Lin Huang was in a strange place. It was a large cave, lit by crystals that emitted a ghostly blue light. The air was thick with the scent of medicinal herbs and incense, but there was something else, a metallic odor that he immediately recognized as blood.

  He tried to move, but found he was trapped. His arms and legs were immobilized by chains of spiritual energy that glowed with arcane symbols. He lay on a cold stone table, carved with intricate patterns that pulsed with energy.

  "Finally awake," a deep voice said. "I was beginning to think I had miscalculated the sedative dose."

  A tall and thin man emerged from the shadows. He was wearing black silk clothes with golden embroidery depicting constellations. His face was angular, with a thin, well-groomed beard. His eyes, however, were what caught the most attention; they were completely black, with no visible irises or pupils. For some reason, Lin Huang felt that he looked similar to… Mo Yanluo?

  "Who are you? What's going on?" Lin Huang tried to shout, but his voice came out as a hoarse whisper.

  The man smiled, revealing perfectly white, sharp teeth. "I am but a humble Dao practitioner, someone who should not exist but who insists on continuing to seek to transcend the limitations of mortal flesh. And you, my young friend, are my key to the next level."

  The cultivator began preparing various instruments on a nearby table. There were jade knives, silver needles, small vials containing liquids of varying colors, and strangely shaped stones that seemed to pulse with a life of their own, as well as some strange herbs and fruits.

  "Do you see these?" The man held up one of the vials, containing a bright red liquid. "Blood essence of a mythical beast. What about this one?" He showed another one, with a golden liquid. ''Blood from the marrow of celestial physicists". Rare, powerful ingredients... but incomplete without the proper catalyst."

  Lin Huang felt a chill run down his spine when the man looked at him with those empty eyes.

  "A young body, with intact meridians, a deep foundation, and a pure spiritual core. Perfect for my experiment."

  The cultivator began to draw symbols in the air, which glowed and remained suspended, forming a complex circle above Lin Huang's body. With each completed symbol, Lin Huang felt a growing pressure on his chest, as if something was trying to extract his very essence.

  "Please… stop…" Lin Huang begged, feeling pain in every cell of his body.

  The cultivator ignored his pleas and continued the ritual. He took out one of the jade knives and made a precise cut on Lin Huang's arm. Instead of blood, a silvery substance began to flow from the wound, which was collected in a small container.

  "Fascinating," the cultivator murmured. "Your life essence is exceptionally pure. This will make the process much more efficient."

  The pain was unbearable. Lin Huang felt as if he was being dismantled piece by piece, cell by cell. He could feel his life energy slowly being drained as the cultivator continued to extract essences from different parts of his body.

  "Did you know that there are 108 vital points in the human body?" The cultivator spoke casually as he worked. "Each of them is a gateway to different types of energy. Most practitioners only focus on a few, but I have discovered that true transcendence requires the complete harmonization of all of them."

  He inserted silver needles into specific points on Lin Huang's body, causing waves of agony that seemed to have no end.

  "A complete Taoist physique, his body is perfect. No flaws, no dirt, every detail of him excites me," the cultivator declared with absolute conviction. "He is essential, and without him, we are but imperfect vessels, incapable of containing the true power of the cosmos."

  Lin Huang tried to scream, he was now afraid of something other than death, but no sound came out of his throat. He felt his consciousness fragmenting, as if his soul was being ripped out of his body piece by piece.

  The cultivator began to chant in an ancient and incomprehensible language. The symbols in the air began to spin faster, gradually descending until they touched Lin Huang's body. Each touch was like liquid fire penetrating his flesh.

  "This is the crucial moment," the cultivator said, his black eyes now glowing with a red light. "When your essence merges with the ingredients I have prepared, which is necessary to transcend this world."

  Lin Huang felt something breaking inside him, as if his spiritual core was being forcibly ripped out. The pain was indescribable, beyond anything he had ever experienced in his previous lives.

  "I'm... dying..." he managed to think, as his vision went dark.

  "Yes, you are dying," the cultivator replied, as if he could hear her thoughts. "But your death will serve a greater purpose. Your sacrifice will not be in vain."

