《Martial Legend [DROPPED]》 Chapter 001 - Weakness When Cai Yun was born, he possessed no soul force, something thought to be impossible. Soul force was the special power within all living creatures that gave them life and the ability to move. It could be nurtured to grow. Yet, Cai Yun did not have any. As Cai Yun watched the people around him train in martial arts and cultivate their soul force, he was left on the side lines, just watching. The others in the Cai Clan had access to the Vault and Secret Library, where all of their clan¡¯s secret techniques were stored. All he could do was watch from the outside as the others trained. But, this did not stop Cai Yun. As he watched the others in his clan train, he watched them repeatedly, taking time to memorize their movements so that he could practice it on his own. Even though he was not allowed into the Vault, he could at least practice the techniques that he saw to learn some of it. ¡°You need to train harder!¡± the large man shouted. He was Cai Jun, the greatest of the previous generation who had reached the Martial Warrior Realm. Once a cultivator reached the Martial Artist Realm, their soul force transformed into martial force, allowing them to combine their own techniques with a spirit¡¯s power and creating high level martial arts. There were only two people in the clan who had reached that realm in the last hundred years, Cai Jun and Cai Yun¡¯s father, Cai Yan. Their friendly rivalry helped to promote their growth. But, Cai Yan was injured during a hunt five years ago, leaving him injured and unable to compete with Cai Jun anymore. Cai Yan had fallen to the level of Martial Artists, leaving Cai Jun as the sole prodigy of their generation and started to lose interest without a strong, friendly rivalry. As such, Cai Jun turned to training the next generation. He had wanted to train Cai Yun despite his lack of soul force, but the Patriarch had forbidden it, so Cai Jun had no choice. However, the stringent conditions also revealed a few loopholes that could be abused. Cai Yun cannot be directly taught nor be allowed access to the training resources, but he could watch and learn on his own. There was nothing to stop him from doing that and even only understanding thirty percent was better than understanding nothing at all. Everyone from the Cai Clan was required to train in martial arts. They had to in order to maintain their position within Cloud City. Even though they were only commoners and lacked the special cultivation resources and precious manuals that the Noble Clans had, the Cai Clan was among the top of the commoners due to sheer hard work. The Cai Clan had to work harder in order to keep up and one day have a chance at taking up the position of Noble Clan. ¡°Now, Earth Shattering Fist!¡± Cai Jun shouted. The practitioners began to repeat the movements of the unique fighting style of the Cai Clan, the Earth Shattering Fist. It was a powerful finishing blow strong enough to smash stones. Cai Yun looked in the corner to the Scouting Pillar. It was made by one of the Cai Clan¡¯s ancestors as a way to measure someone¡¯s soul force. It became the primary way of measuring someone¡¯s abilities. The higher the pillar rose, the greater your soul force was. Because of that thing, the children of the Cai Clan were sorted based on their abilities. Those within the Gold Class were considered to be the ones with the greatest potential. They were the ones who measured at a soul force of at least a hundred on their fifteenth birthday. Below that was the Silver Class, who measured between sixty and eighty. Then, Bronze Class, who measured between fifty and sixty. Below that, you were part of the regular classes.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Like the others, Cai Yun hoped to be within the Gold Class, but with his soul force at zero, there was nothing he could do about it. When he struck the pillar last year as a test, it still registered at zero. ¡°Now, focus!¡± Cai Jun instructed. The disciples all stopped and began to meditate. They began to focus in order to recover the qi that they had spent. This was where there were more variations. Some people were able to recover qi faster than others and their Class was rarely a factor. For Cai Yun, this was what gave him hope. There was some proof that the Scouting Pillar was not the ultimate decider of your ability. It was merely a measurement of your strength at a given time and there was such a thing as innate talent and late bloomers. Cai Jun turned in Cai Yun¡¯s direction. Cai Yun quickly ducked behind the pillar he was standing at, hoping that he was not spotted. Cai Yun took a peek from behind the pillar at Cai Jun. Cai Jun¡¯s eyes were still focused on him. As Cai Jun turned his back to the students for a second, he seemed to give Cai Yun a smile before turning back to the students, as if he did not mind that Cai Yun was there. Behind the pillar, Cai Yun traced the movements of the Earth Shattering Fist, a powerful strike meant to shatter enemy defenses. It was the core technique of their clan. It was quick and powerful. The only thing that could neutralize an Earth Shattering Fist was another Earth Shattering Fist or a technique one Rank above it. As Cai Yun looked back at Cai Jun, they had moved to the stones. The stones were practice for the Earth Shattering Fist. One was said to have mastered it when they could shatter the stone into dust. ¡°Observe!¡± said Cai Jun as he held back his fist. With a fierce quarter turn and a thrust of his arm, his fist slammed into the stone, turning the upper half of it into dust. The upper half of the stone had completely disappeared while the bottom half of the stone looked like it had been perfectly cleaved in half with a smooth finish. That was the proof of mastery. Cai Jun and Cai Yan were the only two that have mastered it to this degree. Not even the Patriarch could match this power. ¡°You there!¡± Cai Yun turned around and spotted two of the guards on patrol. He had been seen and needed to run. He needed to get out of the Training Hall. Cai Yun had learned the ins and outs of the Training Hall with the help of Cai Jun who had been here every day. Cai Yun slipped around the pillar, removing himself from view. He heard the two guards run towards him, but the stone walkway would prevent them from seeing which direction he went in. And unlike others, Cai Yun was not heading away from the center, he was heading into it. There was a secret exit here, one constructed a long time ago for in case the Cai Clan was ever under siege. There were dozens of them and they provided access to a series of tunnels constructed by one of their powerful ancestors. That ancestor was unknown to most people in the Cai Clan. They did not mark their name on their creation nor did they leave their records of it. The exit was located down one of the wells. It was not well hidden and you needed to be able to swim, but it was access to purified water that no one wanted to mess up. Cai Jun revealed something to me. It was not naturally purified water, something was purifying it, but he never found the source because of the mazelike tunnels. But, both Cai Jun and Cai Yun were hopefuls. They believed that there was something special down here and Cai Jun once told him a story that he had heard from his own grandfather. His grandfather said that there was a ¡°fairy,¡± a beautiful young woman with eyes of blue and a dress of white who was once locked away by their ancestors and would awaken when one of their own would release the bindings that sealed her away. However, in their years of exploring the tunnels, they had not found anything. It felt almost as if the ground was shifting each time they entered, making it harder to find something. The one thing that would never change though, was the entrance. It was always possible to find your way back, but not always possible to find your way forward. Now was as good of a time as any. The Cai Clan¡¯s guards did not think to search here. Even if they did, unless they waited at the entrance, it would be impossible to find him. He could just wait for a few hours before leaving. Until then, he was once again free to explore the tunnels under the Cai Clan. Chapter 002 - Cai Yan The mazelike tunnels stretched beneath Cloud City. There was no telling how far they reached. In addition, it was protected by a mysterious power, one that guided all of its entrants back to the entrance. No matter how hard you tried to navigate this maze, you would eventually be sent back to the beginning. Cai Yun had worked with Cai Jun in order to try to solve the maze, but they had no luck. They tried to keep a log of combinations in order to try to narrow down the possibilities, but the maze within changed every so often, making it impossible to find the correct path. Nonetheless, Cai Yun tried because he wanted to believe. He needed something to believe in. Without the ability to cultivate, there was very little you could do, and Cai Yun hated himself for it. Cai Yun navigated the maze as best as he could, but it sent him back every time. The mysterious power had kept him out like always. The only clue to the maze was the cold air that seemed to fill the entire place. Then, he spotted a man standing near the entrance. It was his father, Cai Yan. ¡°Uncle Cai Jun said I could find you here.¡± ¡°I was studying their martial arts again,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°I want to learn so bad.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Cai Yan answered. ¡°But without any soul force, you cannot develop the martial power needed to practice martial arts.¡± ¡°Is there no way?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Am I doomed to be like this forever?!?¡± ¡°Come home with me,¡± said Cai Yan. His tone suddenly changed. Cai Yun quietly stood behind Cai Yan as they walked home together. After a long period of silence, Cai Yan finally spoke up, ¡°I promised your mother I would not tell you until your fifteenth birthday,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°But, it looks like I will have to break that promise.¡± ¡°What promise?