003 : The mystery of the Ancient corpse.
Lin Tian stood in the center of the training ground. The air was heavy with silence.
Dozens of disciples, who once mocked him daily, now stared at him with shock and fear.
Mo Wu, the so-called genius of the outer sect, lay on the ground, coughing blood.
The same Mo Wu who had beaten Lin Tian countless times before… had just been defeated in a single move.
But Lin Tian barely paid attention to the stunned crowd.
Something else was on his mind.
When he absorbed Mo Wu's qi, something strange had happened.
It wasn't just energy.
For a brief moment, Lin Tian had felt something deeper—a glimpse of Mo Wu's cultivation techniques, a faint understanding of his battle instincts.
It was as if he had stolen a fragment of Mo Wu's experience.
"Is this… the true power of Devourer Qi?"
Before, he thought he could only absorb energy. But now… it seemed his abilities went far beyond that.
Just as he was lost in thought, a voice interrupted.
"Lin Tian."
He turned to see Elder Liu watching him from the platform.
Unlike the other disciples, Elder Liu wasn't shocked—he was intrigued.
"You have changed," Elder Liu said slowly. "But I am not yet convinced."
Lin Tian said nothing, simply waiting for the elder to continue.
Elder Liu stroked his beard. "Tomorrow, the sect will hold the Inner Pavilion Selection. If you truly have improved, then prove yourself there."
Gasps spread through the crowd.
"The Inner Pavilion Selection?!"
"He can't be serious! That test is for elite outer disciples!"
"Even if Lin Tian is stronger now, he's still nowhere near that level!"
But Lin Tian… simply nodded.
"Very well."
Elder Liu raised an eyebrow, as if amused by his confidence. "Good. We shall see if you are truly worth keeping."
Then, without another word, he turned and left.
The murmuring disciples gradually dispersed as well, throwing wary glances at Lin Tian.
Some still doubted him. Others had already begun to fear him.
And Mo Wu?
He simply lay there, too weak to even glare at Lin Tian.
Lin Tian had taken everything from him.
But Lin Tian didn't care.
His mind was elsewhere.
The Inner Pavilion Selection… and the secrets of his newfound power.
"What exactly did I inherit from that corpse?"
And more importantly—
How far could this power take me?
That night, Lin Tian didn't return to the outer disciple dorms.
He walked deep into the mountains behind the sect, following a hidden path only known to a few.
He needed time alone.
Everything that happened today confirmed one thing—his power was far beyond normal cultivation methods.
"But it's also unstable."
He clenched his fist. He could feel qi constantly surging inside him, never settling.
If he didn't learn to control it, his own strength could kill him.
Standing on a rocky ledge overlooking a deep valley, he took a deep breath and began his first real training.
---
Step 1: Qi Control
Lin Tian sat cross-legged, focusing inward.
Most cultivators absorbed qi slowly, bit by bit.
But for him?
Qi flooded into his body constantly.
The moment he relaxed, the surrounding energy rushed toward him.
No wonder I feel so restless.
He had been unintentionally absorbing loose qi from the air, overwhelming his own dantian.
"Then… what if I control the flow instead of stopping it?"
Lin Tian slowed his breathing and imagined his dantian as a vast ocean. Instead of forcing qi to stop, he visualized it spreading evenly across his body.
WHOOOM!
The wild, chaotic qi inside him instantly stabilized.
His eyes snapped open.
"It worked."
Just like that, he solved his first problem.
---
Step 2: Testing Qi Absorption Limits
Lin Tian picked up a spiritual stone from his storage pouch.
These stones contained concentrated qi and were commonly used by sect disciples for training.
He placed it in his palm and focused on absorbing.
Instantly—the stone turned gray and crumbled to dust.
Lin Tian's eyes widened.
"A full mid-grade spiritual stone… absorbed in less than a second?"
Even top geniuses needed several minutes to absorb one.
But for him, it was instant.
His ability wasn't just strong—it was unnatural.
"If I absorb qi too fast, I won't even have time to refine it properly…"
He needed to limit his absorption speed. Otherwise, he would advance too quickly without truly understanding his power.
---
Step 3: Combat Experimentation
Lin Tian turned his gaze toward the forest.
Wild beasts roamed these mountains, many infused with natural qi.
Perfect test subjects.
A few minutes later, he encountered a Black Fang Panther, a Grand Qi Realm beast with razor-sharp claws.
Normally, outer disciples needed a team to fight one.
Lin Tian?
He stepped forward alone.
The panther growled and leaped at him, claws shining with qi.
Lin Tian didn't dodge. Instead, he touched the beast's forehead.
SHHHH!
The panther's body froze. Its qi rushed out, flowing into Lin Tian's palm.
Seconds later—it collapsed, lifeless.
Lin Tian took a slow breath.
"This… is too easy."
He had stolen everything from the beast without even throwing a punch.
His power wasn't just about absorbing qi.
It was the ultimate hunting ability.
But as he turned away, he frowned.
"It still feels inefficient."
Yes, he could drain enemies instantly…
But what if his opponent was stronger?
What if they resisted?
He needed combat techniques—skills that could enhance his fighting style beyond just stealing qi.
"I need to find a cultivation manual."
The sect's Inner Pavilion had countless techniques stored in its library.
And tomorrow, he would enter it.
Lin Tian's eyes gleamed coldly.
"The Inner Pavilion Selection…"
"Let's see who dares to stop me now."
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