Regressed Master: Raising The Son Of Heaven Isn’t Easy (Xianxia/Progression)

[veekie]

Kid's luck is built different

 

[Overload69]

When Wang Yang came to be, he could hear some familiar and unfamiliar voices beyond his closed eyes.


"Is he… ok?" Xu Qiang's labored voice came through first.


"He seems fine. No poison or heavy internal damage. A healing pill should be enough for him." Another soft, regal voice gave him the answer. A voice he didn't know, but the steps soon moved away, and a new set of steps came near.


"He is out of danger, so you can continue with the trial." Li Muchen's voice made his eyes open wide.


Unlike the comfort of a soft bed, they had laid him down on the hot sand with only a cloth as a barrier. A few disciples walked in the vicinity, but none came too close. Soon, they all left.


"You woke up early." Muchen noticed Wang Yang first.


"Master… you saved me." Wang Yang said.


"No, you saved yourself." Muchen shook his head.


"…Has the trial ended already?" Wang Yang asked.


"It hasn't. Why?" Muchen sat down on a nearby rock.


"How? I was inside there for two months! Cough!" Wang Yang broke into a coughing fit. His throat turned scratchy, and his body ached all over.


"Drink this first." Muchen handed him a gourd. Water from a special spring and a healing pill mixed into it for easy consumption.


"Thank you…" Wang Yang gulped the water in one go.


"You said you were there for two months, right?" Wang Yang nodded at Muchen's question.


"Only 16 hours passed outside while you stayed trapped in an area with distorted space and time. And, you made some progress as well." Muchen didn't know why Wang Yang took longer than last time, but he had achieved more things than last time because of that.


He is on the verge of a breakthrough to the 8th layer of Qi Refining. But I didn't think that he'd be able to form a bond with the sword this early. Wang Yang had found the same sword last time, but it took a few years before he could form a bond with it. However, he has already achieved that this time.


"Only 16 hours… I thought that…" Wang Yang clenched his hands. His mind raced with all the negative thoughts that piled up inside him in solitude. If he wasn't lucky, he would've died. Facing that such a possibility could've come to pass, his face turned solemn.


"Whatever you faced in there, you have overcome it on your own." Muchen placed a hand on Wang Yang's back. "Don't dwell on it, learn from it so you can do better if a similar situation arises."


"…Ok. But I also have a question." Receiving Muchen's nod, Wang Yang continued. "If I train more in such a place…"


"Perish the thought. Even if only 16 hours have passed outside, you have indeed aged 2 months. You were already lucky enough to survive when the formation collapsed." The sword Wang Yang pulled from the altar held the sealed area together. Once he took it out, the formation broke, and the area reappeared in the physical world.


"I won't ask for details…" Cold sweat covered Wang Yang's face.


"You should get some rest now. Don't worry about the trial." Muchen chuckled at the sudden look of horror on his disciple's face.


"Sorry…" Wang Yang clenched his hand, but before he could speak a flick landed on his forehead. "Yaaww!"


"What are you sorry for?" Muchen smirked. "You'll place first in the trial."


"Master… I don't think it's a good idea to rig sect trials." Wang Yang rubbed his forehead with a pained look.


"This brat… do you want a few more?" Muchen branded his finger threateningly.


"Sorry, sorry…" Wang Yang slid back covering his head.


"You'll place first because you found the most valuable treasure in the trial." Muchen sighed, pointing at the silver sword lying beside his disciple. "That's my Master's first sword, Serenity."


"W-Wait! Master's Master, then…" Wang Yang looked at the sword, then at Muchen, then back at the sword. The now ordinary-looking silver sword turned out to have a larger history.


"Yes. You found the Sect Master's sword." Muchen shook his head at his dumbfounded expression. "My Master started the treasure hunting trials for me and my fellow disciples. We trained our quick thinking, trap detection, resourcefulness, tracking, time management, and teamwork while hunting for treasures hidden in the valley. That's why we continue the tradition and give the disciples the same chances to develop."


"Could no one find this sword?" Wang Yang asked, his eyes glued to the sword.


"We found every other treasure but this one. Almost like our Master didn't want us to find it." Muchen's Master had stuck the sword in a space sealed by a formation that distorted space and time. Above all, it changed location with no entry or exit points. It felt a bit too harsh for a test, but he understood the reason behind it later.


"Well, now that you have found that sword, which is still counted as a hidden treasure. You have won the trial, no one can deny that." Muchen concluded.


"Oh, ok." Wang Yang nodded. If he won, he won. There wasn't much he could do after that.


"Master, are brother Xu and others, ok?" He asked at last. If he had gotten caught in a mishap, something could've happened to one of them, too.


"They are all fine. They reported what went wrong with you first and helped search for you the whole time." Muchen reassured him with a pat on the shoulder. "You have good friends."


"Hmm… Master… Well, I…" Wang Yang looked at the ground, going over his words before multiple times before he could make a convincing reason.


"Here, take this." But Muchen handed him a pill. "It's a tier six Complete recovery pill, should be enough to bring you back to your best condition."


"…Isn't this expensive?" To a disciple like him, a pill like this would cost an arm and a leg.


"Depends on what you put it up against." Muchen winked.


"I understand, Master." Wang Yang ate the pill and rushed off with his sword. He stopped for a moment and looked back. But shook his head and continued in the sandy desert.


"Isn't it wonderful to be young?" Muchen said.


Only the howling wind answered back. All the senior disciples that joined the search for Wang Yang had left for their posts. Wang Yang left to catch up with Xu Qiang and his group. So, only Muchen and the entrance of the previously sealed cave remained there.


"Let's stop pretending, shall we?" This time, Muchen looked at the entrance of the cave.


