Chapter 1: The Former Genius (1)

Practicing for fifteen minutes at dawn was worth ten years of cultivation.

Morning was the best time to cultivate.

Slap! Slap! Slap!

From an open stretch of sandbank on the Silver Sand River, five miles outside of Red Cloud City, came the sound of repeated slapping. Looking at the time, it was just barely light.

The Silver Sand River coiled like a giant, rushing python to the east of Red Cloud City. The surging water combined with the vast mist made it look like a swaying python’s spine.

On the riverbank, a shirtless youth was using a fist-thick black iron rod to slap his calves, thighs, waist, abdomen, arms, wrists, and shoulders, finishing with the top of his head.

The youth was around fifteen or sixteen. At first glance, he looked similar to an adult in build, sturdy and tall, with a dark complexion. His entire body was covered in scars, his skin dry and peeling in curled layers. He gripped the iron rod tightly in his right hand, forcefully striking every part of his body. His muscles even trembled from the impacts.

Iron Forging Art!

The youth was actually cultivating the world-famous body tempering art. If anyone saw this, they would definitely report it to the city lord in secret. The youth would face mortal danger because this body tempering art originated from the orthodox path of the Immortal Dao, the Xuanwu Sect.

Only “seeds” favored by the Xuanwu Sect could cultivate this art. Usually, the training locations were in the Forbidden Lands of great families, not out in the wild alone like this youth was doing.

Slap! Slap! Slap! Countless powerful blows, and the youth didn’t even blink.

The youth’s body was red and swollen. Of course, practicing thousands of slaps on his body since early morning, it would be strange if he wasn’t swollen.

The youth seemed used to it. He shook his arms and suddenly stopped, wiping the sweat from his cheeks with his hand. He picked up a waterskin and drank greedily, his gaze fixed on his body. “After months of hard training in the Iron Forging Art, I can finally wield the iron rod like before. It seems even though my cultivation was ruined, the strong body I’ve trained since childhood wasn’t affected too much. Soon, I, Ye Yun, can step back into the Flesh Immortal realm.”

“Yun’er, do you still refuse to give up?”

A thunderous voice suddenly erupted from deep within the forest. Then, a tall figure slowly walked out of the woods. A middle-aged man in a yellow robe, with sharp eyes, walked towards Ye Yun.

This man was tall and imposing, nearly two meters tall. He looked to be just over fifty. On the sides of his broad, square face near the temples, a few imposing vertical lines were etched, invisibly exuding an aura of fierce pressure. Especially those large hands, covered in scars and stark red, they were terrifying and extremely eerie.

This was the famous “Crimson Fiend Hands” Ye Yuan, the head of the Ye Family clan and also Ye Yun’s father. His palm techniques were incredibly fierce. At twenty, he slaughtered the “Eighteen Heavenly Hawks” with his bare hands and returned unscathed, shaking the world. He was the number one expert of the Ye Family.

Ye Yuan coldly stared at Ye Yun, making him afraid to meet his gaze. His imposing aura was sharp as lightning. Scanning the surroundings, Ye Yuan’s gaze suddenly softened. “It’s not that your father wants to discourage you, Yun’er. Since childhood, you’ve read cultivation manuals and treasure books. You should understand your body’s condition. Your Inner Essence was forcibly shattered. Not only are your meridians damaged, but your body’s vital energy is also scattered. Moreover, your Dantian already has cracks and cannot store Qi. You can no longer cultivate.”

Ye Yun nodded silently, deep expectation filling his pupils. “Father, this child understands. But this child still cannot let go…”

Seeing Ye Yun’s downcast expression, Ye Yuan’s heart ached too. He spoke earnestly. “Yun’er, your father knows and understands your thoughts. Cultivation is also your father’s lifelong dream. But a dream is not a delusion. Sometimes you must see reality clearly.”

Reality. These two words were too heavy. Ye Yun felt as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing on him, making it hard to breathe for a moment. Suddenly, he clenched his fists tightly, and a flash of anger burst from his deep pupils. “Qin Ming… that hateful Qin Family!”