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Your mother is still alive,¡± Cai Yan answered. ¡°W-w-what?!?¡± Cai Yun was shocked. He had been told his mother was dead and had died when he was young. There was only a single picture of his mother in the whole house and it was the picture of her holding him when he was born. ¡°Your mother wanted to make sure that she was not tracked by members of her own clan,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°That is why she personally blocked the connection between your Dantian and your veins.¡± The Dantian was the source of all soul force and eventually martial force. Destroying it would make someone an un-cultivator. That was what Cai Yun had believed. But now, he was being told that his mother willingly severed it at a young age.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°What good does that do me?!?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Your mother was also a gifted alchemist, capable of making powerful elixirs that were previously unknown,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°That is why she also had to flee Cloud City. They wanted her knowledge.¡± To many, Cai Yun¡¯s mother was incredibly talented and they wanted her to share that knowledge, but she refused. ¡°Why are you telling me this now?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?!?¡± he cried. ¡°I promised your mother to give you a choice to not become a cultivator until you were old enough to make your own decisions,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°Then, you could decide for yourself if you wanted to continue down this path.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°What hope is there for an un-cultivator?¡± Cai Yan suddenly stopped and turned to face Cai Yun. ¡°When you become a cultivator, you will be fighting against all the other cultivators whether you want to or not,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°Do you think you can live making an enemy of the world?¡± ¡°If I can stop Cai Rong, I would gladly sacrifice myself!¡± Cai Yun declared. Cai Rong was going to be engaged to Cai Meili against her will. Cai Meili was a beautiful red haired woman and fourth cousin to Cai Yun. She was also a gifted alchemist, capable of refining Heaven Grade Elixirs at the age of fifteen. They had been friends when they were young and Cai Yun resented Cai Rong for forcing Cai Meili into this situation. ¡°Promise me you will not lose yourself in the pursuit of power,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°I promise,¡± Cai Yun answered. ¡°I promise I will not let my desire for power cloud my judgment.¡± Cai Yan gave a sigh of relief. ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Can you tell me what mom was really like?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°She was a strong beauty,¡± Cai Yan answered. ¡°I have no idea how old she really is, but she appeared to be in her early twenties when I met her. She was stronger than anyone I had ever met and she was compassionate, listening to people¡¯s opinions in the bar. That was why I fell in love with her.¡± Cai Yun was glad that he had inherited some of his mother¡¯s compassion. When Cai Yun asked in the past, his father usually avoided the question, not wanting to speak of it. Cai Yan had saw this as his way of not influencing Cai Yun until he was old enough to understand the decisions he was making. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how mom could help me,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°That is because it was originally intended to help me,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°The pill was meant to restore my cultivation.¡± ¡°If mom was so great, then couldn¡¯t she make more?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Some ingredients are not common,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°There was only enough materials for one and left the decision to me. I chose to save it for you.¡± Cai Yun could not believe what he was hearing. His father had sacrificed his own chances for recovery to give Cai Yun a chance at being a cultivator. His father willingly let himself be picked on by all of the elders to give Cai Yun a chance at a better future. Cai Yun could not believe it. ¡°Thank you, father,¡± Cai Yun said as he bowed. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me until it is done,¡± said Cai Yan. For the first time, Cai Yun had hope. There was a way of getting out of being an un-cultivator. His father had given him the chance. If he could grow strong enough to face Cai Rong before the tournament, he could save Cai Meili as well. Chapter 003 - The Golden Pill When Cai Yan and Cai Yun arrived back home, Cai Yan headed into his room. He returned with a plain looking box with a single paper seal on the lock. The seal was special and made so that only the person it was intended for could break it. Even a Martial Expert could not break it by force. Cai Yan took a deep breath. He flipped open the box, revealing a small black case and some clothes that belonged to a woman. Everything inside was things that belonged to Cai Yun¡¯s mother, Lin Lijuan. It was his first time seeing this collection of items. Cai Yan carefully took out the small black case. ¡°This is it,¡± he said. Cai Yun was nervous. This one box could change his fate. Cai Yan opened the box and revealed a small, shining, golden pill. This one pill had the power to change Cai Yun¡¯s fate. This one pill could also have saved his father from his fate as well. ¡°This pill is made from the scales of a Golden Snake, the tail of a Crimson Lizard, and the feather of a Scarlet Phoenix,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°The result is a powerful medicine capable of undoing any injury.¡± All Cai Yun could do was stare at it in amazement. He had never even heard of those creatures, but the Phoenix was a legendary creature to the people of Cloud City. The last one was seen hundreds of years ago. Cai Yun understood why the pill was so hard to make. It might as well be a one of a kind of existence. Cai Yan had to lock it away and keep it protected for all these years. If anyone knew of its existence, they would probably kill for it. ¡°It is yours,¡± said Cai Yan as he held the black box in his hand and presented it to Cai Yun. Cai Yun took the box with both hands, accepting it as a gift. He stared at the pill before glancing at his father. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°I am long past my prime,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°Even if I did take it, I would only have another ten years ahead of me before my age catches up. There would be no point for me to do so.¡± Cai Yun picked up the pill carefully. He took a good look at it and saw numerous tiny inscriptions and engravings on the pill. It almost looked alive. He closed his eyes and dropped it into his mouth. He swallowed it and braced himself. When someone consumed a powerful elixir, their strength would grow if their body could handle it. However, this pill contained neither soul force nor martial force. It contained a powerful healing power. There was a sudden pain in Cai Yun¡¯s chest as his veins reconnected to his Dantian. The pain was incredible as Cai Yun keeled over, grasping at his chest. Cai Yun could not bear the pain. The feeling of his veins being ripped apart was too much to bear and passed out. ¡°Son!¡± Cai Yan shouted.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. When Cai Yun awoke, it was completely dark. He could not tell where he was. A single flame appeared before Cai Yun. It was on a pedestal and glowing with a blue color. As the light grew brighter, it revealed an entire platform. It looked like something that belonged in a temple. Behind it was something completely bound by heavy chains. ¡°About friggin¡¯ time!¡± shouted the cage. It was the voice of a woman. But, it was too dark to see it. Cai Yun carefully approached the cage of chains. There was only a tiny gap at one part from which it was possible to see inside. Yet, all that was visible was pure darkness. Not a single ray of light was able to reach inside the chains due to the many layers that comprised it. Cai Yun stepped forward and looked into it. A pair of bright pink eyes stared back at him and it gave him an immense sense of dread. ¡°It took you fifteen goddamn years you know!¡± shouted the woman. ¡°Sorry,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± said the woman. ¡°It¡¯s your stupid mother¡¯s fault!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my mom!¡± I shouted. ¡°What are you going to do about it?!?¡± the woman shouted back. BANG. The woman smashed the cage of chains on the inside, startling Cai Yun. But, the entire cage did not budge at all. It held strong and stood against the strike. The woman inside could not break out of the cage. Cai Yun felt relieved. For a moment, he thought it would break out and kill him. That woman was incredibly bloodthirsty and if she was telling the truth, she had been locked inside of him since birth. ¡°Who are you?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Who am I?!?¡± the woman angrily shouted. She then sighed and realized that Cai Yun was too young to know. ¡°I am a spirit that your mother gifted to you. I wish she¡¯d at least wait until you came of age to hand me over instead of having me wait fifteen freaking years!¡± Cai Yun felt his eyes starting to get heavy. It was like the strength was draining from his body. ¡°My mother has been missing for many years,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Oh¡­¡± the woman¡¯s tone suddenly changed. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Where am I?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°This is your Dantian,¡± said the woman. Her tone had suddenly changed when she heard about what happened to Cai Yun¡¯s mom. ¡°As you grow stronger, that flame inside of you will grow and then all your spirits will grow stronger with you.¡± ¡°Even you?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Of course!¡± said the woman. ¡°When you become strong enough, I will help you become even stronger! Until then, just don¡¯t die.