"32 sensing formations, 45 tracking formations, 76 restraining formations, and 108 sealing formations." The voice of a juvenile girl echoed around Muchen, however it soon gained maturity and robustness of an old man. "You are certainly well prepared."


One word came from the left, another from the right. Elusive like the wind, this voice stayed ever changing. In both form and place.


"I have to show at least this much to respect a legend." Muchen smiled.


The formation held by the sword Wang Yang pulled, sealed a certain creature in that place. That's the reason Muchen's master had the area change places, and even if the sword was included in the treasures, it wasn't meant to be found. It contained something that shouldn't see the light of day. He knew because he had faced that thing in battle, the creature that destroyed his sect and killed his junior brother, Li Xianquan.


"Is this how you humans show respect? You aren't even here." The voice of a mature woman huffed.


"I apologize, there were some constraints on my part. So, the puppet was all I could send." Muchen, or the puppet he controlled from the Sky Garden to set things up, smiled.


"The nerve you have…" The voice turned gruff like a sailor's. "So different, yet so similarly irritable like that one."


"Are you talking about my Master?"


"Who else if not the one that sealed me here for a thousand years?" The voice lowered into the depths of hell.


"Well, you destroyed three countries in the middle continent, what else was my Master supposed to do?" Muchen sighed.


"You know nothing about the truth. Not you, not your master." The voice turned serene like a bard's.


"Are you talking about the Beast tribe genocide or their dealings with Demonic sects?" Muchen asked.


"You… How do you know?" The voice changed back to that of a young girl. "They erased all that from history."


"Is that important?" Muchen sat down on the rock. "The way you exacted your revenge was wrong. To reach one guilty, you killed a thousand innocent."


"You know well." The voice of a young man answered.


"I am not trying to condemn you or anything. I wanted to have a proper conversation with you." Muchen said.


"What? Did you know me or something?" The voice asked.


"Something like that." The memory Muchen had wasn't good. He only remembered a mindless beast that his Master pitied. By the time he had slain, he wanted to know more about the real person behind that veil of madness.


That's why he didn't stop Wang Yang from participating in the trial. He wanted him to reach the distorted space and lift the formation. All that so he could finally have a conversation with this person, so he could finally understand how this person was before rage and murder consumed them, before this creature turned into a puppet for the Demonic Sects.


"…What do you want from me?" The voice calmed down along with the wind.


"A partnership," Muchen said.


"Partnership? You? A cultivator of the righteous path? Don't you know who my enemy is?" The seductive voice of a mermaid scoffed.


"Tao sect." Muchen knew them well. The largest sect of the Righteous Path, and also its biggest betrayer. "The enemy of an enemy is a friend, no? But, if you want me to swear upon my cultivation, I can do that too."


"To think a madman like you is roaming around, looks like a lot has happened since I was sealed." The voice chuckled. "Alright, I'll give you a chance."


"Good. The first step of my plan is very easy." A graceful smile hung on Muchen's lips. "You have to become my cultivation pet."


"…"


"I am being serious." Muchen shrugged at the silence.


Although it sounded somewhat grandiose, a cultivation pet wasn't much different from a normal pet. Aside from the fact that it could help in cultivation. And, it must obey its master, or get disciplined. If having a conversation with the creature was Muchen's personal reason, then this was the real intention.


"…You must be out of your mind, human!" The voice howled to the sky. Along with her, the wind. A dust storm rose in an instant. It tore a hillside into bits with the dunes of sand displaced over seconds. Now, it moved towards Muchen.


But he remained unperturbed on his rocky cushion.


"Being sealed for a thousand years has taken its toll." One snap of his finger and the storm collapsed on itself. "All your illusions and deception are nothing more than party tricks at the moment."


The air peeled away. Howling winds and trembling earth, all flew like feathers in wind. Muchen faced the little, white furball at the entrance to the cave. A white fox with three red dots on the forehead. The yellow eyes and white fur stood out in the desolate desert. However, the most striking part about the fox, was the absence of the tails.


"You…" It protested with a growl as feeble as its appearance.


"Join me and complete your revenge, or die in vain after enduring a thousand years. The choice is yours." Muchen's eyes held no light.


"I was wrong… You aren't like your master at all. You are tainted…" She gritted her teeth. "Tainted by evil."


"Good and Evil… they are both sides of the same coin. If pursuing my revenge makes me evil, then I'll accept that." Footsteps neared, and Muchen's voice doubled. Another figure appeared from the shadow of the hill. "After the dust settles, I'll pay for my sins in full."


The real Muchen stepped into the light, he stored the puppet in his storage ring, and stared down the tailless fox.


"So, do we have terms?" He asked.
...
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[Sirrocco]

When Wang Yang came to be

Click to shrink...

I think you maybe mean just "came to" here?

However, the most striking part about the fox, was the absence of the tails.

Click to shrink...

The Tailless Fox! Oh, that's delicious.

 

[veekie]

Fox sounds cute.

 

[Xyl]

What great writing! I binged the story. This is a breath of fresh air. Keep up the great work!

 

[Overload69]

Three days passed since the incident with Wang Yang and the Sect trial proceeded without other issues. The Peak Masters, Elders, and senior disciples watched the promising candidates in the Heaven Rending valley so that nothing out of order transpires.


However, a storm brewed up on the higher platform of Sky Garden.


"She's so cute~!" Hua Mei cuddled the doll-sized tailless fox in her small arms.


The feeling of the soft, white fur felt heavenly against her face. Even the usual drunk Liu Zhi partook in the petting session with sparkling eyes. There weren't many things aside from booze that could catch her eye.


"Brother, where did you get this kid?" Huang Bai, the only other Peak Master with pets, asked.