Ye Yuan’s gaze darkened. “Now the Qin Family is powerful and influential, not something our Ye Family can contend with. As for that Qin Ming… he truly is a prodigy. Only sixteen years old, he has already cultivated to the Fifth Layer: Qi Transformation realm of the Flesh Immortal stage. That time, your father was too careless. I never expected the Qin Family to hide someone so deep. I had never even heard of this Qin Ming character before.”

Qin Ming!

Hearing that most unwelcome name again and again, Ye Yun’s blood boiled. Heavy images flooded his mind, especially the Xuanwu Assembly half a year ago.

Red Cloud City had three great families. The family that controlled the city, the King Yan Family, was recognized as the first great family. Next was the Qin Family, which had deep influence in Red Cloud City. Finally, there was the Ye Family.

Every ten years, the Xuanwu Sect recruited ten disciples from Red Cloud City. This was the best way to strengthen a family’s power. The Xuanwu Sect was the orthodox path of the Immortal Dao in the world, so naturally its disciples held a lofty status.

As the Ye Family’s acknowledged genius of the past hundred years, Ye Yun easily became one of the Ye Family’s recommended candidates. Everyone knew Ye Yun becoming a disciple of the Xuanwu Sect was unquestionable.

He began cultivating the Iron Forging Art at six. He officially entered the first layer of Flesh Immortal, Foundation Refining, at eight. At ten, he broke through the second layer, Technique, and the third layer, Strength Lifting, in quick succession. After five years of arduous training, he entered the fourth layer, Qi Nurturing. He refined Qi into his body, formally stepping over the threshold of a Cultivator. The inner force in his Dantian transformed into Inner Essence, residing within his Dantian. With such aptitude, entering the Xuanwu Sect was a foregone conclusion.

But everything changed in a single instant.

The Xuanwu Sect’s disciple recruitment had three trials. Ye Yun smoothly passed the first two. The final trial was a draw, where you fought the person you drew. The winner passed the assessment; the loser would have no chance to enter the world of Cultivators.

Ye Yun’s opponent was a nobody from the Qin Family, Qin Ming. Before the match, Ye Yun thought Qin Ming was no match for him. Very few in the world could cultivate to the fourth layer, Qi Nurturing, before fifteen. In the history of the three great families, such a person hadn’t appeared for thirty years. Ye Yun thought victory was assured.

Sadly, the moment he made his move, Ye Yun fell without even seeing his opponent’s movement. At that moment, Ye Yun already had no strength to resist. Yet his opponent struck a heavy blow, slapping his palm against Ye Yun’s Dantian. The Inner Essence he had painstakingly cultivated vanished instantly. At the same time, the force of the Inner Essence churned his Dantian into chaos. Crack! His Dantian shattered in an instant. However, Qin Ming had no intention of stopping. He truly wanted to ruin Ye Yun, to shatter his Dantian and prevent him from cultivating forever. In that moment, Ye Yun truly despaired. Luckily, his father Ye Yuan forcibly intervened and saved Ye Yun from Qin Ming’s hands.

His cultivation ruined, his Dantian destroyed. In an instant, the lofty genius Ye Yun fell from Heaven into Hell. Before his eyes were only ugly faces. He no longer heard praise, envy, or flattery. Instead, there was ridicule and mockery. Even his father Ye Yuan suffered because of it.

Later, Ye Yun heard that Qin Ming was the true genius. Compared to him, Ye Yun was nothing.

He entered the fourth layer of Flesh Immortal, Qi Nurturing, at twelve. He broke through to the fifth layer, Qi Transformation, at sixteen. The first genius in hundreds of years among the three great families to break through to the fifth layer of Qi Transformation at fifteen.

The Qin Family. Qin Ming.

Sixteen years old. Flesh Immortal Fifth Layer. Qi Transformation realm. What a dazzling achievement!

“None of this is your fault, Yun’er. Tomorrow is your coming-of-age ceremony. According to clan rules, today you must clean the ancestral shrine and kneel in prayer there all night, worshiping our ancestors and giving thanks for their virtue. These traditions are very important. In a few days, some family affairs will be arranged for you. In the future, settle your mind and handle clan matters well.”