Nestled deep in the southern mountains, surrounded by towering peaks and dense forests, lay Longwang Village. Legend had it that a dragon had once manifested here, which was how the village got its name.
Early in the morning, the sun had just crested the horizon, casting its rays across the earth and filling the world with dawn's first light and vibrant vitality. Atop a mountain near the village, a massive bluestone stood in quiet solitude.
Seated upon the stone was a youth facing the rising sun, his eyes tightly closed as he quietly sat in meditative cultivation. The youth was Lin Tianchen, an ordinary rural boy possessing an extraordinary disposition and handsome, masculine features.
A faint golden radiance emanated from his skin, soft and bright like the first sliver of morning light. With his five centers pointed toward the sky and his hands formed into mudras, he breathed in accordance with a peculiar Qi-absorption technique, as though merging seamlessly with heaven and earth. With each breath, a mystical energy circulated through his body in a complete microcosmic orbit, surging within him like a colossal dragon.
Time ticked away second by second. Lin Tianchen remained motionless in his posture, his state of mind as tranquil as a mirror-smooth lake, without the slightest ripple. His body functioned like a precision machine, every movement flawless and unassailable. Finally, as the sun fully rose, Lin Tianchen opened his eyes. His gaze was as clear as water yet possessed an endless depth, resembling the brightest stars in the night sky.
Lin Tianchen slowly stood up, stretching his limbs and sensing the formidable power coursing through his body. He took a deep breath, his heart brimming with joy. After years of arduous effort, he had finally reached the perfection of the Yaoguang Realm. Just one step further would allow him to cross into the second major realm of cultivation: the Kaiyang Realm!
Lin Tianchen knew that he owed this achievement entirely to the Taiyi Bead. Eight years ago, he had fortuitously obtained this miraculous bead and acquired from it the divine immortal cultivation heritage known as the Taiyi Refining Heaven Formula. From that moment onward, he had embarked on a grueling path of cultivation, day after day, year after year, without a single interruption. Now that he finally beheld the fruits of his labor, how could he not be ecstatic?
In the ancient immortal era, mighty cultivators gazed up at the stars in the firmament, observed all things in creation, and comprehended the grand dao of heaven and earth, dividing cultivation into eight major realms. From lowest to highest, they were: Yaoguang Realm, Kaiyang Realm, Yuheng Realm, Tianquan Realm, Tianji Realm, Tianxuan Realm, Tianshu Realm, and Ziwei Realm. Every single realm was a chasm difficult to cross, requiring countless sweat and effort to break through. Yet Lin Tianchen already stood at the pinnacle of the Yaoguang Realm, poised to take his first step toward an even higher tier.
Gazing at the distant mountains, a surge of towering ambition rose in Lin Tianchen's chest. He knew well that the path of cultivation was long and arduous, but he felt not a shred of fear. He believed that as long as he persisted unceasingly and strove forward, the day would come when he would become a true powerhouse, looking down upon all living beings and mastering heaven and earth. Armed with this steadfast conviction, Lin Tianchen set off down the mountain. His figure gradually vanished into the mountain forests, leaving behind a lingering flash of golden light that illuminated the entire Longwang Village like the dawn of hope...
Returning home, he hastily swallowed a few bites of breakfast, picked up his herb-gathering tools and bamboo basket, and prepared to head into the mountains in search of medicinal herbs.
Today, Lin Tianchen set out to find a precious herb called "Zhengyang Grass," which could be used to refine the pill required for breaking through to the Kaiyang Realm—the Zhengyang Pill. His heart was filled with anticipation. If he could successfully break through to the Kaiyang Realm, he would gain a tenfold increase in physical strength. This meant that for every kilogram of force he struck with, he would reap the effect of ten kilograms, vastly elevating his combat prowess.
With the bamboo basket strapped to his back, Lin Tianchen walked briskly into the mountain forest. The crisp, pleasant mountain air made him feel incomparably refreshed. He followed a winding path, his gaze sweeping constantly over the surrounding grass and trees in search of any trace of Zhengyang Grass. Along the way, he encountered quite a few ordinary herbs, but none were the Zhengyang Grass he sought.
After a period of searching, Lin Tianchen finally spotted the Zhengyang Grass growing within a valley. It was a patch of green flora clinging to a cliff face, their leaves a deep green marked with faint purple veins. Carefully scaling the cliff, he used his herb trowel to gently dig up the Zhengyang Grass and placed it into his basket. Gazing at the Zhengyang Grass in his hand, Lin Tianchen's heart blossomed with joy.
Next, he continued searching the mountains for the other herbs he needed. It was not until the sun slanted westward that he finally returned to the village with a basket overflowing with herbs. Back home, he washed and air-dried the herbs, then set about refining the Zhengyang Pill.
Following the instructions of the Taiyi Danjing obtained from the Taiyi Bead, he placed the various herbs step by step into his makeshift, simple pill furnace. Because this was his first time refining pills, he came close to failure several times, and sweat coated his forehead. After two hours of unremitting effort, just as the spiritual Qi within his body was about to exhaust itself, he finally succeeded in refining a single Zhengyang Pill. Looking down at the pill in his hand that emanated a rich medicinal fragrance, Lin Tianchen wore a look of profound satisfaction.
He knew that once he consumed this pill, he would have a high chance of breaking through to the Kaiyang Realm. He took a deep breath to steady his emotions, then swallowed the Zhengyang Pill. The pill melted upon contact with his tongue, transforming into a warm current that flowed down his throat into his abdomen. Lin Tianchen closed his eyes, circulating the spiritual Qi within his body to guide the medicinal potency along his meridians.
As the medicinal power permeated his system, Lin Tianchen felt wondrous changes occurring throughout his body. His meridians grew broader and more resilient, and the circulation speed of the spiritual Qi within them accelerated significantly. His aura steadily climbed, and a formidable might radiated from his entire body.
Throughout this process, Lin Tianchen continuously adjusted his breathing and state of mind, keeping himself calm. He understood deeply that breaking through realms could not be achieved overnight; it required patience and perseverance.
After several hours of cultivation, Lin Tianchen finally sensed the opportunity for a breakthrough. Concentrating his focus, he poured all his might into assaulting the bottleneck of the Kaiyang Realm. With a muffled thud, Lin Tianchen's body trembled slightly. He opened his eyes, a flash of excitement dancing within them.
He had successfully broken through to the Kaiyang Realm! At this moment, his aura was far more formidable than before, and the spiritual Qi within him surged like rolling billows. He threw a test punch, and the fist-wind whistled through the air, stirring up a gale. Feeling the tremendous power inside his body, Lin Tianchen was filled with absolute confidence.
He knew that this breakthrough was merely a new starting point. The road ahead remained long, and he would face many more challenges and hardships. Yet he firmly believed that as long as he persevered with unremitting effort, he would certainly become a powerful martial artist.
Lin Tianchen stepped out of his room. A gentle breeze brushed against his face, carrying the crisp scent of the mountain forest and instantly refreshing his spirit. Pulling out his phone to check the date, he saw that today happened to be the fifteenth of the month. The Mirage Dragon deep in the mountains would undoubtedly come out to stir up trouble again; he only hoped that this time, no innocent people would be harmed.