"I'm Liu Yan," the disciple said, stepping into the room, his tone surprisingly gentle. "You're Xuan, right? I was there when you asked about unlocking the dantian with fewer than six nodes. I've been thinking about your question ever since."
Xuan blinked in surprise, taken aback. "What?"
Liu Yan's eyes softened as he closed the door behind him. "I have a younger sister," he began, his voice carrying a quiet sincerity. "She lost her leg in an accident when we were young, and now she can't cultivate because of her missing leg node. I've been searching for a solution ever since. When you asked your question, it hit close to home. That's why I'm here—to see if we can figure something out together."
Liu Yan wasn't the best at talking, and he knew showing up unannounced might raise suspicion. So, instead of dancing around the subject, he decided to lay it all on the table.
"Let me help you," Liu Yan continued, his tone earnest. "If I can help you, maybe I can help my sister too."
Xuan stared at him, processing the rapid-fire information.
"I can't promise anything," Liu Yan added, "but maybe together we can find a way around the conventional methods. I've already long unlocked my dantian, so we might be able to draw some insight from that."
Something about the way Liu Yan talked seemed genuine to Xuan. Though still in a bit of a haze from the unexpected offer, he felt a flicker of hope rise within him. This was an opportunity—one he couldn't afford to ignore.
"Alright," Xuan agreed, his voice firming as he nodded. "Let's do it."
---
A few minutes later, Xuan and Liu Yan sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor of Xuan's small room. Liu Yan glanced at Xuan, his gaze serious yet contemplative.
"Have you ever wondered why only kids your age are selected for initiation?" Liu Yan asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
Xuan blinked, caught off guard, wondering why Liu Yan asked that and how it had anything to do with the matter at hand. "No," he admitted, curiosity now sparked.
Shaking his head slightly, Liu Yan allowed a faint smile to tug at his lips. "It's all about the nodes and the dantian," he began, his tone shifting to one of instruction. "The nodes and dantian don't fully form at birth. They mature as a child grows, and by the age of ten, both the nodes and the dantian finish developing. But before that point, they need to protect themselves. Absorbing qi too early would damage or destroy them."
Xuan furrowed his brows, listening carefully.
"To protect themselves," Liu Yan continued, "the nodes and dantian wrap themselves in a continuously strengthening seal while they mature. If the seal didn't grow stronger, the node's qi attraction would overwhelm it before the node had matured, causing irreversible damage. But this continously growing seal is also the nodes own biggest enemy at the same time. Because by the time a child reaches the age of ten, that seal has become so strong that the nodes can't break it themselves. As such the cultivator has to unlock them by using external qi. That's why sects like the Venomthread Sect only accept kids around that age."
Intrigued, Xuan nodded thoughtfully. Even his parents had never fully explained why he was meant to wait until after his 10th birthday to begin cultivating. "But why not accept older kids?" he asked, his brow furrowing. "Wouldn't they still be able to unlock their dantian?"
Liu Yan's expression grew more serious. "There's a reason for that. Of course, the earlier you start, the better—getting a head start in cultivation is valuable. But the real issue is the seal. Even after the nodes and dantian have matured, the seals continue to strengthen over time. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to break the seal."
Xuan's eyes widened as the realization dawned.
"By the time a child turns twelve," Liu Yan explained, "the seal has grown so strong that it becomes nearly impossible to unlock the nodes or dantian without a miracle medicine. That's why they prefer younger kids. For older children, it's not impossible, but the difficulty increases with every year. The more time that passes, the harder it gets."
Absorbing the information slowly, Xuan pieced everything together. "So, they want to get us early, before the seal gets too strong," he echoed. Then, he paused, confusion flickering across his face. "But why are you telling me this?"
Liu Yan met his gaze steadily. "I'm telling you this so you understand—time is your enemy. The longer you wait to do something, the lower your chances of success. If you want any hope of cultivating, especially with your unique situation, you need to act fast."
A chill ran through Xuan..
"Now, as for unlocking the dantian," Liu Yan said, suddenly shifting gears. "It's similar to unlocking a node. You need to surround the dantian in qi and gradually erode the seal. But here's the problem—you need a much larger amount of qi to break the dantian's seal. That's why six nodes are needed. Five nodes won't generate enough qi."
Liu Yan's voice softened. "How old are you now, Xuan?"
