《Star Siezing Monarch》


 [CH.1] Chaotic Province, Hua Taixu

    The Chaotic Province. As the name implies, the most chaotic of the Feng Continent''s Six Provinces. Easily the most feared and dangerous Province, it was where cultivators would go in search for world-shaking inheritances and treasures. Similar to the Spirit Province in the mass of resources there, similar to the Beast Province in the number of beasts there, but unlike either in the sheer amount fighting and clashes within it. The Province had no specific landscape - containing everything from mountains, lakes, deserts, etc.


    This month was scorching hot, the sun bearing down on the lush green of these chaotic plains. The gentle wind caressed each strain of grass, which responded by bending like a soft tree in a wild hurricane. In the twilight sky, the moonlight shined and reflected off the green grass to create a spectacular sight. The wind inflated the ruined clothes of a skinny thirteen-year-old youth holding a makeshift wooden spear.


    This youth wore torn and tattered clothes, emitting the smell of nature in it¡¯s purest form. The youth had jet-black hair that was long and disheveled, giving him a kind of mad-scientist look. His face held childish features and was spotted with brown and green from the dirt. However, in the youth¡¯s midnight black eyes was a heroic and determined spirit that left his appearance even more strange. This peculiar youth¡¯s name was Wang Li.


    Wang Li kept walking in the plains with mindless motion. Each step padded the grass in the same way as the previous step. Wang Li didn¡¯t know where he came from or how he got here. He had absolutely no knowledge of civilization in this world, he couldn''t even speak the language. In terms of culture, he was practically a newborn baby.


    But he had something countless others didn''t have - battle spirit and survival experience. From the moment he landed in the Chaotic Province he lived through means of survival.


    He had lived in absolute loneliness for thirteen years, and couldn¡¯t even speak the language. On his face was an empty blankness that never revealed something like intelligence or thought. Rather it hid a fierce personality and untamed nature, making him seem more like a beast than a human.


    But how could Wang Li survive without some kind of special abilities? The unique thing about Wang Li was his incredible animalistic instinct. He could easily differentiate between beasts he could kill and beasts that could annihilate him with one paw. He could eat anything in the forest, his favorite being shiny items that he couldn¡¯t identify. The problem was these fruits were often hidden by beasts that could easily kill him.


    How did he obtain them? By watching those guardian beasts endlessly from afar. Awaiting the rare moment they left their cave, he would then run in and steal their precious fruit, eating it all at once. He then dashed out with unmatched swiftness and faded into the tall grass.


    Wang Li kept walking until he came upon a small stream in the middle of the plains. He got down on his knees and slurped the water up like a dog. He kept drinking and drinking until he sat down and patted his belly with content satisfaction.


    After thirty minutes Wang Li got back up and began to walk toward the forest. He didn¡¯t want to sleep too close to the river in case any dangerous beasts came for a drink.


    Wang Li eventually found a small pothole filled with water. He began to stick his makeshift wooden spear into it in case there was an animal hiding inside. After concluding it was safe, he crawled into it until he was waist-deep in water. He then looked into the now night sky as the sun began to set into the west. The stars were clear as their light poured down onto the river and plains.


    ...


    ¡°CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!¡± Lightning billowed throughout the night, waking Wang Li and scaring him so much he almost wet himself. Wang Li jumped out of the pothole, completely drenched in water, and turned over to where the lightning was thundering. He saw dark-thunder clouds gathered around in that area and was terrified.


    But what scared him the most was the yellow inferno burning over where the thunderclouds are, withering the grass and burning it in a mass spread. While Wang Li didn''t know the name of this phenomenon but it terrified him due to its intense heat. He had once burnt his hair due to fire, after mistakenly going over to inspect the red blaze. Luckily he had been close to a river and jumped in, putting out the fire in his hair.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Wang Li ran over to the river and stayed at the edge, hoping that the lightning and fire would go away and disappear. At the same time, he was fascinated by the yellow and fire illuminating up the skies in an attempt to consume the heavens.


    Hua Taixu was currently engaged in a fierce battle against a Mythical Beast, lightning embodied in his hands as he relentlessly fought. Thundering lightning flashed in and out of his hands in long slithering snakes crashing against the beast. The other beast was a fire-based beast, waves of flames shooting out of its mouth in response to Hua Taixu attempts.


    Hua Taixu narrowly dodged, his battle spirit engaged, swung his palm downwards, a lightning bolt flying downwards from the black-grey clouds above. The lightning bolt slammed against the beast, rampaging within the beast''s body before completely exploding. All that was left of the beast was it''s ruined flesh and a small red orb.


    Hua Taixu sighed and collecting the Mythical Beast¡¯s core - a red orb small enough to fit in Hua Taixu¡¯s palm. He then spread out Spiritual Sense, locating Wang Li at the edge of the river.


    ¡°A young boy is here? Who would leave their child in the Chaotic Province?¡± Hua Taixu was mystified, considering how dangerous the Chaotic Province is, who would let their child stay here without protection? Especially in the middle of the night?


    Hua Taixu quickly covered the distance between them using a profound movement skill. He was similar to a blur in the night.


    Wang Li was shocked as an elder clothed in white robes appeared in front of him, his speed so fast that he appeared to be two places at once. He was so far jolted that he dropped his spear and hopped into the river, diving deep to escape from the white-robed elder. He was practically a frightened animal.


    Hua Taixu¡¯s eyebrows arched up - he felt a pang of compassion flow into his heart, ¡°He probably can¡¯t even talk.¡±


    Hua Taixu awaited for the boy to come up from the water - the boy couldn''t hold his breath forever. He decided to use his spiritual sense to search through Wang Li''s drenched body.


    If Wang Li was normal, there would be spiritual energy stored within him due to the number of spiritual fruits he had stolen and eaten. Strangely, all of that energy was gone, and Hua Taixu couldn¡¯t sense any within him.


    Eventually, Wang Li came up to the surface, looking at the elder with terror. Every time he has seen another human they had incredible strength - how could he not fear?


    ¡°Boy, what is your name?¡± Hua Taixu asked Wang Li, testing to see if this child could speak.


    This question seemed to evoke memories inside of Wang Li, two momentous words entered his mind: ¡°WANG LI¡±, he wanted to shout it out but didn''t know how.


    ¡°W-w-w-w-a-¡± Wang Li continued to stutter, unable to speak his name.


    Hua Taixu shook his head, ¡°What a shame, what a shame. I might as well check his talent,¡± If Wang Li had poor talent, Hua Taixu would bring Wang Li to civilization, but he wouldn¡¯t personally take care of him. After all, he is a venerated elder of a cultivation sect! But if Wang Li had sufficient talent, Hua Taixu would definitely take him in and teach him.


    In a flash, Hua Taixu¡¯s hand was on Wang Li¡¯s head, his Qi flowing within Wang Li¡¯s body in an instant. The further the Qi got in its circulation of Wang Li, the more shocked Hua Taixu became.


    ¡°H-his talent? What is this?¡± Hua Taixu even stuttered, looking Wang Li as if he was some kind of freak. He even took a step backward, a boiling pot of emotions stirring within him. This was the highest talent he¡¯s ever seen!


    Another thought passed through Hua Taixu¡¯s head - how could a boy like him be in the forest without a backer? He must be the Chosen One of a mysterious powerhouse.


    ¡°Senior, if you''re here, please reveal your existence. If not, I will be taking this boy to my sect.¡± Hua Taixu respectfully spoke out to the night sky, using Qi to make his words linger in the air.


    It was ironic because no one was listening.


    ¡°Huh. Well if he did belong to some power, he would know how to speak.¡± Hua Taixu, seeing there was no response, reasoned. He then sent out a piercing whistle.


    A hawk sparkling in yellow radiance floated down from the night, lightning flickering around it. It seemed like a mini-sun descending from the sky. Wang Li couldn¡¯t help but close his eyes. This Thunderhawk was Hua Taixu¡¯s long-time companion. Its lightning-fast speeds make it a good escape companion and speedy attack support.


    ¡°Hop on, I''m going to take you out of this crazy place.¡± Hua Taixu pointed to the bird, which began to lose its golden radiance, suppressing its aura so that the boy could ride. Wang Li, regarding how Hua Taixu hadn¡¯t hurt him so far, decided to climb onto the hawk.


    Hua Taixu jumped onto the Thunderhawk as well, and with one mighty flap of its wings soared into the sky. Hua Taixu¡¯s white robes behind him, while he gazed deeply at the uncultured boy in front of him.

 [CH.2] Cultivation! Thumping Heart Fruit!

    This year''s December was bitter cold - sheets of snow engulfed the entire of the Chaotic Province. Snowstorms came wave after wave; nature had decided to enter it''s coldest state. If one didn''t have proper protection against the cold they could easily wind up dead and forever lost.


    Within a hollow cave, a sixteen-year-old youth lay on the cavern floor, holding a makeshift stone knife in his hand. This boy was named Wang Li, and he was using the light from the burning campfire to practice his literature and poetry.


    First, the hearty boy would take the knife and write the alphabet, a practice he had been doing in the entire of the passing year. Once he finished writing the alphabet three times, he would begin to write sentences, and then paragraphs, all the way until he wrote an entire paper filled with unique thought.


    This was the boy''s daily routine, and it was how he had learned the language, poetry, and literature. Despite the repetitive and dullness nature of the routine, it fascinated Wang Li as he learned and practiced.


    This and his natural ability to suck in knowledge allowed him to catch up to his peers in writing. In fact, some of the thoughts and phrases he would write surpassed his peers!


    All of this in a span of one year.


    "Done." Wang Li carefully set down the stone knife, reviewing his work with satisfaction. He nodded as he read the topic, the blinding chill of the month.


    Hua Taixu had begun teaching Wang Li ever since he found him that day in the forest. He had started with teaching Wang Li to speak the language, as it would be easier to teach him if they could communicate. Then he went onto basics, such as mathematics, reading, writing, and logic.


    The teaching was done at an incredibly swift pace - fifteen years worth of knowledge was crammed into a single year. This was due to Hua Taixu not wanting Wang Li to spend too much longer in the Chaotic Province; he wanted to take him to the Sect as soon as possible.


    However, there was still a large hurdle that had to be crossed before that was possible.


    Today, Hua Taixu wanted to begin explaining cultivation to Wang Li.


    BOOM!


    A loud and mighty thunderclap crashed just outside the cave, the noise ricocheting along the empty cave walls. Surprisingly, Wang Li seemed to have no reaction except simply glancing at the cave entrance. As he expected, he saw a sparkling golden bird flapping its large wings at the entrance - a man dressed in snow white robes riding it.


    "Grandpa Taixu, you''re back!" Wang Li smiled cheerfully, strolling towards the large lightning bird. The white-robed elder leaped off the Thunderhawk and smiled at Wang Li.


    "Yes, yes. But it''s too cold out there! This Chaotic Province''s nature truly is too harsh!" Hua Taixu shook his head. Meanwhile, Wang Li reached out to the bird and petted its bright yellow feathers.


    During the past year, Wang Li and the Thunderhawk had bonded deeply. The proud hawk even let Wang Li ride it as a mount from time to time.


    But then Wang Li looked up to its back, to which there was a huge grey-haired bear, one of the countless fierce beasts of the Chaotic Province.


    Despite being dead, the grey-haired bear released a fearsome aura. Wang Li turned towards to Hua Taixu to raise a question, only for Taixu to speak first.


    "That bear was protecting this Thumping Heart Fruit. Surprisingly, it even managed to give me a bit of trouble." Hua Taixu took his hand out of his robe, revealing a peculiar fruit within it.


    The fruit was glistening red, untouched like winter snow. It was shaped like a beautiful heart and thumped at its own rhythm as if it were a part of its own world. Just revealing it spread off a deep and mysterious aura, just smelling it would make someone''s heart beat twice as fast.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    It was an extremely precious fruit! It was famous in the cultivation world for its excellent blood properties! Often times Clan''s would struggle with blood for just a single fruit!