¡± Cai Yun was about to black out again, but from exhaustion instead of pain. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Your mother¡¯s treasure is in the maze!¡± the woman shouted as her voice faded. THUD. Cai Yun fell to the ground once more. When he awoke, he was in bed. His father was sleeping in the corner sitting down, having watched over him the whole time. Cai Yun could feel that his entire body was sore. The experience had drained his body immensely. He could not even move. Yet, he felt something strange from a spot between his stomach and his heart. That was the location of the Dantian. For the first time ever, Cai Yun could feel trace amounts of soul force that flowed from the Dantian to the rest of his body. The veins he had were larger and thicker than before, allowing his soul force to flow freely in his body. Cai Yun was no longer an un-cultivator. He was now a proper cultivator with the potential to become a true martial artist. It was something possible only thanks to his mother and father. For the first time in a long time, Cai Yun felt happy and felt like he had a future worth something. Chapter 004 - Flame Heart Cai Yun ended up slipping in and out of consciousness for three days. His experience inside his own Dantian had left him drained of his strength. But slowly, his body recovered the soul force that was lost and was finally able to move again. Compared to before, Cai Yun¡¯s body felt lighter. It was as if his strength had increased over the last few days. When Cai Yun finally got out of bed, his father asked him, ¡°Are you sure you are okay?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Cai Yun answered. ¡°The three days really helped.¡± Cai Yun could feel the increased soul force in his body. It was several times thicker than when he awoke the first time. ¡°Are you ready to learn real martial arts?¡± Cai Yan asked. ¡°But I¡¯m forbidden from being taught the Cai Clan¡¯s Martial Arts,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Then we won¡¯t teach you that,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°But how can I learn martial arts then?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°I will teach you the Lin Martial Arts,¡± Cai Yan answered. Lin was his mother¡¯s maiden name. It made sense that if she was from a great family, she would have her own martial arts as well. Since Cai Yun was forbidden from learning the Cai Clan¡¯s martial arts by the patriarch, then he could simply be taught another clan¡¯s techniques. There was no law against that. ¡°Do you know them?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°A little,¡± Cai Yan answered. He took out a stack of three different manuals and handed them to Cai Yun. ¡°You need to memorize every single word from these three manuals.¡± Manuals were the names given to all recorded martial arts. There were of course martial arts that were not recorded. These were given the name of lost techniques because they were missing parts that were crucial to revealing its true strength. Attempts to forcibly comprehend them often resulted in a weakened technique even if it was successful. Thus, completed martial arts were considered much more valuable. A clan could also refine the completed martial arts over many more years and make them much stronger as well. Cai Yun looked at the manuals. The three of them combined formed a recovery technique called the Flame Heart, a powerful recovery based technique that increased ones raw strength and defense. It kind of made sense that what his mother would be most concerned with was her own son¡¯s safety. It was also the first time Cai Yun got a chance to learn from an actual manual. Whenever he tried in the past, he would be kicked out and the manual would be seized before he could get more than a few words in. He did not stop trying though, even if it meant memorizing a few words of it at a time. He also tried to learn by watching overs, but copying a technique only allowed you to comprehend a fraction of what the manuals taught. The core of the Flame Heart technique was manipulating your breathing and flow of your soul force in order to speed up recovery. The manual itself was strange, with handwritten words in to replace certain parts of it. ¡°It has been changed?¡± said Cai Yun confusedly. ¡°Your mother personally refined the technique,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°It is an improved version of the same technique.¡± Cai Yun took to heart every single word. It was the words that his mother left for him. It was the words that his mother believed that he would one day need. It seemed more and more like his mother knew from the very beginning that he would choose this path. The technique itself seemed to refine the physical body in addition to the soul force. It relied on knowledge of the human body and how to properly guide one¡¯s own power around it. If successful one could not only speed up their own healing, but even the healing of others. Yet, that was also what made it difficult to learn. There was a ton of foundational knowledge and that was only in the first of three manuals. It felt like it was more than what was needed to study to become an alchemist. Even though Cai Yun had seen bits and pieces of the information in the manuals he had caught glimpses of before, the knowledge present in this one manual greatly overshadowed what was available in those other manuals. It was like comparing the knowledge possessed by a master to the knowledge possessed by a newborn.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The rest of the entire first volume of the manual focused on describing how to manipulate the soul force around the body and how to make it beneficial. As Cai Yun focused on the technique, he could feel the soul force within his body distribute itself evenly. It was no longer loose. It felt like a thin strand that flowed throughout his body, increasing his overall constitution. It felt like the soul force within his body had been magnified. He could not believe that this was something that someone at the First Level of the Elementary Realm could do. Yet, all the little tips scattered around the book helped him do it with ease. He guided his soul force through his body, only allowing it to penetrate certain parts of his body in order to maximize its effectiveness. Not a single drop of his soul force went to waste! ¡°Incredible¡­¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°You¡¯ve already learned the first level of the Flame Heart technique!¡± Cai Yun did not respond. He was completely focused on practicing his technique, circulating the small amount of soul force within his body. As that soul force gathered within his body, he could also feel it pulsating, as if it was growing. This was what allowed cultivators to grow in strength. By constantly channeling and using their soul force, they could allow it to grow. Elixirs helped speed up this process by infusing the body with soul force directly. Once enough soul force was gathered, that power would burst forth, permanently surging an increased amount of soul force throughout the body. This was also known as a breakthrough. A breakthrough into a new Realm would change the properties of the soul force, greatly strengthening it. Some techniques had levels of their own, increasing in effectiveness as you developed the technique further. The strongest martial art of the Cai Clan was the Earth Shattering Fist, which had five levels. Cai Jun was the only person who was alive that had mastered all five levels. The proof of that was his ability to crush stone into dust, something that no one else could do not even his father, Cai Yan, could do. ¡°It¡¯s incredible¡­¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°I can feel the power coursing through my body.¡± ¡°Your soul force can easily compete with those at the Third Level!¡± said Cai Yan in amazement. ¡°Why don¡¯t you practice the technique?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°I am an earth element like most of the Cai Clan,¡± Cai Yan answered. ¡°This technique only works on those who inherit the fire such as yourself.¡± It seemed like there was affinities associated with each element. In order to get the most out of a technique, it had to match your element. A mismatch resulted in greater consumption of your power per use and a lower overall output. Because of this, most people focused on developing a single element. On rare occasions, some people could utilize two or would have some kind of special property that enhances their element even further. Cai Yun began to study the second book while maintaining the flow of his soul force. The second book detailed the advancement of the Flame Heart technique. It would grow each time its user achieved a breakthrough and merged the technique with the power produced by their Dantian, greatly enhancing their physical strength and recovery. It even detailed new things the user could do with their soul force, resulting in powerful techniques. At his current level, Cai Yun only had one technique, Exploding Force. What it did was compress the soul force at a single point, allowing it to violently explode and deal massive damage. It was the same basis as Earth Shattering Fist, but choosing to let the energy become violent and unstable rather than trying to concentrate it into the smallest point possible. Yet, the technique was probably too dangerous to perform. The rest of the techniques was filled with warnings about not to do it until a certain level of cultivation was achieved. Cai Yun studied the manuals day and night, memorizing every word while continuing to cultivate his soul force. He could feel the power pulsating as it circulated his body. His soul force flowed into every organ in his body, fortifying his body and making it stronger. Unlike the technique that the Cai Clan practiced to concentrate their power, the Flame Heart technique distributed the power throughout the body, making it much easier to defend yourself. It took nine days for Cai Yun to finish the second manual and begin the third. The third manual consisted of a way to