"About three months older than ten," Xuan replied, his confusion clear in his tone. He was barely able to follow Liu Yan's train of thought.
A small smile of relief spread across Liu Yan's face. "Good. Then there's still time."
Xuan frowned, still trying to make sense of it all. "I don't understand… why does that matter?"
Liu Yan leaned forward slightly. "Normally, it takes someone with decent talent about nine months to unlock all their nodes. Then another two or three months to unlock the dantian. But considering your situation, you'll need to move faster than that. If you can unlock all your nodes by the sixth month, the seal on your dantian won't be too strong yet. It will still be tough, but you'll have a chance, at least that's what I think."
Pausing, Liu Yan's eyes hardened as he calculated. "Better still, if you can unlock all the nodes by your fifth month, the seal should be weak enough for you to unlock your dantian without major complications."
Xuan's heart pounded, disbelief flickering across his face. "So… if I unlock the nodes fast enough, I can still cultivate?"
"That's my theory," Liu Yan replied, his gaze unwavering as he studied Xuan. "But I understand how difficult that is. That's why I've been preparing." Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a small pouch, carefully weighing it in his hand. Everything he had said earlier was to emphasize the urgency—to make Xuan realize how crucial it was to act swiftly. It was all for this moment. "I've been searching for spiritual plants that aid in unlocking nodes, and I managed to find two. I'm willing to give you one," he continued, extending the pouch towards Xuan. "It should help you unlock the rest of your nodes more quickly."
Liu Yan stared at Xuan intently. If Xuan accepted the plants, it would be the perfect opportunity to see if his theory held any merit or if he had to find a different solution.
For a moment, Xuan's eyes lingered on the pouch, his mind racing. After the betrayal he had faced back in the village, he couldn't just accept a seemingly generous offer without considering the cost. Wariness crept in, and he narrowed his eyes. "Why would you just give this to me? You barely know me. What's in it for you?"
Liu Yan's expression softened a bit, though his tone remained firm. "I told you, I want to help my sister. If my theory works, then it could open up a path for her. But I need to see if it's even possible first. Otherwise, I'd be banking everything on a dead end. You're my best chance at figuring this out."
Xuan remained silent for a moment, weighing the sincerity in Liu Yan's voice. However, after a few moments of contemplation, his constant small smile seemed to expand a bit.
"I appreciate the offer," Xuan finally said, shaking his head. "But the fruit won't be necessary."
Liu Yan blinked, confused. "What do you mean? Why?"
With a steady voice filled with quiet conviction, Xuan answered, "I've already unlocked all my nodes."
The room fell into a stunned silence. Liu Yan's eyes widened in shock, his composure momentarily faltering. "What?" he whispered, disbelief clear in his voice. "You… you've already unlocked all of them?"
Xuan nodded. "I managed to unlock the last one just recently."
For a moment, Liu Yan could only stare, speechless, as he tried to process what he'd just heard. Unlocking all the nodes within six months was considered nearly impossible, even for the most gifted cultivators. That Xuan had done it in just three months seemed beyond belief.
After a long pause, Liu Yan finally cleared his throat, trying his best to formulate a response.
"Impossible."
---
Liu Yan gave Xuan some advice about unlocking the dantian and then left shortly after their conversation, asking him to share the results once he had attempted to unlock the dantian. Despite the unexpected development, Liu Yan remained eager to see if his theory held up. Afterall it didn't matter whether the plant was needed or not.
The spiritual plant Liu Yan had offered would indeed have been able to help unlock nodes faster, but it would have come at a significant cost. The plant had a hidden side effect—it would permanently limit a cultivator's future potential. He hadn't told Xuan that as he knew that he would never accept them if he knew.
But Liu Yan had also discovered a genuine miracle medicine, one capable of unlocking nodes without such a compromise, although he had only one. And he wasn't willing to risk it on an uncertain theory just yet.
His plan had been to use Xuan as a test subject, to see if the defective plant could unlock the nodes early and verify his theory about unlocking the dantian. If the test was successful, he could then give the real medicine to his sister. If not, he could sell the genuine miracle medicine to find another solution.
But now all of that didn't matter. Xuan had already unlocked his nodes, and as far as Liu Yan was concerned, that was the best case scenario.
