Guan Chaoxing felt as if her life was being burnt away as a wildfire of qi raged within her dantian and into her vessel. Maintaining this form was still difficult. She’d barely broken through to two-star Core Forging with her master’s help.

  Her bloodline was becoming harder and harder to suppress with every star she achieved. That wasn’t a bad thing, but it made it more difficult to blend into the human-centric Celestial Jade Empire.

  The boy already knew her secret, or had guessed at it. The first time they met she had been in her beast form. As the five were sucked into her master’s book and their presences faded, she let out a sigh of relief.

  Her mind sharpened as her sea of consciousness was no longer split between the three-star cultivator in front of her and the technique. She waved a hand and the book vanished back into her storage ring.

  The man was using a devastating technique—likely the strongest one he possessed. Clouds of writhing mist surrounded him, flowing like rivers. With every moment more mist burst forth from his orifices to fill their surroundings until it was as if he was no longer a man but a raging river of clouds.

  The mist gathered into a single stream that flowed and whirled around his body as if it were a dragon. And then he stepped forward.

  Guan Chaoxing felt as if she was standing at the base of a towering waterfall with a thousand ji of water crashing down onto her shoulders. The serpentine stream of clouds smashed down towards her.

  There was no need to stay any longer now that she had sent the others away. Her master had given her a Sky grade escape treasure with three uses. When he’d casually flicked it to her as if it were a copper coin her heart almost missed a beat.

  In all the Celestial Jade Empire there were probably less than twenty cultivators who possessed a Sky grade treasure. Of those, perhaps two or three were escape treasures. Yet her master had given it away as if it were trash left on the side of the road.

  All Chaoxing needed to do was send a single drop of her qi into the polished sphere of black metal and it would send her ten thousand li away in an instant. Yet, as she stared at the impudent bastard who barely put her in his eyes as he decreed her death, she felt her blood boil.

  Maybe it was the instincts of her bloodline, the pride of the white demon tiger king refusing to bow down to a lesser being, but she couldn’t leave without showing this third-rate sect leader who he was insulting. Guan Chaoxing hunched down on all fours and for the first time in her life, completely released the suppression on her bloodline.

  All that stopped her from giving in to her bestial instincts was the seal placed by Master Guan when he’d found her abandoned by the side of a river all those years ago. With him gone, she would need to fend for herself.

  Was it reckless to risk her life against a three-star Core Forging cultivator in the midst of unleashing his most powerful technique? Definitely. Would she lose? It was uncertain. Could she live with herself if allowed this bastard to slap her face and walk away without a scratch? Not in a thousand lifetimes.

  Above her head, the illusory tiger roared its defiance to the skies as it sunk into her flesh. Crunching and cracking sounds rippled through her body as her skin lacerated and burst outwards.

  In less than a breath’s time, white fur sprang out across her body and her fangs grew along with her claws. Her qi roiled within her dantian as it took on a sharper edge. The raging river of mist was less than an inch from striking her and Guan Chaoxing sneered at the Cloudy Falls Sect Leader.

  The world trembled as for the first time in a dozen eras, the bloodline of the White Demon Tiger King awoke in a backwater corner of the Celestial Jade Empire. Claws like swords sliced and diced a thundering stream of mist.

  An errant slash of her claws sent ten blades of qi slicing into the ground towards the two elders. Elder Liling leapt backwards in time to avoid the devastating strike, but Elder Jin was a breath too slow.

  Two of the qi blades carved into him, slicing the man into three bloody chunks that splattered against the ground in a spray of crimson. Guan Chaoxing smirked as the sect leader roared in fury, the pressure of his technique ramping up until she was forced to burn every last drop of qi in her dantian to empower her defenses.

  The sect leader yelled and took another step forward as a jian with a sky blue hilt encrusted with sapphires appeared in his hands. The final cloud struck forwards and the sword descended in its wake.

  Guan Chaoxing stared at his dark eyes as they pierced her soul with raging fury. The traitorous elder had deserved to die, but it had led her opponent to start burning his lifespan to kill her.

  “We cannot exist under the same sky, bitch!” he roared as an illusory sword of mist extended from his jian.

  I think I’ve sufficiently restored my face, she chuckled to herself. With a final glance at the ruined city district, the black metal sphere appeared in her hand and she sent the final drop of her qi into it.

