Yantian heard the senior's voice clearly, yet the stabbing pain in his dantian nearly tore him apart.
If he closed his eyes now, he knew he would black out.
To anchor his mind, he forced a surge of qi into his palm and stabbed his thigh.
Pain shot through him, dragging his awareness back.
His teeth clenched as he recited the principle again and again—until the meaning took root, Pushing his comprehension towards the peak of Basic comprehension.
A single ring emerged from his dantian, wrapping around his core. It began to circulate a new force—condensed Stellar Qi.
His body shook as though pushed past its limit. In that instant, he stepped onto the Star Path.
He had Stepped into the first stage of the Ignition Realm.
Those who awakened this realm gained three features—unique traits born from the Gate of Ignition.
No one knew why they appeared, only that they differed for each person. To reveal them, one required a moonstone.
The senior produced one—not low-grade, not flawed, but a pure, high-grade stone.
A faint silver glow traced its surface as he set it before Yantian. His tone grew serious.
"Create a small cut on your forearm or whenever you feel best. Then drip your blood, mix it with qi. I'll use star scripts to awaken it."
Yantian obeyed. The stone lit, and three words burned into his mind:
[Authority of Existence: awareness of the self, awareness of existence.]
[Unshattered Resolve: an unbreakable will.]
[Absolute Perception: nothing escapes your sight.]
The words sounded grand, their depths hard to grasp. But they were his—and his alone.
As the glow faded, the senior's eyes narrowed.
"You did well. In fact, you did very well… it seems you posses much more potential than I originally expected. Most martial artists need decades—fifty, even sixty years—to stabilize. For you, it came as if you were born to it."
Spiritual qi flowed from the senior's hand, purging impurities from Yantian's body. His breathing steadied. The agony dulled, leaving only a burning warmth.
"Understand this," the senior continued, voice firm. "Currently your Sun Body at the first realm can already rival cultivators between Qi Gathering and True Qi. The exact level depends on bloodline, foundation, and traits. True geniuses may even match a peak True Qi Realm cultivator. Remember, potential is not mastery. Do not let pride be your master."
Yantian lowered his gaze. His fists trembled—not from arrogance, but awe. He had truly taken the first step.
The senior's expression softened.
"From today, you may call yourself a martial artist. But you'll need more than that crude sword of yours. For what comes next… joining a sect, obtaining necessary resources, and a proper weapon are vital."
He traced glowing star scripts in the air. A seal shattered, revealing an ancient artifact.
A black metallic handle appeared, plain smooth and plane, with a translucent pearl near its base.
From its tip unfurled a whip formed from Chaotic purple metal, with sparks of Chaotic Thunder Qi dancing alive along its length.
Seven raised nodes pulsed down the whip, each one heavy with thunder waiting to erupt.
The air itself shuddered as it coiled.
"Seven Point Thunder Whip," the senior said. "An ancient weapon that went mad eras ago. Many tried to tame it. Eventually they All abandoned it."
Yantian stepped forward. The moment his hand closed on the handle, his stellar furnace flared. Thunder qi erupted.
It shouldn't have been possible—his furnace aligned with stellar qi, not lightning.
Yet instead of rejection, the thunder qi flowed inward, pulling into the furnace and fusing with an open qi aperture.
Settling within his furnace, giving him the thunder qi attribute.
The whip Shrieked, sparks flickering in Within the air, syncing with his breathing.
The link of thunder qi tied them to each other —it was natural, as if both weapon and wielder had been waiting for this moment.
The senior's brows furrowed. "Strange… but not impossible. Under certain conditions, a furnace can reveal hidden depths—abilities that never show themselves to others. For you to resonate with this whip… it means your foundation is far from normal."
Yantian tested its weight. The handle was heavier than it looked, the sparks restless and alive.
Each snap of thunder reminded him this was no Toy.
The senior didn't soften his words.
"It's yours now. But know this—if you lose control, it will kill you as easily as any enemy."
Yantian tightened his grip. He didn't feel powerful—only the weight of what had fallen into his hands.
At eighteen, he stood holding a weapon older than the stars themselves. Along with it came the first true drive for strength.
He drew a steady breath. Whatever lay ahead, he would be ready.