As Liu Yan pondered his next steps, Xuan continued with his daily cultivation, his mind now filled with hope. He dedicated himself to unlocking his dantian, following Liu Yan's advice while making sure to conserve his energy and approach it carefully. There was a renewed fire within him, a confidence that he would succeed.
He spent most of his time in his room, focusing intensely on his training, only leaving to eat. And then as the end of the fourth month since his birthday and the third month at the Venomthread Sect's testing grounds approached, something unusual happened.
Xuan, donning his usual small smile, bumped into someone on his way to the dining hall. He barely had time to react when he realized it was the arrogant boy he had met at the dining hall a few months ago, the one who had mocked him before the first test.
The boy sneered, blocking Xuan's path. "Well, if it isn't the cripple who thinks he's too good for the rest of us," the boy said, his tone laced with bitterness.
Xuan raised an eyebrow, keeping his expression calm. "What are you talking about?"
"You didn't show up for the last Q&A session," the boy growled. "You think you're so special that you don't need guidance like the rest of us?" His voice was filled with frustration. Xuan could sense that there was more to it than just missed lessons—the boy was angry, and it wasn't just at him.
The boy was named Zhang Lei, the son of the village hunter from a small settlement near Mulin Village. Since a young age, Zhang Lei had been training with his father, learning the skills of survival and combat. His body was well-muscled for someone his age, toned from years of hunting and fighting practice.
But none of that helped him here. He was struggling. Despite his strong efforts, he had barely managed to unlock one node in the past two and a half months. The frustration had built up, and seeing Xuan—a boy with only one arm—pass by with an air of confidence and that damn ever present smile was the last straw.
Xuan met the boy's glare evenly. "I missed it because I was busy. I don't think I'm better than anyone," he said plainly.
But that wasn't what the arrogant boy wanted to hear. "Busy with what? Thinking you're too good to need help? I'll show you what being 'special' gets you."
Without warning, the boy lunged forward, his fist aimed directly at Xuan's face. Xuan barely had time to react, instinctively dodging to the side, but the boy's punch still grazed his cheek, leaving a burning sting.
But Zhang Lei didn't stop there, soon following up with a flurry of punches. Each strike was precise, aimed to take Xuan down quickly. And Xuan, despite his best efforts to block, was too slow to match the other boy's rapid, well-practiced movements. Zhang Lei's strikes hammered against him, forcing Xuan on the defensive.
"You think you're better than me, cripple?" Zhang Lei spat, his voice dripping with contempt, even though he himself knew that Xuan was just an outlet for his frustration. He hadn't done anything wrong. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. „I'll show you what real strength looks like."
As the punches rained down on him, Xuan clenched his jaw, frustration and anger bubbling inside him. It was clear his inexperienced fighting skills were far worse than those of the trained boy. But still something felt weird. For some reason he had this strange feeling, that he was physically stronger than Zhang Lei—his muscles, his body, everything told him he had the upper hand in raw power, even though that shouldn't be the case.
But in the end it didn't matter, because no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't land a clean hit. Zhang Lei's movements were too swift, too precise. Xuan's lack of combat training was painfully obvious. Every punch he threw was dodged, every attempt to strike back was countered with ease.
Blow after blow, Zhang Lei dominated the fight, his fists finding their mark on Xuan's torso and sides. As the pain surged through Xuan's body, he kept standing, his strength the only thing preventing him from crumbling under the relentless assault. Zhang Lei's mocking laughter echoed through the hallway as he taunted Xuan with every hit.
"Is this all you've got?" Zhang Lei sneered, landing another punch to Xuan's ribs. "Pathetic."
Gritting his teeth, Xuan swung his remaining arm to block yet another incoming blow. But Zhang Lei was relentless, seizing every opportunity to exploit the glaring vulnerability in Xuan's defense—his missing arm.
Zhang Lei landed a hard kick to Xuan's right side, sending him stumbling back into the cold stone wall. He winced as his back slammed against the rough surface. He was cornered now, with nowhere left to go, as Zhang Lei moved in for the final blow, a smirk spreading across his face.
"That's what you get, mongrel." Zhang Lei growled, drawing his fist back for a heavy punch aimed straight at Xuan's head.
But in that moment, something inside Xuan snapped. Enough was enough.