    Even the Great Sects of the Feng Continent would be moved!


    "You want me to eat this one too?" Wang Li''s eyes widened looking at the fruit. Even just a glance made the blood within him feel agitated, as if it wanted to thump at the fruit''s pace. He couldn''t help but realize the fruit''s immense worth.


    Within this entire year, Hua Taixu had routinely fought Magical Beasts and brought back precious fruits for Wang Li to eat. All of these fruits were precious and contained powerful waves of Qi within them - if used on anyone else their effects would be unmatched!


    Even someone with average talent would be well into Qi Foundation by now!


    Wang Li''s lavishness was a treatment only the peak geniuses of famous sects could enjoy. However, when used on Wang Li, all of the effects of the mysterious fruits would be sucked into his dantian - leaving not even a single trace.


    It was this phenomenon that had Hua Taixu stumped. He had never heard of such a situation! So after countless times of brainstorming and probing, he decided that there must be a limit to how much Wang Li''s dantian could absorb.


    And thus started the cycle of fruit-eating.


    "Yes, this is quite a good fruit! It may be wishful thinking, but I think you''ll be reaching a breakthrough soon!" Hua Taixu flashed an ambitious grin; he had really enjoyed this cycle of bringing fruits for Wang Li to eat. It kept him occupied and provided him a mystery to try and solve.


    Not to mention, his bond with Wang Li had only grown closer and closer over this year. He no longer saw him as a mine of raw talent, but rather his own true and behold grandson. Hua Taixu had never had kids, despite desiring one in his later years, and Wang Li satisfied that desire.


    Now, today, he wanted to set Wang Li on the path of cultivation!


    "Sit down, Li''er, today I want to explain something very important today!" Hua Taixu carried the strange fruit all the way to the campfire, sitting down cross-legged and looked to Wang Li opposite of him.


    "Another lesson on mathematics?" Wang Li''s ears perked up, today was another lecture day. He loved these lectures, as it allowed him to hear of all sorts of strange and mysterious things.


    "No, something countless times more important! Today we will be talking about cultivation!" Hua Taixu''s face became incomparably solemn. He had never had to "describe" cultivation before, and he faced it as his next challenge.


    "Li''er, I know you have frequently asked why I am able to control lightning. Today I''ll give you the answer - cultivation!" Hua Taixu boldly claimed, his speech drawing Wang Li in.


    "So if I do this ''cultivation'' I can also control lightning!?" Wang Li''s eyes widened, but as he thought about it, it made sense. He had seen humans during his ''wandering'' years that had the ability to perform crazy and powerful acts. They must be cultivators too.


    "Of course! Cultivation, in summary, is the long path mortals take to become incomparable superhumans! Through cultivation a human can possess the power to split mountains and shake rivers, summoning all the power from the Earth!" Hua Taixu voice was loud and clear, his bold words echoing off the cave walls and landing in Wang Li''s ears.


    Superhumans!? Splitting mountains and shaking rivers - what kind of a concept was this? The power of this cultivation could only be imagined!


    "This cultivation sounds incredible! Does everyone in the world cultivate?" Wang Li asked - Hua Taixu''s words were like thunder in his ears. He imagined the world of civilization, with rampant humans with insane powers - what kind of world was that!?


    "No! Not every human cultivates, and for a few reasons. Number one - talent! Some people are born to be better at cultivation - possessing high talent! For such geniuses, what a normal person could achieve in ten years they could achieve in one!" This was one of the truths of the world. No matter who you were, there was always someone more gifted than you.


    "Next reason is the incomparable danger of cultivation! At any moment or time when cultivating, you can die! To cultivate is to challenge the Heavens themselves!" Hua Taixu''s final words were incomparably profound, even Hua Taixu truly didn''t understand what he was saying. His understanding was surface level, as like most of the people of this world.


    However, he was clearly aware of the countless dangers of cultivation. He himself was a cultivator and had to experience these dangers for himself.


    Wang Li was in deep thought, thinking and organizing his thoughts.


    "Grandpa Taixu...how do I cultivate?" It was a simple question, with a simple answer, but with a deep meaning, and an even deeper consequence.


    "That is for tomorrow, today, I want you to think of what you have learned." Hua Taixu broke out a teasing smile. He got up from his seated position and grabbed the grey-haired bear, preparing to cook him.


    "Ah! It''s time to eat!" Wang Li broke off all his earlier thoughts, his mouth widening, and his stomach growling. He jumped up from his seated position and began to grab pots and spices located all over the cave.


    Wang Li and Hua Taixu were both excellent chefs. After all, they had to make all their food.


    And thus, the two laughed and cooked until it reached sundown, spicing up their food and tearing apart the meat until the dead of night.


    The two finally finished eating, collapsing onto the ground with wide smiles on their faces.


    Neither of the two realized the importance of this day.


    But that was good.

 [CH.3] Mysterious Cultivation! Suspicions!

    The next day, within the empty cave containing two silhouettes and a flickering campfire.


    "Alright, it''s time to give it another try." Hua Taixu sat cross-legged, his new pair of white robes flapping in the bitter wind. He was gazing at the wild youth in front of him, the boy named Wang Li.


    "I''m ready, Grandpa Taixu. Tell me how to cultivate." The youth was indeed eager, wearing a simple blue shirt and shorts - revealing his rigorous and vibrant body. Though he didn''t possess much muscle, each one was clear and brimming with energy. This was another one of his wonderous traits, without even possessing a Body Transformation cultivation his body could already compare with cultivators at the Third Level! His natural body spent years and years in the forest, it was already difficult for cultivators to compare with him!


    "Good. Listen clearly, cultivation is split into different realms and ranks. Each realm and rank is incomparable to the previous, each possessing their own incredible power. The first realm, which you will be starting at, is Body Transformation." Hua Taixu spoke slowly and clearly, breaking down the process to Wang Li.


    "Body Transformation is just as it sounds, the transformation of the body. Using surrounding Qi, a cultivator tempers their body and allows their body to break through their previous limits. It is split into nine ranks, with a large boundary every three ranks. This is the very first stage of cultivation." Hua Taixu thought back to his days at Body Transformation, how it seemed like so long ago. To a master of his level, a Body Cultivation expert wasn''t anything worth mentioning.


    "Then how do I absorb this Qi, and what exactly is Qi?" Wang Li inquired. He had to use this Qi to temper his body, where would he find it?


    "There are many different types and forms of Qi. Thereis natural Heaven and Earth Qi, which flows around us in our natural surroundings. This is the most prevalent kind of energyand can be drawn in it at any time. Of course, certain places and holy ranges will have countless times more Qi than normal areas - this is where cultivation is best performed. Not to mention, there is Qi within all kinds of spirit grass, fruits, and pills.These are much more purified and stronger than typical Heaven and Earth Qi."


    "At Body Transformation, you''ll take in this surrounding Qi and infuse it into your body. You''ll start with your skin for the first three levels. To absorb this Qi - you''ll need a cultivation method or breathing methods."


    "Cultivation Method?"


    "Yes, a method that allows you to in Qi and use it in mysterious ways. They are extremely precious, and usually, have Martial Skills underneath them - ways of attacking and defending with Qi. But you will all learn this later - first you might get the hang of absorbing Qi." Hua Taixu didn''t want to explain everything, after all, once Wang Li went to the Sect he could read and learn all about the small dynamics of cultivation. What was important he has understood the basics - absorbing Qi!


    "Now listen here, I''m going to give you a method of absorbing Qi. Remember, how quickly you absorb Qi is completely separate from the method you use. Even a heaven-shattering cultivation method is useless in the hands of someone with poor talent." Hua Taixu got up from his cross-legged position, leaving a simple manual behind. He walked across the cave to where the Thunderhawk was, leaving Wang Li behind.


    In truth, the simple looking manual was simple. It was the basic cultivation method for absorbing Qi - as standard as it gets.


    One may have expected Hua Taixu to leave him with some strong or superior cultivation method, but in actuality, Elder Taixu wanted Wang Li to form a solid foundation. He had to understand the fundamentals before diving into deeper methods.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Plus, in Body Transformation, fancy cultivation methods wouldn''t make much of a difference. The only point where methods became vital was in the second realm - Qi Foundation!


    And so Wang Li picked up the simple leather cover book. He wasn''t offset by the ordinary nature of the book, as he was already extremely interested in cultivation. He too wanted to be like Hua Taixu - commanding lightning at his fingertips!


    "Qi Absorbing - Body Transformation!" Was the title of the book, though it did have a mysterious quality - as if wisps of harnessed Qi were slipping from the title. Wang Li opened the book and completely immersed himself in his reading. He forgot of where he was or what was going on, completely focusing on the book.


    ...


    "Done!" Wang Li shut the book, setting it to the side. He grinned wildly, his mind reciting all the mantras and methods described in the seemingly ordinary book. He was truly excited to test out this theory, and so he sat down cross-legged.


    His eyes closed, and temporarily reduced the rest of his senses, focusing quietly on his surroundings. Even in the empty cave, he could feel wisps of unique energy floating in the cave.


    He cracked a grin, and began the next step - absorption! And from within his body, a powerful suction force roared out, absorbing the surrounding Qi at an insane rate! It was as if a dragon had opened its mouth, sucking in as much as possible!


    If any normal martial artist saw this they would cough blood in shock! His speed of absorption was too fast!~


    Qi followed Wang Li''s command and rushed into his body, ready to infuse within Wang Li''s skin - like the first three ranks of Body Transformation demanded. But just then, a strange devouring force came from deep within Wang Li - sucking all of that Qi in without a trace. It was as if the Qi never existed!


    This instantly mystified Wang Li, he had known there was a problem with his dantian but hadn''t seen it for himself. What was stealing his Qi?!


    He kept on absorbing more and more Qi, only for it to be sucked without a trace. The process bewildered him once more, all the way until he felt his stamina depleted and had to stop absorbing Qi.


    "What''s wrong with me?" Wang Li opened his eyes, only to see that white-robed Hua Taixu standing in front of him, looking at him with interest.


    "All of it was absorbed, huh?" Hua Taixu broke a nervous smile - he had expected it to be like this. He had a sliver of hope that if Wang Li absorbed his own Qi it would break this mysterious spell, but he was wrong. But it at least confirmed one of his suspicions, as well as allowed him to see Wang Li''s insane talent for himself.


    "Do you know why this happens?" Wang Li was completely mystified, he knew that this kind of thing was strange. After all, the cultivation method mentioned no sort of "Qi Stealer".


    "I don''t, but I think I''ve got an idea. We''ll have you continue eating fruits and absorbing Qi for another month or so. Then...we''ll take these two," Hua Taixu revealed his two hands, in one of them was the glistening Thumping Heart Fruit, and in the other was a small shimmering yellow orb.


    "What''s the orb?" Wang Li''s eyes widened as he looked at the orb, puzzled at what it was. He watched as occasional flashes of lightning would occur on its surface.


    "This is a Demonic Core. It belongs to powerful Demonic Beasts and contains all their life energy. It''suntamedenergy is incomparable to these other fruits, I only want to use it after I''ve confirmed some other suspicions." Hua Taixu explained, grinning at Wang Li''s shocked face. He loved showing strange and unique things to this adopted grandson of his.


    The reason he still has yet to use a Demonic Core was due to their extreme energy! It contained all the Beast''s energy and if released would simply run rampant! With fruits, the energy would be released in a calm and energizing manner, while Demonic Cores were the opposite -beserk andviolent energy.


    A normal Body Transformation artist could never directly absorb a Demonic Core - not to mention a normal mortal like Wang Li. Just the thought of it was crazy!


    And the reason he included the Thumping Heart Fruit was because of its excellent blood effects. It could activate hidden secrets within an animals bloodline, which is why it was very valuable to Demonic Beasts. Eating one would allow a Demonic Beasts to make great strides in improving their bloodline!