  As the Cloudy Falls Sect Leader’s sword carved through the air, a river of mist sliced the fabric of reality apart, leaving an empty void in its wake. However, the woman he’d aimed to kill was nowhere to be seen.

  He spread his senses out as far as he could in every direction, covering the entirety of Three River City and hundreds of li beyond, but there was no trace of her. He roared and cursed at the heavens.

  With a sorrowful look in his eyes, he landed beside Elder Jin’s corpse. “Junior Brother, I am sorry. My pride and arrogance led to your death. If I ever see that woman again I will stop at nothing to claim vengeance for you,” he sighed.

  Elder Liling approached, glancing at Elder Jin’s corpse without any emotion on her face. “With the Gao Clan eradicated, we are truly unopposed in this region. We should consolidate our strength. The opening of the Blossoming Heavens approaches. If we cannot compete with the other sects we risk losing the protection of the empress,” she said, placing a hand on the sect leader’s arm.

  “You are right, Junior Sister Liling, as always. The younger generation are in for a decade of torture. This era is even more turbulent than the last. We must be prepared,” he said with a devious smirk, but his eyes betrayed the bottomless sadness in his heart.

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  ****

  In a distant continent, far away from the Celestial Jade Empire, a slumbering beast opened an eye. It was cerulean with a vertical slit. It purred softly as it stretched its spine.

  “Is it that time already? Oh well, it matters not. I must wait for-” it said in a rumbling voice, before it's consciousness flashed outwards. “I see, one of the seeds I sowed many eras ago has sprouted. Perhaps it is time for this ancient kitty to reveal its claws once more.”

  The white tiger that was as big as a mountain purred as it stood on its paws, its tail causing hurricanes as it flicked from side to side. “Maybe I should go for a stroll. Perhaps a little gloating to the others is in order. That damned eagle pestered me for a century when its brat claimed a Dao Shard in the last opening of the Blossoming Heavens.”

  ****

  At the top of a snow capped mountain, an ancient looking man and a young woman with shimmering black hair and skin as white as jade stood looking out across a frozen valley.

  A blizzard raged through the valley, but even in that devastating weather there were many beasts and plants thriving. “Every living thing in this world has a role to play,” the old man said, raising a hand and moving it in a circle as he turned to look at the young woman.

  “Xueqin, my disciple. You have grown in the safety of the Razor Frost Peak for two decades. The beginning of a new era approaches. It is time for you to venture out into the world. There is little more I can teach you until you have discovered your path,” he told her, melancholy tinging his voice.

  “Master, what do you mean? I already know my path. I follow the methods of the ancestors and embody the Dao of Silent Frost. I am satisfied with your guidance,” the woman, Bing Xueqin, replied as she furrowed her brow.

  “A greenhouse flower will not survive a wild snowstorm. You are a diligent disciple and you are the most talented user of the Eight Breaths Blizzard Arts in a century, but there are some things that cannot be taught. You must discover them for yourself.

  “See the world and decide what is important to you. Take this. When the time is right you will know how to use it,” the ancient man said, handing her a plain wooden token with the character for ‘heaven’ on one side and a carving of a seed on the other.

  Bing Xueqin frowned as she took the token from her master. Even though she wasn’t sure what he meant by telling her to explore the world, his guidance had always led her down the right path.

  She bowed to her waist and placed the token into her storage ring. “I trust you with my life, Master. Thank you for your gifts and guidance these past twenty years. I shall take my leave,” she declared with confusion still painted across her face.

  As she began her descent down the frozen mountain, the old man chuckled. “Take care, Granddaughter! Try to make some friends,” he shouted after her.

  Once she was out of view, he turned back to gaze upon the frozen valley. His face was wrinkled, but his eyes sparkled with life. Despite his age, his hair was still vibrant and shimmered in the same black as his granddaughter’s.

  Bing Lei sighed. “It seems the time has come once more. How many eras have we ancient ones fought for the seed of ascension? Five? Ten? I’ve lost count by now. I fear this time will be my last, whether it ends in ascension or death. I suppose it’s time to hand the sect over to that brat,” he chuckled with mirth.

  ****

  A thousand sounds and a myriad of lights and sensations smashed into my mind with the force of a warhammer. My eyes snapped open and I gasped for breath.

  Each inhale flooded my lungs with spiritual energy tinged with a floral scent. I leapt to my feet and looked around, but I was no longer in Three River City.

