Talent That Defies Understanding

The courtyard fell silent.

The other elders showed no surprise, no resistance. If what I had claimed was true, then my potential surpassed any seen in the Great Dao Zhu Dynasty for a hundred years.

I did not hesitate.

I lowered myself into a deep bow, pressing my forehead to the ground, my voice ringing with absolute sincerity.

"Disciple greets Master."

Three Months Later

Morning light seeped through the meditation chamber, casting soft shadows along the stone floor. I sat cross-legged, my hands resting lightly on my knees, my breath slow and steady. Across from me, Mu Yang, my master, held a composed posture, yet I could see the subtle tension in his frame. His fingers twitched ever so slightly, and the corner of his mouth betrayed a minuscule twitch.

His silence stretched for a long moment before he finally exhaled, shaking his head as if in defeat.

"From now on," he said, his voice laced with something between resignation and relief, "you should move to the Scripture Pavilion."

I blinked.

"The Scripture Pavilion?"

Mu Yang nodded, rubbing his temples as if I had personally given him a headache.

"I've taught you everything I can… and more."

I tilted my head slightly, waiting for him to continue.

At first, Mu Yang had been an eager teacher. He had introduced me to foundational techniques, guiding me through the intricate philosophy of cultivation. But soon, he realized something was… wrong.

No. Not wrong. Unnatural.

I did not learn the way others did.

For normal disciples, a single technique could take years to comprehend, decades to perfect. But for me? A single explanation would unfold a thousand doors in my mind. I did not simply learn—I understood. Every fragment of knowledge became a piece in a vast, infinite puzzle, and I instinctively knew how they fit together.

What took others months, I grasped in a single night.

What took others years, I mastered in days.

Mu Yang had watched this in stunned silence at first, then with growing unease.

He had tested me. He gave me techniques of increasing complexity, thinking I would finally struggle, finally meet a wall I could not climb. But each time, I not only grasped the technique—I refined it, offering insights that even he, a master of the Titanium Soul Stage, had never considered.

He had started as my teacher. But now, I could see it in his eyes. He felt like the student.

He sighed, running a hand through his beard. "I thought exposing you to advanced knowledge too early might harm your foundation. But now I see… such concerns are meaningless for you. Your comprehension is beyond what I can even measure." He looked at me with something between admiration and reluctant acceptance. "The martial arts stored in the Scripture Pavilion contain the wisdom of centuries. They can teach you what I no longer can."

The moment those words left my master's lips, a fire ignited within me.

The Scripture Pavilion.

A place of knowledge, a sanctuary of martial wisdom passed down through generations. Within its sacred halls lay the legacy of countless masters—twenty high-grade techniques, hundreds of mid-grade ones, and thousands more waiting in the depths. Each scroll, each tome, held the distilled essence of those who had walked this path before me.

I bowed deeply, my voice steady, yet beneath my calm exterior, excitement surged like a raging tide.

"I won't waste your trust, Master."

Mu Yang exhaled, his expression unreadable. Then, with a wave of his hand, he dismissed me. "Go. May the wisdom of the great masters guide you further."

That was the last thing he said before disappearing into seclusion.

And so, without hesitation, I stepped toward the gates of the Scripture Pavilion.

Standing before the towering doors, I felt a moment of reverence. This was the foundation of the Iron Vein Sect, a place where the wisdom of centuries was stored.

I inhaled deeply, pushing open the doors, and stepped inside.

Two days passed in a flash.

Xiao Huzi studied various techniques and, drawing inspiration from them, developed a body tempering method tailored to himself. The Iron Body Tempering Technique he created was a foundational martial art specifically suited for cultivators in the Body Tempering Stage.

It focused on strengthening the body to withstand the strain of combat and cultivation and martial arts. There were a total of four phases in this technique.

1. Skin-Hardening Phase: The purpose of this phase is to toughen the skin to resist cuts and abrasions. After completion of the skin-hardening phase, one skin would become thick and resistant, with a faint metallic sheen.

The method to reach Skin-Hardening Phase was to repeatedly strike the body with blunt objects like wooden rods or sandbags. After applying herbal ointments or immersing in medicinal baths to heal will enhance the toughness of the skin.

2. Bone-Forging Phase: This phase is mainly to strengthen the skeletal structure to endure immense physical strain. After completion, one's bones would become denser and stronger, which will help in reducing the risk of fractures.

The method to reach Bone-Forging Phase was to perform weighted exercises like carrying heavy stones or practicing martial stances under pressure. Consuming bone-enhancing tonics made from spirit beast marrow also made bone tougher and denser.

3. Muscle-Reinforcement Phase: It enhances muscle density and flexibility for explosive power. The muscles became corded with strength, which granted both endurance and agility.