    Not to mention it''s effects on humans. Sometimes cultivators with dormant bloodlines could have their true powers unleashed with the Fruit''s mystical effects!


    Hua Taixu had long suspected that Wang Li''s problem stemmed from an incredible and powerful bloodline. He even suspected that he was a lost youth belonging to anannihilatedclan forced to destruction.


    He wanted to use the Thumping Heart Fruit to try and activate that sleeping bloodline!~

 [Ch.4] The Big Day! Bloodline Tricks!?

    Two months later. This year''s spring was hot, placing a comfortable blanket of warmth on the entire Chaotic Province. The fierce lumps of snow had all melted, overflowing previous rivers and creating plenty of new ones. It was a beautiful sight, of which Wang Li was at the center of it all, sitting cross-legged next to a flowing stream of water - fish leaping out every once in a while. His eyes were closed in meditation, he looked incomparably relaxed.


    But any spectator would notice the amount of surging energy being sucked from the surroundings into Wang Li''s body without end. The suction force was quite frightening, opposing the peaceful scenery surrounding the brimmed youth.


    "Woosh", a loud flap of wings caused the peaceful flowing water to shake, a large yellow bird settling beside the youth. In his calm response, the closed eyes of Wang Li opened - revealing a pair of sharp and piercing eyes. They seemed almost endless, like a dark abyss without any end, yet held a twinkle of light that was incomparably mystifying.


    A year ago, or even two months ago, Wang Li was more beast than human, with an unbridled aura that spoke of the wilderness. Today, however, he was more like a refined and elegant blade, ready to erupt with fierce strength at any time. He had changed greatly.


    "Today is the day, Grandpa?" Wang Li cracked open a smile, rising from his cross-legged position. He had been anticipating this day, as it held unmatched importance to him!


    "Seems you''re quite excited." Hua Taixu, dressed in his signature white robes, leaped from the Thunderhawk. He smiled warmly at the refined youth in front of him, almost cracking a tear.


    The bond between Wang Li and Hua Taixu had grown past master and student, to one of father and son. Hua Taixu had never had children and had secretly always longed for an offspring of his own. Wang Li had fit this need perfectly, he was beyond satisfied.


    He feltproud at managing to change that terrified boy into the grown youth that stood in front of him today. He had raised a genius all by himself.


    And for Wang Li, he felt nothing but gratitude and love for Hua Taixu. He was the only other human he had interacted with and had truly taught him everything. In his heart, he had sworn to help Hua Taixu with anything he needed in the future - regardless of the cost.


    "Can you blame me? I have a good feeling today''s attempt will work!" Wang Li grinned, wasting no time as he sat down at the edge of the clear stream. He steadied his breathing and looked at Hua Taixu, prepared for what was to come next.


    "Alright. We''ll get started right away, I''ve already made sure there are no nearby beasts. Now for the two prizes here." Hua Taixu took a few steps, standing in front of Wang Li. The quiet hum of the stream passed behind the two. The Thunderhawk flapped it''s large wings and flew into the sky, looking down and scanning the area. The following event could not be disturbed!


    "Let''s see it!" Hua Taixu swiped his hand as a bright green box appeared in his left hand, clasped shut. In his other hand appeared a shiny glass bottle, which contained a glistening fruit within it. The fruit was shaped like a heart and throbbed at its own steady pace - truly resembling a real heart.


    "I want you to take the Demonic Core first. Normally you would have to absorb it slowly - but today I want you to directly eat it! I think you understand the risks of this; the eruption of energy will be massive! No mere mortal could think of handling this energy - you''ll need to remain calm!" Hua Taixu explained, opening the clasped shut jade box. Immediately a violent Qi aura flushed out, a bright yellow core laying comfortably in the center. It seemed to release it''s own dominating presence as if daring anyone to come to touch it. Occasionally, sparks of lightning would flash across its surface.


    "As soon as you take the Demonic Core, you''ll eat the Thumping Heart Fruit right after. This will be much easier, as the Thumping Heart''s energy is much more peaceful, and will quickly work to activating whatever bloodline is hidden inside of you. From there, it''ll all be up to you to see what happens!" Elder Taixu opened the jade bottle, a comfortable and cozy aura emitting from the fruit inside. It was completely different from the Demonic Core, passive rather than aggressive.


    "Grandpa Taixu, I''m ready!~" Wang Li boldly declared, determination steeling across his face. He was ready and prepared, he knew what he had to do.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "Then we''ll start now! Here is the Core!" Hua Taixu wasted no time, as the lightning core suddenly flew from the jade box and flew towards Wang Li''s mouth. Wang Li opened up wide, allowing the yellow Core to be caught in the room of his mouth. Immediately, he felt shocks of little discharges of lightning in his mouth.


    Gulp!~


    With one bold swallow, the lightning core was bravely consumed whole by Wang Li. Wang Li responded swiftly, forming a special seal under the instruction of Hua Taixu. He closed his eyes as his vision went to a mysterious and completely empty space within him - his dantian.


    His dantian was completely dark and silent, with nothing being there nor held there. It was incomparably silent - until a yellow orb landed right in the middle of it. Everything froze for less than a second, before the following event.


    WOOSH!~


    The Demonic Core suddenly exploded into vigorous and explosive bright lightning Qi, flooding Wang Li''s dantian with incomparable ferocity. It was similar to endless waves of energy, clasping on each other with no end. Even Wang Li couldn''t help but be shaken, his real body coughing out a mouthful of blood.


    This kind of explosion of energy was deadly to a Body Transformation artist, not to mention a mortal like Wang Li!


    "Eat this, quick!" Hua Taixu''s currently had a grim face, his hand throwing that Thumping Heart fruit to Wang Li. He knew that timing was incomparably crucial.


    Wang Li opened his mouth wide, still maintaining that hand seal, and swallowed the Thumping Heart fruit. It had the slight taste of freshlyspilled blood, before quickly flew down to join the Demonic Core.


    The little heart shaped fruit landed among the explosive waves of lightning energy, reacting almost spontaneously. Rather than exploding, it dissolved into a bright red flowing energy that carried with it a strange and odd feeling. But rather than fighting the opposing yellow energy, it quickly was dragged deeper into Wang Li''s dantian - as if being directly sucked by some strange force.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    Something shook within Wang Li''s dantian, immediately reacting with the Thumping Heart''s Qi. All of the bright red energy was directly manipulated into a swirling tornado, pushing back the Demonic Core''s bright yellow energy. Within this crimson tornado, some unknown being was awakening.


    Wang Li watched all of this from an outsider''s perspective, looking in at his dantian. He was shocked as he saw this occurrence - and his shock was also joined by Hua Taixu, who was inspecting his dantian.


    This swirling bright red tornado only lasted for a short bit, before being sucked into the center - disappearing without a trace. What was left behind was the strange entity within the tornado - a bright red Ancient Seal.


    This Ancient Seal''s color wasn''t truly red, it was just that it was covered in all of the Thumping Heart''s Qi. It was in truth a large Seal, with ancient and mysterious lines and strokes that made it what it was. It released a boundless and ancient feeling like a majestic King landed upon the gate of the Royal Palace. Just looking at it made Hua Taixu''s heart thump faster.


    The Ancient Seal had been sparked to life by the Thumping Heart fruit, as if it had been hiding in a deep slumber. Its nonexistent eyes landed upon the surging Demonic Core Qi, and seemed to give an indifferent "hmph". It floated up into the surging Qi, and released an incredible devouring force - sucking up all of that rampaging Qi as if it was water!


    At that point, both Wang Li and Hua Taixu''s hearts shook. This Ancient Seal was the cause of all of Wang Li''s Qi being stolen!?


    The Ancient Seal didn''t hesitate, in almost two seconds all of the Qi was completely absorbed into the Seal - changing it''s color from red to bright orange.


    But it was not done there. It suddenly exploded forth with all of the Qi it had absorbed, this time all of the energy being orange rather than red or yellow. This Qi was completely peaceful, even more so than the Thumping Heart fruit Qi. The Qi rolled out in powerful waves, leaving Wang Li''s dantian and flooding towards his skin.


    The Orange Qi quickly invaded Wang Li''s skin and muscles, interlacing with them and strengthening his skin even further. His muscles, in turn, suddenly expanded and contracted with much fiercer energy. The strength they could be released just leaped exponentially! And just like that he advanced to the First Level, Second Level, and Third Level of Body Transformation - all in one short burst! His skin became brighter and brighter, its toughness had multiplied exponentially in a span of a few seconds!


    But the Orange Qi was still not done yet, rushing forward toward his bones. Here he broke through to the Fourth Level, the Orange Qi interlacing with his bonds and strengthening them even further. Theirdurability surpassed Wang Li''s already toughened skin by no small gap! Like this, he quickly landed at the Sixth Level of Body Transformation -on the verge of reaching the Seventh Level of Body Transformation!


    It should be noted that at this time Hua Taixu''s eyes were nearly popping out of their sockets. He had already let go of Wang Li - losing vision of his dantian and that mighty Ancient Seal. He fell down to the ground in extreme astonishment - truly paralyzed with shock!


    Wang Li watched this with his own crazy amount of surprise and excitement. He was quickly grinning from ear to ear, horizon to horizon. He opened his eyes and got up from his cross-legged position, immediately stretching out.


    Within each and every one of his muscles - he could feel incomparable strength! He couldn''t help but grin fiercely!


    All of their hard work had paid off!

 [CH.5] Celebration! Sect/Home?

    Wang Li sat there in meditation, astounded by the sudden influx of energy flooding through his body. He had felt his strength multiply countlessly in only a few minutes, how could he not feel shocked? He quickly calmed down his mind, focusing on controlling his excitement and getting a grasp on this new found power.


    "Sixth level of Body Transformation!? What was that just now?" Hua Taixu was beyond shocked, to the point of nearly being terrified. How was it even possible for someone to cover so many levels in such a short amount of time!?


    Not to mention that profound Ancient Seal that started it all!


    Talking of which, all of the Orange Qi had subsided, retracting from Wang Li''s bones and re-entering the mysterious Ancient Seal. The Ancient Seal, having sucked up all the remainder of Qi, began to shake as it quickly faded away from sight - hidden in the vast darkness of Wang Li''s dantian.


    Wang Li and Hua Taixu watched this in silent amazement. So many questions flooded their mind, but they managed to keep a grip.


    "Aha! So I was right, you really are the descendant of some revered Supreme Clan! And that Ancient Seal must be the physical form of your bloodline!" Hua Taixu finally couldn''t contain his excitement, leaping up into the air in triumph. He had spent the last two years diligently raising this boy up, all for this day. He was beyond happy and satisfied.


    "My bloodline?" Wang Li, on the other side, was a bit more composed. As he thought of that Ancient Seal, he couldn''t help but have some fervid desire tug at his insides, as if wanting to claim ownership of the Seal itself. Even his blood was rushing as it circulated through his veins, thumping with countless power.


    "Yes! Certain powerful clans possess revered and unfathomable bloodlines, which spread across their family''s generations.Each and every bloodline is incomparably precious - they contain unrivaled prowess! And judging from that Seal, your bloodline must be a supreme bloodline rarely seen in the Feng Continent! Only the best of bloodlines manage to form physical forms!" Hua Taixu was smiling from horizon to horizon. But at the same time, he had a deep respect for the fathomless couple thatgave birth to the boy in front of him. That Seal...had left a profound effect on his heart.


    Luckily, Wang Li was on his side!


    "Haha, that''s good to hear. At least now I can truly start my cultivation journey." Wang Li had lifted up from his cross-legged position, feeling countless popping noises echo inside his body. He had a clear and sticky liquid on the surface of his skin, some of the impurities of his body being cleaned out. He used the river water to wash them off.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    At this time, his body felt more comfortable than it ever had been, as if he was a snake shedding its skin.