Muchen ignored the accusing red eyes of the fox and answered. "I found her in the valley the other day."


"And you just took her in?" Xianquan tilted his head.


"Well, this one is kind of special." Muchen smiled.


Xianquan's eyes peered at the fox and spied no tail on her. A smile spread to his lips, too. "I suppose she is."


"I think it is in her behaviour. Normal fox beasts are cunning beasts." Liu Zhi said. "They cozy up to cultivators, especially the female ones, cause they don't have strong fighting power. But this one's averse to touch."


Save me, you damned human brat! I don't wanna be treated like a house cat! The fox roared in Muchen's head.


"Probably because she wasn't with others of her kind." Muchen smiled through the bombardment of curses ringing in his head. "There are no packs of fox beasts in the valley, so she must've been born from nature."


"It's always fascinating how closely you have studied Qi beasts." Huang Bai said.


"Know the enemy and yourself, and you needn't worry about a thousand battles." Muchen quoted a line from the famous general. Before fighting cultivators, he fought beasts. But he wasn't strong enough to end things in one go, so he studied them the best he could.


"Uncle, what is her name?" Hua Mei asked, pointing at the fox.


"Yae. That's her name." Muchen said.


"I don't recognize that word. Is it from a language of the lost continent?" Xianquan asked.


"Something like that." Muchen used a language from Earth. It meant multi-layered, a name fitting his and fox's current situation.


"First disciples and now a pet… Brother is becoming a bit too normal these days." Liu Zhi said, her eyes squinted.


"Things just lined up, I suppose." Muchen shrugged at the gazes of suspicion and focused on the screens before him.


It displayed the current top ten of the trial. Seven disciples belonged to Lotus Peak and Tiger Peak. The specialization in formations for the former and the focus on combat for the latter helped their disciples stand firmly against the beasts and the concealing mechanisms for the treasures.


Using their strengths, these young cultivators found good Earth rank low to mid-level treasures left by the elders of the peaks and secured their place on the rankings. However, things changed in the top three.


"Lie Feng found Peak Master Zhao's training sword. His formation-breaking skills are well practiced too." Xianquan said.


"His combat skills are also a step above most disciples. But there is a bit of aggression in his steps; I suppose that comes with his young age." Huang Bai pointed at the moment the young boy stabbed through a Foundation Establishment realm sparrow, the size of a cherry, with accuracy.


"Still, it feels like a funeral down there." Liu Zhi pointed at the table for Sky Peak's elders and chuckled. "Especially Elder Ling. You can hear his teeth grinding from here."


"If it were any other year, Lie Feng would've placed first." Huang Bai said, her eyes at the first two on the list. "But he met two people who outclassed him. One in skill and the other in luck."


Sun Lingling cut through a herd of mid-rank Foundation Establishment realm wolves like taking a walk. The helping team that came out, thinking that she'd need protection, ended up standing there like statues on red sand in the wake of a massacre.


"Her sword skills are sharper than I expected. And to think she can already use sword qi." Xianquan said as Sun Lingling killed a beast at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm.


"That's the level of growth I'd expect from someone learning from Senior Brother Li. It's not just talent; her hard work also shines through in every strike she lands." Huang Bai added.


"It's like I am watching Brother Li hunt." Liu Zhi turned to Muchen, "You sure she isn't your secret daughter or something? I think many elders will entertain that thought," and pointed at the whispers going around the table.


"Stop the bad guesses, smooth brain." Muchen pulled his smug junior sister's ear.


"Aiya, I was just joking." Liu Zhi slipped and hid behind Huang Bai.


"The bigger surprise is the kid Wang Yang," Huang Bai said.


Without a word, they all looked at the young kid engaging with a giant snake beast with his group. However, their eyes only followed the silver sword in the boy's hand.


"To think he found the sword we failed to." Xianquan sighed.


"I still remember how many days we wasted trying to look for that thing." Huang Bai smiled.


"We turned the outer and inner area of the Heaven Rending Valley on its head and still didn't get it. I think Brother Hua still uses it as a motivation for the disciples of his peak, so they'd learn about formations." Liu Zhi chuckled. "Now, the sword has finally found its new owner."


That sword had a lot of meaning for each of them. Their Master's first and favorite sword. A sword symbolic of their master's presence. And it meant the most to Li Muchen, but he couldn't get it either. His Master didn't want to leave it behind for him, and he finally understood what purpose it served.


"I suppose he was destined to get it." Muchen had long accepted that he couldn't fill his master's shoes. It wasn't his place.


"The first place is decided. Not even a miracle can overturn it." Li Xianquan looked at the calm Muchen. "You've won, Brother."


The list represented the distance well. It floated in front of every elder's face, staring them down and reminding them of the words that almost made them laugh on the first day.


4th Zhang Jun, Lotus Peak. Treasure found: Myriad Mirror (Earth Grade, High Rank)


3rd. Lie Feng, Sky Peak. Treasure found: Miric Steel Sword (Heaven Grade, Low Rank)


2nd. Sun Lingling, Plum Peak. Treasure found: Volcanic Blood Saber (Heaven Grade, High Rank)


1st. Wang Yang, Plum Peak. Treasure found: Serenity (Divine Grade, High Rank)


They had to accept the sudden turn of events. Not one could raise a complaint, since Muchen never left the place to help his disciple when the problem happened. Everything the young boy achieved was his merit. No one could deny that. So, no one could deny the confidence Muchen had in his disciples.


"I'll be doing closed-door cultivation for the week, so have Elder Ling give out the prizes for the disciples," Muchen said.


"You don't hold your punches once they fly, huh?" Liu Zhi chuckled.


"It'll be foolish to only show the blade and not use it, right, brother?" Xianquan understood his senior brother the best out of the junior disciples.


