A week passed in the blink of an eye.
In that time, Bai Tianlong had not set foot outside the Bai Clan's island sanctuary except for his daily training and brief meals. His mornings were filled with meditation, his afternoons with spell practice, and his nights with qi circulation until exhaustion forced him to rest.
On the polished wooden table in his courtyard lay the Five Elemental Spellbook from the Bai Clan's treasured first volume—a compilation of the most practical and lethal spells any Qi Condensation cultivator could learn. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators were known to keep these techniques at their side, for their versatility in battle and survival.
For Tianlong, this week had been a revelation. His scientific mind from his past life allowed him to break down spell structures into formulas, simulating their flow in his mind before even casting them. What took others months, he achieved in days.
The Fireball spell now leapt from his palm with minimal hesitation, its glow steady, its size uniform. The Water Riding Spell—once a clumsy stagger over the waves—had become a confident stride. The Earth Shield held firm even after two solid blows from a mid-stage Qi Condensation opponent during sparring. His Metal Enchantment sharpened sword strikes with arcs of cutting chi, extending his reach. And the Entanglement Spell, though terrain-dependent, could now bind two foes at once if the trees favored him.
When Bai Wu heard of this progress, his brows shot up in genuine surprise.
"To reach minor achievement in all five spells in just a week… even among our clan's geniuses, there are few who could match this pace."
Tianlong only smiled modestly. "I just had the right method."
---
Meanwhile, far beyond the clan's outer docks, White Fang prowled the safe waters inside the 500-kilometer fog ring. Its scales shimmered faintly under the sunlight filtering through the surface, eyes glinting with predatory focus.
Over the past week, it had hunted relentlessly. Every kill brought points, and every hundred points pushed its cultivation up by one small stage. Now, it had surpassed 200 points, stepping into the 3rd level Qi Condensation Realm, Peak Early Stage—officially classed as a Demon Serpent.
Today's prey was a Peak Early 3rd Stage Qi Condensation Serpent Beast—a rival predator in these waters. The moment their eyes met, the currents around them swirled with killing intent.
White Fang struck first, using Water Flow Step to surge forward in a blur, its body coiling with the force of a wave. Its tail lashed out in a Tail Sweep, sending a shockwave through the water that staggered the enemy serpent. In that moment of imbalance, White Fang darted in, fangs sinking into the soft joint beneath its opponent's jaw.
Poison Fang—a thin stream of venom pulsed into the beast's bloodstream. The enemy thrashed violently, breaking free, but its movements were already slowing.
The rival serpent tried to circle away, but White Fang's coils locked around its midsection in a Constriction Bite, muscles crushing scales and bone alike. A final Water Blade—a condensed slash of water qi—cut across the prey's throat, spilling a crimson cloud into the sea.
The body went limp. White Fang released its hold, its aura subtly denser than before. Another 3 points added to its tally.
---
Far away, deep within the Bai Clan's Hidden Inheritance Site, Baizhenyu stood within the second trial grounds.
The air here was heavy, filled with the metallic tang of spiritual suppression. Before him, three Foundation Establishment puppets moved in unison, their strikes precise, their killing intent palpable.
Baizhenyu's robes were torn, his breathing ragged, but his eyes burned with defiance. His sword moved in blurs as he unleashed the Bai Clan Sword Drawing Technique, each slash aiming for joints and gaps in the puppets' defenses.
A flash of multicolored qi burst from his blade—Five Elemental Explosions—forcing two puppets back for an instant. The third pressed forward, only to be met with the crackling force of the Five Element Lightning Sword, its blade wreathed in arcs of silver-white energy.
This battle had raged for over a week. Without the rare safe zones scattered within the trial grounds, he might have already perished. Even now, his limbs trembled from the constant strain, his qi cycling near its limits.
But Baizhenyu did not retreat. One step… just one more step, and he would claim the second trial's prize.
The clash of steel and the hum of qi filled the air—
And the scene cut away, the outcome unknown.
---
That night, the scene shifted back to Bai Tianlong, seated cross-legged in his courtyard. Before him, the Heaven Plundering Dao-Devouring Cultivation Technique manual lay open, its complex diagrams glowing faintly under the moonlight.
From the shadows, the Heaven Plundering Sage appeared silently. His gaze swept over Tianlong before he spoke in his deep, steady voice.
"Boy, the H.P.D.D. cultivation Technique is not easy to learn. While it can be masked as the Five Elemental Sword Technique in front of others, the requirements are far greater than you think. The amount of qi needed is immense."
Tianlong looked up, a frown crossing his face.
The Sage continued, "You reached the Initiate level quickly because your avatar entered the Demon Servant Realm. But now your avatar has already reached the 3rd level Demon Servant Realm, and you yourself are still not even at the Peak of 1st Qi Condensation Realm. This gap will only grow if you do not push forward."
Tianlong's fingers tightened around the scroll. He knew his master was right—his cultivation had to keep pace, or the road ahead would only become more dangerous.
But then the Sage added something that made Tianlong's eyes brighten.
"The Heaven Plundering Dao-Devouring Technique can learn from many techniques, not just one. If you gather spells, martial skills, and arts from across the world, you can merge them into a cultivation path that is entirely your own."
Hearing this, Tianlong's thoughts raced. Not only could he strengthen himself by cultivating, but he could also raise White Fang while collecting techniques from every source possible. Slowly, he could forge a method that belonged to him alone—a living, evolving art born from countless others.
Under the cold moonlight, his resolve hardened once more.
A single path… made from many roads