Three years passed in a state of profound, undisturbed peace. For the Green Mountain Sect, it was a period of normal, incremental growth. Disciples broke through, elders went into seclusion, and the great machine of the sect churned on. But in the hidden valley of the Azure Serpent Lake, three years was an entire era.
Li Yu was now fourteen years old. The scrawny, underfed boy was gone, replaced by a lean, composed young man. He was not tall or overtly muscular, but he moved with a deep, quiet grace, his every action economical and precise. His "official" cultivation had progressed at a speed that was considered genius-level, but not monstrous.
He had publicly broken through to the Fourth Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, a feat that placed him firmly in the upper echelons of the core disciples. His reputation was no longer that of a lucky upstart, but of a true, reclusive prodigy of the Beast Taming Hall, a genius who cared more for his beasts than for fame or glory.
His days were a masterclass in this carefully constructed persona. He rarely left his valley, but the sect's disciples now came to him. His ability to solve impossible problems with demonic beasts had become legendary.
One afternoon, a powerful core disciple, a young woman named Yao Ling from the Alchemist's Hall, arrived with a troubled expression. Her companion beast, a Rank 5 Seven-Tailed Spirit Fox, was suffering from a strange malady. Its beautiful, silver fur was thinning, and it had lost its appetite.
"Junior Brother Li," she said, her voice laced with a worried respect that would have been unthinkable three years ago. "The sect's alchemists are stumped. They say its life force is inexplicably draining away."
Li Yu spent a full day observing the fox. It was not an aquatic beast, so he could not feel its thoughts directly. But years of experience had honed his senses to an incredible degree. He watched its breathing, the flow of Qi in its body, and its subtle interactions with the environment.
"Senior Sister Yao," he said on the second day, his voice thoughtful. "The problem is not the fox. It is its food." He pointed to the high-grade, fire-attribute spirit herbs she was feeding it. "Your spirit fox has a rare, recessive ice-attribute bloodline. You are feeding it fire to nourish its dominant attribute, but that very fire is slowly extinguishing the dormant ice nature within it, causing a fundamental conflict that is draining its life force."
He offered a simple solution: a balanced diet, incorporating both fire and ice-attribute herbs of a lower grade. Within a week, the fox's fur began to regrow, its appetite returned, and its aura stabilized. He had not just solved a problem; he had displayed a level of diagnostic insight that was beyond even the master alchemists. In return for his help, he asked only for a single, rare, thousand-year-old ice-attribute herb from her personal collection, a treasure he quietly stored away.
He became the sect's unofficial beast physician. He helped an elder whose ancient, armored battle-turtle had developed cracks in its shell by diagnosing a simple mineral deficiency. He aided a disciple whose flying sword-fish were unable to control their flight by understanding that a change in the mountain's magnetic field was disrupting their innate navigational senses.
Under his care, the Azure Serpent Lake had transformed. It was now the most productive and valuable beast-rearing ground in the entire sect for aquatic beasts. He had used his unique understanding to crossbreed several species, creating new, more powerful variants. His most successful creation was the Azure-Jade Carp, a hybrid of the common Green-Scaled Carp and a rare, Jade-Gilled Perch. It was a beautiful, delicious, and incredibly nourishing fish that was now the most sought-after delicacy in the inner sect's dining halls, a constant and massive source of income for his master's faction.
His three subordinates had also been reborn. Brother Kai, his old injuries healed and his path clear, had reached the Fourth Stage of Qi Condensation, becoming a true expert in his own right. Hu Jian and Lin Tao, with their new techniques and a steady supply of resources, had both reached the Third Stage, very quick themselves. They were no longer just guards; they were the formidable pillars of Li Yu's small kingdom.
But all of this was just the surface. His true growth happened in the dead of night, in the silent, hidden world of his own cultivation.
Three years of absorbing the refined, Khaos-filtered essence of the Azure Serpent Lake's beasts, combined with his regular, intensive sessions in the Abyssal Water Pavilion, had pushed his cultivation to a terrifying new height. His true realm was no longer the Fourth Stage, but the Ninth Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, the absolute peak, a single step away from the Foundation Establishment Realm. His Qi Core was a flawless, spinning crystal of immense power, and his control over his True Qi was exquisite.