"Indeed." Muchen took Yae from Hua Mei and smiled. "You don't take out the weapon to scare people, after all."


Bidding them farewell, Muchen left the Sky Garden and headed for his residence on Plum Peak. The usual cold didn't feel as gloomy as it once did to him. Before, he couldn't do a lot during winter because of his constitution, but he didn't have that problem now. His body rejected the chilling yin qi and maintained a healthy balance.


"You should've helped me sooner, damn it!" Yae growled.


"You could've just jumped out of her hands." He shrugged.


"So I blow my cover? Real genius advice." She scowled.


"Just bear with it then," Muchen said, moving the bed in a small guest room of the eastern wing.


"Are we finally starting it?" Yae asked, a pinch of irritation in her voice. He didn't tell her what he was doing the past few days.


"It takes time to set things up." Muchen opened a trap door under the bed. "But the pay-off is worth it."


He walked down the dark stairs as the bed covered the trapdoor with the concealing mechanism. After a quick descent, he pushed the double iron doors, as heavy as a herd of elephants, open. The hinges creaked to reveal a well-lit, cube-like space with white tiles that covered the floor, walls, and ceiling.


One could build an entire pagoda here, but the place didn't have a speck of dust. The white tiles had nexuses of inscriptions. They spread across the floor like snakes and climbed the walls like vines, leaving no corner untouched. With the ceiling covered in ancient language and mathematical structures, the entire formation came together around the two circles on the ceiling. The first was big enough to fit a bull, and the other twice as big.


"Stone Monkey tribe's Heaven and Earth Formation…" Yae muttered, mesmerized by the sight but also unnerved. "How come a human knows the secret they guarded till the end of their lives?"


"The heavens love me too much." Muchen smiled.


"Fine, don't answer me." Yae rolled her eyes.


Muchen didn't feel like it was a lie. As an earthling reincarnated into this world and then allowed to regress once. It raised many questions in his head. But the most important one was…


Why me? Muchen knew he wouldn't get a direct answer, and he still didn't get one. The heavens must have a reason for giving him these chances. But it didn't matter anymore.


No matter what the heavens want from me. I know what I have to do.


"Come on, it's about time we get started for real," Muchen said.


He jumped to the ceiling and planted his feet in the bigger circle. With qi running through his shoes, he could stick to the ceiling without worry. Yae landed in the smaller circle, facing Muchen.


Why is he using the Heaven and Earth Formation? Yae thought, unable to get a read on Muchen. He may have pushed her into the corner to make a contract, but she did it with the benefits in mind.


Li Muchen, even if annoying, had his uses for her. His position in a major, righteous sect was the perfect cover for her revenge. His talents weren't bad either, an average Joe she could use. That's what made the use of Heaven and Earth formation this way a weird move.


Stone monkeys, as named, were born from stones and were one of the first lifeforms formed by nature's will. However, their unnatural way of birth created limitations. Unlike the creatures created by Goddess Nuwa, they didn't have a spiritual root. They were born stronger than usual, but others could surpass them over time with cultivation. Thus, they faced enslavement and almost went extinct.


However, a monkey was born in their midst with the heaven's blessing. A monkey much stronger than his peers. He broke the chains of slavery and saved his people, ruling over them. But he wasn't satisfied with that. So, he left on a journey to get a spiritual root and find a way to cultivate. That's how the Heaven and Earth formation came to be.


A formation that linked Heaven (Nuwa's creation) to Earth (Nature's creations/stone monkeys). Using this formation, stone monkeys would link with other beings who had a spiritual root and cultivate by mutual consent. A very simple, yet complex structure.


That's exactly why Yae couldn't understand standing in the Earth circle. Why would he want her to connect to his spiritual root? She expected the opposite to happen since her spiritual root should be of a higher grade between theirs, but Muchen had other plans.


"The divine root in heaven conceives and the spring breaks forth." Muchen started the incantation. The words left his mouth and materialized in the air. "As the heart's nature is cultivated, the Great Way arises…"


A red light pulsed through the inscriptions and gathered around the two circles. The qi moved in massive quantities. Like a torrential wave aiming to swallow the world. Yae's heart beat rose as red light surrounded her.


Consumed. Overwhelmed. Distraught.


She trembled in place, facing a shadow in that red world. A shadow that roped her in. However, it vanished like smoke soon after.


Yae stood in the middle of a well-kept garden full of spirit cherry trees with a lone plum tree. The wind ruffled her white fur with the crimson petals. However, she focused on Muchen.


Dressed in pure white, he stood before the pond, waiting for her. She walked over, her small paws feeling the heat with each step. After a few more steps, she came face to face with the lotus. A lotus darker than darkness itself. The red mist hanging over the pond was familiar to the one that surrounded her before.


A chill washed over her body. "What do you want from me?" she asked.


"Finally dropping the act?" He said.


"…" The normally irritable and easily angered Yae held her tongue.


"You just have to do what you do best." Muchen met the eyes of the tailless fox and demanded. "Deception."
...

I am sure you all have a lot of questions, so let's just say that my health has been more unstable than a chair with two legs. I just got sick of waiting till I recover fully and started writing last week, starting RR release now. Since I am still going to work with this health, might as well write too.

If you are interested in getting fast updates regarding update schedules and other works, do join the Discord server I've created to keep in contact with the readers and share news fast enough. There are also two chapters for my next work there, so if you all could give me some criticism on them, I would be eternally grateful. I need the help cause i am not good enough at writing and need to redo chapters till they are good enough.


Here's the invite link. I hope to see you there soon: Discord


If you have any questions for me, you can ping me on Discord anytime, and I will contact you ASAP.

