In the deepest cracks of the underground caverns, where sunlight never touched, there lived a young cockroach named Ruan. Among his kind, he was known for his swiftness and his ability to slip through even the smallest crevices. The cockroach race, or Zu Roach as they were called, lived in the shadows of the vast martial world, unnoticed by the towering humans who ruled the lands above.
While humans practiced great martial arts and wielded swords that cut the heavens, the Zu Roach cultivated in secret, honing their own skills. They called it the Art of Resilience, a technique passed down through generations. This art wasn't about brute strength but about endurance, adaptability, and survival. Ruan, though still young, had mastered many of its foundational techniques: Burrow Step, Swift Evasion, and the Iron Shell Form.
One day, as Ruan explored the underbelly of a human city, a tremor shook the earth. A battle was taking place on the surface, where powerful martial sects clashed. Blasts of Qi energy penetrated the earth, collapsing tunnels and shaking Ruan's home. Many of his fellow cockroaches scurried in panic, but Ruan stood firm. His instincts told him something was different about this battle.
Curiosity got the better of him, and he ventured upward, towards the source of the tremors. As he emerged from a hidden crack in a human temple, he found himself in the midst of a fierce battle between two sect leaders. Energy blades flashed through the air, and shockwaves sent debris flying in every direction. One wrong move, and Ruan could be crushed.
Suddenly, a stray Qi blast struck the temple, and Ruan barely managed to dodge it with his Burrow Step. The energy, however, was too powerful, and a portion of it grazed his body. Pain surged through him, but something unexpected happened. Instead of killing him, the energy was absorbed into his exoskeleton, spreading through his tiny body in waves. His antennae buzzed with newfound power.
Ruan's heart pounded as the energy coursed through him. It was unlike anything he had felt before. The ancient cultivation techniques of the Zu Roach had always been subtle, focused on defense and survival. But this… this was raw power, pure Qi energy, and it was merging with his resilient body.
As the battle above continued, Ruan quickly retreated to the depths of his home, feeling the energy settle within him. His body had changed. He could sense the Qi flowing through him like a river, strengthening his shell, quickening his movements. His eyes widened as realization struck him.
"I've gained the humans' Qi arts," he whispered to himself.
The legends spoke of rare cockroaches who absorbed the Qi from above and transcended their kind, becoming nearly immortal, capable of feats no Zu Roach could imagine. But those were just stories, or so Ruan thought.
His path was clear now. With his newfound abilities, Ruan would rise above the shadows, mastering both the art of resilience and the humans' Qi arts. The world would soon learn of Ruan, the Roach Immortal.