Deep within the Beast Forest, at the Beast King Cliff, the young man had been tirelessly repeating the same grueling routine for days—hunting beasts, climbing the cliff, and collapsing into the Clear Water Pool for recovery when he reached his limit. By the tenth day, he managed to scale up to 300 zhang, though it left him so physically drained that he spent two full days and nights unconscious in the pool.
However, those two days weren't entirely unproductive. When he awoke, not only did his body feel significantly stronger, but he discovered something extraordinary: while immersed in the Clear Water Pool, he could circulate the *qi* within his body. This was something even the Beast King himself hadn't noticed before. Thus, the young man added a new task to his daily schedule—meditating and cultivating his inner energy while submerged in the pool. He also adjusted his climbing strategy, ensuring not to push himself too hard so he could maintain focus for nightly meditation. Strangely, this approach improved his climbing efficiency. He estimated that, with steady progress, he could conquer the 1,000-zhang cliff within three months.
A month passed. One night, while meditating in the pool, he reflected on the day's climb. He had reached 600 zhang—each step above 500 becoming exponentially harder. Yet, with every challenge, his body grew even stronger. Gentle ripples in the water mirrored the flow of his *qi*, as if the pool itself resonated with his energy. Although he couldn't perceive the condition of his *dantian*, he guessed that his *qi* cultivation might already be at the third or even fifth tier. If he were to face the shadowy figure from before, he was confident he could defeat him within ten moves.
Leaning against the cliffside, the middle-aged man quietly observed the water's movements, his expression a mix of awe and nostalgia. "What an incredible technique," he murmured. "This kind of energy flow even affects the Clear Water Pool… It reminds me of him. Sigh, Phantom, I wonder how you're doing now." He looked up at the bright moon in the night sky, his voice soft. "Xie Zhi, are you okay?"
Meanwhile, in the Xie family's rear courtyard, a young maiden gazed at the same moon, lost in thought. Suddenly, a knock on the door broke her reverie. Excitedly, she ran to the door. "Father—oh, Uncle Xie Mo, it's you." Her voice fell with disappointment as she opened the door to see a man clad in armor.
"Xiao Zhi, still awake so late?" Xie Mo asked as he stepped into the room, his sharp eyes scanning the space as if searching for something.
"Uncle Mo, have you found my father?" The girl's hopeful eyes were fixed on him, awaiting an answer.
Xie Mo sighed, feigning concern. "Little Zhi, I've searched every corner of the Beast Forest, but there's no sign of the family head. It seems the scoundrel who ambushed him has already taken him beyond the mortal realm."
"That's impossible! Father is so powerful—how could he be caught off guard?" She collapsed into a chair, covering her face as silent tears fell.
Xie Mo approached and gently comforted her. "Don't worry, Xiao Zhi. Your father is my brother—I swear I'll bring that villain to justice. By the way, did your father leave anything with you before he disappeared? Something like a ring or pendant, perhaps?"
"Something?" she repeated, puzzled. She lowered her head in thought before suddenly recalling something. She rushed to her wardrobe, retrieving a delicate box. "A few days before he vanished, Father gave me this pendant." Opening the box, she revealed a finely crafted black stone pendant. "He said it was extremely important and told me never to mention it to anyone. But since it's you, Uncle, it should be fine, right? Do you need it for something?"
"Yes," Xie Mo replied with a reassuring smile. "Our elite guards have a new method of locating missing persons by tracing their residual *qi* left on personal items. This pendant should help us pinpoint your father's location quickly."
"Really? Then please find him as soon as you can!" With a trusting smile, she handed the pendant to Xie Mo, who accepted it with a sinister glint in his eyes.
In the front courtyard, Xie Mo stood holding the black stone pendant. A smirk spread across his face. "Xie Lun, you fool. Entrusting something so important to your daughter—it's as good as handing it over to me!" Injecting *qi* into the pendant, he chanted a few incantations. The pendant emitted a strange light, and within the glow, a massive black iron sword materialized.
"Xie Yingjian! It really is the Xie Yingjian!" Xie Mo exclaimed, marveling at the mid-tier divine weapon. Gripping the sword, he swung it with exhilaration. "With this, the Xie family is mine!" But suddenly, the sword began to hum and tremble. It slipped from his grasp, embedding itself into the courtyard wall.
"That damned Xie Lun must have placed a seal on it," Xie Mo growled. "It seems I'll need to consult that person to fully unlock its power."
Back at the Beast King Cliff, the middle-aged man in the wheelchair watched the young man's progress. The boy, now just a dot against the towering cliff, had reached 700 zhang after five days of climbing. "I didn't expect him to make it this far in just two months. It took me half a year to reach 700 zhang back then," the man mused.
Three days later, the boy reached 800 zhang, his entire body drenched in sweat and his muscles taut from exertion. He patted his now-empty pouch and sighed, "Out of rations already. I should've packed more… No use complaining now. Keep climbing!"
Six days later, he finally neared the summit, his every step burdened by 900 times the force of gravity. Exhaustion screamed at him to stop, but he refused to yield. Drawing the Remnant Moon Dagger gifted to him by Situ Juekong, he jammed it into the cliff to anchor his ascent.
Ten days after starting his climb, the dagger appeared at the summit, followed by the boy's trembling figure. He collapsed onto the ground, completely spent but triumphant. "I did it!" he roared at the heavens, a victorious smile lighting up his face.
"He actually did it!" the man below shouted, equally overjoyed. The small earth dragon at his side tugged at his robe. "Oh, right, time to bring him down," the man said. Summoning his immense power, he caused the Clear Water Pool to erupt into a thousand-zhang-high column. The water formed a massive hand that reached the summit, grabbing the unconscious boy and gently lowering him into the pool.
"Good thing I learned this Water Ritual technique from Anjie," the man chuckled to himself. Gazing at the boy in the pool, he murmured, "Your body will undergo a transformation after this. Once you complete your next two tasks, I'll teach you the Xie family's combat techniques. You remind me so much of him…"
Three days later, the boy awoke to the aroma of grilled meat. He leaped out of the pool and ran toward the man, who was using the wheelchair's mechanical arms to cook.
"You're awake! Try this—I made it myself," the man said proudly, offering a piece.
"Didn't expect the Beast King to be a master chef!" the boy teased, devouring the food ravenously.
"Back in my day, I had to hunt and cook for myself too," the man said, his tone tinged with nostalgia.
"Don't worry. Once I've finished my tasks, I'll help you reclaim the Xie family and restore your title as Beast King," the boy promised, though he paused as a voice echoed in his mind.
"Another task?" the man asked knowingly.
The boy nodded. "This time, it wants me to carve 108 holes into the cliff face."