Three days had passed since his desperate escape from the inheritance site, and his injuries had finally begun to heal properly. The deep puncture wounds in his arms and legs had closed, leaving only faint scars. His qi flow, although still incomplete due to the System's partial integration, felt steadier than it had in weeks.
'The Verdant Peak Sect should be just beyond this forest.' Jin Feng thought. 'Although a minor sect, it accepts disciples without asking too many questions about their background.'
"Host," the System's mechanical voice resonated in his consciousness, "there are matters we must discuss regarding your cultivation path."
"What now? And call me Jin Feng." Jin Feng muttered under his breath, careful not to speak aloud in case other travelers were nearby.
"You were originally meant to inherit both legacies, not just mine."
Jin Feng's step faltered slightly. "What do you mean both legacies?"
"Shen Tao's inheritance and the First God's system are designed in a way that could allow them to work in tandem theoretically. The Sea King's power was meant to provide the raw elemental foundation, while my capabilities would cleanse and direct that power toward true transcendence."
"Then why didn't that happen?" Jin Feng asked, his voice tinged with frustration. "Why did I fail his trial while Yan Hui succeeded?"
"Because Shen Tao discovered my presence within his inheritance grounds and took precautions. The First God and the Sea Kings could be considered... philosophical opponents during their respective reigns. Shen Tao viewed the First God's approach to power as too analytical, too systematic. He preferred the raw, emotional connection to elemental forces."
Jin Feng ducked under a low hanging branch, his mind processing this information. "So he modified his own inheritance to prevent me from getting it?"
"Precisely. He modified the Trial of Sacrifice to specifically test for the kind of ruthless pragmatism that would be incompatible with my systematic approach to power. Your refusal to murder those close to you marked you as unsuitable for his legacy in his eyes."
"But suitable for yours." Jin Feng observed.
"Correct. However, this creates a significant problem for your cultivation progress. Without Shen Tao's elemental foundation, your advancement will be severely limited by your current meridian structure."
Jin Feng emerged into a small clearing. He knelt to drink, using the moment to think. "My inferior grade meridians..."
"Yes. Your current physical cultivation foundation can only support limited qi flow, regardless of the techniques I provide. To unlock your true potential, you must reach tier two cultivation and undergo meridian reconstruction."
"Meridian reconstruction?" Jin Feng had genuinely never head of the term before.
"At tier two, a cultivator's meridians can be restructured from their birth configuration. Most people are born with standard meridians, some with superior ones, and unfortunates like yourself with inferior ones. However, tier two advancement allows for artificial enhancement."
Jin Feng stood and continued walking, the forest gradually thinning as he approached what should be the sect's territory. "And you can help with this reconstruction?"
"I can do more than help. I can guide the reconstruction to create meridian pathways specifically optimized for the techniques I will teach you. Instead of simply upgrading from inferior to superior, we can create a completely unique meridian structure."
"That sounds almost too good to be true," Jin Feng said suspiciously. "What's the catch?"
"The process will be exceptionally painful and dangerous. Standard meridian reconstruction has a fourty percent survival rate based difficulty. What I'm proposing... perhaps fifteen percent."
Jin Feng was quiet for several minutes as he walked, weighing the risks. "And if I don't do this, or I fail?"
"You will remain forever limited by your current cultivation foundation. Even with my assistance, you would struggle to advance beyond tier three or four. Meanwhile, Shen Tao grows stronger each day, eventually reaching the power levels that once made him a king."
The trees began to thin more noticeably, and Jin Feng could see cultivated fields in the distance. Mountains rose beyond them, their peaks shrouded in mist. Somewhere up there would be the Verdant Peak Sect.
"How long do I have to decide?"
"You must reach tier two within six months, or the optimal window for reconstruction will close. After that, the meridian pathways become too set to modify safely."
"Six months..." Jin Feng repeated. "And I'm currently what, half way there?"
"Based on your current qi density and flow patterns, you are approximately sixty percent through tier one advancement. With focused cultivation and the techniques I can provide, reaching tier two in six months is achievable."
Jin Feng could now see the mountain path that would lead up to the sect proper. Other figures moved along it, disciples and visitors making their way up and down the winding trail.
"There's something else." the System continued. "Joining this sect will provide cover for your cultivation, but it also presents risks. Shen Tao will eventually begin searching for you. A sect provides protection, but it also limits your mobility."
"I need resources and techniques." Jin Feng agreed. "And I need to blend in with normal cultivators while I figure out how to use your abilities without drawing attention."
"A reasonable approach. However, be aware that my presence will slowly change your qi signature as integration continues. Eventually, other cultivators may notice anomalies."
Jin Feng reached the base of the mountain path and began climbing. Fellow travelers nodded politely as they passed, most appearing to be merchants or sect visitors rather than cultivators of significant power.
"Then I'll have to advance quickly enough that it doesn't matter." Jin Feng said quietly. "Six months to tier two, meridian reconstruction, and then we see what kind of power the First God's legacy can really provide."
"Jin Feng," the System's voice carried what might have been approval, "that is a most logical approach. However, prepare yourself. The path ahead will test not just your cultivation, but your resolve to survive regardless of the cost."
