Four days… to others, they passed in the blink of an eye. But to Wen Tan, every moment that slipped by felt unbearably long.
By day, he still came and went from the Fire Sustenance Hall, his clothes stained with demon-beast blood, carrying out the monotonous slaughtering work of an ordinary menial disciple. Yet no one knew that behind those calm eyes, every swing of the blade and every drop of blood that fell made his heart pound a little faster.
Whenever he found the chance, he would discreetly collect a few drops of fresh crimson essence blood, sealing them away in a small bamboo tube hidden at his waist. At night, inside his damp, cramped room, Wen Tan placed the tube before him and slowly removed the lid, as though performing a quiet offering.
The mysterious incense burner within his sea of consciousness seemed to sense it. It manifested amid a veil of mist, strands of blood-red smoke slowly rising and coiling like something demonic. When a drop of essence blood fell in, the incense burner trembled faintly, releasing a deep, muffled resonance like the beating of a colossal heart.
What caught Wen Tan's attention even more was this: with every absorption of essence blood, the glow of the incense burner deepened, and the patterns on its surface grew clearer, as if it were gradually gaining awareness.
He frowned in thought.
"This incense burner… what exactly is it? Why do I feel that each time it absorbs essence blood, it doesn't just strengthen my flesh but seems to be… awakening something?"
Despite his doubts, Wen Tan understood one thing clearly: the stronger it became, the better his chances of survival. And the day of welfare distribution was now only a little over four days away four days to prepare for his mad, heaven-defying plan.
Every night, he spread out a worn piece of beast hide and used crushed charcoal to sketch the Five Elements formation: five circles, five channels for guiding qi, and countless symbols representing cycles of generation and restraint. His fingers trembled slightly as he drew the final lines, as though each stroke were being carved into his own fate.
A cold yet resolute thought echoed in his mind:
"Just wait until that day… I'll gather enough essence cores and set up my first formation. Even if I fail, I will not accept becoming a useless wreck. This is my one and only chance."
Early that morning, three long peals of a bronze bell rang out from the outer sect tower, announcing the arrival of welfare distribution day.
Along the road leading to the outer sect plaza, crowds surged like flowing water. Endless lines of ash-gray robes those of menial disciples stretched as far as the eye could see. Faces were lit with excitement; even if it was only four low-grade spirit stones and an introductory cultivation manual, to them it was a faint glimmer of light in otherwise bleak lives.
Amid the crowd, chatter filled the air.
A thin young man with bright eyes spoke eagerly, his voice brimming with hope.
"Ha ha, it's finally here! With four low-grade spirit stones, I can exchange for some tonics who knows, I might even break through and open a second meridian!"
Beside him, a burly fellow laughed aloud. "You're dreaming too much! A second meridian? You haven't even fully opened the first one yet!"
"I heard they're also handing out the 'Earth-Refining Breathing Art' to menial disciples this year."
Someone else curled his lips in disdain. "That technique gets handed out every year to new menial disciples. It's the most basic cultivation method you can find anywhere worthless. Only people like us treat it as a treasure. With trash spiritual roots like ours, no matter how hard we cultivate, it's all useless. A waste of our limited time we can only ever reach the Viscera Refining Realm at best."
The crowd erupted in snorts and bitter laughter, accompanied by skeptical looks.
"If I could make it into the outer sect, things would be different. I could choose a more advanced technique that suits me and cultivate faster."
A female menial disciple with some seniority sneered faintly.
"Haiz… with your poor aptitude, you might have a sliver of hope of entering the outer sect at the very end if you're lucky."
Wen Tan walked within the stream of people, silent. Inside his sleeve, his hand was clenched tight, his fingernails nearly digging into his flesh. Four spirit stones… they were the key. Once he obtained them, the plan would begin.
The outer sect plaza was vast. At its center stood a stone platform, upon which an outer sect steward an elderly man with a silver beard presided. He was thin of build, yet his eyes shone brightly, his bearing calm and authoritative. Behind him stood several young outer sect disciples with arms crossed, dressed in neat blue robes, their expressions cool and detached.
The steward's hoarse voice rang out, echoing across the plaza:
"Begin distributing the welfare! When your name is called, step forward to receive it. Anyone who causes a disturbance or makes noise when your name comes up, you will bear the consequences yourselves!"
As soon as the voice fell silent, the crowd immediately held its breath. Only the steady calling of names remained, rhythmic and monotonous like the beating of a drum.
"Song Li!"
A middle-aged man stepped forward, bowed deeply, and received a small pouch containing four spirit stones along with a thin cultivation manual.