    "Good, good! This event calls for a celebration, Li''er!" Hua Taixu was simply in an ecstatic mood, placing his fingers in his mouth and letting out a sharp whistle - signaling for Thunderhawk''s return.


    And just on cue, the great lightning bird descended from the sky, landing softly right next to the two. It looked at Wang Li with almost a sense of happiness and excitement, sensing a newfound pressure released from the boy.


    "Haha, I succeeded, little Thunderhawk!" Wang Li strolled over to the bird, petting and ruffling its feathers with a wide grin. This was his favorite companion, besides Hua Taixu of course.


    "Listen here Li''er, todaywe will take one of my favorite wines - Cloudy Drift Wine. It has a sky-high price, but it is well worth it for today!" Hua Taixu smiled as a clear bottle appeared in his hand, filled with a white liquid. Immediately, a wave of pleasant smells drifted into Wang Li''s nostrils.


    "Of course, Grandpa Taixu." Wang Li sat down cross-legged, lightly laughing. Even he was feeling incomparably good today, after all, he had finally started his journey through cultivation!


    "Good, good! Here is a cup!" Hua Taixu took out two sparkling white cups, pouring that glistening white wine into each cup. He handed one to Wang Li and took the other for himself.


    "Cheers, my grandson!" Elder Taixu raised his cup to the sky.


    "Cheers, Grandpa!" And the two''s cups clicked together, each drinking a shot of the wine. A wave of a pleasant fragrance assaulted their tastebuds, giving them a light-body effect similar to being a drifting cloud in the sky.


    And like this, the two enjoyed this day with food and precious wine - excited for the nearby future!


    ...


    The next morning, the three individuals awoke in the dawn of the morning, lying next to that lonely stream of water. The Thunderhawk lay on the ground, occasional sparks of electricity flashing across its body.


    Hua Taixu was sprawled across the ground, a wide smile on his face, still slightly entranced by the effects of the Cloudy Drift wine. But his eyes began to open and he let out a long yawn, still in a good mood.


    Wang Li''s eyes also began to flutter as he awoke, remembering the magnificent events of the night before. He broke a grin and scurried up from the ground.


    "Li''er. We''ve spent almost two years here in the Chaotic Province - are you ready to leave?" Hua Taixu shot a gaze at Wang Li, before turning back to the rising sun.


    He had never imagined he would spend this much time in the Chaotic Province, he only planned to go a little bit deeper and search for some kind of lucky chance.


    However, he had met this boy lost in the wilderness - but in retrospect, Wang Li could be considered Hua Taixu''s greatest lucky chance.


    "Li''er, are you ready to go to Grandpa''s home?" Hua Taixu''s eyes gazed out at the horizon, interestingly enough, he was facing the direction of his home - where his Sect lay.


    "Ready when you are, Grandpa."


    He was fearless, excited, and determined!

 [CH.6] Departing the Chaotic Province!

    "Blue Sky Palace. That is my home, Li''er." Hua Taixu sat cross-legged, taking a sip of his tea. He placed the cup on the small table in between him and Wang Li, gazing off into the horizon. His mind couldn''t help but drift back to his home.


    He had been far away from his sect for too long!


    "In Blue Sky Province?" Wang Li''s had always wanted to hear of the place from which Hua Taixu belonged, he wanted to see cultivators just like him there. It''d be the opposite of the lonely forest to which he has lived his whole life.


    "Yes. But alas, the times of when we were the #1 Sect have long passed. But these are all things you''ll learn in due time, there''s no need to discuss such matters now. Instead, I want you to prepare yourself to leave this Chaotic Province and head into civilization." Hua Taixu sighed a bit when he heard Wang Li mention Blue Sky Province. But even so, he couldn''t wait to bring this talented youth to Blue Sky Palace.


    "Of course! You said they''ll be cultivators like me and you?"


    "Yes! They''ll be boys and girls your age, some stronger than the current you. There you''ll meet true cultivation geniuses, who will strive you to reach the utmost of your potential. And of course, you''ll eventually meet people even stronger than me!" Hua Taixu took a deep swig of tea, sighing with satisfaction.


    "Stronger than you!?" Though Wang Li had never been able to see other cultivators and properly gauge them against Hua Taixu, he could tell that he was eons away from Elder Taixu''s strength. Just from the way Hua Taixu could easily slaughter beasts proved that he was no amateur!


    "Yes, yes. You should know, Li''er, that I am the Seventh Elder of Blue Sky Palace. Though now, after this training period, I should be near the Fifth Elder''s strength!" Hua Taixu broke out a confident smile. Wang Li wasn''t the only one who gained benefits from their time in the Chaotic Province - Hua Taixu had managed to make strides in his famous cultivation method, ''Rampaging Tempest''.


    It was this ''Rampaging Tempest'' that was Hua Taixu''s greatest lucky chance, a cultivation method he had found through some unknown means. It was due to this cultivation method that his strength had exploded - before he had received the art he had been just a common inner disciple - far from extraordinary.


    But once he had received it he experienced a skyrocket in strength - spreading his name throughout the entire Blue Sky Province!


    Truth to be told, without this lucky chance it would be hard to say if Hua Taixu would even make it to core disciple, much less a respected and venerated Elder.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Listen here, Li''er. Disciples are ranked from outer, inner, and core. I, using my position as Seventh Elder, will directly promote you to Inner Disciple. If I wanted to, I could make you a core disciple but that would bring itself a whole set of troubles."


    "Truth to be told, the Sect is currently in a very tense and strained state. The Successor''s Tradition will begin soon, and at that point, the whole of Blue Sky Palace will be thrown into upheaval. In short, right now you are far too weak to even step into the realm of core disciples!"


    Wang Li listened to all of this with a solemn heart; he already had his own guesses. He could tell that his measly 6th Level of Body Transformation was nothing special within the Sect; he would have to be stronger if he wanted to support Elder Taixu!


    "Once I place you as an Inner Disciple I want you to do everything you can to raise your strength as quickly as possible..." Hua Taixu grinned fiercely, looking Wang Li directly in the eyes. He had countless expectations for the boy in front of him.


    "Once you''ve caught the eye of the other elders, I''ll introduce you as my secret disciple - and then we''ll throw the Successor''s Tradition in upheaval!" Hua Taixu laughed proudly at the end, only he knew exactly what the Successor''s Tradition was and what it meant.


    With any other disciple, he would never dare claim such bold words as "throwing the Successor''s Tradition in upheaval" but with Wang Li - he didn''t have second thoughts!


    That Ancient Seal was nothing to scoff at; even he felt a deep sense of fear toward such an entity!


    "This grandson understands." Wang Li nodded solemnly, taking his final swig of tea. And then, the two locked gazes and both laughed simultaneously.


    They were both excited about the future! A new age will begin, one full of the unknown and exciting adventures - with danger at every corner!


    "Well then, what are we waiting for?" Wang Li smiled, taking the initiative to get up from his cross-legged position. He walked over to the stream, where the Thunderhawk lay peacefully sleeping. He stopped and looked out past the stream, and into the expansive plains and forests.


    This, the outskirts of the Chaotic Province, is where he had lived for his entire life. Now, at the age of sixteen, he was finally leaving this place to adventure the world - chasing his own dreams and seeking the peak of cultivation.


    His family? Hua Taixu was his adoptive grandfather, one who he loved and appreciated dearly. But he also felt the desire to search out and find his own family - the person who left him that profound Ancient Seal.


    But first, he would have to leave this wild and untamed lands - leaving his home for sixteen years!


    "Of course, haha. Let''s go then, Li''er!" Hua Taixu placed the table and empty teacups in his spatial ring - a unique device that could hold items countless times larger within it.


    "Caww caww!~" The Thunderhawk rose from its previous sleeping position, flashes of lightning spreading out from throughout its body - similar to a wake-up stretch. It screeched out, it''s voice piercing through the empty plains and echoing throughout - a goodbye proclamation to these fierce lands.


    "Bahaha, good boy!" Hua Taixu grinned and waved his white robes, leaping onto the Thunderhawk. Wang Li smiled and followed his lead, landing slightly behind him.


    "Today, we leave!~" And with one large flap of its wings, the golden Thunderhawk set for the skies.

 [CH.7] Blue Sky Palace! Heavenly Lightning Crashes Down!

    A gleaming golden bird shot across the sky, almost a golden streak crossing the heavens. Its speed was nothing short of incredible - the bird wouldn''t stop for anything. Despite being tired and exhausted, the bird refused to give up, after all, this was the long-awaited journey home.


    The trip from the Chaotic Province to Blue Sky Palace was no short one. Not to mention Thunderhawk''s exhaustion, even Hua Taixu and Wang Li were feeling tired.


    Yet, the two had just as much excitement as exhaustion, and knowing that they neared close, couldn''t help but feel their emotions begin to bubble.


    Hua Taixu boldly stood upon Thunderhawk, his glistening white robes fluttering behind him, his eyes gazing forward at the incredible mountain range appearing in front of them. His heart began to thump a little bit faster, he was reaching his home.


    "Alas, Li''er, Thunderhawk, we are finally home. Welcome...to Blue Sky Mountain Range!" Hua Taixu spread out his arms as if receiving the landscape in front of him. He couldn''t help but smile with endless excitement.


    Two years...he had been in the Chaotic Province for two years. How had Blue Sky Palace changed? Hua Taixu couldn''t wait to finally arrive home.


    "Grandpa, this is Blue Sky Palace?" Wang Li''s eyes were full of shock, he scanned over the entire mountain range in front of him.


    All over the sprawling mountain range, there were pavilions, buildings, and formations. The mountain range seemed to go as far as he could see, some barren and deserted, some full of life and vegetation. From his height in the sky, he could even see the tiny people at the bottom bustling about across mountains and pavilions.


    It looked like a massive city! There were big mountains, small mountains, large buildings, small buildings, plains - it was an understatement to say that Wang Li was amazed! There was so much to see, and his vision even couldn''t absorb the whole of the Sect''s territory.


    "This is Blue Sky Mountain Range, the founding territory of Blue Sky Palace. Everything here is considered Sect territory and is ruled by our Sect. Yet, we still have not reached the true heart of Blue Sky Palace." Hua Taixu smiled at Wang Li''s apparent amazement and was satisfied. Looking forward, he watched as some sect guards rode a flying beast up to them.


    They wore blue and white armor, with the mark of a blue lightning bolt embroidered across their breast-plate - the mark of Blue Sky Palace. In fact, it was the same bolt that was on Hua Taixu''s robes.


    "Stranger, stay your hand! Without permission, there is no flying in Blue Sky Mountain Range! Identify yourself!" The two guards raised their spears and looked to Hua Taixu, clearly on guard.


    Even the guards were at the Eight Level of Body Transformation, which somewhat alarmed Wang Li. They were just guards!


    "Ah, you are some new guards, only your captain would recognize me. Here, have this." Hua Taixu sighed and raised his hand, a token floating out of his robes and flying towards the guards. One of the guards caught it and scanned his eyes widening further and further.


    "Ah! It is our fault, Seventh Elder, we should have recognized you as soon as we saw your mount! We deeply apologize!" The guards'' attitudes immediately became extremely respectful, bowing their heads deeply. They passed the token back and allowed for Hua Taixu to pass above the Sect gate.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The astonishment on their face was obvious. Hua Taixu, the Blue Sky Palace''s famous Seventh Elder, had returned from the Chaotic Province!? This news would certainly be shocking to the entire Sect!


    After all, the Sect''s famous "Rampaging Tempest Taixu" hadn''t been seen for an entire two years! And when the guards looked over at the boy sitting with him, they felt even more mystified.


    "Grandpa, that token identifies you as an elder?" Wang Li asked, as Thunderhawk flapped its wings and zoomed past the guards - heading deeper into Blue Sky Mountain Range. Wang Li watched as people below looked up and admired the mount, some even crying out - only the highest echelons of Blue Sky Palace could ride mounts in the airspace!


