Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Vicious Powerplay
Inside his quiet hut, Vahn hurriedly began the final stage of body tempering.
The process was just like the previous ones: mix the Heaven-Grade liquid with water, circulate it through the meridians, and guide the overwhelming vitality to temper his organs, both internal and external.
Agony followed instantly.
His heart throbbed like a war drum, each beat sending waves of pain and power through his chest. His lungs expanded to the limit, drawing in air until they felt like twin furnaces burning within him. His stomach and liver churned as if hammered by countless strikes and his kidneys vibrated with an unbearable heat.
But, Vahn endured.
With 30 minutes of relentless torment, the final impurities were expelled. The torment was over. And his organs now glowed with radiant vitality.
When he finally opened his eyes, his body seemed to radiate a divine aura. Every line of muscle, every fiber of sinew, looked as though sculpted by the hands of gods. His skin shimmered faintly with a luster no mortal could possess. His bones hummed faintly with strength, and his blood coursed like molten fire.
With this final stage, he had shed his mortal shell.
Ding!
[ Body Tempering Complete: Flawless Grade ]
[ Your Bond Seraphina Dawnlight’s Physique Strengthened slightly ]
"So, that’s how the sharing function works," he mused inwardly. "My growth also grants blessings to my bonds, but it is I who reaps the greatest fortune from them."
He clenched fist.
He felt light yet unshakable, as if he could tear boulders apart with his bare hands.
Most importantly, he was now ready to begin the true cultivation.
Body tempering was nothing but preparation stage. It was about building a vessel capable of withstanding and storing spiritual energy.
His vessel was complete. His dantian throbbed faintly in anticipation, like an empty starry sky waiting to be filled.
But to draw spirit energy, he needed a cultivation manual, which he unfortunately did not have.
However, he had been told that once he completed body tempering, he would be given a free cultivation manual from the Scripture Hall.
That was why he headed to the Scripture Hall next.
Outside, the twilight welcomed him in its reddish hues across the sky, signaling that evening had already fallen.
When he arrived in front of the massive Scripture Hall, he saw disciples going in and out, making the place feel lively.
The Scripture Hall was a massive, circular-shaped temple—a three-story building made of polished stone and jade.
It looked awe-inspiring, radiating the aura of an establishment that carried ancient knowledge and wisdom long forgotten.
Vahn’s hear pounded with anticipation.
With excitement, he entered through the main entrance immediately.
But it wasn’t long before he was stopped by two law enforcement officers.
"Newbie?"
Vahn nodded.
"Then go there to register yourself. And then state your reason for entering. Only then you can proceed further," one of them ordered, pointing toward a woman seated at the registration desk.
Vahn nodded again and went over.
The woman was moderately beautiful, appearing to be in her mid-thirties, though the presence of her strong aura was unmistakable.
The pair of square-shaped glasses perched on her nose added an air of authoritative dominance.
Vahn approached the desk and spoke with a respectful tone:
"Excuse me, I have just completed my Body Tempering. According to the sect rules, I should be entitled to receive a free cultivation manual from the Scripture Hall."
The woman behind the desk adjusted her glasses and studied him for a long moment. Her judgemental gaze fell upon as measuring his Cultivation.
"Hmm... you certainly have a good foundation. What’s your name? Which batch are you from?"
"My name is Vahn Woodinson, currently under elder Orsted’s Tutelage." Vahn answered.
But the woman seemed to not know him, which is not a good news.
After checking some documents, she spoke,
"Very well. You may proceed. But remember this, only the first floor is accessible to you. The second and third floors are forbidden. Those are reserved for Inner Court disciples, Core disciples, and the sect’s top geniuses. Do not overstep, or you will be punished severely."
Her voice carried enough pressure that even the nearby officers looked slightly uneasy.
Vahn bowed politely, though inwardly his heart sank.
So I can only browse the first floor...
With those thoughts, he entered the Scripture Hall.
The first floor stretched wide, lined with countless shelves made of darkwood, each carrying scrolls and bound jade slips. The internal atmosphere was ancient but clean, with mix of fragrance of ink and sandalwood.
However, when he reached the Cultivation Manual section, his disappointment increased further. The highest available here were Earth Grade manuals, though still valuable compared to anything outside.
A few titles caught his eye:
★ Nine Veins Spirit Refinement Scripture (Earth-High)
★ Silent Lotus Breathing Sutra (Earth-High)
★ Steel Marrow Tempering Canon (Earth-High)
★ Azure River Flowing Qi Art (Earth-High)
Each of them was respectable in its own right, capable of accelerating one’s cultivation speed and strengthening different aspects of the body and dantian.
But Vahn knew well that above Earth Grade there existed Spirit Grade, Saint Grade, and the rare Heaven Grade cultivation manuals.
Those exalted scriptures offered far more than just faster progress. They shaped destinies. They carved paths free of bottlenecks, ensuring smoother breakthroughs and paving the way to ascend beyond mortal limits. To possess one was to hold the key to greatness.
And there was one iron law in cultivation: a person could follow only a single manual in their lifetime. Once chosen, that path became their fate. To waste it on a lesser scripture was to chain one’s own future.
The upper echelons knew this truth. They could have easily granted him access to better manuals. Instead, they confined him to the lowest shelves, as if mocking his potential.
It was deliberate. Cruel. A move meant to bury his rise before it could even begin.
Vahn’s lips curled faintly as this understanding crystallized in his mind.
They want me to remain beneath their feet. They fear what I could become.
So he played along. Without hesitation, he picked a random low-grade Earth manual from the shelf, feigning submission to their design. To the watching eyes, it would seem his path had been sealed, his fate diminished.
He walked out quietly, yet within him a storm raged. A tsunami of fury and defiance boiled in his chest, one he forced down for now.
Very well. Let them think their scheme has succeeded. But the day will come when I demand answers... and when that day arrives, it will not be kind to them.