ingest elixirs and use the technique to not let a single drop of power be wasted. It required combining the precise control of soul force and distributing its power evenly throughout the body. It was not something that could actually be practiced unless he properly ingested an elixir first. Then, it hit him, there was a dirt cheap elixir he could use at his level, one made of River Spirit Grass. Chapter 005 - Cai Meili River Spirit Grass was an extremely common material, even inside of Cloud City. It was a grass that grew anywhere with a source of water. If you found a lake or a river, you can be sure you can find lots of the stuff. The only problem with River Spirit Grass was that the elixir made from it was not very potent. It was useless to anyone at the Third Level of the Elementary Realm, so it was only useful for pushing the first two levels. After that, a better elixir was needed. ¡°I¡¯m going to see Cai Meili,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to flirt with her a bit to get something good,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± Cai Yun shouted as he stormed out of the house. Everyone Cai Yun knew that he harbored secret feelings for his cousin. They spent a lot of time together when they were young. Even Cai Bingwen, Cai Meili¡¯s own grandfather, knew that the two of them liked each other and tried to get them together. Even after Cai Rong announced his intentions to Cai Bingwen, Cai Bingwen ignored Cai Rong and tried to push the two of them together. Few people would dare oppose Cai Hong, Cai Bingwen was a very large man despite his age. He was only in the Martial Artist Realm, but he was extremely intimidating. When he was standing up, I did not even reach his shoulder. He was also extremely muscular and had a large white beard. Whenever he saw me, he would always pick me up and lift me way up like I was still a child. But then again, to Cai Bingwen, almost everyone was a child. The alchemist stores were usually located near the Main Hall. The reason was that Cai Hong wanted to keep a tight control on all the cultivation resources so that they could best be distributed among the most talented in the clan. Lower grade elixirs could be purchased and sold by anyone. The higher grade elixirs could only be sold with permission. Most of the time, the resources were provided by the clan and then made for the sole purpose to give to someone. It did not stop Cai Bingwen from going into the Badlands by himself to hunt those monsters by himself though. Cai Yun took care to avoid the Main Hall or being spotted by anyone who might be heading to the Main Hall. Over the years, they did not like the fact that he was able to sneak in and out without being caught. In a way, he was showing them how incompetent they were as trained cultivators who had reached the Fortified Body Realm. Yet, they were incapable of catching someone without cultivation. Part of it was due to the fact that Cai Jun had taught Cai Yun the ins and outs of the Main Hall and their patterns. Cai Bingwen¡¯s place was within view of the Main Hall. The reason was that Cai Hong wanted to keep the family under watch due to their extreme talent in alchemy. At the age of fifteen, Cai Meili was already showing extreme talent, able to make high quality and high grade elixirs. Cai Yun waited for the guards heading to the Main Hall to pass by before slipping into the store. It was mostly empty. There were only a few elixirs on display behind a locked case behind tempered glass. Since there were not many elixirs, it was possible to see everything available. At the top of the case was the high grade elixirs that drew people¡¯s attention. The one that was the most expensive was the Scarlet Lotus Pill. It was made by grinding down a Scarlet Lotus and infused with the blood of one of the monsters. The stronger the monster, the more potent the pill would be. This one pill had no visible impurities, meaning it was of the highest quality. At that moment, Cai Bingwen walked in. He had to bend over to fit through the door. ¡°Boy!¡± he shouted as he saw Cai Yun. Cai Bingwen immediately ran towards Cai Yun and picked him up by his sides, lifting him into the air like a baby. ¡°Hello, uncle,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Your cultivation!¡± said Cai Bingwen in shock. Cai Bingwen had sensed his cultivation. When you touch someone, it is easier to read the amount of soul force in their body. ¡°I knew your veins just took a little longer to mature,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°I¡¯m here because I need some River Spirit Pills,¡± said Cai Yun. Every alchemist had River Spirit Pills. They were often given to children like a candy because it contained a tiny amount of soul force. But it was so tiny, it was useless at the Third Level. It was not even good enough to be considered a First Grade Elixir. That right was reserved for elixirs that could at least help people push through the Elementary Realm and into the Fortified Body Realm.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Well that¡¯s easy,¡± said Cai Bingwen. Cai Bingwen put Cai Yun down and turned around. ¡°Your friend is here!¡± he shouted. Cai Yun felt his heart skip a beat as he braced himself. After a few beats, Cai Meili stepped through. She was wearing a red sleeveless dress that hugged the contours of her body. Even though she was only at the First Level of the Fortified Body Realm, she was already considered a gifted genius at her level and second only to Cai Rong among their generation. The problem was that Cai Hong had no intention of helping Cai Meili make advancements otherwise she would have left Cai Rong behind long ago. Cai Meili saw that it was Cai Yun and immediately began brushing off any dust she thought might have been on her clothes. She even turned around to straighten her hair before turning back around. ¡°Hello, Little Yun!¡± said Cai Meili happily. This was the main reason everyone wanted Cai Yun and Cai Meili to be together. The two of them just brought out the best in each other. The only reason it could not happen was because no one could stand up to Cai Rong at the moment. Even Cai Meili was still two levels below Cai Rong and unable to compete. The main reason for that was Cai Rong received personal training from Cai Hong, giving him access to superior techniques that further increased the gap between them. ¡°Our boy here is a cultivator now!¡± said Cai Bingwen happily. Cai Meili was surprised. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Cai Yun answered. ¡°How long?¡± Cai Meili asked. ¡°About two weeks now,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°I need some River Grass Pills.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make a fresh batch for you right now!¡± said Cai Meili as she ran to the back. Cai Bingwen followed and pulled the curtain aside, allowing Cai Yun to enter. Normally, others are forbidden to enter because someone might steal their techniques. Cai Yun was trusted though and they did not care. Cai Meili took a bunch of River Grass. She put it all in a mortar and ground it by hand. It turned into a paste that was then heated. The heated grass let out some liquid which was then filtered out. The resulting liquid was chilled and thickened before being put into a mold and heated. The final product was a pill as green as the River Grass itself. A dozen fresh pieces made by Cai Meili herself. The entire process took less than five minutes. ¡°Wow,¡± said Cai Yun. It was his first time seeing it made. ¡°The girl or the pills?¡± Cai Bingwen asked. Cai Yun was too nervous to answer. He wanted to say Cai Meili, but the words could not come out of his mouth. This was another reason why Cai Bingwen, Cai Yan, and Cai Jun enjoyed seeing them together. They were just too innocent for this cruel world. ¡°I¡¯ll just take that silence for an answer!¡± Cai Bingwen laughed. ¡°Grandpa!¡± Cai Meili laughed. Cai Bingwen sat down. ¡°Go on, try one,¡± he said as he handed the pouch of pills to Cai Yun. Cai Yun took the bag with both hands from Cai Bingwen. ¡°Thank you, uncle.¡± Cai Yun took out the bright green pill. It was made with fresh River Spirit Grass. One made from old grass would be a dull green, almost grey color and was less effective. This was made with fresh River Spirit Grass, plucked less than an hour ago. Cai Yun took the pill into his mouth and cracked it. He then swallowed it and focused on the soul force within his body. The soul force within the pill released as it dissolved within his body, allowing him to integrate every drop of it, allowing his soul force to grow just a tiny bit. ¡°It feels strange,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s your first elixir,¡± said Cai Bingwen as he hit Cai Yun in the back. ¡°How much do I owe?¡± Cai Yun asked. Cai Bingwen looked at Cai Yun with a strong stare. ¡°One win against Cai Rong at the annual tournament.¡± If Cai Rong was defeated, then Cai Meili would not have to marry Cai Rong. He would no longer be seen as a prodigy if someone younger was able to defeat him. The problem was that there was an entire Realm and two levels between them. This was basically an insurmountable gap, especially if Cai Yun only had six months to overcome this gap. The reason it was six months was because Cai Meili would turn fifteen in the next few months and would be considered of age. At that point, a marriage was usually arranged with the exception of extraordinary circumstances. Cai Rong was already eighteen though. But, this was what drove Cai Yun the most. He wanted to stop Cai Rong. Cai Rong was a horrible person, abusing those that were weaker than him and using his power to push people around. There was one time where they literally walked into a store and just took what they want without paying. Yet, as the grandson of Cai Hong, there was not much they could do. The Enforcement Elders always sided with Cai Rong and in the worst case scenario, their family would be the one that was punished. A lot of people secretly had a wish, to make Cai Hong suffer defeat at least once. But since Cai Yan was injured, there was no one that could stand up to Cai Hong. Cai Jun was his nephew and listened to his uncle. Standing up to one¡¯s ancestor was also considered disrespectful, enough to get expelled from the clan in some instances, which further discouraged rebellion. ¡°I will do everything I can,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°But, I cannot promise with such a short time until then.