His body, tempered by the «Abyssal Leviathan Physique», had also reached a new level. He had long ago perfected the Third Level, 'Kraken's Heart,' making his internal organs incredibly resilient. Now, he was on the verge of breaking through to the Fourth Level, a stage so profound the technique had only given it a conceptual name: 'Tidal Blood.' It was a level that promised to transform his very lifeblood into a medium of immense power and vitality.
His nights were often spent in a silent, deadly dance with his companion. Crimson, now a fully mature Rank 4 Fierce Beast, was a terrifying opponent. Its draconic bloodline had fully awakened, and it could now spew a torrent of corrosive, Qi-infused venom and move with a speed that defied its size. They would spar for hours in the hidden grotto, their movements a blur of shadow and jade-green scales. Their synergy was perfect. Li Yu could be in the middle of executing a «Deep-River Seal» and, with a single thought, Crimson would appear from the Koi's Sanctuary to lock down his opponent, guaranteeing the blow would land. They were a perfectly coordinated killing machine.
It was during his quiet moments of cultivation that he would commune with the other residents of his spirit. The Koi's Sanctuary had evolved. It was no longer just a misty courtyard. It was now a pocket dimension the size of a small, tranquil lake, surrounded by a misty, featureless void. Li Yu, in his authority as Steward of the Azure Serpent Lake, had carefully selected and transferred prime specimens of lower-ranked beasts into this private dimension. A small, thriving population of Rank 1 Silver-Gilled Minnows swam in the clear, spiritual water. A dozen of his own Rank 2 Azure-Jade Carp, a perfect, sustainable food source, explored the misty depths. And a breeding pair of Rank 3 Shadow-Fin Eels, known for their potent life essence, lurked in a small, rocky cave he had formed for them at the bottom.
This private ecosystem served multiple purposes. It was a constant, high-quality food source for his companions, and more importantly, it was a perfect, private wellspring of Qi he could draw from at any time, without affecting the sect's resources or arousing suspicion.
You have turned my sanctuary into a noisy fishpond, Khaos's ancient, arrogant voice echoed in his mind. The miniature crab was resting on a small, obsidian ledge he had created for it, observing the new inhabitants with a detached, regal air.
They are a resource, Li Yu projected back. Their life force nourishes this space and aids your growth.
Their essence is crude, but their vitality is pure, Khaos conceded. It is an acceptable addition. My growth continues. Khaos was not injured, merely young. Its current state was one of natural, steady growth, like a seed slowly sprouting into a world-ending tree.
How long? Li Yu asked. How long until you reach the next stage of your power?
My kind does not measure growth in years, but in epochs, Khaos replied, its mental voice laced with a timeless amusement. In this barren world, it will be a long journey. But your spirit… it accelerates the process. With its help, the timeline becomes… acceptable.
A few more years, Li Yu understood. The thought was staggering.
The egg you have placed here is also interesting, Khaos noted, its attention shifting. It has absorbed a great deal of the sanctuary's vitality. Its life force has reached its peak. It will hatch soon.
Li Yu's focus shifted to the Deep-Sea Naga egg. It had been resting in the sanctuary for three years, constantly bathed in the pure, life-giving energy of his Koi spirit. The faint, swirling patterns on its dark blue shell were now glowing with a soft, steady light. He could feel the strong, healthy heartbeat of the life within.
He knew the time was coming. His period of peaceful, hidden growth was drawing to a close. The hatching of the Naga would not be a grand, world-shaking event that would alert the sect; it would be a quiet, internal affair, a secret known only to him. But it would be a new, powerful asset, and another dangerous variable in his carefully constructed life.
He looked out from his pagoda, his gaze sweeping over the peaceful, misty valley that was his domain. He had built a fortress, forged a faction, and gathered a power that no one in the sect could have ever imagined. He was content to stay here, to continue his quiet, low-key life of raising his beasts and growing stronger. But he knew, with a certainty that settled deep in his bones, that the world outside was not so peaceful. His enemies had been silent, but they had not vanished.