The elegant figure of Zhen Yi hovered before Yan Zi, his white robes billowing as if caught in an invisible breeze. His long silver beard shimmered under the radiant light of the mind of sea, and his sharp, knowing eyes studied Yan Zi with a mixture of amusement and authority. He raised a hand, stroking his beard thoughtfully before speaking.
"Allow me to formally introduce myself, brat," he said, his voice deep and resonant. "I am Zhen Yi, an ancient spirit, once a peerless cultivator in my era. Bound to this inscription for countless years, I've been watching over you… and waiting."
"Zhen Yi?" Yan Zi repeated, his tone uncertain.
"Yes, Zhen Yi," the old man snapped with a tsk, as if he expected more reverence. "A name that once shook the heavens and struck fear into the hearts of even the most powerful beings. But now," he sighed dramatically, gesturing to the inscription behind him, "I've been reduced to babysitting a clueless kid who can't even cultivate. What a fall from grace."
Yan Zi's mouth twitched. "Uh… thanks?"
Zhen Yi ignored the sarcasm and continued, "But enough pleasantries. I've spent long enough in this place to grow sick of my own company. Now that you've awakened me, we're going to fix this mess of yours."
Yan Zi blinked, still trying to keep up. "Mess? What mess?"
Zhen Yi sighed heavily, rolling his eyes as though Yan Zi had asked the dumbest question imaginable. "Your cultivation, of course! What do you think? The state you're in right now is an insult to the inscription's power—and to me."
Before Yan Zi could respond, Zhen Yi clapped his hands, the sharp sound reverberating through the mind of sea. "Enough chatter. Let's begin."
Yan Zi frowned, crossing his arms. "Begin what?"
Zhen Yi turned to him with a look of sheer disbelief, his silver eyebrows furrowing. "Do you even have a brain, brat? Or is it just there for decoration?" He pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering under his breath, "How did I end up with this one…"
Yan Zi bristled at the jab. "Hey, I'm just trying to understand what's going on!"
Zhen Yi waved him off dismissively. "Restore your cultivation, of course! Unless you plan to live out your days as a walking piece of trash."
"Wait—you're saying my cultivation can actually be restored?" Yan Zi asked, his tone laced with cautious hope.
"Yes, obviously," Zhen Yi said, his expression unimpressed. "It was destroyed by the inscription, so naturally, the inscription can fix it. And let me tell you, when I'm done with you, your cultivation will be stronger than ever. But only if you survive."
Yan Zi felt a mixture of excitement and unease. "Stronger? How much stronger?"
Zhen Yi smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, you'll see. Now, stop wasting my time and move toward the inscription. We have work to do."
Before Yan Zi could respond, Zhen Yi raised his hands, a brilliant white aura radiating from his body. The light seemed to fill the entire mind of sea, illuminating every shadow. The aura coiled and swirled like a living thing, responding to Zhen Yi's every movement.
"Go stand by the inscription," Zhen Yi instructed, his tone sharp yet commanding.
Yan Zi hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded and began walking toward the glowing symbol. Each step felt heavier than the last, as though the weight of the inscription's power pressed down on him. The air grew thicker, charged with energy that made his skin tingle.
As he neared the inscription, it began to emit a golden light, its radiance intensifying with each passing second. The chains around it rattled and glowed, their ancient symbols flaring to life. Yan Zi gulped, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"Don't just stand there gawking, kid. Touch it," Zhen Yi barked, rolling his eyes.
Yan Zi took a deep breath, muttering to himself, "Here goes nothing." He reached out, his fingers trembling slightly, and the moment his hand made contact with the inscription, a searing pain shot through his body.
"Ahhh!" Yan Zi screamed, his knees buckling as the golden aura enveloped him completely.
Zhen Yi watched with an almost bored expression, though there was a glimmer of approval in his eyes. "Tsk. Stop whining, kid. This is nothing. Pain is part of the process. You want strength? You endure. Now grit your teeth and bear it."
Yan Zi clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white as he forced himself to stand upright. The pain was unlike anything he'd ever experienced, as if his very meridians were being torn apart and stitched back together simultaneously. His breathing grew ragged, his entire body trembling under the strain.
Inside him, the broken pathways of his qi began to shift and align. Shattered fragments of his meridians glowed with golden light as they knitted together, stronger and more resilient than before. His cultivation core, which had been a hollow void for years, began to reform. Golden threads of energy spiraled inward, condensing into a solid, radiant core that pulsed with newfound vitality.
Zhen Yi nodded approvingly. "Good. Keep going. Don't give in now."