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[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Overload69]

Since his regression, Muchen handled most things with practiced ease. Whether teaching his disciples, planning for the future, laying traps for his enemies, or developing the sect—he was proficient in all.


However, the only thing he struggled with was cultivation—the most important aspect, in his opinion.


Before regression, his cultivation progressed slowly. After regression, the speed became a problem for a different reason: it exceeded what his body could handle.


Thus, Muchen devised a plan to trap a beast that could help him with this conundrum. Now, that very beast stared at him with dubious eyes upon hearing his plan.


"You want me to deceive your spiritual root?" she asked, still unable to believe what Muchen was asking.


"Yes. My body can't handle the speed of cultivation," he restated.


"How the hell can your body not keep up with your spiritual root?" Yae's whiskers twitched. "You... what have you done for power?"


The only reason Muchen's body wouldn't keep up with a spiritual root was if it hadn't originally belonged to him. Most methods to acquire spiritual roots came from the demonic path, often involving ripping a cultivator's soul from their body, leaving them in a vegetative state.


"It's nothing as bad as you're thinking," Muchen said, pointing at the black lotus. "One day, I woke up, and my spiritual root had changed to this."


"And I'm Goddess Nuwa. Your point?" Anger bled into Yae's voice.


"Look, you walk the Dao of Deception," Muchen said, his tone calm. "I'm sure you can tell the difference between a lie and the truth. I haven't harmed anyone to get this spiritual root. It was there when I woke up, and I'm still trying to figure out how and why."


Yae stared at the ground and closed her eyes. "...I understand." She couldn't sense any deception, but she had a feeling he didn't give her the full story.


"Much appreciated." Muchen placed her on his shoulder and walked toward the black lotus. "Your job is to trick the spiritual root into thinking it's running at full capacity. I'll lower its defenses so you won't need to exert too much."


"You trust me enough to leave your spiritual root defenseless?" Yae's eyebrow shot up.


"It's not trust," Muchen said. "I know you won't do anything cowardly like that."


"What gives you that confidence? Like you said, I follow the Dao of Deception," Yae replied. "I've only survived this long because of cowardly acts."


"No." Muchen held Yae in his hands and brought her in front of him. "You've survived because you want revenge for what happened to your people."


"To achieve that, you'll need good backing—insider information on righteous sects and cover from demonic sects until you're strong enough. I'm the ideal pawn. One that's willing to cooperate, so there's no need for extra steps that'll put you in danger."


"You're willing to be a pawn in my revenge?" Yae asked.


"I scratch your back, you scratch mine," Muchen smiled. "Besides, we have a common enemy."


I have other ways to make her cooperate, but no need to walk the harder path just for the sake of it, Muchen thought.


"Your words are sweet, no doubt," Yae said. "But you must have safeguards if I try something, right?"


"Naturally," Muchen nodded. "You'll die in a second if you try to take over my body. It might damage me, but it's a risk I'm willing to take."


"Too bad. I could tame all the female cultivators with that beautiful mug of yours, many men too I bet." Yae clicked her tongue.


"I'm a man heavily sought after," Muchen said, without a hint of denial.


"Heh. Maybe you aren't that irritating after all," Yae chuckled.


"Right back at you," Muchen replied.


Yae jumped out of his hands. She walked on water and touched the black lotus with her front paws. "This spiritual root is incredible," she said. "At this stage, I can probably suppress it for about two hours a day."


"That's enough for now." Muchen sat down in front of the lotus.


The land rumbled, and mist cloaked the surrounding city on the lake. His spiritual root gathered Qi, its black petals more luscious than a starry night.


Three marks on Yae's forehead glowed crimson, and her eyes turned yellow. A stream of golden words flowed from her tiny body, wrapping around the black lotus like vines. The words absorbed the Qi the lotus tried to gather and glowed brighter. Threads of gold seeped into the petals, pulling more Qi.


The lotus, once an avalanche, became a manageable snowball.


"What output level do you want? Earth Grade, High Rank?" Yae asked, guessing based on what she sensed of his former spiritual root.


"Heaven Grade, High Rank," Muchen said. He didn't intend to play small.


"You think you can handle the Qi flow of a Heaven Grade spiritual root?"


"Certain," Muchen replied.


He had handled worse before. With a strengthened body thanks to the Heaven's Pond, his current tolerance and absorption rate should suffice.


"Well, it's your body," Yae shrugged. "But about the leftover Qi..."


"You can absorb it," he agreed. "Consider it your reward."


"As it should be." Yae turned back to the lotus.


Feeling the torrential rush of Qi, she understood why he'd placed her in the Earth Circle.


His consolidation can't keep up with the lotus' absorption rate. But using the Heaven and Earth Formation and lowering the spiritual root's defenses, he allows me to deceive the root and divert a major portion of the Qi flow away from his body. And if I absorb it while cultivating myself, my recovery will speed up.


Yae began circulating the Qi into her Dantian. Her once-barren core filled—one drop at a time.


It's no doubt a Divine Grade spiritual root, maybe a high rank based on its absorption rate. Yae smirked as she bulldozed through the Qi Gathering stages.


"Not bad," she said, glancing at Muchen's closed eyes. His words echoed in her ears.


You scratch my back, I scratch yours.


"Not bad at all."


What she didn't know was that Muchen had used his cultivation technique to reduce the black lotus' absorption rate to 25%.


***


For the first time since his regression, Muchen felt tranquil while cultivating. To him, cultivation was more than just absorbing Qi. It was a sacred time to shed worldly burdens and immerse in the mysteries of the Dao.


He enjoyed that peace—free from gossip, expectations, and desire. While cultivating, he could focus his entire being and embrace progress, no matter how small.


