Breakthrough

Late at night, all was silent. Zhang Tie sat quietly in a dilapidated old Daoist temple, trying to rest for a while.

This Daoist temple had fallen into utter ruin. Aside from the relatively intact door barely preserving some semblance of dignity, the roof was already riddled with holes, and the windows had shattered beyond recognition, practically serving no purpose at all.

Though the night was deep, Zhang Tie had no trace of sleepiness. The series of changes from the day still lingered in his heart like a nightmare, leaving him feeling as though he were lost in the clouds, unable to see where the road ahead lay.

He had considered retracing his steps and returning to the Iron Bear Gang. There, he could quietly cultivate Spells. If luck favored him, he might even become the gang leader someday, establish a great clan, and bring honor to his ancestors.

However, how he would explain everything to the gang after returning was a thorny problem.

More importantly, he could not help asking himself: now that he knew about Immortal Cultivation, was he truly willing to remain in the Iron Bear Gang forever and become nothing more than a martial arts expert who dominated the martial world?

Now that he knew Immortal Cultivators existed and possessed a Spiritual Root himself, could he truly bear to abandon the path of Immortal Cultivation, a path that pursued mighty magical power and immortality?

The answer was obviously no.

But if he truly chose to embark on the path of Immortal Cultivation, how was he supposed to proceed? He had no sect or master, and knew nothing about his own aptitude.

For a time, Zhang Tie's thoughts swirled like willow catkins in the wind, chaotic and disordered.

The faint light of dawn gradually filtered through the broken roof and spilled into the old Daoist temple, adding a hint of life to the cold, desolate space.

Zhang Tie slowly opened his eyes. The confusion and hesitation from the previous night had vanished from his gaze, replaced by resolve and determination.

After a night of careful thought, Zhang Tie finally made up his mind to embark on this path of Immortal Cultivation, one filled with the unknown and countless challenges.

First, he decided to return to the place where the incident had happened.

According to Song Xingzhi's memories, his Storage Pouch contained the Cultivation Methods and Spells he practiced, along with more than seventy precious Low-grade Spirit Stones.

In the Immortal Cultivation World, Spirit Stones were universal currency. Not only could they be used to purchase all manner of goods, they were also an indispensable resource for cultivation. Therefore, no matter what, Zhang Tie had to retrieve that Storage Pouch.

After that, Zhang Tie planned to travel to Qin Kingdom, east of Black Phoenix Kingdom.

Wu Kingdom lay between Qin Kingdom and Black Phoenix Kingdom. From where he currently was, passing through Wu Kingdom to reach Qin Kingdom would take a journey of more than three thousand li.

Even traveling at full speed in a horse-drawn carriage, it would take at least two months.

Moreover, such a long journey would undoubtedly be filled with unknown dangers and unforeseen changes.

For that reason, Zhang Tie decided to use the Spirit Stones in his possession to cultivate first, striving to raise his cultivation to the fourth layer of Qi Refining.

Once he reached the fourth layer, he would be able to cultivate a marvelous Spell called the Wind Riding Art.

Once mastered, this technique would make him light as a swallow, allowing him to leap three or four zhang at a time. Whether for traveling or escaping in a crisis, it would become a means of preserving his life.

After reaching Qin Kingdom, he would find a suitable sect and join it, formally beginning his great path of Immortal Cultivation.

After eating some dry rations he carried with him, Zhang Tie rose and set out, heading in the direction from which he had come. Before long, he arrived near the collapsed cave. From afar, the surroundings were silent, and there seemed to be nothing unusual.

Zhang Tie did not let down his guard. He stood at a distance and watched without blinking for about the time it took to drink a cup of tea. Only after confirming that nothing was amiss did he cautiously approach the cave and begin clearing the mountain of rubble piled before its entrance.

The cleanup took a full two days. Fortunately, Zhang Tie had cultivated the Elephant Armor Art to the third layer. His immense strength made the work twice as effective with half the effort.

Had it been an ordinary person, they would not have finished such a difficult task in less than ten days to half a month.

Zhang Tie soon found the Storage Pouch he had been longing for.

He found a safe corner, sat down cross-legged, and followed the method in his memories, circulating the Spiritual Qi within his body and pouring it into the Storage Pouch.

In an instant, the Storage Pouch flashed with light and opened successfully.

Zhang Tie sent his consciousness inside and found a space about half a zhang square.

Inside was a small pile of crystal-clear Spirit Stones; a small sword emitting a faint glow; several books of Cultivation Methods; several sets of clothing; a stack of silver notes; and a bottle labeled Fasting Pills.

Other than that, there was nothing else.

The broad street stretched straight toward the endless distance like the spine of a giant dragon. The bluestone pavement shimmered with a warm, gentle glow beneath the brilliant sunlight.

