Six years.
That's how long it had been since Xu Zhou opened his eyes in this new world—since he first saw candlelit rafters instead of fluorescent lights, since his limbs were tiny and trembling instead of long and calloused from cycling across rainy streets.
He hadn't understood everything then.
But the world revealed itself slowly—not through grand lessons, but through life itself.
Through whispers at family dinners, his mother's answers as he nestled into her lap, the bold boasts of his father after three cups of plum wine, and the tales shared in hushed voices when uncles thought the children asleep.
And piece by piece, Xu Zhou began to understand—
> This was a world of cultivation.
Where strength came not from machines or weapons, but from one's bond with the elements.
---
There were ten realms of cultivation, each a step closer to power unimaginable:
Elemental Root, Essence Gathering, Core Formation, Elemental Sea, Spirit Tempering, Elemental Unity, Soul Flame, Heavenheart, Transcendent Origin, and finally—Emperor Ascendance.
Even now, Xu Zhou could still picture the chart carved into the blackstone walls of the ancestral tablet hall, the runes glowing faintly with spiritual light. He had memorized it before he could even write his own name.
---
The world he now lived in was called the Tianxu Continent—a vast, boundless land divided into five enormous regions. Though each boasted its own cities, clans, and martial sects, one truth echoed through every corner of the land:
> The denser the elemental essence, the higher the cultivation ceiling.
And so, the Central Region stood at the top—
Followed by the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Regions.
And finally… the Western Region, vastly weaker than the rest—so starved of elemental energy that even geniuses born there might never break past the fifth stage. They would have to go to another region to cultivate further.
Xu Zhou had thought this unfair. And then, he realized:
> "Of course it is. The world isn't fair. But cultivators rise precisely because they refuse to bow to what is."
---
Every person in this world was born with a connection to one or more of the eight fundamental elements:
Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Wood, Light, and Darkness.
Some had affinities for variant elements—like Ice or Soil—offshoots born of unique constitutions or spiritual lineages.
This connection was called Elemental Affinity—a resonance between the soul and elemental essence that shaped not only your strength but your entire cultivation path.
Children awakened their elements between the ages of six and twelve.
One element was normal.
Two elements were rare—and only ever appeared in perfect balance. If the affinities were mismatched in grade, the conflicting energies would tear the body apart from within.
> "A third innate element cannot exist."
That wasn't speculation. It was carved into the tombstones of every child who had tried and died.
Each elemental affinity came with a star grade, ranked from 1 Star to 9 Star:
1 Star – You'd struggle to control even basic energy.
2 Star – With effort, you'll be able to use it.
3 Star – Average cultivation talent.
4 Star – Above average, meaning your future path is stable.
5 Star – Inner disciple candidate in most sects.
6 Star – Genius material.
7 Star – Marks you as a rare genius recognized by clans and sects.
8 Star – Clans and sects will fight for you.
9 Star – The heavens reaching down to point at you and say:
> "This one," the heavens seemed to whisper.
His own father and mother were 8-star geniuses—in Lightning and Light elements, respectively.
They were hailed as the number one geniuses of this era, since 9-star talents are exceedingly rare—only a handful have ever appeared in history. And those few… every single one of them eventually stepped into the legendary Emperor Ascendance Realm, a realm that no one has entered in thousands of years.
Why? No one knows. All who reached that step vanished without a trace.
Some say they ascended to a higher world beyond mortal comprehension.
Despite still being in their early forties, his parents had already reached the late stage of the Heavenheart Realm—a feat considered unimaginable, especially since a normal Heavenheart expert possesses a lifespan of several thousand years.
His family was terrifyingly gifted.
All of his uncles and aunts from both sides had awakened 7-star elemental affinities, and each of them had already stepped into the Soul Flame Realm
His two grandmothers, serene yet formidable, were both Heavenheart Realm cultivators—on par with his parents, yet with far greater stability and control earned through time.
And his grandfathers... those two old monsters had long since broken through to the Transcendent Origin Realm—a level considered the strongest known realm in the Tianxu Continent today. That was only possible because they had lived for so long.
Xu Zhou had no idea how many years they'd walked this earth. But one thing was clear:
> "The stronger you become, the harder it is to have children."
It made sense. Life and balance—everything in this world demanded cost.
---
For years, Xu Zhou had believed that more elements must mean more strength.
But he was wrong.
> "A single 7-star element," his grandfather told him, "is stronger than two 6-star ones. Purity beats complexity."
Though a cultivator may only awaken one or two innate elements, it is possible to comprehend other elements later in life.
These comprehended elements start at 1-star talent, no matter how genius the individual is.
Their power and usefulness will only grow through deep understanding, cultivation, and insight.
Most take years or decades to reach even 2-star or 3-star in a comprehended element.
Why bother?
Many old monsters, unable to improve their core cultivation, turn to comprehending new elements to gain battle versatility or defensive counters.
Some ambitious geniuses, after reaching the 9-star peak of their inborn element, choose to start walking the path of comprehension—forging multi-element legacies that defy convention.
---
In the Central Region, where he was born, strength wasn't just personal—it was political.
The entire region was governed by a balance of power:
Three Great Clans and Five Supreme Sects.
His own clan—the Xu Clan—was one of the three.
They were ancient, deep-rooted, their cultivation scriptures going back countless generations. His family's pride in their bloodline ran thicker than the wine they drank.
The Ji Clan, his mother's bloodline, was proud, aggressive, and loyal. Fierce allies to the Xu, bound by generations of marriage and unity.
And then there was the Qin Clan—neutral.
Beside the clans stood the Five Supreme Sects:
1. Radiant Sky Sect – (Light & Lightning)
2. Nightveil Sect – (Darkness & Wind)
3. Molten Pillar Sect – (Fire & Earth)
4. Azureleaf Sect – (Water & Wood)
5. Everunity Sect – (Comprehensive Multi-Element Sect)
Xu Zhou memorized their names, rivalries, and reputations.
Because he knew—
> "If I want to reach the peak, I need more than talent. I need to understand the board… before I make my first move."
> Xu Zhou closed the old scroll and looked out over the moonlit courtyard. The names, the realms, the rules—they were etched into his bones now. But deep down, beneath all that learning and lineage, a single truth burned quietly in his chest:
> "Once I awaken… there's no turning back."
He wanted the peak. Craved it. But sometimes, he feared that the heavens would stay silent—that his name would never be carved beside his parents', that his story would end before it even began.
Still… he would walk forward. Not because he was ready, but because he had to be.
> "Let them call me unworthy. Let the stars ignore me. I'll rise anyway."