    Not to mention, it was the famous Thunderhawk of Hua Taixu! Some messengers on the ground could be seen getting on their beasts and rushing to tell their masters the news!


    "Yes, it is an Elder Token. I''d imagine the sect will be quite surprised by our arrival." Hua Taixu chuckled, with his cultivation, he could hear what the people below were saying. The Thunderhawk continued to fly forwards, heading towards the deepest parts of Blue Sky Palace. Their altitude began to increase, as the mountains gradually became taller and taller.


    "Wow, the Heaven and Earth Qi becoming richer and richer!" Wang Li couldn''t help but cry out, sensing the surrounding Qi. He could immediately feel the Qi in the air becoming richer and richer the further they went into the mountain range.


    If he cultivated here, his result would be countless times faster than his cultivation in the Chaotic Province!


    "Of course. The best spots for cultivation are located in the heart of the mountain range. Of which, we are nearing Blue Sky Palace now." Hua Taixu grinned and pointed to an incomparably massive mountain - right in the center of the entire mountain range.


    The mountain was gigantic and was countless times larger than any of the other surrounding mountains - almost as if it wanted to force its way into the heavens. Strange light-blue clouds enveloped the mountain and only became thicker and thicker the farther up the mountain. Even though it was in the middle of the day, sporadic flashes of blue lightning would emerge at the top of the lightning - as if some kind of ominous warning.


    Just one of those occasional flashes of lightning carried a thunderous boom that shook Wang Li''s ears!


    "That right there - is Blue Sky Palace. Li''er, open your eyes!" Hua Taixu shouted out as the Thunderhawk suddenly shot upwards, heading up farther and farther up the mountain - wanting to climb up that seemingly unreachable peak. Of course, as the clouds became thicker, it was already impossible to see anything - not to mention the mountain''s height.


    But with one wave of his arm, Hua Taixu managed to open a channel through the mist, allowing Wang Li to see directly to the top of the mountain. What he saw - jolted him to his very core.


    Surrounded by light clouds and rampaging blue-lightning was a gleaming white palace. It seemed to emit its own holy light, releasing an unmatchable grandeur that made it seem like the abode of the gods. Azure lightning continued to crash over and over onto the immortal palace, unrelenting! With just one look, Wang Li could tell that just a wisp of that mystical lightning could obliterate him from this world.


    His heart began to shake and his blood began to rush faster and faster. He suddenly felt a fierce and indomitable desire to make this palace his - his own ultimate treasure. But then a heavenly lightning bolt crashed down and shattered the vision of the palace, nearly causing him to pass out as it did so. Not to mention the sound of divine thunder booming against his ear.


    "That...that was Blue Sky Palace?" Wang Li shot a look of amazement at Hua Taixu. That lightning embraced Palace looked like the ultimate retreat of the gods, how could he not be shocked? His eardrums were still shaking from the sound of divine thunder!


    "Yes, Li''er. That is our Blue Sky Palace''s fate-stabilizing treasure from which we are founded upon. Many times our enemies have tried to come and take it - yet no one has managed to subdue the Palace left by our Founder. Without Blue Sky Palace, this entire place is nothing!"


    Hua Taixu''s words seemed to shake Wang Li''s thoughts even more than the thunder...

 [CH.8] Council of Elders! Hua Taixus Farewell!

    Witnessing the true Blue Sky Palace had a great effect on Wang Li; he couldn''t help but develop a deep reverence to the treasure itself. Just for the fact the entire Sect was named after it spoke to its power.


    "Now that we have seen Blue Sky Palace, it is time for me to return to the Council of Elders. They probably have already prepared for my return, considering the speed of the messengers below us." Hua Taixu calmly watched the landscape from atop the Thunderhawk, while they flew past Blue Sky Mountain and into one of the various surrounding mountains.


    Here the Qi was incredibly thick, after all, it was the closest to Blue Sky Palace itself. Wang Li couldn''t help but begin to absorb some of the Heaven and Earth Qi, feeling the Qi pour into him and nearly push him into the Seventh Level. Just before, however, they arrived at a grand temple built on top of the mountain.


    Such amazing structures were things Wang Li had never been able to see in the Chaotic Province. Truly, this was the first time Wang Li had been thrown into true civilization. He kept his eyes wide open, taking in all of his striking surroundings.


    "This is what civilization is like..." Wang Li muttered to himself, while the Thunderhawk finally set down before the temple. Written on top of the temple were the bold, lavish words that identified it as the Temple of the Council of Elders. Each and every word seem to contain its own unique and individual spirit, only adding to the weight of the location.


    "Seventh Elder, you have returned!" At this moment, another white-robed Elder stepped out of the Council of Elders temple. From the wide smile on his face, it was obvious he was an old friend of Hua Taixu.


    "Ah, Sixth Elder. It has been far too long. Are you still in good health?" Laughing, the two embraced each other. Sixth Elder then glanced at the boy at Hua Taixu''s side and immediately became puzzled.


    "Sixth Elder, this is a boy I found in the Chaotic Province. I want to directly promote him to Inner Disciple, I''m hoping you can arrange this for me." Hua Taixu also turned his gaze to Wang Li, a grin appearing on his face.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "Of course I can do this, do not worry. However, this boy seems to carry a wild and primeval aura around him - he couldn''t have lived his entire life in the Chaotic Province!?" Sixth Elder sent out a scan of Spiritual Sense, which made Wang Li feel as if some energy was flooding into his body, trying to pry open his secrets. He suddenly felt like an open book.


    Fortunately, that Ancient Seal inside his stomach was well concealed, making it impossible for Sixth Elder to see anything. Instead, what he saw was an astonishingly powerful body - one far beyond anyone at the Sixth Level! This alone surprised Sixth Elder.


    "Yes, but do not tell others of this. I am only allowing you to handle these affairs because it isn''t the right time for the other Elders to know I have a personal disciple." After speaking this, Hua Taixu''s voice quieted down, and Sixth Elder realized the importance of the situation. Hearing the words apprentice even made him give a second deeper glance at Wang Li.


    If anyone in the Sect was to hear that the famous Seventh Elder of Blue Sky Palace had accepted a disciple - everyone would want to investigate. In fact, the title of Hua Taixu''s disciple held weight even in the entire Province. It had to be known that countless core disciples lined up to try and gain the prestigious Seventh Elder''s attention.


    Why? Because of the famous art Seventh Elder trained in - "Rampaging Tempest"! This was a tyrannical lightning art that some suspected to even share some of its roots in Blue Sky Palace. Before Hua Taixu acquired it, he had been a nobody within the sect. But with the art under his control, he had managed to raise up all the way to Seventh Elder in only a short amount of time!


    This, to many, was insane. They could only accept that Seventh Elder had truly received an unparalleled lucky chance and wish that they too had received ''Rampaging Tempest''.


    The most lamentable thing was that Hua Taixu persistently refused to take up any disciples and impart his legacy. This was a source of frustration to many core disciples, but what could they do?


    "Of course. No one will know until you say it is so. I can send him off right now." And with that, Sixth Elder motioned with his hand, another flying beast flew over, although obviously inferior to Thunderhawk, and settled down next to him.


    "Li''er, this will be the last time you see me for a while. You are now within the Sect, so your number one priority should be to reach Qi Condensation as soon as possible. Although you will be an Inner Disciple, most Inner Disciples have to be at Qi Condensation level. This will definitely put your strength into question, and some people may even try to make trouble for you. Remember what I said about humans - most of them are treacherous!" This was Hua Taixu''s last message to Wang Li, before sending him away on the beast.


    Wang Li''s journey had begun!

 [CH.9] A New Friend! Lecture at the Martial Library!

    A few days later, within the Inner Court.


    Wang Li woke up inside his abode, enclosed by its own lake acres of land of precious green land. It was like his own secluded estate, with his own privacy and a beautiful surrounding landscape. It was definitely a large culture shock from the caves and ditches he was used in the Chaotic Province. He couldn''t help but be satisfied.


    And at the same time, he learned a lot of things about Blue Sky Palace. Its disciples were ranked like so: Outer, Inner, Core, and Chosen. Outer Disciples were at the bottom of the bottom, responsible for many of the useless and arduous tasks of maintaining a Sect. They received the worst resources and had the lowest status within the Sect. Of course, they were hundreds of thousands of Outer Disciples - they were the most populated Court.


    Yet, just being Outer Disciples gave them a substantial presence outside of the Sect. Blue Sky Palace, despite having fallen from its previous might, still maintained its standing as one of the top Sects in Blue Sky Province.


    In order for an Outer Disciple to become an Inner Disciple, however, they would have to step into Qi Foundation - the second major realm in cultivation. At this stage, cultivators began to truly release the power possessed in Martial Skills and possess mind-boggling power.


    Body Transformation was only the very basics, setting a solid body foundation. Only at Qi Foundation could cultivators release true power.


    Wang Li quickly realized that his cultivation was the weakest of all Inner Disciples, after all, he was only at the Sixth Level of Body Transformation. Luckily, because he had snuck in sneakily and had remained in his estate for the last couple of days - few even knew that he was an Inner Disciple.


    But of course, he was only doing this to familiarize himself with the Sect. He didn''t fear the challenge of surrounding Inner Disciples, in fact, it only motivated him even further. He felt that although his cultivation was weak, his natural body could definitely contend with those Inner Disciples.


    After all, he had spent sixteen years in the Chaotic Province - hunting and contending with fierce beasts. He was confident in himself, after all, none of these disciples could contend with the beasts he faced on a daily basis.


    This led him to his two main goals. Reach Qi Foundation as quickly as possible and increase his knowledge of the world around him.


    And on this day, he left his estate to go to the Martial Library - today, an Elder was lecturing on Qi Foundation. This only happened once a month, typically, and was exclusive to Inner Disciples. Because of the rarity of the event, it often drew most Inner Disciples - especially those who were new to the Sect like Wang Li.


    It was a good opportunity to expose himself to his fellow disciples, and perhaps even begin to establish a presence. After all, Hua Taixu told him not to reveal their connection - not to establish his own domineering presence in the sect.


    In fact, the higher Wang Li''s status grew, the better.


    "The lecture should be starting soon, I should head there as early as possible." Wang Li stepped outside of his estate, grinning fiercely. The sky was blue, the birds were chirping, and the grass was green - it seemed like a perfect day. He couldn''t wait.


    And so he went to the Inner Court Martial Library - one of Three Martial Libraries in the Sect. Naturally, there was one in the Outer Court, Inner Court, and in the mountains where the Core Disciples lived.


    Wang Li didn''t have a mount, so he had to go there on foot. It wasn''t too long of a journey, especially considering Wang Li''s impressive speed. But along the way, he passed groups of Inner Disciples riding on top of mounts.


    "Move out the way!" One particular Inner Disciple riding atop a tiger mount attempted to push past him, wanting to shove him to the side. In one smooth action, Wang Li flipped to the left - the tiger zipping past him. Wang Li shot an unfriendly look at the Inner Disciple atop the tiger-mount, frowning. He then looked towards the mount, and couldn''t help but notice that it seemed kind of weak.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    It looked nothing like those monstrous creatures in the Chaotic Province, and Wang Li couldn''t help but look down at it. After all, back in his wild days, wouldn''t he hunt rabbits as strong as that tiger? He found it kind of strange.


    "Hey, brother, my name is Yan Zhou! I see you don''t have a mount either!" Wang Li turned around to see another Inner Disciple racing to catch up to him. Yan Zhou had light brown hair and a friendly smile, exuding a bit of naiveness. It was obvious he was new to the Inner Court and was trying to make friends, just like Wang Li.


    "Mhm, I didn''t realize how common they were. How much are they?" Wang Li smiled and slowed down to Yan Zhou''s pace. He had seen plenty of Inner Disciples riding on mounts, and it seemed like they were quite commonplace in the Inner Court.


