Chapter Two: The Celestial Continent

The next morning.

A young boy sat cross-legged on his bed. He appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen, his hands forming intricate seals before his chest. “Whew... it’s almost stabilized,” he murmured to himself. With a long exhalation, he slowly opened his eyes. This was Lu Han.

Lu Han rose and stretched his body. When his gaze fell on the two scrolls on his desk, excitement flickered in his eyes. He eagerly picked them up.

“Mystic Water Technique” and “Shattering Star Palm.”

Lu Han immersed his mind into the scrolls.

“Mystic Water Technique, a mid-tier Yellow-grade cultivation method. Though merely a mid-tier Yellow-grade, should one comprehend the water attribute and cultivate a trace of Mystic Water, its power rivals high-tier Yellow-grade techniques. Shattering Star Palm, a mid-tier Yellow-grade martial skill. Mastery of this palm can shatter starstones.”

“No wonder Father said he’d acquired a treasure at the last auction—this must be the Mystic Water Technique. No wonder I didn’t feel at all fatigued after training all night,” Lu Han muttered, his eyes shining with anticipation.

Despite his age, Lu Han understood the basics.

The land they lived on was called the Vast Sky Continent, where martial arts reigned supreme—a world where might made right.

From what Lu Han knew, the cultivation realms were divided into Postnatal, Prenatal, Profound Lord, and Earth King. Each realm was further split into nine levels, each a hard-won step. Advancement was painstakingly difficult.

A person’s strength depended not only on their own cultivation, but also on the techniques and martial skills they practiced. These were classified into four grades: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow—from highest to lowest. Each grade was further split into lower, mid, and upper tiers.

The caliber of one’s cultivation method determined future achievements; clearly, practicing a Profound-grade technique would be superior to a Yellow-grade one.

Similarly, powerful martial skills could allow one to defeat opponents of equal or even higher cultivation.

However, high-grade techniques and skills were not so easily obtained.

The most common on the continent were basic Yellow-grade techniques, ubiquitous and ordinary. Small families might possess mid- or even high-tier Yellow-grade skills. Profound-grade methods were typically found only in prominent clans or sects. As for Earth-grade techniques...

“Only the royal family of the Grand Xia Empire or great sects like the Skybreaker Sect might possess those,” Lu Han mused.

Heaven-grade techniques? Their existence was uncertain. At least, in the past few centuries, no news of a Heaven-grade method had reached the Grand Xia Empire.

For a fifteen-year-old who had never left Maple Leaf City, Lu Han’s knowledge was impressive. All he knew, he’d learned from questioning the Third Elder in the Martial Arts Pavilion.

Family rules dictated that only upon reaching the sixth level of the Postnatal realm could one venture out for family missions.

“Once I master Shattering Star Palm, I’ll finally be able to see the world beyond with my uncle,” Lu Han thought, a surge of excitement rising within him. After all, he was still just a boy of fifteen.

It was customary for first-timers on family missions to be accompanied by an elder. Lu Ran, for instance, had spent half a year completing missions with his uncle before venturing out alone or with other young clan members.

Lu Han pushed open his door and walked toward the inner courtyard.

The training grounds were already bustling with thirty or forty youths, boys and girls alike, all engrossed in their exercises. One boy, seizing a moment when the instructor wasn’t looking, slipped away toward Lu Han’s courtyard.

“Lu Han, you’ve broken through already? I wasn’t here yesterday, but congratulations are in order! Fifteen years old and already at the sixth level of the Postnatal realm—you’re a genius of our family now,” a cheerful voice called from outside the courtyard.

It was the boy who’d just snuck away—Lu Hai, the adopted son of Lu Han’s third uncle, rescued during one of his missions. He and Lu Han were much the same age and had been close since childhood.

“I’m hardly a genius. Brother Lu Hui broke through to the sixth level at fourteen, a year younger than me. He’s the true genius of the Lu family! He’s even become a disciple under an elder of the Skybreaker Sect,” Lu Han replied with a smile, a touch of envy in his eyes at the mention of Lu Hui.

Lu Hui was the son of Lu Han’s eldest uncle.