His new spiritual root had turned that serenity into pain. But with Yae's help, he had reclaimed his sanctuary.


There's a minor discomfort... but it's manageable. The Heaven's Pond had strengthened him, and Yae's precise control over her Dao made the process smoother.


Now, he didn't have to worry about dying from implosion.


His mind raced as Qi flowed through his veins and meridians. In the Golden Core realm, cultivators had to refine their organs. But Muchen had learned they could go further.


Qi Gathering strengthened skin and muscles. Foundation Building tempered bones and tendons. Golden Core refined organs and blood vessels. Together, they formed a complete study of the body. To truly understand the body, one had to study its building blocks:


Cells.


I must imprint the layout of my body onto my soul, like a blueprint, for regeneration. While most cultivators did this unconsciously, doing it consciously brought immense benefits—faster healing, greater control, and sharper senses.


Most didn't encounter the concept of cells until the Form Synthesis realm. Only five cultivators had reached that realm in this era, all recluses.


But as an Earthling and regressor who had once crossed Form Synthesis, Muchen knew one could lay these foundations as early as Qi Gathering.


He wanted the younger cultivators in his sect to benefit from this knowledge. He had even written a book about it—but timing its release was the key to avoiding suspicion.


For now, he worked on completing his body's blueprint and healing existing damage to avoid future issues. His Dantian filled slowly, but that wasn't the goal. He needed the blueprint ready before Nascent Soul if he wanted to maximize the Sword Silk stage.


The saying of complete understanding of body and sword isn't a joke by any means, Muchen thought, chuckling.


By the end of the two hours, he had moved a step closer to the 8th refinement of Golden Core.


"Not bad, brat." Yae's proud, powerful voice echoed as he opened his eyes.


"You could reach the Nascent Soul realm by year's end," she said, licking the single, fluffy tail that had just emerged.


"I have to reach it before two months," Muchen replied, checking his body.


"You're a greedy kid," Yae said.


"Is that a compliment?" Muchen smiled.


"Of course it is." Yae smirked, sharp canines on display. "I can hold out another hour if I push it."


"Then what are we waiting for?" Muchen asked.


Eager to reach the next level, the pair dove headfirst into cultivation once more.


...



If you are interested in getting fast updates regarding update schedules and other works, do join the Discord server I've created to keep in contact with the readers and share news fast enough. There are also two chapters for my next work there, so if you all could give me some criticism on them, I would be eternally grateful. I need the help cause i am not good enough at writing and need to redo chapters till they are good enough.


Here's the invite link. I hope to see you there soon: Discord


If you have any questions for me, you can ping me on Discord anytime, and I will contact you ASAP.

Want to read chapters early or support the novel directly?
Check out my Patreon
You'll get advance chapters, exclusive content, and help keep this story going strong!

Thanks for reading, and see you in the next chapter!

 

[Marchewmen]

Man, good you're back. No system, this feels so much better than most of xianxias I, for some reason, read.

Makes me regain 2% of hope for the genre haha

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Grosstoad]

Wishing you good health and long life.

 

[veekie]

Thats some creatively flipped around Dual Cultivation usage. He needed brakes lol

 

[Overload69]

In the outskirts of Heaven Rending Valley's outer area, a short boy with dark brown hair ran away from a herd of red-eyed buffalo. These muscular, four-legged creatures charged after him, salivating.


Haomu grunted, feeling the hot breath of the foundation building level beast on his neck. The buffalo herd numbered about a hundred and fifty, a good chunk in the foundation establishment realm. These beasts had settled around a small oasis in this arid land, their numbers and thick hide putting them high in the food chain.


Haomu thought he should find some treasures in their home.


Since he proposed the idea…


"Why did I have to draw the short stick!!" Haomu stumbled behind a giant boulder, rolling once before sprinting off.


A narrow valley of crumbling rocks welcomed him with open arms. It had a short horizontal length, but a steep vertical face on three sides. A rope dangled barely in his reach at the end of the valley—another cruel joke made by the tall, annoying guy at the valley's ledge.


"Grab onto it fast, unless you wanna get skewered." Xu Qiang said.


"You damn ape!" Fearing the two-meter-long horns of the merciless beasts rushing in, Haomu grabbed the rope and ran up the steep wall.


"I was about to pull you up. Why ruin the fun?" Xu Qiang asked.


"If I waited for you, I'd be their side dish by now." Haomu snarled.


"You two…" Huajun sighed, finished a complex set of hand seals. "I have sealed up the valley's mouth with a wall, but it can only last about 30 minutes."


Since the number of the beasts exceeded what they could handle, the group devised a plan to trap them in the nearby valley. With Haomu picked to draw the beasts in, Huajun used his earth element spiritual root to close the valley's entrance with a 3-meter-thick stone wall.


The buffaloes couldn't run up the valley walls. The decaying rocks couldn't support their weight and sent them rolling down into their fellow beasts, so they turned their horns towards the wall, grinding against it.


"Let's keep them busy." Xu Qiang said, his eyes meeting with their timidest member.


"O-Ok." Yesu took a deep breath and extended his hand forward. "Illusory Bow."


Upon his words, a long bow made of dark green wood materialized. A single vine with lush leaves wrapped around the perfect, curved bow acted as a string. Yesu pulled on the string, and a green arrow formed.


With longer arms, Yesu could pull the bow a lot more than an average person. The arrow made from his qi flew like a hawk towards the distracted buffaloes.


Even people with poor aim would struggle to miss a shot with a packed crowd like that, but Yesu had another move.


"S-Scatter!" The qi arrow split into eight smaller arrows and struck six buffaloes.


