered to himself. "Feel the energy."

The warmth grew, spreading from his hands into the soil. He imagined the qi flowing through the roots, nourishing the plant, reviving it. For a moment, he thought he could see it—a faint, golden glow emanating from the pot.

And then, something extraordinary happened.

The plant's leaves began to tremble, their yellowed edges slowly turning green. The stems straightened, as if infused with new life. Lin Mo's eyes widened in disbelief as the transformation unfolded before him. It was working. The Celestial Codex was real.

But just as quickly as the energy had come, it faded. The glow disappeared, and the plant returned to its original state, its leaves once again drooping and lifeless. Lin Mo slumped back, his breath coming in short gasps. He felt drained, as if the effort had sapped every ounce of his strength.

"I… I did it," he said, his voice trembling with a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration. "Even if only for a moment, I did it."

He looked down at his hands, still tingling with the remnants of energy. For the first time in years, he felt a spark of hope. If he could learn to control this power, to master the secrets of the Celestial Codex, perhaps he could change his fate. Perhaps he could rise above the humiliation and prove to the Li family—and to himself—that he was more than just a burden.

But as he sat there, his mind racing with possibilities, a shadow crossed the window. Lin Mo froze, his heart pounding. Had someone seen him? The Li family would never understand. They would see his newfound knowledge as a threat, something to be suppressed.

He quickly closed the book and hid it beneath the floorboards, his hands trembling. The room was silent once more, the only sound the faint rustling of leaves outside. But Lin Mo's mind was anything but quiet. He had taken the first step on a path that would change his life forever.

And he knew there was no turning back.