Five years ago, Lu Hui had broken through to the sixth level of the Postnatal realm, catching the eye of a passing elder from the Golden Sun Sect, who promptly accepted him as a disciple and took him away. To be chosen by such an elder—whose minimum cultivation was that of a Profound Lord—was a rare honor. Lu Tianlin, the patriarch, had held a grand banquet for three days to celebrate. The family’s only other Profound Lord had been Lu Han’s grandfather, the previous patriarch. Lu Hui hadn’t returned in years, but he often sent letters home.

“Yes, he’s our uncle’s pride, and Lu Ran is quite talented too. Uncle has had a glorious few years,” Lu Hai remarked with a sigh, marveling at the accomplishments of both sons.

Speaking of Lu Ran, one had to mention Lu Han’s eldest uncle, Lu Tianlin—the current head of the Lu family.

Lu Tianlin had two sons: Lu Hui, now nineteen and studying at the Golden Sun Sect, and Lu Ran, who broke through to the sixth level at seventeen—a respectable achievement, as most family members reached it at eighteen. Now eighteen, Lu Ran, though not quite as gifted as his brother, was already on the verge of the seventh level. With both sons excelling, Lu Tianlin’s prestige had soared.

“You’ve reached the sixth level now—did you receive a martial skill? I wonder when I’ll break through myself,” Lu Hai sighed.

“Yes, I got a mid-tier Yellow-grade technique, Shattering Star Palm. I’m just about to start training it,” Lu Han said proudly.

“My father promised me one too, once I break through. I’d better get back to the training grounds before the Black Coach catches me. If he finds out I snuck away, I’ll be punished again.” At the mention of the coach, Lu Hai shrank back instinctively.

“Hurry then, or you’ll end up running thirty laps around the grounds again,” Lu Han said with a laugh.

The Black Coach, who supervised the training grounds, was named Lu Meng. True to his name, he was tall, imposing, and dark-skinned—a formidable man at the second level of the Prenatal realm. He was strict with the youths, punishing any mistakes harshly. Lu Hai once arrived late and was forced to run thirty laps as punishment. Ever since, he’d secretly dubbed him the Black Coach.

“Let’s see if Shattering Star Palm is difficult to learn,” Lu Han muttered to himself.

He sat down where he was, drew out the Shattering Star Palm scroll, closed his eyes, and immersed his mind in its contents...

Meanwhile, in Lu Tianlin’s residence.

“Ran’er, I do not blame you for what happened this time,” a voice spoke gently.

A middle-aged man sat on a grand armchair in the main hall, dressed in black robes. His features bore a resemblance to Lu Tianhong—this was Lu Han’s eldest uncle, Lu Tianlin.

Lu Ran stood beside him, handing over a cup of tea. “Father, I hesitated at the time. If only I had—”

“It’s fortunate you didn’t intervene. Had you interrupted Lu Han and something had happened, you would not have escaped blame. You came from the fifth level of the Postnatal realm—who would believe you didn’t know better? Do you think Lu Tianhong is so easily fooled?” Lu Tianlin waved his hand dismissively after taking a sip.

“You have a family mission tomorrow. Lu Han is now at the sixth level. Find a way to let him overhear that your mission is to pick Violet Spirit Flowers in the Cold Abyss Forest,” Lu Tianlin instructed.

“By the way, have someone retrieve those Fragrant Condensing Flowers from the training ground. Acquiring them was no small feat.”

The Cold Abyss Forest—a mysterious, perpetually frigid woodland. At its southern edge was a vast, unfathomable chasm, shrouded in perpetual mist. It lay a hundred miles from Maple Leaf City and was considered a forbidden zone in the region. Still, for anyone at or above the sixth level of the Postnatal realm, the forest’s outskirts held little danger.

It was said that long ago, a pair of Profound Lords ventured deep into the Cold Abyss Forest and never returned. Since then, locals only dared to venture around the periphery, never into its heart.

“Father, the family has no missions in that area. My assignment is near Morningstar City, and I haven’t heard of any Violet Spirit Flowers in those woods,” Lu Ran said, puzzled.

“You need only tell him the flowers are there. I’ll give you a mission token—just hand it to him,” Lu Tianlin replied with a mysterious smile.

“And if he refuses to go?” Lu Ran asked.

“Oh, he’ll go,” came a sinister voice from within the room.

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