The next morning.
Inside the inner chambers of Wanyaozhai in Qingshan Town, Mu Chengfeng stirred restlessly in bed. His consciousness wavered between dream and waking.
His body trembled atop the wide mattress, head tossing from side to side. In his mind, it felt as though a venomous serpent was coiled tightly around him, its grip growing stronger and stronger, suffocating.
His brows furrowed deeply. Suddenly, he jolted upright, soaked in cold sweat.
"What... was that?"He asked himself with a shiver in his voice.
He sat motionless for a few seconds, collecting himself, then scratched his head and glanced outside the window. The memories of yesterday came rushing back, playing like a film reel in his mind. Everything was crisp, ordered, vivid.
"Could it be... the legendary Emerald Three-Flower Pupil?"He gasped when the memory resurfaced. That moment when his eyes had gleamed with eerie green light, and the Tier Two Crimson Flame Python had frozen and vanished into his gaze.
Without hesitation, he leapt out of bed and rushed to the bronze mirror nearby. Peeling open his eyelids with his fingers, he stared into his own reflection. Within his pupils, three small emerald dots shimmered. Strange, yet mesmerizing.
Others might not know what this meant, but how could he not?In the original story, there had been someone just like him. The holy maiden of the Heavenly Serpent Pavilion, Qinglin, had also possessed the Emerald Three-Flower Pupil. She had risen from Dou Practitioner to Six-Star Dou Venerate in less than a decade.
The potential of that power was terrifying.
Realizing that he not only had a cheat-like advantage in this new world, but also the companionship of the beautiful Xiao Yixian, Mu Chengfeng could barely contain his joy. He was practically out of breath from excitement.
"Chengfeng, your father said to meet him at the Qingshan Mercenary Group's training field as soon as you wake up."
Xiao Yixian stepped through the door, smiling, with a tray full of breakfast dishes in hand.
"Ah? Got it!"Mu Chengfeng hurriedly threw on his pants, grabbed a few buns from the tray, stuffed them in his mouth, and bolted for the training field.
Only then did he remember that his father had told him clearly yesterday that today would be the day he began his Dou Qi cultivation. If he was late and his father changed his mind, what would he do? Disaster.
By the time he arrived at the training field, panting and breathless, Mu Yang was already there. He was seated cross-legged beneath an old locust tree, calmly meditating.
"Huff... Father, I'm late!"Mu Chengfeng called out between breaths.
Hearing his son's voice, Mu Yang opened his eyes slowly. Seeing the flustered expression on his son's face, he chuckled heartily.
"Running like that, were you afraid I'd go back on my word if you showed up late?"
He didn't mention anything about what had happened in the Magic Beast Mountains. Instead, his tone shifted to something more serious.
"Are you ready? We'll begin now."
Mu Chengfeng straightened his posture and grinned slightly, though his expression turned focused.
"Father, I've been ready."
Mu Yang nodded with approval.
"Very well. Let's begin."
The two stood facing each other in the training field. Mu Yang clasped his hands behind his back and began,
"I'll first teach you the fundamentals of cultivation. Listen carefully."
Seeing his son nod seriously, he continued.
"The cultivation ranks we follow are: Dou Practitioner, Dou Fighter, Dou Master, Dou Spirit, Dou King, Dou Emperor, Dou Ancestor, Dou Venerate, Dou Saint, and finally the legendary Dou God."
"Once you're above Dou Emperor, you don't need to worry about the rest. In the Jia Ma Empire, even Dou Kings and Emperors are rare. No one has reached Dou Ancestor in decades."
"When cultivating Dou Qi, techniques and methods are essential. After centuries of study, they've been divided into four tiers and twelve levels. These are Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow. Each tier is further split into Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels."
"The higher the tier of your method, the faster you'll cultivate. It can also help you defeat stronger opponents and even fight across levels."
At this point, he glanced sideways at his son, checking to see if the boy was paying attention.
"My techniques aren't anything special. I stumbled upon them by chance during a trip through the Tagore Desert. A Mysterious Tier Intermediate wind-based cultivation method, paired with a Mysterious Tier Advanced Dou Technique. Thanks to these, I became Qingshan Town's strongest mercenary."
He paused, his tone growing distant.
"Ah..."The name Tagore Desert seemed to dredge up memories he'd rather not recall.
But then he exhaled and continued.
"That said, those are for later. You'll only need them once you reach the Dou Practitioner level."
"For now, let's talk about how to actually cultivate. The first step is to use your soul perception to sense the chaotic energy that fills the heavens and earth."
He explained for quite a while, describing various methods and techniques. Mu Chengfeng listened with great interest, far more attentively than he ever had in school back on Earth.
None of it was particularly difficult. He replayed his father's instructions in his mind several times, then sat down cross-legged and began his first attempt at cultivation.
As expected of a transmigrator with a special gift, Mu Chengfeng entered the state effortlessly. His soul perception was sharp, enhanced by the Emerald Three-Flower Pupil.
He focused, felt the wild energies surrounding him, then used his father's method to guide a thread of that energy into his body.
As the energy entered, it transformed into a strand of Dou Qi, flowing through his meridians, refining and strengthening his physical body. He then gently directed it into his dantian, completing his very first successful cultivation cycle.
Success.
He had done it on his first try. Mu Chengfeng's heart leapt with joy, though he suppressed it and continued cultivating.
Moments later, something strange happened.
With his mind calm and empty, he reentered the meditative state. This time, a strange energy emerged from within his emerald pupils. It moved from his eyes to his forehead, forming a faintly glowing sigil, then flowed straight down into his dantian.
This mysterious energy greatly accelerated his cultivation speed. Unbeknownst to him, he was also beginning to absorb the essence of the Tier Two magical beast he had sealed into his eyes the day before.
He was, quite literally, absorbing its power.
The feeling was addictive. His progress was rapid, almost beyond control.
Without hesitation, he resumed drawing in energy from the surroundings, refining it into Dou Qi. At the same time, his Emerald Three-Flower Pupil continued to siphon off the beast's strength. His experience bar was skyrocketing.
Standing nearby, Mu Yang noticed the strange pace of his son's cultivation. His expression shifted to one of awe.
"This... he already reached the second level of Dou Qi?"
Mu Yang was speechless.
His son's talent was monstrous.
Judging by his speed and innate ability, there was no doubt in Mu Yang's heart. This boy would one day ascend to heights no one in the Jia Ma Empire had ever reached. Perhaps he would even become a Dou Ancestor or Dou Venerate.
Mu Yang didn't know how long it would take to reach those realms.
But he was certain of one thing. It was only a matter of time.
And when that day came, vengeance for Mu Chengfeng's mother might finally become more than a dream.