Rapid Preparations

Ziyuan shivered when his mother's words set in. Just the thought of Madame Nyima made his skin crawl and blood run cold. Besides his family, the madame was the only person he was weary of dealing with. Mostly because the muscle-bound woman managed the most prominent brothel in the city and aside from his use of her ladies, their relationship ran deep and complicated.

The reunion of Ziyuan and Madame Nyima was definitely bittersweet in his mind. Sighing to himself, Ziyuan tried for the life of him to remember what Madame Nyima could want from him at this time. But he could only slap himself for having his people handle the affairs that he should have.

Still, he had to find a way to solve whatever problem the woman came with. Based on his mother's words. This was merely the first test of many before she would entertain the idea of him taking over the clan.

"Well, that was a bust." Ziyuan sighed, fell to the ground, and gazed at the passing clouds, "Go for a clan and get Madame Nyima…That old witch…Maybe…"

Ziyuan quickly shook his head to clear his thoughts. He never really had the intention to claim the clan leader position so early. It was a long shot and an easier ask than explaining what his true determinations were.

Sometime later when Ziyuan was refocused, he decided to tackle the problem of his foundation before all other things.

'Venom of the Nether Dumb Beetle… originally, I thought the Zhao's poisoned me after the core disciple tournament. But now I know, they sent an assassin. My cultivation would have stalled and the Zhao's will weasel their way out of the marriage contract. The feather of the Nine-Headed Divine Phoenix is truly a blessing.'

Still, Ziyuan looked at the rest of his body and sighed. While he was healthy, he was ultimately weak.

'Bone Tempering stage at 21 years old. I can't believe this was considered to be good talent on the Wind Serpent Continent. Not to mention the lack of quality in my body refinement technique. Tsk tsk tsk.'

During his first run, Ziyuan discovered the minimum requirements of a breakthrough. Most techniques in circulation capitalized on the minimum requirement and as a result, the continental cap was the Arch warrior. Without a solid foundation, only three percent of the continent broke through to the transcendent stage.

"The road of cultivation is long and faulted" he yawns as his stomach growled, "But not an impossible journey"

Ziyuan rose to his feet and sped off, The wind brushed against his skin and his robes fluttered in his wake.

When he appeared again at the clan, Ziyuan moved with air superiority. It had been so long since he had a semblance of respect without strife. He stopped in front of the third elder of the clan and requested a list of herbs from the treasury which was now held in his storage ring as the Elder of Treasury.

Without much trouble, Ziyuan received six herbs and roots of Yin and Yang attributes. By the time night fell and the world went cold without the cloak of the sun. Ziyuan sat under the shade tree and did the unbelievable.

'Burst' he commanded internally.

A liter of blood spilled from his orifices and the arcane energy within him rapidly fell to nothing. Clenching his fist in pain, Ziyuan endured, then began to stuff his mouth with all six of the heavenly treasures he received from the third elder.

Separate, the herbs and roots were meaningless. A few combinations became poisonous while some combinations became good remedies. However, together, they became an arcane expulsion drug made for those with arcanum congestion – a sickness that turned a person's internal energy into toxins, a rare and virtually unknown sickness that would become widely known until 490 NDE when the prince of the Eros Empire became one of its victims.

The veins in his body bulged from Ziyuan's skin and the temperature of his body transitioned from extremely cold to exceedingly hot pain. When the drug finally spread evenly throughout his body, Ziyuan began to cultivate the but not the method he inherited from his clan.

'Let's see what you can do when I train you from the beginning' Ziyuan spoke internally as he clenched his jaw to endure.

Though the technique was only composed of two layers, the rest lost to time, it held power and mystery fitting of the highest reaches of man. It was only thanks to his father that he was blessed with such a method after opening the Ogun Storage pendant before his original death.

While it helped him approach Divine Crossing at an incredible pace, he had acquired it too late and his foundation was unfit to fully exploit the training method.

Time slowly passed and the energy from the drugs within his body was beaten into harmony, melding together as they repaired and strengthened his body. Then the world then went still and the breeze suddenly reversed.

A storm of energy danced around Ziyuan and was pulled into his gluttonous vessel, reinforcing his strength, tempering his muscle down to the molecules, and reforging his bones.

Not once did Ziyuan cry out as his body bled and oozed pungent impurities.

In the distance, Didi and the Two Ancestors watched with intrigue.

'You say he wants to be clan leader?' Ancestor Shenxiu asked Didi

'Yes. But he isn't ready.' Did replied, watching Ziyuan's peculiar and stomach-turning situation.

'Nonsense. Look at him. Something happened in that fire. In this world many strange things take place. Have you ever seen a person destroy their cultivation and rebuild themselves in one step? It is the act of an expert.'

'Old Man, are you saying that's not our grandson?' Delan asked.

'I'm saying that he was baptized in special flames and now he practices an ancient cultivation technique. Those herbs and roots should have killed him. And the absorption speed of that technique is better than the Ogun's top methods!'

