Ten years had passed since Ryoto or rather Lin Shen as he called himself now was reborn.
The sect he was reborn in was a high tier sect also known as the Golden Azure sect known for its large coverage in most industries. Its disciples were not only cultivators; some were blacksmiths, while others were formation masters. There was some tension here and there but most of it was just friendly competition.
Lin Shen started cultivating at the age of ten and broke into the Qi Formation stage within a few months, then at the age of 18 he reached the early Core Formation stage.
The elders were startled by his progress but Lin Shen just kept cultivating and studying. At the age of 20 he attempted a breakthrough into the Peak of the Soul Formation stage.
Then the atmosphere around him began to change.
The tribulation lightning struck with greater intensity, yet it carried no intent to destroy, only to test.
He finally reached the Peak Soul formation stage when something unexpected happened.
His Gold and Azures eyes glowed together then a pillar of light burst upward. Cultivators around the world felt ripples
The tribulation had left something behind, a dormant change that now awakened within his dantian.
His dantian began to split, forming several unstable cores that pulsed erratically, as if they had yet to fully take shape. Faint traces of energy flickered within them, but they clashed with one another, refusing to settle.
A sharp pain tore through his abdomen as the unstable cores collided, threatening to disrupt his entire cultivation.
each core carried a different aura, as if hinting at distinct elemental affinities, though none had fully formed yet.
"Then it stopped. Not beautifully, not dramatically—it simply vanished as suddenly as it appeared.
A few moments later disciples of the Golden Azure sect found him unconscious.
And brought him back.
When he woke up his head hurt not from external pain but information overload.
"What is this" Lin Shen said to himself
All the blueprints of inventions from his previous life were now in his head when he checked them again all of them had undergone small modifications they were all modified to interact with Qi.
Then he saw something else—more blueprints, but these were different these blueprints were things he only theorized in his previous world and could not invent there were even blue prints for Qi circuits which were the foundation of everything.
"Lin Shen you are okay" said a voice. It was Lin Shu, his elder sister "Everyone was worried about you".
"Elder sister what happened, the last thing I remembered was successfully breaking through to the peak of soul formation stage." Said Lin Shen
"Yes, you have broken through but there is another problem. The physicians that came to assess your condition said that your dantian has changed. It split into several unstable cores, each carrying a different aura."
"Sister isn't that good news" He said his voice carrying enthusiasm rather than sadness "If I cannot advance my realm further, but I can continue growing stronger, won't people underestimate me?"
"Yes" Lin Shu said raising one brow with confusion "But I don't understand why would you be happy about it"
"Sister thinks of it like this, the mantis hunts the cicada unaware of the oriole behind it" he said
"I don't get it what does that mean" She asked her tone more curious
"Think of the people who underestimate me as the mantis and think of me as the oriole and cicada what conclusion do you reach"
"Lin Shen you are a genius the people would underestimate you unaware of the secrets you are hiding," said Lin Shu
"Anyway, sister Mother is the sect leader right"
"Yes, why do you ask"
"I need these materials," Lin Shen said as he handed her a jade slip.
"What do you need these materials for? Are you building something?" Lin Shu asked curiously.
"That is a secret Lin Shen said with a smile"
After some time, Lin Shu left and Lin Shen started working.
He took a quill, an ink bowl and multiple sheets of paper and started drawing schematics.
"Now that I can't advance anymore, they will underestimate me. So, I have to make a move before they do and they would expect techniques or formations but they wouldn't expect this" he said holding up a completed schematic.