The crimson sun hung high in the sky as Xian Tiandi walked through the grand gates of the Xian Clan’s main courtyard.
At 16, his tall and lean frame carried a quiet air of confidence. His golden eyes gleamed with calm intensity, though his face betrayed no emotion.
The clan bustled with activity, as members trained, conversed, and prepared for the annual family meeting.
Xian Tiandi hadn’t been a regular presence in the clan’s activities for years.
His reclusive nature and lack of an awakened Beast Spirit had made him a target of ridicule among some clan members.
Yet today, as he entered, a ripple of curiosity spread through the crowd.
"Look who decided to show up," a mocking voice called out.
Xian Tiandi turned to see Xian Mei, a direct descendant of the patriarch.
She was 17, with sharp features and a haughty expression.
Beside her stood Xian Fang, a brash young man of 15, and Xian Zhao, a 16-year-old with a sly grin.
"Still hoping to awaken your Beast Spirit at this age, Tiandi?" Xian Mei sneered.
"You do know it’s impossible, right? By 16, anyone who hasn’t awakened their spirit is destined to mediocrity."
The group chuckled, their laughter echoing through the courtyard.
Xian Tiandi’s expression remained unreadable.
"You seem to imply that you all are better than me huh? Why don’t we settle this in the ring?" he said calmly.
Xian Mei’s laughter faltered. "Are you serious?"
"Completely," Tiandi replied, his voice steady. "I’ll even make it interesting—a wager of 100 low-grade spirit stones."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. A wager of 100 spirit stones was significant, even for members of the direct bloodline.
"Hundred spirit stones?" Xian Zhao echoed, his eyes narrowing. "You’ve lost your mind. Do you even have that many?"
"Are you scared?" Tiandi countered, his gaze unwavering.
The challenge was enough to stoke their pride. Xian Mei scoffed. "Fine. Don’t cry when you lose."
The ring was a simple elevated platform surrounded by spectators. The excitement was high as the three stepped into the ring opposite Xian Tiandi. Whispers filled the air.
"He’s crazy," someone murmured.
"He hasn’t even begun his cultivation and these three are in the late Qi Refinement Realm already."
"Does he even stand a chance?"
"Probably just overestimating himself."
In this world there are two cultivation paths that one could practice.
That was the Immortal Cultivation and the other was Martial Cultivation.
Immortal Cultivation was focused on the cultivation of Qi in the Dantian and the comprehension of the Dao.
While Martial Cultivation was focused on the endless tempering and cultivation of the body.
Cultivators of this path are also called Body Cultivators and they are rare.
This was because even Immortal Cultivation strengthens the body in various measures but Body Cultivation takes it to an extreme.
Of cause there is an extremely few number of persons who are talented enough to cultivate both paths but still one path will be stronger than other.
But overall despite countless debates the Immortal Cultivation Path is much more powerful and versatile.
Xian Tiandi stood in the center of the ring, calm and composed. His opponents radiated confidence, their smirks daring him to make the first move.
"Begin!" called the elder overseeing the match.
Xian Zhao moved first, dashing toward Tiandi with a low sweep kick. Enhanced by his Mid Mortal Beast Spirit—a Thunder Serpent—his movements were fast and precise. Tiandi sidestepped with ease, his reflexes razor-sharp.
Xian Fang followed, his fists glowing faintly with fiery energy from his Flame Leopard Beast Spirit. He launched a flurry of punches, but Tiandi blocked them with minimal effort, his movements fluid and unyielding.
Finally, Xian Mei joined, striking with an open palm imbued with icy energy from her Frost Crane Beast Spirit. The air around her attack chilled, but Tiandi caught her wrist mid-strike, twisting it gently but firmly, forcing her to retreat.
The crowd gasped.
"Is he really keeping up with all three of them?"
"No, he’s dominating them!"
Tiandi’s movements were precise and economical. He relied solely on his physical prowess, a result of years of tempering his body through the Chaos Spirit Refinement Technique. Though he lacked the enhancements of an awakened Beast Spirit, his strength, speed, and endurance were far beyond the norm.
Xian Zhao growled in frustration, launching a spinning kick aimed at Tiandi’s head. Tiandi ducked, sweeping Zhao’s legs out from under him with a single, powerful motion.
Xian Fang and Xian Mei attacked in unison, but Tiandi intercepted their strikes with calculated counters, using their momentum against them. Within moments, all three were sprawled on the ground, groaning in defeat.
The crowd erupted in murmurs.
"How is this possible?"
"Didn’t he fail to awaken a Beast Spirit?"
"Maybe he has a special physique!"
Indeed, although he was yet to start his cultivation, his body has been continuously refined by Chaos Essence which strengthened him passively to a large extent.
Tiandi stood over his opponents, his expression unreadable. He spat on the ground near them. "Keep your spirit stones. You’ll need them more than I do."
He turned and walked away, leaving the stunned silence of the spectators behind.
As Tiandi made his way back to his courtyard, Xian Long, the patriarch’s young son, caught up to him. The boy’s eyes were wide with admiration.
"Big Brother, that was amazing!" Xian Long exclaimed. "I knew you were strong, but I didn’t realize how much."
Tiandi placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. "It’s nothing, Long. Strength isn’t everything."
"Don’t let them bother you," Long said earnestly. "You’ll awaken your Beast Spirit one day. I’m sure of it."
Tiandi nodded. "Thank you."
Back in his courtyard, Tiandi sat cross-legged on the ground, his breathing steady. Tonight felt different. The energy in his Chaos Spirit Orb pulsed stronger than ever, resonating with the spiritual realm.
Closing his eyes, he let his soul reach out, bypassing the need for an activation array.
The connection to the Spirit World came naturally, as though it had been waiting for him all along.