The creek was lively that evening.
The moment we arrived, familiar figures were already there—villagers wading knee-deep in water, bamboo baskets set aside, laughter echoing between splashes. Nets were cast, traps were checked, and the glint of silver scales flashed beneath the shallow current.
Mo Fan and Mo Ling rushed ahead the instant they saw the water.
"Big brother Shen! Look—there are so many!" Mo Ling shouted, already rolling up her sleeves clumsily.
Mo Fan grabbed the basket with practiced hands, his eyes shining. "We'll catch more than last time!"
I smiled faintly and let them run ahead.
Tonight's harvest was abundant.
Fish leapt from the water in panic as traps were lifted. Children shrieked in delight whenever one escaped their grasp. Even the adults laughed more than usual—perhaps because the season had been kind, or perhaps because peace itself was a luxury worth celebrating.
I walked leisurely behind them, hands clasped behind my back, watching their carefree figures dart around the creek.
For a moment—
Just a moment—
A strange emotion stirred in my chest.
Jealousy.
If I said I felt nothing, it would be a lie.
Watching them laugh so freely, watching them grow up with warmth, noise, and simple happiness… I couldn't help but wonder.
If I had parents who cared for me…
If I had grown up like this…
Would my life—past or present—have been any different?
I had thought about it before. More than once.
But today, standing under the bright sky with water splashing around my feet, I finally found my answer.
Dwelling on what could have been was meaningless.
What mattered was what I had now.
And if I lacked something—
Then I would create it.
Not just for myself.
For my children.
For my loved ones.
For the people who would one day stand beside me.
I lifted my head slightly, gazing at the orange-red horizon.
This life…
I will live it fully.
No solitary wandering.
No endless cultivation for the sake of emptiness.
I would live long.
I would live well.
I would cultivate with purpose.
And for the first time—across both my past and present lives—
Shen Yuan had a life goal.
-----
By the time we returned home, dusk had already settled.
The baskets were heavy with fish, and the children were exhausted but still buzzing with excitement, recounting every successful catch as if they were heroic feats.
I moved naturally into my usual role.
Cooking.
The moment the fire was lit, Mo Fan and Mo Ling sat nearby, eyes wide with anticipation. To them, watching me cook had become a kind of performance.
With a flick of my fingers, spiritual energy guided knives, bowls, and ingredients with smooth precision. Oil heated evenly, fish was cleaned in moments, and spices danced through the air as if guided by invisible hands.
"Woah…" Mo Ling whispered.
Mo Fan swallowed. "Big brother Shen is amazing."
I chuckled softly.
Tonight's meal was generous.
Fish stir-fry, bone soup, side dishes prepared earlier, and Jade Spirit Rice served hot and fragrant.
This time, I did not add Vermillion Blood Rice to the soup.
Instead, I prepared a small separate pot—just for myself. I set it aside in kitchen for now.
Body cultivation required precision.
We ate well that night.
Laughter returned to the table, bowls emptied quickly, and even Grandfather ate more than usual.
After the meal, we rested briefly.
When the sky darkened further, I stood up and talked to grandfather.
"Grandfather," I said calmly, "I'm going to cultivate in the backyard open space tonight. Please don't let the kids come out."
He studied me for a moment, then nodded.
"Rest assured."
I returned to my room first, sat cross-legged, and circulated the Longevity Breathing Technique, keeping my spiritual state steady. Spirit stones were consumed slowly—yet far faster than ordinary cultivators could manage.
The Dust-Free Immortal Body devoured spiritual energy relentlessly.
By midnight, the sixteenth meter of my dantian was fully saturated.
Only then did I stand.
I took the pot containing the cooked Vermillion Blood Rice and stepped into the backyard.
The night sky was clear.
Stars shone silently above.
This was it.
Primordial Star Refining Celestial Body Art — Stage One.
Skin Tempering.
Star light as flame.
Blood energy as fuel.
Body as the crucible.
I consumed the entire pot of rice in one go.
The moment it entered my stomach, blood energy exploded outward, spreading through my limbs like molten fire. My Dust-Free Immortal Body activated instinctively, purging impurities even before I began.
I moved.
Hand seals formed.