¡± ¡°I will do what I can as well,¡± said Cai Bingwen as he got up. ¡°I¡¯m going to go hunting with your dad.¡± Cai Bingwen intended to collect resources to help Cai Yun with his cultivation. Cai Hong could not complain if they collected some medium grade materials on their own. Only high grade materials had to be recorded. ¡°Let me come with!¡± said Cai Yun. He wanted to go outside the walls of Cloud City. Only those that were considered strong enough were let through alone. But in a group, as long as one of them was strong enough and there was no good reason, they could go together. Chapter 006 - Hunting Cai Yan, Cai Bingwen, and Cai Yun all stood before the massive city gates. It was an extremely tall wall meant to keep out the monsters that roamed outside. Near the city were the weakest. The further you went though, the stronger the creatures became. If you went into the Badlands, there were extremely powerful monsters that were stronger than Martial Experts. But, that was also where the greatest fire type cultivation resources were located. Today though, Cai Yan and Cai Yun were not going to go far. Only Cai Bingwen was going out near the Badlands. Cai Yan and Cai Yun were going to stay near the city. ¡°I¡¯m off,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°Be careful,¡± Cai Yan warned. ¡°I will, brother,¡± Cai Bingwen responded. He then suddenly leapt several meters and began running. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re next,¡± said Cai Yan. He flashed his badge and the guards let them through the outer wall of the city. Immediately, Cai Yan noticed that it was snowing. He had heard about the white crystals that fell from the sky, but it was his first time seeing it. The reason was that the barrier around Cloud City created by the royal family allowed for manipulation of weather within the barrier to keep out extreme weather conditions. Only a blizzard would result in snowing within the city. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Cai Yun looked in amazement at the outside world. It was the first time he had been outside the walls. ¡°This way,¡± said Cai Yan as he began walking off the main road. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°You¡¯re going to catch a White Rabbit,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°A white rabbit?¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°How would that help me?¡± ¡°A White Rabbit is small, but nimble,¡± Cai Yan answered. ¡°You have to notice the intricate movements in order to see when and how it will run. Only by predicting this and staying out of its sight will you catch it.¡± Cai Yun took another pill out of his bag and cracked it in his mouth before swallowing it. He was already almost through the batch of River Grass Pills. It was surprising to Cai Yun how much he needed to advance a level. After all, the average person needed only about ten. Cai Yun was through ten already. He only had six left. ¡°Finish the pills first,¡± said Cai Yan. Cai Yun planted his buttocks onto the ground and closed his eyes, focusing on the soul force within his body. He cracked another River Grass Pill in his mouth and swallowed it. There was a sudden pulsation from his Dantian as the soul force spread throughout his body. It felt like at any moment, it was going to burst. Cai Yun ate another River Grass Pill. The pulsation only grew stronger. As Cai Yun downed the third River Grass Pill in a row, there was suddenly a sudden burst of soul force in his body. BOOM. It felt like a massive explosion as a sudden surge of spirit force pushed his veins that carried the soul force within his body to their very limits, causing them to expand. His entire body felt revitalized. ¡°Was that a breakthrough?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°Congratulations. Second Level after eleven days is very good.¡± At two weeks, in twenty weeks, he would be able to make it to the Fortified Body Realm. Then, he might actually stand a chance against Cai Rong. The problem was acquiring resources as the River Grass Pills would only work for one more level. ¡°It feels incredible,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Be careful not to get addicted to the feeling,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°For some people, it¡¯s like a drug and sometimes what people might do to get that feeling once more pushes them to do reckless things.¡± For a moment, Cai Yun began to think about what Cai Yan said about no turning back. He understood how the feeling could become addictive. Any addiction needs to be fed. Even if he was not like that, someone else might come after him. The annual tournament within the Cai Clan was proof of that. There were sometimes very ruthless actions and Cai Hong often allowed it because it turned the members of the Cai Clan against each other rather than at him. As a result, it became easier for him to control them when they were focused on competing with each other.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The remaining Spirit Grass Pills did little for Cai Yun. He could not even feel an increase in the amount of soul force. It seemed like it had lost its effect on him entirely and he needed better cultivation resources. ¡°I am ready, father,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Let¡¯s go find us a White Rabbit then,¡± said Cai Yan. The two of them walked slowly. The snow was light so there were still patches of visible dirt everywhere. The snow could not gather enough to form a layer yet. Suddenly, Cai Yan raised his arm to stop Cai Yun and pointed forward. Cai Yun squinted his eyes and was able to make out two black spots that reflected a bit of light. As Cai Yun looked closely, he noticed that they were eyes. The white fur of the White Rabbit perfectly blended with the snow, camouflaging its entire body. ¡°Do not stop trying to catch it until you run out of soul force,¡± said Cai Yan. He suddenly smacked his son¡¯s own back, causing him to stumble forward. Immediately, the White Rabbit noticed and began running. Cai Yun chased after it as fast as he could. The White Rabbit left footsteps in the snowy parts, but it was running incredibly fast. Its four legs moving together allowed it to make incredibly sharp turns. Cai Yun could not even keep the White Rabbit in view. Cai Yan was slowly following Cai Yun from behind, keeping a distance to observe the surrounding and only to keep Cai Yun safe. From this point on, it was up to Cai Yun to catch the White Rabbit. Because of the White Rabbit¡¯s incredible speed, Cai Yun would need to sneak up on the White Rabbit, which was what made it difficult. Its widely spaced eyes meant that it could only be snuck up on from behind. Its constantly shifting head made it difficult to get into position. You had to see an opportunity and take it. That one brief window in which it could not react in time was the only chance Cai Yun had. The White Rabbit began chewing on a patch of grass. It was distracted. Cai Yun darted straight for the White Rabbit. The White Rabbit suddenly lifted its head to turn around, spotting Cai Yun. It saw him. The moment it saw Cai Yun diving for it, the White Rabbit suddenly leapt, causing Cai Yun to crash straight into the ground. The White Rabbit then ran off. At that moment, Cai Yun knew it was not going to be an easy task. The White Rabbit was just too fast. It was not something he can catch at his current level. But, Cai Yun was not one to give up that easily. There had to be a way. He followed after the White Rabbit, following its footprints. The White Rabbit had incredibly high senses and reaction. It could react to Cai Yun even if it saw him approach late. That left only one option. The only way Cai Yun could catch it was if it was distracted by someone else and Cai Yun reacted to that reaction. ROAR! In the distance, there was a cry of some kind. WHOM. Something big fell to the ground. Cai Yan had slain one of the nearby monsters as well. Just to be safe, Cai Yun followed the White Rabbit that moved away from it. After all, most animals that were raised inside the walls of Cloud City were able to sense danger and moved away from it. As the White Rabbit ran, it moved quickly and unpredictably. Its movements were seemingly random with no pattern. But since it was distracted by the loud noise and was focusing on moving to safety, it did not notice Cai Yun chasing it. ROAR. An enormous bear suddenly appeared before the White Rabbit. As dangerous as it was, this was Cai Yun¡¯s chance. The White Rabbit was startled and jumped up. At that moment, Cai Yun jumped towards the White Rabbit. For a brief moment, Cai Yun felt something on his back. His father had used his back as a stepping board to jump over him, but Cai Yun barely felt. The White Rabbit could not react again in midair as Cai Yun flew towards it. BAM. Cai Yan¡¯s left struck the enormous White Bear that was only a few meters away. Its head was pushed sideways and its entire body followed. Cai Yun¡¯s entire body covered the White Rabbit. His arms wrapped around it to entrap it. He fell onto the ground on his back to cushion the blow to the White Rabbit. ¡°That was cutting it a little close,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°Sorry, father,¡± said Cai Yun. Cai Yun watched as Cai Yan extracted a small round crystal from the chest of the White Bear. It was similar to the Soul Crystals he had seen for sale in the markets. There was a faint amount of soul force in it. These Soul Crystals could be worn by someone in the Profound Realm in order to channel the spirits power or be refined into an elixir. A White Bear was a Low Grade Elixir that worked up to the Fifth Level of the Elementary Realm. Cai Yun released the struggling White Rabbit in its arms. It looked at Cai Yun for a second before hopping away. ¡°I did it,¡± said Cai Yun who could not even believe it. ¡°What did you learn?