Rainbow Village was a place with beautiful scenery and abundant natural resources. However, unfortunately, due to the greed of a group of people, the place became a no man's land that buried many of its residents and became the largest cemetery in history. Although five years had passed, the incident was still fresh in the memories of everyone in the Five Finger Mountains region.

No one expected that the once peaceful village would turn into a mass grave in just one day. The identities of those responsible for the incident were kept secret as if it were a taboo subject that could not be disclosed. Even as the ruler of the Five Finger Mountains region, the Black Dragon Sect was not entitled to inquire further into why the incident had occurred. In the end, however, a number of parties linked the incident to the existence of an object being contested by a large clan from the capital to become the true leader.

Life was indeed a place where martial artists competed to be the best. Those who called themselves cultivators often disregarded ordinary people in pursuit of their ambition to become rulers. However, this was only found in black cultivators who often justified any means to dominate the world. In their eyes, weak people were just ants who deserved to be oppressed and humiliated.

Xiao Shuxiang was one of the victims of these black cultivators. As a fifteen-year-old outer court disciple of the Black Dragon Sect who was at the Initial Qi Refining Realm, Xiao Shuxiang had the determination to become the strongest cultivator in order to protect many people and create peace on earth. This was based on his personal experience of becoming an orphan at the age of ten when the village where he lived was burned down by a group of people, causing his parents to be killed in the tragedy.

Xiao Shuxiang and some of his playmates were not at the scene of the incident, so he was able to escape the disaster. While he was mourning the fate of his village, he was fortunate enough to be rescued by a great swordsman who was also an elder of the Black Dragon Sect and took him in as a disciple and adopted son.

As the adopted son of the Second Elder, Xiao Shuxiang's talent seemed ordinary in cultivation and in understanding martial skills. During his five years in the Black Dragon Sect, his ability only reached the first stage, which was the Qi Refining Realm. This was in stark contrast to the other outer disciples who were already at the second stage, or the Qi Foundation Realm. So it was widely said that the Second Elder had only picked up trash on his mission five years ago in Rainbow Village.

Black Dragon Sect, outer court disciple public bathhouse…

"Bang…!"

A teenager was thrown backwards and fell hard to the ground. Luckily, he didn't hit a large rock, so his injuries were not aggravated. However, as a result of the incident, his mouth spewed a mouthful of blood and the pouch containing five spiritual stones that he was holding slipped away.

"You fool, as if being in your hands would make this thing useful," another teenager looked at him with disdain and said arrogantly, picking up Xiao Shuxiang's pouch.

"Brother Fan, that guy is too stupid and can't think straight. Even under the tutelage of the Second Elder, he is still a trash who can only be a waste of the Sect's resources," said another teenager who joined in bullying Xiao Shuxiang.

At this moment, Xiao Shuxiang's body was lying on the ground, the hard kick to his chest caused excruciating pain until he almost passed out. Under his blurred gaze, he could still see the shadows of Lin Fan and Lin Bao who had beaten him to the point where he could not stand. Xiao Shuxiang felt several of his ribs were broken and his legs and arms were paralyzed.

Previously, Xiao Shuxiang did not expect that he would be followed by the Lin brothers shortly after leaving the Resource Hall after taking his monthly ration. Usually, the disciples would immediately return to their residences after receiving the long-awaited resources. They would immediately absorb them to increase their respective cultivation realms. However, it was not the case for Xiao Shuxiang who wanted to clean himself up while the hot spring was empty.

Unexpectedly, the Lin brothers wanted the resources in Xiao Shuxiang's hands by force. Although he wanted to be angry at their actions, Xiao Shuxiang could only hold it back. The difference in strength between them was too great, plus this kind of thing was commonplace for weak disciples who were not careful, so the Sect did not pay much attention to this.

Today, Xiao Shuxiang was in a difficult position. Although it was only a spiritual stone, he himself desperately needed it to catch up with what he felt was an increasing gap with his peers. Even though he was the adopted son of the Second Elder, anything related to resources was strictly enforced according to the rules of the Sect. Xiao Shuxiang had the same opportunity as the others to develop at the early stage of Qi Refining.

