The night was silent.
Moonlight filtered through the broken roof of Lin Yuan's small courtyard, casting pale silver light across the room.
He sat cross-legged on his bed, his consciousness immersed within his spiritual sea.
The gray sapling floated quietly before him.
Its trunk remained dry and thin, its single leaf dull and lifeless.
No matter how carefully he examined it, he could not understand why it had absorbed a strand of spiritual energy by itself.
"Was I imagining it?"
Just as he was about to withdraw his consciousness, the sapling trembled again.
A tiny wisp of spiritual energy drifted toward it, disappearing into its roots.
This time, Lin Yuan saw it clearly.
"It really can absorb spiritual energy..."
Unlike ordinary Martial Souls, which only refined spiritual energy through their master's cultivation, his sapling seemed capable of gathering it on its own.
It wasn't fast.
In fact, it was painfully slow.
But it was automatic.
Lin Yuan's eyes brightened.
He immediately began circulating the basic cultivation technique that every citizen of the kingdom learned.
As spiritual energy entered his body, a portion flowed into his dantian while another portion was drawn toward the gray sapling.
The sapling greedily absorbed every trace.
Hours passed.
The eastern sky gradually brightened.
Just as the first rays of sunlight entered the room—
Crack...
A faint sound echoed within his spiritual sea.
Lin Yuan quickly looked toward the sapling.
A tiny crack had appeared on one of its gray branches.
Instead of breaking apart, the dead bark slowly peeled away.
Beneath it was fresh green wood.
Then...
A second leaf unfurled.
Unlike the first gray leaf, this one was emerald green and radiated a gentle vitality.
A refreshing aura spread throughout his spiritual sea.
Lin Yuan suddenly felt his exhausted body recover.
Even the soreness in his muscles disappeared.
"What..."
He opened his eyes in disbelief.
His senses had become noticeably sharper.
The spiritual energy in the room felt clearer than before.
Even his cultivation speed had increased slightly.
The sapling had changed.
Although it was still classified as a Mortal Grade One Martial Soul, it looked far healthier than before.
More importantly...
It had changed without any outside influence.
A smile slowly appeared on Lin Yuan's face.
"So you really can grow."
He didn't know how far the sapling could develop.
He didn't know whether anyone in history had ever possessed such a Martial Soul.
But one thing was certain.
The world believed that Martial Souls were fixed forever.
His wasn't.
...
Later that morning, Lin Yuan made his way toward the Mistwood Forest on the outskirts of Azure Maple City.
Most people avoided the forest, as low-level spirit beasts often roamed its outer region.
However, it was also where medicinal herbs grew naturally.
Since his parents disappeared, Lin Yuan had often entered the forest to gather herbs and sell them for a living.
As he walked through the familiar trails, he suddenly felt a strange tug from within his spiritual sea.
The gray sapling was reacting.
It seemed to be... calling him.
Following the feeling, Lin Yuan left the main path and pushed through thick bushes until he reached a small clearing.
At its center grew a single herb with three emerald leaves.
Its fragrance filled the air.
"A Green Spirit Herb..."
Lin Yuan recognized it immediately.
Although it was only a low-grade spiritual herb, it was still valuable enough to sell for several silver coins.
As he reached toward it, the sapling inside his spiritual sea shook excitedly.
Its roots seemed to yearn for the herb.
The moment Lin Yuan's fingers touched the plant, an astonishing scene unfolded.
Threads of green essence flowed out of the herb like mist.
They ignored Lin Yuan's body completely and entered his spiritual sea.
The gray sapling absorbed every strand.
Within seconds, the once-lush Green Spirit Herb withered into dry ash.
Lin Yuan froze.
He hadn't consumed the herb.
He hadn't refined it.
The sapling had absorbed only its essence.
At the same time, another patch of gray bark fell away from its trunk, revealing even more vibrant green beneath.
Its aura grew stronger.
The second leaf became fuller, and a tiny bud began to appear at the tip of one branch.
Lin Yuan stared in silence.
Then he laughed softly.
"So this is your secret..."
"You don't simply cultivate."
"You grow."
Holding the lifeless remains of the herb in his hand, he looked deeper into Mistwood Forest.
If one ordinary spiritual herb could produce such a change...
What would happen after ten?
A hundred?
Or even the legendary heavenly treasures spoken of in ancient tales?
For the first time since the Awakening Ceremony, hope ignited within Lin Yuan's heart.
His journey had truly begun.