¡± Cai Yan asked. ¡°Against a superior opponent, you have to look for openings,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Very good,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°When you are against a superior opponent, you will be on the defensive. No matter how strong they are, they always have openings due to poor habits or are unaware of certain environmental aspects. That is your chance to strike!¡± ¡°I will remember that,¡± said Cai Yun. Chapter 007 - Cai Rong Cai Yan handed the White Bear¡¯s Soul Crystal to Cai Yun. Immediately, Cai Yun could already tell the soul force that was still circling within it. The problem with using Soul Crystals were that they required a lot more time to refine than elixirs. The reason was that the soul force belonged to another living creature and it required effort and time to make it your own. The greater the difference between you and the original source, the longer it would take. Once you did though, everything that belonged to the creature would become yours. The principles behind it was the same. As long as you had physical contact with the Soul Crystal, you were always absorbing a little of the soul force within. If you focused on extending the circulation of your soul force to include an object, you could draw in some of the power contained within the object. ¡°Let¡¯s head back,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°Cai Bingwen will help you get the rest of what you need.¡± ¡°Why is he so helpful?¡± Cai Yun asked. He never questioned why Cai Jun and Cai Bingwen were so nice to him until now. ¡°The three of us and your mother were the best of friends,¡± Cai Yan answered. ¡°Even though Cai Hong often tried to portray me and your Uncle Jun as bitter rivals, we still get along very well.¡± ¡°For some reason, I always felt like they owed you something,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°They owe your mother, not me,¡± Cai Yan answered. ¡°Mom?!?¡± Cai Yun was surprised to hear this. The more he learned about his mother, the more mysterious she became. He had thought his mother was kind, but she was someone who abandoned him. Now, even though his mother abandoned him, it felt like she gave him everything he needed to help him grow stronger. ¡°I know you must think poorly of your mother,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°But I guarantee you, she is a kind and gentle woman who is willing to do everything to help you.¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± Cai Yun said to himself in a low voice as he thought of what she was like. Cai Yun did not have many memories of his mother. She had disappeared from his life when he was just a baby. He could not even remember her face clearly. All he could picture is a young woman with a blank face because of what he had learned about her. ¡°Cai Jun, Cai Bingwen, your mother, and I swore a blood oath together,¡± said Cai Yan. A blood oath was a ceremony in which two or more people made an unbreakable promise that they would carry to their deaths as needed. It was something that made them as close as any family. Even though they all shared the surname Cai, that name meant little when your clan was thousands of people who were separated through the generations. A blood oath essentially declared to everyone else that these people were as close as my family and if you dare to hurt one of them, all of us will come for you. Cai Yan and Cai Yun headed back to Cloud City. ¡°Will Uncle Bingwen be okay out there?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Even though he is not as strong as me or Uncle Jun, he is strong,¡± Cai Yan answered. ¡°Do not worry and Cai Meili can take care of herself as well.¡± Cai Yun was not worried about that. He knew Cai Meili handled everything herself whenever Cai Bingwen went out to hunt for ingredients. What he was worried about was that as the day of the annual tournament came closer, Cai Hong and his people became more aggressive in taking resources. It was common for him to tell each family in the clan to provide an elixir of a certain quality as a prize for the tournament. The prize almost always ended up in the hands of Cai Hong¡¯s close relatives. For the last three years, Cai Rong had been the one to win. This year would be his last chance to win and if someone won four times in a row, they would be bestowed a gift from the Cai Clan¡¯s Vault, which housed all the treasures from the clan¡¯s past. The previous person to win four times in a row was Cai Hua, who was around before Cai Hong¡¯s time. Cai Hong himself never won all four times he qualified for the tournament. Cai Yan won three while Cai Jun won the fourth. Thus, a single person winning four times was considered a very big deal. ¡°Well, well, well, look at what we have here,¡± said a coarse voice. Cai Yun and Cai Yan looked behind them and saw Cai Rong. Cai Rong was rarely out in public. He was often training within the private area of his home. But whenever he appeared, there was guaranteed to be business. Cai Yan gave Cai Yun one piece of advice that he always remembered, do not speak to Cai Rong and continue about your business. Speak a single word and he will find a way to turn it against you. Cai Rong had dyed his hair blonde and was wearing a sabre on his hip. He was wearing an ornate red and black robe with the seal of the Cai Clan on his back. He was flaunting his wealth and status. The only people who could push him around was one of the Four Noble Families, but they kept to themselves and did not bother with outsiders, giving Cai Rong free reign.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°State your business,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°I¡¯m just checking out the competition,¡± said Cai Rong. ¡°It¡¯s a shame your son is an un-cultivator, Uncle Yan.¡± Cai Rong did not even bother to check Cai Yun¡¯s cultivation. It was easy to sense if someone had soul force because it could not be hidden. Martial force on the other hand, could be suppressed and hidden to hide your true cultivation. But, that was proof of how much Cai Rong underestimated his competition. ¡°If you have no business with us, we¡¯ll be on our way,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare raise your voice with me!¡± Cai Rong shouted. ¡°Raise my voice?¡± Cai Yan asked. ¡°I¡¯m just stating that I have business to attend to.¡± ¡°There is no important business for a crippled old man,¡± said Cai Rong. At that moment, Cai Yun started to feel immense anger towards Cai Rong. Cai Yan raised his arm for a moment and waved his sleeve between Cai Yun and Cai Rong, signaling Cai Yun to hold himself back. ¡°Then what business do you have with a cripple?¡± Cai Yan asked. In an instant, Cai Yan had turned Cai Rong¡¯s insult back at him. Cai Yan had endured it for years, but he was not someone who was going to take insults sitting down. If Cai Rong was the first one to throw a punch, he would be the one in the wrong. But if Cai Yan threw the first punch, then it would not be a problem. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for a chance to cripple your son,¡± said Cai Rong. ¡°Then you two can be alike.¡± Cai Rong was known for causing serious injuries during the tournament. He did not hold back at all, which was seen as a sign of strength by the elders. However, some people like Cai Jun felt that because Cai Rong had no compassion, he would never be able to hold the title of Patriarch. They had thought the same of Cai Hong, but Cai Hong gradually consolidated his power until no one was left to challenge him, leading to their current predicament. At that moment, Cai Yan no longer held his anger back. He vanished and the next thing Cai Yun saw was his father holding up Cai Rong by the throat. ¡°I may be a cripple, but I am still your elder and far stronger than you. Your life is literally in my hands right now and I could kill you right now. If you threaten my son, I will break your neck here and now.¡± Cai Yan dropped Cai Rong onto the ground who was now gasping for air. ¡°You may think of yourself as a prodigy, but that is only because your grandfather has hoarded all of the Cai Clan¡¯s resources for you,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°You are still young and no match for an elder, any of which can kill you in an instant.¡± Cai Rong was scared. Most of the time, no one dared to talk back to him because of his status. However, someone like Cai Yan who knew what it was like to be treated like trash had little to lose. Any punishment doled at him would be meaningless at this point. ¡°Now run home to tell your grandpa,¡± said Cai Yan. Cai Rong got up and ran as fast as he could. ¡°Are you not worried?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°This actually benefits us,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Think about what just happened in the public streets of Cloud City,¡± said Cai Yan. Cai Yun looked around and saw that there were a lot of people watching. Even if Cai Hong could silence the members of the Cai Clan, silencing people outside of the clan would require bribery, bribery that they could benefit from as well. That evening, Cai Yun was working on integrating the soul force within the Soul Crystal within his body. He could only absorb a tiny amount at a time because he was at the Second Level of the Elementary Realm while the Soul Crystal was at the Fifth Level. By using the Flame Heart cultivation method, he could absorb it pretty quickly according to his father. KNOCK. There was someone at the door. ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± said Cai Yan. As Cai Yan opened the door, there were two men who wore the same clothes of Cai Rong from the afternoon. They were representatives of the Cai Clan who were out on official business. The two of them bowed. ¡°We are here to apologize for the young master¡¯s behavior,¡± said one of the men. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°Raise yourself. You are not responsible for the behavior of the spoiled grandson of the Patriarch.