  With a final move, the cultivator inserted his hand straight into Lin Huang's chest, piercing through flesh and bone as if they were illusory. Lin Huang felt cold fingers grab something inside him, his own life essence.

  "Now, you are mine," the cultivator whispered.

  Lin Huang woke up with a muffled scream, sitting up abruptly in bed. His entire body was shaking and was drenched in sweat. He placed his hands on his chest, feeling his heart beating wildly.

  He looked around, slowly recognizing his room. The soft light of dawn was beginning to enter through the cracks in the window. He was alive. He was safe.

  But the feeling of having his essence ripped away remained all too vivid, and the cultivator's words echoed in his mind: "A complete Daoist physique is essential."

  For a brief moment he thought it was all real. He believed he would have to go through the fourth death.

  Ever since he had been in this world as Lin Huang, he had not had any dreams, let alone a nightmare. This was the first one.

  But something told Lin Huang that this was not just a simple nightmare.

  When a human being begins to cultivate, the simple process of refining energy makes existence something that is different from that of a mortal. No matter how small the improvement in the soul, for example, it is a big difference compared to a non-cultivator.

  This makes it so that even the lowest levels of cultivation have a certain sensitivity. Rarely does a cultivator dream without external interference.

  And such a real dream, the words spoken, the way everything happened, convinced Lin Huang that it could actually happen.

  And what scared him the most… He felt a familiarity with the man, as if he was something related to Mo Yanluo. He knew from reading the history of the continent that the ancient wielder of the demonic Taoist physique had black eyes, similar to the man in the dream. He couldn't be certain if it was Yanluo, but it was undeniable that it was related to the physique.

  He then reorganized his thoughts.

  After the battle with the members of the Divine Cloud Alliance, he left and arrived at the city that was on the edge of the Ancestral Demon Alliance's territory. It was the last landmark of cultivators.

  Deeper into the territory, all that would be found would be mortal cities without any presence of cultivators.

  Of course, although the territory had almost no spiritual energy, it was still the area of a large sect, the most powerful that had ever existed.

  Some casual cultivators would sometimes dare to enter to try their luck at treasure hunting. But the territory was so vast and had so little spiritual energy that any treasures found had long since lost their power. And repairing them was more costly than building a new one.

  The city on the edge served more as a way to negotiate with mortals, after all they could stay in the territory without suffering from the lack of energy.

  Furthermore, Bianyuan Cheng City was a spy city. The other six sacred sects had bases here. Each of them controlled mortal families in the demon sect's territory so that every move was watched.

  Even though the great war had ended many years ago, they were still afraid of the Ancient Demon Sect.

  Therefore, when Lin Huang entered the city, he was on high alert, asking if there was anyone who could identify Mo Yanluo's physique within his radius. Fortunately, the answer was always no.

  He stayed calm and rented a house to get some supplies and then leave.

  So he fell asleep and had this nightmare.

  Fortunately, neither Mo Yanluo nor Xiao Tian seemed to have heard his scream.

  Still feeling a certain cold squeezing his heart, he stood up.

  He felt that he needed to speed up to strengthen himself, and one of the essential steps was to fully activate the sect's system.

  He needed to found his own sect.

  With only 2 active systems, he was already considered a relatively strong person. In terms of defense, he would not be injured for up to 2 levels, and because of the disciple system, his foundation was so deep that in terms of pure spiritual quantity, he was already similar to a mid-level Golden Core.

  Lin Huang then got up from the bed, splashed some water on his face, and went to find Mo Yanluo. He wanted to confirm whether there really was a familiarity with the man in the dream.

  His disciple was still cultivating. Mo Yanluo turned out to be addicted to cultivation. Even when he slept, he slept in a meditation position.

  When he was not cultivating, he was studying the various items he had received from Lin Huang.

  Seeing the child dedicated to his own improvement, he couldn't relate to the cold and bloodthirsty man who killed him in the dream. From the little he knew Mo Yanluo, he was kind, sensitive to the changes of the world, and a little foolish as well.

  None of this could be seen in the man in the dream.

  He then threw to the back of his mind any possibility that it was his disciple.

  Yanluo slowly opened his eyes, emerging from his state of meditation. His face, still marked by sleep, quickly brightened as he saw his master standing by the window.

