"Father, I'm back."
"Back already? Did you find the system and its new owner?"
"Yep, I did. But the system is just in Seraphin mode. It hasn't even been upgraded to Michael yet."
"Well, he was chosen for a reason."
The younger immortal leaned back, looking bored. "Hmmm... I will go back to the Mortal Plane only when he can withstand one of my attacks at one percent power."
"Do however you want. But one day he will defeat you. I give him twenty years and he will be in the CC Immortal Plane. By the way... did he notice anything?"
"To be honest... I kinda accidentally stopped time. A leaf froze mid-air right in front of him, but nobody saw me. I travel in seconds, Father."
"Don't use your powers recklessly anymore," the Father warned, his voice vibrating through the clouds. "The Immortal Plane has its rules when it comes to interaction with the Mortal Plane."
"I got you, Father."
"Whoops. I feel like time just stopped for a second," Xiaoyan muttered, shaking his head. "But anyway, I gotta find a way to enter this city. What do you think, System?"
[Hmm. Use your weapon and your thunder skills to force your way in, or you can spend two months in the mountains to breakthrough and make a comeback.]
"I think the two-month training is better. After all, I don't have too much to do. I'll go find the dragon after those two months, and the mountain portal won't open before then anyway. Let me focus."
Xiaoyan looked toward the horizon. "Where should we go next? Deep forest or the mountain peak?"
[Deep forest. There are more beasts and more essence cores there so your Mjolnir can upgrade soon.]
Xiaoyan went deep into the forest until the trees blocked out the sun. He stopped at a massive, ancient tree. "I'll stay here for the night," Xiaoyan said, leaning against the bark.
[I don't care where you stay. I don't have a human form, so don't bother me.]
"Well, here we go again..."
He spent the night shivering in the cold. When the first light of dawn hit his eyes, he stood up to start his training.
[Master, I'm sorry... but I'm going to be hard on you.]
[First week goal: Body Building. You need to build your body so that when you break the balance of Heaven and Earth, you don't get killed by the recoil.]
[Task: Daily: 1000 push-ups, 1000 sit-ups, 1000 curl-ups, 1000 miles. Cut hard trees with your bare hands 1000 times. Break massive stones using only your head.]
"What?! System, are you trying to kill me?" Xiaoyan's jaw dropped.
[Stop being a slacker. You are a Balance Breaker, not a Lazy Sleeper.]
"Alright, alright... Mr. Taskmaster who always gives impossible tasks."
Xiaoyan started. It was a brutal, bone-crushing grind. His muscles felt like they were being torn apart, and his lungs burned with every breath of forest air.
"1, 2, 3... 600... 700... 809... 909... 999... 1000!"
"Ohh... Seraphin... 1,000 push-ups is almost killing me..."
[Master, continue.]
"System... you are really a 'great' teacher," Xiaoyan panted, his eyes heavy with exhaustion.
[Activated Balance Breaker Zone. This area will be isolated from the outside world for one week.]
By the end of the first day, Xiaoyan started to feel the payout. His abs were tightening, and his hair seemed to grow longer, fueled by the intense spiritual pressure. He sat under a tree at night, his powers sealed by the zone's isolation. He couldn't rely on magic or gear—only his own grit. He trained from morning to night, feeding only on water.
[Your hardship is just beginning. This is nothing compared to the weight you will carry in the future.]
By the seventh day, Xiaoyan was at his limit. Every inch of his skin was bruised, but his body looked like it was carved from marble. As he chopped down the last tree in the zone with his bare hand, the system chimed.
[Body built. Upgrading to Divine Grade. Your skin is now difficult to pierce by low-level weapons.]
Xiaoyan felt a surge of raw power through his veins. He had advanced to the 1st Realm of Divine in the Body Path. The hard work had paid off.
[Master will get one day free to calm his aura and the Codex running through his veins.]
"Whoa... System. Soon I will activate the unique cultivation path and I won't need to train like those other humans. I'll be twice as powerful!"
[Master, take it slow. In the eyes of the great masters I have fought, you are still nothing.]
"Hahaha! Your jokes are funny, you know? You can't even beat me and you're claiming you met true masters? Stop bragging."
[Well, if you don't believe me, it's okay. You will know as time passes.]
As the isolation zone vanished, Xiaoyan lunged for a piece of fruit on a nearby tree. He devoured it like a starving animal. "Seraphin, I was so hungry! I'm actually saved. I used to eat royal food, but now look at me... struggling just to survive."
"Uncle, we have conquered everything. The country is under our full control. No more rebellions... but we haven't found my brother."
"Don't worry," Uncle Hukjiang said, his face cold. "If he is out training, he will definitely go to the Academy. You need to go there and make sure you find the others. Eliminate their royal blood forever."
"But what about Mom?"
"She has no choice but to stay silently in the Immortal Hall. The demons have been after her for a while anyway."
"Okay, Uncle."
Back in the forest, Xiaoyan finished his fruit. He was ready to start his soul-building training, but as he stepped forward, his foot hit a hidden stone.
Suddenly, the air around him began to stretch. A cold, violent tug at his navel pulled him upward.
"Haaaaaaa! Did you do this to me, System?!" Xiaoyan screamed as he was sucked into a swirling vortex of light.
[Don't accuse me! You just stepped on a hidden teleportation array... but bye! Contact me when you get out safely!]
"SYSTEMMMMMMMMMMMMM!"
TO BE CONTINUED...