The golden aura around Yan Zi intensified, surging through his body like a raging river. Every inch of him burned with pain, but alongside the agony, there was a strange sense of renewal. His body felt lighter, his senses sharper, and his qi began to flow freely for the first time in years.
Zhen Yi smirked, floating closer to him. "Well, kid," he said, his tone laced with satisfaction. "That's step one. Congratulations—you're no longer trash. At least, not entirely."
Yan Zi glared at him, still catching his breath. "Tsk… you… could've warned me about the pain…"
Zhen Yi shrugged nonchalantly. "Where's the fun in that?"
As the golden aura enveloped Yan Zi, Zhen Yi floated nearby, his hands tucked behind his back with a smirk on his face. The inscription pulsed, sending waves of energy surging through Yan Zi's body. The warmth from earlier quickly turned into an unbearable, searing heat.
Yan Zi cried out, gripping his chest. "Ahhh! It feels like my insides are being torn apart! Are you trying to kill me, old man?"
Zhen Yi sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes. "Tsk. Do you think cultivating greatness is like sipping tea on a sunny day? If you can't handle a little pain, you might as well go back to being trash and selling vegetables."
"Selling vegetables?! You're unbelievable!" Yan Zi glared at him, his teeth clenched as the energy rampaged through his meridians.
"Enough whining!" Zhen Yi barked. "Focus, brat! Feel the energy. Let it flow naturally instead of resisting it like an idiot."
Yan Zi gritted his teeth harder, taking deep breaths as he concentrated on the flow of energy. Slowly, his body began to adjust. The broken meridians that had been dormant for years started mending, piece by piece. His shattered cultivation core began to reform, its faint light growing stronger with each pulse of the inscription's golden glow.
The process was agonizingly slow, and Yan Zi felt like he was on the edge of collapsing. But just as he thought he couldn't take any more, the energy surged one last time, flooding his entire body with warmth before dissipating.
Yan Zi collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. His entire body was drenched in sweat, but something felt different. He looked down at his hands. There was no visible change, yet he could feel a power humming just beneath his skin.
Zhen Yi floated closer, nodding with approval. "Not bad. You didn't pass out. I half-expected you to faint like a weak chick."
Yan Zi shot him a glare, still panting. "Gee, thanks for the encouragement… Really warms my heart."
"Don't get snarky with me, brat," Zhen Yi said, shaking his head. "Let's see how far you've come. Try circulating your qi."
Yan Zi closed his eyes and focused inward. He gasped as he felt the flow of energy coursing through his meridians, steady and powerful. It was a sensation he hadn't felt in years.
Zhen Yi smirked. "Congratulations, kid. You've broken through to the Elementary Realm, 5-Star. Impressive for someone who was once considered a waste."
Yan Zi's eyes snapped open. "Wait, what? Five stars already? Isn't that… a little too fast?"
"Fast? Hah!" Zhen Yi chuckled. "That's not even the best part."
Yan Zi blinked in confusion. "There's more?"
Zhen Yi nodded, his expression smug. "Your cultivation speed has also increased. By my calculations, you'll be able to cultivate five times faster than the average person."
Yan Zi's jaw dropped. "Five times faster?!"
Zhen Yi shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't look so surprised. With the inscription's power fused into your core, it's only natural."
"But… but…" Yan Zi stammered. "That's insane! Five times faster means I'll…"
"...leave your peers eating dust, yes," Zhen Yi finished for him. "But don't let it get to your head, brat. Faster cultivation means stronger enemies will notice you sooner. You'll have a target on your back in no time."
Yan Zi nodded, his excitement tempered by the weight of Zhen Yi's words. "I understand. I'll use this chance wisely."
Zhen Yi snorted. "Hmph. We'll see about that. You've got potential, kid, but potential means nothing if you don't work for it. Don't make me regret helping you."
Yan Zi clenched his fists, feeling the newfound strength coursing through him. For the first time in years, he didn't feel weak. He felt alive.
"Zhen Yi," Yan Zi said, looking up at the elegant figure. "Thank you."
Zhen Yi waved him off with a tsk. "Save your thanks for when you've actually accomplished something worth praising. For now, let's focus on not embarrassing yourself."
Yan Zi grinned despite himself. "Alright, old man. What's next?"
Zhen Yi's smirk widened. "What's next? Hah! Training, of course. And let me warn you—if you thought the pain from earlier was bad, you're in for a real treat."
Yan Zi groaned. "Why do I feel like I'm going to regret asking that?"
"Regret?" Zhen Yi chuckled darkly. "Oh, you will. But if you survive, you might just become someone worth fearing. Now, get ready, brat. The real journey begins."
Yan Zi straightened, determination burning in his eyes. "Bring it on!"