Soon after, the murmurs faded then rose again.
"Have you heard the news?"
A pockmarked youth leaned close to his companion and whispered.
"I heard that among the cultivation manuals distributed this time, some are missing pages only half a manual remains!"
The other widened his eyes.
"What?! Really? A low-grade cultivation method, and it's incomplete too?!"
He made a slicing gesture across his neck.
"Yeah! Anyone unlucky enough to draw one will be screwed. The only option would be to buy a complete copy from the outer sect and the price…"
Hearing this, many people felt uneasy. Their eyes darted about, some flashing with unmistakable greed.
Chu Sanxun the troublemaker from the Fire Sustenance Hall pushed his way forward and sneered.
"Hmph, missing pages aren't a problem. I'll just pick someone weaker and rob them. Won't that give me a complete manual?"
"As for the low-grade spirit stones, I just need to gather a few more guys and extort them. That'll be enough for me to cultivate for quite some time."
Wen Tan stood nearby, listening. He merely frowned but said nothing. He understood that trouble might not be limited to just today.
His name would be called soon, but while waiting, he continued to quietly observe the discussions around him, his gaze subtly sweeping over those who looked dangerous.
Names echoed one after another across the plaza. Though the crowd tried to maintain order, countless eyes still followed the hands receiving the small pouches of spirit stones and intact cultivation manuals.
Finally .
"Wen Tan!"
Hearing his name, Wen Tan took a deep breath and calmly stepped onto the stone platform. The steward before him wasted no words, simply handing him a neatly folded cloth pouch and a thin book bound with black thread.
"These low-grade spirit stones and this cultivation manual are yours. Step aside,"
the old man said in a dry, emotionless voice eyes that spoke of long experience.
"Many thanks, honored steward."
Wen Tan bowed deeply, accepted the items, then turned and stepped down.
On his way back, he caught snippets of whispered talk:
"That menial disciple…"
"Ha ha, another trash spiritual root like the rest of us."
A lackey following behind Chu Sanxun whispered softly,
"So that intact manual in his hands… along with those spirit stones…"
Wen Tan paid no heed. He merely tightened his sleeve slightly, feeling the chill of the four spirit stones and the new cultivation manual in his grasp. He quickly merged into the crowd, evading the watchful eyes of those waiting for an opportunity to rob him.
When the welfare distribution ended, the crowd dispersed like retreating tides. Some were jubilant, others cursed under their breath, but no one noticed Wen Tan quietly leaving the plaza and returning to his shabby room in the menial quarters.
Several individuals who had intended to follow him lost his trail amid the dense flow of people. Wen Tan remained vigilant, constantly blending into the crowd, making it difficult for them to strike. Eventually, they lost sight of him entirely and, fuming, turned their attention to other targets.
Back in his room, Wen Tan set the cloth pouch down and stared intently at the book on the table.
"Earth-Refining Breathing Art…"
This first cultivation method might also be the only one he would ever have if his earlier plan failed.
Outside, an evening breeze carried the scent of dry leaves. The glow of sunset stretched across the gray ground. Wen Tan closed his eyes, a trace of resolve rising within him.
"As long as I succeed in drawing the Five Elements Spirit-Gathering Formation tonight, everything will change."
After receiving the pouch, Wen Tan did not return immediately. He left the plaza and turned onto a narrow path leading to the rear courtyard, where Old Chu the overseer of the Fire Sustenance Hall lived.
The door was ajar. A faint scent of wine drifted out. Wen Tan knocked lightly three times.
An aged but steady voice sounded from inside.
"Is that you, Wen Tan? Come in."
Inside, Old Chu sat by the table, absentmindedly swirling a cup of wine a habit formed over decades. Seeing Wen Tan enter, he squinted.
"Well now, you don't often come to see me after work. What's the matter? Come, have a drink with me.
Don't tell me you're here to ask for a different assignment again."
Wen Tan bent slightly and gave an awkward smile.
"Ha ha, no, Old Chu. This junior merely wishes to… borrow one low-grade spirit stone. I'll repay it next month when the welfare is distributed, with some extra labor as interest."
Old Chu raised an eyebrow and slowly set the cup down.
"You? Borrow a spirit stone? Ha… that's new. A menial disciple like you already has enough spirit stones to eat and clothe yourself. Planning to buy pills?"
Wen Tan paused briefly before replying,
"I just need to buy a few necessary items for personal matters. I also wish to speed up my cultivation."
Old Chu studied him silently for a long moment, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes as if probing something unseen. Finally, he chuckled, retrieved a faintly glowing spirit stone from a drawer, and placed it on the table.
