The light of dawn crept over Nuoding City, bathing the rooftops in a golden hue. Tang San, seated cross-legged atop the inn's modest balcony, was already deep in meditation. His breathing was shallow, rhythmic—each inhalation absorbing strands of spiritual energy, each exhalation refining them through the circulation of his internal energy paths.
The black stone embedded deep within his dantian pulsed faintly, like a dormant heart. It no longer floated independently. Since absorbing his second spirit ring, the stone had fused into his core, becoming inseparable from his cultivation base.
Though Tang San had yet to understand its origin, he could sense that its presence was silently transforming him.
Most notably, the Eye Secret Art, which he had practiced under the guise of a simple focus technique, had grown eerily perceptive. When activated, his eyes could momentarily pierce veils of spirit energy, detect fluctuations in others' emotions, and even catch brief afterimages of movement. These effects were still unstable, appearing only during intense focus or danger, but they were undeniably real.
He didn't share this with Grandmaster. Or with Xiao Wu. Or anyone.
The black stone was a secret too great to risk exposing.
---
Later that day, Grandmaster took Tang San and Xiao Wu into the forest on the edge of Nuoding's outskirts.
"Tang San," Grandmaster began, his tone measured, "you've already reached the twentieth rank, and your second spirit ring suits you well. But power without experience is shallow. You must learn to apply your skills under pressure. That is where strength is forged."
Tang San nodded. "Are we hunting spirit beasts?"
"Not to kill," Grandmaster replied. "To train. You will provoke them, fight them, flee when necessary. Push your limits—but do not risk your life recklessly. I'll be observing from afar, interfering only if needed."
"Understood."
Xiao Wu tilted her head. "And me?"
Grandmaster hesitated, then smiled slightly. "You… are special. But your combat instincts are already exceptional. This round is for Tang San alone."
Tang San and Xiao Wu exchanged glances. She gave him a playful wink before stepping back.
The training began that very hour.
---
The forest was dense and wild, filled with the rustle of leaves and distant howls. Tang San moved quietly, using his knowledge of herbology to mask his scent with nearby plants.
He came across a Three-Tailed Green Wind Fox, a beast known for its agility and slicing wind blades. Its cultivation was just over 500 years—dangerous, but within the realm of survivability.
With practiced calm, Tang San stepped into view and released a pulse of spirit energy to draw its attention.
The fox lunged.
Tang San immediately activated his Blue Silver Grass, entangling the beast's forelegs while leaping sideways to avoid the gust of wind blades.
Shhhng! A wind blade grazed his shoulder. Blood spilled, but Tang San didn't flinch.
He focused his gaze. For a brief moment, time seemed to slow. His Eye Secret Art activated of its own accord. He saw through the fox's charging path, anticipating its next attack.
He rolled beneath its pounce, catching the creature's flank with an explosive coil of Blue Silver Grass, infused with his second ring's burst-root binding.
CRACK!
The fox was thrown into a nearby tree, dazed but not defeated. It scrambled up and retreated with a furious screech.
Tang San stood still, panting. Sweat clung to his brow. His wound stung, but his spirit surged with excitement.
That gaze… was different, he thought. The Eye Secret Art is evolving.
But more than that, the black stone pulsed faintly during the battle, seemingly feeding off the intense pressure, subtly enhancing his reflexes and spiritual perception.
---
Over the next week, Tang San sparred with a dozen more beasts.
Some he evaded.
Some he cornered.
One—a Cloudshadow Panther—he barely escaped with Grandmaster's silent intervention.
Each encounter etched another layer into his understanding of combat, danger, and decision-making. He noticed the Blue Silver Grass growing tougher and more reactive to his intent. His second spirit ring's power stabilized more smoothly than others at his level—likely a result of the stone's passive influence on his cultivation cycle.
On the seventh night, he sat by a small fire. Grandmaster had gone quiet again, as he often did when Tang San showed growth.
Tang San reached into his pouch and took out a piece of Spirit Nourishment Crystal, using it to aid his nightly cultivation.
As the energy circulated through his meridians, the black stone within his core pulsed. This time, he felt it clearly.
Not just power.
Emotion.
A lingering imprint of will. Like a hand placed on his shoulder from beyond a distant void. It was faint, and it vanished quickly—but it left him alert.
"Who left this behind?" Tang San murmured. "And why me?"
But no answer came.
Still, a sense of pressure weighed on his heart. As if something—or someone—was watching.
---
Elsewhere, beyond the boundary of the plane…
The man in the cloak stood at the edge of a golden void, the chains of law shimmering across his shoulders. He clenched his fist.
"I can't stay here much longer," he muttered. "The stone… has chosen. He must grow without interference now."
His figure dissolved into fragments of light, sealed by the realm's laws.
---
Back in Nuoding, Tang San awakened the next morning, more determined than ever.
He wouldn't ask why. He would simply train, cultivate, improve—until he could forge his own godhood, unshackled by any realm or system.
The stone was his secret.
The Eye Secret Art, his weapon.
And the path ahead, steep and long.
But Tang San had never feared the climb.
---
End of Chapter 24