The next morning, Yuan awoke feeling remarkably refreshed. His body was still a little sore, but his mind was clear. After a quick breakfast of fruits, Yuan sat cross-legged on the stone floor and closed his eyes, ready to begin his cultivation.
It was a moment he had been waiting for—the first step toward becoming a true cultivator.
He adjusted his breathing and centered his mind, his excitement building up with each passing second. It was his first time cultivating, and though nervous, he felt a sense of anticipation like never before.
Yuan began running the Qi Circulation method, one of the simplest and most basic cultivation techniques. It was used primarily to test whether a person had a spirit root—whether they were able to absorb the Spirit Qi in the environment.
While Yuan knew that more advanced methods existed, and if he was at the pavilion, his parent would have provided him with a better method however, he could not stop himself and decided to use the most basic cultivation method he had on him now.
It took nearly an hour, but finally, Yuan felt it. A gentle pull like a faint current of wind brushing against his skin. He focused on that sensation, slowly guiding it through his body, circulating the qi in a small cycle.
"click"
Suddenly, there was a cracking sound inside his body, like a dam breaking. His heart skipped a beat, and he immediately ran the Qi Circulation method again. This time, the process was faster and smoother, and the speed of the Qi flow in his body doubled.
"I've done it," Yuan thought, his heart racing with excitement. "I've broken the first layer of the seal."
He knew everything Senior San had said was true but hadn't expected it to break the first layer so easily. Yuan now understood why Senior San had placed such emphasis on cultivating a strong foundation. It wasn't just about power—it was about breaking through the limitations that had held him back for so long.
Far away, in a distant palace, an elderly man sat cross-legged. He opened his eyes and, a faint smile crossing his lips. he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. **"You've taken your first step
The old man's laughter filled the air, and the very walls of the palace trembled because of his laughs.
Back in the cave, Yuan stop cultivating after running a few more cycles. A small amount of spirit qi was already circulating through his body. But he knew it wasn't enough—he needed more advanced techniques, something that could help him cultivate faster and more efficiently.
Just as he was lost in thought, Red entered the room, carrying something in his mouth. Little Silver was nowhere to be seen. Yuan looked up and saw that Red was holding a small, unassuming ring, its surface black with a hint of silver. Red placed it in Yuan's hands.
"What is this?" Yuan asked, confusion crossing his face as he examined the ring.
Red met Yuan gaze and signaled him to refine it. From the seriousness in Red's eyes, Yuan knew this ring was important. He nodded.
With a steadying breath, Yuan bit his finger lightly, drawing a drop of blood. He dropped the red drop onto the ring's cool surface. After that, he immediately began circulating his cultivation method and channeled the qi into it. He made the imprint of his qi and merged it with the ring.
The instant the imprint completely merged, a blinding flash of light exploded from the ring. Yuan shielded his eyes, instinctively pulling back, and his heart skipped a beat. He could feel his connection with the ring. He was now bounded with it.
Yuan ran his qi through the ring again, more cautiously this time, and gasped. Before him, a space as big as a normal room appeared. This scene reminded him of his storage bag. As Yuan stared at the ethereal sight, he realized what he was seeing.
"This… This is a storage ring!" Yuan exclaimed, his voice shaking. He had read about such things but never imagined he would one day possess one. Storage rings were legendary—far rarer and more precious than storage bags. Storage rings were which only powerful cultivators used.
Storage rings were far more compact, easier to carry, and provided far more storage space. A person could simply wear the ring on his finger. His own adoptive parents didn't even own one, and here he was, holding one in his hand. He could scarcely believe it. Yuan stood there in awe, the ring still glowing faintly in his palm. It took him a moment to compose himself.
The cave before him was silent, save for the faint hum of energy emanating from the ring. After a deep breath, Yuan once again poured his qi into the ring, and the space expanded before him.
Inside, the space was nearly empty, except for two beads: one large, the size of a tennis ball, and the other small, no larger than an ordinary pill and a portrait. He used the qi and the portrait of a loving couple appeared in his hand.
The moment he looked at the portrait, he froze.
The woman in the portrait was stunning—her face radiant with warmth, a gentle smile gracing her lips. The man beside her had a much sterner expression, his features sharp and angular, his gaze intense. He looked so much like himself.
Yuan felt his chest tighten. He recognized the couple in the portrait. They were his biological parents.
"Father, Mother…" Yuan whispered, his voice cracking as tears began to gather in his eyes.
Yuan remained silent for what felt like an eternity, his gaze fixed on the faces in the portrait as tears slid down his face. The more Yuan stared at the portrait, the more the floodgates of memories threatened to open. He had always wondered why his parents had left him behind, why they had chosen to disappear from his life.