Four more years crawled by, each one a testament to Valerius Ren's unyielding discipline and strategic patience. He was now twelve years old, his frame still slender but carrying an understated strength that belied his age. To the casual observer, he was a diligent, if somewhat reserved, young master of the declining Valerius family. To Kaelen, the Demonic Sovereign, he was a vessel slowly, painstakingly, being reforged.
His nocturnal excursions into the hidden chamber beneath the crypts had become a sacred ritual. The minor spirit vein he had discovered, though barely a trickle compared to the mighty rivers of qi in the Upper Realm, was a godsend. He had meticulously refined its energy, drawing it into his body, not through brute force, but with intricate, subtle techniques that maximized absorption and minimized waste. His qi seed, once a pebble, was now the size of a small plum, dense and vibrant, far exceeding what any cultivator of his age in the Lower Realm could hope to achieve.
He had long since surpassed the rudimentary Body Refinement stage, a phase he now considered a distant memory. By the Lower Realm's standards, he was firmly in the Qi Condensation stage, likely at the 5th or 6th Layer, a level that most Valerius cultivators struggled to reach even in their prime. His meridians, once fragile, were now robust, capable of handling a significantly larger flow of spiritual energy. He had even begun to experiment with minor applications of his past life's techniques, adapting them to the limited qi available, turning complex arts into simplified, yet still devastatingly effective, movements.
One crisp autumn morning, the Valerius manor buzzed with a rare excitement. The annual 'Young Talents Gathering' was being held at the nearby Azure Cloud Sect, one of the more prominent powers on Xylos. It was an event where young cultivators from various families and sects showcased their skills, a chance for potential alliances, and for declining houses like Valerius, a desperate opportunity to display any glimmer of hope.
Lord Alaric, his usual weariness replaced by a nervous energy, paced before Ren. "This is important, Ren. The Azure Cloud Sect's Elder Lin will be observing. They are looking for promising disciples. If you can impress them, even slightly, it could mean resources, perhaps even a marriage alliance, for our family."
Lady Seraphina adjusted Ren's simple, yet finely made, robes. "Just do your best, my love. Your father worries too much." She squeezed his hand, her eyes conveying her quiet support.
Ren nodded, his mind already calculating. "I understand, Father. I will not disappoint." He wouldn't disappoint, but not for the reasons Alaric hoped. He would use this as an opportunity to gauge the true strength of this realm's 'talents.'
The Azure Cloud Sect's training grounds were a grand affair, a stark contrast to the Valerius's crumbling facilities. Dozens of young cultivators, ranging from ten to sixteen years of age, stood poised, their spiritual auras, though faint to Kaelen, shimmering with youthful ambition. He saw youths from the Blackwood House, known for their swift blades, and the Sunstone Clan, famous for their sturdy defenses. Most were in the Body Refinement stage, with a few older ones having just entered Qi Condensation, perhaps at the 1st or 2nd Layer.
The trials began with basic martial arts demonstrations, then moved to spiritual energy manipulation. Ren performed adequately in the martial arts, executing the Valerius forms with a precision that drew a few murmurs of approval, yet without any flashy displays. He was careful not to reveal too much.
Then came the spiritual energy test: striking a qi-sensitive stone tablet. A young man from the Blackwood House, perhaps fifteen, stepped forward, his face set in a determined grimace. He channeled his qi, his body tensing, and struck the tablet. A faint blue glow emanated, and a single crack appeared.
"Blackwood Lei, 2nd Layer Qi Condensation," announced the Sect Elder, his voice booming. "A solid strike!"
Lord Alaric nudged Ren. "That's a good showing, Ren. Try for something similar."
Ren stepped forward, his expression calm. He observed the tablet, noting its qi-absorbing properties. He didn't channel his qi in the crude, outward manner of the others. Instead, he gathered it, compressing it internally, then, with a subtle shift in his stance, released it in a focused burst, not at the tablet, but through his palm, directly into its core.
His hand made contact. There was no flashy glow, no dramatic sound. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a web of cracks, far more intricate and deeper than Lei's, spread across the tablet's surface. A faint, almost imperceptible hum vibrated in the air, and the tablet, instead of merely cracking, shuddered.
A collective gasp swept through the onlookers. Even Elder Lin, a stern-faced cultivator in the Foundation Establishment stage, leaned forward, his eyes narrowed.
"What... what was that?" someone whispered.
The Sect Elder approached the tablet, his brow furrowed. He touched the cracks, then looked at Ren, a flicker of genuine surprise in his eyes. "This... this is a direct qi penetration. Not a blunt force strike. Young Valerius Ren... you have achieved a 3rd Layer Qi Condensation strike, perhaps even bordering on the 4th Layer! And with such finesse!"
Lord Alaric's jaw dropped. He stared at the tablet, then at his son, a mixture of shock and elation warring on his face. "Ren! My son!"
Ren merely bowed respectfully. "I merely focused, Elder. Perhaps the Valerius family's unique qi circulation method aided me." Another carefully crafted half-truth.
Later, as they prepared to depart, Elder Lin approached Lord Alaric, his gaze still fixed on Ren. "Lord Valerius, your son possesses an extraordinary talent. His qi control, his understanding of energy flow... it is far beyond his years. He could be a true pillar for your family, perhaps even for the Azure Cloud Sect, should you consider it."
Alaric swelled with pride, a feeling he hadn't experienced in years. "Thank you, Elder. We are indeed blessed."
As they made their way back to the manor, Alaric couldn't stop praising Ren. "You did it, son! You truly did it! This is the beginning! The Valerius family will rise again!" He clapped Ren on the shoulder, his eyes shining with a desperate, fervent hope.
Ren offered a small, polite smile. He had given them what they wanted, a glimpse of 'talent.' But the true power, the true depth of his cultivation, remained hidden. He was not merely a 3rd or 4th Layer Qi Condensation cultivator. He had merely demonstrated that level of power. His actual cultivation was far more refined, his understanding of qi far more profound.
"Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul..." he mused internally, recalling the Lower Realm's highest known stages. "They are but steps on a ladder. A ladder I have already climbed and descended countless times. This realm's peak is merely the foothills of the Upper Realm."
He looked out at the setting sun, its light painting the world in hues of orange and gold. The adrenaline of the demonstration had faded, replaced by the familiar, cold resolve. He had shown them a glimpse of his potential, enough to earn their attention, but not enough to reveal the true monster within. The seed of vengeance was now a sapling, its roots digging deeper into the soil of this realm, preparing for the day it would shatter the ground beneath it and reach for the stars.