That night, Kael sat on the same hill where his life had changed
The stars shone brightly above him
He held one of the Spirit Stones in his hand
"Let's see what this does"
He focused
Energy slowly flowed from the stone into his body
Warm power spread through his veins
The system immediately reacted
Energy Absorbed
Progress Increased
Mortal Body Stage 5 Achieved
Kael opened his eyes in shock
"So spirit stones work too"
The system then displayed something new
New Skill Unlocked
Origin Strike
A concentrated burst of Origin Energy that greatly increases attack power
Kael stood up slowly
He looked toward the distant mountains again
Somewhere beyond those peaks was the Iron Flame Sect
The place where real cultivators lived
Where powerful warriors trained
Kael clenched his fist
"I'll get there"
Not as a servant
Not as a powerless boy
But as someone strong enough to stand beside them
The journey had only just begun.