Tao took a slow breath, stepping deeper into the chamber. The dim golden glow of ancient formations cast long shadows against the walls, making the vast room feel even more mysterious. The moment he crossed the threshold, the air shifted.
Power.
It surged around him, thick and suffocating. Each pedestal carried a technique that pulsed with its own presence, its own unique will. Some felt like roaring storms, others like quiet whispers waiting to be heard.
Tao reached toward the first jade slip that caught his eye. It radiated an oppressive, fiery energy, making his skin prickle. As his fingers neared, he felt his breath grow short, his blood boil. A flash of imagery assaulted his mind—burning plains, scorching suns, a man erupting into flames as his body failed to contain the technique.
Tao yanked his hand back.
Too violent. Too destructive.
He moved on.
The next one pulsed with a deep, abyssal cold. As his fingers grazed it, he felt a biting frost spread up his arm, digging into his bones. His vision blurred—darkness, endless ice, bodies frozen in eternal agony.
No. This one is not for me.
One by one, he passed through the chamber, brushing his fingertips against different techniques. Some were too wild, too chaotic. Others felt suffocating, restrictive, their energy rejecting him outright.
Minutes passed. Nothing felt right.
Tao frowned. He clenched his fists, calming his mind. Feel, do not let greed cloud your judgment. His father's words echoed in his mind.
Then, he felt it.
A soft hum. Subtle, yet sharp.
His eyes snapped toward a pedestal in the far corner. Upon it sat an old scroll wrapped in dark blue silk, its edges slightly worn. It didn't shine with an overpowering aura, nor did it demand attention. Yet, Tao felt his heart pull toward it.
Carefully, he picked it up and unraveled the silk. Three words were inscribed on the cover:
"Void Severing Sword Manual."
The moment he touched the characters, a sharp whisper rang in his mind, like a blade being unsheathed in absolute silence.
The air around him trembled slightly.
Tao's grip tightened. This… this was it.
Something about it resonated with him. The technique did not boast earth-shattering destruction or overwhelming flames—it was quiet, precise. A sword that severed not through brute force but through understanding, control, and lethal intent.
A smirk played at the corner of Tao's lips. 'This one… I will take this one.'
But he did not stop there.
As he turned, another pull caught his attention. This time, it was from the center of the chamber.
Curious, he walked forward, weaving through the pedestals until he reached a slate-colored jade slip resting on a stone pedestal, covered in layers of dust.
The energy it radiated was different from the others. Not sharp, not overwhelming—but heavy. Dense. As if the world itself pressed down upon it.
Tao hesitated for a moment, then reached out.
The moment his fingers touched it, the chamber seemed to shake.
A violent force crashed down on him. His knees buckled slightly, his body feeling as though it had suddenly gained ten times its weight.
He gritted his teeth and endured it, forcing himself to remain standing.
Slowly, the pressure subsided, and within his mind, ancient words etched themselves into his consciousness.
"Heavenly Titan Physique: Art of Attraction and Repulsion."
Tao's breath quickened.
A body cultivation technique. But not just any technique—one that controlled gravity, force, and weight.
He closed his eyes, feeling the knowledge seep into him. This was not a technique that simply strengthened the flesh—it altered how one interacted with the world itself.
To attract, to repel, to control the very force of nature.
Tao opened his eyes, determination burning in them.
A sword to sever. A body to endure and control.
These two techniques…They were the beginning of his path.
Tao happily returned to his father, the Void Severing Sword Manual tucked beneath his arm and the Heavenly Titan Physique jade slip clutched in his hand. As he approached, he felt Dai Long's golden eyes settle on him, sharp as ever.
The room was silent, save for the faint crackling of energy still lingering in the air from the sealed chamber.
Tao stood before his father and bowed. "I have chosen."
Dai Long's gaze flickered toward the sword manual first. Then, his brows raised ever so slightly when he saw the jade slip in Tao's grasp. He was not a man easily surprised—but this choice was unexpected.
He stepped forward, taking the jade slip from Tao's hands, his fingers running over the dusty surface. His expression remained unreadable, but Tao sensed a momentary shift in his demeanor.
"…Interesting," Dai Long finally said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. He glanced at Tao, eyes gleaming. "You may not realize it yet, but your choices have already uniquely shaped your path."