The method to reach Muscle-Reinforcement Phase was to engage in repetitive, high-intensity exercises such as punching ironwood posts or lifting spirit-forged weights.

4. Organ-Refining Phase: This phase fortified internal organs to endure the strain. After completion of the organ-refining phase, one's internal organs would function at peak efficiency and enhance stamina and vitality.

The method to reach Organ-Refining Phase was to practice specialized breathing techniques like Iron Lung Breaths to expand lung capacity and purify the bloodstream, or consume spirit herbs that cleansed and nourished internal systems.

Along with Ironflow Circulation technique, Xiao Huzi also formed Steel Vein Refinement Art. It was formed through the accumulation of all the meridian strengthening techniques of Iron Vein Temple as well as Xiao Huzi's deep understanding.

It was a technique designed to strengthen and refine the practitioner's meridians and transform them into durable conduits capable of handling high-energy or speedy circulations.

The essence behind this technique was simple. The natural energy was circulated at a steady pace through all twelve primary meridians, dislodging and purging blockages and impurities.

This stage required extreme focus, as improper circulation can cause energy stagnation or damage. The practitioner had to compress their internal energy into dense threads and force these threads through their meridians.

This brutal process caused micro-fractures in the delicate energy pathways, but with time and repeated practice, these fractures healed stronger, transforming the meridians into conduits of unparalleled durability.

This technique, therefore, was physically taxing and required a strong will. The practitioner refined their meridians to increase energy flow capacity.

By alternating between rapid and slow circulation patterns, the meridians adapted to dynamic energy usage, making them more flexible and efficient.

"Two years," I murmured, my voice carrying the weight of a solemn vow. "With these techniques, I will reach the Meridian Strengthening Stage in two years. If I cannot… then I will have failed myself."

No one else.

Not my master, not the sect. Only myself.

And failure was something I did not accept.

For the next two years, I stayed in the Scripture Pavilion, forging my body and refining my meridians.

Two Years Later

Time was a strange thing. It passed like a fleeting whisper, yet when I looked back, it felt like a lifetime had gone by.

For two years, I had been buried in the depths of the Scripture Pavilion, where the scent of old scrolls mixed with the quiet vibration of spiritual energy. Every moment had been spent refining my techniques, pushing my comprehension beyond the limits of ordinary cultivators.

But knowledge was not the only thing I had gained.

I had come to understand the world I lived iVein The Iron Vein Sect was a pillar of strength, a force that had stood for over a thousand years. Yet even we bowed before the royal family of the Dao Zhu Dynasty. The dynasty was at its peak, its grip on the world unshakable. Every citizen was under its rule. Even a sect as ancient as ours had no choice but to lower its head.

The reason? Power. Absolute and overwhelming.

Within the Dao Zhu royal family, there were four cultivators who had reached the Titanium Soul Stage—a level so rare that even the greatest sects struggled to produce a single expert. The Iron Vein Sect had only one such master—Mu Yang, my own teacher. The other two great sects, Azure Wind Sect and Crimson Pulse Pavilion, had only one each.

Yet the Dao Zhu Dynasty royal family had four.

And this was only possible because of their foundation—their ancestor, the one who had established their rule.

A cultivator who had reached the fabled Heavenly Ascension Stage.

Throughout history, those who had reached this stage could be counted on one hand. They were gods among men, their strength no longer bound by mortal limitations.

At this level, a cultivator's internal energy fused with the very world itself. Their endurance was limitless. Their bodies healed as if by divine will. A single thought from them could manifest physical reality.

A Heavenly Ascension expert could reshape mountains, split the oceans, and bring entire nations to ruin.

And the Dao Zhu Dynasty had been built upon the power of such a being.

Though their founding ancestor had long since passed, his inheritance remained, his techniques preserved by the royal family. With his guidance—even in death—they had nurtured four Titanium Soul cultivators. And now, they sought to produce another Heavenly Ascension expert.

The world feared them for good reason.

And yet... as I sat in the depths of the Scripture Pavilion, I found myself thinking, "So what?"

I opened my eyes. Energy surged through my body, refined and tempered by two years of relentless training. I had pushed my Meridian Strengthening Stage to its very peak. My meridians, once fragile and limited, had been reforged into conduits of unparalleled durability. The Steel Vein Refinement Art had made them stronger than steel, capable of withstanding any energy circulation—no matter how violent.

I clenched my fists.

"The next step... is the Stone Core Realm."

To break through, I had to condense my internal energy into a core within my dantian. This was more than just a transformation—it was a rebirth. The core would become the foundation of my martial path, the wellspring of my future power.

It was a delicate process, one that many failed. If the core formed improperly, it would shatter, leaving the cultivator crippled for life.

But for me?

Failure was impossible.