"I'm... not a waste?!"
The Codex Spirit's words hit Rowan like a thunderbolt. He trembled with excitement, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light.
"But..." Suddenly, his fervor dimmed. He sighed. "Forget it. Don't try to comfort me. I can't even practice the most basic martial arts or heart methods—what else could I be?"
The Codex Spirit, who had lived through countless eons, felt a surge of frustration watching Rowan's emotional rollercoaster. He half-wished he could give the boy a good shake.
What he said was the truth: Rowan wasn't a waste. He possessed the most powerful physique in existence—the Chaotic Heavenly Body!
But to Rowan, the spirit's honest words sounded like pity. In truth, the Codex Spirit was a bit annoyed.
How could he understand Rowan's pain?
Forget the immortal cultivators of the mystic realms—even in the Dawn Empire, Rowan couldn't grasp the simplest martial techniques or heart methods.
In the Dawn Empire, the Miles family was a powerhouse of warriors.
Even the lowliest servants in the Miles household knew basic martial skills. Some strong ones had reached the third or even fourth tier of Acquired realm.
Yet Rowan, a branch descendant of the Miles family, couldn't cultivate at all! In this world that revered strength, he was utterly worthless.
In the Miles household, he had no status. Even the humblest slaves looked down on him.
For years, Rowan had carried the label "waste," enduring a life of misery. Over time, despair had settled in deep.
"Wherever I go, I'm a waste—a nobody worse than a common slave." Rowan laughed bitterly, his face etched with sorrow.
"Boy, before you met me, maybe you were a cultivation cripple. But from the moment we bound, you're no longer a waste. You're the Chaotic Heavenly Body—the supreme physique of heaven and earth! Didn't you say you wanted to cultivate? To trample those who mocked and humiliated you?"
"If you still doubt yourself, then even with the Chaotic Heavenly Body, you're worthless—a useless shell!" The Codex Spirit sneered coldly.
Rowan flared with anger. "My body may be trash! But my heart's always yearned for strength. Insult my flesh if you must, but not my pride!"
"You have pride?" The Codex Spirit scoffed. "Everything I said is fact. Don't believe me? I can send you back right now—go crawl back to the Miles family as their waste."
Rowan fell silent, his expression icy as he stared at the spirit. "Don't toy with me. If you're lying just to amuse yourself, I'll fight you to the death—even if I lose."
The Codex Spirit laughed coldly. "Toy with you? You haven't earned that honor."
Rowan quieted. After a long pause, he sorted through the chaos of the past day, steadying his breath. Then he met the spirit's gaze.
"I want to cultivate. I want to grow strong! But I have nothing. As a legendary spirit, you must have powerful techniques to share, right?"
Rowan spoke calmly, his face resolute.
"Yes, I have one perfectly suited to your physique." The Codex Spirit replied indifferently.
"But I still don't understand. What's the Chaotic Heavenly Body? What's this Star Codex? Tell me everything—how did this happen?"
"I thought you'd only care about yourself," the Codex Spirit teased, then launched into the tale, sparing no detail Rowan could grasp.
It turned out that after Liam kicked Rowan off the cliff, he'd crashed onto the platform—right onto the Star Codex.
The blood from his wounds had seeped into the scroll, binding them master and artifact in a twist of fate.
That's why the Codex had activated its recognition function, healing Rowan's injuries and even reshaping his physique.
In the process, the Codex discovered with delight that Rowan's body wasn't trash—it was the Chaotic Heavenly Body, the mightiest in all existence.
The world held countless physiques: Indestructible Golden Body, War God Physique, Pure Yang Body, and more. But the Chaotic Heavenly Body was supreme—unrivaled.
What Rowan didn't know was its uniqueness. Other physiques could appear multiple times across the world.
But the Chaotic Heavenly Body was singular. As long as Rowan lived, he was the only one. A second would mean his death.
The Codex Spirit had been furious at binding to a powerless mortal like Rowan. But learning of the Chaotic Heavenly Body filled him with excitement.
He believed that under his guidance, Rowan would rise swiftly. That's why he was patient, even inviting Rowan into the scroll's space.
Otherwise, even bound, the spirit had ways to make a true waste's life hell.
...
The Codex Spirit spoke at length, taking half a day to cover the basics. Rowan needed another half day to absorb it all.
"The Star Codex is the foremost mystic tome of heaven and earth. It holds its own realm, brimming with divine weapons, treasures, techniques, and endless resources. But claiming them depends on your strength—I can't just hand them over."
"Those are too distant for me now. I just want to grow strong. Codex, do you have a technique for me?"
As Rowan said, elixirs and artifacts were far off. But now bound to the Codex, everything inside would be his—once he was powerful enough. The key was starting to cultivate.
"The Chaotic Heavenly Body is the supreme physique—it can't handle ordinary techniques..." Rowan's face fell at the spirit's words.
"But I have just the thing: the Chaotic Heavenly Body Record, crafted for your kind." The Codex Spirit smiled.
"Perfect! Give it to me."
Rowan lit up, his heart pounding. After over a decade of scorn as a waste, he could finally cultivate.
No one could understand that thrill.
Without delay, the Codex Spirit produced a jade slip and handed it over. "Probe it with your spirit."
Rowan took it and sent his awareness inside.
Boom!
In an instant, he was plunged into pitch-black void. Ahead, text floated in the emptiness.
As his spirit touched the words, they dissolved into streams of light, surging into him before he could react.
His mind filled with new knowledge—the Chaotic Heavenly Body Record. But only the first layer was visible; the rest was locked until he grew stronger.
Crack!
The jade slip shattered in his grip, ensuring the technique was his alone in the world.
Yet even with the method, Rowan had no clue how to begin. He'd never cultivated before.
Luckily, the Codex Spirit was there. Though damaged as a spirit, his former master had been a titan, and the spirit had witnessed countless paths. He himself was a powerhouse with vast experience.
In the days that followed, the Codex Spirit guided Rowan's first steps. Through it, Rowan learned the world's truths.
A vast new door swung open before him, revealing a world of wonders.
Rowan knew: from the moment Liam kicked him off the cliff, his fate had shifted. How far he'd go depended on his resolve.
"Liam? The Miles family? I'll return, Rowan Miles swears it. You'll pay back what you owe—a hundredfold! You look down on me from your thrones? This waste will crush you underfoot!"
Rowan's eyes narrowed, thoughts swirling. Then he settled into cultivation.
Watching Rowan train with focus, the Codex Spirit's face twisted with malice not far away. "Master, rest easy. I've found the young lord. I'll mold him well, avenge you—slaughter every enemy, not one spared!"