"So, there are four more stages: Spirit Lord, Spirit Overlord, Spirit Emperor, and Spirit Saint. If I want to fly without Spirit Artifacts, I need to become a Saint," Xuefeng muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as he read through the booklet. The words felt heavy, as if each title carried the weight of centuries of effort and ambition. "I'll need at least a black talent for that… otherwise, I'll end up stuck like everyone else."
He frowned, the realization settling over him like a shadow. The higher the stage, the more the quality of Spirit Qi mattered. Stretching the dantian to its limits was no small feat, and talent dictated how far you could push before breaking. It was a grim lottery of birth.
"Guess I'll focus on what I can control," Xuefeng decided, flipping to the next page. The map of the Earth Realm greeted him, and he quickly noted his birthplace—the Eastern Region. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the details. The Spirit Essence in the air here was the weakest, a barren field compared to the Central Region's lush oasis of energy. If he wanted to cultivate efficiently, he'd need to move.
"But it would take years to travel there…" The thought landed like a hammer, a headache blooming in its wake. "Whatever. One step at a time."
Shoving the daunting prospect aside, he turned to the section on Spirit Artifacts, which proved more intriguing than he'd expected.
"So, Spirit Artifacts are stored in the dantian and constantly consume Qi to survive," he read aloud, his mind racing. "That means hoarding them isn't always a good idea. They'll slow growth if you can't balance the drain."
He skimmed further, noting the logistics. "No wonder Wuying didn't want to show me hers. Summoning a Spirit Artifact takes Qi, and restoring it afterward requires even more cultivation. It's a trade-off."
"That's not the main reason," Wuying's voice cut through the air like a blade, startling Xuefeng. He looked up, and his breath caught. She stood beside him, wrapped in nothing but a towel, her damp hair clinging to her shoulders. Her skin glistened faintly, the scent of her flowery shampoo drifting toward him.
"Even if I used up my Qi, it's not hard to replenish it," she continued, as if oblivious to his flustered state. "The real reason is that my artifact is my secret weapon. It's not something to flaunt. Revealing it could expose my talent to the wrong people, and some secrets are better kept."
Xuefeng swallowed hard, his thoughts scrambling to regain focus. "Wait… how did you sneak up on me? I didn't even notice. And since we're not in public, can I know what your talent is?"
Wuying only smiled, stepping closer, her scent overwhelming his senses. "You'll find out soon enough. For now, focus on memorizing everything about the Spirit Artifacts in the Liu Clan's possession. Once you're done, move on to the Spirit Beasts manual."
Her nearness was maddening, and Xuefeng forced a weak chuckle. "What about you? Are you going to hover over me the whole time?"
"Are you complaining?" she teased, her voice carrying a playful edge. "Don't worry—I'm just going to change. Then I'm all yours. The Clan Leader assigned me to stay by your side, so get used to it. I'm not leaving you."
Xuefeng forced a smile, knowing she'd seize every chance to tease him. "I'm glad to have you with me. Now go change. I can't focus if you stay here in just a towel."
Wuying chuckled, clearly pleased with herself, and disappeared into the next room. When she returned moments later, clad in her black leather uniform, her demeanor shifted back to the composed, disciplined Wuying he knew. It allowed him to concentrate, though he remained wary.
Even a playful viper is still a viper, he thought, keeping his guard up.
Hours passed as he poured over the manuals. The section on Spirit Artifacts was dense, but when he opened the Spirit Beasts book, the scope of his task became overwhelming. Each page seemed heavier than the last, crammed with details about the creatures he might face. He focused on the most common beasts around Phoenix City, but even with this narrowed approach, the day slipped away. By the time he finished, the sun had dipped below the horizon.
"Good job," Wuying praised, placing a steaming dinner before him. Her smile was warm, but something weighed behind her eyes. As Xuefeng ate, her gaze lingered, her mood uncharacteristically pensive.
"What's on your mind?" Xuefeng finally asked, breaking the silence.
She sighed, moving behind him to knead his shoulders in a comforting massage. "It's nothing major. I just… have a bad feeling about tomorrow's ceremony."
His chest tightened. "Why? Are you worried about my talent?"
"No," she said quickly, her tone reassuring. "I'm confident your talent will be high. It's the guests I'm worried about. Clan leaders… and their daughters."
Xuefeng blinked, then chuckled. "You're worried about competition?"
"Don't laugh," she murmured, her fingers stilling. "Marriage is a tool in this world, Xuefeng. If your talent is exceptional, people will want to tie you down, whether you're ready or not."
He smiled softly, trying to lighten the mood. "Do you really think I'd fall for some pretty face when I live with someone as beautiful as you?"
Her lips quirked into a faint smile, but the worry didn't leave her eyes. "It's not about your will, Xuefeng. If someone like Emperor Zhen offers his daughter's hand, you might not have a choice. Your marriage would become a tool for the clan."
