"Hot and cold… yin and yang…" Lian murmured unconsciously.
"These energies exist naturally in nature. They complement each other. There can't be light without darkness… There can't be warmth without cold. As winter comes, so does summer. As the seasons cycle, so does the natural order."
He didn't realise it himself, but in that moment, he was comprehending the laws of nature.
The two energies spiralled violently through him. One moment, the entire cave froze over—ice spreading across the walls. The next scorching heat melted it back into water, which evaporated into mist.
This continuous rotation, mixing with Lian's Qi, changed the environment around him.
Grass sprouted along the stone floor. Small shoots emerged, then grew into tiny trees.
The once-barren cave slowly transformed into a cradle of life. As days passed, insects and little creatures wandered in, living off the plants flourishing from the shifting energies.
"I understand now… I shouldn't fight these energies… but let them flow," Lian whispered.
A soft rumble echoed. Lian lifted from the ground, floating cross-legged as a lotus of pure light bloomed beneath him.
His skin began to crack—not with wounds, but with glowing fissures—as the two energies seeped into him. Ancient symbols formed across his body, shining faintly.
"Huuuu…"
He exhaled deeply, steadying his mind as the final moment approached.
Crack!
The barrier that had been holding him back shattered.
All the surrounding Qi surged toward him in a violent rush, pouring into his body as if the world itself was being drained dry. The lotus beneath him absorbed a portion of it as well. A few moments later, the lotus turned translucent… then faded completely, disappearing as if it had never existed.
Lian slowly floated down. His feet touched the ground, and he opened his eyes.
"Mmm…" he murmured, opening and closing his hand. "So, this is the Foundation Realm… I can feel the Qi surging through me. It's twice—no, three times more than I had before."
A cool feeling washed over Lian.
He stood up and tried to balance himself on a nearby stone.
The moment his foot touched it—
Crk—
The stone crumbled under his weight, collapsing into dust.
"Haaa… my body feels even tougher now."
He finally took in the surroundings. "Wait… there weren't any trees when I got here."
"Oh well, whatever," He said, walking toward the entrance, and the creatures around him scattered in fear.
Once outside, he drew his sword and swung downward. An arc of orange flame traced through the air. When the sword touched the ground, all the trees in front of him were sliced cleanly in half—each one instantly set ablaze.
He swung again. A streak of icy blue followed, and frost spread across the forest, freezing everything in its path.
"So, this is the power of the laws, what a great harvest… but let's never do that again. I almost died," Lian muttered, leaping forward.
"Mhpt—mhpt… what's that smell?" Lian muttered, lifting his arm.
The moment he sniffed, he nearly gagged. A foul stench assaulted his nose—thick, rotten, unbearable. His skin was coated in layers of sticky black goo.
"So these were all the impurities I had…" he thought, horrified.
Without wasting a second, he sprinted toward a nearby river and dove straight in—clothes and all. The cold water splashed up around him as he scrubbed himself clean, peeling off the dark grime clinging to his skin.
As he relaxed for a moment, he caught sight of his reflection in the water.
He froze.
His hair had grown longer, soft and dark, flowing past his shoulders. His body had changed too—he had grown several inches taller, his muscles refined and sharply defined. His face looked different, the bone structure more pronounced, his features sharper—almost like a noble prince from an ancient dynasty.
He washed thoroughly and changed into a fresh set of clothes.
A moment later, he suddenly realised something.
He frowned. "I wonder how many days have passed."
"I should hurry back. I wasted too much time here."
His speed had increased tenfold. With a single breath, he dashed toward the mansion like a streak of light.
As Lian sprinted back, the forest behind him fading into the distance, he began hearing whispers from the people gathered near the outskirts of Tianlong.
"Did you hear? The Heavenly Star Sect will be attending the Xing Family Gathering. They're even inviting all the geniuses to participate," a young man said excitedly.
"I want to try my luck. Maybe they'll choose me," another replied, eyes shining with hope.
"Hah! You wish," the first man snorted. "You won't even make it into the top hundred."
"Maybe you're right," the second man admitted with an awkward laugh. "But I bet I can beat that trash Lian Xing, though. I heard he hasn't even broken through the first layer."
They both burst into laughter.
"Yeah, yeah—I'm sure I could beat him with one hand," the first one added proudly.
Their voices stabbed like needles, but Lian didn't look at them. He passed by, silent.
Across all of Tianlong City, he was known as the number one trash among the youth.
Moments later, he slipped back into his usual path and snuck into the Xing compound undetected. He moved quietly, avoiding the guards, and soon reached his shabby little hut.
Not long after, as if fate had arranged it, the boys arrived—loud, arrogant, and as rowdy as ever—heading straight for Lian's house.
"Lian! Come out, you piece of trash! I have news from the Patriarch," Yue Xing shouted, his usual group of lackeys standing behind him with smug expressions.
Lian didn't want to go out—he hated dealing with them—but a message from the Patriarch wasn't something he could ignore. With a quiet breath, he stepped outside.
The boys wore wide, mocking grins. Yue Xing himself was dressed in ostentatious armour trimmed with silver and streaks of jade-green. The sight alone made Lian's brow tighten.
"What do you want, Yue?" Lian asked flatly, voice cold.
Yue's smile widened, and something about it made Lian's skin crawl.
"Here. Take it," Yue said, handing him a folded sheet.
Lian opened it.
His eyes moved across the words slowly.
Divorce papers.
"Your engagement with Mai has been cancelled," Yue declared dramatically. "The Zhou Family announced it today."
Lian didn't react. He simply folded the paper again, slid it into his sleeve, and turned to walk away.
But Yue wasn't done.
"And for your own sake," Yue called behind him, "don't show up tomorrow. You'll embarrass yourself even more. The geniuses from Tianlong are coming—and the minimum realm is Foundation Realm."
Yue and his gang burst into loud laughter, spitting on the ground before swaggering off.