Chapter 24: "After A Month."

After the warm and lively dinner with Qin Lian and Qin Mei, Ye Xiaotian returned to his pavilion under the quiet canopy of night. The Vermillion Flame Sect had grown silent, the excitement of the day giving way to peaceful stillness.

Stepping into his meditation chamber, Ye Xiaotian entered the Spirit World, the boundless dimension of chaotic energy that had become his sanctuary. Surrounded by the tranquil hum of swirling Chaos Fluid, he resumed his cultivation. The night passed without disturbance, the sect bathed in moonlight, as Ye Xiaotian immersed himself in his training.

Time flew by, and before Ye Xiaotian realized it, a full month had passed since his arrival on the Desolate Extreme Continent. Much had changed during these thirty days.

After his decisive victory against the core disciples and his ascension as the first core disciple, no one dared challenge Ye Xiaotian. The sect's disciples, from the outer courtyard to the core ranks, now regarded him with a mix of respect and awe. His strength had silenced all doubts, and his presence commanded reverence wherever he went.

Ye Xiaotian spent most of his time cultivating in the Spirit World. The only times he left were when hunger reminded him of the world outside. During these moments, he would head to Qin Lian's pavilion, where she prepared meals for him without fail.

Qin Mei had also joined these dinners, lured by her sister's newfound culinary talent. Despite her initial jealousy of the attention Qin Lian showered on Ye Xiaotian, their shared meals brought the three of them closer together. Qin Mei's playful teasing added a new warmth to their bond, and even Ye Xiaotian, who had always been guarded, gradually accepted Qin Lian as his elder sister from the depths of his heart.

Beyond the cultivation chamber and the occasional meal, Ye Xiaotian explored the Vermillion Flame Sect, its vast expanse revealing hidden paths, secret training grounds, and a history that stretched back centuries. He learned the legends of the sect's founders, the stories of its greatest heroes, and the intricate workings of its inner workings.

The Spirit World had become a hub of transformation, not just for Ye Xiaotian but also for his companions.

Seven days after beginning to absorb the Chaos Fluid, Lanyu, the black Kirin, awoke. Her transformation was remarkable. The once fully black creature now had faint streaks of blue running through her sleek body, giving her a majestic appearance. Small buds had appeared on her back, marking the future emergence of wings, similar to Yin'er's.

More than just her appearance had changed. Lanyu's mind had grown sharper; she could now understand Ye Xiaotian's words and respond intelligently. Though she remained a silent and reserved presence, her newfound intelligence and strength were undeniable.

Yin'er, the vibrant blue and red Kirin, had also matured significantly. Her playful nature remained, but it was now tempered with a growing intelligence. She had started learning how to fly, her small wings flapping diligently as she practiced in the Spirit World.

The two Blue Mountain Cattle were still in the process of absorbing the Chaos Fluid, but the changes in them were dramatic. Their once-simple forms had grown massive, their bodies now three times their original size. A faint golden aura surrounded them, and their presence exuded the power of beasts comparable to the Foundation Realm.

Ye Xiaotian's cultivation had advanced at an extraordinary pace. His spirit root, once ordinary, now glowed with a vivid green light, signifying its ongoing transformation into a Chaos Root. Ye Xiaotian felt a deep resonance with the Chaos Fluid, a sense that his spirit root was slowly but surely evolving into a true Chaos Root. He estimated that within another two months, the transformation would be complete.

This newfound power manifested in other ways as well. His control over his body had reached a level of precision he had never before experienced. He could move with a grace and fluidity that belied his youth. Ye Xiaotian decided to test his body's limits. Reflecting on his battle with the core disciples, he realized that the fight had barely taxed his soul or physical form. To push himself further, he began practicing body cultivation techniques he had learned in the Vermillion Flame Sect.

These techniques, designed to strengthen the body while exerting pressure on the soul, were notoriously demanding. Ye Xiaotian spent six continuous hours practicing boxing techniques and agility movements, his strikes and steps precise and fluid. Yet, even after this intense regimen, his body showed no signs of fatigue, and his soul felt only a faint trace of strain.

This realization left Ye Xiaotian both satisfied and determined. His physical control had reached a near-perfect state, and his resilience, honed by the Chaos Fluid, was leagues above others at his level.

In addition to body cultivation, Recognizing the importance of technique alongside raw power, Ye Xiaotian began learning martial arts techniques from the sect's vast library. These techniques were divided into attacking, defensive, and agility-focused disciplines. Though his master had instructed him to wait before advancing his cultivation to the Divine Vessel Realm, Ye Xiaotian saw no harm in honing his combat skills

Disregarding cultivation techniques for the time being, Ye Xiaotian focused on mastering the martial arts. He selected two flame-based attack techniques, one agility technique, and one defensive technique.

