Sect of the Four Beasts, a sect located deep within the Monster Forest, bears this name due to the founders' belief that the four divine beasts once lived there: the Dragon, the Phoenix, the Tortoise of Longevity, and the White Tiger. Whether true or false, it remains a mystery. Through the centuries, no one has ever heard news of such legends.
Reading this information recorded on a hide of unknown origin, a young man dressed in a green robe, with a cloth pouch tied at his waist, sat cross-legged upon a black rug. He pondered the knowledge he had just obtained, his hand resting against his chin.
"In ancient times… did those beasts truly exist?"
He whispered into the void, intrigued. But, after finding no answer, he stopped losing himself in thought and began to read the next passage.
Breath of the Tortoise...
Be like this small creature and pursue longevity, patience, stability, and wisdom...
To begin practicing, feel the Qi of Life, which resides in every environment...
And use it to nourish the meridians...
Extending your lifespan...
"The Peak of the Tortoise of Longevity really is a disadvantage compared to the others..."
Fang Yi closed the scroll and sighed.
In the Sect of the Four Beasts, there were four peaks, each representing a mystical figure and a different path.
Peak of the Tortoise of Longevity — Path of Immortality.
Peak of the White Tiger — Path of Thunder.
Peak of the Phoenix — Path of Nirvana.
Peak of the Dragon — Path of Domination.
Each had its strengths and weaknesses. The Tortoise Peak's advantage lay in lifespan, but its drawback was being the weakest in battle.
---
The reason Fang Yi chose to join this place was twofold. First, his talent; second, his greatest secret, related to longevity.
"Time to cultivate."
With a determined expression and eyes gleaming with desire, Fang Yi dropped the scroll onto the rug and closed his eyes.
He tried to sense the Qi within his body.
In this first attempt, he relied on his talent, usually classified through the spiritual root—the primary source of connection with Qi. The more advanced the root, the greater the individual's sensitivity to heaven and earth.
Fang Yi's spiritual root was a mutant, an evolved version of a common wood root, which had transformed into a plant and even sprouted leaves.
This type of root was neither trash nor genius; it was somewhere in the middle.
Trusting in it, Fang Yi failed to sense anything unusual around him, even after an hour.
"Haaa… normally it would take three days. I don't feel like waiting."
With a sigh, he gave up and decided to use external means.
Making this decision, Fang Yi reached into his pouch and took out a porcelain bottle. Inside, one could see a colorless pill.
This was the cheating method: a Spiritual Pill, meant to calm the mind and heighten sensitivity to Qi.
Smiling, Fang Yi removed the lid, and immediately the scent of herbs flooded the room. Not wanting to waste the pill's effect, he swallowed it on the spot.
"This doesn't taste like anything."
He muttered as the medicine slid down his throat like water until it reached his body.
With the medicinal flow circulating, Fang Yi felt peace—a tranquility hard to find by normal means.
"Cultivate."
Even in this state, he did not forget his purpose and began to try sensing the Qi of the environment.
Two hours later, green particles the size of grains of sand began descending onto Fang Yi's body. But, mysteriously, they were not absorbed into his meridians like normal beginner cultivators—instead, they were directed straight into his head.
"Almost there."
He grew excited, without a hint of fear at the strange phenomenon. In fact, he had been waiting for this.
Within Fang Yi's mind, a four-leaf clover resided in his consciousness. All energy absorbed was funneled into it, like tiny raindrops nourishing it, making it shine with a beautiful green glow.
The radiance grew stronger with each second until it became so intense it could blind the eyes of a mortal human. The four-leaf clover looked like a small star, swaying gently as if expressing joy.
Fang Yi, unable to see or examine his own mind, only felt his consciousness in chaos. Something strange, but something he had long grown used to.
At twelve years old, this clover had appeared. After studying it, he discovered it was a Spiritual Soul.
Unlike spiritual roots, a Spiritual Soul had a chance of birth of one in a million.
An absurdly low rate, and at the same time proof of Fang Yi's fortune in awakening one.
"What will this little soul's ability be?"
Fang Yi knew it was connected to longevity, but its concrete ability—he had no idea.
"Come on, little one." He began to grow anxious, almost breaking his concentration.
"Focus, the pill's effect lasts only three hours." Taking a deep breath, he returned to cultivation.
Half an hour later, the four-leaf clover reached saturation.
Its appearance was dazzling: its stem looked like a green comet, and its leaves shone like four glittering stars.
"Finally!"
Fang Yi couldn't help but exclaim, thrilled. His excitement grew when information began surfacing in his mind.
Life Absorption Ability...
In this world, everything possesses vitality, from the smallest plants to the greatest beings...
The four-leaf clover allows the host to steal life from anything they desire.
The stronger the cultivation, the more life can be absorbed.
With this vitality, it is possible to cultivate and comprehend techniques—at the cost of life.
Current limit: ten years of life per extraction...
"Incredible!"
Fang Yi was stunned, his eyes trembling with excitement and disbelief.
Even without deep knowledge of cultivation, he understood the importance of life to cultivators.
Many reached the limits of their lifespan, hoping for more time to break through realms; others, like the disciples of his peak, sought longevity.
And now, he could directly plunder it—while also using that vitality to cultivate.
It was completely broken.
Even with the limit imposed by his current realm.
"Hahahaha!"
Fang Yi could no longer contain himself and burst into laughter. His laughter echoed through the meditation room, only stopping once he was out of breath.
"Water."
With his throat dry, Fang Yi quickly grabbed a bottle from his pouch and drank.
After quenching his thirst, his expression turned serious.
To be continued...