Xu Xuan's eyes opened slowly. The world before him was unlike anything he had ever seen. A boundless expanse of pure blue stretched in all directions, smooth and undulating beneath him like a tranquil lake. He touched the ground, only for ripples to spread outward, as if the surface itself were liquid. Above, the "sky" shimmered faintly, not the real sky, but some impossible layer of light that seemed to hum with a quiet energy.
Confusion seized him. "Where… am I?" he whispered, his voice trembling slightly.
Before he could react further, the stillness shattered. Behind him, the void itself cracked open, two portal-like rifts forming in the air. From them, two scrolls emerged, floating gently, as though guided by invisible hands. The right scroll glowed with a deep, regal purple; the left one radiated a darker, more ominous violet, almost black.
From the rifts, a figure solidified—an imposing man with flowing robes and eyes carrying both authority and centuries of suffering. Xu Xuan's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the features: the long-lost Xu Yuan, ancestor of the Xu Clan.
"I am Xu Clan's fallen ancestor," the figure intoned, voice calm but commanding. "I have left this remnant for a fated descendant to meet me. Time is short."
Xu Xuan's throat went dry. "Ancestor… Xu Yuan?" His mind raced. Dead? Captured? How… why am I here?
Xu Yuan's eyes glimmered faintly. "I know you have many questions, but this remnant cannot answer all. Its purpose is singular—to pass on a choice." He gestured, and the two scrolls floated into his hands. "One scroll contains my Emperor-ranked inheritance, a path I could pass down. The other… is an ancient, nameless inheritance from generations before me. Even I cannot cultivate it, for its power is beyond comprehension. But it is yours, should you be worthy."
Xu Xuan's heart pounded. He looked from one scroll to the other. The Emperor-ranked inheritance would be simple, powerful, and safe. The nameless scroll promised a path of unknown difficulty and risk—but the pull of the unknown, of the mysterious void, tugged at his soul.
"Master alchemist? Soul strength or qi strength?" Xu Xuan whispered, recalling the question he had once asked Yuan Heng. What is more important in the cultivation of an alchemist?
Xu Yuan's lips curved faintly. "Soul strength. Qi may empower the body, but the soul determines the path. This nameless inheritance… is tightly bound to soul cultivation. The path is longer, harder, and no one has walked it. But if you survive, it will elevate you beyond the limits of any Emperor-ranked technique."
A choice between one inheritance that all wish to have, Emperor Ranked inheritance, and the other that's nameless and unknown to even the Wu Di ancestor.
A hard choice. A very hard decision that will shape one's path differently.
Xu Xuan clenched his fists. "I choose… the nameless inheritance."
Xu Yuan paused, then nodded slowly. "So be it. Let it be your path… one day, perhaps, we shall meet in person."
The remnant of Xu Yuan began to fade, the Emperor-ranked inheritance scroll vanishing along with him. The remaining scroll hovered before Xu Xuan, pulsing faintly, almost alive. Tentatively, he reached out—but as his hand neared it, a wave of energy pushed him back.
Then the surface of the scroll rippled, and words appeared, glowing faintly against the violet paper. They moved in a strange, elegant script, revealing instructions, warnings, and secrets:
"To the fated descendant of the Xu Clan… You are the first to inherit this Nameless Scripture of the Void. Only you may cultivate it. Do not speak of its contents, not even to your most trusted companions. Your soul shall be tested, your body refined, your dantian replaced and reborn as a Void Dantian. Fifteen inheritances lie within; they shall awaken as your realm ascends. Respect this legacy… or be destroyed."
As Xu Xuan read, the scroll reached into his memories, examining his past struggles, the years of training under Yuan Heng, the effort, the pain, the countless failures. It lingered over his determination, his courage, and finally acknowledged him as its rightful owner. Slowly, the words shifted, revealing the Scripture's true name: "Scripture of the Void Abyss"
A sudden surge of energy erupted from the scroll, enveloping Xu Xuan. His broken dantian reformed, not merely healed, but reborn—now a Void Dantian, resonating with endless, infinite energy. He gasped as his spiritual sea lit up, faint purple aura swirling around his core.
The space around him shattered in a blinding display. The blue void dissolved, replaced with a deep, holo-purple expanse, filled with floating shards of energy. Fifteen cracks appeared in the void, pulsating faintly, marking the inheritances that would unlock as he ascended through his realms. For now, they remained dormant, waiting for his future breakthroughs.
A sudden warmth spread through his body. He realized with astonishment that his broken dantian had been fully repaired. Not only repaired, but it had transformed into something entirely new—a Void Dantian, its energy vast, fluid, and boundless. He could sense the subtle hum of the Scripture's power lying dormant within his spiritual sea.
A ripple in consciousness pulled him back to reality. His eyes opened to a dimly lit room, the soft smell of incense filling the air. Yuan Heng knelt beside him, his hands resting lightly on Xu Xuan's shoulders, worry etched deep into his face.
"Xu Xuan… you've woken… thank heavens," he murmured, relief flooding his tone. "Your dantian… it's… it's whole?"
Xu Xuan smiled faintly. "Yes, teacher. I… am fine."
Yuan Heng's shoulders sagged as he exhaled, a faint tremor in his lips betraying the years of fear he had carried. "Good… very good. You frightened me so."
Xu Xuan nodded, holding back the truth of the Void Dantian and the Scripture entirely. This was his secret, a burden and gift alike, to be cultivated alone until he reached the Wu Sheng realm. Yuan Heng, unaware of the true depth of Xu Xuan's newfound power, returned to the ring, his spirit body disappearing with a faint shimmer after ensuring his disciple was stable.
Night fell over the Xu Clan estate, but Xu Xuan could not rest. He entered his spiritual sea, the Void Dantian at his core thrumming with energy. The fifteen cracks of the Nameless Scripture hovered silently within the depths, each one a seed of future power. He closed his eyes and allowed the void within him to awaken, feeling the first whispers of the techniques it would one day teach him.
The path ahead was perilous. Even the Emperor-ranked inheritance would have been easier, but Xu Xuan's resolve was clear. Step by step, realm by realm, he would unlock the secrets of the Nameless Scripture of the Void Abyss. No one could know, not even his teacher. This was his journey alone, and only he could bear its weight.