Throughout the entire night, Zhu Tian immersed himself in the process of stabilizing his cultivation. The spiritual energy he had only just forcibly drawn in was still turbulent within his body.
Streams of spiritual energy flowed through his meridians in rhythms that were not yet fully orderly—sometimes fast, sometimes slow—as if struggling to adjust to their new vessel. For a beginner who had just entered the Qi Condensation stage, this process was the most critical one. The slightest carelessness could cause the Qi to run wild, injuring the body from within, or even destroying the foundation of cultivation before it could fully form.
Zhu Tian sat cross-legged in the silence of the night. His breathing was long and steady, his expression calm, without the slightest trace of unease. He had no idea that outside his residence, the world had already been set in motion by his breakthrough.
---
In the distance, two figures streaked through the air, cutting through the quiet night. They moved swiftly, their bodies wrapped in stable spiritual light—clearly not ordinary cultivators.
The two youths were Taoists who had earlier passed through the forest and witnessed the heavenly phenomenon that appeared when Zhu Tian entered the Qi Condensation stage. One was named Liu Ba, and the other Liu De.
Liu Ba was a man with long hair cascading down to his abdomen, pitch-black like a starless night.
His face was handsome—almost too perfect—with sharp features that gave him an air of elegance mixed with cold detachment. His eyes were emerald green, clear and deep, as though capable of piercing through the fog of fate itself. It was not the gaze of an ordinary person, but that of someone born with innate distinction.
Liu De, on the other hand, was entirely different. His appearance was ordinary—so unremarkable that he could easily be forgotten in a crowd. His expression was relaxed, almost careless, as if nothing in the world were important enough to make him serious. Yet his eyes were a vivid red, sharp and full of vitality, and his short crimson hair carried a subtle wildness.
At first glance, one might mistake Liu De for a follower or servant. But anyone who truly knew him understood that he was steadfast and loyal—especially to Liu Ba.
After witnessing the heavenly scene, something powerful and difficult to explain stirred within Liu Ba. An instinctive pull, as if fate itself were drawing him toward a specific point.
"The opportunity is there," Liu Ba murmured softly, his voice nearly swallowed by the night wind.
That feeling did not come from logic or analysis, but from the special physique he possessed—a rare gift that allowed him to sense major shifts in the currents of fate. Throughout his cultivation journey, this physique had guided him again and again, leading him to opportunities that others never noticed.
Liu De did not possess such a special body. He knew that well. From the very beginning, he had understood that he would never stand on equal footing with Liu Ba in terms of raw talent. Yet he trusted Liu Ba completely. If Liu Ba said there was an opportunity, then that opportunity was undoubtedly real.
Without hesitation, they changed direction and flew toward the source of the phenomenon.
At midnight, they finally arrived before the gate of Zhu Tian's residence.
A vast formation spread out before them—hidden yet majestic. Endless mountain ranges, spiritual aura flowing like invisible rivers, and energy patterns so subtle that they made their skin feel faintly chilled.
At the same moment, the real Qin Yuan opened his eyes inside the cave.
He sensed the approach of two powerful cultivators. Without delay, he rose and stepped out, parting the waterfall curtain with a single calm motion. His figure appeared before the gate, his aura restrained yet profound.
"Two juniors," Qin Yuan said, his voice warm yet authoritative, "what brings you to this place?"
Qin Yuan recognized them. One hundred and fifty years ago, these two youths had emerged as gifted geniuses from a Taoist sect. Their reputations were well known within certain circles, and the relationship between Qin Yuan's sect and the Taoist sect was fairly close.
Because of this, Qin Yuan greeted them politely.
Liu Ba and Liu De were startled when they saw who stood before them. Their eyes widened slightly.
"Senior!" they exclaimed almost in unison.
Without hesitation, they bowed and clasped their hands respectfully. To them, Qin Yuan was not merely an ordinary senior—his name was widely known as a powerful cultivator with a formidable background.
"We did not expect to encounter Senior here," Liu Ba continued, his tone respectful yet composed.
As their gazes swept across the surroundings, the shock in their eyes grew even stronger. The neatly arranged mountains, the nearly flawless formations, the aura of this place—
This was not something that should exist on a low-tier continent.
Formations of such scale and refinement were usually found only on third-tier continents or within top-tier sects. Yet here they stood, hidden in a remote location, as if deliberately concealed from the world.
"This formation…" Liu De murmured unconsciously.
Qin Yuan caught their reaction. Inwardly, he let out a soft sigh.
The rumors about these two youths were indeed not unfounded. It was said that they could sense great opportunities—opportunities that could allow them to reach the Nascent Soul realm within only one hundred and fifty years, an achievement nearly impossible for ordinary cultivators.
A normal person, even with decent talent, might only reach Core Formation within the same span of time.
"So the rumors are true," Qin Yuan thought to himself.
Yet at the same time, his thoughts turned to a single figure—Zhu Tian.
Zhu Tian's existence lay beyond his understanding. He could be an immeasurable blessing, or an unimaginable disaster. Offending him could bring fatal consequences. But if one could establish a good relationship with him… the future that awaited might surpass all imagination.
Qin Yuan smiled faintly, his demeanor remaining friendly even as his mind raced.
Behind the gate, Zhu Tian continued his meditation, completely unaware that his first step onto the path of cultivation had already drawn the attention of others.