"Haa, finally we have achieved sanctuary within the room. Incidentally, Mulo, was that encounter the predicament to which you previously alluded?" Xan inquired the moment the door clicked shut, severing them from the external chaos. "Affirmative, one might characterize it as such. The complication lies not with the individual himself, but with his elder sibling; you must exercise extreme caution regarding him during the competition, for he is a certifiable maniac who will not hesitate to commit homicide to secure victory." Xan finally comprehended the situation; the animosity stemmed from Mulo's record in the previous tournament, as the powers that be sought to prevent Mulo—or any proxy associated with him—from participating again. "And regarding that debt of ten million mana stones?" "Oh, that? He bestowed it upon me personally as a nuptial gift." "If it is not a confidential matter, whose nuptials?" Xan asked, his curiosity piqued. Mulo appeared pained for a moment, then exhaled a protracted sigh and commenced his confession. "In actuality, Marta is my spouse; however, due to complex circumstances, we are unofficially estranged, though legally the marital contract remains valid." "Now I comprehend the reason Lady Marta exhibits such familiarity with you," Xan nodded slowly, piecing together the interpersonal dynamics.
He glanced through the fenestration and observed the solar orb beginning its descent below the horizon. "It is time for my departure." "Ah, incidentally, I implore you to refrain from mentioning my existence to Marta! Please!" Mulo calling with desperation. "Do not worry, Mulo; that is your private affair, not mine." Xan departed the building and navigated toward the Academy Library's registration office, adhering strictly to Marta's instructions. Upon entering the grandiose edifice, two attendants intercepted him. "Greetings; whom do you seek?" "Greetings; I have arrived to convene with Lady Marta." "Lady Marta is currently occupied; return tomorrow!" one of them dismissed him with a casual wave of the hand. "If you convey my nomenclature, she will recognize the urgency." "Then wait here." One of the attendants retreated into the interior while Xan surveyed the library hall; it resembled a scene from a fable, with walls lined by infinite rows of grimoires radiating ancient power—undoubtedly invaluable resources for cultivators. The attendant returned shortly, clutching a solitary volume and a folded missive. "Sir, Lady Marta conveys that she does not wish to grant you an audience; she instructed me to deliver this tome and this note." Xan accepted the items, a flicker of confusion crossing his features, before turning to return to his dormitory.
Back in the solitude of his room, Xan sat and unfolded the parchment. "Boy, I possess knowledge that you do not sincerely require my assistance with your meridians, but since you petitioned, I have bestowed upon you the paramount text available. This volume's complexity is equivalent to a Fifth Step Cultivator; although I failed to master it, perhaps you possess the capacity. Within lie essential insights for comprehending the Dao. When I first perceived you, I lacked understanding, but judging from your aura, I hypothesized your trajectory might be the Path of Dao. Although this cultivation path is considered a failure in our world, since you have achieved this level, I shall not attempt to dissuade you. Regarding Mulo, inform him that our bond is irrevocably severe and that I have already incinerated the marriage contract. Perhaps our paths shall not cross again... - Marta." Xan held the letter, deep in contemplation, thanking Marta silently from the abyssal depths of his heart before retrieving the book. His mind was consumed by his objectives: ascertaining the reason for his displacement, discovering his true identity, identifying his mother's murderer, and exacting retributive justice. He entered the dedicated cultivation chamber, assumed the lotus position, and opened the ancient text. "Precisely as I anticipated... it is tailored perfectly for my needs!!!" His eyes—one crimson, one azure—flared with intensity. "Then, let us begin!" Xan Li Fang closed his eyes and initiated cultivation.
The instant Xan began to cultivate, his Sea of Consciousness reacted with violent volatility. The two great oceans—the Red and the Blue—collided, churning with terrifying kinetic energy until, from the chaos, twelve distinct forms began to coalesce. "What is this phenomenon? Myself? Twelve iterations of my being? What is transpiring?" Golden script manifested in the void—Dao Ancient Sculptures. to any other observer, these runes would be indecipherable gibberish, but to Xan, reading them was as effortless as perusing history textbooks from his academic days; he was undergoing a rapid, forced evolution. Elder Mulo quietly entered the room to check on Xan and froze, witnessing the projections of the avatars flickering around Xan's physical form. "This youth is truly blessed... It is a Second Awakening!!!" Mulo whispered, trembling with awesome. Before Xan's internal vision, the shadows of the Avatars solidified, forming Twelve Essence Foundations that manifested their true nature one by one: Dao, Elements (Fire & Water), Life, Death, Reincarnation, Prohibition (Spells, Formations, Seals), Heavenly Tribulation, Sword, Time-Space Dragon, Order, Light, and Darkness. Once fully formed, the twelve figures merged and returned to Xan's shadow, as if birthed from it.
Suddenly, the Heavenly Copying Art released a massive surge of energy, seizing the remaining ten Gunsang Fruits stored within his somatic vessel and crushing them into pure spiritual fuel for the Twelve Essences. Once the fruits were absorbed, the Essences achieved a Completed State, but chaos ensued as they began to battle for dominance. The Heavenly Copying Art emitted a powerful vibrational frequency, suppressing the conflict instantly; under its pressure, the Essences ceased hostilities and began to merge, swirling until they formed a perfect Yin-Yang State. As the fusion concluded, a physical transmutation occurred in Xan; the Heavenly Copying Art dissolved into ash and light, sinking deep into his physiology to become one with his flesh. The book Marta had provided was fully deciphered in seconds, rendered obsolete, and as the Art dissolved, the physical tome also disintegrated into particles of light absorbed into Xan's body. Previously, Xan possessed only seventeen open meridians; following this session, all twenty-seven blasted open. His cultivation level had skyrocketed to an altitude Xan could not quantify; he knew only one certainty: he possessed the capacity to depart this world, requiring only the methodology.
Xan opened his eyes in the silent room, feeling weightless, ravenous, and energized. "Mulo, I am famished; I only cultivated for eight hours, yet I feel hollow." Mulo stared at him, his face drained of color. "What did you articulate? Eight hours? You have been cultivating for eight diurnal cycles! I was beginning to harbor concern for your well-being." Mulo thought internally, his heart pounding against his ribs: "This boy did not merely experience a Second Awakening; in eight days, he traversed the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Awakenings. To the best of my knowledge, he is now the strongest existence in this entire world." "Ah, Xan, I preserved some aquatic sustenance for you; consume it, and subsequently we shall proceed to the competition grounds." "Affirmative." After Xan finished his meal, they did not traverse the distance on foot; Mulo, perhaps inspired by Xan's power or simply pressed for time, utilize his own Teleportation Spell, warping them directly to the competition arena.