From within his body, blood full of vitality was constantly circulating and being refined - being made purer and thick, almost viscous.
His bone marrow was golden like the scales of a supreme golden dragon but contrary to expectation, it didn't produce golden blood.
His bone marrow was of the highest quality after numerous refinements from his celestial inner strength.
The celestial inner strength also tempered his bones while the tri-luminaries energies from the celestial heaven made him stronger, and faster, and gave him potent regenerative abilities.
His potential was simply otherworldly. The [Myriad Constellation Physique] was a glitch in this simulated reality - the dream of a slumbering creator.
He had only tapped into a fraction of its capabilities and even with his foresight, he couldn't anticipate its future prospects.
Well, the thing about the future was you couldn't ever fully count on the future since it was prone to infinite changes. As for potential, it was just potential. Nothing else.
What was potential in the face of existential erasure?
What was potential in the face of…death?
Life was fickle and short and the same applied to cultivators with long lifespans.
Zhao Wei exhaled gently and slowly opened his eyes.
The silver of his eyes shone in the dark room like two little moons, making the scene beautiful.
He clenched his right hand and the sound of his bones crying in joy greeted his ears.
Zhao Wei could feel the undeniable power coursing through his hands, veins, and his entire body.
He felt almost…nuclear.
"Hmm, the illusion of growing stronger always makes one think that they can tackle anything in the world. How funny!" Zhao Wei murmured to himself with a faint smile.
"That isn't the strength I seek." He then rose from the ground.
Zhao Wei realized he had meditated for hours as he gazed at the inky night sky through the ceiling of his room.
"I will never get enough of how time can pass very quickly when one is invested in meditation."
"I barely managed to stay awake during my medical biochemistry and physiology classes but here I am spending hours, days, and even possibly years in cultivation." Zhao Wei chuckled softly as he went outside.
It was in the middle of the night and instead of a full moon, there was a new phase in place. It looked less visible but Zhao Wei could see its grey and silvery outline.
"A new moon," Zhao Wei talked to himself while looking at the starry skies.
He could spot the beautiful hues of galaxies moving in a continuous chain across the night sky.
"I am intergalactic."
Even in the middle of the night, there were a few youths still training and there were some that just couldn't sleep or were rather insomniac.
Just then, a loud voice sounded all over the Sky Guards Battalion.
"Lord Guanjun has finished his seclusion and has decreed that the ten Sky Guards will meet with him tomorrow. Tomorrow, in the afternoon, meet me at the front of my building as soon as possible!"
Those who were deep in sleep or meditation heard the voice clearly and they couldn't keep their calm just like everyone else.
"What? Lord Guanjun has finished his seclusion?"
"What does this mean?"
"It means we would have a chance of being Lord Guanjun's disciples."
"I won't waste this chance!"
"Fuck, I was hella sleepy but with the coming of Lord Guanjun, I think I won't be sleeping anytime soon!"
"Why did Third Guard have to report the matter in the middle of the night?"
"Do you think he would care about your opinion?"
"This night, the Ten Sky Guards except for the top five will realize that peace was never an option."
"I have been saving and hiding my strength just for this day!"
"Saving strength, ahahaha! Don't make me laugh. Do you think you are the protagonist of a story or something?"
"Let him cook! He's the hidden villain!"
"Haha!"
"Pathetic trash all of you!"
"It would be a night of blood and bones breaking!"
In a matter of seconds after Third Guard had conveyed the message, numerous youths began to flock to the field near the ten wooden rooms.
They engaged in animated conversations while secretly waiting for someone to make the first move.
"Hey, isn't that Zhao Wei?" A youth murmured to his friend.
"Where?"
"There." The youth subtly directed his eyes to the lone figure outside room 5.
"Do you want to challenge him? I think the odds of you surviving are high." The friend flashed him a foxy grin.
"I rather deal with the devil than him. I ain't that stupid."
"But with hope can't one overcome any type of hurdles including the gargantuan one known as Zhao Wei." His friend smiled as he spouted bullcrap.
"What did you eat today, bro? Why don't you go and face him with your illusion of hope, haha?"
"To be humiliated? No, I love my face. Didn't you see how he trampled an Eighth Rank genius?"
"Sigh, we are truly weak losers."
"No, we aren't weak. We are strong. It's just that there will always be those stronger than us. The world operates under such rules."
"Stand proud."
Zhao Wei just happened to hear their conversations with his superior hearing and a weird expression formed on his face.
His brows winged up in surprise.
'What's with those background characters and their conversation? I understand that reference.'
'Those two are in the wrong universe but whatever.' Zhao Wei shrugged as he observed the first brave challenger contend against an unlucky Tenth Sky Guard.
A fight broke out and the guy ranked tenth got yeeted from his 'lofty' position.
The cycle of victory and defeat continued as new contenders rose and fell with ease and those who could protect their positions like Zhao Yufei received fewer confrontations.
Everyone wanted to be Lord Guanjun's disciple since it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance that they felt they would regret if they missed it.
Cultivation was also about competition.
Without being competitive for resources, you will only be drowned by the monsters who thirst for improvement and better treatment.
Just like that, the night ended and there were a few changes in the positions but Zhao Wei only chose to remember Zhao Wei. The others weren't worth his time.
Before noon, the ten Sky Guards began walking towards the meeting point. Some perfectly hid their excitement while some struggled since they were ultimately going to meet the Legend of Cloud Country.
"Feng Hanyue, do you think you can defeat Zhao Wei?" Lei Cong casually asked Feng Hanyue.
Feng Hanyue frowned after hearing Lei Cong's question before his face returned to normal.
He then said with a straight face. "Nah, I'd win!"
Everyone including Zhao Wei turned their heads to look at him with their mouths opened in visible shock.
Even the nearby raven almost felt down from the sky.
Feng Hanyue felt immediately embarrassed and it was further intensified by Lei Cong's annoying laughter.
***
Enjoy!