"Very well. Remember your words. Return it in full next month. Don't make me come knocking at your door, brat. Ha ha!"
"Alright, stay and chat with me for a bit."
Wen Tan clasped his fists and accepted it respectfully.
"Many thanks, Old Chu.
But I still have some matters to attend to. I won't disturb you further another time, I'll make it up to you."
Without delay, he left the menial quarters and followed the stone path toward the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, where all sect goods were sold.
The moment he entered the main hall, the atmosphere shifted completely from the quiet rear courtyard. Outer sect disciples in blue robes came and went, footsteps echoing amid faint fragrances of spirit herbs and sandalwood.
A female attendant approached the counter. Her eyes flickered with slight disdain upon seeing Wen Tan, though she maintained a professional smile.
"What do you need, sir?"
Wen Tan spoke decisively.
"I want to buy five first-tier demon beast essence cores one of each Five Elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth."
She was slightly surprised but asked no questions, nodding as she turned and went inside. Moments later, she returned with a small wooden box.
"All five are here, one of each element. Total price: five low-grade spirit stones."
Wen Tan took a deep breath, placed four stones from his pouch and the one borrowed from Old Chu onto the counter. When the spirit stones vanished, only the heavy wooden box remained in his hands.
He cracked the lid open slightly. A faint glow from the five essence cores reflected in his eyes.
Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth each bearing a distinct hue.
"The first step is complete."
Wen Tan closed the box tightly, gripped it, and quietly left the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. The fire of resolve in his heart burned fiercer than ever.
Dusk deepened. The crimson glow outside the window faded, giving way to thick darkness. The small room fell silent, save for the pounding of his own heartbeat echoing in his mind.
Wen Tan carefully locked the door and placed the wooden box containing the five essence cores on the table, beside the old incense burner that emitted wisps of faint smoke. He sat cross-legged and drew in a deep breath, letting his mind slowly sink.
In the dim room, the oil lamp flickered weakly, its light reflecting off his face and revealing his tension.
He whispered, closing his eyes.
"Alright… it all begins here."
At that instant, his sea of consciousness unfolded an endless, hazy expanse where only a single flickering point of light remained: his dantian, like a fragile oil lamp before the wind.
He activated the Earth-Refining Breathing Art he had just received, while simultaneously triggering the incense burner's power. At once, faint strands of spiritual energy emanated from the burner, flowing along an invisible link into his sea of consciousness, gathering before him as delicate, shimmering threads of five-colored light.
Wen Tan barked softly inwardly, cold sweat soaking his back.
"Condense!"
The strands trembled, then stabilized, like golden threads under a master jeweler's hands. He guided them carefully, weaving an ancient formation the Five Elements Array within the sea of consciousness.
Each line drawn sent a sharp stab of pain through his soul, as if needles were piercing his brain. He clenched his teeth, not daring to lose focus for even a moment. One line… two… then ten… until the entire formation appeared perfectly circular, radiating a solemn, imposing aura.
He panted, but did not dare rest long.
"The first step… complete."
Opening his eyes, he took the wooden box and held each essence core in turn. Each one glowed faintly, bearing its distinct nature:
Metal — brilliant gold, sharp and lustrous.
Wood — vibrant green, like budding shoots.
Water — deep azure, profound and calm.
Fire — crimson, blazing like burning embers.
Earth — dark brown, solid and steadfast like a mountain.
Using the incense burner's power and spiritual energy as a medium, he guided each essence core into his sea of consciousness.
The moment the Metal core touched the core of the formation, a humming vibration rang out, shaking the entire sea like a tolling metal bell. He immediately guided it into its designated Metal position. Then came Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth…
When the final core settled into place, the entire Five Elements Array blazed with light. Streams of spiritual energy flowed like rivers throughout his sea of consciousness. This sensation was unlike ordinary absorption it felt as though a brand-new world was opening within his mind.
But before joy could surge, searing pain struck, as if something were tearing his soul apart. He forced himself to endure, sweat soaking his robes, eyes tightly shut, will clinging like a man hanging over an abyss.
"I can't stop… I must continue… If I fail, I'll be crippled condemned to a lifetime of servitude. I might even die from backlash!"
He focused every shred of will, channeling the incense burner's spiritual energy into the Five Elements Array, stabilizing it until the light softened and merged naturally into his sea of consciousness.
When everything finally settled, Wen Tan opened his eyes. Within his dark pupils, a faint five-colored glimmer flashed and vanished.
