A Year of Chaos
The fight went as anyone expected, with Xue Bai being suppressed without being able to do much. But through some extended testing, they figured out that Xue Bai was now at least as strong as someone at the 3rd stage of the Blood Exchange Realm.
However, it was all a guess as Xue Bai had yet to cultivate any Martial Techniques, as in order to do so, one must be in the Qi Sea Realm at the minimum. And in order to not end the fight instantly, Xue Feng hadn't used any.
Laying on the ground, defeated, beaten, and exhausted, Xue Bai was feeling a myriad of emotions.
Whether it be excitement at his new strength or annoyance at his father, who had beaten him into this state, Xue Bai was feeling conflicted on various levels. However, all of his feelings and thoughts reminded him of one thing. He was getting stronger.
If Xue Bai were on Earth, he'd be the strongest human who had ever existed. Though he wouldn't be invincible as missiles and heavy guns would be able to kill him, he still could be able to fight and destroy any average human on Earth with little to no effort.
And Xue Bai's latent potential made him hopeful for the future. He had another 3 years of peaceful growth where he could grow without any troubles coming his way at home.
After that, Xue Bai decided he would join the Soaring Sword Sect. And if everything went as he planned, Xue Bai would at least be in the Bone Strengthening Realm. And with his Martial Veins, he would instantly become one of the Sect's gems. Moreover, the speed at which we cultivated would make him a genius amongst geniuses even by the Central Continents standards, let alone this backwater continent.
The only thing he had to be careful of during these three years was the Wang Clan. But not because of their strength, but Wang Yu. That kid was a menace in every sense of the word. If not for Huo Long and the other protagonist on the southern continent joining forces in the plot, he would've easily taken over the continent.
Wang Yu was recognized as the hardest early game villain from any of the continents unanimously by players. After all, as the first major villain to two protagonists, how could he not be a challenge?
However, Xue Bai shook away his swaying thoughts and stood up from the ground. No matter how fast he grew, the climactic battle of this continent wouldn't happen for at least another 10 years. Even with his Martial Veins, he would only get to the later stages of the Houtian Great Realm in his late teens.
For now, all he needed to do was to seize the moment.
"Carpe Diem, was it?" Xue Bai muttered to himself as he patted the dirt off his clothes.
"Carpet them? Bai'er, what are you saying?" Xue Feng on the side heard Xue Bai and asked confusedly.
"Father, you're hearing things. You should get your ears checked out." Xue Bai said without a change in expression.
"Nonsense, I'm at the 7th stage of the Domain Lord Realm. How could I be hearing things?"
"Maybe you're getting old. Aren't you like 100 at this point?"
"You stinky brat! You know I'm only 82. How dare you curse me?" Xue Feng was blowing smoke from his nose at this point.
Knowing he touched a sore spot, Xue Bai giggled and ran away, not wanting to mess with the old man any longer.
Though Xue Feng was still annoyed, he smiled at Xue Bai, acting like a child. He wasn't really angry and only put up a pretense. It was moments like that gave him the most happiness. However, they also gave him a strong sense of danger.
Xue Feng was weak, and he knew that. Even in The Great Xuan Empire, where he is held as one of the biggest powerhouses, there were a least a dozen old monsters stronger than him. And that wasn't even mentioning the Three Great Sects neighboring them.
While Xue Feng would love to play with his son in peace, he also had the duty of protecting the peace they had. Until Xue Bai grew up, Xue Feng had the mission of protecting Xue Bai from harm.
So standing up with resolution Xue Feng walked to his courtyard.
"I can most likely break through to the 8th stage tonight."
Like sand falling from an hourglass, time passed by faster than anyone realized, and soon ten months passed, and it was already Xue Bai's 11th birthday.
To Xue Bai, it felt like only a few months had passed with how serene life was, but to the Southern Continent, it was anything but.
Groundbreaking news popped up almost every week, making it a blood-boiling time to be alive.
First was Wang Yu, the continent's biggest rising star. After joining the Soaring Sword Sect, his cultivation started to advance at heaven-defying speeds, and he reached the Bone Strengthening Realm at 15 years and 4 months old, breaking the Southern Continent's long-standing record.
After that was a piece of news that shook the continent, it was the death of a peak powerhouse, a Peak Domain Lord Realm old monster died. The person in question was, amazingly, the esteemed Grand Elder from The Great Xuan Empire's Duke Wang Clan.
After the death of his only descendant, Wang Mo, the Grand Elder, couldn't control his Spiritual Qi and suffered Qi Deviation crippling himself. And without Spiritual Qi or his high cultivation to sustain his old life, The Grand Elder died from old age.
And the Wang Clan, though heartbroken, had tried to keep it under wraps for as long as they could, but it leaked during a meeting of The Empire's higher-ups one day.
During the meetings, normally, any cultivator in the Domain Lord Realm and above is required to be present by Imperial Law. However, after not seeing the Wang Clans Grand Elder, the Emperor, Duan Zhen, became enraged.
