"Was I mistaken?" a voice murmured, echoing with doubt.
"No... we all sensed it," another replied solemnly.
"It’s real! That level of perfection — hah! We have a true genius on our hands!" said a third, barely containing their excitent.
"But how?" soone questioned, bewildered.
"Is that question even necessary?" another voice cut in. "Just be glad he’s in our sect."
With a wave of a hand, a shimring hologram appeared — Yu Xuan, seated cross-legged beneath a vibrant multicolored tree, eyes closed in deep ditation. The image radiated a tranquil power that silenced the room.
"So cooool..." one voice whispered, breathlessly.
"Shut up with your antics," another snapped, rolling their divine sense.
In the middle of this conversation, conducted, of course, through divine senses by several ancient figures sealed within stone coffins — another presence materialized.
It was the Elental Heaven Peak Master.
"Oh? Dear High Elders," she said lazily, arms folded. "Why are you all eyeing my disciple with such intense gaze, have you finally gone senile?"
"The disciple ceremony hasn’t been officially conducted yet, right?" asked an ancient voice. "How about I take him in?"
The Peak Master’s eyes narrowed, voice crisp with pride. "Well, MY disciple told personally — he’d only ever acknowledge as his master. Even if he were flooded with offers, he’d still refuse."
Little did she know, he was only talking about his main body.
"...Shall I test that then?" another voice challenged slyly.
"How about I break your old bones," she retorted sweetly.
"...I was once your half-master," the voice muttered, sounding deeply wounded.
"And now you’re just an immortal old sack of bones. Transfer your cultivation to , won’t you? I’ve been a little stagnant lately," she replied, grinning.
"But really... how can anyone have such absurd talent?" asked another elder, his tone caught between awe and disbelief. "And Heaven’s actually allowing it?"
The hologram of Yu Xuan continued to glow, silently validating their awe.
"His road to immortality is practically guaranteed," mumbled the emotionally-damaged elder.
"He’s already opened all twelve Qi Condensation gates," another added, sounding like his life had been a mistake.
"...And he just entered the realm," soone whispered, still stunned.
"But... why didn’t he et any resistance?" asked a more perceptive elder. That question froze the room.
"...Is he Heaven’s illegitimate child?" soone finally joked.
Then, ominously, one of the ancient stone coffins began to tremble.
"He could easily form a heavenly-grade foundation at this rate," one elder said seriously. "His future is limitless."
"Seems like the human race has found its new genius. I think your kind might actually prosper for once," said a deep voice.
"The last ti that happened, we went to war," soone grumbled toward the Elental Heaven Peak Master.
"What can I say?" she shrugged, smirking. "I am the genius of the era."
"...But what about that old man?" a cautious elder asked. "You can’t tell he hasn’t sensed this already."
"Why are you talking like it’s even possible for him to miss it?" said another voice mockingly. "If he missed this, I’ll eat your handmade food."
A sound of soone struggling echoed from one of the coffins. It was unclear whether they were trying to get out — or just suffering from sothing invisible.
"He’s still young," soone said thoughtfully. "How about we bring him to our plane for a while?"
"Don’t be ridiculous. The artifact spirit would never allow it. We ca here under strict terms," soone reminded flatly.
"...Still, I’m curious," another voice admitted, sighing. "Co on, share so details about your disciple."
The Elental Heaven Peak Master sighed deeply. Being surrounded by nosy old monsters was always tiring. Refusing them was harder than denying fate itself.
"...Alright," she said. "But just a little. And no, you can’t steal him later."
***
Oblivious to the chaos that had unfolded behind his back, Yu Xuan was still imrsed in his cultivation session — his breathing slow, rhythmic, and steady.
The hardest part at first had been clearing his mind.
But with ti and repeated practice, even that hurdle had begun to fade.
He suspected it was thanks to his trait, [Adaptive Mind], which made slipping into a state of ditative stillness as natural as breathing.
Without even realizing it, ti passed.
Evening had already arrived by the ti he opened his eyes.
"...It’s evening already?" he murmured. "Ti really flies when you’re cultivating."
He stood up and stretched lightly.
Rather than feeling tired from the long session, he felt refreshed, light, almost weightless.
As he focused inward, he could sense a faint pulse of energy gathering in his lower dantian. Though small, it was real. Tangible.
His first qi.
A smile crept across his face as he turned to walk back toward his residence, the setting sun casting an orange glow over the horizon.
Roughly twenty minutes later, he arrived at his quiet little abode. There, a new task awaited him.
"Alright... let’s cook sothing."
From his space ring, Yu Xuan retrieved a beginner’s cookbook, several jars of oil, fresh vegetables, and a sealed pack of spirit beast at.
He eyed the ingredients thoughtfully, then muttered to himself:
"Do I really have to cook my own food? Master literally gave everything, but not a maid? Co on... Even a shadow-maid who popped out only to serve food wouldn’t be too much to ask, right?"
With a shake of his head, he fetched a small pot and approached a larger one filled with fresh water.
He filled the small one from the larger pot, then a blue rune at the base of the larger pot began to glow, automatically refilling it’s water.
Yu Xuan watched the glowing rune with curiosity. "I could watch this forever..."
Then, he got to work following the steps from the cookbook.
He pressed a rune on the stove, and with a faint flicker, a warm orange fla flared to life, fueled by a spirit stone embedded in the center.
On one burner, he placed the pot of water to boil while he diced vegetables with surprising efficiency.
On the other burner, he placed a pan, added a bit of oil, and began frying slices of at until they sizzled and browned.
Once the vegetables were boiled, he removed them and then tossed the vegetables into the at-filled pan with spices and spirit seasonings.
The aroma filled the room quickly, and when he finally plated the food and took a bite, he paused.
"...This is surprisingly good."
With a satisfied grin, he devoured the rest in minutes.
Today would be morable — his first day as an official cultivator.
He had cultivated. He had cooked. He had tasted the fruit of his own labor.
He then washed his dishes, and then went to bed.
As he lay down on the bed, his body relaxed, and his thoughts slowed.
"I’ll probably get an auspicious dream tonight..."
And with that optimistic hope, Yu Xuan drifted off into a well-earned sleep, full of dreams, possibilities, and unknowns.
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