Xiao Shuxiang opened his eyes, then with all his strength he tried to get up to take back the pouch that was in Lin Fan's hand. For him, this was his dignity, so he had to defend it in order to stay strong and avenge the deaths of his parents which until now had not been avenged. The incident of the destruction of his birthplace was like an iceberg that no one dared to bring to the surface.

"Do you really want to die?" Lin Fan said with a surprised expression.

He didn't expect Xiao Shuxiang, who was helpless, to be able to get up and quickly snatch back the pouch containing the Spiritual Stones.

"I'm not a weakling you can easily bully," Xiao Shuxiang said hoarsely.

Even though his foster father was on a mission, he didn't want to rely on the Second Elder's big name to suppress Lin Fan and his brother Lin Bao's actions. As fellow outer court disciples, Xiao Shuxiang still thought that their actions were excessive and a bit cruel.

After saying that, Xiao Shuxiang threw his pouch into the center of the hot spring which was not too far from him. It was too fast and made the Lin brothers furious because they didn't have time to react to prevent Xiao Shuxiang's action.

"You crazy bastard, are you really that stupid," Lin Fan swore angrily.

"Don't know if you're lucky…" Lin Bao also cursed.

Spiritual stones, or also commonly called energy stones, were a resource that was desperately needed by the outer court disciples, but seeing them sink into the hot spring certainly created unwillingness in everyone's hearts. But Xiao Shuxiang did it on purpose in front of their eyes, making the situation even hotter.

"You want to steal what's rightfully mine? I won't let it happen even in my dreams!" shouted Xiao Shuxiang, his body slumping to the ground.

The Lin brothers gritted their teeth in anger, while Xiao Shuxiang only laughed coldly at them. Consumed by rage, the Lin brothers didn't hesitate any longer. They immediately charged at Xiao Shuxiang, unleashing a barrage of kicks and punches aimed at his vital organs.

"Ugh!"

"Bang…!"

Xiao Shuxiang's frail body was sent crashing back to the ground, his face covered in blood. This time, Lin Fan's anger was greater than before, resulting not only in severe injuries but also shattering Xiao Shuxiang's energy center, leaving him in excruciating pain.

Xiao Shuxiang's condition was pitiful. Besides his bloodied face, his breathing was labored, and he was slipping in and out of consciousness. His body twitched from the pain of his wounds. He couldn't believe he was going to die young without avenging his parents' deaths.

"Crrraackk…!"

Suddenly, thunder roared, and dark clouds gathered above the Black Dragon Sect. Rain poured down, creating a chilling atmosphere around the outer court disciples' public bath. Fear gripped Lin Fan and Lin Bao, and they quickly sought shelter.

Thunderbolts echoed through the sky as the storm intensified. Xiao Shuxiang's horrifying, blood-covered face slowly began to clear, revealing his pale and pitiful features.

"Crrraackk…!"

A bolt of lightning struck the hot spring near where Xiao Shuxiang lay unconscious. The impact splashed hot water onto his body. The heat surged through him, reviving him from the brink of death.

"That was terrifying," Lin Bao said to his brother.

"Looks like that trash is truly cursed. Even the heavens are on our side by covering up this incident," Lin Fan replied, looking up at the sky.

With the current situation, even if Xiao Shuxiang died, they could blame it on the weather. He could be declared dead from a lightning strike while bathing in the public bath.

"You're right. Even the sky doesn't want him alive," Lin Bao agreed, nodding.

"Let's get out of here and let Xiao Shuxiang die. That way, no one will question us," Lin Fan suggested with a cold smile.

"Alright, Brother Fan…" Lin Bao obediently replied, following Lin Fan's lead as they disappeared into the pouring rain.

Even if Xiao Shuxiang died, the Lin brothers wouldn't face any serious consequences. They were both adopted sons and disciples of the Third Elder. Moreover, Xiao Shuxiang had no one to defend him, as his own master had been away from the sect for the past few weeks. This emboldened the Lin brothers to attack him.