  "Good morning, Master!" he greeted enthusiastically, giving a small bow.

  Xiao Tian, perched comfortably on Yanluo's head, stretched out his metallic wings and let out a sharp cry, "KIIEH!" The sound echoed through the room like a morning greeting, making Yanluo smile.

  Lin Huang watched the two of them with a faint smile on his lips. The bond between his disciple and Xiao Tian had rapidly strengthened over the past few days.

  "Yan'er, today is an important day," Lin Huang announced, his tone calm but filled with determination. "We will set off to establish our own sect."

  Yanluo's eyes widened at the news. "Our own sect, Master? Where will it be?"

  "In the territories of the ancient Ancestral Demon Sect," Lin Huang replied. "It's a place with little spiritual energy, which will keep other cultivators away. It will be perfect for us to start without interference."

  Yanluo nodded, fully trusting his master's judgment. Lin Huang then walked over and placed his hand on his disciple's head.

  "Before we leave, I will transfer more cultivation to you. This will strengthen you for the journey."

  Lin Huang closed his eyes and began the energy transfer.

  [Ding! You have imparted 30 days of Foundation Establishment Cultivation to your disciple Mo Yanluo. The disciple has received 7 days of Cultivation. The disciple is at the 5th level of Qi Condensation. After refining all the Spiritual Energy, he will reach the 7th level of Qi Condensation. Refining time: 2 days.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Ding! You have received a reward 200 times greater: 6,000 days of Foundation Establishment Cultivation.]

  Lin Huang felt a surge of energy surge through his body, further strengthening his cultivation base. The energy was so intense that it took him a few moments to fully stabilize it. Within his body, he felt a few more pillars emerge. The current number was approaching 50; he wanted to know what the limit was.

  When the transfer was complete, Lin Huang took out the Inner Blade Art technique scroll he had obtained from Swordsman's Rest from his system space.

  "Yanluo, this is the technique of that puppet's creator."

  Yanluo received the scroll with both hands, his eyes shining with excitement. "Thank you, Master! I will study it diligently!"

  Ding! You gifted your disciple Mo Yanluo the Inner Blade Art technique and received a 1,000x return.

  Ding! Warning: The Inner Blade Art technique has already reached its maximum development limit. Return adjusted to 2x. You have received: Inner Blade Art - Original Version (Complete).

  Lin Huang frowned as he heard the system's notification. This was the first time he had received such low feedback. Apparently, the technique was already at its peak of development and there was no way to improve it further. The system could only supplement what was lost over time.

  Lin Huang wanted to sit down and cultivate this technique that even the divine system could not perfect. His admiration for its creator was also raised by many levels. A mortal had created something so fantastic and unique.

  "Master, this technique..." Yanluo began to read the scroll, his eyes quickly scanning the ancient characters. " Talks about using own blood to strengthen the sword. Is it... dangerous?"

  Lin Huang nodded gravely. "Yes, Yanluo. It is a powerful technique, but it requires sacrifice. I want you to study it, understand its principles, but do not practice it without my supervision. There are elements of it that we can adapt to create something safer in the future."

  Yanluo nodded, understanding the seriousness of the warning. He carefully stored the scroll into his storage ring.

  "Now, prepare your things," Lin Huang instructed. "We will set off as soon as the sun reaches its highest point. Our journey to found our 'Thousand Dao Sect' begins today."

  Xiao Tian let out another cry, as if approving of the chosen name.

  Lin Huang decided to stop by the city center to buy some groceries before leaving. As he walked with Yanluo and Xiao Tian (who had returned to his smaller form and was comfortably perched on the disciple's head), he observed the shops and stalls in the market.

  "We need supplies for the trip," Lin Huang explained. "Dry food that will last a long time and won't spoil easily."

  They stopped at a food store where Lin Huang carefully selected several items: dried meat, dried fruits, nuts, and a few packets of herbal tea. The store owner wrapped everything in wax paper to protect against moisture.

  "This should be enough for a few weeks," Lin Huang commented as he paid. "If we save well, we can stretch it out for longer."

  Yanluo watched intently, absorbing every detail of his master's actions. He had never had the opportunity to shop like this before.

