As the night receded, the first rays of dawn pierced the horizon like golden arrows, slicing through the clouds to bathe the earth in light.
This golden beam seemed a divine bridge linking sky and earth, heralding a new day, brimming with vigor. Standing atop a peak, Lin Fan gazed at the churning sea of clouds, his face alight with a smile. "Ah, another thrilling day, bursting with energy!" he exclaimed.
Last night's breathtaking sights had elevated his spirit, his blood qi roaring like thunder, ceaseless and vibrant. Training all day doesn't compare to one night's soak, he mused. If I could do this daily, reaching 100,000 pounds of strength with one arm would be child's play.
Yet, a pang of regret lingered. Those full moons and lush peaches, so close, yet untouchable—only to be admired from afar.
"You're young, at the prime age for cultivation. Focus your mind on training," Qi Dao Lin said, opening his eyes within the dilapidated sect, casting an odd glance at Lin Fan.
"Dao Master, what're you talking about? I'm confused," Lin Fan replied, scratching his head, his face a mask of calm innocence.
Inwardly, he cursed. Damn it, this old creep's got some weird hobbies, spying on me like that. Shameless old perv.
Qi Dao Lin smiled faintly, offering no explanation. "Let's start today's morning lesson."
Lin Fan sat cross-legged, all business, ready to absorb the day's lecture on runes. A seasoned actor, he played it cool even if caught, pretending nothing was amiss.
"Runes embody the rules and order of heaven and earth… There are innate runes and acquired ones. Some beings are born with bone runes in their bodies…"
_
Time flew, stars shifted, and a year passed like a meteor's streak. Lin Fan underwent a staggering transformation.
His seemingly frail, unassuming frame now harbored primordial strength. One arm wielded 50,000 pounds, his body capable of lifting a 100,000-pound cauldron—terrifying power, unbelievable for his age.
At just five years old, his blood qi surged like a dragon, outstripping many ferocious beasts. A single punch could shatter stone, his bare hands snapping divine iron.
"This kid's a freak. His body's like an unlocked treasure vault. In one year, he's reached the Late Blood Transformation Realm, a feat others take two or three years to achieve—and he's only getting faster!" Qi Dao Lin marveled, watching Lin Fan spar with a young pixiu.
Over the year, Lin Fan had been a wellspring of surprises, igniting hope and light in Qi Dao Lin's heart. Whether mastering bone runes or cultivating, Lin Fan never faltered, his insight extraordinary. At this rate, he'd reach the Extreme Blood Transformation Realm within a year.
Hum!
The earth quaked, roars echoing as the battle intensified, reaching a fever pitch. Both sides fought with desperate ferocity.
"Roar!"
The gray-white pixiu bellowed, its tiger-like form swelling, its dragon-like tail rising, its horn radiating brilliant light. Countless beams shot forth, dense and relentless.
The attack was formidable, blasting the ground, sending dirt and stones flying, leaving craters—some several meters deep.
Lin Fan frowned, dodging the onslaught of beams. This opponent was formidable, the strongest beast he'd faced in training. Though only about two meters long, it wasn't a mere legacy species but a pureblood ferocious beast.
Despite its youth, its intelligence was sharp, adept at using terrain, feinting, and luring foes. It fought like a human, timing its treasure techniques with precision.
Whoosh!
Lin Fan lunged, swift as a great peng bird, his body aglow with radiant light, his crystalline muscles gleaming. His fist shone with metallic luster, striking forward.
The pixiu reacted instantly, raising its foreclaw to block.
Bang!
A deafening clash rang out, fist meeting claw in a piercing metallic screech, like divine iron colliding, sparks flying.
Crack!
The pixiu yelped, its claw snapping, blood gushing. Its body was hurled dozens of meters, crashing and tumbling further before stopping.
It couldn't fathom how this human child's physique surpassed its own, harder than any human's. Who's the beast here, you or me?
"Roar!"
Fury surged within it. As a royal descendant of the pixiu clan, it should've been pampered, not snatched by a powerhouse to serve as a sparring partner. Now, losing to a mere child was a humiliating blow to its pride.
As a direct bloodline, akin to royalty, it was no common beast. It was meant to dominate all clans, not lose to a human. If word spread, how could it face its kin? Branded a failure before even stepping into the world.
Enraged, the pixiu vowed to turn the tide. It spoke, its voice clear: "I will not lose!"
"Wow, you can talk!" Lin Fan exclaimed, surprised. It was his first time hearing a non-humanoid creature speak.
His guess was right—this pixiu's bloodline was pure, a descendant of an Archaic Vicious Beast, not a legacy species.
To the pixiu, Lin Fan's words were provocation, fueling its rage. Even with the mysterious powerhouse watching, it yearned to crush and humiliate this human child.
Boom!
Its eyes blazed, silver lightning crackling from its fur and horn. Runes gathered, electricity surging with vast power.
Avoiding physical combat, it opted for treasure techniques, playing to its strengths. It noticed Lin Fan, despite his formidable physique, hadn't used any rune-based techniques. Whether from arrogance, ignorance, or lack of training, this was its chance. Victory meant freedom, as the powerhouse had promised.
The void rumbled, thunder roaring. A massive bolt of lightning erupted from the pixiu's horn, streaking toward Lin Fan.
Shockingly, Lin Fan charged head-on, like a reckless ox, fearless of the lightning, meeting it directly.
"You're begging for death—don't blame me!" the pixiu sneered. If Lin Fan died, the powerhouse couldn't fault it—he hadn't dodged.
Crackle!
To everyone's disbelief, the lightning struck Lin Fan and dissipated, as if absorbed, leaving him unscathed.
"Immune to all techniques? Impossible!" the pixiu gasped, incredulous. Such a legendary ability, unseen even among great figures, in a human child?
"No… wait!" It corrected itself, noticing green light rippling from Lin Fan's chest, divine radiance enveloping him. Faintly, a web of bone runes shimmered.
The pixiu realized something, exclaiming, "You're a Prim—"
Before it could finish, Lin Fan, wreathed in lightning, closed the distance in a flash. His golden fist, carrying peerless might, struck a vital point.
Bang!
The pixiu's head took the blow, its brow caving into its skull with a sickening crack of breaking bone. Blood sprayed from its mouth as it was sent flying, a pitiful wreck.
It never imagined it was fighting a Primordial Being. Lin Fan's seeming immunity wasn't true invincibility but a supreme healing technique, its potent vitality rendering him nearly impervious to harm.