Since receiving that tiny strand of Qi from the Master of the Primordial Sea, Min Leon disappeared for 60 years. He sealed himself inside his mountain abode and cultivated without pause. What began as a thread of energy became something vast under his control. He mastered 9 core techniques, refined 27 variations, and created 3 of his own. Every failure taught him something. Every breakthrough pushed him higher. "Again," he would say, even when his body trembled from the strain.
Now, after 60 years in isolation, he finally steps beyond the mountain. He is 78 years old, yet his face remains that of an 18 year old, unchanged from the day he received the Qi. He looks at the world below and says, calm and certain, "Let's begin."
Before leaving, Leon moves across the mountain with steady steps, setting down 108 formation flags in precise positions. He activates layered defensive arrays that hide the peak from wandering eyes and repel intruders with crushing force. At the heart of it all, he installs a Qi Gathering Formation and feeds it with his own energy. The air thickens almost instantly. "This will do," he says, watching the currents settle into a steady flow.
Within a year, the spiritual energy across the entire mountain range doubles. Beasts migrate toward it. Cultivators begin to notice. Even the grass grows denser, trees bear richer fruit, and herbs mature twice as fast. Over time, the mountain's influence spreads for hundreds of miles, turning the surrounding forests into a land of rare opportunity.
Satisfied with the changes, Leon stands at the edge of the peak and looks over the transformed mountain range. The dense Qi, the gathering beasts, the rising potential, all of it fits into his larger plan. If the Kan Domain is to survive, it will need talent. It will need strength beyond one man. "Grow well," he says quietly to the land behind him, knowing the mountain will raise future powerhouses long after he is gone. He steps off the peak and travels toward a nearby city that did not exist 60 years ago when he first entered seclusion.
With his aura sealed down to the level of an ordinary man, Leon walks through the forest toward the city gates. Birds do not scatter. Beasts do not bow. To anyone watching, he is just another traveler. Still, his thoughts move fast. What has the world become in 60 years. Who rose. Who fell. He studies the towering walls ahead and thinks, a city of this scale does not rise without cultivators behind it.
Min Leon is the last of his bloodline, and he has not forgotten why he was chosen. The upper realms ruled through pressure and silence. Invaders from other worlds carved into the Kan Domain like it was theirs. That ends. "One step at a time," he tells himself. The mysterious Master gave little guidance. If he wants answers, if he wants truth, only power will force it out.
Along the forest path, Leon comes across a young man crouched beside a clear spring, carefully trimming spirit herbs and placing them into a woven basket. The boy's movements are precise but cautious. A faint ripple of Qi circles him, steady yet thin. Leon senses Qi Refining, early stage. He steps closer and says, "Mind if I take a look?" The young man straightens quickly, then bows. "Of course, senior. I am Lan Ning."
Lan Ning speaks with respect but without fear. He explains he is gathering materials to refine a Breakthrough Pill with 1 Pattern. "If I succeed," he says, eyes bright, "I can pass the test and become a 1 Star Alchemist." His voice tightens slightly as he adds, "Then I can apply to an Alchemy Association."
Leon studies the herbs and nods once. "You aim high."
Lan Ning smiles, a little embarrassed. "I want to become a Pill Deity one day, at the pinnacle of alchemy." He laughs softly. "My family's bloodline is not strong in cultivation, but we do have some talent in alchemy. If I gain status as a 1 Star Alchemist, I can support them. That is enough for now."
Leon watches him for a moment, then says calmly, "Show me the herbs you chose."
Leon crouches beside the spring, scanning the herbs Lan Ning has collected. His eyes flick over their shapes, colors, and subtle energy traces. During his sixty years of seclusion, he had not only cultivated, he had studied alchemy in depth. Ancient texts, lost recipes, techniques scavenged from ruins, he had absorbed them all. "You're working with a Pattern Pill huh?" he remarks quietly. "A Breakthrough Pill is ambitious for your level."
Lan Ning hesitates but nods and hands over the recipe he has been using. Leon examines it carefully, then tilts his head. "Not bad," he says. "But I have a better one." He pulls a small, folded sheet from inside his robe, inked with delicate symbols and annotations.
"I collected this over the years. Bought some, found some in ruins. Since you're making a patterned pill, this low level version will fit your Breakthrough Pill," Leon explains. "Follow this, and it will optimize your chances of success. The quality of the final pill will increase, and the Pattern will stabilize. If you succeed, you can make a name for yourself."
Lan Ning's eyes widen as he takes the sheet. "This really works?" he asks. Leon simply nods. "It works if you do it right. That is always the key."
Leon rises without another word. He adjusts his sleeve, gives Lan Ning a final glance, then turns back toward the forest path leading to the city. The sound of the spring fades behind him. Just before he disappears beyond the trees, he speaks calmly without looking back. "We will surely meet again. Worry not." His voice carries lightly through the air.
Lan Ning stands there holding the new recipe, unsure why his chest feels lighter. He cannot explain it, but the stranger's presence made him feel steady, as if failure was no longer a possibility. "We will meet again?" he murmurs to himself, gripping the paper with renewed determination.
Leon walks on, hands behind his back. "This Domain has never had a Deity," he says quietly. "There will be me, but there must be others." After a moment he adds, almost thoughtfully, "Hopefully that young man can truly make it."
As the city gates come into full view, Leon slows his steps. A cold wind brushes past him, carrying the last breath of winter. He looks at the bare branches lining the road and speaks softly, almost to himself.
"Winter fades without a sound,
Ice retreats beneath the ground.
From frozen roots new life will rise,
Spring awakens under quiet skies."
His voice is calm, but each word carries a rhythm that hums with Qi.
Not far from the road, an old scholar sits beneath a tree with a stack of worn books at his side. He had been stuck at the peak of Qi Condensation for 30 years. The moment the final line reaches his ears, his dantian trembles. His core vibrates as if struck by lightning. "So that is it," he whispers, eyes widening.
Qi surges through his meridians in a clean, unstoppable wave. With a sharp breath, his aura expands outward. The barrier that held him for decades shatters. He steps into Foundation Establishment in a single breath, hands shaking as he looks toward the distant figure walking away. "Who was that?" he asks, heart pounding.
Leon does not stop walking. He does not turn back. He simply smiles, faint and knowing, as if the breakthrough behind him was expected. It is not pride. It is quiet confirmation. Then he passes through the city gates without resistance, blending into the flow of people as though he has always belonged there.
The moment his foot crosses fully into the city, a familiar voice flows into his mind.
"Here. One hundred years."
He does not flinch. The last time that voice spoke was 60 years ago, commanding him to remain inside the cave. He listened then. He will listen now. If it speaks again, it means the path is set.
"One hundred years," Leon repeats inwardly. "So this is the place."
He looks at the bustling streets, the merchants, the cultivators, the restless energy beneath it all. A slow breath leaves him. Whether they know it or not, June has just gained its protector. Its savior has arrived.