  As my mind gathered itself, I remembered what had happened. Guan Chaoxing! She had been about to defend against the sect leader’s strike when the technique was completed.

  I sighed, realising I would never know her fate unless she turned up one day to claim the life debt I owed her. Looking around, I found myself at the top of a grassy mountain.

  Flowers stretched in every direction as far as the eye could see in a myriad of vibrant colours. Despite their seemingly random placement they were actually grown into a formation.

  However, the spiritual energy in the air felt shaky, as if something had disturbed it. I supposed if no one had been tending to the garden it may have caused the formation to become damaged.

  It truly lived up to the name Million Flowers Celestial Peak. It was dusk and the sky was lit in shades of violet and orange. For a moment I stood in serene contemplation as I admired the dazzling beauty of my new home.

  It had been less than a year since I arrived in this world and yet I felt as if I’d already lived another three lifetimes. So much had happened. So much tragedy and death.

  Yet it wasn’t all bad. I turned my gaze away from the skies and looked at the five others who’d come with me. These people were the closest to me in this new world, who’d fought through numerous trials of life and death with me.

  Yu Chun, Xiao Cui, and Du Wen seemed to be fast asleep, their chests rising and falling in the gentle breeze. I let them rest—they deserved it after what we’d been through. Especially the women. They were mortals and had been exposed to the brutality and power of cultivators approaching the peak. It was admirable.

  Teng Sheng, the former young city lord, seemed to be half-awake. However, he was muttering to himself and not focused on his surroundings, so I left him to his own devices.

  Only Wang Ren and myself were truly conscious. My sturdy and reliable Senior Brother walked up to stand beside me as we gazed out over the rolling green hills that surrounded Million Flowers Celestial Peak.

  “I still remember that day you left the sect as clear as day. Who would’ve thought we would find ourselves here? Whatever happens now, we will face it together, as brothers,” he said, offering his arm.

  I clasped his forearm in my hand and he did the same. I smiled at the man who had stood beside the old Zhao Dan in his darkest moments and beside me in mine. I could think of no one I’d rather have by my side as we faced what lay ahead.

  I had gone from a four-star Body Tempering practitioner all the way to a peak five-star Qi Gathering cultivator in such a short time. Compared to my previous self I was like a towering mountain, where the peak was shrouded in mystery.

  And yet there was still so much further to go if I wanted to glimpse at the hidden truths of this world and truly achieve my lofty goals. I’d embraced the Dao of Healing, but all I’d left in my wake was death and destruction.

  The Celestial Jade Empire seemed rotten to the core. Vile bastards like the Gao Clan were free to act as they wished. As long as one had power, they could do whatever their heart desired.

  It would take a heavy hand to heal the wounds that festered across this world. “Wang Ren, I am going to build a sect that will overturn heaven and earth, the likes of which this world has never seen. Our lives will be in danger at every moment. Are you still confident in standing by my side?” I asked.

  “Junior Brother, don’t insult me. Even if the emperor himself came to reap our lives, I would stand tall beside you as he slaughtered us,” he replied.

  “Well then, let’s get started. How does one normally go about founding a sect?” I chuckled awkwardly.

  “Perhaps start with a name. It should be memorable and leave an impact in the hearts and minds of all who hear it. It should embody the legacy you wish to pass down through the generations.”

  I scratched my chin, deep in thought. As far as I knew, there truly was no history of medicinal arts in the Celestial Jade Empire. I would be attempting the impossible. Most of my techniques were tied to my physique and couldn’t be passed on even if I wanted to share my secrets.

  Not only would I be trying to establish a sect surrounded by enemies, but I would be forging a new school of cultivation from scratch. This was a monumental task, but I had nothing but time and the willpower to change the world.

  With a smile, I set my gaze towards the horizon and nodded. It was perfect.

  “From this day onwards, this Million Flowers Celestial Peak will be the home of the world’s first medicine sect—The Grasping Life Sect,” I declared.

  Aaaand that's a wrap on Book 1!! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey so far, I'm excited to show you all the next stage of Zhao Dan's adventures. There will be no delay in uploads—the first chapter of Book 2 will be going up tomorrow.

  However, if you're itching for a sneak peek then as always, don't forget that you can read up to 37 chapters ahead by joining the patreon, supporting my caffeine addiction writing dreams: