"Once, long ago, there lived a man in the Mortal World. He was an ordinary man, suppressed by the gods who ruled over all."
"These gods were not kind. They were worshipped by all beings, by mortals, by humans, by beasts both common and mythical, by spiritual entities, even by the world itself."
"The gods possessed everything that mortals desired. They had existed since the sun first rose and were blessed with eternal life and absolute power."
"All beings worshipped them, hoping to gain favor, offering countless sacrifices. A select few were granted blessings and rose above others, becoming Kings among mortals, wandering sages who lived for hundreds of years, or even incarnations of the gods themselves."
"But the ordinary man refused to offer anything. He rejected the gods, calling them Evil Gods. His defiance angered them, and they sought to destroy him, but the Heavens themselves rebelled against the gods and chose to protect the man."
"Wandering through the world, guided by the essence of the Heavens, the man began to understand the truths of existence. One day, he gazed up and became fully blessed by the Heavens. It was then that the first Spiritual Root was bestowed upon him, allowing him to store the essence of the Heavens. He named this essence, Qi."
"With the power of Qi, the man waged a rebellion against the Evil Gods, exposing their cruelty and flaws. And with the Heavens behind him, he began to bless other mortals, those who followed him, with spiritual roots of their own, so they too could store the essence of the Heavens."
"But these roots were not all equal. Some were weaker, some equal to his own, and some, surprisingly, even stronger."
"Those with roots equal to the man's could travel freely throughout the world. Those with stronger roots could even communicate with the laws of the Heavens. But the weaker ones could only contain small traces of the Heavens' essence. And so, Spiritual Roots were divided."
"There is the Mortal Spiritual Root, the lowest of all, granting only a meager ability to cultivate."
"Next is the Impure Spiritual Root, which allows one to reach the end of the First Realm."
"Above that is the Mixed Spiritual Root, enabling cultivation to the Second Realm."
"Then comes the Pure Spiritual Root, which can carry a cultivator to the Third Realm, though it becomes difficult to progress further."
"To reach the Fourth Realm, one must possess a True Spiritual Root. Only with such a gift does one have a true chance to ascend to even the Fifth Realm."
Ling Ye traced the words with his finger, a quiet smile tugging at his lips.
He had read this book more than a hundred times, yet today… today it felt different. Today, it felt real, as if he were finally stepping into that world himself.
The book in his hands was a classic, a story every child of the Ling Clan read growing up, the legend of the first cultivators who rebelled against the Evil Gods, but it was only the beginning of a much greater tale, a simplified version meant for mortals.
To read the full, unabridged account, one had to first become a cultivator. Not even Ling Ye, a young master of the Ling Clan, had been allowed to see it, no matter how much he begged.
Even Wang Xin, who at the time had been a mortal like him, agreed with his protests. She had once promised to find the full version for him, but after stepping into cultivation herself, she changed her tune and supported the restriction, denying all his requests.
"Hehe, soon I'll finally be allowed to read the real thing," Ling Ye chuckled to himself, leaning back in his chair.
He imagined a future where all his limitations, all the forbidden books and sealed scrolls, would finally be within reach. Just as he smiled up at the ceiling, sunlight broke through the window and struck his eyes, forcing him to squint.
Raising a hand to shield his face, he blinked a few times… then froze.
"Damn! It's already morning!"
As he shouted, the door creaked open. Right on cue, Wang Xin stepped in, his maid, his friend, his older sister figure who had grown up beside him.
She paused at the threshold, instantly spotting Ling Ye leaping toward his bed, trying and failing to flop down and pretend he'd been asleep all along.
One glance at the misplaced chair in front of the bookshelf was enough for her to piece everything together.
"Heh… Young Master woke up early today?" she said, her voice warm and teasing as she calmly walked over and slid the chair back into place.
Ling Ye sighed in defeat. "Hehe," he chuckled bitterly, trying to play it cool. "Sister Wang, I don't know what to say… I just woke up ten minutes early, that's all."
He climbed out of bed, forcing a bright smile, but Wang Xin didn't even glance at him. She simply rolled her eyes and began tidying the room, returning the messy desk to its proper place.
"Young Master, the sun is already rising. You should bathe, dress properly, and come have breakfast," she said softly as she walked around the room, smoothing out the rumpled blankets on his bed. "At eight, one of the Seniors will escort you to the Hall of Spirituality."
Ling Ye gave her a small, playful grin. "Sister doesn't want to help this Young Master get ready?"
Wang Xin shot him a deadpan look and shook her head. "If you can't even handle the basics, how do you expect to become a powerful cultivator?"
Her words hit like a thunderbolt. Ling Ye froze, his playful mood immediately collapsing into quiet embarrassment.
Wang Xin smirked as she turned and left the room, clearly satisfied with her counterattack.
Once she was gone, Ling Ye shook off his daze.
A few light slaps to his cheeks helped snap him back to reality. He headed into the adjoining bath, where, as always, Wang Xin had already prepared a warm bath for him.
He undressed and stepped into the tub, letting the soothing heat sink into his skin. After a thorough wash, he dried off and reached for one of the freshly cleaned robes hanging nearby.
It was a simple dark blue robe, adorned with elegant white lines along the sleeves and hem, nothing too fancy, but refined and well made.
Now clean and dressed, Ling Ye stood in front of the mirror.
He studied his reflection and smiled softly, confidence gleaming in his eyes. His hand ran lightly over the robe's fabric, a faint glint of nostalgia in his gaze.
It resembled the same style and color his father always wore when appearing in public.
"Hehe, perfect," Ling Ye said with a faint grin, amused by how closely he now resembled the younger version of his father, a face he hadn't seen in over ten years. His long, soft black hair and deep black eyes mirrored him almost perfectly.
But the smile didn't last.
Slowly, it faded from his lips. His gaze lingered on his own reflection, on those deep black eyes that once filled him with confidence. Now, they only stirred a quiet frustration. He bit his lower lip and clenched the robe's long sleeves tightly in his hands.
Without another word, he turned away from the mirror and exited the bathroom, walking down the quiet hallway toward the dining room.
With each step, his breathing steadied, and the flicker of frustration slowly faded from his expression. By the time he reached the tall double doors of the dining hall, the confident gleam had returned to his eyes.
He paused, inhaled deeply, and pushed open the doors.
Inside, a long table stretched across the room. A few dishes were already set out, warm eggs, sliced meat, bread, sausages, and a bottle of water, but the seat at the head of the table remained empty.
As always.
Ling Ye's lips curled into a bitter smile. His gaze dropped to his sleeves once again.
The main chair was perfectly clean, not a speck of dust, but untouched, unused. Even on a day like this.
He exhaled softly and lifted his head. Without hesitation, he walked to the seat just beside the empty one and sat down quietly.
As his eyes swept over the food in front of him, his attention drifted to the chair across the table. Slowly, a blurry figure began to form in his mind, one he had long kept hidden away in memory.
A woman, long black hair, a violet robe, and a faint smile on her lips, but what Ling Ye remembered most clearly were her eyes. Deep black and unreadable.
He exhaled softly and closed his own eyes.
Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed gently through the hall. Ling Ye opened his eyes and turned toward the door.
"Young Master, why aren't you eating? The food will get cold," Wang Xin said warmly as she entered the room. "Trust me, you don't want to leave on an empty stomach today. I speak from personal experience."
Her voice, filled with quiet affection, brought a small smile back to Ling Ye's face.
"Alright, Sister Wang," he replied.
He picked up his fork and began to eat slowly. Wang Xin remained nearby, occasionally chatting with him. Her light conversation eased the tension in his heart and mind, and before long, the meal was finished, no food, no bread, not even a drop of water remained.
As Ling Ye pushed his chair back slightly, Wang Xin glanced out the window. Morning sunlight streamed in gently, casting soft shadows across the floor. She pinched her fingers together briefly, as if calculating the time, and spoke in a calm voice:
"Young Master, in about half an hour, the guide should arrive. Please be mentally prepared and remember to stay confident."
Ling Ye gave a simple nod. He didn't say a word, just stood from his chair and walked quietly out of the dining hall, with Wang Xin following closely behind.
They both already knew where he would go next.
To the library.
After a short walk through the mansion and down a quiet hallway, they stopped in front of two large wooden doors. Ling Ye placed his hands on them and gently pushed them open.
The library wasn't particularly large, but it was more than enough for his daily reading and studies. A quiet, familiar atmosphere filled the room, peaceful and serene.
In the center sat a brown couch with a small table beside it. The walls on either side were lined with shelves, packed tightly with countless books.
Ling Ye's face lit up with a bright smile. Stepping inside, he immediately went to the scattered books on the floor, carefully picking them up and returning them to their proper places.
Most of them were collections of heroic tales or detailed records of the ancestors who had once risen to greatness.
As he carried a small stack to one of the shelves, he spoke with a wistful tone, "The next time I come here will probably be after I return from the Clan Academy, right?"
The question was aimed at Wang Xin, who returned his words with a soft smile and a light chuckle.
"Yes, that's right. And it won't just be your precious books, we won't see each other either. Once you're enrolled, we'll only meet during the academy's short vacation after the first year ends. Just a few days... then back to training again. It brings back memories."
"Hehe… right," Ling Ye laughed lightly, bowing his head, a little embarrassed that he had forgotten they would be apart for so long.
They didn't say anything more, but time passed quickly.
Within half an hour, the library was clean and tidy. Not a single book lay out of place, everything had been sorted and returned to its proper spot, just as it should be.
Ling Ye took one final look at the neatly arranged shelves, a soft smile forming on his face. He thought back on the nearly ten years he had spent in this small library, the only place that had ever truly felt like home.
He turned toward the doors, stepping outside with Wang Xin beside him. With a quiet click, he closed them behind him. For the first time in his life, those doors would remain shut for a long time.
As they walked toward the main entrance of the estate, Wang Xin spoke again, her voice calm and reassuring."Don't worry. I'll take good care of it. Not a single book will be harmed."
Her promise eased the lingering weight in Ling Ye's heart, and he gave a small nod. With that, he was finally ready to leave, ready to part with the library, with his home, and begin his journey at the Clan Academy.
There were no worries left behind. His path was clear. All he had to do was walk it.
After passing through long corridors and winding halls, Ling Ye and Wang Xin arrived at the mansion's front entrance. There, already waiting, tapping his foot impatiently, stood a middle aged man with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.
The moment they stepped into view, the man opened his sharp yellow eyes and looked directly at them.
He had neatly combed black hair, and his sky-blue robe was embroidered with thin green lines, forming elegant patterns across the fabric, simple, but dignified.
Upon seeing Ling Ye approach with Wang Xin, a faint sign of impatience crossed the man's face. He had clearly been kept waiting longer than expected. Still, he masked his irritation with a light, polite smile, offering it only to Ling Ye and completely ignoring Wang Xin, as if she didn't exist.
"Good morning, Young Master Ye. Are you ready to leave for the Hall of Spirituality?"
Ling Ye's face lit up, brimming with excitement and unshakable confidence. He nodded eagerly, unable to hide the anticipation in his voice. "Yes, I'm ready!"
The middle aged man let out a quiet chuckle, nodding in approval. "Ah… it's good to be young," he murmured to himself.
With a smooth flick of his hand, an invisible force lifted Ling Ye into the air, gently pulling him toward the man's side. A second gesture caused the grand doors of the mansion to swing open with a quiet whoosh.
"Then let's go," the man said simply, offering no farewell glance to Wang Xin.
Without another word, the two figures rose into the sky, flying swiftly toward the distant mountain where the Hall of Spirituality awaited and with it, the beginning of Ling Ye's journey.