Ren Wei's eyes fluttered open, the pale morning light filtering through the silk curtains of his cultivation chamber. A calm breath left his lips, and for a moment, he simply sat still—feeling the subtle shift in his body, his blood, his Qi.
"More powerful than yesterday…" he whispered to himself.
Then, it hit him. The system notification from the middle of the night—the breakthrough. He quickly called upon the system window.
---
Name: Ren Wei
Race: Human (Mortal)
Bloodline: Immortal Emperor Bloodline
Age: 17
Cultivation Realm: Foundation Establishment Realm Level 2 (Early Grandmaster)
Dao: ??? (2/10 fragments gathered – gather all 10 to unlock Dao)
Techniques:
• Heaven-Flaying Vein Scripture
• Iron Blood Meditation
• Ash Vein Fang – Saber Technique
↳ Form 1: Ember Slash
↳ Form 2: Hollow Cinder Spiral
↳ Form 3: ??? (Unlocks at Level 3)
• Boundless Swordsman (Passive)
↳ Resistance to sword-based attacks
↳ Learn all sword techniques 30% faster
Physique:
• Immortal Emperor Psychic
↳ Guarantees eventual breakthrough to Immortal Emperor Realm
↳ Resistance to all elements, including Light and Dark
↳ Cannot be harmed by anyone less than one realm above
Weapon:
• Echo Fang – High Earth Grade Saber
↳ Devours elemental Qi, evolves in battle
---
Ren Wei closed the window, resting his palm on the table beside him.
"So… even if Wei Wuxian attacks, he won't be able to harm me unless he reaches the next realm," he muttered.
But then, he laughed—sharply.
"Ren Wei, when did you get this soft?" he scolded himself. "Is that your goal now—to survive? No. You don't survive. You crush. You don't draw. You dominate."
With newfound conviction, he stood up and called out, "Su Yao!"
The soft knock came first, and then she entered gracefully, bowing. "Yes, Young Master?"
"Prepare and bring breakfast to the courtyard."
"As you command." She bowed again and exited silently.
Ren Wei left the cultivation room and stepped into the courtyard. The air was crisp, the wind gentle. As he sat down at the table, a familiar voice came from the gate.
"Another breakthrough? The pill worked better than I expected." Sheng Lian's voice carried a soft laugh as she stepped inside and seated herself across from him.
"You could say that," Ren Wei smirked. "I've moved to the second level."
Sheng Lian waved to Mei Rou, requesting tea. Then, turning her gaze back to Ren Wei, she asked, "You've reached this level and still haven't asked about the cultivation realms of this world?"
Ren Wei chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "Guess I'm a little late."
She sipped her tea before responding.
"In this realm—Earth—the common terms are layered behind centuries of martial naming traditions. First comes the Qi Refinement Realm. It's the beginning. You gather Qi into your body, begin to sense the flow of energy around and within you. Earth calls those at this level 'Masters.'"
She continued, her voice clear and instructive.
"Then comes the Foundation Establishment Realm. It's when your Qi becomes stable, and your organs start transforming with cultivation. That's you right now. Earth calls them 'Grandmasters.'"
Ren Wei nodded. It made sense.
"Next is Golden Core Realm. That's where one forges a core from their refined Qi. The moment you form that core, your lifespan extends dramatically. In Earth's terms, they call it 'Half-Immortal.' But forging the core is rare—even fewer survive the tribulations that come with it."
Sheng Lian paused, eyes narrowing slightly.
"And finally, there's Nascent Soul Realm. The stuff of legends. No one has seen one in centuries. They say they can destroy cities with a single gesture. We call them 'Immortals.'"
Ren Wei burst into laughter. "Immortal? Living three or four centuries makes one immortal? Sounds more like a long-lived mortal to me."
"Watch your tongue," she said with a faint glare. "You don't mock legends you haven't faced."
He smirked. "Fair enough."
Right then, Su Yao arrived with a steaming tray, her hands as graceful as a swan's wings. She placed it down with reverence and stepped back.
Sheng Lian stood and downed the last sip of tea. "Eat well. You'll need it."
And with that, she turned and walked out, her robes fluttering behind her.
Ren Wei picked up his chopsticks and began to eat in silence, the fire in his veins burning stronger than ever.
---
The sun climbed lazily above Azure Fang City, casting dappled light through the courtyard trees. Ren Wei had just finished the last bite of his meal when the calm morning was disrupted.
Mei Rou stepped into the yard, her voice measured but tinged with curiosity.
"Young Master, a messenger from the city council seeks your audience. He bears a sealed letter… marked by one of the noble clans."
Ren Wei raised an eyebrow. "Let him in."
A young official in crisp robes entered, bowing deeply. He stepped forward and extended a letter bound with crimson wax, its emblem unmistakable—one of the Four Great Families.
Ren Wei broke the seal without a word. His eyes skimmed the contents.
> To Ren Wei of the Han Villa,
You are hereby invited to attend the Martial Exhibition to be held one week from now at Heaven's Ring Arena. As a cultivator of note and a challenger of our prodigy, Wei Wuxian, your presence is requested to witness and potentially participate in pre-trial matches.
—Azure Fang Martial Council
Ren Wei's expression didn't change—but his fingers tightened slightly around the parchment.
"A performance… no, a provocation."
The messenger bowed again and left in silence, sensing the sharpness of the air around the young cultivator.
Moments later, Han Suiren appeared at the courtyard gate, his pace brisk, his face unreadable.
"You received it, didn't you?" he said, stepping forward and eyeing the letter.
Ren Wei nodded. "One week. They've changed their plan."
Han Suiren's gaze darkened. "They want to break your momentum. Make you flinch. This exhibition is a setup—perhaps to publicly shame you or to test your strength before the real duel."
Ren Wei shrugged. "I'm not some puppet to entertain their theater."
Han Suiren nodded approvingly. "Still, don't take this lightly. They're trying to crush your name before you ever reach the stage."
"Then I'll carve it deeper instead."
Han Suiren smirked. "That's what I wanted to hear."
With a brief farewell, the old master took his leave, trusting that Ren Wei knew how to navigate the storm ahead.
Back in his cultivation chamber, Ren Wei stood before the low shelf where the five Foundation Establishment pills rested—his own creations, glimmering faintly with Qi-rich essence. He sat cross-legged at the center of his upgraded formation, the air vibrating with Qi flow drawn in from all directions.
He touched the pills, but did not consume one—not yet.
His eyes narrowed as he murmured, almost inaudibly:
> "They made a mistake shortening the time…"
"One week… is all I need to make them regret it."