A lightless, soundless void was the last thing remaining in Zhang Wen's consciousness. After his body was crushed into fragments by Half-Emperor level power, even the sensation of existence itself was torn away along with flesh and blood. There was no pain, no fear, only awareness slowly fading into nothingness.
Yet in the instant when death was about to drag him away, a single drop of water that slipped free from the wreckage of destruction flowed through a collapsing miniature spatial gate, like a final breath that refused to dissipate. It fell into the heart of a deep cavern where no one had ever set foot.
Within that cavern lay a vast pool of water. The water was crystal clear and utterly still, as if it had never been disturbed. Its surface reflected a faint glow from natural crystals embedded in the cave ceiling. At a glance, it appeared to be an ordinary pool devoid of any special qualities. There were no surging energies, no visible anomalies, no signs of a priceless treasure. Yet beneath that calm surface was hidden an incomparably pure life force accumulated over tens of thousands of years. Every drop was a crystallization of heaven and earth, possessing the ability to restore life, repair meridians and flesh, and even mend the very foundation of cultivation.
The moment that tiny drop touched the surface of the great pool, the long-standing stillness was broken.
There was no thunderous sound at first, yet the surface of the water began to tremble unnaturally. That drop seemed to awaken like a living thing. It quivered, then began to devour the water of the pool with frantic greed. This was not a gentle fusion, but a ruthless seizure that ignored all balance. The currents within the pool started to spiral, and the accumulated life force was torn out in streams. The water level dropped rapidly, so fast that cracks appeared along the stone walls surrounding the pool.
Pressure within the cavern rose sharply. The ceiling shook as fragments of rock fell away. A deep roar of heaven and earth echoed through the space, as if resisting the act of devouring that was taking place. The tiny drop continued to expand, devouring, devouring, devouring, until it could no longer maintain its original form.
An immense amount of life force condensed together. From the core of the swirling water, the shape of a human slowly began to take form. Flesh and blood were reconstructed in a crude manner. Meridians that had once shattered were stitched back together one by one. Though they were still riddled with cracks and instability, they were just enough for the soul to anchor itself to this body once more.
After a short while, Zhang Wen's body appeared in the form of a young man. His skin was firm, life force flowing within. Though weak, he was not dead.
Qi within his body began to circulate once more, faint and unstable. His cultivation had fallen to only Qi Control, Level 1. Yet for someone who should have been erased from the world entirely, this was already the best possible outcome.
The moment his body finished forming completely, Zhang Wen's consciousness drifted away again.
His body lay upon the pool, whose water level had already dropped drastically. The meridians within him continued to clash chaotically. The life core that had been forcibly pulled back was still unable to bear the burden of this new body. Zhang Wen lost consciousness at once.
Three days passed….
For three days, the cavern remained deathly silent. The remaining water from before allowed Zhang Wen's life force to circulate safely, barely sustaining him and preventing death. Yet the pool that had taken tens of thousands of years to accumulate was nearly completely devoured.
When the water in the pool was almost gone, one of Zhang Wen's fingers twitched slightly.
His previously faint breathing gradually steadied. His pulse began to beat rhythmically. Eyes that had been tightly shut for a long time slowly opened, followed immediately by a wave of pain crashing over him. Still, he remained conscious enough to realize that he was not dead.
Zhang Wen looked at the pool, now reduced to only traces of residual energy, then slowly closed his eyes. There was no smile, no sense of relief. Only determination, deeper and more firmly rooted than before.
When Zhang Wen's awareness fully returned, the true pain finally revealed itself. He lay motionless within the cavern, his breathing uneven. The meridians within him continued to tremble without pause. Qi and blood flowed with difficulty. Some of his internal organs were clearly malfunctioning. The consequences of forcibly drawing upon the power of others and burning his own lifespan had not disappeared. Even if his external body had been reconstructed, the damage embedded deep within his life core remained.
He closed his eyes and carefully examined the condition of his body in detail. The truth was clear and cruel. Even after absorbing that rare life-giving water, it had only repaired and supported him. It had not restored everything. The water he consumed possessed the ability to restore life force, repair meridians, and return the body to physical completeness. It also slowed the collapse of his life core and allowed shattered Qi to circulate once more.
But its limitations were equally clear.
The life-giving water could not restore the lifespan that had already been burned away. It could only preserve what remained, preventing it from collapsing immediately. His life core had been crudely repaired, far from its original state, like a vase pieced back together. Even if it looked whole again, the cracks still remained.
Zhang Wen let out a soft sigh. His perception of time flowing through his body was no longer the same as before. He could clearly sense his life force slowly leaking away. Even if he was not injured, even if he did not fight, if things continued like this, his remaining lifespan would not exceed one year.
One year, for an ordinary cultivator, was a nightmare. But for Zhang Wen, it was merely a number. In the world he lived in, extending one's lifespan was not an impossible matter. As long as there was power, resources, and sufficient fortune, there would always be a path.
His thoughts gradually returned to his special physique.
The Sacred Water Body.
This body was the reason he had survived. A body that could perfectly merge with the power of water. To him, water was not merely an element, but a part of life itself. As long as there was water around him, his injuries could recover.
And this place was a cavern that contained ten-thousand-year pure water, a Saint-level healing treasure. It had been discovered years ago by his fortunate younger brother. This place was a secret known only to the two of them. They had never informed the clan. They had recorded the coordinates of this location so that if either of them suffered severe injuries, they could draw a teleportation formation and escape here.
Zhang Wen fell silent for a moment. His breathing gradually steadied. Even though the pain was still deeply embedded in every part of his body, his mind was calmer than it had ever been. His eyes fixed on the cavern wall ahead. His body began to wither slightly. His hair gradually turned white mixed with black in some places. Then he spoke in a faint voice.
"System, let's talk."
Silence enveloped him for a brief moment before a voice sounded within his consciousness.
[I am here. Host, do you need assistance]
Zhang Wen spoke immediately. "Be straightforward. What use do you have to me in my current situation"
A faint glow appeared before him, accompanied by information flowing into his awareness.
[At the moment, maybe not. But in the future, who knows. Also, right now you have three investment attempts available, since you were unconscious for three days]
Zhang Wen fell silent for a short while before slowly steadying himself. The turbulence within his meridians was gradually suppressed by the experience he had accumulated through years of cultivation.
"Do you have my status panel. Open my status panel for me."
The moment those words left his mouth, a faint blue light appeared before him. A transparent status panel slowly unfolded in silence.
[Name: Zhang Wen]
[Cultivation Level: Qi Control Level 1 (Collapsed)]
[Special Body: Pure Water Sacred Body (Sacred Grade) (Origin Damaged)]
[Cultivation Technique: Origin of the Ocean (Sacred Grade)]
[Combat Techniques: Water Absorption (Saint Grade), Water Clone (Saint Grade), Roaring Water Dragon (Saint Grade), Water Control (Saint Grade), Water Transformation (Saint Grade), Poison Mist (Saint Grade), Rainstorm (Saint Grade), Covenant of Water (Saint Grade)]
[Luck: Red]
......
(Cultivation realms from lowest to highest are Qi Control, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Formation, Body Integration, Nirvana, Heavenly Cavern, Saint, Saint King, Saint Emperor, Half Emperor, and Great Emperor)
(Special bodies determine the upper limit of a cultivator and are divided into five levels: Ordinary, Mysterious, Earth, Heaven, and Sacred)
(Cultivation techniques and combat techniques are divided into six tiers: Yellow, Spirit, Earth, Heaven, Saint, and Emperor)
(Luck levels from lowest to highest are Black, White, Green, Purple, Red, and Gold)