¡± ¡°Master Cai Bo offers his apologies,¡± said the man. Cai Bo was Cai Rong¡¯s father and one of Cai Hong¡¯s sons. Cai Yun had thought that Cai Rong would run to his grandfather, the Patriarch for help. But instead, Cai Rong had ran to his father. The two men presented Cai Yan with a box which Cai Yan accepted with both hands. With that, the two men turned around and left. ¡°See,¡± said Cai Yan. ¡°How did you know this would happen?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Cai Hong has a notoriously short temper,¡± Cai Yan answered. ¡°Cai Rong would most likely be beaten by Cai Hong himself if he told his grandfather what happened.¡± Cai Yun stared at the box. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked. ¡°Let¡¯s find out,¡± said Cai Yan. Cai Yan removed the red cloth and revealed a red and gold box. There was a letter. The box itself contained numerous candied fruits. The letter was an apology from Cai Bo, not Cai Rong. It said that Cai Rong would be disciplined for his actions and hopes that Cai Yan will not bring this issue up with Cai Hong. ¡°Do you want to bring this issue to the Patriarch?¡± Cai Yan asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine with this,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Cai Yan asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Cai Yun answered. ¡°This is not a problem with Patriarch should be bothered with.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± said Cai Yan. He tore up the letter and ignited it with his fire elements. Calling upon the elementals was something that was possible once someone reached the Profound Realm. Cai Yan set aside a few of the sweets in a small snack box and wrapped it back up in the red cloth. ¡°Hand those to Uncle Bingwen and Cai Meili tomorrow,¡± he said. ¡°I will,¡± said Cai Yun. The two of them enjoyed the sweets together. Cai Yun set aside a few of the chocolate covered ones because that was the kind that Cai Meili enjoyed. Chapter 008 - Unregistered Cai Yun continued to absorb the soul force from the White Bear¡¯s Soul Crystal. It was already starting to lose some of its color, which meant that it was already halfway drained. Despite this, Cai Yun had not achieved a breakthrough. He was absorbing the soul force faster than normal people, but getting less out of it. It was problematic as it meant it would take him more resources to make the same kind of advancement. It was the same as being put at a severe disadvantage. Cai Yun held the soul crystal in one hand and the small red pouch in the other. He was going to head to Cai Meili¡¯s again. Hopefully, the candy would persuade her to give him something a little better. As Cai Yun arrived near the Main Hall, he became a little more cautious. He looked around to make sure no one was around as he went into the building. ¡°Hello?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°I¡¯m back here, Little Yun,¡± said Cai Meili. Cai Yun headed into the back of the shop. Cai Meili had a face mask on and was wearing another layer of thin clothes over her body as she mixed the batch. ¡°I brought you a small gift,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Just let me finish this,¡± said Cai Meili. Cai Yun sat on the floor and waited. He saw Cai Meili pour the mixture into a large flask. The flask then allowed the contents to drip down into individual vials. With that, Cai Meili removed the extra coverings and sat down next to Cai Yun. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you again so soon,¡± said Cai Meili. ¡°I went through all the pills yesterday and I¡¯m working on this now,¡± said Cai Yun as he showed Cai Meili the White Bear¡¯s Soul Crystal. ¡°Still no breakthrough?!?¡± Cai Meili said in surprise. ¡°Only to the Second Level from the River Grass Pills,¡± Cai Yun confirmed. ¡°That is weird,¡± said Cai Meili. Cai Yun handed the pouch to Cai Meili. ¡°I was hoping I could trade you this for something good.¡± Cai Meili opened it with a big smile. ¡°It¡¯s chocolate!¡± she cried in joy. Chocolate was a rare delicacy that was difficult to grow and thus very valuable. The Lin Clan grew a lot of it as their specialty. But since no one else could grow a lot of it, it was considered an expensive luxury in Cloud City. Cai Yun wondered how Cai Meili might be able to defeat Cai Rong. She was second only to him in terms of strength and was three years younger. If she had more time to train, she could probably surpass him. But, with what Cai Jun had told him, it was going to be done this year in order to stop that from ever happening. It was Cai Hong¡¯s way of making sure that he remained unchallenged. ¡°Are you going to fight this year?¡± Cai Yun asked Cai Meili. ¡°Of course,¡± said Cai Meili. The girls and boys were separated into different divisions until the final round. At that point, the strongest boy fought the strongest girl to determine who was the overall strongest. Gender was rarely a factor unless there was a mental issue that blocked them from fighting against that person, such as being close. The biggest factor was usually age. One year was usually at least two levels in the Elementary Realm and as a result, those that were eighteen usually topped the rankings. There were exceptions like Cai Yun¡¯s father and Cai Jun who topped the charts starting from the time that they turned fifteen, but that was considered an unusual circumstance. Cai Bingwen entered carrying a sack. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t expect to see you here this early,¡± he said to Cai Jun. ¡°Hello, Uncle Bingwen,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°I brought you two a gift as thanks.¡± When Cai Yun looked over at Cai Meili, she had already finished most of the sweets already. Cai Bingwen just let her be and walked in. He put down the sack next to the alchemy pot. It was filled with different herbs that could be used to make elixirs. He dug to the bottom and took out five soul crystals. ¡°Here,¡± he said as he handed them to Cai Yun. ¡°Really?!?¡± Cai Yun was surprised.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Low grade soul crystals are more common than you think,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t accept this,¡± Cai Yun said. ¡°Think of it as payment for the gift,¡± Cai Bingwen insisted. Cai Yun opened his hands and Cai Bingwen dropped the five soul crystals into his hand. ¡°Thank you, uncle,¡± said Cai Yun. Cai Yun looked in amazement at the five glowing pearls that were the soul crystals in his hands. For most people, this was extremely expensive because they could not go outside the walls alone. Even Cai Rong and Cai Hong could not go outside easily because of their status. This restriction was put in place to manage risk to Cloud City. Each clan could only send people out under the leadership of someone who is at least at the Martial Artist Realm. Then, the number they could bring with them was very limited and they were all forbidden to travel beyond the Badlands unless they could surpass the Martial Expert Realm. This restriction was put in place because one of the city¡¯s ancestors discovered a frightening creature that surpassed the Martial Expert Realm towards the end of the Badlands. It had attacked the city in the past and the Four Noble Families had to join together to stop it, ultimately resulting in the death of many of them. Each of the crystals had a slightly different hue and Cai Yun could notice the energies swirling within were all a little different. The biggest difference was the density, but one of the crystals was unusual in the fact that the movement inside the crystal was in a different pattern from the rest. Cai Yun looked at it, wondering what it could be. ¡°Where did you get this one from?¡± Cai Yun asked. Cai Bingwen grabbed a hold of the soul crystal. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he said. ¡°They all look the same to me.¡± Cai Bingwen was an expert in alchemy, not soul crystals. You could ask him about plants and he could read off all the benefits of every single one. Soul crystals required a different kind of specialty. ¡°Your father might be able to tell,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°He¡¯s a lot better than this at me.¡± ¡°Alright, I will ask him later,¡± said Cai Yun. Cai Meili had finished the entire pouch of candy. She handed the red pouch back to Cai Yun. ¡°That was good,¡± she said. Cai Bingwen nudged Cai Meili. ¡°Thank you, Little Yun,¡± she said. ¡°No need to say thanks,¡± said Cai Yun. Cai Meili went back to work with the new plants to continue working on the elixirs. Cai Bingwen sat down next to Cai Yun. Even then, he was still huge and as tall as Cai Yun standing up. ¡°In three months, the Hunt will begin,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°The Hunt?¡± It was the first time Cai Yun had heard of it. ¡°The ancient array left by our ancestors of our city leads to a special vault,¡± Cai Bingwen explained. ¡°What¡¯s inside the vault?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Lots of cultivation resources,¡± Cai Bingwen answered. ¡°You must at least reach the Eighth Level of the Elementary Realm by then.¡± ¡°Eighth Level?!?¡± Even if Cai Yun advanced at one level every two weeks, which was an impossible pace for most, he could not make it. Cai Bingwen held out a ring. ¡°This is what will help you, but do not open it until you get home,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°What is it?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Unregistered,¡± Cai Bingwen answered. Unregistered items were things that were not reported to the Cai Clan even though they should be. Things like high grade elixirs, Martial Artist and above soul crystals would be categorized here. ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°I¡¯m tired of Cai Hong not investing in our younger generation,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°I also do not want to see Cai Meili marry that awful Cai Rong. That is why you must get stronger.