    "Ah, brother, you must be new. Well, it completely depends on what mount you want. That mount right there seems like a Demonic Beast with the lineage of a Sabertooth Tiger. Its strength is probably around the Sixth Level of Body Transformation - it definitely has considerable value. " Yan Zhou casually spoke, clearly, he had a bit of knowledge in the Sect. Wang Li kind of liked him, and the two decided to head to the Martial Library together.


    "Ah, I see. You can get one from the Beast Pavillion using points, right? I''m brand new to the Sect, so I''m still unfamiliar with things." Sect points were the Sect''s main currency and were even more important than gold coins. The only way to earn points was to trade in precious treasures, beast cores, or do various missions for the sect. These points could be traded in at the various Pavillions for rewards.


    Points ran the Sect, and was the way the Sect rewarded its disciples!


    "I understand, we can talk about all these things. I was recently promoted from the Outer Court, so I am quite knowledgeable about the affairs of the sect. Just visit my estate if you need anything." Yan Zhou flashed a friendly smile, clearly offering friendship. The two leisurely talked all the way until the Martial Library, and Wang Li felt like he made his first friend.


    "Brother Li, you''re only at the Sixth Level of Body Transformation!? What!?" Nearing the Martial Libary, Yan Zhou''s jaw couldn''t help but drop in awe at Wang Li''s cultivation. He had never heard of such a ridiculous thing!


    There were hundreds of Outer Disciples with stronger cultivations! How did he become an Inner Disciple!?


    "Yes, Brother Zhou. I was brought here through secret means, which I am unable to disclose now. My main priority is to reach Qi Foundation as quickly as possible!" Wang Li could immediately tell from the shock rolling off Yan Zhou that he was far from where he should be. He couldn''t help but feel a sense of urgency in his heart - he definitely needed to raise his cultivation as quickly as possible.


    "Brother Li, you definitely need to gather as many resources as possible. There are sharks among the Inner Court, and once more people know about your cultivation - the more danger you are in. Here, we have arrived." Yan Zhou couldn''t help but feel his mind quake.


    Clearly, a powerful Elder was standing behind this Wang Li. Even he couldn''t help but feel his mind tremble.


    But as Yan Zhou churned these thoughts around, the two arrived at the Inner Court Martial Library. Wang Li was thoroughly amazed.


    The Inner Court Martial Library was a massive building that seemed to take up a ridiculous amount of space. Even more impressive was the tremendous clearing in front of it - filled to the brim with Inner Disciples all awaiting the Lecture. In front of the Library was a speakers platform - specifically built for the Elder speaking today.


    Noise and the cries of Demonic Beasts filled the entire crowd, as there was Inner Disciples everywhere. Many were on mounts, many weren''t. Just by that, one could see the disparity among Inner Disciples - the most powerful Disciples were at the front - riding mighty beasts that seemed to shake everyone around them with their cries. In contrast, almost all of the newer Disciples, like Wang Li and Yan Zhou - sat at the very back.


    "Why don''t we move forward, Brother Zhou? Won''t it will be difficult for us to hear from all the way over here?" Wang Li frowned - he knew he would be able to hear perfectly fine - but that was because of his natural raw instincts. For Yan Zhou, he would definitely be straining to hear from their current position.


    What was the point of coming to a lecture that you couldn''t hear? It didn''t make sense to Wang Li.


    "No, no. Those at the front are definitely the most superb of Inner Disciples. For us to go up there is only asking for trouble...I will hear fine from here." Yan Zhou was appalled by Wang Li''s words - clearly, this boy really didn''t understand how things worked in the Sect.


    Those who had the most power would enjoy the best resources and the best treatment. How could some brand new disciples like them go to the front?


    "No, I can tell you won''t be able to hear. Brother Zhou, hold on." Wang Li directly grabbed onto Yang Zhou''s robes and snaked forward into the crowd. He shoved those in his way, causing many to break apart and see who it was that was boldly advancing forward.


    "Watch where you''re going! Who are you? Little brat, stay where you are!" All types of angry and annoyed shouts came from around the two, all to Yan Zhou''s distress. Wang Li seemed unaffected, snaking forward, as hands from atop mounts attempted to grab onto him.


    "Who dares move past me, Shen Yi!?" A booming voice distinctly enhanced by Qi surprised Wang Li - causing him to stop. In front of him, he recognized that same Inner Disciple who shoved him on the tiger mount. Frowning and unhappy, he boldly roared back.


    "Me, Wang Li! Now move to the side!"


    Yan Zhou felt like crying.

 [CH.10] Demonside Hunt! Stunning Reward!

    "Me, Wang Li! Now move to the side!" This resounding roar couldn''t help but force all the surrounding Inner Disciples to swivel around andwatch Wang Lishouting at Shen Yi with intense amazement.


    Even those peak Inner Disciples at the very front couldn''t help but turn around and look at who was making such a ruckus in the Martial Library. When they saw the incredibly young Wang Li, they couldn''t help but be somewhat puzzled.


    But the one who was most shocked was definitely Shen Yi. Even though he couldn''t be considered a peak Inner Disciple or even outstandingly special, how many new disciples would shout at him like this? He couldn''t help but feel his fury almost rise to the heavens.


    "What did you just say!? Wang Li, you said? Do you really want to provoke me to action right here in front of the Martial Library?" Visibly red, Shen Yi shouted out, furious. If it wasn''t because he knew about the strict rules around the Martial Library, he would have jumped forward and directly struck Wang Li down.


    "You heard me, my Brother Zhou and I are going to the front so we can hear the lecture better. Control your beast - or else I''ll eat it!" Showing absolutely no fear, Wang Li shouted out right in Shen Yi''s face- resembling more of a beast than a human. But when everyone else heard hisvicious words, they couldn''t help but shake.


    Did he just say he would eat Shen Yi''s Demonic Beast? How bold was this!


    "You brat!" Shen Yi was seconds from exploding, and he couldn''t help but beckon his tiger mount to take a step forward and bear it''s sharp fangs at Wang Li - preparing to strike.


    "The Lecture is about to begin, must I remind you all of the Martial Library''s rules!?" A thunderous voice suddenly rumbled out from the stage, an Elder arriving right at the front. He frowned, displeased at the actions going on in the middle of the crowd.


    His voice was more than sufficient to calm down the crowd, and both the tiger and Shen Yi immediately reared back. Shen Yi could only give Wang Li an extremely ugly look, and then turn his attention to the stage.


    Each of the Martial Libraries had extremely strict rules, after all, they were one of the main foundations of the Sect. They kept all of the Sect''s martial skills and cultivation methods - the heart of the Sect''s future.


    If Shen Yi wasn''t careful, he could very well find himself executed on the spot!


    "Here seems good, right Brother? We should be able to hear perfect over here." Wang Li had the nerve to bring the almost unconscious Yan Zhou a little bit further, to everyone''s amazement. He then plopped him down and prepared to open his own ears wide for the lecture.


    "This boy, what''s wrong with him? Has anyone heard of the name Wang Li?" Whispers moved around the crowd, everyone wondering who this unruly youth was. Just at a quick glance, he didn''t seem to have high cultivation, so why was he so bold? And just by judging by his age and robes - he seemed to be a brand new disciple!


    The more conclusions the crowd came to, the angrier and confused they got. If anyone in the crowd had furthered their cultivation and had been able to use Spiritual Scan - they would have realized that he was only at the Sixth Level. If they realized this, it was unknown what kind of heaven-angering beating Wang Li would have got.


    "Everyone, quiet. Before we begin the lecture, we have some announcements." This elder, identifiable from his robes and face as the Thirteenth Elder, was an elderly man who managed Sect affairs.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Of course, at his command, the entire Court became quiet.


    "A week from now, for some recently revealed reasons, the Sect will be opening up a portion of Demonside Forest for a seasonal hunt! The reward will be a single precious Golden Proxy Pill!" With a wave of his hand, Thirteenth Elder revealed a magnificent golden pill which floated above the crowd.


    "A Golden Proxy Pill!? What!?" Immediately, the entire crowd exploded in fervid excitement, each and every disciple felt an intense desire looking at the Golden Proxy Pill. Even those at the very front, the peak of all Inner Disciples, felt their hearts shake watching that pill rotate in front of them.


    "Yes, yes! A Golden Proxy Pill - a rare treasure famous for it''s purifying effectsin both Body and Qi. Rumor is that after eating a Golden Proxy Pill not only will your Qi Foundation be purified, but it will even form a golden tint as it becomes closer to perfection!" Thirteenth Elder beamed at the reaction by the crowd, he knew exactly how precious this pill was.


    Even the hearts of Core Disciples would be moved by this pill, not to mention a bunch of Inner Disciples!


    "This is the most important announcement I have today. Of course, almost all of you know the dangers of Demonside Forest. Within are all types of Demonic Beasts, ranging from the lowest levels of Body Transformation to even beasts surpassing Qi Foundation! Recently, the beasts in Demonside Forest have been extraordinarily disturbed, and for this reason, we''ve decided to open up a hunt among Inner Disciples. We will give more information in a week''s time - everyone participating will meet here!" Thirteenth Elder waved his hand, the Golden Proxy Pill floating into a green jade box before disappearing within his robes. Everyone watched with enthusiastic eyes, feeling an intense desire in their heart.


    "Brother Zhou, we must compete for that Golden Proxy Pill." Wang Li was among those in the crowd, and he could feel his heart pumping as he watched that Golden Proxy Pill. Just based on its medicinal smell he could tell it would have a profound effect on his body!


    "Brother Li, are you crazy? Even those monsters in the front will be competing for theGolden Proxy Pill, it''ll be unlikely we''ll even see it handed off. We need to focus on some of the other rewards they will distribute." Yan Zhou couldn''t help but feel like this younger brother of his was a bit too overconfident and impulsive. They had already made an enemy of Shen Yi, and now he was talking about winning the entire hunt?


    He felt that if he stayed around this Wang Li too long, things would get awfully dangerous for him. Still, he kind of liked Wang Li.


    ''I''ll stick around and make sure he doesn''t kill himself too early,'' Yan Zhou resolved in his heart.


    And at that time, Thirteenth Elder began his lecture on cultivation. Yan Zhou and Wang Li both opened their ears wide, soaking in every bit of knowledge they could.


    Despite this, Thirteenth Elder was still being vague throughout his lecture. He would touch on certain points briefly, and then leave them up for interpretation - this style of teaching left most of the task still up to the listeners.


    But for geniuses like Wang Li, this could be considered even more beneficial. Wang Li meditated and thought about every point Thirteenth Elder touched upon.


    He felt himself inching closer and closer to the Seventh Level of Body Transformation. He even felt that all that was left was to absorb as much Heaven and Earth Qi as possible and he would breakthrough easily.


    Yan Zhou, however, had his own benefits as well. Although they weren''t as substantial as Wang Li''s, he appreciated the lecture even more, especially when he considered the trouble Wang Li went through to make sure he could hear well.


    ''I''ll really have to make sure this brat stays out of trouble.'' Yang Zhou helplessly sighed, glancing over at Shen Yi who was glaring at the two with intense hate. He could only sharply look away and return to meditating upon the lecture, feeling a little stressed.


    But to many of those peak Inner Disciples at the very front of the stage, they were more worried about the hunt. After all, many of them had been stuck at Mid-Stage Qi Foundation foryears upon years- and a lecture at this basic level could barely help them. What was most important was that Golden Proxy Pill - that be their stepping stone into the enigmatic world of Core Disciples!


    But to those even higher than the peak Inner Disciples, different questions came to mind. Why was there going to be a hunt in the first place? And why now?


    Surely there was something going on behind the scenes...

 [CH.11] Preparing for the Hunt! Runesmiths!

    The seasonal hunt to Demonside Mountains had been announced, causing the Inner Court to quickly become fervid with anticipation. Many newer students armed themselves and went to the Weapon Pavilion to spend points on weapons. Some even went and bought fierce mounts to support themselves in the hunt.


