---
Tang Wulin was still seated when his master, Yueyin, began to speak. Her voice was calm and instructional, carrying the weight of knowledge.
"There are techniques we call spells," she said. "And throughout history, spells have been divided into three main types:
Power spells—used for attack or defense.
Enhancement spells—used to boost or weaken one's stats.
Cultivation spells—used to increase cultivation level and define one's path. Some also prefer to use the word skill instead of spell."
Tang Wulin tilted his head. "Master, what are stats? And cultivation spells… doesn't everyone just cultivate and reach higher levels?"
Yueyin gave a soft nod. "Everyone seeks to grow stronger, but each follows a different path. For example, those with the fire element excel in explosive and powerful spells, while those aligned with the earth element are more suited to defense."
Wulin nodded in thought.
Yueyin looked at him and said, "Sit in the lotus position. I will teach you a breathing technique so you can begin cultivating."
Tang Wulin's brow furrowed. "Techniques? You're not going to teach me a cultivation spell or skill?"
Yueyin answered gently, "Spell, skill, technique—people use different words. Right now, I am teaching you the most basic cultivation method. It focuses only on your core energy. Other cultivation techniques may influence stats, but this is not your time for that."
Wulin nodded silently.
Yueyin then taught him the breathing method and guided him through the process of meditation. To her surprise, Tang Wulin became calm almost instantly, slipping into meditation with ease. She smiled faintly—he was disciplined, focused.
As he meditated, Tang Wulin slowly began to understand the essence of cultivation.
It wasn't just absorbing energy from the world. It was about filtering that energy, refining it until it could be truly owned. Once the energy was his, it would nourish his core and raise his cultivation level.
The stronger the body, the more energy it could hold and purify. A strong foundation was crucial.
His mind grasped these concepts naturally. As he focused, he sensed a warm presence in his dantian—his core—gently absorbing the world's energy.
Three hours passed in silence before Tang Wulin opened his eyes.
"Well done," Yueyin said, her tone calm but approving. "Now, listen carefully."
Wulin straightened up, paying full attention. He had come here to learn.
"Now that you understand what spells are," Yueyin continued, "you must understand that learning and mastering a spell is not just about the action. It's about controlling energy in a specific pattern under the right conditions. Execution matters.
Even at the same level, someone with better control will be stronger using the same spell."
She paused, letting the words sink in.
"Many spells are element-based, though some are not. We classify elements into basic and combined types. The basic elements include:
Fire, Water—which gives rise to Ice and Snow—Wind (Air), Earth (Rock, Ground, Stone, Sand), Thunder (Lightning), Steel (all metal types), Poison, and Plant.
Other elements are often combinations or variants of these."
Wulin listened intently as Yueyin's voice grew slightly firmer.
"There also exist higher-level elements—Light, Darkness, Space, and Time. These are extremely rare. Some even argue that Space and Time aren't elements at all, as most believe they cannot be controlled. That belief… continues to this day."
---
Elsewhere, deep within the heart of the Core Forest, a young boy stirred.
His eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the dim, ancient light. In front of him stood a tall figure cloaked in a burning red aura—the same figure he had seen before collapsing.
The boy was Raine.
Memories rushed back in an instant—his parents, their sacrifice, the pain. Tears welled up as he cried, shoulders shaking in grief. He couldn't stop. The red figure said nothing, only watched in silence as the boy's sobs echoed through the forest.
More than an hour passed before Raine calmed down.
Then, at last, the figure spoke. His voice was deep, resonant, and commanding.
"You can call me Beast King. Your parents gave their lives to protect you. Don't waste that gift. I saved you. Fulfilled their final wish. They had no chance of saving you alone. So you owe me. Understood?"
Raine nodded faintly, unable to form words.
Suddenly, a new voice rang out—a girl's, playful and teasing.
"Do you have to act so cold all the time?"
Raine looked over and saw a girl about his age—around five years old. Her purple eyes sparkled under soft lashes, and her fair skin glowed like moonlight. She was beautiful—unearthly so.
She smiled at Raine. "Hello. I'm Gu Yuena. I'm the one who told this old man to save you. So technically, you owe me, not him."
The red-haired man grumbled, "Old man? I look like I'm in my twenties."
Gu Yuena ignored him and looked back at Raine.
"If you want revenge, this old man will train you. But since I saved you, you'll be my bodyguard from now on. If revenge isn't what you want and you just want to go back… we won't stop you."
Raine's mind went blank for a moment. But then the memories returned—his Dark element, the frightened looks from other children and their parents, how they had tried to capture him, called him cursed, demonic.
His parents had died to save him. And now they were gone.
He remembered Zhao, the fat man. His hands clenched into fists. And then… the golden figure—the Asterioc—flashed in his memory.
"I want revenge," he said firmly.
The red-haired man smiled faintly. "Then let's begin your training."
He began to explain the same basic principles Yueyin had taught Tang Wulin—the nature of energy, cultivation, and how it all begins with the breath.
Raine sat and began to meditate, mimicking what he was taught. Surprisingly, he entered a deep state almost instantly.
Light poured into him—pure and colorful energy drawn straight from the wild forest around them.
It flowed into not just one core—but three.
Yes—Raine was no longer just an energy cultivator. Due to the sacrifice of his parents and unique circumstances, two dormant cores awakened:
The spiritual core at his forehead
The body core in his dantian
Raine was now a rare triple-path cultivator—physical, energy, and spiritual.
And like Tang Wulin, his journey had only just begun.