The rain continued to fall as Li Tian slowly walked toward the servant quarters of Azure Mountain Sect.
His mind was still spinning from the events of the ceremony.
Broken spiritual root.
The words echoed endlessly in his thoughts.
For years he had believed that joining a cultivation sect would change his destiny.
But now—
That dream seemed impossible.
Thunder rumbled across the distant mountains.
Li Tian tightened his robe and hurried along the narrow stone path leading toward the lower slopes of the sect.
Servant disciples lived far away from the main cultivation halls.
Their homes were simple wooden buildings scattered along the hillside.
After several minutes, Li Tian reached a small hut.
He pushed the door open.
The room inside was small and poorly lit.
A wooden bed stood against one wall, while a cracked table rested near the window.
Rain tapped steadily against the roof.
Li Tian sat down on the edge of the bed.
Slowly, he raised his hand.
The black ring rested on his finger.
It looked ordinary at first glance.
But faint dark patterns covered its surface.
Patterns that almost resembled ancient symbols.
Li Tian stared at it silently.
Then he whispered.
"…Who are you?"
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the ring pulsed again.
A cold sensation spread through his arm.
And the voice returned.
"You may call me… the Primordial Echo."
Li Tian's heart skipped.
"Primordial… Echo?"
"I am what remains of an ancient being," the voice replied calmly.
Memories suddenly flooded Li Tian's mind.
He saw flashes of massive battlefields.
Countless cultivators clashing beneath shattered skies.
Lightning tribulations tearing mountains apart.
Immortals wielding power beyond imagination.
Li Tian gasped and clutched his head.
The visions vanished.
"What… was that?"
"Fragments of my memories," the voice said.
Li Tian's breathing slowly calmed.
"So you're… inside this ring?"
"Yes."
"Why choose me?"
The voice paused briefly.
"Because your soul is unusually resilient."
Li Tian frowned.
"My soul?"
"Your body possesses a broken spiritual root," the voice explained. "But your soul contains an extremely rare trait."
"What trait?"
"Void Affinity."
Li Tian had never heard of such a thing.
"Does that mean I can cultivate?"
"Under normal circumstances, no."
Li Tian's shoulders sank.
"But with this ring… everything changes."
The ring glowed faintly.
"This artifact devours the souls of fallen cultivators."
Li Tian's eyes widened.
"Devours… souls?"
"When a cultivator dies nearby," the voice continued, "the ring can absorb their memories, techniques, and cultivation insights."
Li Tian felt his heartbeat accelerate.
"That means…"
"You can inherit their power."
Before Li Tian could respond—
A scream suddenly echoed outside the hut.
A cry filled with pain.
Li Tian jumped to his feet.
"What was that?!"
"Interesting," the voice murmured.
Li Tian ran toward the door and stepped outside into the rain.
The path was empty.
But near the servant road ahead…
A body lay motionless on the ground.