    Everyone was preparing for the hunt, and for the top Inner Disciples, the goal was the Golden Proxy Pill. The Sect also announced that there would be other rewards for second and third place, but they had yet to release the specifics.


    Everyone knew the dangers of Demonside Forest, it was one of the major danger zones in Blue Sky Province. It had a reputation for possessing some of the most dangerous Demonic Beasts in the province, and because of its large size the number of beasts there were uncountable.


    Originally, back in the Sect''s glory days, one of Blue Sky Palace''s main duties was to suppress Demonside Forest and protect the rest of the continent from its dangers. This was back when Blue Sky Palace was the number one sect in the entire continent, and because of their decline, other sects stepped up to the task of suppressing Demonside Forest.


    In fact, it could be said that most of Demonside Forest didn''t even belong to Blue Sky Palace anymore. Another sect, the Raging Beast Sect, forcefully took a large portion of the Forest as one of its training grounds - to Blue Sky Palace''s dismal.


    This was a source of shame to Blue Sky Palace, but there was nothing they could do.


    During the week, Wang Li and Yan Zhou were had at work cultivating. Wang Li quickly returned to his estate and cultivated furiously - easily stepping into the Seventh Level of Body Transformation.


    He had hopefully awaited a sign from the Ancient Seal in his Dantian, but it remained motionless. He could only sigh and take stock of his strength.


    At the Seventh Level and beyond, cultivators used Qi to temper their internal organs. For most cultivators, the internal organs were the softest spot in their body, even after the Ninth Level.


    Wang Li had just stepped into the Seventh Level, and he still didn''t know how he compared to other Body Transformation artists. But he still felt confident, after all, if Hua Taixu felt that he wouldn''t be able to fight a Qi Foundation expert he wouldn''t have placed him within the Inner Court.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Yan Zhou also cultivated during this time but didn''t make too much progress. Instead, he decided to go to the Weapon Pavillion and buy a treasured sword for the hunt.


    "Ah, I just spent nearly all of the points I accumulated during my time as an Outer Disciple." Yan Zhou said depressingly, crying out to Wang Li. Wang Li chuckled; the two had become closer over their preparation.


    "Let me see, is it particularly spectacular?" Wang Li held the sword, examining its light blue handle and simple silver blade. It didn''t look too special, except a rudimentary rune engraved at the hilt of the blade. Running his finger through the rune, he could sense some kind of energy pulsating within.


    "That''s a Weapon Rune, the work of a Runesmith. It''s what makes the sword so deadly, increasing its sharpness by a significant factor." Yan Zhou smiled at the rune - it was where the entire value of the sword was.


    "So the Blacksmith makes the sword, and then the Runesmith engraves the Rune? Is it the same for pills?" Wang Li asked. He was still actively learning about the world around him; he was the definition of a "country bumpkin". He had learned a lot over the past week and was continuing to learn more and more. He even began to attend some classes.


    "Yes, but often times Blacksmiths and Pill Masters are Runesmiths themselves. It keeps the cost down, as master runesmiths are extremely rare and expensive. A famous runesmith or pill master can hold more influence than someone with a powerful cultivation. They earn boundless amounts of money, and all types of sects and organizations try to bring them in. Some of the most famous Runesmiths are even more powerful than our Sect Master." Yan Zhou spoke with awe; fabled Runesmiths were legends within the Feng Continent.


    Even the Imperial Family rushed to grasp at revered Runesmiths! The Runesmith League had an almost unshakeable position within all Six Provinces!


    "Seriously? How do I become a Runesmith?" Wang Li caught wind of Yan Zhou''s anticipation and couldn''t help but inquire. After all, if he could be a famous Runesmith, how helpful would that be?


    He would have friends and connections across the continent, and be able to call upon invincible forces!


    "Haha, it is no easy matter. After all, Runesmiths are often times Spiritual Cultivators, a rare form of cultivation only accessible to a small percentage of the population. Although the Runesmith League isn''t very large, each and every individual is someone Blue Sky Palace has to pay very close attention too! If you want, you can go to a nearby Runesmith Shop and ask to be assessed for your spiritual talent." Yan Zhou didn''t mind Wang Li''s constant cluelessness, although he found it strange. Wang Li told him he came from the wilds, and every day he proved that to be true.


    "Ah, I see. Once I enter Qi Foundation, I''ll have to stop by and see what I can do." Wang Li laughed, and the two continued all the way until they arrived at their estates. The two separated; the hunt was about to begin and they both needed to prepare.


    Yan Zhou wanted to practice with his new sword, and Wang Li wanted to continue to make advances toward the Eighth Level.


    The hunt would soon begin!

 [CH.12] Rules of the Hunt! Shen Yi Taunts!

    The Inner Court Martial Library was absolutely packed, with Inner Disciples everywhere. It was the exact same as a week ago, except for each Inner Disciples new weapons and mounts.


    Everyone had a fierce appearance and had even begun to group themselves into hunting parties. Everyone was fervid with excitement, talking amongst themselves, and some of the newer disciples even felt their emotions bubble over.


    Wang Li and Yan Zhou were within this crowd, in the middle, in the same spot as they had before.


    "You! Prepare yourself for this hunt, I''ll make sure there aren''t any ''rules'' to save you then!" Shen Yi, still riding his tiger mount, came forward and immediately taunted to Wang Li. The anger from a week before seemed to have only grown, and his nasty expression only spoke of killing intent.


    "This is the boy that was causing you trouble earlier, Shen Yi? Pathetic." Around Shen Yi was his other friends, who all looked down at Wang Li equally. It was a small group of around four to five, and they seemed to have decided to team up for the hunt.


    "Shen Yi, if you decide to trouble me or my brother during the hunt - prepare for death." Wang Li fiercely grinned and spat out, his fighting spirit emerging. Just from the pure aggression in his voice, Shen Yi and his friends flew into a fury.


    Of course, it was still the Martial Library, and they couldn''t act even if they wished.


    But Wang Li didn''t mind. Earlier during the week, he had found out that Inner Disciples can take certain low-level martial skills from the Outer Court Martial Library for free.


    He had snuck away a few days earlier and picked up a bunch of low-class martial skills meant for Body Transformation artists. Each skill was easy to learn and master, and in just a week, he had diversified his fighting portfolio even further.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    This gave him extra confidence for the hunt ahead. But just as Shen Yi and his group were contemplating striking, the entire crowd shushed as Thirteenth Elder descended at the stage.


    "You all have gathered for the hunt, good! This Hunt to Demonside Forest will be extremely dangerous, and you all must be careful! Individuals and groups are allowed. While fighting amongst disciples is frowned upon - it is not entirely forbidden. But remember, we are all a sect, and killing a member of the sect will always be punishable!" Thirteenth Elder quickly went over the rules of the hunt, and then began to describe the hunt itself.


    "The main objective of the hunt is to kill as many as Qi Foundation Demonic Beasts as possible. Each Demonic Beast will have a core which will identify the level of the beast and the specific type of beast, to which we have a ranking system. The higher the cultivation of the beast - the more points that will be rewarded. Each individual''s points will be tallied up and put on a leaderboard, and the top three will be winners. The hunt shall last a month." Thirteenth Elder, hands placed behind his back, went into detail about the inner workings of the hunt. Each and every disciple listened attentively!


    "The top three rewards will be as such: a Golden Proxy Pill, Magic Mist Tempering Powder, and a Meridian Cleansing Pill! Each and every one of these are extremely precious, as all of you know!" Thirteenth Elder proudly announced; the sect wasn''t holding back much on this hunt. Each and every reward was worth a considerable amount of points and were treasures to Inner Disciples.


    Magic Mist Tempering Powder was a strange powder that would turn into a hazy mist when mixed with water and increased a martial artist''s affinity for cultivation. It also had an additional effect of tempering one''s body even further.


    Meridian Cleansing Pills were just like their name and cleansed a martial artist''s meridians. This made combat much smoother and the flow of Qi easier. Of course, by tempering the meridians, it also made the body stronger.


    Strangely, all of the rewards had at least a minor effect of body transformation. Many didn''t think much of it and only erupted in excitement to get the hunt on.


    They had gone out and bought new weapons, trained their martial skills to new extents, and taken all kinds of precious pills just for this moment! The rewards were simply too sweet!


    "Follow me, Demonside Forest isn''t too far. The Hunt will soon begin!"

 [CH.13] Fighting Demonic Beasts! Yan Zhous Surprise!

    The hunt was about to begin! The crowd of Inner Disciples moved to the entrance to the dangerous Demonside Forest. Thirteenth Elder, as well as a group of supporting elders, were controlling the situation.


    Wang Li had been sure to scan all the supervising elders for Hua Taixu but didn''t see him anywhere. He reasoned that an Elder at Hua Taixu''s level was probably dealing with Core Disciples or higher, not the measly Inner Court.


    ''I have to get stronger. Hopefully, I can use this hunt to reach Qi Foundation.'' This only further motivated Wang Li, as he clenched his fist. Even though he knew he could fend off a Qi Foundation expert, he still knew he had to grow stronger.


    Just thinking about the mysterious Blue Sky Palace was enough for him to realize he was still weak. But he wouldn''t let that intimidate him; he would just work harder.


    "I will remind everyone that while killing within the forest is frowned upon it is not strictly prohibited. I only ask you to remember comradery between disciples. On that note, robbing and stealing other disciples demonic cores is permitted." Thirteenth Elder lectured once again, reminding the entire Inner Court of the rules. To Wang Li and Yan Zhou, the hunt seemed very simple.


    The objective was to get the demonic cores of Qi Foundation Demonic Beasts. This could be achieved two ways; killing the beasts or stealing them from other disciples.


    Both methods were completely acceptable, but of course, the latter required a different spirit of ruthlessness. But this was the Inner Court, who really cared about comradery between disciples? In the face of rewards, bridges would often burn.


    Either of those two methods could be completed as individuals or as groups. Although working as an individual would reap more rewards for a single person, it left that individual exposed to ambushes by other groups. Group work was safer, but then the question of splitting rewards came into question.


    The hunt was, without a doubt, ruthless. But Wang Li wasn''t intimidated in the slightest - instead he diabolically grinned.


    This kind of environment was what he thrived in, after all.


    He and Yan Zhou had already agreed to work together in partners. They would split the demonic cores fifty-fifty, and if they ever let someone in they would re-negotiate.


    "Now that you are all clear on the rules, the hunt shall begin!" Thirteenth Elder swiped his hand, signifying the commencement of the hunt. The entire Inner Court dived into the forest, splitting into their groups and heading in different directions.


    Everyone was excited for what was next. They all wanted to return in a month with hundreds of demonic cores and obtain those treasured rewards! Not to mention, alongside the rewards, placing in the top three earned one a substantial amount of points!


    "It''s begun, let''s go!" Wang Li and Yan Zhou immediately zoomed into the forest and quickly moved deeper and deeper, separating themselves from everyone else. Since they were a group of two, it was best to be secluded as much as possible. Wang Li, with his acute senses, picked up that Shen Yi''s group was staying relatively close and following them.


    Wang Li, grabbing onto Yan Zhou, exploded into an impressive move of turns and curves - leaping onto trees like some kind of crazed monkey. Eventually, Shen Yi''s group decided to give up on a direct chase and diverted to their own business.


    Relived, Yan Zhou and Wang Li both headed deeper into the forest to find a place to mark as a base.


    "Demonic Forest is absolutely huge, but with the entire Inner Court entering, it''s inevitable we''ll encounter some enemies." Wang Li and Yan Zhou eventually settled down near a river, still at the outskirts of the forest.


    "We need to be prepared. Wang Li, you said you feel like you can defeat a Qi Foundation expert right?" Yan Zhou sat down, feeling relatively safe from other disciples. Of course, he was still on guard, this was still Demonside Forest.