Duan Zhen thought that the old man had supposed himself higher than the Imperial Law. So angered, Duan Zhen planned to make an example out of him and barge into the Wang Clan Dukedom in search of him.
But after breaking into the man's cave abode, Duan Zhen was met with a corpse.
And unfortunately enough for the Wang Clan, who planned to keep it under wraps, the other higher-ups had followed Duan Zhen wanting to see a good show. And they all recognized the corpse as the Grand Elder.
Unapologetic for his mistake, Duan Zhen also ordered Wang Yichen to explain how the Grand Elder died. After all, to hit the dog, you had to ask its master first. And the Grand Elder was one of the strongest dogs in his control. So it, suddenly, dying was a huge matter.
Embarrassed, angered, and annoyed, Wang Yichen refused to explain to all of the uninvited guests. However, Duan Zhen just got angrier, thinking it to be an act of rebellion, and forced out an answer from Wang Yichen.
Then there, kneeling under Duan Zhen's pressure and in front of all the higher-ups of The Empire, Wang Yichen explained how the Grand Elder died.
And though all the higher-ups were composed enough not to laugh in front of Wang Yichen and promised not to release the news. Only hours after ending the meeting, the Wang Clan had already become the laughingstock of The Great Xuan Empire and Southern Continent.
After all, The Grand Elder's death had to be the first in history. A Peak Domain Lord dying to Qi Deviation was an enigma.
Even Xue Bai couldn't control himself and laughed himself to tears after Xue Feng told him.
Finally, the last piece of news happened merely a week ago. And it was the tragic story of Huo Long.
ραпdα Йᴏνêl(сòm) After awakening his Low Black Grade Martial Veins, Huo Long was seen to be Wang Yu's only competitor in the generation. And he lived up to it, breaking through to the Muscle Nourishing Realm at only 13 years and 8 months old.
However, after an ambush targeting Wushen Academy's members in a Secret Realm, Huo Long had his Dantian Shattered, and Martial Veins crippled. Heartbroken and devasted, Wushen Academy tried to heal Huo Long to no avail. And after giving him a few benefits as compensation, Huo Long was expelled.
And now it was January 2, Xue Bai's birthday, and also coincidentally exactly 18 months until the start of the plot.
Today would be the day that Xue Bai "awakens his Martial Veins" even though he had done so almost a year ago.
Though Xue Bai had Low Heaven Grade Martial Veins with a Space and Fire Element affinity, he planned only to reveal a High Black Grade Fire Element set of Martial Veins.
The reasoning was simple, any higher and it wouldn't do anything but make him a bigger target. A Peak Black Grade Martial Vein would threaten the true powerhouses of the Baishen Plane living in the Central Continent. But also any Lower and the Vein Swallowing Worm that the Wang Clan poisoned him would have swallowed it.
The Worm he poisoned with was only a Middle Yellow Grade worm. And a High Black Grade Martial Vein couldn't be swallowed by a worm of that quality. So in order to not make the Wang Clan any more suspicious, he choose to 'awaken' a High Black Grade Martial Vein.
And though Xue Bai knew that a High Black Grade Martial Vein would make him an even bigger target to the Wang Clan, he didn't want to cower.
Xue Bai wanted to win. He wanted to ascend. He wanted to survive his apotheosis and become a god.
If he cowered now before to the insignificant Wang Clan before even meeting Wang Mo, what right did he have to go against him?
"Young Master, you look lost. What's wrong?" Suddenly the words from his maid took him away from his thoughts.
Looking back, he saw Xiao'er dressed up as fancy as she could with a huge smile plastered on her face.
The years were treating Xiao'er better and better as she grew up. And now 17, Xiao'er stood at about 1.75 meters tall with bulging mountains and long slender legs that peeked out from her cheongsam. Coupled with her cheerful and naive smile, she was a world-class beauty that could tempt even monks.
"Damn jailbait." Xue Bai muttered under his breath.
"Young Master, you said that phrase again! What does jailbait mean, and why do you only say it to me?" Xiao'er pouted.
Now at 17, with the resources she received, Xiao'er had stepped into the Bone Strengthening Realm. And was able to hear Xue Bai's whispers.
"You'll learn when you're older. Now just help me put on this stupid ornamental outfit." Xue Bai refused to elaborate.
Currently, he and Xiao'er were dressing up in their best clothes to attend his birthday party and "Awakening Ceremony."
"Hmph! I'll make you spit it out one day." Xiao'er humphed, but she still obeyed Xue Bai's command.
How could she say no to such an appealing command? Being able to dress up Xue Bai was always one of her favorite activities.
Soon enough, with 4 hands, Xue Bai eventually entered his outfit.
"Alright, Xiao'er, let's go greet the guests." Xue Bai said while extending his hand to his maid.
"Yes, Young Master!"
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