As the new day dawned, Liu Chen awoke, determined to make further progress on his path to power.
The previous night had been charged with contemplation of the souls he had recently absorbed and their interaction with his inner strength.
Since absorbing the soul of the spectral beast, Liu had felt a noticeable increase in his energy, but he also felt an increasing pressure weighing on him.
The world around him was no longer the same; everyone was watching him cautiously, and his enemies were growing in the shadows.
In his modest room, Liu sat quietly on the floor, gazing at the ancient book he had inherited from his father.
He knew that this book was not merely a guide to soul cultivation but a map to hidden abilities that few had been able to understand.
He also realized that every line in the book opened up a new world filled with dangerous challenges.
Liu Chen slowly opened the book and began to flip through its worn-out pages.
The teachings grew more complex with each page, but Liu knew it was time to dive deeper into the secrets of soul cultivation.
He sat cross-legged on the floor and closed his eyes, starting to circulate his spiritual energy within his body.
He could feel the energy flowing more strongly and clearly than before.
The souls he had absorbed were still interacting with his body, giving him a significant boost in strength.
With every breath he took, he felt his spiritual energy become more focused.
This increase wasn't just an addition of raw power; it enhanced his control and mastery over that energy.
Liu recalled what the book mentioned about the "Gate of Power," the phase where a cultivator begins reshaping their spiritual energy in a unique way, different from the conventional methods followed by others.
He knew this gate was the key to surpassing the beginner cultivator level, and that he needed more training and more souls to reach that phase.
After finishing his meditation session, Liu left his room and headed toward the village's central square.
The air outside was filled with the damp scent of the approaching winter.
Farmers moved between the fields, going about their daily routines, but Liu noticed a subtle change in the atmosphere.
The stares that followed him, the whispers in the air, all pointed to one thing: unease.
Liu wasn't particularly well-liked in the village, but he knew this new tension wasn't just about his odd behavior; it was about his growing strength.
People had begun noticing the changes in him, and that was not to his advantage.
In a world ruled by spiritual cultivation, anyone who grows stronger attracts enemies as much as allies.
In the center of the square stood Zhang Feng, one of the village's ambitious young men who considered himself Liu's primary rival.
Zhang never hid his desire to surpass Liu and was always looking for the right opportunity to prove his strength.
"Liu Chen!" Zhang called out loudly, drawing everyone's attention.
"I've heard you aim to reach higher levels in soul cultivation. How about we show everyone here who's truly stronger?"
Liu turned slowly, offering a cold smile.
He had been expecting such a challenge, knowing that the moment had come to confront his rivals openly.
Liu returned to his room after Zhang's public challenge.
He knew this duel would not be a simple fight between beginner cultivators; it was a real test of his wit and strategies.
Zhang Feng had a strong reputation in the village, but Liu knew he relied heavily on his physical strength.
Strength alone wouldn't be enough to defeat someone like Liu Chen, who thrived on deception and cunning.
Once again, Liu sat with the ancient book, reviewing some advanced techniques he hadn't yet used.
These techniques focused on exploiting his opponent's weaknesses rather than confronting their strength head-on.
He knew Zhang Feng depended on powerful, direct attacks, which would be his downfall.
As the sun began to set, Liu prepared himself for the confrontation.
He gathered some spiritual tools that could help him neutralize Zhang's strength, then left his home, heading toward the agreed battleground.
When Liu arrived at the forest where the duel was to take place, the sky had darkened, casting an air of mystery and anticipation over the scene.
Zhang Feng was already there, surrounded by a group of young villagers who had come to witness the battle.
The atmosphere was charged with tension, and everyone knew that this duel would determine who held the upper hand in the coming days.
"Finally, you've shown up," Zhang Feng said with a sneer.
"Are you ready to learn a lesson?"
Liu calmly responded,
"Lessons aren't given, they're taken."
The fight began with an explosive charge from Zhang Feng, who launched a violent assault toward Liu, using his immense physical strength to try to dominate from the start.
But Liu had anticipated this move.
Instead of meeting the attack head-on, he dodged with agility, using some spiritual techniques to slow down Zhang's movements.
Zhang Feng was strong, but he quickly realized that raw strength alone wasn't enough.
Liu began employing techniques from the ancient book, techniques that relied on distracting his opponent's energy and forcing them into tactical mistakes.
With every strike Zhang launched, Liu exploited the gaps in his defense, landing small but precise hits that gradually wore him down.
After several minutes of intense fighting, Zhang Feng began to lose his balance.
Liu's smart and calculated strikes were accumulating, weakening him over time. Zhang hadn't expected Liu to be this fast and strategic, and with every move he made, Liu was already one step ahead.
In a decisive moment, Liu unleashed a concentrated spiritual attack aimed at a weak point in Zhang's defense, causing him to fall to the ground, exhausted and unable to continue.
Defeat was clear in Zhang's eyes, and there was no doubt that Liu Chen had outclassed him.
Liu walked toward the fallen Zhang, speaking in a calm voice:
"Strength isn't everything, Zhang. In this world, those who wield intelligence are the ones who win."
Liu turned and walked away, leaving behind a crowd of spectators who stood in silence, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.
This moment marked the true beginning of Liu Chen's rise to dominance.
Back in his room, as night fell, Liu began contemplating his next move.
He knew this duel was just the beginning, and the road ahead was still long and filled with challenges.
He opened the ancient book again, flipping through its pages in search of new techniques to help him achieve his goals.
…