Three Source Aspects, the Bearing of a Supreme

"Roar!"

Before the system's voice had faded, a dragon's cry rose from beneath the Heavenly Mist Sect, resounding through the nine heavens!

"Boom!"

Then came Source Qi—so dense it resembled mist. In an instant, it filled every corner of the Heavenly Mist Sect!

"This..."

Zhang Xingfeng stared at the Source Qi within the sect. No, the Source Mist. His jaw dropped.

"Whoosh!"

His body began absorbing the Source Qi of its own accord.

"Ah, that feels good! So good!"

Zhang Xingfeng couldn't help crying out in delight, beside himself with joy.

"Mm... the sect's Source Qi problem is solved. I should work even harder at my cultivation."

Li Moqing watched the excited Zhang Xingfeng in silence.

He raised his head and urged, "Xingfeng, cultivate diligently. Strive to reach the third stage of the Qi Refinement Realm soon. That's where the path of your future cultivation truly begins!"

"Yes, Master!"

Zhang Xingfeng knew how important Li Moqing's words were.

When cultivators reached the third stage of the Qi Refinement Realm, they could awaken a Source Aspect: swords, thunder, wind, snow... the possibilities were endless.

The first stage of the Qi Refinement Realm merely allowed cultivators to begin cultivating. The third determined how they would cultivate in the future!

Three days later.

The Seeking Dao Mountains.

Hidden Dragon Valley.

"Daoist Qi, I've come to see you again."

Li Moqing stood before a solitary grave and spoke.

He set down the jug of wine in his hand. "Take your time with the wine, Daoist Qi. As for me, I'm going to break through to the third stage of the Qi Refinement Realm right here!"

With that, Li Moqing sat cross-legged in the valley and absorbed its Source Qi.

There wasn't much, but for Li Moqing, it was enough!

"Whoosh!"

A moment later, energy surged around Li Moqing like a turbulent current, making the surrounding air crackle!

"Clang!"

Suddenly, ten thousand golden longswords appeared around Li Moqing.

"Whoosh!"

In the blink of an eye, the swords rose together above Hidden Dragon Valley, shining like golden stars with dazzling brilliance!

In an instant, Sword Qi seemed to blanket Hidden Dragon Valley, sharp and overwhelming!

"So my Source Aspect is swords?"

Li Moqing looked up at the golden longswords sweeping across the sky and asked himself.

"Boom!"

Just then, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed amid the golden light.

The power of lightning erupted as if it would tear Hidden Dragon Valley apart. It was terrifying!

"Roar!"

At the same time, dragon cries rang across the sky, and divine dragons appeared, circling overhead!

The three visions intertwined in a breathtaking spectacle!

"What? I awakened three Source Aspects?"

Even Li Moqing could scarcely believe the Source Aspects above him.

Cultivators on the Spirit Source Continent could usually awaken only one Source Aspect.

Anyone who awakened two was already a "once-in-an-age prodigy"—one in hundreds of millions!

Those who awakened three were vanishingly rare. People called them "born with the bearing of a Supreme"!

Supremes were beings of the ancient era who had surpassed the ninth stage of Tribulation Transcendence!

Only nine had appeared throughout the long history of the Spirit Source Continent!

Eight hundred million years ago, near the end of the ancient era, two Supremes—Supreme Celestial and Supreme Spirit-Mixer—fought a battle for reasons unknown. It shook heaven and earth and made ghosts and gods weep.

That battle thinned the barrier between heaven and earth around the Spirit Source Continent and laid its resources to waste.

It also destroyed both their souls. They died, and their paths vanished. The world called it the Calamity of Mixed Extremes!

After the Calamity of Mixed Extremes, the Spirit Source Continent's Source Qi grew thin, resources became scarce, and no Supreme ever appeared again.

"Since I've awakened three Source Aspects, I won't squander the talent I was born with!"

"There are no Supremes left in this world? Then I'll become one!"

Li Moqing withdrew his Source Aspects and spoke with proud resolve.

His voice stirred the wind and clouds, echoing through the valley long after he fell silent!

The Heavenly Mist Sect.

Inside the sect.

Li Moqing had barely entered when he saw Zhang Xingfeng rise from the Dao-Enlightenment Stone, his face alight with joy, and rush toward him.

"Master, I've entered the Qi Refinement Realm! I'm a true cultivator now!"

Zhang Xingfeng spoke excitedly.

"Congratulations, Xingfeng. Cultivators in Search Province usually take a year to reach the first stage of the Qi Refinement Realm from nothing."

"You took only four days. Very good! Keep it up!"

Li Moqing praised him.

"You flatter me, Master. I'll work twice as hard!"

Zhang Xingfeng was still beaming, though his reply was humble and earnest.

"Master, you were away from the sect for so long. Did you have something important to do?"

After a few breaths, Zhang Xingfeng couldn't help asking.

"I went to visit an old friend."

Li Moqing answered quietly.

[Ding! A person destined to meet you will appear at the Cloud Offering Sect's disciple recruitment gathering tomorrow. Host, please go and take this person as your personal disciple!]

The system's voice suddenly rang out.

"Mm..."

Li Moqing considered this, then instructed him, "The Cloud Offering Sect is holding a disciple recruitment gathering tomorrow. I'll go take a look. Stay here, cultivate, and watch over the sect."

"Yes, Master!"

The next day.

Lone Cloud Peak.

The Cloud Offering Sect.

"Junior Brother, do you think anyone will come to this recruitment gathering?"

"I doubt it. Hardly anyone in Clearwind Town has the spiritual aptitude, and our sect isn't strong. People from elsewhere have no desire to come here for the trials."

"True. That's why the sect only holds a recruitment gathering once every ten years. Even so, no one came for the last three. I'm afraid this one will be the same!"

"Sigh... once we die a century or so from now, the sect may vanish from this world!"

Outside the Cloud Offering Sect, two disciples chatted idly.

Both were around sixty. They were the last two disciples to have joined the Cloud Offering Sect, and that had been forty years ago.

Their cultivation was only at the first stage of the Qi Refinement Realm. Time had etched its marks on their faces, and both had white hair at their temples.

They stared down the mountain path beyond the sect, longing desperately for someone to appear.

But deep down, they knew the chances were slim.

"Sigh... looks like no one's coming!"

Three hours later, Huang Yanyu, the junior of the two, sighed and shook his head in disappointment.

Just then, two figures appeared on the mountain path!

One was a girl of seventeen, dressed in white as pure as snow. Her black hair fell like a waterfall, and a trace of sorrow lingered between her brows, as though she carried troubles she could never put aside.

The other wore a green robe far plainer than the girl's white attire. She was only fifteen, and her face held a little more innocence.

She followed behind the girl in white, her manner deeply respectful.

Clearly, the girl in white held a higher position than she did.

"Miss, are we really going to join the Cloud Offering Sect?"

"I've heard this sect is terrible. Its leader is only at the first stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm. You won't get much help here, Miss."

"Please think it over, Miss!"

The green-robed girl knitted her brows and urged her worriedly.