The pain that wracked Xu Tian's body slowly subsided, but the fiery sensation of qi burning in his veins was an entirely new and alien feeling. It was as if his very being had been remade—his muscles stretched and strengthened, his senses sharpened, and his mind awash with knowledge beyond his years.
He gasped for breath, still on the ground in the cavern, his hands trembling as they gripped the edges of the stone pedestal. His heart pounded in his chest, and for the first time in his life, it was not from exhaustion, but from raw, untapped power.
The Forbidden Scripture.
The scroll in his hands glowed with a faint, eerie light, the runes etched into its surface twisting and pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. Xu Tian's eyes widened as the words in his mind began to take shape. Techniques, powers, and philosophies far beyond anything he had ever encountered flooded his senses.
He could feel the flow of qi within him, its presence like a wild current, rushing through his veins. The energy that had once been so foreign to him now felt almost... natural. And yet, there was something unsettling about it—something that whispered of danger, of consequences he could not yet comprehend.
Suddenly, a sharp, commanding voice cut through the air, pulling Xu Tian from his trance.
> "You have dared to claim the Forbidden Scripture. Do you understand the cost?"
The voice was deeper now, more resonant, its tone heavy with a power that seemed to make the very air around Xu Tian vibrate. He looked up, searching for the source, but found nothing.
"I understand," Xu Tian replied, his voice hoarse but unwavering. "I seek freedom. I will bear whatever cost it takes to escape the chains of fate."
A low chuckle reverberated through the cavern. The voice seemed to approve, though it was tinged with something darker.
> "Then know this, child of the mortal realm. The Heavenly Dao does not take kindly to defiance. You have already attracted its attention, and its wrath is not easily quelled."
Xu Tian's breath hitched. The Heavenly Dao. It was a concept that every cultivator knew—the system of laws that governed the universe, the force that determined one's fate, the path one must follow in life. To defy it was to risk everything.
And yet, despite the warning, he felt no fear.
"I will not bow to fate," he said, his voice stronger now, filled with a newfound resolve. "I will rewrite my destiny."
The voice fell silent, as if considering his words. Finally, it spoke again, this time softer but no less ominous.
> "Very well. You have chosen your path. But remember, power is not easily obtained without sacrifice. The Forbidden Scripture is not meant for those who are weak of heart. Only those who are willing to endure will survive its teachings."
Xu Tian's hands clenched around the scroll. The words burned with meaning, but they also ignited something deep inside him—a hunger, a thirst for more than the life of insignificance he had known.
"I'm ready," he whispered.
The cavern trembled once more, and the temperature seemed to drop, as if the very air was reacting to his decision.
A piercing light shot from the scroll, enveloping Xu Tian's body in a blinding glow. He gritted his teeth, fighting to keep his focus as the overwhelming torrent of knowledge and power surged through him. The pain returned, but now it was different—it was not just physical, but mental and spiritual, as the Forbidden Scripture's teachings carved themselves into his very soul.
And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the light receded.
Xu Tian collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, his body drenched in sweat. But even as exhaustion threatened to overtake him, he felt something else—a profound sense of change, of growth. His body had been tempered, his mind sharpened, and his spirit tested.
With trembling hands, Xu Tian unrolled the scroll once more, his eyes scanning the runes now inscribed upon it. The knowledge contained within was dizzying, but it was his now. It was more than just cultivation techniques—it was a philosophy, a way of understanding the world and one's place in it.
He could feel the power of the Heavenly Dao tugging at him, urging him to conform, to accept his place in the grand order of the universe. But Xu Tian knew now that he had no intention of accepting his fate as a mere mortal.
He had claimed the Forbidden Scripture, and with it, he would carve his own path.
The journey would not be easy, and he would face countless trials. But for the first time in his life, Xu Tian felt the stirrings of hope. He was no longer bound by the chains of fate. He was free.
And this was just the beginning.
---
The road ahead is fraught with danger, but it is also full of opportunity. What Xu Tian does with this newfound power will determine the course of his life—and the fate of those who stand in his way.