The frustration, the anger, the helplessness, everything he had felt since his birthday—it all erupted in a surge of raw emotion. Zhang Lei's taunts and relentless blows had been the final trigger, igniting something within him. His bloodline ability stirred, pulsing with a power he had yet to fully understand. Anger fueled his instincts, and without thinking, Xuan activated his divine ability.
A sudden burst of energy surged through Xuan's body, and before he knew it, his movements became a blur. His body lunged forward with an intensity he hadn't known he possessed. Zhang Lei's punch never landed—instead, Xuan's shoulder rammed into his chest with incredible force.
*Crack*
Zhang Lei's eyes widened in shock as his body was lifted off the ground. The sheer power behind Xuan's attack sent him flying backward. His body crashed into the stone wall with a sickening thud, the air forced out of his lungs. The sound of ribs cracking echoed through the hallway, followed by the boy's pained gasp.
He crumpled to the ground, clutching his side, his face twisted in agony. His once-mocking expression was now replaced with shock and fear as he lay motionless, struggling to breathe and most importantly struggling to comprehend what had just happened. Xuan, panting heavily, lay above him, unable to properly stop his advance. As he slowly stood up, the adrenaline coursed through his veins. His heart raced, his muscles trembled, and the realization of what had just happened slowly began to dawn on him.
He hadn't meant to hurt Zhang Lei that badly. It had all happened so fast, so instinctively, that Xuan hadn't been able to stop himself.
Fear gripped him, not for his own safety, but for Zhang Lei. What if he had seriously injured him? What if he had caused permanent damage? Panic set in as he rushed to find a nearby disciple, his heart pounding in his chest. He had never hurt anyone like this before, and the guilt gnawed at him.
When he finally found a disciple and explained what had happened, his words stumbled over themselves in his panic. But to his surprise, the disciple seemed almost indifferent. The man gave Zhang Lei a brief glance, muttering something about the boy needing to toughen up, before taking him to the infirmary. There was no punishment and no reprimand. It seemed that in the harsh world of the Venomthread Sect, a fight like this wasn't uncommon, and neither Xuan nor Zhang Lei were considered in the wrong.
Still in shock, Xuan watched as they carried Zhang Lei away, still breathing but clearly in pain. The weight of what had happened lingered in Xuan's mind as he returned to his room, shaken by the encounter. He had won the fight, but it didn't feel like a victory.
---
Later, as Xuan reflected on the fight, he realized the importance of the ability he had awakened. But at the moment, he couldn't control it well. He would need to spend time learning how to do that. From then on, he made a point to practice his divine ability every day, testing its limits while still focusing on unlocking his dantian.
Time passed, and the days blurred together as the next monthly Q&A session arrived. The atmosphere in the hall was tense, with the young disciples eager for any bits of knowledge that could help them improve their cultivation. Master Tao stood at the front of the room, his cold eyes sweeping over the assembled children with a faint sneer on his lips.
He began the session as usual, answering questions in his clipped, dismissive tone. After a particularly frustrating question from one of the kids, Master Tao rolled his eyes, shaking his head slightly.
"And of course," he said with a thin smile, "some of you think you're so special, that you'll somehow bypass all the rules of cultivation – such as needing all six nodes to unlock your dantian - and leap ahead." His eyes drifted to Xuan, lingering for a moment, as if daring him to speak. "But even special cases must follow the same principles as everyone else, no matter how extraordinary they think they are."
This was just a personal jab, a way for the instructor to release his frustrations. And what could Xuan do about it? Nothing.
*Bang!*
Suddenly the door slammed open with such force that several students jumped in their seats. Conversations cut off abruptly, and the room turned toward the entrance in near unison.
Master Shen entered. Following behind him was a figure that made the air in the room grow heavy—the presence of someone far more powerful than anyone Xuan had ever encountered here.
It was an old man whose presence alone seemed to pull at the air, his aura suffocating and vast. Though Xuan didn't know who he was, there was no mistaking the sheer authority that radiated from him. His eyes were sharp, and despite his frail appearance, there was an undeniable sense of strength in every step he took.
Whispers spread like wildfire through the room, but Master Tao fell silent instantly, his posture stiffening at the sight of the two men. His face shifted from irritation to something closer to respect and apprehension as Master Shen's eyes scanned the room.
It took a second, but soon they landed squarely on Xuan.
"There," Master Shen said, his voice low but sharp. "It's him."