--
Su Yang stood in silence as the final glass orb crumbled into dust. Just then, a soft rumble echoed throughout the chamber. At the center, a large stone slate emerged, glowing faintly with ancient inscriptions.
> "The one who inherits the knowledge of all three shall bear the burden of legacy. This realm shall now close. In return, you shall receive their sacred artifacts—tools forged to shape empires."
Before he could even react, a soft hum filled the air. A silver ring hovered before him, gleaming under the ancient hall's light.
Su Yang reached out and grabbed it, but no matter how much he tried, the ring wouldn't open.
> "A blood-binding artifact..." he muttered, then bit his thumb. A single drop of blood fell on the ring.
Ding!
The ring pulsed with a red glow and slid onto his finger. With a thought, Su Yang activated it using his mental energy.
A vast space opened in his mind—larger than any room he had seen. Inside, he saw rows of glowing herbs, a multi-colored cauldron with ancient runes, an alchemy chopper, a silver forging hammer, and a black brush that shimmered like flowing ink. Rare ores and materials lay in neat stacks.
His heart pounded.
> "These… aren't just relics. These are heirlooms. If anyone knew I possessed them... they'd come hunting like starving beasts."
Suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled. Dust fell from the ceiling.
> "Max!" Su Yang scooped the dog up, dashing toward the glowing exit. The chamber shook harder, stone slabs collapsing as the ancient inheritance hall began to vanish.
They burst through the stone wall just in time. Behind him, the entrance sealed shut—vanished without a trace.
Su Yang fell to one knee, gasping.
> "That… was close."
Max barked once and licked Su Yang's hand. The boy smiled and rubbed his furry companion's head.
> "Let's head home, buddy. We've had enough adventure for a day."
But fate had other plans.
As they moved through the forest trail, the peaceful rustling of trees turned to chaos—the unmistakable sound of battle.
From the thicket, a masked woman stumbled out, her black hair slick with sweat. Blood stained her sleeve, and behind her...
A massive striped beast—a Level 3 spirit tiger—burst into the clearing, its eyes glowing crimson.
> "Run!" the woman gasped. "That's a high-level beast!"
Su Yang's eyes narrowed. He gently put Max down.
> "Stay back," he said, stepping forward.
The tiger roared and lunged.
Su Yang didn't flinch. He clenched his fist, world energy surging from his feet to his palm. His body trembled with strain—but he welcomed it.
> "Mountain Splitting Punch—!"
His fist, glowing with fiery red light, met the tiger's skull mid-air.
BOOM!
A shockwave erupted. The beast's head cracked open with a sickening crunch and collapsed mid-pounce—dead before it hit the ground.
The masked woman stared, wide-eyed.
> "Y-You… You're only in Bone Refinement. How—"
Su Yang exhaled and flexed his scorched fingers.
Although Su Yang was only at the skin Refinement (peak) level, his power reached the Blood Refinement (low) level. With the Purification Body, Fire Body, and other statuses, his body was strong and pure, making it even stronger than a normal Bone Refinement body. Additionally, . Su Yang wished he knew how to use the Karma Fire Body to become even stronger.
> "With the right body and enough pain, you can punch harder than you think."
The woman looked stunned. Su Yang didn't give her time to ask more.
> "What are you doing in this forest?"
> "…Looking for a herb," she replied quietly.
> "Which one?"
She hesitated.
> "Python Spirit Grass. I need one that's at least 10 years old."
Su Yang crossed his arms.
> "Then you're going the wrong way. You'll find it in the valley to the north—dangerous place, swarming with venomous snakes."
The woman looked up sharply.
> "You… know herbs?"
> "Let's just say I've been studying. Good luck, masked lady." He gave a casual wave.
The woman gave a slight nod before turning and disappearing into the trees.
Behind him, a loud crunch drew his attention. Max was chewing on the spirit tiger's leg—devouring it like a feast.
Su Yang stared in disbelief.
> "You're eating that?"
Max wagged his tail, blood covering his mouth. Su Yang groaned.
> "You better not get indigestion. You're like a bottomless pit."
Max licked his lips, then trotted over and curled into Su Yang's arms, falling asleep immediately.
> "Big eater and lazy. Just great," Su Yang chuckled, hoisting the dog as he walked home.
---
Chapter: Spirit Land Blessings
By nightfall, Su Yang returned to his small wooden home. He placed Max gently on the bed, the dog twitching happily in his sleep. Then, something pulled at his senses—a calling from within.
He sat cross-legged and entered his Spirit Land.
What greeted him took his breath away.
Lush green fields stretched across 50 meters, filled with glowing herbs. The Moon Spirit Grass he'd planted was now dense, radiant—and had matured into 30-year-old stalks.
> "This land doesn't just grow herbs... it accelerates them."
He plucked a few 10-year-old grasses.
> "Time to learn alchemy."
Back in the real world, Su Yang took out the rainbow-colored cauldron and placed it in front of him. The moment it touched the ground, runes lit up along its surface.
He took a deep breath.
> "Let's start with something simple…"
The cauldron began to glow as Su Yang placed the Moon Spirit Grass inside, following the Alchemy Sovereign's teachings embedded in his memory.
Flames formed at the base, controlled by his Fire Body trait. He cycled energy through his hands, manipulating temperature and flow like a seasoned alchemist.
> "This… this feels natural."
As the concoction began to boil, Su Yang's eyes gleamed with determination.
> "If I master alchemy… I'll earn enough spirit stones to buy martial techniques. Maybe even build my own sect someday."
He glanced at Max, now snoring softly.
> "But first... we eat, we sleep, and we grow strong. Then, the world will see who Su Yang really is."
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