¡± ¡°But there are many others better than me,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°You have a good heart and that is more important,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°There are others that can oppose Cai Hong, but we need someone with a good heart to become the symbol of our clan, not Cai Rong.¡± Cai Yun understood it. As someone who was growing up without the ability to cultivate and had only been able to do so recently, he did not develop the same mentality that allowed them to step on one another to make progress. Cai Yun shared compassion and showed care for others, especially Cai Meili and Cai Yan. As a result of this, Cai Bingwen put is faith in Cai Yun. ¡°Even Cai Bo thinks you would be a better successor than Cai Rong.¡± ¡°Cai Bo?¡± Cai Yun was surprised to hear this. Cai Bo was the son of Cai Hong and the father of Cai Rong. But to hear that Cai Bo thought that his own son did not deserve to represent the clan was a shock. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Cai Bo is not some careless senior who lets his son run wild,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°A long time ago, he was friends with your father and I too.¡± This was the first time that Cai Yun had heard of this. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Cai Hong did not like that Cai Bo was going to break out of his arranged marriage,¡± Cai Bingwen explained. ¡°He told Cai Jun and Cai Bo that one of them would have to marry the girl.¡± ¡°Did they fight?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Cai Bo volunteered to save Cai Jun because he saw that Cai Jun had the potential to become stronger than him,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°He also forced himself into isolation by doing so and was forced to become Cai Hong¡¯s lapdog.¡± Cai Yun could not believe it. He had thought that Cai Bo was a bad person like Cai Hong and Cai Rong. Children took after their parents after all. But, Cai Bo seemed like an oddity between Cai Hong and Cai Rong now. ¡°Cai Bo has been doing what he can to help distribute at least the lower grade elixirs evenly among the families,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°This is his way of paying back to you what you never got because of Cai Hong¡¯s treatment of you.¡± ¡°I need to thank Cai Bo then,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Your father has helped him a lot already,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°Do not worry too much.¡± ¡°I will do so still,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Focus on training first,¡± said Cai Bingwen. ¡°When you reach the top of the tournament, then you can thank everyone who helped you.¡± ¡°I will, Uncle Bingwen,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Let¡¯s try to make that Father-in-Law Bingwen,¡± Cai Bingwen joked. For the first time, Cai Yun did not speak up in response to that joke. Chapter 009 - Breakthrough Cai Yun continued refining the soul crystals. He had depleted the first one with no breakthrough. As he returned home, his father was not present. There was only a little note left on the table, ¡°Gone hunting for the tournament.¡± It was already time. Cai Hong ordered families to contribute resources to give out as prizes for the annual tournament. Cai Yan would not return until his father was able to find something good, probably a high quality soul crystal of the Martial Artist Realm or a high grade elixir. Cai Yun had hoped to ask his father, Cai Yan, about the soul crystal, but he was not home. Cai Yun went to his room and focused on absorbing the soul crystal. The soul crystals he received from Cai Bingwen were all of the Profound Realm. They contained hundreds of times more soul force than the one that his father had taken from the White Bear. Cai Yun sat down in the lotus position and began focusing on integrating the soul force within the crystals. The amount that one could absorb depended on their current cultivation so he had to take it slow. He discovered that even though he did not make a breakthrough, he could absorb a lot more soul force from the soul crystal than before. Cai Yun alternated between studying the three books his mother left him and absorbing the soul crystals. Every time he reviewed them, he gained a little more insight, understanding the body and allowing him to adjust the flow of the soul force within his body. Cai Yun went outside and looked at the tree in the pavilion. He did not want to break it, so he decided to face away from it. He raised his hand in front of him and gathered the soul force into his hands. ¡°Exploding Force!¡± The soul force he gathered within his palm became violent, swirling in every direction without aim. All of it became uncontrolled as it burst forth from his palm. BOOM. The massive force of the blast knocked Cai Yun onto the ground. The recoil from it was immense. If he had aimed it at the tree, it would have broken it. It surely would have cracked the wall as well. It was far stronger than the Earth Shattering Fist technique that the Cai Clan practiced. The Earth Shattering Fist technique was more controlled and focused. Exploding Force was uncontrolled and relentless. The worst part of it was that the technique left him drained. It consumed a huge amount of soul force. Cai Yun immediately sat down and focused on the Flame Heart technique. In doing so, it allowed him to start recovering his soul force quickly. Exploding Force was not a technique Cai Yun would be able to use repeatedly. At his level, he could only use it once, but the power of it was far above his current cultivation level. It was probably closer to someone who used the Earth Shattering Fist at the Sixth or Seventh Level of the Elementary Realm. The difference was the number of uses though. Earth Shattering Fist could probably be used once per level. The number of uses for Exploding Force, maybe even once per Realm. Cai Yun needed a way to focus that power. If he could concentrate it, then he might be able to reduce the amount of soul force it used while simultaneously increasing its power by making it easier to break a single point of defense.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Meditation was a slow way to recover lost soul force. In a real battle, it was impossible to make time to recover. As soon as Cai Yun¡¯s strength recovered, he tried it again. Once again, the violent energies made it difficult to focus it into a single point. ¡°Trying to refine a technique like that at your level is impossible,¡± said Cai Jun. Cai Yun did not even sense Cai Jun enter. His father probably asked Cai Jun to check up on him. ¡°Hello, Uncle Jun,¡± said Cai Yun. ¡°Watch this,¡± said Cai Jun as he jumped to the ground. Cai Jun quickly snapped his arms forward. Cai Yun watched as the soul force from Cai Jun¡¯s body burst forth. He recognized it was a form of Earth Shattering Fist, but it was not exactly the same. This version of the technique allowed him to trigger the same power from his elbows and hands at the same time. It was as if his entire body could use Earth Shattering Fist. ¡°Some techniques are just not meant to be controlled,¡± said Cai Jun. Cai Jun gathered clasped his hands together and swung them. A violent burst of wind surged forth and slammed against the wall. Earth Shattering Fist was a controlled technique that was focused on destroying a single point. The wind technique Cai Jun used covered a wide area. ¡°Making it go against its natural tendencies will only weaken your technique,¡± said Cai Jun. ¡°Then what should I do?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Increase your soul force,¡± Cai Jun answered. ¡°When you get to the Fifth Level of the Elementary Realm, then we can focus on improving your technique if you have not already.¡± The problem at the lowest levels of cultivation was the same, soul force. The severely limited amount of soul force made it difficult to do anything. Your body strengthened with each level, but it was not enough to do any significant martial arts until at least the Fortified Body Realm. The difference between the Elementary Realm and the Fortified Body Realm was huge. Cai Jun handed Cai Yun a bag of leaves. ¡°What is this?¡± Cai Yun asked. ¡°Supplements,¡± said Cai Jun. ¡°Wrap one of your pill type elixirs in it and then swallow it to increase its effects.¡± It was the first time Cai Jun had seen one. Supplements were expensive and hard to get above the Elementary Realm. The leaves seemed not that special and looked ordinary, so they were probably meant for the Elementary Realm and did not have much use after that. However, Cai Yun did not have pills at the moment. He only had the soul crystals. ¡°Oh, can you tell me what¡¯s different about this soul crystal?¡± Cai Yun asked as she showed Cai Jun the one soul crystal that was different. Cai Jun picked up the soul crystal and looked at it while holding it up to the sun. ¡°This is an irregular soul crystal,¡± said Cai Jun. ¡°I know that,¡± Cai Yun replied. ¡°What does it mean?¡± ¡°The energies within are a little denser and wild compared to the others,¡± Cai Jun explained. ¡°It takes longer to absorb, but should have a greater effect. Just think of it as a soul crystal that contains more soul force than normal.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± said Cai Yun. He was happy to hear that. It meant that it probably contained a lot of soul force that he could absorb. ¡°I need to head to the Main Hall,¡± said Cai Jun. ¡°I¡¯ll come check up on you again tonight.¡± Cai Jun leapt into the air and began running towards the Main Hall. Cai Yun continued to absorb the soul crystals in his possession. As he neared the end of draining the second soul crystal in his possession, he felt the burst of soul force that expanded his veins once more. He had achieved the Third Level of the Elementary Realm. This time, it was in just four short days. In just over two weeks, he had increased his cultivation by two levels. Under normal circumstances, a person would not be able to absorb soul force so quickly to increase their cultivation because they needed time for their soul force to stabilize with each advancement. However, Cai Yun did not have this problem. As long as he had the resources available to him, he would be able to keep going.