After his conversation with his father, Tao found himself standing before his newly made quarters—a private residence crafted by none other than Dai Long himself.
The moment he stepped inside, he could feel the weight of his father's presence lingering in the craftsmanship. Every detail had been meticulously designed, blending both elegance and practicality.
The walls were forged from black jade stone, polished to a mirror-like sheen, subtly absorbing the light rather than reflecting it. Golden inscriptions lined the edges of the chamber—protective formations that pulsed faintly with power, ensuring both security and privacy.
The main hall was vast, yet not overwhelming.
A meditation area rested at its center, surrounded by neatly arranged spirit-gathering formations, ensuring the flow of energy was always optimal. To the left, a small armory had been prepared, holding training weapons and materials suited for his future battles.
To the right, an elegant sleeping chamber stood, complete with a sturdy jade bed infused with spiritual energy, designed to enhance bodily recovery.
Tao walked in slowly, running his fingers along the cool surface of the stone.
His own space.
For the first time since his rebirth, he had been given something that was his. Not a prison cell. Not a hospital bed. No, he had something truly different.
A place of his own.
His fingers unconsciously tightened around the jade slips he carried—his cultivation techniques. His path forward.
Taking a deep breath, he strode toward the meditation area, setting the jade slips down before him. The flickering candlelight cast shifting shadows against the walls as he settled into a seated position.
He had much to learn.
"I'll start with the Heavenly Titan Physique first." He thought to himself.
Tao sat cross-legged on his meditation mat, taking a deep breath as he began to steady himself.
He closed his eyes and focused inward, silencing the remnants of excitement still lingering in his mind. His heart slowed, his muscles loosened, and his thoughts became like still water—undisturbed, reflective, and deep.
He held the jade slip of the Heavenly Titan Physique between his fingers. With a slow but deliberate motion, he crushed it between his palms. The moment the jade shattered, a surge of golden energy poured into his consciousness.
It was dark all around his consciousness, and then he saw it.
A colossal figure loomed beneath the heavens, his form like a living mountain sculpted by the hands of ancient gods. His body, a monolith of flesh and stone, pulsed with raw, unyielding strength. He was no mere being; he was a Titan, a force of nature incarnate, destined to transcend the limitations of mortality.
An ancient voice, deep and vast like the rumbling of the earth, echoed within Tao's mind.
"Heavenly Titan Physique—a path to defying the very laws of heaven. Twelve steps to forge the body into an immovable, unstoppable force. Absorb, temper, refine, and ascend—until the flesh becomes a world unto itself."
Tao's mind reeled as the knowledge took root, filling every crevice of his consciousness. His body trembled as his meridians surged with heat, his muscles instinctively preparing to undergo the transformation required for the first step.
There were twelve steps in total for this physique. But as for right now, Tao could only comprehend the first four.
They were Step 1: Marrow Baptism, Step 2: Flesh Weaving, Step 3: Bone Engraving, and Step 4: Titan's Blood.
He watched as it took place.
The titan's bones rumbled like shifting continents, a deep, primordial groan resonating from within. His marrow, the core of his being, was flooded with celestial fire, purging all weakness and replacing it with liquid strength, molten gold coursing through his veins.
Thick, black impurities seeped from his colossal pores, evaporating into the air like vanquished shadows. His entire frame quaked as his skeleton was reforged, denser than any known metal yet flexible enough to bear the burden of unfathomable power.
A shattering sound echoed across the landscape; it was a sign.
A sign of his transformation beginning. The foundation was laid—his body, no longer merely flesh, had begun its ascent toward godhood.
"This is the marrow baptism," Tao thought to himself as he watched.
Then the titan's flesh writhed, his muscles coiling and tightening like the roots of an ancient world tree. Each fiber was reforged, each strand becoming a cable of pure might. His very existence pulsed with potential, his physical form now a vessel of boundless energy.
"And this is Flesh Weaving."
Next, Golden inscriptions ignited along his massive bones, forming intricate runes older than time itself. These engravings were the marks of the Heavenly Titans, the celestial conquerors who once ruled the heavens.
Each rune strengthened his structure, making him an unbreakable fortress of flesh and steel.
"This is Bone Engraving."
A roar escaped the titan's lips as his heart thundered, each beat sending waves of force through the land. His blood thickened, now a viscous river of power, its glow illuminating the night sky. With each pulse, his vitality surged, ensuring that neither time nor blade could easily destroy it.
"And finally, this is Titan's Blood."
After seeing all of this, Tao's eyes slowly opened. "I can't see the other eight as I'm too weak at the moment to fully comprehend it. But I can cultivate the first four steps. Starting with marrow baptism."
He was in no rush, so he decided to take a little nap to settle his mind and soul from all that had transpired today.
He got up and leaped into his bed, clearing a ten-foot jump in the process.
...
A few hours later, Tao was awake and back onto his meditation mat.
"I've increased the gravity to fifty times, enough for my body to handle right now for the first step. Now, let's begin.
Tao began cultivating the words of the Titan he had heard earlier.
After each word was spoken, the gravity around him burrowed into his flesh and began its work.
The blood energy in Tao's body began to move following the first step extremely fast, shocking him greatly.
But he did not stop it and let it continue.
Tao's body heated up from within, his bones aching as the technique forced out the excess blood and flesh from his body. This step strengthened his foundation, ensuring that his body could handle further tempering.
His blood thickened, turning a deeper crimson, becoming more potent, rich with energy.
Even more so, as he was a dragon, and they have no shortage of those.
As the technique took hold, his body was wracked with an unbearable burning sensation. His bones felt as if molten iron had been poured into them, and his marrow twisted and churned.
Then, suddenly, his skin began to sweat out small, little lines of black impurities, the remnants of his old, weaker self.
His previous body was injured by the Heavenly Dao. Or whatever that thing was in the sky.
He might have healed up nicely, but some wounds go unnoticed and are hidden deeply.
The stench was vile, like rotting decay, but Tao bore it with gritted teeth. He could feel his body shedding its mortal constraints, growing stronger with each passing second.
His breath became deep and powerful, drawing in the surrounding Immortal Qi as if his very being craved nourishment. His muscles, his blood, his very cells drank in the power, reinforcing themselves under the transformation.
Then—Crack!!!
A faint but distinct shattering sound echoed through his body as if invisible chains had broken apart.
Tao's eyes shot open, gleaming with a faint golden hue. The first step of the Heavenly Titan Physique was complete.
His bones no longer ached but felt denser, heavier, unyielding. His blood now carried a rich vitality, flowing like molten gold through his veins. His entire body felt redefined, as though he had cast aside an old, fragile shell and stepped into something far greater.
Yet, he knew that this was just the beginning.
He still had eleven more steps to go.
His body, which was already the cream of the crop, had taken a huge leap to something transcendental.
Only time will tell what will happen.
….
As the invisible chains shattered, something stirred above.
The Heavenly Dao had sent out a heavenly tribulation, or a punishment if you will. To stealthily attempt to invade Tao's soul, seeking to quell his ascension before it could fully take root.
However, a cold snort echoed through the void.
It was Dai Long. He was slightly annoyed by the actions of the Heavenly Dao.
With but a breath, the encroaching force was obliterated like mere dust, its presence reduced to nothingness. His piercing gaze swept across the heavens, and his voice echoed with a decree of absolute authority.
"Heavenly Dao," he uttered, his words carrying an undeniable weight. "Never set foot in my realm without my permission again."
A moment of silence followed, unseen to many but a few. The very fabric of existence quivered as if acknowledging his warning.