Shops stood in neat rows along both sides of the street, their banners fluttering in the wind. Vendors' cries rose and fell through the streets and alleys, creating a bustling scene. The crowds flowing along the main road made the place seem especially prosperous.

At that moment, a sturdy youth sat by the window on the second floor of a restaurant, eating with gusto.

The table was covered in lavish meat dishes—chicken, duck, fish, and more—but most had already been devoured. The youth's appetite was truly astonishing.

This person was none other than Zhang Tie, who had been in Phoenix Crown City for more than ten days.

Ever since recovering the Storage Pouch, Zhang Tie had not dared waste a moment and had hurried straight to Phoenix Crown City. As someone from Black Phoenix Kingdom, since he had the chance to visit the Capital City, he naturally wanted to take a good look around.

As soon as he entered the Capital City, Zhang Tie rented a courtyard in a secluded area and began cultivating in seclusion.

At first, he had not planned to eat at all. A single Fasting Pill could keep him from feeling hungry for seven days. However, the taste of those pills was truly awful, and he simply could not get used to them. So whenever his cravings struck, he came to this restaurant to satisfy his appetite.

During these ten days, Zhang Tie had continuously cultivated with the aid of Low-grade Spirit Stones. His cultivation speed had advanced by leaps and bounds, improving with each passing day.

Seven days ago, he had effortlessly broken through to the third layer of Qi Refining. For a time, Zhang Tie could not help wondering to himself, Could I be a natural cultivation genius?

Besides cultivating, Zhang Tie had not been idle. He had also been studying several newly acquired minor Spells. There were not many Spells that could be cultivated at the third layer of Qi Refining, one of which was the Heavenly Eye Technique. The name sounded rather intimidating, but upon closer examination, its effect was merely to reveal the cultivation realm of people below one's own level.

If the other party's cultivation was higher than his, or if they had a magical treasure blocking detection, then it would be difficult to see through them. In addition, the technique could examine the density of Spiritual Qi in treasures. The better the treasure, the brighter it appeared.

As the saying went, beating a child on a rainy day was something to do when one had nothing else to do. Zhang Tie simply practiced this minor Spell as well.

Zhang Tie's daily life was monotonous yet fulfilling: cultivate, cultivate, and cultivate some more. He immersed himself in cultivation during the day and did the same at night. When hungry, he swallowed Fasting Pills; when craving good food, he occasionally came to the restaurant for a proper meal.

Spring passed into autumn, and time flew by. In the blink of an eye, a year had passed.

Zhang Tie was now nine years old, and two months ago, his cultivation had successfully reached the fourth layer of Qi Refining.

He had thought that once he learned the Object Control Art, Fireball Technique, and Wind Riding Art, he could set out and continue onward. Yet he had ultimately overestimated himself. Two months had passed, and he had only just mastered the Object Control Art and Fireball Technique. Today was the day he planned to begin cultivating the Wind Riding Art.

In a quiet forest outside the city, sunlight filtered through the dense branches and leaves, scattering flecks of light across the ground.

A youth stood in that secluded place. It was Zhang Tie.

Early that morning, Zhang Tie had come to the forest outside the Capital City to practice the Wind Riding Art.

After finding a suitable spot, Zhang Tie wore a solemn expression and closed his eyes, quietly sensing the flow of air around him. He took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes. His body lowered slightly, his hands formed a peculiar seal, and his lips moved in silent incantation.

In an instant, the faint breeze around him seemed to be drawn in, beginning to swirl slowly about his body.

Zhang Tie gave a low shout, attempting to control the airflow and gather it beneath his feet.

However, as this was his first attempt, he clearly had yet to master its trick. The airflow became chaotic, and he pitched headfirst onto the ground.

But he was not discouraged. He adjusted his breathing once more and formed the hand seal again. This time, he focused even more intently, devoting himself completely to controlling the Spell.

The breeze gradually became orderly and slowly lifted his feet. Zhang Tie was delighted and had just begun to step forward when his unstable control made him crash heavily to the ground again.

"Again." Zhang Tie gritted his teeth, quickly rose, and continued trying. His clothes fluttered in the wind, and his forehead was covered in sweat.

After a full day, it was fortunate that Zhang Tie was thick-skinned and sturdy. Otherwise, he would have ended up bruised all over. This poor start only made him calm himself and focus even more.

One day, two days, three days... At noon on this day, beneath the blazing sun, a sturdy youth could be seen leaping and darting through the forest. With every step, he crossed three or four zhang, an astonishing sight.

This person was none other than Zhang Tie, who had finally learned to use the Wind Riding Art skillfully after practicing for a month.