Arthur and Ming Hao parted ways at the Verdant Pavilion gates.
Ming Hao strode confidently toward the inner sanctum's Dragon Hall, eager to refine his Whitefire Spirit Root and ascend the sect's ranks with blazing speed. Arthur did not.
Arthur was evaluated to have the Brown Ember Spirit Root, the most basic Spirit Root known in Tianyu (Heavenly Domain), the planet on which he was now reborn.
Tianyu's knowledge suggested that Spirit Roots were the immutable genetic threads woven by Heaven, unpredictable and merciless in their verdict. They determined one's potential to cultivate Qi, the force at which one could channel Qi in their Dantian, the strength one might achieve, and often the path one would be forced to walk in Tianyu.
There were seven classes; the fourth one, the Whitefire Root, which Ming Hao bore, made him destined for greatness. Others, like the Sixth Class Crimson and Fifth Class Solar Roots, had their grace. But Arthur bore the cursed Seventh Class Root, neither reliable nor remarkable.
Arthur's father suggested that he attend Lotus Hall for medicinal teachings and scholarly studies, fields where roots matter less than knowledge and will.
Yet Arthur was not interested. Not because of the Root's limitations. Root or no Root, it didn't matter to him; he was not bound by the restricted knowledge of Tianyu. He had knowledge that no one could imagine he would possess.
It was something more profound.
A complex coil of memories and emotions wrapped around his soul like iron chains.
He was not ordinary, as he was evaluated.
Once, he had been a mortal, a scholar with scientific knowledge. Then he gained the wisdom of the Immortals, an entity that Tianyu's small world has no knowledge of, nor the ability to comprehend. And he knew five of them, listening to them for thousands of years in his yearning.
He knows he did have the will to wield that knowledge to purge an entire universe and cleanse it in flames of destruction. He also possesses the resolve to make it happen if he will.
He created chaos and broke worlds. The five perished immortals experienced this firsthand.
And yet here he was.
Trapped in a vessel.
Arthur was not the man he had claimed to be to the immortals in Purgatory.
He did bear a deep hatred, but not for those who suffered his madness, but for the souls who carried no burden. The free, the unscarred, the untouched.
That was why he had sought passage through the Gates, to be cleansed and freed from all.
But since he was damned, they denied him.
He schemed, fought, and briefly triumphed. But in the end, he was cast back, memories intact, and forced to start anew.
He was a psychopath — a fractured mind that longed for normalcy but knew it was forever beyond reach.
He wrestled with his thoughts' spirals. Sometimes, he wanted to obliterate everything that threatened his tenuous existence, including his cousin Ming Hao, whose arrogance irked him endlessly.
But such destruction would spiral beyond control. Arthur saw the vision as if it were nothing: that he would destroy Boundless Immortal Firmament itself, not Tianyu, a small world, in this universe alone. That would make it two, then—one before Purgatory and one after.
For a month, Arthur lived with this turmoil.
Slowly, he resolved to do what most mortals did: to live quietly and pursue a path not of chaos but of order.
To 'try' to be normal.
If he tried to chase something, he was sure he would be sent to Purgatory in no time.
Perhaps he could still grasp it even if it was a fragile, temporary peace.
With a sigh, Arthur turned toward the Lotus Hall, where the scent of herbs and ancient scrolls awaited.
He had infinite paths to choose from; he chose the one where he didn't do anything because he believed anything he touched would only have the fate of suffering, increasing his karmic burden.
Inside Lotus Hall, the subtle aroma of rare herbs and ancient ink filled the air. Rows of polished wooden desks sat, eager students clutching finely bound scrolls.
It was the time of the Third Moon lecture — one of thirteen in the year-long Pillmaking Course, each designed to build upon the last and shape a true master of medicine.
The teacher, a middle-aged man, stood on the platform.
"Greetings, Elder Yan."
"Greetings, Elder Yan."
Students greeted and bowed to him individually as they entered the class.
His sharp eyes were sweeping over the gathered students. He cleared his throat and spoke authoritatively at the sound of the bell, which rang throughout the Verdant Pavilion.
"Students, you have been taught to craft two vital pills in the first two moons. The 'Spirit Bloom Elixir' — a temporary Spirit Root enhancer that grants cultivators of modest roots a fleeting rise in potential. The 'Ember Breakthrough Pellet' was designed to propel those in the Early Ember Ignition stage into the Half-Step Ember realm. Both require delicate alchemy and precise timing to avoid collapse. I hope you all have mastered them in these two moons."
He paused, letting his words settle among the faces.
"Today, we move to a more refined art. The 'Phoenix Flame Pill' is crafted to stabilize and increase the Qi flow in the Dantian of those with Ember Spirit Roots. Unlike the previous pills, this one grants a lasting Qi enhancement, sustaining cultivation for months, not just days. Although they all have some advantages and disadvantages over others, as we will discuss."
His eyes briefly flicked toward Qing Tian.
"Today, we move to a more refined art: the 'Phoenix Flame Pill' — crafted specifically to stabilize and increase the Qi flow in the Dantian of those with Ember Spirit Roots. Unlike the previous pills, this one grants a lasting Qi enhancement, sustaining cultivation for months, not just days. Although each pill has its advantages and disadvantages, as we will discuss."
Elder Yan's eyes briefly flicked toward Qing Tian.
"I have high hopes you disciples will rise to the challenge."
Whispers rippled through the classroom, but some voices stood out clearly to Arthur.
"What does the teacher see in him?"
"That idiot got what he deserved — I heard he has the Brown Spirit Root."
"He can act all high and mighty now since we're mastering arts for the Ember Ignition Realm, but what then? Crimson Core arts require true power, not just pills."
"Yeah, can his spirit Root even keep up with the increased demands?"
"Exactly. Let's see if he even breaks through Ember Ignition this year. What good are Crimson Core pills and potions if you can't use them?"
"Right."
Laughter followed.
Arthur heard the murmurs but paid them no heed. The mockery was nothing new. In fact, it was entirely predictable.
The classroom fell into attentive silence as the lecture began. Elder Yan started demonstrating the art.
Arthur lifted his gaze calmly to the elder's teachings, but his mind wandered — drifting to the memory of Alchemy Immortal Empress Xu Lianhua, the Cursed Blossom.