  As they left the food store, Lin Huang decided to walk through the city center. It was then that he saw something impressive: six large temples lined up in a central square, each representing one of the six sacred sects.

  "Master, what are those buildings?" Yanluo asked, his eyes widening at the grandeur of the structures.

  "These are temples of the six sacred sects," Lin Huang explained, slowing down to take a closer look. "Each one represents one of the great powers that rule this world."

  Even though they were merely subsidiary branches of the main headquarters, the temples exuded an aura of nobility and power. Each had distinct architectural features that reflected the nature of their sect.

  The Immortal Sword Sect's temple was elegant and sharp, with spires that looked like blades pointing toward the sky. The Heavenly Lotus Sect's temple was adorned with carved flowers and artificial waterfalls. The Divine Vajra Sect's temple had statues of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The Heavenly Jade Sect's temple was the most delicate, with green jade embedded into its walls. The Thousand Poisons Sect's temple was somber, with statues of insects and snakes. Finally, the Divine Corpse Sect's temple was the most austere, painted in dark tones with yin symbols.

  "Each of these temples serves as the eyes and ears of the large sects in this region," Lin Huang explained in a low voice. "They observe everything, especially the border with the Ancient Demon Sect's territory."

  Yanluo looked curiously. "Isn't there a temple for the Ancestral Demon Sect?"

  "No," Lin Huang replied. "After the great war, they lost the right to maintain a presence in the border cities. That's why this place is so closely guarded, everyone is afraid of their return."

  As they passed by, Lin Huang noticed how the disciples from the different sects moved arrogantly, looking down on the ordinary cultivators and mortals with disdain. Some of them cast curious glances at Lin Huang, perhaps sensing something different about his aura.

  "We'll hurry up," Lin Huang said, placing his hand on Yanluo's shoulder. "It's not good to draw attention here."

  Xiao Tian let out a small cry of warning, as if he agreed with his master's assessment.

  "Yes, master," Yanluo replied, staying close to Lin Huang as they walked away from the central square.

  With the supplies purchased and a clear view of the power ruling the region, Lin Huang nodded to Yanluo and pointed towards the road leading out of the city.

  "There's no need to return to the inn, let's leave right now," he decided. "The sooner we leave this town, the better."

  They took a well-marked road that gradually became less paved as they moved away from the city. The landscape slowly changed, houses gave way to sparse farms, which eventually gave way to increasingly dense and shady vegetation.

  After a full day of walking, the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the forest. Lin Huang noticed that the atmosphere had subtly changed. The air felt heavier, charged with a strange energy that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

  "Master," Yanluo whispered, moving closer to Lin Huang. "This place... feels strange, the spiritual energy is... different here."

  Xiao Tian, still perched on Yanluo's head, let out a soft trill of discomfort, his metallic wings trembling slightly.

  "Yes," Lin Huang confirmed. "This territory was drained during the great war. It will take centuries, perhaps millennia, to fully recover."

  Lin Huang continued with a grave expression. "During the great war, many disciples died in battle. Some bodies were so mutilated or disfigured that it was impossible to identify which sect they belonged to. Rather than risk desecrating the remains of an ally or honoring an enemy, the sects created this place to deposit the unidentified remains."

  Yanluo looked around with wide eyes. "So... we're walking on..."

  "Yes," Lin Huang confirmed. "This soil was nourished by the remains of countless cultivators. Their residual energies turned this place into a dark forest."

  As they advanced deeper into the Outer Cemetery, the air became increasingly charged with Yin energy. Occasionally they could hear distant whispers, indistinct voices that seemed to come from every direction and nowhere at the same time.

  "They are the remnants of souls that have not found rest," Lin Huang explained when he saw Yanluo's frightened face. "They can't hurt us, they're just echoes."

  Lin Huang kept his senses on high alert. It was not just out of respect for the dead that they had chosen this path. He was looking for something specific.

  "Yanluo," Lin Huang called as they walked, "do you remember reading about creatures that thrive in environments with high Yin energy but low spiritual energy?"

  The young disciple frowned, concentrating. "Yes, master. There are several... corpse flies , bone worms, gnawing ants, illusion butterflies..."

