After the trial had concluded, the newly accepted outer disciples were led through the sprawling grounds of the Lotus Cloud Sect. The air hummed with excitement and pride as the group moved toward the disciple housing area, each person wondering what lay ahead in their cultivation journey.
Shen Yuan, however, remained silent, his expression cold and detached. His mind was not on the grandeur of the sect or the other disciples around him. He had a singular focus: his growth. The sect was a means to an end, and he wasn't here to make friends, be impressed by its resources, or to impress anyone.
An elder led the group through a winding path of stone and spirit trees before arriving at a secluded area lined with modest stone abodes. The buildings, though simple, radiated a faint aura of Qi, clearly designed to aid disciples in their cultivation.
"These will be your homes as outer disciples," the elder said, his voice stern but not unkind. "Make good use of them. Your advancement is in your own hands."
The disciples scattered to claim their respective abodes. Shen Yuan quietly moved to one tucked in a corner, away from the others. He preferred solitude—fewer eyes, fewer distractions.
As he entered, the abode was exactly what he needed: a small meditation room, a few shelves for scrolls and materials, and a simple bed. It was no grand palace, but for cultivation, it was perfect. He placed his spirit pouch and belongings to the side, his fingers brushing the cold material of the pouch that held the life essences he had gathered.
His eyes gleamed slightly with satisfaction. The next step of his journey was already forming in his mind. But first, there was one place he wanted to explore: the library.
The Lotus Cloud Sect's library was known far and wide, rumoured to contain countless cultivation techniques, manuals, and ancient texts. It was a treasure trove of knowledge for disciples, but Shen Yuan's thoughts weren't on common techniques. He sought a new cultivation method, as the 'Dark Qi Condensation Art' would stop working once he reached the Qi Gathering Realm.
The library itself was a towering building, built from black stone and adorned with intricate talismans that shimmered with protective arrays. Shen Yuan approached the entrance, and the heavy doors opened with a soft groan as he stepped inside.
The air inside was thick with the scent of old scrolls, and the shelves stretched as far as the eye could see, each stacked with volumes of profound knowledge. A few other disciples roamed the aisles, their eyes wide with awe, but Shen Yuan barely noticed them.
As he walked past the shelves, his hand occasionally brushing over the spines of scrolls and manuals, something caught his attention—a faint ripple of energy. It was subtle, barely noticeable, but distinct enough to stop him in his tracks.
His eyes scanned the rows of scrolls nearby, but none seemed to emanate the strange aura he had sensed. Frowning, Shen Yuan spread out his divine sense and moved toward the source of the energy, deeper into a more secluded corner of the library. There, hidden behind an old tome on Qi theory, was a small, unremarkable scroll. It looked ancient, its edges worn, and its surface covered in faded characters.
Without thinking, Shen Yuan pulled the scroll from the shelf. The moment he touched it, a cold sensation ran through his fingers, almost as if the scroll itself was alive with dormant power. He opened it cautiously, his eyes scanning the characters on the inside.
As he began to scan, the scene before his eyes shifted as if his soul had been dragged to a dark, unknown dimension. But the next moment, he saw himself at the library again. This time, his mind had a few pieces of information that weren't there before, as he slowly said, "Nether Dragon Scripture…?"
It seemed to be the name of the cultivation art, though he had no idea how he knew its name, even though there was no such thing as "Nether Dragon Scripture" written here. Not only that, he also had some information on the cultivation method and how to use it, which seemed so unreal. But nevertheless, this was exactly what Shen Yuan needed.
The scroll was cryptic, filled with complex diagrams and vague descriptions of cultivating an unknown form of dark energy—an energy that seemed to resonate with Yin Qi. From the information in Shen Yuan's mind, he could depict that one needs to first adapt the body with Yin Qi from the surroundings or where death lies. Beyond this, the other information seemed blocked in the back of his mind. From this, he could deduce that he needs to first adapt his body to know more.
Before he could delve too deeply into its contents, Shen Yuan felt a subtle shift in the air behind him. He turned briefly but saw nothing out of the ordinary. The library's caretaker, an old man with a hunched back and a face weathered by time, was seated at his usual post near the entrance, his gaze seemingly fixed on a manuscript.
Satisfied that no one was watching, Shen Yuan tucked the scroll into his robe. He left the library quickly, unaware of the brief, knowing smirk that flashed across the old man's face.
Back in his abode, Shen Yuan wasted no time. He sat cross-legged on the meditation platform, the scroll of the Nether Dragon Scripture spread before him. He had already memorized the early steps of the technique, and now he was ready to begin.
He took out the extracted life essences and spread them before him as his Qi unleashed from him. The Qi was red in color. He sat cross-legged and closed his eyes as he absorbed the life essences while also refining them into Yin Qi. He could feel a cold sensation. According to the scripture, one must refine one's body over nine times—the more, the better—before one can be qualified to begin the starting condition of the scripture.
The Yin Qi within him began to shift, taking on a darker, more profound nature. It twisted and coiled, like a dragon stirring from slumber deep within his dantian. Shen Yuan felt the energy growing, expanding, and changing. It was more than just a technique—it felt like an evolution, a force that could reshape his very foundation.
His breathing slowed as the world around him seemed to fade. His mind delved deeper into the Nether Dragon Scripture, each character and diagram resonating with a power he could barely comprehend. He felt as though he was being pulled into an abyss—an endless void where the secrets of life and death, of creation and destruction, were laid bare.
Hours passed, though it felt like mere moments to Shen Yuan. When he finally opened his eyes, the night had fallen, and his body radiated with a newfound strength. The Nether Dragon Scripture was powerful, far more than he had anticipated. But it was also dangerous—its energy volatile and unpredictable.
Yet, that was exactly what drew Shen Yuan in.
A quiet smile formed on his lips as he stood from the meditation platform, his fingers curling slightly as he tested the flow of this new energy. It was dark, cold, and relentless—just like him.
He hadn't realized it yet, but this discovery was no accident. The old man from the library had known exactly what he was doing when he placed the Nether Dragon Scripture where Shen Yuan would find it. The smirk Shen Yuan had missed was a sign of things to come. A master had chosen him, and the path ahead would be filled with darkness, power, and dominance.
But for now, Shen Yuan would master this scripture, and the world would soon witness the rise of a true force.
Stretching his limbs, he left his abode to go to the Ching-ming Hotel, where the food was the best in the sect.