Spirit Qi Recovery Pioneer

Qingbei South Gate.

Banners fluttered, and the crowd churned.

The volunteers welcoming new students stood beneath the blazing sun, their eyes sweeping back and forth through the future freshmen, searching for newcomers to their departments. Yet without exception, whenever their gazes landed on the tall, graceful figure at the gate, they would unconsciously pause for two or three seconds before looking away.

Setting aside her looks, her temperament was icy and aloof.

Her peach-blossom eyes seemed full of affection, yet they appeared to hold ice within them. She looked distant yet ravishing, while her waterfall-like, silky long hair added a touch of purity to her aura.

She was Chu Qingli.

She had come to Qingbei alone and had just finished registering. As she waited for her luggage, she stood at the gate, her gaze falling on a lovey-dovey couple nearby.

"Love-brained."

After watching for a while, Chu Qingli withdrew her gaze and let out a soft scoff.

She knew very well that once she had set one foot into Qingbei, she had already succeeded in life halfway. After entering this place, she had to sever herself from everything that came before.

Fang Yi's resolute face surfaced in her mind.

The moment the results came out, they had been destined to belong to two different worlds. Now that they had broken up, everything from the past had scattered with the dust.

She would begin a new life.

And Fang Yi was destined to do nothing but hold her back.

After completely cutting off that last lingering thought in her mind, Chu Qingli slowly straightened up and strode into the Qingbei campus on her long legs.

However—

BOOM!

The moment she stepped onto campus, an incomparably dazzling golden light suddenly erupted from the direction of the North Gate.

It was as though the North Gate had been lit by a sun. Golden light cascaded down like a waterfall, spilling over the surrounding trees and buildings and dyeing half the campus red.

Under the golden radiance, the previously peaceful entrance was instantly filled with a mysterious atmosphere.

The students nearby stopped in unison, staring at the sudden sight in astonishment.

A ponytailed girl jogged over to Chu Qingli's side. She was a friend Chu Qingli had only recently met, with a nice temperament and a personality that clicked well with hers. At that moment, she too noticed the strange scene by the North Gate.

"The North Gate? Wasn't it sealed off?"

"Yeah. Maybe another supernatural phenomenon happened."

"A supernatural phenomenon? There really have been more and more strange incidents lately."

Chu Qingli murmured softly.

Recently, anomalies had been appearing everywhere: mutated giant trees, enormous pythons as tall as hills, bizarre rain that had continued for months in the south. It was not just within the country—things were the same abroad as well... Beneath the seemingly calm surface, some undercurrent appeared to be stirring, nurturing a world-shaking change.

It was frightening, yet also filled people with curiosity.

"Come on, let's take a look."

High-temperature warning at Qingbei North Gate. Students, please stay away from the North Gate. Do not approach!

The campus broadcast immediately issued an announcement.

But Chu Qingli had already arrived at the North Gate, and the sight before her made her frown slightly.

As far as the eye could see, the North Gate's metal gates had been melted by the scorching heat. Cracks covered the ground as if it had been ravaged by massive flames. Under the extreme temperature, the rocks and soil had melted into a chaotic field of lava. The lava radiated intense heat, making it impossible to approach.

A scorching smell permeated the air, stinging people's eyes. Scattered metal fragments on the ground glimmered with their remaining sheen.

The scene was utterly terrifying.

"And you're telling me this is just high temperature? I'd believe it if you said the place had been drenched in magma."

"Are you kidding me? How could 74 degrees cause something like this? Even an artillery barrage wouldn't be this bad."

"I really think the times have changed. Haven't you noticed how strange Xia Kingdom's news has been lately? Things that shatter your worldview are happening everywhere. It's unbelievable."

"Can any top student explain why the sky suddenly went dark and bright just now?"

"So I wasn't the only one who felt the sky go dark a few times. I thought I'd gone blind."

For a moment, everyone was stunned.

"What's going on?"

"What are you doing here?!"

Just then, a stern shout rang out.

The Principal strode over. Usually kind and amiable, his voice now carried irritation as his authoritative gaze swept across everyone present.

"Why are so many people gathered here? Didn't you get the text telling you not to come over? Hurry up and go register! Anyone who doesn't go will lose credits!"

Everyone shuddered. This principal rarely even came to the school.

More terrifyingly, the principal had not come alone. Behind him followed a group of people in military uniforms, every one of them extraordinary in bearing. They placed immense pressure on these ordinary university students, making them feel as though even one extra glance would leave them struggling to breathe.

Amid the pushing and jostling, they were all driven away, and the North Gate was sealed off as well.

Yet the alarming traces on the ground all pointed to the occurrence of something supernatural.

Chu Qingli walked at the back of the group. Before leaving, she vaguely heard the man in military uniform mutter under his breath, "It seems man-made. Has another person who came into contact with Spirit Qi early appeared?"

Man-made? Spirit Qi?

That terrifying scene had actually been caused by someone?

Her gaze swept across the forest, and she vaguely seemed to glimpse a figure.

Fang Yi?

The next second, she secretly shook her head.

How could that be possible? Why would he appear on Qingbei's campus?

In a park lush with layered greenery.

A figure strode in quickly. Only after making sure that the north campus gate was completely out of sight did he stop and let out a sigh of relief.

Fang Yi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

He had gone too far.

Causing such a huge commotion in the early stage, before Spirit Qi had fully recovered, would definitely draw the attention of the authorities. But exposing himself too early was not a wise choice—at least, he had no such plans for now.

So he ran.

However, what Fang Yi had not expected was...

The stir caused by the Golden Sun Breathing Technique was actually this huge...

Fang Yi lowered his head and looked at his body.

He was now like a tiny golden sun. Terrifying golden light flowed through his body, and with every breath, he exhaled waves of extreme heat.

He looked a little terrifying.

If someone happened to pass by and see him now, they would definitely film a short video.

"I feel like my whole body is overflowing with strength."

Fang Yi spread open his palm, and scorching golden light emerged in its center, flowing along the lines of his palm, brightening and dimming as though it were breathing.

It was a breathtaking sight.

Fang Yi had now been reborn. The Golden Sun Breathing Technique had filled every cell in his body with vigorous, blazing Yang power—something ordinary cultivators valued immensely yet could only dream of obtaining.

The Yang Attribute was domineering and forceful, and a body tempered by it carried those traits to the extreme.

Not to mention that Spirit Qi Recovery had not even begun yet—even in its later stages, such a top-tier Cultivation Method would only be within the reach of heaven's favored geniuses.

Yet Fang Yi had used such a powerful, domineering, supremely Yang and forceful Cultivation Method during his very first body tempering.

From his very first step, he had already left everyone else far behind.