Receiving a torrent of information in his brain, Tian Kai felt an intense headache, as if something was being forcibly implanted into his mind.
However, the sensation didn't last long. It quickly faded, leaving behind a technique that had formed in his thoughts:
Body Refinement…
Refine your entire body, break it apart, and reconstruct every piece until you reach your utmost potential…
These were the key principles of the method his master had given him.
Taking a deep breath, Tian Kai reflected. To be honest, he didn't want to cultivate this technique, but he knew he had to. He wished to follow a cultivation path as stable as possible, avoiding any instability.
I'm a coward…
That thought crossed his mind, something he knew to be true. He feared death deeply…
Dying young on Earth had planted much of that fear.
Trauma?...
Yes, he had it.
Looking up at the dark blue sky, tinged with yellow from the sunlight, he raised his hand toward the heavens.
His desire was to break free from mortal chains and attain eternal life.
"I will achieve this! No matter the cost... I will not die!"
Sighing deeply, he hid his emotions behind an indifferent expression, just as before, and turned to look at his master.
"I'm ready to begin!"
Hearing those words, the Empress said nothing. She simply gazed at Tian Kai, whose coldness rivaled the most intense ice.
This child…
She wondered. Was he wearing a mask to conceal his true self?
Or was this simply his personality?
Sighing, the Empress pondered further. She already had some understanding of who Tian Kai was.
Someone who, at times, could act like a child, yet at others preferred to wear a mask to achieve his goals.
Or perhaps not…
Maybe he was simply indifferent to everything, focused solely on chasing a goal.
It's hard to understand Kai…
Was he currently guided by cowardice? Or someone clinging to something to avoid losing himself entirely?
"I cannot allow this disciple to stray too far from his humanity..."
She murmured to herself as she watched the young man enter the waterfall.
"This hurts..."
Tian Kai muttered, feeling his skin tear under the water's pressure. And that was just his arm—he hadn't fully submerged yet.
Executing the method, he gritted his teeth to stifle any screams and, with determination, plunged his entire body into the torrent.
Every part of his body began to crack; wounds opened, spilling red blood that quickly mingled with the yellowish water.
Don't scream…
Tian Kai clenched his jaw tightly, holding back any sound. Walking through the water, with pressure equivalent to nearly a thousand kilograms, he managed to endure thanks to his cultivation level being at the peak of body training.
Reaching the bottom, he sat cross-legged. The first step was complete; now came the second. Without willpower, he would surely die.
I won't die…
I will survive…
A mere waterfall won't kill me…
These thoughts echoed in his mind like a mantra he had to follow at all costs. Thus, he began absorbing the yellow water into his body.
Using his pores, now transformed into black holes, he sucked in the liquid, which was immediately directed to his bones.
The pain was excruciating, yet he made no sound. His expression remained serene, contrasting with the torture of the water seeping into his bones, melting them along with anything in its path. His body resembled a gelatinous mass without bone structure, yet, surprisingly, he was fine.
The Body Refinement method, executed in sync with the water's process, prevented his body from dissolving completely. He refined the water while continuously restoring his damaged parts.
This was a process few dared to attempt. Since the Dharma Era, in modern cultivation, refinement was typically limited to the bones.
Even enduring hellish pain, Tian Kai began to feel calm. He realized he could handle it. The fear began to fade.
This is who he is…
He feared the unknown, but as soon as he realized he could endure, the fear dissipated.
With a relaxed expression and a clear mind, he continued the process: destroying skin, reconstructing it; dissolving bones, remaking them.
Then, something strange manifested within his body. A kind of unknown energy appeared in his chest, acting as a purifier. All the energy from the water—originating from the blood of a Lord-level beast—was purified and distributed throughout his body.
What is this?…
Tian Kai was confused but soon thought of his original family, somewhere beyond the Lower Realm.
"Is this related to them? Could all energy be purified?"
To test his theory, he paused the body refinement and began absorbing the energy directly through the point in his chest where the purifier was located.
A surge of yellow liquid flooded into his chest like a swarm of ants. As it entered the vortex, it was purified, transforming into golden energy that flowed through his body.
"Hahahahaha!"
Realizing the result, Tian Kai laughed. The process would now be much easier.
Perfect foundation... Let's build it!
Excited, he began absorbing the water solely through the purifier. The golden energy strengthened his body, making it increasingly resilient and powerful.
...
Outside, the Empress observed the young man. Noticing that he was using the Tyrant Emperor Veins, she smiled faintly.
The Tyrant Heaven Royal Family is immensely powerful. It's no wonder they rule the Fifth Heaven and have numerous branches in other realms.
But there was something she couldn't understand:
Why is a youth from that family here? Even if it's for training, he should be in the Upper Realm. Why send him to the weakest one?...
Sighing, she concluded:
Well, I've been unconscious for too long. Surely, the current world is far different from the one I knew.
With little else to do, she returned to the mansion, occasionally glancing at the waterfall.
Seven days later, the waterfall's water had changed. From yellow, it had turned blue, exuding a sophisticated aura. Later, it became golden.
From within the waterfall, a young man emerged. It was Tian Kai.
He had reached his limit. The water was no longer of use to him. His foundation had reached perfection.