Feng Shui returned to his quarters after the family meeting, his expression unreadable as he stepped into the quiet of his room. The flickering candlelight danced against the ancient scrolls and jade ornaments lining the shelves.
"All the pawns are now in place," he murmured to himself, his voice low and cold. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips, but it never reached his eyes. "Let's see what surprises you have up your sleeve, my dear grandson."
As the thought passed, his gaze turned as sharp as an ancient blade frosted with killing intent.
Five thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, the sky above the Feng Clan's ancestral residence darkened as thunderclouds gathered ominously, blotting out the sun. A tempest swirled, the winds howling as if sensing the momentous event about to unfold.
High above the clouds, Feng Ming floated silently in the air, his robes whipping violently in the wind. With arms spread wide, he welcomed the heavens.
The first bolt of lightning descended, crackling with divine fury.
Then another.
And another.
Each bolt more powerful than the last, aiming to reduce him to ashes.
Yet Feng Ming's eyes remained calm unshaken. His physical body bore the tribulation without any protective artifacts, relying solely on the strength of his flesh and bones. With every strike, his cells broke down, his body crumbling, bit by bit, into dust.
Still, he remained unmoved.
And then, as the heavens unleashed their final judgment, Feng Ming's body was utterly destroyed reduced to nothing but a glowing soul drifting amidst the storm.
But in that moment of destruction rebirth began.
A new body began forming around his soul. Particles of light and essence from the void itself gathered and condensed. White hair fluttered as a radiant face took shape, exuding a transcendent charm. Inch by inch, his figure materialized tall, lean, and graceful.
When the formation completed, he stood over 1.8 meters tall, his presence overwhelming the very heavens and earth. Then, slowly, he opened his eyes.
They were purple deep, mysterious, and filled with power.
On that day, Feng Ming had crossed the Second Heaven and stepped into the First Level of the Third Heaven Nirvana Stage.
From the ancestral hall, his grandfather, father, and uncles watched the entire tribulation in solemn silence. Even his mother, currently in secluded cultivation, sensed the sky-shattering event. His aura was wild and violent, a testament to his solid foundation and terrifying potential. He could slay ordinary late-stage Nirvana cultivators and hold his own against peak-stage ones.
As the lightning clouds dispersed and silence returned, Feng Ming descended, bowed respectfully to his elders, and without a word, returned to his chamber.
More than a century passed.
In the stillness of his meditation chamber, Feng Ming opened his eyes once again those same, piercing purple eyes.
His cultivation was now fully solidified.
He turned his attention inward, diving into the depths of his sea of consciousness, where his master had long ago left behind a profound technique. There, something stirred a seal that once locked a unique ability had finally broken.
Concealed Mark.
As he gently touched the mark, a flood of information surged into his mind.
He sat in silence, digesting the revelation.
"So not only can this ability hide my cultivation from cultivators three heavens above me, it can even conceal the very existence of my array formations."
He smiled faintly. This was more powerful than he'd imagined. With this, he could move unseen, create traps and formations without fear of discovery. However,
"The sacrifices used to power my formations cannot be hidden. If too many disappear, the elders especially Grandfather will notice. I must tread carefully."
Even with the power of Concealed Mark awakened, Feng Ming knew caution was still his greatest ally.
Curious, he delved deeper into his consciousness, searching for signs of the next ability that awaited him in the Fourth Heaven.
He found the name, etched in glowing runes:
Illusory Eyes.
"Illusions, perhaps ?" he mused, but dismissed the thought. The Fourth Heaven was still distant. For now, survival came first.
Just then, footsteps approached.
A figure entered the chamber and knelt respectfully.
"Young Master," the man said, head bowed. "The First Patriarch has commanded you to travel to the borderlands of the Eastern and Southern Regions, near Blazing Sun Province."
Feng Ming stood, his gaze cool and calculating.
"So it begins," he said softly.