  Lin Huang smiled, satisfied with the answer. "Exactly. And it's an Illusion Butterfly we're looking for. They're rare, but this place is perfect to find them."

  They continued walking for a few more hours, with Lin Huang guiding them to areas where the Yin energy was particularly dense.

  The yin was dense enough to form powerful yin monsters, but without the support of spiritual energy, they would collapse before they could be generated. Just as yin nourishes yang, the two are linked through spiritual energy.

  Finally, they came to a small clearing where several ancient trees formed a natural circle. In the center was a small lake of dark, still water.

  "This is the place," Lin Huang muttered. "The concentration of Yin energy here is high."

  He activated his search system, focusing specifically on detecting signs of Illusion Butterflies.

  Lin Huang had been using the system to check his surroundings since the beginning when he entered the forest and only now did he receive a nice notification:

  [Ding! Object found. Distance: 15 meters. Direction: Northeast.]

  Lin Huang followed the system's prompt, with Yanluo close behind. They approached a particularly old tree, the trunk of which was covered in dark moss. On one of the lower branches, hanging like a small silver teardrop, was a cocoon.

  "Over there," Lin Huang pointed. "An Illusion Butterfly cocoon."

  Carefully, he reached out and delicately removed the cocoon from the branch. It was surprisingly light, almost as if it were made of solidified air, and it emitted a soft silver glow that pulsed like a heart.

  Lin Huang turned to Yanluo and handed the cocoon to him.

  "Yanluo, I'll give you this, can you tell me what this is and what it's for? Consider this a test of your encyclopedia studies."

  Yanluo picked up the cocoon with extreme care, examining it closely. His eyes flashed with recognition.

  "It's an Illusion Butterfly cocoon, Master! They are rare creatures that feed on pure Yin energy and build their cocoons in places with extreme concentrations of that energy." He paused, recalling more information. "The cocoon contains concentrated illusion essence. It can be used to refine pills that increase spiritual perception, especially the ability to see through illusions. It is also a valuable ingredient for creating illusion formations."

  Lin Huang smiled proudly. "Excellent, Yanluo. You have been studying diligently."

  As Yanluo was describing, Lin Huang received a notification. The real purpose of the trip

  Ding! You gifted your disciple Mo Yanluo the Illusion Butterfly Cocoon and received a 1,000x return.

  Ding! You have received: 3 Dream Butterfly (Foundation Establishment).

  A soft light flashed in Lin Huang's system space, and he could immediately sense the presence of a new spirit creature. As he looked through its information, Lin Huang was amazed by what he saw.

  Looking inside himself, he realized that the beast system had opened a new location.

  Unlike Xiao Tian who lived in a cave filled with precious metals, the perfect environment for the Three Dream Butterfly was a garden shrouded in silver mist.

  The garden existed in a place with dense trees that exuded a strong vitality, with a sky that gently alternated between shades of purple and deep blue and a starry black. Translucent flowers emitted a soft glow throughout the space, while small pools of silver water reflected the changing sky above.

  In the center of the garden stood a crystal tree whose fruits were small floating spheres that reflected images without being possible to identify. Thin silver webs connected the garden's elements, glowing with arcane symbols when touched by light.

  The space had borders that alternated between an open field and space, and silver tones, as if it were alternating between reality, illusion and dreams.

  In the center of all this was a small pillar with a cocoon that even though Lin Huang was the owner, he could only identify the presence, but he could not visualize the cocoon.

  He looked away from the place because he felt bewitched and his soul was shaken.

  He then looked at the description

  Name : 3 Dream Butterfly

  Race : Illusion Spirit Insect

  Level : Foundation Establishment 1

  Ancestral Bloodline : 0% of 1000 Dream Butterfly

  Appearance : Translucent wings with hypnotic patterns that constantly change color, delicate body of a silvery-blue hue, antennae that emit a soft glow

  Main Passive Ability : Dream Body

  Description : The 3-Dream Butterfly exists partially in the dream realm, making it extremely difficult to detect or target by conventional methods. Ordinary physical attacks may not reach the butterfly.

  Active Skills :

  Dream Dust : Releases luminous particles that, when inhaled, induce a light dream state. Low-level targets are instantly affected; stronger targets may resist depending on their willpower and soul cultivation.