Unbeknownst to them, as they left, Xiao Shuxiang was undergoing an extraordinary transformation. The necklace, a relic from his father, hanging around his neck suddenly emitted a faint purple light. Slowly, the purple light spread, enveloping his body in a warm energy.

"Crrraackk…!"

Another terrifying bolt of lightning descended from the sky, this time striking directly at Xiao Shuxiang, who was still struggling to regain consciousness. However, just before the lightning hit, he felt a strange force surge within him, protecting his severely injured internal organs.

The lightning coursing through his body left an intense surge of electrical current, tearing and charring his flesh. The smell of burning flesh, especially from his singed hair, filled the air.

"Aarrggh…"

A faint cry escaped Xiao Shuxiang's lips amidst the smoke coming out of his mouth. The pain and burning sensation were unbearable, and he lost consciousness once more.

From a distance, Lin Fan and Lin Bao could only quicken their pace. The sound of lightning striking the public bath filled them with fear.

"What a miserable fate. Even in death, the heavens continue to punish you," Lin Fan thought to himself.

He had been frustrated by his failure to seize the energy stone from Xiao Shuxiang. However, with his imminent death, a strange sense of satisfaction washed over him, replacing the disappointment he had just felt.

Meanwhile, the purple light surrounding Xiao Shuxiang suddenly merged with a golden light emanating from the lightning strike. Complementing each other, the two lights combined, forming a new, blackish light that enveloped his body, seeping into his skin and flesh.

His shattered energy center began to reform. The fragments were pushed out through his meridians, which had been blocked all this time. The blackish light cleansed the impurities, which were murky and foul-smelling. This process continued for some time, aided by the relentless rain washing over the Black Dragon Sect.

The stench and the smell of burnt flesh gradually faded away as Xiao Shuxiang's body went through a natural cleansing process. His meridians were destroyed and rebuilt, becoming wider and more resilient. The same thing happened to his dantian, or energy center. After several cycles of reformation, Xiao Shuxiang's dantian was now larger and capable of holding a vast amount of energy.

His dantian was ten times larger than that of an average cultivator, giving him a significant advantage in absorbing and storing energy from heaven and earth. He possessed the strength of ten cultivators at the same level. Even if he faced someone stronger, the risks would be minimal.

Once the meridians and dantian were fully restored, the blackish light healed his external wounds and strengthened his bones and vital organs. Finally, the energy surged into his head, merging with his mind, enhancing his memory and comprehension.

Slowly, Xiao Shuxiang began to regain consciousness in the late afternoon. The rain that had been pouring down on the Black Dragon Sect had stopped, revealing a rainbow at the corner of the valley where the sect resided. However, the place was still deserted, with no disciples daring to visit.

Xiao Shuxiang got up and realized that his body felt no pain anymore. Even the broken bones he had suffered had healed, making his standing posture more stable. He felt that everything within him was different, even when he was in his best condition before. Realizing something was amiss, Xiao Shuxiang immediately checked his body.

Apart from his tattered clothes, he also found that the necklace, the only memento of his father, was gone.

“What really happened…?”

Xiao Shuxiang tried to recall the events when he was beaten up by the Lin brothers, then the sudden downpour accompanied by echoing thunder. Lastly, he felt a warm aura before a bolt of lightning struck him directly. Remembering this, a flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes, followed by a happy expression.

Then, Xiao Shuxiang checked his dantian and meridians, which he thought had been destroyed by the Lin brothers’ attack. However, after a while of carefully examining them, he could feel that everything was fine and had even undergone a change that made him want to jump for joy.

“I’ve broken through to the late stage of Qi Refinement..”

Xiao Shuxiang couldn’t hide his surprise. Not only had his meridians and dantian expanded and become stronger, but his cultivation realm had also increased in a short period. Although he was still in the first stage, he had indirectly broken through two levels from the early stage to the late stage.

Within his sea of energy, he could see three red circles of light, much thicker and larger than the one he had before. Whereas before he only had one circle of energy circulating in the middle of his dantian, now he had three, indicating that he had reached the late stage of Qi Refinement.