My stance shifted.
The body cultivation art came alive and my body started to attract the starlight in the night sky.
Invisible yet tangible starlight descended from above, wrapping around my body like a celestial forge descending upon mortal flesh.
Heat surged instantly.
My skin glowed with a faint crimson hue, veins pulsing beneath the surface as if molten energy flowed through them. Each breath I took felt heavier, thicker, as though the air itself had become dense.
Then came the pain.
Not sharp.
Not sudden.
But deep—penetrating straight into the marrow of my being.
A forging pain.
I clenched my teeth and continued the prescribed movements, my body moving in perfect rhythm with the Primordial Star Refining Celestial Body Art. With every motion, I guided the blood energy deeper, forcing it to seep into my skin layer by layer.
My skin grew redder.
Like heated metal inside a blacksmith's furnace.
Each pulse of blood energy burned, refining, reshaping. My Dust-Free Immortal Body activated instinctively, expelling impurities even as new strength was hammered into place.
Time blurred.
Breath after breath.
Movement after movement.
Eventually, I felt it the blood energy within my body beginning to wane, its intensity thinning like dying embers.
I opened the system status panel.
My gaze immediately locked onto the rewards section.
Blood Energy (White)
Effect: Grants the host a small amount of refined blood-aspected energy that can be directly used for body cultivation.
Without hesitation, I activated it.
Boom.
Fresh blood energy erupted inside my body, roaring through my meridians like a floodgate being torn open. The sensation was overwhelming.
The system claimed it was only a small amount.
But to a beginner like me
It was enormous.
The heat intensified instantly. My skin flared bright red, almost translucent, as the new wave of blood energy was dragged into the tempering process.
Still
I did not stop.
I pushed forward.
One cycle.
Two cycles.
Three.
By the end of the third full cycle, my entire body felt as though it had been thrown into a blazing furnace. My legs trembled violently, strength draining from them.
I could endure no more.
My knees gave out, and I collapsed into a seated position, palms pressed against the ground, chest heaving violently as I struggled to catch my breath. Sweat poured down my face, dripping onto the soil beneath me.
Slowly, the burning sensation began to fade.
Cooling.
Stabilizing.
The crimson glow receded, leaving behind a strange sense of firmness beneath my skin.
I clenched my fist.
Crack.
The air burst apart as my grip tightened, a sharp popping sound echoing in the quiet night.
I rose unsteadily and retrieved the Tier-1 sword I had bought earlier from the market. Pressing the blade against my arm, I applied force enough that it would have easily cut ordinary flesh.
But only a faint red mark appeared.
Then—
It faded.
Rapidly.
My eyes narrowed slightly.
"…So it's not just increasing my skin's durability," I murmured softly. "But my regeneration as well."
A sour, unpleasant odour suddenly reached my nose.
I frowned and looked down.
Black scabs had surfaced across my skin—thick, sticky impurities expelled during the tempering process.
Without hesitation, I activated the farm robe's cleaning effect.
Instant refreshment.
Cool.
Clean.
Light.
Every trace of filth vanished in an instant, leaving my body feeling fresh and strangely comfortable.
Cultivating body refinement with a Dust-Free Immortal Body…
It was absurdly efficient.
I glanced at the remaining Blood Energy reward but chose not to use it.
Instead, I sat quietly, reviewing every movement, every breath, every imbalance during the tempering process. The pendant at my chest released a gentle cooling sensation, clearing the remaining haze from my thoughts and sharpening my awareness.
Only after everything was corrected and internalized did I return to my room to rest.
Sleep came swiftly.
-----
The next morning
"Big brother Shen!"
As I stepped outside, Mo Ling greeted me first.
She tilted her head, then began circling around me, her eyes full of curiosity.
"You look… the same, but different."
She reached out and touched the back of my hand.
"Wow… it's softer!"
Only then did I understand what she meant.
Last night's skin tempering had changed more than just durability.
My skin now looked
Elastic.
Smooth.
I ruffled her hair lightly. "You're imagining things."
She giggled.
"Go call your brother and Grandfather," I said gently. "Breakfast will be ready soon."
As I turned toward the kitchen, a faint smile curved my lips.