  Three Dreams Prison : Butterfly's main ability. Able to drag a target's consciousness into a dream of up to three layers. Each layer feels completely real and can trap the target indefinitely if not broken. The target must overcome each layer to fully awaken.

  First Layer: Illusion based on the target's desires

  Second Layer: Illusion based on the target's fears

  Third Layer: Illusion that mixes reality and fantasy, almost impossible to distinguish from the real world

  Dream Whisper : Can implant subtle suggestions into the mind of a sleeping or meditating target, influencing their thoughts and decisions without them realizing it.

  Passive Skills :

  Dream Body

  Natural Camouflage : Can change the color of its wings to blend in with its surroundings

  Illusion Resistance : Immune to illusion techniques below his own level and has high resistance to more powerful illusions.

  Considerations :

  Although physically fragile, the Three Dream Butterfly is extremely powerful in soul combat and mental manipulation. Its ability to create illusions indistinguishable from reality makes it an invaluable asset for espionage, interrogation, and subtle mind control. Its greatest weakness is its low physical resistance; a single direct blow from a cultivator of similar level can seriously injure it.

  Lin Huang smiled as he examined the butterfly's abilities. This would be a perfect addition to his arsenal, perfectly complementing Xiao Tian's brute strength with illusion and mental manipulation skills.

  Now he felt that his soul was protected. If anyone tried to attack his soul again, they would first have to pass through a layer of illusion and dreams before attacking him.

  Furthermore, after bloodline synchronization, his soul could also grow, making soul invasion even more difficult.

  ''System, can you integrate my physique directly into the butterfly without it having to hibernate after being born? Do this to all the next beasts.''

  Lin Huang asked for this out of convenience. When Xiao Tian was born, he opened his eyes and less than a minute later he hibernated to receive the Taoist Physique. It was best for everything to be integrated while the beast was being born.

  [Ding, it is possible. It will be done in the next ones]

  The waiting time for the cocoon to hatch was 3 days and increased to 4, but with the time accelerated by 3x it would complete in just over 1 day.

  Satisfied, Lin Huang left.

  ''Come on Yanluo, I've already done what I needed to do in this forest.''

  As they walked out of the forest, Yanluo looked at the Illusion Butterfly cocoon in his hands. He couldn't hide the confusion on his expression. Finally, he plucked up the courage and asked:

  "Master, may I ask a question?"

  Lin Huang glanced at him from the corner of his eye, noticing his hesitant tone. "Sure, Yanluo. What do you want to know?"

  Yanluo held the cocoon with both hands and took a deep breath before speaking, "Why did we come all this way just to find this insect? Don't get me wrong, Master, but… it's so fragile and seems… useless. Was it worth the effort?"

  Lin Huang stopped walking and turned to face his disciple. He did not look angry; in fact, there was a faint smile on his face as he thought of an excuse. He could not tell that he had come just to catch this butterfly to gift it to him and receive feedback from the system.

  Looking at the trees and the whispers he thought of something

  "Yan'er, we will found our own sect. This cemetery we've been to is the result of a sect that failed to protect its disciples. I brought you here for two reasons: first, to show you what happens when a sect isn't strong enough to protect those who rely on it. And second..." He paused, looking into the distance as if in deep thought, "To remind myself that I must be strong to ensure that this never happens to us."

  Yanluo blinked a few times, absorbing his master's words. He looked at the cocoon in his hands again and felt a different weight now. It wasn't just a bug or a gift; it was a reminder of Lin Huang's commitment to him and all future disciples.

  "I understand now, Master," Yanluo said with renewed determination. "I promise I will do my part to help our sect grow strong."

  Lin Huang smiled faintly and patted the disciple on the shoulder before continuing walking.

  "Good," he said simply. "Remember this, Yanluo. Every step we take has a greater purpose, even if it's not evident at the moment."

  Yanluo clutched the cocoon to his chest as he followed his master down the dark forest trail. The doubts in his mind had dissipated, replaced by a new determination to become stronger , not just for himself, but for Lin Huang's vision for the Thousand Dao Sect .

  [Next chapter he will finally form the sect. And then we can say that all systems are 100% activated and the story begins.]