Although it did minimal damage to the thick hide of these creatures, the tiny punctures that drew lines of blood gathered their attention. And, after two more arrows, the buffaloes had forgotten about the wall that kept them in the valley. Their sole purpose now was to reach the annoying archer up above.


"Your spiritual root is awesome, dude." Xu Qiang said, his eyes gleaming at the green bow. "A special weapon only you can use. Ain't that just perfect?"


"I-It's nothing." Yesu scratched his head. This bow got him a special pass to start as an inner disciple right away, a special spiritual root.


"Why are you like that? If I had a spiritual root like that, I'd keep it out all the time." Xu Qiang said.


"This damned muscle brain. Did you forget how draining it is for Yesu to do that?" Haomu said.


"I-It's ok," Yesu said. He could only maintain the bow for about an hour a day. "I think Brother Xu was eating at the time I told about it."


"It's not ok," Haomu grunted.


"…Tell you what, I know a few people that can hook you up with a nice spare bow." Xu Qiang hadn't seen the guy use another weapon either.


But Yesu only showed a wry smile at the suggestion.


"I can't use any other weapon," Yesu said. "I-It's a common restriction for spiritual roots of my type, but it is stronger in my case. I can't even hold a training bow because of it."


"Oh…" Xu Qinag thought he could've given Yesu an excellent weapon as a gift to make up for his lack of attention, but he didn't expect the restriction to be that heavy.


"It's not a big problem, though. My bow is special," Yesu smiled. His green long bow turned into a white war bow, changing the range and power of the weapon.


"That seems helpful." Huajun marveled, wondering what other bows Yesu could conjure up. "You can quickly switch between different types of bows, like ones with different elements?"


"I am not sure yet," Yesu said, his face brightening a little.


However, Xu Qiang could only scratch his face while Haomu glared from the side.


"…What's with the atmosphere here?" Wang Yang asked upon his sudden arrival.


"W-Wait! Why are you already back?" Haomu asked, his eyes going over the dry clothes of his teammate. "Did you even dive in the lake?"


The division of tasks was simple. Haomu lured the buffaloes into the valley, Huajun sealed them in, Yesu kept the beasts occupied with his bow, and Xu Qiang would become the second bait if the buffaloes breached the rock wall.


That left Wang Yang with the job to hunt for the treasures.


Their initial hypothesis was that if someone wanted to make the treasure hunt hard, they'd hide the thing in the depths of the lake. Even if small, it should've taken a good thirty minutes for Wang Yang to search the lake floor loosely once. However, he came back in two minutes, bone dry at that.


An awkward laugh escaped Wang Yang's lips. "I found the treasure under a rock near the lake."


He showed the Earth Grade Low Rank dagger to them. Wang Yang recounted the process of how he discovered the thing and it left the team wide eyed.


"Let me get this straight. You didn't want to get your uniform wet, so you took it off and were planning to hide it under a nearby rock. And you found the dagger under a concealed formation there?" Huajun pinched his nose bridge. "Am I hearing this right?"


"Yeah." Wang Yang nodded.


"Why would you hide your uniform under a rock?" Haomu asked.


"When I was playing in the river this one time, a monkey took off with my clothes…" Wang Yang's face turned red remembering the walk back home that day.


"W-Why didn't you store it in your storage ring, Brother Wang?" Yesu said.


"That's not the point here…" Haomu grabbed his head. "Brother Wang, your uniform is from the Silk Pagoda. It's an artifact. It won't get wet and cleans itself. You didn't even have to take it off."


"But that led Brother Wang to the treasure." Huajun tried to wrap his head around the situation, too. However, he could only shake his head.


This ice blue dagger with a straight blade would count as the second Earth Grade treasure. The previous one took Xu Qiang and Yesu two days of sifting through dunes of burning sand while others cleared off the scorpions. Now, Wang Yang came back before ten minutes had passed, and the guy had previously found a handful of Mortal Grade treasures on his own.


"So, I have been washing it for no reason?" Wang Yang's eyes had a look of betrayal.


"…"


No one knew what to say at that point.


"…Well, we have our treasure. Let's make a run for the base." Xu Qiang said, wrapping up the incident.


The group agreed after noticing how aggressive the herd of buffaloes became. They reached the entrance of Heaven Rending valley in three hours. The closer they got to the gate, the more chaotic the surroundings became.


Their fellow disciples, covered in sand and blood, came back in droves as the trial came to a close.


"Healer! We have a stage two emergency!"


"The injured who can walk head east. Do not crowd the emergency tent!"


"Hey, you! Don't slee—!"


Many had scratches, while some were missing limbs. The majority of the disciples had bloody bandages wrapped around their torn uniforms, but only a few looked down. The excitement only grew among the disciples who came back without a single injury, their hands with all sorts of trinkets and cold weapons.


Wang Yang saw many severely injured disciples hurried into the green tents with the Osmanthus crest. The senior disciples worked overtime to save them. He could hear their passionate efforts from outside. Everyone who entered came out without injuries. They hugged their crying allies and laughed like nothing happened.


Wang Yang noticed Lie Feng near one of these tents, bandages wrapped around his right hand and bare chest, his eyes closed shut. But he didn't go forward to inquire. The boy trembled; his jaw squeezed tight.


With a wide announcement, the senior disciples gathered the top thirty disciples of the trial at Sky Garden. Wang Yang said goodbye to his team and took a floating platform to a wide, hovering mass in the sky.


Surrounded by a variety of flora nine hundred meters high in the sky, the disciples waited in front of an opulent stage erected near the white pagoda, their hearts pounding at the mountain of gifts.


Wang Yang saw a few distinguished old men standing at the right corner of the stage, their sharp eyes washing over the crowd. However, he spotted a few familiar faces on the left side, sparking excitement in his heart.


