Wu Tian cultivated quietly on Skull Mountain, keeping his head down and avoiding trouble.
More than a month passed in the blink of an eye.
At last, his Wind Spirit talent reached completion.
Ding!System Notification: Your talent "Wind Spirit" has reached Perfection.
Ding!System Notification: Your talent "Wind Spirit" has evolved. Please choose one of the following options.
Option One: Random Wind-Attribute Bloodline (Low Grade)Option Two: Foreseeing Fortune and Disaster (Mid Grade)
Wu Tian's eyes lit up instantly.
Especially the first option.
Bloodline.
This was the first time he had ever seen a bloodline choice appear.
Even though it was labeled low grade, a bloodline represented untapped potential—something far deeper than a simple talent.
After more than a month of cultivation, and with the occasional eavesdropping outside the Transmission Hall, Wu Tian was no longer ignorant.
Among cultivators, spiritual roots determined destiny.Among demonkind, bloodlines reigned supreme.
Spiritual roots were divided into lower, middle, upper, and supreme grades.Above even those were immortal-grade roots, also known as Dao Bodies.
Upper-grade roots were already one-in-ten-thousand talents.Supreme roots were nearly unheard of.As for Dao Bodies—one appearance could shake entire sects, rivaling the birth of a Demon King's heir.
For demonkind, bloodlines decided everything.
Cultivation ceiling.Growth speed.Longevity.Physical strength.Innate talents.
From ferocious beasts, to spirits, to lesser demons, greater demons, Demon Kings…and even the legendary Demon Saints—
The purer and stronger the bloodline, the greater the future.
Wu Tian's original bloodline was merely that of a Southern Border White Dog.
It had granted him one talent and two skills—nothing more than an ordinary beast bloodline, not even worthy of being called a spirit bloodline.
A low-grade bloodline, then, likely meant a true Spirit Beast bloodline.
Once acquired, it would certainly unlock new talents and abilities, greatly expanding his cultivation path.
"Bloodline… and Foreseeing Fortune and Disaster…"
"I really want both."
Wu Tian sighed softly and turned his focus to the second option.
Foreseeing Fortune and Disaster (Mid Grade Talent):You can sense the goodwill and malice of others, and perceive opportunities and calamities within a hundred-li radius.
This was, without question, the talent of an auspicious beast.
With it, one could avoid catastrophe and seek opportunity—survival itself would become far easier.
This was the very talent Wu Tian had longed for the most.
If he missed this chance, there was no guarantee he would ever obtain it again.
After hesitating for a long time, Wu Tian finally made his decision.
Bloodlines could perhaps be gained later through other means.
But Foreseeing Fortune and Disaster was simply too precious—especially on Skull Mountain.
As his cultivation increased, it was inevitable that he would draw attention.
This talent would be the foundation of his survival.
"Fine… it's random anyway."
"I'll grit my teeth and choose Foreseeing Fortune and Disaster."
With a heart that felt like it was bleeding, Wu Tian confirmed his choice.
The moment the talent evolved, a subtle transformation occurred.
His once pitch-black pupils shimmered with flowing light, resonating faintly with his brow. Even his snowy-white fur became more lustrous, almost translucent.
From afar, the white dog appeared increasingly mystical—like a spirit fox of the mountains. His fur gleamed like polished jade, and his eyes held a clear, intelligent glow that hinted at sentience.
Wu Tian couldn't see his own changes.
But he could feel the world.
What once required interpreting the wind had now become instinctive.
Within a hundred-li radius, everything seemed to fall under his awareness.
Yet in the very next instant—
Wu Tian's expression changed drastically.
His heart sank.
In his perception, the world had transformed completely.
Above Skull Mountain, thick black miasma, bloody aura, and fiery baleful energy intertwined, forming a terrifying scene—as if the entire mountain sat atop a volcano, ready to erupt and reduce everything to ash.
"Skull Mountain…"
"…is facing an extinction-level catastrophe."
A crushing sense of danger surged through him.
His Foreseeing Fortune and Disaster talent trembled violently, warning him again and again to flee this land of death.
All joy from his breakthrough vanished.
Cold dread crawled up his spine, making it impossible to remain calm.
After a long while, Wu Tian finally forced himself to steady his breathing.
Carefully, he focused his talent, examining the situation more closely.
Spiritual light flickered in his eyes as the hundred-li region seemed to unfold before him—not through sight, but through instinctive perception.
"The fiery baleful energy rises from below the mountain…"
"That means a risk of subterranean fire eruption."
"The black clouds gather above the White Bone Hall…"
"That points to the source of Skull Mountain's ultimate disaster."
"And the blood-red radiance comes from beyond the mountain…"
"That signifies an external invasion—blades and slaughter."
All of this knowledge flowed naturally into his mind, as if he had been born understanding it.
"The fire looks dangerous, but there's sword resonance and dragon roars within it—something is suppressing it."
"The black clouds are heavy, yet dormant, as if waiting."
"The bloodlight is ominous, but still distant."
Wu Tian felt a deep sense of frustration.
His talent was only mid-grade—it could warn of danger, but not pinpoint when it would strike, nor who exactly would trigger it.
"So that's the situation…"
"But when will it explode?"
"And what should I do?"
His heart pounded.
Every instinct screamed at him to flee the mountain immediately.
Any one of those calamities could annihilate him effortlessly.
They were far beyond anything he could resist.
"But… I came here to cultivate."
"I haven't even learned the Cloud Water Art or Wind-Gathering Art yet."
"Am I supposed to run away like a coward now?"
"Leaving is easy—but returning would be nearly impossible."
"And besides…"
"The mountain gate is guarded by a formation built from a dragon's corpse."
"Can I even escape if I want to?"
Anxiety gnawed at him.
In the end, Wu Tian could only take a deep breath.
"Enough thinking."
"I'll cultivate as fast as possible."
"If disaster truly comes, I'll flee toward the mid-mountain."
His gaze turned toward the mountainside.
There, golden radiance surged skyward, sword qi pierced the heavens, and dragon roars echoed faintly—an awe-inspiring sight.
Through his talent, Wu Tian sensed something else.
If he fled there, he might turn calamity into fortune.
"That place…"
"…may be my only path to survival."
"I need to find a way to explore it."
Having made up his mind, Wu Tian finally calmed down.
He began reciting the Nether Communion Incantation, forcing himself into meditation.
In truth, nothing in the world had changed.
Only his perspective had.
Seeing further meant shouldering greater fear.
Ants know nothing of destiny—and thus live untroubled.
To glimpse approaching doom was a terror few could truly understand.
Slow breaths in, slow breaths out.
Azure radiance spread.
Wu Tian immersed himself deeply.
He dared not waste a single moment.
"First—perfect the Nether Communion Incantation."
"Then… make my way to the mid-mountain."
"And uncover whatever fate awaits me there."