Chapter 8: The Path to Cultivation Begins

Wu Tian sat by the riverbank, his fingers tightly gripping the golden stone. The flickering warmth radiating from it was subtle, but undeniable. For the past year, he had kept it hidden, treating it as a mere trinket. But now, after the visions, the whispers, and the strange pulse of energy he had just felt—he knew it was far more than that.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing inward. He tried to will himself into feeling that strange energy again, the sensation he had encountered in his dreams, but it remained distant, teasing him with its elusiveness.

A sigh left his lips. "I need to figure this out."

His mind raced back to the orphanage, to the bullies who made his life miserable, to the sect he had joined that treated him like nothing more than a janitor. They all believed he was a cripple, unworthy of cultivation. He had believed it too, but now—now he had hope.

The golden stone glowed faintly in response to his determination, as if encouraging him.

The Name of the Place: Cloudrest Village & The Emerald Moon Sect

Cloudrest Village was a small, forgotten settlement nestled within the foothills of the Silent Mist Mountains. Far from the influence of the grand cultivation sects, it was home to farmers, hunters, and a few merchants. The villagers lived simple lives, oblivious to the vast world of cultivation beyond their borders.

The Emerald Moon Sect, a middle-tier sect, resided further up the mountain. It was a place where promising young cultivators trained to one day ascend into greatness. Though far from the power of the great sects that ruled the world, it held a reputation in the region as a place of rigid discipline and moderate opportunity.

Wu Tian had begged to join their outer sect at the age of eight, despite being a so-called cripple. The elders had laughed at his ambition but saw use in him as a janitor, scrubbing floors and doing menial tasks while actual disciples trained.

"A waste of space," the senior disciples often muttered as he swept the training grounds.

That was a year ago.

Now, Wu Tian knew better. He wasn't a waste. He wasn't weak. He just needed time.

An Attempt at Cultivation

Wu Tian pulled himself back from his thoughts, gripping the golden stone once more. He focused, willing himself to draw upon its energy. If he was truly meant to cultivate, there had to be a way to break past his so-called limitations.

He steadied his breathing, recalling the books he had secretly read while cleaning the sect's library. Cultivation required sensing qi, drawing it into one's dantian, and refining it into power. But no matter how hard he had tried in the past, he had never felt anything.

Until now.

The golden stone pulsed.

Suddenly, his surroundings dimmed, as if the world had been blanketed in shadow. The river's gentle ripples slowed. The wind, once brushing through the trees, fell eerily silent.

Wu Tian's mind expanded.

For the first time, he felt it—the faintest wisp of energy, a presence in the air, subtle yet distinct. It was as if the world itself had always breathed around him, and only now was he able to listen.

A spark ignited in his chest.

Then—pain.

A sudden sharp agony erupted in his body, like thousands of needles stabbing into his bones. Wu Tian gasped, his hands trembling. His muscles felt like they were tearing apart, his organs twisting. He doubled over, clutching at his chest.

The energy that had begun to flow into him had stopped.

"Damn it!" Wu Tian hissed, panting heavily. He had come so close.

The book in his dreams had warned him—to break the shackles, one must first understand them.

He wasn't just some unlucky mortal. Something was blocking him from cultivation. Something unnatural.

He clenched his fists. If he couldn't cultivate through normal means, he would find another way. The golden stone had already shown him a glimpse of its power. If it had led him this far, then there had to be more to uncover.

Wu Tian exhaled, forcing his body to relax. This wasn't failure. This was a beginning.

A Secret Technique?

That night, Wu Tian lay in his cot at the orphanage, his mind restless. The golden stone rested beside him, its faint warmth lulling him into a trance.

In his dreams, the book appeared once more, its chained pages flickering before him.

This time, the chains loosened—just slightly.

A new set of words appeared, written in golden light:

"Heaven Defying Body: The First Gate."

Wu Tian's eyes widened. A technique? A method meant for him?

Before he could fully process it, the dream faded, leaving him gasping in the dark.

His journey had just taken its first real step