A strange sensation surged within him: his sea of consciousness was no longer a cold, empty void it had become a land of Five Elements in harmonious balance. A fabricated spiritual root, yet more real than any crippled root he had ever possessed.
He clenched his fist and inhaled deeply.
"From today onward… I have a spiritual root. I am no longer a useless waste incapable of cultivation.
Others may view Five Elements roots as inferior, but to me, it rivals even dual or earth-grade spiritual roots."
Outside the window, night had fully fallen. But within that small room, a new path had just been forged a path to defy the heavens and change fate.
The room lay silent. The oil lamp had long since gone out, leaving only faint smoke drifting from the incense burner. Wen Tan slowly opened his eyes, a trace of light flashing deep within them before vanishing.
"Not enough… only the first step is complete. There's still a lack of binding."
He raised his hand and retrieved a small jade bottle from his worn storage ring. Upon opening it, the sweet, metallic scent of fresh blood spread instantly unrefined demon beast essence blood, imbued with violent vitality, which he had obtained from Old Chu days earlier.
Wen Tan took a deep breath and did not hesitate for another moment, dripping the essence blood into the incense burner. As the dark crimson drops fell, white smoke suddenly billowed forth, carrying a primal aura like the low roar of a beast echoing from the void.
"It's starting again…"
He closed his eyes, his consciousness tightly bound to the sea within.
Within the hazy space, the newly formed Five Elements Array trembled like a newly built fortress lacking pillars. Streams of red light transformed from the blood, surging into the array along the incense burner's spiritual currents.
What had once been fragile strands of energy now seemed tempered by fire, coated in dark crimson, becoming as solid as molten metal. The five essence cores at the array's corners flared brightly, bursting with vitality.
A resounding hum echoed in his mind, shaking him like a bronze bell. His head throbbed but immediately after, a miraculous change occurred. The pain vanished, replaced by a refreshing coolness that flowed from his sea of consciousness throughout his body.
His originally weak foundation and parched meridians felt as though an invisible hand were gently soothing them, clearing obstructions and infusing them with new life.
He opened his eyes. Dawn had yet to break, but everything around him felt unnaturally sharp: the chirping of insects outside, the layered scents within the incense smoke all stood out with crystalline clarity.
He raised his hand before his eyes. His fingers trembled slightly before clenching into a fist. The increase in strength was subtle, but every muscle brimmed with vitality. More importantly, his mind was astonishingly clear. Despite staying awake all night, he felt no fatigue on the contrary, his spirit felt strangely exhilarated.
"This… this is the power of my new foundation?"
He muttered to himself, the corners of his lips lifting into a faint smile.
Without hesitation, Wen Tan tidied everything away, carefully erasing all traces in the room before pushing the door open and stepping outside. The morning light pierced through layers of clouds, illuminating the dew-damp stone courtyard and casting its glow upon his slender figure frail in appearance, yet with eyes now burning brightly.
As always, he carried water, chopped firewood, and completed every menial task without omission. Yet anyone paying close attention would notice that his movements today were sharper and more decisive like a tiger just awakened from slumber, harboring power even it had yet to fully grasp.
Once the chores were done, he strolled back toward the Fire Slaughter Hall. Inside, demonic beasts snarled and roared within iron cages, awaiting their fate. Only this time, the look in Wen Tan's eyes as he gazed upon those cages was no longer fear… but cold calculation.
Today, the Fire Slaughter Hall was different from usual. Lines of outer-disciples crowded the entrance, shouting orders amid a stifling mix of heat and the stench of blood. Iron cages containing unranked demonic beasts were dragged in one after another, their furious roars shaking the dim hall.
As usual, Wen Tan rolled up his sleeves and stepped before the butcher's table. The difference was that today… his heartbeat was calm, his gaze icy and composed.
The first demonic beast was forced down, chains tightening. A sharp shrrk rang out as the blade in his hand flashed forward. Blood sprayed like crimson threads, tracing an arc through the air. His knife work today… was frighteningly smooth.
There was no longer any need to grit his teeth or force himself as before. Each cut flowed naturally, precise and rhythmic. Other menial disciples cast instinctive glances his way, then quickly looked aside no one could believe that the once-skinny errand boy now moved with the ease and skill of a seasoned butcher.
Each time he sliced open flesh, he subtly shifted his body, deftly catching a few drops of fresh blood essence into a jade vial hidden within his sleeve. No one noticed but within his storage ring, the incense burner trembled softly, like a greedy living creature devouring every trace of bloodline essence.
There were far more demonic beasts today than usual, yet the faster he worked, the lighter he felt. It was as if the strength within his body were inexhaustible; the harder he labored, the more invigorated he became. Sweat barely had time to form before it evaporated in the heat radiating from him.