“Is it always necessary to go through suffering to gain something more valuable?” muttered Xiao Shuxiang with a complicated expression.

“Aarrggh!”

Suddenly, Xiao Shuxiang clutched his head, which felt like it was about to explode. He sensed something strange creeping into his head and centering in his brain. An unimaginable pain immediately surged through him, making him collapse to the ground, writhing in agony. At the same time, Xiao Shuxiang gritted his teeth to stay conscious and not faint again. After a while, Xiao Shuxiang finally found his peace again, taking a deep breath, releasing stale air.

“Dragon Aura Breathing Technique.”

As the sun began to set completely, Xiao Shuxiang’s breath hitched as he weakly uttered those four words.

Previously, he had received enlightenment from the black light that had gathered in his head. The excruciating pain had apparently displayed images of a majestic black dragon in Xiao Shuxiang's mind, like well-arranged pictures now etched in his memory.

The Dragon Aura Breathing Technique was a cultivation technique that could absorb the energy of heaven and earth fiercely, as if to balance the absorption power of his dantian and meridians. Now, this cultivation technique had come to perfect him.

“Truly a blessing from heaven,” muttered Xiao Shuxiang with shining eyes.

For a moment, Xiao Shuxiang compared the cultivation technique he had used before, which was commonly found in the Black Dragon Sect. However, upon closer inspection, Xiao Shuxiang could tell that the previous technique was nothing but useless trash to him.

“Does all of this have something to do with the necklace my father gave me?” Xiao Shuxiang asked himself.

Since he was a child, he had never known much about his father's secrets. Besides having a reserved personality, his father also never taught Xiao Shuxiang anything related to martial arts.

Xiao Shuxiang stared at the darkening sky, clenching his fists with determination. In his heart, he realized that this was just the beginning, the path for him to become the cultivator he had always dreamed of. Xiao Shuxiang was certainly delighted with what he had gained today; losing five spiritual stones was nothing compared to his accomplishments today.

During his five years as an outer disciple of the Black Dragon Sect, Xiao Shuxiang was often ridiculed and considered useless because of his stagnant cultivation progress. Even the Second Elder, his adoptive father, was often the target of mockery from the other Elders, which made him a little depressed every time he returned from a meeting with the sect's leaders in the Main Hall.

This time, Xiao Shuxiang was full of confidence. With his new meridians and dantian, he would be able to catch up and bring honor to the Second Elder, whose real name was Li Haoran.

“I will avenge the actions of those who have looked down on me, especially you two..” uttered Xiao Shuxiang while picturing the faces of the Lin brothers.

Xiao Shuxiang seemed to want to let go of his emotions, after all, he had endured a difficult past few years. Some Elders even suggested that he be returned to the outside or expelled from the sect because he was deemed worthless. This issue was also the reason why Li Haoran, as Xiao Shuxiang's adoptive father, went on a mission to the capital of the Southern Cloud Region, Shandian City.

In the capital, there was chaos caused by a group of masked criminals. While suppressing this group, Li Haoran also planned to visit the Alchemy Pavilion to obtain the Eclipse Pill to help Xiao Shuxiang clear the blockage in his meridians.

Thinking of this, Xiao Shuxiang seemed to shed a tear. Although the Second Elder was a strict enforcer of the sect's rules, he also had love and affection for Xiao Shuxiang, his adoptive son. Xiao Shuxiang certainly wanted to repay all the kindness of his adoptive father, so he vowed to break his own limits and become the strongest cultivator.

“Before becoming strong, I think I should take a bath first,” said Xiao Shuxiang, noticing the strange smell that enveloped his body.

Amidst the moonlight that began to turn a beautiful color, Xiao Shuxiang darted among the streams of hot springs not far from him. Now, with his increased strength, he could see clearly at night and could even sense the aura of life from dozens of meters away. After cleansing his entire body, he put back on his tattered clothes. He washed and dried them quickly using the Qi energy flowing within him.