Chapter 7: Dawn of a New Beginning
Shen Yuan arrived at the hotel after making his way through the streets of Skyfall City. Despite being smaller than the major cities under the great clans, the city was full of life. The shouts of merchants, footsteps of passersby, laughter of drunkards, and the clanging of weapons in shops… all combined into a familiar noise.
But for someone who had grown accustomed to the deadly silence of the forest and the looks of contempt on the streets, it meant nothing. He didn't glance at the faces around him or stop at any shop. His only goal was the hotel where he had been staying for months.
He entered through the large wooden door, and immediately the hotel lobby came into view. The space was wide, lit by oil lamps hanging from the ceiling. Some customers sat at tables, drinking wine and talking about their forest expeditions, while the receptionist stood behind a tall wooden counter.
As soon as Shen Yuan entered, conversations paused briefly at some tables. His blood-stained appearance, messy hair, and torn clothes made him look like a homeless survivor barely escaping death. Some exchanged glances, others shook their heads with mockery, while some whispered among themselves:
"Isn't that the boy exiled from the Shen Clan?"
"I always heard he went into the forest, but he comes back like a pile of rotting meat."
"Ha, maybe his bad luck will finally kill him soon."
These comments were familiar to him. He passed by as if they were ghosts, meaningless. He didn't stop until he reached the stairs and ascended to his room.
He opened the door with his iron key, then entered and shut it firmly behind him. He threw himself onto the small bed and exhaled deeply. For the first time in years, he didn't feel completely powerless. True, his strength had not returned yet, but he felt that the future lay open before him.
He sat cross-legged on the bed and took out his spatial bag. He placed it beside him and held the shabby sword in his hand, staring at it for a long moment. He knew this sword was worth little, mere scrap sold to the poor. But today, it felt different. It was a companion, something to cling to on his new journey.
After a moment of silence, he closed his eyes and began meditating. This time, he wasn't seeking power alone; he wanted to understand his physical state.
Indeed… he felt something entirely different. His body, once like a perforated vessel in the past, was now solid. Spiritual energy no longer leaked from him; it began to gather for the first time in years. Though it was a small amount, its mere presence was enough to ignite a spark of hope in his heart.
He smiled faintly and murmured:
"I have returned… to the path of cultivation."
Hours passed, and when he opened his eyes, night had fallen. Moonlight filtered through the small window, illuminating his tired face. He slowly got up, washed the blood from his body, and changed his torn clothes with spares from his spatial bag. Looking into the small brass mirror in the room, he saw his reflection: a boy with pure white hair streaked with silver, eyes deep with remnants of sorrow, yet now carrying a new spark that had never been there before.
Suddenly, a strong heartbeat surged in his chest, accompanied by a gentle warmth throughout his body. It wasn't painful, but comforting. He immediately realized it was connected to the seed.
He sat down again and closed his eyes. This time, he decided to take the first true step in his new journey. He began circulating spiritual energy within his body, attempting to guide it through his internal pathways. At first, there was resistance. His body, unused to cultivation for three years, was like parched land long without water. Gradually, however, the channels began to respond.
It felt as if the dry rivers inside him had started flowing again.
"Haha…", he chuckled softly despite his solitude. "This feeling… I forgot how wonderful it is."
As he immersed himself in meditation, memories of the past surfaced. His father, who had ignored him since the incident, his mother, whose status had declined because of his weakness, the Shen Clan children who looked down on him… and he remembered Liu Zao and Liu Min, the boys who left him bleeding in the alley.
He clenched his fists fiercely, his teeth grinding in anger.
"Everything you've done to me… I will return it a hundredfold."
But after a moment, he relaxed slowly. Revenge would come, but not yet. First, he had to become strong. Power… only power could silence everyone.
The next morning, he rose early and left the hotel toward the market. He needed some cheap spiritual pills to help stabilize his foundation. With only a small amount of gold, he had to plan carefully how to spend it.
As he walked through the streets, he noticed a group of young students wearing gray clothes bearing the Iron Sect emblem. They spoke loudly about their last expedition into the forest and the beast they had hunted. When their eyes fell on Shen Yuan, they laughed aloud.
"Look, it's that outcast from the Shen Clan."
"Ha, still alive? I thought he died long ago."
"Maybe he'll crawl to join our sect. But even if he does… we won't take him."
Shen Yuan did not respond. He passed by as if they didn't exist, though his mind was boiling. He didn't want to attract attention now. Any rash reaction could bring trouble before he was ready.
After buying several pills—vitality-enhancing pills of medium quality—he returned to his room. He sat cross-legged and began absorbing them one by one, each process agonizing to the extreme, yet he endured, determined to reach his goal.
For a full week, he repeated the process: purchase pills, absorb them, and attempt to penetrate the first layer of Body Refinement.
One day, as he absorbed the last purchased pill, a violent energy surged through his body.
When he finally opened his eyes, he felt a stronger flow of energy. Clenching his fists, he felt the familiar sensation of power coursing through his bones, veins, and muscles. He had broken through the first layer of Body Refinement!
His eyes shone with new brilliance. He jumped from the bed and moved toward the window.
His eyes gleamed with determination.
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Information (important or not, as written):
Body Refinement only to build an initial sense of strength; in the beginning, I won't classify power again and will keep it mysterious.
1 – Two Bulls
2 – Four Bulls
3 – Eight Bulls
4 – Sixteen Bulls
5 – Sixty-four Bulls
6 – One hundred twenty-eight Bulls
7 – Two hundred fifty-six Bulls
8 – One thousand twenty-eight Bulls
9 – One thousand nine hundred fifty Bulls
Star beasts' physiques are stronger than humans; therefore, in each level, they only have three tiers:
Low-tier Star Beast with one star = Warrior (Body Refinement layer 3)
Mid-tier Star Beast with one star = Body Refinement layer 6
High-tier Star Beast with one star = Body Refinement layer 9
Ordinary weapons: 1–9 (Low—Medium—High)
Non-ordinary weapons: Divine weapons or spiritual weapons—growth weapons*
Spiritual weapons grow under certain conditions and contain skills activated with spiritual energy
Techniques currently limited to the protagonist's world:
Human
Spiritual
Earth
Heaven
After Heaven stage, techniques do not exist in low-tier worlds like the protagonist's current world, but I will mention them for reference:
God
Legendary
Immortal
Supreme
Cosmic
Also divided into Low, Medium, High
Cultivation levels:
Body Refinement – 120 years
Establishing Spiritual Foundation – 200 years
Gathering Qi – 400 years
Qi Condensation – 600 years
Spiritual Lord – 1,000 years
Spiritual King – 1,200 years
Human Hegemony – 1,800 years
Human Ascension – 2,000 years
Legendary World – 3,000 years
These are the cultivation stages for now; names will differ when ascending to other worlds.