'That doesn't mean he is ready to lead the clan.' said Didi.

'In six days, The clans will send the younger generation into Star Fall Forest to hunt demon beasts. If he can place in the top five, he will bring the clan great wealth and I will allow him to be clan leader. Under the condition that he places first in the Core disciple selection of the Broken Spear Sect'

'Core disciple?! We decided to stay here.'Didi hissed.

'Plans change.' Shenxiu shrugged nonchalantly, 'Nephew Gu Long was right… I gave it thought and I've been thinking of ways to secure our safety in the process. For now, just focus on Ziyuan's growth.'

'And what if he fails?' Delan asked.

'Then we will strip his clan leader position and return it back to Didi until another is ready. But it doesn't change my mind about those traitorous bastards' Shenxiu replied firmly.'

'Still, it worries me…' said Delan, watching Ziyuan with a sharp gaze. The way his face twisted in pain without a cry and his fierce preparations, 'That boy is focused on something. I imagine he saw something in that fire.'

'Then we present the Demon Hunt to him and the requirements to take over the clan. Then we'll watch what he does from there.' Said Didi.

Didi had a small thought that maybe her elders saw something in her son that her maternal love blocked her from seeing. So she decided to let them lead if only for the time being.

All the while, Ziyuan stabilized his cultivation under the great shade tree. Though his power settled at the peak of Muscle Tempering, he could feel his foundation was broad and sturdy.

"Aish" he exhaled as he opened his eyes and took time to adjust to the sun that was now high in the sky.

"A night and half a day?" he asked himself aloud, "The Despotic Emperor Tactic is really something."

Ziyuan held out his hand and flex it a couple of times –opening his palm and forming a fist repeatedly. He then stood up and his body felt light and airy.

"The tactic and phoenix flame really make a good pair. It's a shame the Arcane Energy is thin in this region." he sighed, "Still, it's a rather good start."

He then bid farewell to the great shade tree. He no longer needed its comfort and decided to allow it to exist in memory alone. In a blink he was in a martial stance, his face tranquil. His body then twisted and flowed with intent as his arm extended, his hand transitioning from palm facing the heavens into a sturdy first that connected with the great shade tree.

A pop echoed and the tree shook once before it was reduced to dust.

"Hahaha, it seems I'm sturdy enough to use the twisting palm destruction fist. " Ziyuan rejoiced at his current strength.

Ogun Ziyuan made his way back to the clan. Only this time, it was more of a stroll. He took in the intense feeling of nostalgia now that he was back. But the peaceful atmosphere didn't last long as his ears twitched and he turned to look towards the source of the commotion.

"No one should be out here," he muttered to himself.

Though, he could only sigh. During his initial life, he was already on his way to the Huyan Kingdom at this point. Looking towards the clan, Ziyuan racked his brain and then pushed off to investigate the noise in the forest. Some few miles into the forest it began to grow denser. But it wasn't too hard to navigate having explored the land all his young life.

A short time later, Ziyuan found himself standing on a tree limb and looking down at a young man being chased by a group of five. While the majority looked like two-bit thugs, the fifth man was easily recognized despite his ragged clothing.

It was common knowledge that Morning Star City was run by three powers. The House of Zha was appointed by the Vermillion Imperial family as the city magistrate. Next was the Merchant Alliance's Kapur tribe, and finally, the Dark Hand's Lan Family.

The Dark Hand was an evil neutral organization praised for their information and despised by the shadow deals of killing and human trafficking for devil cultivators. But power ruled this world and things like devils and saints were merely titles only separated by power, personal choice, and not morality.

As such, Ziyuan was able to witness this moment of an unchecked young master of the Lan family pursuing a bloodied and battered young man at the edge of a cliff that topped the deepest gorge in the Star Fall forest.

"Lan Tian!" the young man cursed, "You won't get away with this. Even if you kill me, you'll never win her heart."

"Haha, you dumbass. You really have no idea of the greater world." Lan Tin cackled, "Sonali Kapur is the key to my Lan family's rise and her heart isn't needed. Kill this bastard."

Without a moment to waste the henchmen shot off and the young man flew back. Better to commit suicide than to die at the hands of an enemy. In the tree, Ogun Ziyuan shook his head in disappointment.

'Such youth given up so easily' Ziyuan thought in his heart, 'I could never.'

But the name Sonali Kapur rang a bell in his mind.

As Lan Tian and his men left, Ziyuan lept from the tree and stood at the edge of the cliff, and looked down into the darkness with an uneasy feeling.

"Sonali Kapur…" he said to himself, "The little Deva of Astiopa…It can't be the same woman…It was an entirely different continent."

Ziyuan felt a panic in his heart. He had to meet that woman –Sonali Kapur. And if she was in danger, he planned to wield this opportunity to benefit his Ogun clan. Ziyuan quickly centered himself and rushed to the clan. He had been away since the fire despite his brief visit for supplies.