Liang sat cross-legged in meditation, his breathing slow and even, as the last traces of the reforging ritual faded from the chamber. With his eyes closed, he allowed his mind to sink inward, sorting through the vast inheritance that had awakened within his bloodline.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"So this is the true legacy of the Infernal Void Serpent…" he murmured silently.
Countless fragments of knowledge flowed through his consciousness like a dark river. Techniques, instincts, and ancient memories surfaced one after another, but he did not rush to examine everything at once. Instead, he focused on what mattered most.
The first technique that caught his attention was one he had already begun using instinctively.
The Infernal Void Flame Art.
Liang's thoughts lingered on it as understanding gradually settled into place.
"So it isn't simply a flame technique," he realized. "It's a complete system."
At its most basic level, it was not about destruction at all, but control. The first stage was entirely focused on mastering heat itself — regulating the terrifying Infernal Void Flames so they would never harm the user.
Liang almost chuckled.
"No wonder I could wield them so easily… this stage is practically instinctual for my bloodline."
His mind moved naturally to the next layer of understanding. Once control was achieved, the flames could be shaped — weapons, barriers, constructs — limited only by the wielder's imagination.
"That explains why the serpent form felt so natural," he thought calmly.
The deeper stages, however, made his expression grow more serious.
Fusion… conversion… and ultimately total mastery.
This was no ordinary fire technique.
It was a path that allowed flames to evolve into something beyond mere elemental power — a force capable of devouring even the void itself.
Liang opened his eyes slightly, a faint crimson glow flickering within them.
"I've barely stepped onto this path," he admitted inwardly. "But even the early stages already rival the techniques of peak Spirit Severing cultivators."
His attention then shifted to the second major inheritance.
Void–Space Scripture.
The moment his thoughts touched upon it, the surrounding space trembled subtly, as if reacting to his awareness.
Liang smirked.
"This… this is the true treasure."
He could already feel how natural it was to him — as if manipulating space itself was no different than moving his own limbs.
The initial stages were almost trivial for him now. Perceiving space, shifting objects, even folding distance — these abilities felt instinctive, especially after his rebirth.
"Teleportation… space folding… warping."
He recalled the moment he had erased the woman in the desert.
"I simply moved her into a place where she could not survive," he thought calmly. "To her, it must have looked like annihilation."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"And those blades I used against Ling Tian… they were nothing more than condensed fragments of compressed space."
But as his understanding deepened, Liang realized something far more significant.
This technique was divided into two halves.
The first was space.
The second…was the void itself.
His thoughts lingered there longer.
Unlike space manipulation, void manipulation was far more terrifying. It involved sensing emptiness itself, shaping it, and eventually tearing open rifts in reality.
Even now, Liang could feel that he had only touched its surface.
"But this is where the true potential lies," he thought, a hint of excitement rising within him. "Space is merely the shell. The void is the foundation."
His lips curved into a faint smile.
"No wonder the Infernal Void Serpents were feared across entire domains."
As his thoughts settled, he turned his attention to the final inheritance — the one that would determine his future path.
The Eternal Void Ascension Technique.
Unlike the others, this was not a combat skill, It was his core cultivation method.
Liang's expression gradually grew solemn.
"This… is the true heart of my rebirth."
He could feel its structure clearly — seven stages currently unlocked, each corresponding to a major cultivation realm, but far more refined than ordinary techniques.
Liang slowly opened his eyes fully and a faint excitement shone within them.
"It seems I have much to cultivate."
For most cultivators, the path of cultivation began with the awakening of their spiritual roots. Only after sensing the spiritual Qi that filled the world could they begin drawing it into their bodies and storing it within the dantian.
Liang had once stood at this very beginning.
Though it had been many years ago, the process remained clear in his mind. That first stage, known as the Spirit Awakening Realm, marked the boundary between mortals and cultivators. From that moment onward, one was no longer ordinary. Humans who reached this level were called Spirit Cultivators, while demon beasts that accomplished the same transformation became Spirit Beasts.
Yet awakening Qi was merely the most basic step.
Once sufficient spiritual energy had accumulated, a cultivator would begin guiding it through a special meridian known as the Awakening Meridian. This pathway connected the dantian to the mind, and its opening was the true threshold of cultivation. When the meridian fully stabilized and spiritual power reached the necessary level, a cultivator could form the Spirit Palace — a mysterious structure within the mind that served as the foundation of consciousness.
Liang understood well that this stage was where most failures occurred.
Without a stable Spirit Palace, Qi circulation between the dantian and the mind would remain chaotic, preventing any meaningful advancement. But once established, the palace allowed spiritual energy to circulate freely, refining both the Qi and the cultivator's consciousness. This marked entry into the Spirit Palace Realm.
The realm itself was divided into three stages.
In the early stage, known as the Palace Enhancing Stage, the cultivator continuously circulated Qi between the dantian and the Spirit Palace to stabilize and strengthen its structure. Only after the palace became fully solid could spiritual consciousness begin to take shape.
The middle stage, the Consciousness Formation Stage, was defined by the gradual emergence of this consciousness. As it matured, the cultivator's perception sharpened and their control over Qi became far more precise.
Finally came the late stage — the Consciousness Control Stage.
At this level, the cultivator's spiritual consciousness was fully formed and could directly influence the physical body. Even without techniques, they could resist gravity and float in the air, a clear sign that their mind and Qi had reached true harmony.
Only after completing this stage could a cultivator attempt to enter the Core Formation Realm.
This was the first true transformation of cultivation.
Using spiritual consciousness as a guide, the cultivator compressed and refined their Qi into a solid core within the dantian. The moment the core took shape marked success in the breakthrough. From that point onward, cultivation revolved around strengthening the Golden Core itself, with each stage representing a deeper level of refinement.
When the Golden Core reached its absolute limit, the cultivator would face the most dangerous step yet.
By shattering the core and harnessing the explosive surge of power, they could give birth to the Nascent Soul — a second self that represented their true spiritual essence.
Liang knew better than most that this step determined whether a cultivator would rise to greatness or vanish without a trace.