Ascension, Blood, and the Dawn of a Sect

Seated cross-legged in the heart of a secluded cultivation chamber, Yang Yu took a deep breath, drawing in the dense, spiritual energy that filled the room. The air seemed to hum with an invisible power, wrapping around him like an invisible cocoon, urging him to harness its essence. The room, carved from ancient blackstone, pulsed with dormant energy veins, remnants of a forgotten civilization whose creators had long since vanished. The walls, worn smooth over millennia, held faint inscriptions that flickered to life with long-lost energy, reacting to Yang Yu's very presence. They seemed to whisper secrets, telling stories of times when this chamber had been the cradle of unimaginable power.

The atmosphere was thick with spiritual pressure, so dense it felt like a tangible weight pressing down on Yang Yu's chest. For ordinary cultivators, the air would have been stifling, almost suffocating, yet Yang Yu thrived in this environment. Every breath he took was a surge of vitality, but it came at a cost. The deeper the breath, the more his body and soul were forced to adapt, becoming attuned to the world's primal energies. Even the most seasoned cultivators would find it difficult to breathe in such an environment, but to him, it was a familiar sensation.

Before him lay a small, unassuming jade pill—a simple Essence Condensation Pill, typically used by cultivators to slowly refine their foundations over the course of several months, improving their dantian and laying the groundwork for future breakthroughs. To most, it was a humble yet vital tool, meant for steady, gradual advancement.

But for Yang Yu, it was different.

The System Prompt appeared in his mind like an ethereal whisper: Universal Multiplier Applied – 1,000,000x. With no hesitation, Yang Yu reached out and swallowed the jade pill, feeling its smooth surface dissolve on his tongue.

For a normal cultivator, the experience would have been a gentle one—a mild warmth would spread through their body, and they would feel a slow trickle of energy nourishing their dantian. It was a process of refinement, one that took time and patience. But for Yang Yu, there was no gradual refinement.

The moment the pill dissolved, his entire body seemed to explode with power. It felt as if he had swallowed an ocean of pure Qi—a raging torrent that surged through him with unstoppable force. His meridians burned, expanding far beyond their natural capacity, desperately attempting to accommodate the incomprehensible surge of energy. Every inch of his body screamed in pain as it struggled to contain the influx. His dantian, once the size of a small pond, began to grow at an exponential rate, swelling into a vast, turbulent sea that roiled with undulating waves of spiritual power. His cultivation base, previously at the Body Refinement 5th Stage, surged uncontrollably.

6th Stage... 7th... 8th... 9th... 10th!

Foundation Establishment!

But as quickly as the energy surged, the pain followed. It was as if his very being was being torn apart by the intensity of the breakthrough. His meridians trembled violently, threatening to rupture under the overwhelming pressure. His soul, too, seemed to unravel as though being torn from its very anchor. He could feel his body breaking down, like too much power was being forced into a vessel that wasn't prepared to contain it. The system had no limits—but his body did.

Cracks appeared on his skin, as if his very flesh were struggling to contain the energies within. Blood seeped from his pores, trickling down his body in rivulets. His bones groaned under the immense strain, threatening to shatter under the pressure. His organs, once in harmony, now felt like they were being reconstructed from the inside out. The transformation was unnatural—too rapid, too violent. Every cell in his body screamed, shifting and evolving at a speed that defied nature.

His heart pounded against his chest like a war drum, each beat sending tidal waves of spiritual energy surging through his veins, crashing against the walls of his internal organs. He clenched his fists, fighting to maintain control. The pain was unbearable, but he couldn't afford to falter.

System Alert: Overload Warning – Balance Required.

Sweat poured down his forehead, but he did not stop. His hands trembled as he instinctively activated the system's refinement function, drawing on its power to stabilize the chaotic surge of energy within him. The raw Qi began to calm, slowly refining into something purer, more manageable. Slowly, but surely, the raging storm inside him began to subside. His cultivation base solidified, coming to rest at the Foundation Establishment Perfection Stage.

Yang Yu exhaled a slow breath, the mist of golden energy swirling around him. His vision swam momentarily as the lingering energy settled and his body adjusted to its new state. The turbulence within him died down, the forces aligning in perfect harmony with the heavenly Dao. His spiritual sense expanded, stretching beyond the confines of the chamber, touching the very fabric of the world around him. He could sense the pulse of the earth, the whisper of the wind, the steady beat of life itself.

Breakthrough complete. But he wasn't finished yet.

Without hesitation, he reached into his spatial ring and retrieved a single mid-grade spirit stone. To an ordinary cultivator, this spirit stone would offer only a modest boost to their Qi reserves, barely enough to sustain a week of cultivation. To Yang Yu, it was a mountain of energy, a treasure beyond compare.

Resource Absorption Multiplier Applied – 1,000,000x.

The spirit stone cracked in his hand, the sudden release of energy blasting outwards in a burst of radiant light. The chamber shook as the very air around him twisted and warped, as if struggling to contain the immense influx of energy. The ground trembled beneath him, and a vortex of pure Qi began to form around him, roaring with the intensity of a thousand storms. His body drank in the energy, pulling it deep into his dantian, compressing it and refining it into something beyond mortal Qi.

Yang Yu's meridians stretched once more, growing to accommodate the pure, divine energy coursing through him. His entire being shimmered with an ethereal glow, and layers of divine energy wrapped around him like a cocoon. He felt his body transforming, his bones solidifying like divine jade, his blood surging like liquid lightning. The very air around him vibrated with the power he now commanded.

Golden Core Stage.

A thunderous roar echoed within him, shaking the very core of his existence. His soul trembled with newfound power, and his consciousness expanded to encompass everything around him. The air shimmered, bending under the sheer force of his breakthrough. A faint golden rune appeared between his brows, glowing with an ominous light. It was a sign of something far greater—a glimpse of the future power he would command.

But even now, there was more. An insatiable hunger for power stirred deep within him, driving him to reach even greater heights. He retrieved another spirit stone, then another. Each one cracked open, unleashing waves of raw spiritual energy. His body devoured them greedily, absorbing the essence as though it were nothing more than sustenance.

Nascent Soul Stage.

Lightning crackled through the air, filling the chamber with the sound of thunder. His presence distorted reality itself. The walls of the chamber began to fracture, unable to withstand his ever-expanding aura. The very fabric of space seemed to tremble at the immense force he was unleashing. Yet, despite the overwhelming surge, there was a resistance, a formless energy that wrapped around him like an invisible hand.

A silent warning from the heavens themselves.

Warning: Cultivation Reaching Unstable Levels! Balance Required!

Yang Yu exhaled sharply, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Even with the system's assistance, advancing too recklessly came with its risks. He smirked, knowing that while his growth had been absurd, this was far from the limit of his potential. For now, though, this would suffice.

He stood up, stretching his limbs and feeling the surge of power coursing through his veins. The chamber, once a place of silent solitude, had been transformed into a maelstrom of energy. The very air around him felt thick, intoxicating. He paused, steadying his breath, before stepping toward the exit.

Outside, the night sky stretched endlessly above, a blanket of stars twinkling brightly as if witnessing the birth of something unnatural. He could feel the distant presence of cultivators, their weak auras flickering like candles compared to the inferno that raged within him.

The world had no idea what was coming.

Yang Yu clenched his fists and whispered to himself, "This is just the beginning."