As Jin Feng climbed higher up the mountain path, the Verdant Peak Sect's buildings came into view. Elegant pavilions built into the mountainside, their green tiled roofs blending harmoniously with the forest. It looked peaceful, almost scholarly.
The sect's outer marketplace bustled with activity as Jin Feng approached. Disciples in green robes haggled with merchants over spirit herbs, cultivation techniques, and various alchemical supplies.
Jin Feng wandered through the stalls, carefully observing the prices and trade rates. At a small booth run by an elderly merchant, he spotted what he was looking for.
"Grade one regeneration stones, three for one grade two stone." the merchant called out. "Fair exchange for disciples needing smaller doses!"
Jin Feng approached and quietly made the trade, exchanging his remaining grade two regeneration stone for three grade one stones. The merchant examined the higher grade stone with approval before handing over the three smaller ones.
"Wise choice, young man. Grade one stones are more practical for daily cultivation."
With the trade complete, Jin Feng made his way to the sect's registration pavilion. A middle aged cultivator in green robes sat behind a desk, processing applications from prospective disciples.
"Name and cultivation level and meridian type?" the registrar asked without looking up.
"Jin Feng. Tier one, medium type." Jin Feng lied smoothly about his meridian quality.
"Testing fee is five copper coins. Step into the testing chamber when ready."
Jin Feng paid the fee and entered a small room containing a floating qi orb mounted on a pedestal. As soon as he placed his hand on it, he crushed one of his grade one regeneration stones, feeling the boost to his qi flow.
The crystal began glowing with a steady light, indicating solid tier one cultivation. The enhanced qi from the regeneration stone made his power seem more stable than it actually was.
"Acceptable." the registrar nodded when Jin Feng emerged. "You're now an outer disciple of Verdant Peak Sect. Outer disciples must complete missions worth at least fifty contribution points monthly to maintain their status."
He handed Jin Feng a green outer disciple robe and a small jade token. "This token tracks your mission completions and contribution points. At tier two cultivation, you may apply for inner disciple status, which grants access to better techniques and resources."
"What kind of missions do outer disciples typically handle?" Jin Feng asked.
"Herb gathering, beast hunting in the outer forests, message delivery, basic alchemy assistance. Nothing too dangerous, but enough to prove your commitment to the sect."
Jin Feng bowed respectfully and made his way to the outer disciple quarters. For two copper coins, he secured a small but private room with basic furnishings and a cultivation mat.
Sitting on the simple bed, Jin Feng finally allowed himself to process everything that had happened. The cramped room felt almost luxurious compared to sleeping in forests and caves during his escape.
'Shen Tao...' The name sent a chill through his thoughts. The way that thing wearing Yan Hui's face had looked at him, spoken with such casual authority despite being only tier one. It defied everything Jin Feng thought he understood about cultivation.
"System," he said quietly, "what does it actually mean to be a king? How can Shen Tao command water so absolutely when his cultivation is lower than Lady Wuhan's?"
"An excellent question, Jin Feng. Kingship is not merely a political title in the cultivation world. It is a fundamental transformation of one's relationship with reality itself."
Jin Feng leaned forward, intrigued by the System's words.
"To become a King, one must undergo the Heavenly Sovereignty Trial. This is not a test administered by mortals or sects, but by the Heavens themselves. The trial appears when a cultivator has both the power and the will to claim dominion over a fundamental aspect of existence."
"Like water qi, in Shen Tao's case?"
"Precisely. The trial is unique to each individual and the element they seek to rule. Some face trials of endurance, others of sacrifice, still others of pure combat against embodiments of their chosen element. Success grants what is called Royal Authority, a permanent alteration to both body and soul."
Jin Feng absorbed this information carefully. "What kind of alteration?"
"The successful candidate's meridians are restructured to perfectly channel their chosen element. Their body becomes naturally resistant to that element's attacks. Most importantly, they gain what mortals call Absolute Command, the ability to influence their element regardless of the qi used to create it."
"So when Shen Tao commands water, it doesn't matter if it was created by a tier five cultivator?"
"Correct. Royal Authority supersedes cultivation level when dealing with the king's chosen element. This is why Shen Tao, despite being tier one, could reverse Lady Wuhan's water based attacks and command moisture from people's bodies."
Jin Feng felt a chill of understanding. "That's why you said I was supposed to inherit his legacy. Not just for power, but to eventually undergo the trial myself."
"The First God theorized that combining Royal Authority with my systematic optimization could create something unprecedented. A cultivator who could claim kingship over not just one element, but potentially multiple aspects of reality."
"And now that possibility is gone."
"Not necessarily gone. Although that possibility is now way smaller, your path will take a new turn, a turn potentially more powerful. Instead of an inherited elemental authority, we will forge something entirely new."
Jin Feng lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Fifty contribution points per month, tier two advancement in six months, surviving a fifteen percent chance meridian reconstruction, and somehow becoming powerful enough to face a reborn Sea King who commanded absolute authority over water.
"No pressure at all..." he sarcastically muttered.