    "I''m not sure, but I feel fairly confident. I''ve been training some low-class martial skills but I have yet to take on any Qi Foundation experts." Wang Li and Yan Zhou chatted before Wang Li silenced him.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    He heard a beast arriving.


    "A Flaming Season Deer. Still at the Body Transformation level." Wang Li looked off into the distance and saw a deer with shiny all red fur. A flame was lit on the tip of its tail, a tiny ember, and it was simply crossing over the river.


    "We still need to head deeper into the Forest for Qi Foundation beasts. Follow me." Wang Li and Yan Zhou quickly sped down the river, searching for beasts and disciples.


    Demonic Beasts cultivated similar to humans, divided by cultivation realms. Any beast stuck at Body Transformation was considered a ''Magical Beast'', as they lacked a demonic core. Once a beast manages to cultivate a demonic core, the heart of all their cultivation, they enter Qi Foundation and become a ferocious Demonic Beast.


    This was similar to humans; Qi Foundation was the true start of a cultivator''s journey. Body Transformation simply made the body stronger, but Qi Foundation opened up a cultivator''s dantian and allowed them to store Qi within.


    This allows Qi Foundation experts to use all sorts of powerful magical skills, cultivation methods, and release unfathomable strength. The divide between the Ninth Level of Body Transformation and First Level of Qi Foundation was often seen as unsurpassable.


    This was why Yan Zhou found it so difficult to believe that Wang Li could fend off a Qi Foundation expert at the Seventh Level. It was nearly impossible!


    "Quiet. I hear something." Wang Li made a hushing noise as the stopped leaping from tree to tree, hearing heavy footsteps shaking the earth. Yan Zhou could also roughly hear them, and they both looked at each other and nodded.


    Their first target showed up. Wang Li quickly vanished into higher in the treetops.


    "THUMP! THUMP!" Out of the bushes stormed a flaming boar, fire blazing all over its body. It was huge, much larger than a tiger, with two huge nostrils. The fire surrounding it seemed to carry its own sort of fierce heat, threatening to burn down the whole forest. It held two small horns that had yet to protrude completely, overshadowed by its massive body. Based on its furious expression and constant stomping on the earth, it wasn''t happy.


    "Skyblazing Forest Boar! First Level Qi Foundation Beast!" Yan Zhou murmured out, unsheathing his recently acquired blade. The silver steel seemed to catch a hint of the sun that was hidden underneath the cover of the tree.


    They had the element of surprise on it and had to only wait for the boar to come to them.


    In actuality, a lot of Demonic Beasts at the same level were stronger than humans. Being raised in dangerous environments with their inherit aggressive nature, Demonic Beasts were often violent with extremely tough bodies. Not to mention Demonic Beasts had begun to unlock hints of their long-lost bloodlines - unlocking unique abilities.


    For example, the Skyblazing Forest Boar had the special ability to shoot out fire in all directions - similar to a porcupine. This was used in case an enemy avoided its lethal charge. Just the fire shot out was enough to burn a Body Transformation expert to dust.


    It had only one weakness, its snout.


    They still had to be careful. Luckily, the boar had yet to figure out their location and came closer to the tree. Wang Li high in a nearby tree, completely concealing himself.


    Back in the Chaotic Province, he used to hide in the forests and plains to wait for Demonic Beasts to leave their nests. He had long ago mastered the element of stealth and nearly seemed invisible hidden within the treetops.


    Unfortunately, Yan Zhou didn''t have that same level of stealth.


    "SNORT! SNORT!" The boar sucked in air with its massive nostrils and sniffed the presence of a human hiding in the tree in front of it. Using its impressive intelligence, it began to do a flaming charge onto the tree Yan Zhou was at.


    "Damnit!" Yan Zhou knew that if the boar charged into the tree, the entire tree would snap in half and he would fall with it. All he could do was jump and engage in battle!


    But just as he was about to jump, he saw a shadow descend onto the boar from higher in the treetops. It was Wang Li!


    "SNORT!" Wang Li directly jumped down from the treetop, dropkicking the Skyblazing Boar right on the nose! Wailing in anger, fire flaring up around it, the boar stumbled backward as it tried to search for who attacked it.


    Taking advantage of the boar''s disorientation, Wang Li prepared his second attack.


    "Mountain Shaking Fist!" Wang Li''s fist extended back, gathering all of his strength, and then directly slammed onto the boar''s nose - releasing a rumbling sound. This was one of the many low-class martial skills he mastered and he found it extremely effective.


    The boar was sent flying nearly 10 meters backward, slamming into another tree in the forest. Its snout was its weakness, and Wang Li''s fist had caused its brain to shake so much it directly passed out.


    This meant Wang Li won! Yan Zhou watched this from atop his tree, shocked. He quickly jumped down and dashed to the beast, properly killing it with his sword.


    "Wang Li, how''d you do that!" Yan Zhou''s surprise was written all over his face - Wang Li had taken out the Skyblazing Boar all by himself! Even he wouldn''t have succeeded as smoothly as Wang Li!


    "Haha. Brother, it was only a small surprise attack, don''t praise me too much." Returning to his usual humility, Wang Li meekly laughed and went to extract the Demonic Core at the Boar''s forehead.


    It was a brilliant bright red pearl, small enough to fit snuggly within his hand. He could feel the blazing heat hidden within it and grinned.


    Thinking back to when Hua Taixu had given him a Demonic Core to eat, he felt the impulse to eat this one as well. But he remembered the mission, and put the thought aside - they needed all the Demonic Cores they could get. And with that, he threw it into a big brown bag they had been provided.


    Meanwhile, Yan Zhou sat there astonished.


    Suddenly he felt like he was the one holding Wang Li back...

 [CH.14] Fighting Shen Yi! Qi Foundations Might!

    For the next few days, Wang Li and Yan Zhou continued like this - hunting Demonic Cores. Surprisingly, the two figured out an efficient system; Yan Zhou drew out the beasts and then Wang Li ambushed them with his impressive strength. In only a handful of days, they had collected nearly six Demonic Cores.


    The two were feeling proud. However, it was early in the morning when Wang Li heard a party of disciples near them. They were hidden deep within the treetops.


    "Yan Zhou, get up, people are here." Wang Li gently shook Yan Zhou, whispering. Just based on his extreme sense of smell, he could tell that the party wasn''t a small amount. Narrowing his hearing in their direction, he eavesdropped on their conversation.


    "Brothers, we have to hurry up and kill these two brats before the Waterspring Cave opens up. Nearly all the Inner Disciples will be rushing there in the next few days!" The hateful voice of Shen Yi once again ran out, speaking to his fellow disciples. They were a group of four, and the familiar scent of bloodlust already told a story.


    It was likely they had already severely injured some disciples they robbed earlier - maybe even killed. Even his tiger mount''s sparkling teeth had a reddish tint that added to its'' malevolent appearance.


    "Yan Zhou, it''s Shen Yi and their group. His sabertooth tiger definitely will smell the two of us." They were still a bit out of ears'' reach, so Wang Li quickly turned to Yan Zhou.


    "Damn it! Should we run?" Yan Zhou nervously reached for the blade at the side of his hip. If it was just him, the only option would be to run very far away.


    "Even if we run, they''ll simply find us again. They keep on mentioning some kind of cave, although I can''t hear very clearly. We might have to make a statement to our strength, and then leave quickly." Wang Li''s eyes shined with a ruthless light. He was tired of running and wanted to let Shen Yi have a little taste of their strength.


    Truth to be told, he wasn''t too confident. But they weren''t trying to decimate Shen Yi''s group - but instead, make him reconsider their enmity.


    "Thump." Wang Li landed onto the ground, confidently placing his hands behind his back. Shen Yi''s Sabertooth Tiger started roaring out and ran straight for him, only halting at Shen Yi''s command a couple of meters ahead.


    "Wang Li, you decided to show yourself!? Do you know what we''ll do to you today?" Upon seeing Wang Li, Shen Yi immediately became angry.


    "Clearly, this boy is a fool. A mere Eighth Level dares to stand in front of us Qi Foundation experts? Ridiculous!" Shen Yi''s friends couldn''t help but laugh while looking at Wang Li''s brave face while facing them. To them, it was simply unbelievable.


    What suicidal Body Transformation expert would dare stand against a Qi Foundation expert?If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Just a single First Level Qi Foundation expert could slaughter over five Body Transformation martial artists!


    "Do not forget, I am also a Qi Foundation expert." At this moment, Yan Zhou stepped out of the bushes, sheathing his cold sword. He and Wang Li had already sworn brotherhood, and so he would stand next to him in all matters.


    Even he felt this was a bit too insane!


    "Shen Yi, all we wish is information on this cave. If you insist on attacking us, we will make you pay a price first!" Wang Li coldly stated, his hands still placed behind his back.


    Truth to be told, a major reason for his confidence was his breakthrough to the Eighth Level only two days ago. He could feel further tempering in his body and internal organs - making each and every breath of his similar to that of a dragon.


    "Haha, such a lowly brat dares to speak like so? Fine, it isn''t a secret, the famous Waterspring Cave is opening soon in the forest - and is supposedly holding a cave full of drips of spiritual water! Almost half of the Inner Court is heading there, and we will be going after I finish you two! Brothers, let me handle this matter." Shen Yi confidently leaped off his Sabertooth Tiger, unsheathing his own sword. The anger flashed every so often in his eyes as he looked at Wang Li, stepping forward.


    Truth to be told, he was a bit embarrassed by this show. He was at the First Level of Qi Foundation, nearing the Second Level and had to deal with a lowly First Level brat and a martial artist at Body Transformation.


    Only by thoroughly stomping on Wang Li and Yan Zhou in front of his friends would he regain some face!


    "Yan Zhou, you deal with the tiger. Make sure he pays the price for messing with us. I''ll handle him." Wang Li and Yan Zhou had already established who was stronger, and it was only fit Wang Li fought Shen Yi!


    "Be ready for my fist, Shen Yi!" Wang Li suddenly dug his foot into the ground, channeling all his inner strength, and burst forward in an impressive bout of speed. Using the low-class movement skill, Monkey Steps, he appeared in front of Shen Yi in an instant.


    "Lowly Body Transformation!" Shen Yi was extremely quick to respond, bringing his blade down full circle towards Wang Li - aiming to cut him in half.


    ''Monkey Steps, second step'' Springing to the side, the blade narrowly missed Wang Li by a small margin. His fist came circling around - aiming to slam Shen Yi in the shoulder.


    "Hmph! Traveler''s Steps!" Shen Yi used his own low-class martial skill and avoided Wang Li''s fist. Sheathing his blade, he prepared to show off his own might.


    "Listen here, Wang Li! This is the difference between Body Transformation and Qi Foundation! Die scum!" Shen Yi''s blade suddenly hummed at its own unique rhythm, some sort of blue energy rising off of Shen Yi''s body.


    This was Qi! Shen Yi was using the energy he cultivated in his dantian to power his attacks!


    "Silver Crescent Moon - Mortal Class Martial Art!" Suddenly the blue energy swarming off of Shen Yi turned bright silver - resonating with his sword. Swinging his sword down, a crescent of energy flew off his blade and directly shot towards Wang Li.


    This was a Qi attack from a Mortal Class Martial Art! The difference between a mere low-class martial art and a Mortal Class martial art was the ability to use Qi!


    The gap was nearly insurmountable! Even Wang Li felt an extremely dangerous pressure from the crescent of energy flying towards him, and knew that even his toughened body would fail in front of such an attack!


    "Iron Body!" Wang Li could only use a defensive low-class martial art and hurriedly cross his arms in front - hoping to defend from the attack! The sharp crescent of blade slammed into his defense, and cut deep and hard - nearly revealing his sparkling bones.


    "Drip...drip." Blood dripped down from Wang Li''s arms, his own white bone visible from beneath the cut.


    Qi attacks were nothing to play with!