"I doubt the Royal Family would come for a small awakening ceremony," Xuefeng weakly countered, unsure of his own words.
"Our Clan's strength has surpassed that of the Royal Family. Even if they have the backing of the supervising Sacred Sword Kingdom ruled by the Zhen Family, we still threaten their existence," Wuying explained with a sigh. "If your talent is above average, they'll likely push for a marriage to tie us down."
Xuefeng grimaced, her words striking a chord. Despite his hopes, he knew she wasn't wrong. His future could be snatched away, shaped by forces beyond his control.
"Wuying," he said softly, "if I'm forced into a marriage, I promise you this: I'll make sure you get my first kiss."
Her laugh was light but edged with something sharper. "If that happens, I'd rather kidnap you than settle for a kiss."
She left him with a teasing smile, but Xuefeng couldn't shake the feeling that beneath her playfulness, there was truth in her words.
***
Every year, the Spirit Awakening Hall became the focal point of anticipation and ambition as children, barely ten years old, gathered to take their first steps on the path of cultivation. The Spirit Awakening Ceremony was more than a ritual; it was a spectacle, a proving ground, and a subtle battlefield for status and power. Families dressed in their finest, elders whispered predictions, and the air hummed with both excitement and dread.
But this year, the ceremony carried an even greater weight. Liu Xuefeng, the only son of the Liu Clan Leader, was participating—a boy whose healed dantian had already become the stuff of whispered legend. For days, the streets had buzzed with rumors, but the Liu Clan's confirmation transformed speculation into a storm of curiosity and intrigue.
By midday, the southern gate of the Liu Clan swarmed with onlookers. Merchants paused their trades, cultivators idled on rooftops, and even beggars angled for a glimpse of the arriving guests.
"I wouldn't be surprised if the Liu Clan's leader invited half the country," one onlooker remarked, his voice barely audible over the murmuring crowd. "Maybe even representatives of the Royal Family. They've got ties, you know."
Nearby, a woman chuckled darkly. "He's taking a gamble, that's for sure. What if his son's talent turns out to be a disappointment? The entire clan could become a laughingstock."
Another man, his voice gruff, cut in. "If it were me, I'd do it in secret. Quietly awaken the boy, and if he showed potential, then I'd make the announcement."
"And that's why you're stuck on the street," a sharper voice retorted. "The Liu Clan Leader has guts. He's betting everything on his son, and that's what sets him apart."
The chatter reached a crescendo as the first of the invited guests arrived. Gasps rippled through the crowd as Manager Wu of the Golden Phoenix Restaurant stepped into view. Her crimson dragon-embroidered dress shimmered in the sunlight, and her calm demeanor radiated authority. Most knew her only as a shrewd restaurant manager, but whispers spread quickly: she was also the owner of Phoenix City's Spirit Artifacts Pavilion—a woman with more influence than most dared guess.
Not long after, another wave of murmurs surged as the Lu Clan Leader descended on a flying beast, his regal presence commanding the crowd's attention. Interest sharpened when they spotted his companion—a striking teenage girl with a composed elegance that hinted at her purpose.
"Damn, what a sly old fox," someone muttered. "He's brought his daughter. If Xuefeng's talent is exceptional, you can bet he'll propose an alliance on the spot."
"The Lu Clan might not be as strong as the Liu Clan, but they've always been close," another replied. "This could seal the deal for good."
Over the next hour, more flying beasts arrived, their passengers cloaked in splendor. One after another, clans appeared with daughters in tow—young women dressed to dazzle, their beauty veiling their families' ambitions. The crowd, now growing restless, began keeping count.
"Out of twelve parties, ten brought daughters. That old man even brought two!"
"What else would you expect?" a middle-aged man snorted. "These families would sell their souls for a tie to the Liu Clan. You think they care about their daughters' happiness? Not a chance."
"Liu Xuefeng is one lucky bastard," someone else grumbled. "If even the Royal Family shows up with their princess, I'll curse him every morning."
As if on cue, a sound like a thousand thunderclaps rolled through the sky, silencing the crowd. Heads snapped upward in unison, mouths agape as an enormous shadow swept over them. The creature above defied belief—its vast wings blocking out the sun, its serpentine body gleaming with scales like molten silver.
"It's the Emperor's Flood Dragon Spirit Beast!" someone screamed, the awe in their voice palpable.
The beast descended with eerie grace, its massive form blotting out the horizon. The ground trembled as it landed, its presence suffocating in its grandeur. And then, as the dust settled, the crowd's collective gasp turned into a roar of disbelief.
"The Royal Family is here!"
The flood of whispers and exclamations surged anew, a tide of speculation and reverence sweeping through the throng. For some, this was a moment of awe; for others, a moment of dread. For all, it was the kind of spectacle they would recount for years, a story to pass down through generations.
And somewhere within the Liu Clan, Xuefeng prepared for his awakening, unaware that his ceremony had already become more than a rite of passage—it had become a battlefield where alliances, ambition, and destiny were about to collide.