The Eastern Ancient Forest—
A place where silence was never truly silent.
A dense fog of Luo Essence drifted endlessly through the air, coiling between towering trees like living spirits. The forest was ancient—far older than the Da Cang Empire itself.
The trees here were colossal.
Their trunks were so wide that even ten men joining hands could not encircle them.
Massive vines hung down like serpents, swaying gently in the cold wind.
The ground beneath was layered with fallen leaves, ancient roots, and hidden dangers.
And everywhere—
There was energy.
Pure.
Dense.
Unforgiving.
Medicinal herbs grew in abundance.
Rare plants that would cause chaos in the outside world…
Here—
They existed like common grass.
But no one dared to take them freely.
Because this forest—
Belonged to death.
One week later—
A white figure moved swiftly through the forest.
Silent.
Precise.
Unstoppable.
Lin Shuan.
His clothes were stained with dust and faint traces of blood.
His breathing was steady—
But his eyes had changed.
Sharp.
Cold.
Focused.
For seven days—
He had not stopped.
He fought.
He ran.
He survived.
Again and again—
Rank-1 mystical beasts had surrounded him.
Again and again—
He had cut them down.
He had learned.
Adapted.
Evolved.
But today—
A roar echoed.
A massive figure charged forward.
A Rank-2 mystical beast.
A towering white bear.
Its body was covered in jagged, ice-like crystals that reflected the dim forest light.
Each step it took—
Shook the ground.
Its eyes burned with killing intent.
Lin Shuan stood still.
His grip tightened on his sword.
The air froze.
Then—
"ROOOAR!!!"
The bear lunged forward.
And Lin Shuan moved.
CLANG!
Steel met crystal.
The impact sent shockwaves through the ground.
Lin Shuan was pushed back several steps.
His arms trembled slightly.
"Strong…"
But he didn't retreat.
The battle continued.
The bear struck again and again—
Each attack heavy enough to crush bones.
Lin Shuan dodged.
Countered.
Adapted.
Minutes passed.
Then—
With one final strike—
SLASH!
The sword cut deep.
The bear staggered.
And collapsed.
BOOM!
The ground trembled.
Silence followed.
Lin Shuan stood there—
Breathing heavily.
"Ha…"
"That took… quite a while…"
He walked forward slowly.
Picked up his sword.
Then—
Without hesitation—
He struck again.
Severing the beast's neck.
From within—
A glowing crystal emerged.
Radiating pure Luo Essence.
Lin Shuan reached out.
Took it.
And placed it into his sleeve.
The moment he did—
The bear's body…
Disappeared.
Gone.
As if it had never existed.
In this world—
When a being died…
And its energy crystal was removed from its dantian—
Its existence was erased.
No body.
No trace.
No history.
And yet—
No one used such a method.
But Lin Shuan did.
Because he had no choice.
When he first entered this forest—
He had been surrounded.
Desperate.
Cornered.
And in that moment—
He discovered something.
Inside those beasts—
Their Luo Essence was pure.
Far purer than what he could absorb naturally.
So—
He adapted.
He survived.
Lin Shuan sat down on a nearby rock.
Closed his eyes.
And began cultivating.
Within his body—
The dantian stirred.
Veins lit up like glowing threads.
A vortex formed.
The surrounding Luo Essence—
Was drawn in.
Flowing into him like a river.
His body relaxed.
His strength returned.
The vortex grew larger.
Brighter.
Stronger.
For a moment—
It felt like a breakthrough was near.
But then—
It stopped.
The energy scattered.
Dispersed.
Gone.
As if something had forcefully pulled it away.
Lin Shuan's eyes snapped open.
Frustration flashed across his face.
"Again…"
"How am I supposed to progress like this…?"
He clenched his fists.
"That old man said…"
"…he would be here…"
His voice turned cold.
"Did that old man… fool me?"
The forest fell silent.
Too silent.
Something moved.
A shadow.
A presence.
Hidden.
Waiting.
A Rank-2 mystical wolf—
Had been watching him.
Patiently.
Its body tensed.
And in the next instant—
It lunged.
Fast.
Silent.
Deadly.
Lin Shuan sensed it—
But it was too late.
There was no time to dodge.
No time to react.
The wolf's jaws opened—
Aimed at his throat.
And then—
PFFFT—
It exploded.
Mid-air.
Turned into a mist of blood.
Before it could even reach him.
Drops of blood splattered across Lin Shuan's white robes.
Silence.
Lin Shuan stood frozen.
His eyes widened.
"What…?"
"What just happened…?"
He looked down at the blood.
"…how did this…?"
Then—
A voice echoed.
Deep.
Ancient.
Carrying an authority that could shake heaven and earth.
"He… he… boy…"
"You should thank me…"
"…you survived today."**
Lin Shuan's heart trembled.
He looked around instantly.
"Who…?"
"Who is there?!"
"Show yourself!"
The moment his words fell—
The world changed.
The ground trembled.
The forest shook.
Every beast—
Weak or strong—
Fell silent.
Then—
They bowed.
All of them.
Heads lowered.
Bodies trembling.
Not in fear.
But in reverence.
As if—
Their emperor had arrived.
The sky distorted.
Space itself began to shrink—
Rippling like water.
A golden light spread across the heavens.
Blinding.
Majestic.
Overwhelming.
And from within—
A figure emerged.
Golden.
His body radiated divine light.
His hair shimmered like molten gold.
His eyes—
Burned like suns.
Golden horns curved from his head.
His presence alone—
Made the world kneel.
Lin Shuan's breath stopped.
His pupils shrank.
"…it's him…"
"The one… from that day…"
"The one who appeared in my dantian…"
His heart pounded violently.
"Just how powerful… is he…?"
"Maybe…"
"He truly holds the path forward…!"
The golden figure stepped forward.
Each step—
Caused space itself to tremble.
His gaze locked onto Lin Shuan.
And a faint smile appeared.
"Boy…"
"If I wanted to deceive you…"
"…you wouldn't even be worthy of it."**
Lin Shuan froze.
The man continued—
"I have already taken you as my disciple."
"What do you think about that?"
Silence.
Then—
Something inside Lin Shuan broke.
All the pain.
All the loss.
All the loneliness.
He spoke.
And told everything.
From the Luo Academy…
To the ambush…
To the destruction of his clan…
His voice trembled.
But he didn't stop.
The golden man listened quietly.
Then—
He frowned slightly.
"Your fate…"
His gaze lifted toward the sky.
As if seeing something far beyond.
"…that past…"
A strange emotion passed through his eyes.
Lin Shuan's vision blurred.
Without hesitation—
He dropped to his knees.
"I…"
"Lin Shuan…"
"…from today onward…"**
"…am your disciple."**
"…Master."**
His voice—
Firm.
Unshakable.
As if—
He had made this decision long ago.
The golden man turned.
For the first time—
He looked surprised.
Then—
A gentle smile appeared.
"There is no need…"
"For me—Tian Wuchen…"
"…to accept you."**
"Because…"**
"I already made you my disciple… long ago."**
Silence.
Then—
Both of them laughed.
For the first time—
Since everything began—
Lin Shuan smiled.
A real smile.
The sun slowly set.
Golden light faded into darkness.
And under that fading sky—
A master…
And his disciple…
Stood at the beginning of a path—
That would shake the entire universe.