By noon, a strange resonance echoed in his mind. The Five Elements Formation within his sea of consciousness stirred gently, like a machine being fed fresh fuel. Formation lines glimmered faintly, and he could even sense thin strands of spiritual qi in the air automatically slipping into his meridians, continuously strengthening his body.
A fleeting thought crossed his mind:
"Before long… I'll truly step onto their path.
As long as I keep nurturing this treasure, I can grow stronger at an astonishing pace."
A faint, indifferent smile curved his lips, quickly restrained as he continued working. The blade in his hand flashed again and again, cutting as easily as slicing through mud. Blood mingled with rising steam, carrying a sensation that only he could perceive.
By sunset, the long day at the Fire Slaughter Hall came to an end. The blood had been washed from his blade, yet an unusual gleam still lingered in Wen Tan's eyes. He did not return to his quarters immediately. Instead, he quietly circled around the mountainside, seeking a secluded place so still that only the chirping of insects could be heard.
Sitting cross-legged atop a moss-covered boulder, he took out the basic cultivation manual issued to menial disciples: Earth Tempering Breathing Art. This technique was long ridiculed by outer disciples slow, crude, and suited only for those of poor aptitude. Yet today, as he cultivated it, the results were nothing like the rumors he had overheard.
He drew in a deep breath, calming his mind, and activated the technique.
Very slowly… the faint spiritual qi in the air began to tremble, like delicate threads vibrating in time with his breathing. One strand after another quivered, then was pulled into his meridians by some unseen force within his body.
Boom! Boom!
Wen Tan snapped his eyes open not in failure, but in astonishment. His body no longer rejected spiritual qi as it once had. Instead, each wisp slowly merged into his flesh, warm and soothing like flowing spring water.
At that moment, a soft buzz echoed within his sea of consciousness. The black incense burner, previously dormant, suddenly shook violently. A golden rune shot forth from its surface like a waking dragon, blazing with light. In an instant, it erupted with terrifying suction!
Not only did it draw in the qi around him the spiritual qi of the entire mountainside was madly devoured. Billowing white mists surged inward, forming a colossal vortex of Five-Element energies with Wen Tan at its center.
The scene was overwhelmingly domineering!
Within a hundred meters, grass and trees quivered, birds scattered in terror, and the once-sparse spiritual qi condensed to the point it became visible to the naked eye. Wen Tan felt as though he were seated at the heart of a storm, spiritual qi flooding in from all directions, coursing through his meridians, then being directed by the Five Elements Formation in his sea of consciousness and fused with the blazing beast cores embedded within it.
A chilling thought flashed through his mind:
"If anyone comes here… I'm as good as dead.
Someone with no spiritual root causing such a disturbance…"
But he could not stop now. The formation had already been activated. The incense burner was like a ferocious beast, licking the heavens clean of spiritual qi. He had no choice but to grit his teeth and circulate the technique, forcibly refining this massive torrent of qi into the foundation of his own being.
The last light of the sun faded, and the mountain wind turned cool. The violent vortex of qi slowly dissipated, leaving behind a stillness as though nothing had ever occurred. The incense burner in his sea of consciousness returned to its jet-black calm, save for a deeply etched golden rune that radiated a mysterious aura like an eternal mark.
Wen Tan slowly opened his eyes.
In that instant, his breath resembled that of a hibernating beast newly awakened, faintly carrying an oppressive presence. He lowered his head and clenched his fist. His bones cracked crisply, as if tempered countless times.
A clear line of information surfaced in his mind:
Realm: Bone Tempering Realm – Ninth Layer!
"What…?!"
Wen Tan stared in shock, his heart nearly leaping from his chest. He remembered clearly before this, he had only been at the second layer of the Flesh Tempering Realm, so weak that even another menial disciple could knock him down. Yet now, in a single night… he had nearly reached the peak of a true outer disciple!
He took a deep breath, sensing the surging qi in his meridians, muscles brimming with power, bones dense and jade-like. A single punch now… could shatter solid stone!
Joy surged forth only to be instantly followed by a chill down his spine.
"If the sect discovers this… I'll be suspected perhaps even seized for experimentation!"
He immediately concealed his aura, rose to his feet, and vanished into the night, leaving behind only faint traces of lingering spiritual qi on the mountainside.
Within his sea of consciousness, the incense burner trembled slightly. A strange intent drifted forth like a low, echoing chuckle… but before Wen Tan could grasp it, everything vanished without a trace.