Having proven his strength and earned his place as the first core disciple, Ye Xiaotian gained access to the Vermillion Flame Sect's restricted technique library. His selections reflected a careful balance of offense, defense, and mobility:

Attacking Techniques

Blazing Dragon Palm: A fire-based technique that summoned a fiery dragon, which lashed out with destructive force. Its concentrated energy made it devastating in one-on-one battles.

Inferno Burst Strike: A wide-area fire technique that released a powerful wave of flames, overwhelming multiple enemies at once.

Agility Technique

Vermillion Shadow Step: An advanced-grade Earth-Class technique secretly gifted to him by Qin Lian. This technique allowed him to move with unparalleled speed and agility, making him nearly untouchable in combat.

Defensive Technique

Crimson Flame Barrier: An intermediate-grade Earth-Class technique that formed a protective shield of fire around the user, capable of absorbing and deflecting attacks.Choosing a Weapon

In the True Mortal World, spiritual techniques were classified into three primary classes: Mortal, Earth, and Heavens, each further divided into Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced grades.

Among these classes, Heaven-Class techniques were exceedingly rare. Even an elementary-grade Heaven-Class technique could provoke a bloody war among cultivators. These techniques were prized for their unparalleled efficiency; the spiritual energy absorbed through a Heaven-Class cultivation technique was at least fifty times greater than that absorbed through an advanced-grade Earth-Class technique.

It was so rare that even an Elementary-grade Heaven-Class technique could spark bloody wars, coveted by cultivators across the land. Only titans at the level of the Energy Mastery Realm possessed such techniques.

To Ye Xiaotian's knowledge, even Bing Meiren, as the daughter of the Sect Master of the Celestial Phoenix Sect, had cultivated only an advanced-grade Earth-Class cultivation technique. Heaven-Class techniques, even in the mighty Celestial Phoenix Sect, were reserved for the Sect Master and Grand Elders.

The Vermillion Flame Sect, though powerful in its own right, lacked Heaven-Class techniques entirely. Its most advanced techniques were of the Earth Class, a limitation that placed it below the most elite sects in the continent.

Beyond techniques, Ye Xiaotian selected a spiritual weapon: a dagger of intermediate Earth-Class quality. This dagger, forged with an alloy infused with spiritual energy, was lightweight yet deadly. Its blade shimmered with a faint crimson hue, indicating its alignment with fire-based techniques.

It's important to note that spiritual weapons were also classified in the same manner as spiritual techniques: Mortal, Earth, and Heaven, with each class further divided into Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced grades.

While Ye Xiaotian honed his skills and prepared for the challenges ahead, the Desolate Extreme Continent was in chaos. The Black Serpent Sect, one of the continent's formidable powers, had suffered an unimaginable loss.

The news spread like wildfire: Yuan Zhao, one of the twin Sect Masters of the Black Serpent Sect and a Soul Awakening Realm expert, had been killed.

Soul Awakening Realm cultivators were rare, their strength akin to forces of nature. They could destroy mountains and split rivers with a single strike. For over a hundred years, no Soul Awakening Realm powerhouse had fallen on the Desolate Extreme Continent.

The details of Yuan Zhao's death were more shocking than the act itself. Whispers began to circulate that the one who killed him was not a titan of cultivation but a Foundation Realm boy.

At first, the rumor was dismissed as nonsense. How could someone at the Foundation Realm defeat a cultivator whose strength dwarfed theirs by several realms? Yet, the truth was confirmed when another Soul Awakening Realm expert visited the Black Serpent Sect and verified the events.

The revelation sent shockwaves across the continent. Major sects, powerful clans, and rogue cultivators scrambled to investigate. The boy's identity remained a mystery, but one fact was clear: whoever he was, he had achieved the impossible.

Sects across the continent began deploying their resources, eager to locate this mysterious figure. Some sought to recruit him, while others saw him as a threat that needed to be eliminated. The search was relentless, but after a month, no one had found a single trace of the boy.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the continent, the boy they sought was cultivating peacefully in the Spirit World. Ye Xiaotian, oblivious to the chaos his actions had caused, focused entirely on his growth.

As he sat in meditation, surrounded by the serene energy of the Spirit World, he suddenly felt a powerful surge in the distance. His eyes opened, and he turned toward the source of the disturbance.

In the distance, the two Blue Mountain Cattle, which had been absorbing Chaos Fluid for weeks, were now surrounded by a golden glow. The once docile beasts stood tall, their auras radiating immense power.

"They're transforming," Ye Xiaotian murmured, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

The transformation of the Blue Mountain Cattle was a testament to the potency of the Chaos Fluid. Their bodies had grown three times larger, and their once ordinary aura now rivaled that of Foundation Realm beasts.

The Spirit World, once a tranquil sanctuary, was becoming a place of immense power. The Chaos Root within Ye Xiaotian continued its slow but steady transformation, and the beings within the Spirit World grew stronger alongside him.

As Ye Xiaotian watched the golden glow surrounding the Blue Mountain Cattle intensify, he couldn't help but wonder: If such growth was possible within the Spirit World, what heights could he reach in the mortal world?

End of Chapter 24