Gift!

"Or maybe I suffered cultivation deviation and turned crazy!"

He rationalized as he recalled the warnings shared by the Elders. There were far too many cultivators who turned genocidal maniacs from some missteps.

A gentle sensation drifted out of the brush and slipped into his mind. It cleared all his thoughts.

Simultaneously, wisps of dazzling energy surged out of the scroll and barged into his chest - where his Dao Seed was located.

His Dao Seed was withered and corroded, barely existing. As the wisps of energy arrived, the seed's outer covering disintegrated, and the energy submerged into what remained.

His nascent essence – the core of his very existence.

"Argh!"

Zen collapsed. The energy flowing out of the scroll was vitalizing the seed, and it involved destruction and then creation.

The process was painful, and thankfully, it barely lasted for a second.

By then, his Dao Seed was born anew. It sparkled like a gemstone, emitting robust vitality. More energy erupted from the scroll and fused with the seed.

"What's happening to my Dao Seed!?"

He was unaware that the Scroll of Eternity has converted 99% of the treasure vault into energy to nurture him.

Not even scions of royal families were blessed enough to receive such world-defying nourishment.

Because even though the families could afford to spend a fortune, they didn't have the means of fusing such a humongous amount of energy without exploding Dao Seed!

"Huh?" Zen sensed his Dao Seed glowing. It was far too glaring, even brighter than the sun. Little roots burst out of the seed and spread on his chest.

"Germination!"

He was getting one shock after another.

"No… this is different from germination that happens in Energy Refining!"

In the second stage of cultivation – Energy Refining – the Dao Seed germinates and spread roots throughout the body.

These roots were what people generally called spiritual veins. Their presence meant one can devour the free energy in the world and use it to cast magical techniques.

But the roots snaking out of his Dao Seed only spread in his chest. And unlike ordinary cultivators, the roots were bulging and visible.

"What purpose do they serve?!"

He didn't have time to think as the remaining energy from the scroll was now distributed throughout his body. The minor cracks in his bones filled up while the muscle swelling disappeared.

This was just a minor effect. The real impact was strengthening his flesh and skeleton, tempering them.

His throat turned dry as he realized what was happening to him. He was evolving!

Just a few minutes ago, he was at the first layer of Body Tempering. Now he was at the peak!

He couldn't even doubt his sanity as the sensation was as real as it could get. He didn't need to pinch or slap himself to confirm.

The nourishment ended with no more energy surging out of the scroll.

"Phew!"

Letting out a sigh of relief, Zen got back on his feet. The brush turned into innumerable dots of light and shot into his wrist.

He looked at the resulting illusory tattoo. He then gazed at the scroll that drifted to the side, bringing his eyes on 1% content left in the vault.

There was a small treasure chest filled to the brim with small, but dazzling stones he knew too well - Spirit Stones! There were books on another shelf, and even without observing them, he knew what they contained.

"Magical techniques!"

He exclaimed.

The scroll once again emitted attraction force, this time targeting the books. Rows of texts flew out of the books and surged into the scroll.

Simultaneously, a whirlwind of magical symbols drifted out of the scroll and swept into his head. He realized what the scroll was doing.

It was embedding the magical techniques straight into his mind. He skipped the step of comprehending and training for weeks and months.

"Isn't this cheating?"

Many magical techniques floated in his mind, and he knew he could use them as if he has practiced them countless times. One technique swirled in his thoughts, telling him to focus on it.

"Ethereal Smoke Art."

One could turn their bodies into smoke and use it to flee. Escaping jail was a child's play with this technique.

"No! I won't use it to escape jail!"

He decided.

He now knew why the scroll left behind the spirit stones. It was so that he could absorb them as magical techniques require a lot of energy.

"And I can't be selfish!"

His eyes glittered like stars as he stared at the treasure chest.

"I don't know what really happened or who owns that vault… but one thing is clear, I owe Senior Brother Walan a favor!"

The Scroll of Eternity fluttered as it realized what Zen planned to do. It flew back into his forehead and disappeared.

The door started closing, and Zen knew now was time to leave.

He took out twenty spirit stones and concentrated on the mnemonics of Ethereal Smoke Art. Simultaneously, the roots on his chest burst out like the real roots of a gigantic tree. Zen was shocked as he didn't know this will happen. The roots on their own penetrated the spirit stones and sucked their energy.

This energy coursed through the roots and entered his chest. His heart thumped as the spiritual energy pumped along with the blood, flowing into every corner of his body. At the same time, the mnemonics in his mind resonated with the energy, and he turned into a figure of ethereal smoke!

"There's no time left to think!" His hazy hands grabbed the treasure chest, and he flew out of the closing door. He was back into the jail cell just as the door completely vanished.

"I have returned..." Zen looked at his body made of smoke and then at the floor. His ethereal feet were above it, making it clear he was floating! Something that should be impossible for a Body Refining cultivator. He smiled and almost grinned from happiness, but then stopped.

Earlier, he had decided he won't use Ethereal Smoke Art to escape jail. But he has to for the greater good.

"I need to help Senior Brother Walan!"

His body drifted through the gap in the bars. With how small the treasure chest was, there was no difficulty taking it out.

The jail cell was for Body Tempering cultivators, and naturally, it didn't have enough restrictions or security. After all, they couldn't use magical techniques, nor were they strong enough to destroy cells.

At least, that was the justification used to defend the lack of manpower here. And it helped Zen to escape without being detected.

After arriving on the open ground, Zen looked towards the caves for Justice Enforcement Divison cultivators.

"If I'm not wrong, that's where Senior Brother Walan lives!"

Under the night sky, a cloud of white smoke drifted before the row of caves.

As the caves were labeled, it was easy to identify the one belonging to Senior Brother Walan.

Zen could easily enter it through the window, but he didn't for the time being.

"Senior Brother Walan has gifted me an opportunity. So, I should do the same!"

Before the caves, there was a pool of water. He washed the treasure chest to erase all signs of impurities, including his lingering presence.

The window was large enough for the treasure chest to enter, and using his smoke body, Zen slipped in.

Inside, Senior Brother Walan was asleep, lost in pleasant dreams.

Zen silently bowed and whispered, "Senior Brother Walan… I have brought a gift for you!"

He put the treasure chest amidst piles of weapons.

A gift was meant to surprise. He could visualize how pleasantly surprised Senior Brother Walan would be when he discovers a treasure vault filled with spirit stones.

Completing his task, Zen returned back to the jail cell like a model prisoner.

"It is so nice to help others!"

✻✻✻

The next morning.

Walan was about to wake up when a deafening blast numbed his ears.

BANG!

The cave entrance exploded as an Elder kicked it. Walan bounced up in shock as the pieces of debris struck his body.

"Elder Strix?!"

Walan was terrified.

Elder Strix turned into a prismatic beam of light and appeared before Walan.

"Dirty bastard! You dare rob the sect!?"

Elder Strix thundered as he grabbed Walan by the throat and smashed him on the floor.

Walan was dumbstruck.

Rob? Who!?