Chapter 3 : First Technique of Chaos
The swirling energy faded from Lin Ho's palm, drawn inward by his body.
And then… something shifted.
He staggered—not in pain, but as if the world around him dimmed. His senses withdrew deep into his body, descending beyond skin, beyond muscle, beyond bone—
Into the marrow.
His entire inner frame lit up, veins and core pulsating like rivers of molten light. Most cultivators prepared for months—sometimes years—before daring to step into Marrow Tempering, the stage that rebuilt the very foundation of life.
But for Lin Ho, the Primordial Flow Art didn't just guide Qi.
It revealed the way.
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The Silent Breakthrough
From his dantian, the Chaos Core pulsed again. This time it spun faster, drawing in spiritual Qi in chaotic spirals — each one weaving perfectly into his energy network.
Within his marrow, the transformation began.
Most cultivators experienced agony as impurities were burned out from the inside. Blood boiled. Nerves screamed.
Lin Ho?
He felt nothing but balance.
Yin and yang, hot and cold, fast and slow — all opposites swirled together and became one.
> "I'm not forcing the breakthrough…"
> "It's unfolding on its own."
Golden filaments formed in his marrow — thin threads of power that linked his skeleton, meridians, and blood. His entire body resonated with energy.
> Marrow Tempering – Initiated.
Marrow Tempering – Complete.
A soft sound echoed from within: Chhk.
The marrow in his bones had been reborn — denser, purer, filled with a vitality far beyond the peak of human refinement.
---
A Realm Above Mortals
Lin Ho opened his eyes.
This time, the world truly felt different.
He could hear ants crawling under the roots. Smell dew evaporating from distant leaves. His sight sharpened. His breath synced with the rise and fall of wind currents.
His heart beat once—and the Qi around him flinched.
He hadn't just broken through.
He had finished the entire Body Tempering Realm — in a single night and a morning's meditation.
What should have taken a decade... was done.
---
Unfathomable Calm
Ordinary breakthroughs left cultivators with spiritual instability. They'd need days to settle their Qi. Elders taught careful breathing patterns to avoid going mad from sudden growth.
But Lin Ho felt no strain.
The Chaos within him flowed with such natural precision that even this explosive leap felt like… breathing.
And still, the world remained silent.
No tremors. No distant cultivators sensing a breakthrough.
Because Chaos didn't roar. Chaos whispered.
---
End of the Beginning
He stood beneath the pine tree again, flexing his hand. Strength flooded every limb, every fiber.
> "Marrow Tempering… already."
He exhaled, and golden mist swirled briefly from his nose.
His eyes turned to the east, toward the rising sun.
> "Now… I can finally walk forward. Not as a helpless child."
"But as someone worthy of chasing answers."
Of his parents.
Of the secret realm.
Of the power buried deep in his blood.
And so, without fanfare, Lin Ho walked from the Lin courtyard.
Behind him, the wind stirred the pine's needles.
Ahead of him, fate watched in silence.