"Greetings, young ones. My name is Elder Ling. And I will now begin the prize distribution for this trial." The seemingly jovial old man said, drawing everyone's attention.


He first cleared out the ones that ranked from 30th place to 10th in about 10 minutes. Most of them were female disciples who accepted the prizes from Muchen with teary eyes. A simple congratulation was followed by another elder in a black uniform handing the prize to the happy disciples. Xu Qiang's group also got the small prizes after ranking from 27th to 24th.


Although they found two Earth-grade treasures. They had to split the merit as a team. However, they had performed better than they expected.


"The ones in the top 10 are all people who went hunting alone," Haomu muttered.


Elder Ling passed through the ranks with a genial smile. After Zhang Jun walked off stage with a smirk, Lie Feng walked up the stairs under thunderous applause, his eyes, however, didn't look up from the ground. The elders and disciples from Sky Peak seemed overjoyed at the treasure the young disciple found. However, Lie Feng had no change in his expression; he received his prize and walked away without a word.


Useless kid. How can you lose to a simpleton after everything I've done to guide you to that treasure? Elder Ling clenched his hand, hidden in the sleeve, but didn't let it show on his face.


When he heard that Li Muchen's disciples would take part in the sect trial, he prepared to bury them all under the weight of their incompetence. He set up the clash at Jade Pavilion, imprinted the idea of discord in Lie Feng's mind, and even subconsciously guided him to get Zhao Jun's treasure in the trial. However, the kid still lost and came in third place.


I thought he might stand a chance against Sun Lingling in a luck-based trial. Elder Ling handed the prize to the indifferent Lingling, who vanished off the stage as quickly as her arrival, not even waiting for him to say another word.


Alas… an average kid outclassed him. He clicked his tongue while facing Wang Yang. Still, he got the sect master's sword… An insignificant punk is once again getting in my way. Only Elder Ling knew his facial muscles worked overtime to stop the scowl from appearing on his face.


"Here you go, Disciple Wang." Elder Ling smiled, handing over a small spatial ring that had all the prizes. Even if he had lost, he had an image to maintain. "Your performance pleasantly surprised me, even more so than others. No one expected someone of humble start-"


However, before he could finish, Wang Yang spoke up. "Thank you for your praise, elder. I have something urgent to do, so excuse me." The young man bowed to show respect and rushed off stage even faster than Sun Lingling.


"…" In the frigid air of the stage, Elder Ling ground his teeth, fighting to maintain that smile.


The disciples and elders present had a lot to say, but they held their breaths. They could feel a storm approaching.


Before rushing off a few days ago, Muchen had left some words for Elder Ling.


I haven't decided what to ask of you since your assets are so vast. Don't worry, though, I won't ask you to do anything that'll put you in trouble. Wouldn't want to ruin your retirement. Muchen passed the message along through an elder and didn't bother to show himself afterwards.


To everyone, Elder Ling, who had originally mocked both Muchen and Wang Yang subtly, now faced the same. However, none of them could say it out loud, unlike Liu Zhi. Her drunken outbursts of laughter reached the stage from the main pavilion of Sky Garden.


Good. Very good. Elder Ling crushed the sound artifact, made of meteorite iron, into dust. Both Disciple and the Master, you better not forget this!


However, unlike his conclusion of this being an intentional disrespect, Wang Yang ran away for a simple reason. He spotted his favorite senior. The one he missed the most during Hua Mei's grueling training.


On the right side of the stage, two women in purple silk robes stayed hidden away from the disciples' curious eyes. They didn't look far apart in age and had very similar, humble clothing, yet they had a distinct air about them.


"Senior Gu, you didn't leave for your sect?" Wang Yang approached the young woman with a gentle smile, Gu Yingyue.


"I left for some tasks. However, Senior Li was gracious enough to invite me so I could watch your performance. I have to say, you have grown tremendously." Yingyue smiled and glanced at the woman with a frigid air around her. "Our esteemed Senior Qian also thought so."


"Uh… Ah!" It took Wang Yang a moment to notice the women glaring daggers at him over Yingyue's shoulder. "Senior Qian Yun, it is an honor." He cupped his hand in respect and fear.


"This brat finally noticed me, huh?" Qian Yun scoffed. "You performed better than I expected."


"I'll do better next time." Wang Yang laughed with enthusiasm.


"Whatever…" Qian Yun said.


She observed Gu Yingyue and Wang Yang exchanging joyful words along the way. Her frown only deepened as they laughed and conversed, went through topics like cultivation and swordplay to food and mundane tasks.


She wasn't angry at the pair of enthusiastic kids in front of her, but on words that kept ringing in her head.


If you are thinking of using my sect as bait, I won't forgive you. She had said those words to Muchen when they agreed to strike the Demonic Sects during her last visit.


Worry not. The bait's prepared, and it's not your sect. After this answer, he told her to wait a month for further information.


Three days ago, Muchen contacted her. The message he sent had soured her mood to no end.


The bait is me.


Qian Yun pinched her nose bridge with an unpleasant taste in her mouth.


What is that bastard up to this time?
...
If you are interested in getting fast updates regarding update schedules and other works, do join the Discord server I've created to keep in contact with the readers and share news fast enough. There are also two chapters for my next work there, so if you all could give me some criticism on them, I would be eternally grateful. I need the help cause i am not good enough at writing and need to redo chapters till they are good enough.


Here's the invite link. I hope to see you there soon: Discord


If you have any questions for me, you can ping me on Discord anytime, and I will contact you ASAP.

Want to read chapters early or support the novel directly?
Check out my Patreon
You'll get advance chapters, exclusive content, and help keep this story going strong!

Thanks for reading, and see you in the next chapter!