Tao furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"
Dai Long held up the Heavenly Titan Physique jade slip. "This technique is not simply a body cultivation method—it is an entire system in itself."
"Strengthening the body is only its foundation. It naturally included an offensive technique. Many who cultivate their bodies are straightforward, relying purely on brute force. But you…"
His gaze darkened slightly as if peering into Tao's very core.
"With this, your adaptability will far exceed the norm."
Tao's fingers curled slightly. He had suspected as much when he felt the pull of the technique—but hearing it confirmed by his father only deepened his resolve.
But what came next caught him off guard.
Dai Long turned his attention to the Void Severing Sword Manual, and for the first time in this entire exchange, something flickered in his eyes. Something more than mere curiosity.
Tao saw his father trace his fingers along the edge of the scroll. His usually steady expression turned contemplative as if recalling something long buried in the past.
Then, he let out a quiet chuckle. "This truly surprises me."
Tao straightened. "Why?"
Dai Long's gaze met his, and for the first time, he spoke her name.
"Because this technique was created by your mother."
Silence.
Tao froze. His mind blanked for a moment as his father's words sank in.
His mother?
Dai Long continued, his tone calm yet carrying a depth of emotion Tao had never heard before. "She was a swordswoman unlike any other. Her blade did not seek destruction through overwhelming force, nor did it rely on sheer aggression."
He glanced down at the scroll. "The Void Severing Sword… it was her way of cutting through the illusions of the world, of severing even that which could not be touched."
Tao stared at the manual in his hands, his grip tightening.
He had chosen this technique because it resonated with him. Because it felt right.
And yet…
It was the technique of the mother he had never known.
Dai Long studied him, then placed a hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps fate had a hand in this. Or perhaps, this is simply who you are." His grip was firm but steady. "Regardless, you have chosen your path. Walk it without regret."
Tao took a slow breath, steadying himself.
He was no longer just a transmigrated soul trying to find his place.
This world was his now.
His choices, his strength—they would be his own.
He looked up at his father, fire burning in his eyes. "I will."
Dai Long nodded approvingly, then turned, his voice returning to its usual commanding tone.
"Then it is settled. From today onward, you will cultivate these techniques under mine and Butler An's supervision."
A small silence fell between the father and son duo.
As Dai Long studied Tao for a long moment after speaking of his mother.
Then, as if coming to a decision, he reached into his sleeve and retrieved a small, black jade slip that pulsed with a faint, ghostly light. The air around it seemed distorted, as though space itself wavered in its presence.
Tao immediately felt an eerie sensation creeping over his skin. It wasn't the suffocating pressure of raw power, nor the violent force of destruction. It was something else. Something elusive—like a whisper at the edge of one's hearing, always present but never fully grasped.
Dai Long held the jade slip between his fingers, his expression unreadable. "There is something else I must give you."
Tao furrowed his brows as he looked at the jade slip. "Another technique?"
Dai Long nodded. "While I was exploring the ancient ruin where I found the Heavenly Titan Physique, I discovered this technique sealed away in the same depths. I would have discarded it had it not radiated an unusual connection to the body cultivation method you now possess."
He extended the jade slip toward Tao.
"This is called the Spectral Wraith Method. A soul cultivation method unlike most."
Tao carefully took the jade slip, its cold surface sending a strange sensation through his fingertips.
Dai Long continued, "Unlike traditional soul arts that refine spiritual power for direct attacks, this technique thins your presence, making you exist between the material and immaterial."
His gaze sharpened. "It allows you to blur the boundary between the living and the spectral, to erase your presence from perception, and to suppress your existence in the eyes of the world. Then again, I've never truly read this in depth. So its up to you."
Tao's breath hitched slightly.
A technique that could make him undetectable? A true ghost in battle?
Dai Long smirked slightly, seeing his reaction. "You begin to understand. With this technique, your steps will be silent even in a battlefield of gods. Your breath will vanish from the senses of your foes. A trained enemy may still perceive your intent, but they will never see you coming."
Tao stared at the slip in his hands, his thoughts racing.
A body of overwhelming force. A sword that severed the intangible. A soul that could disappear from the world.
He looked back up at his father, realization dawning upon him. "These three techniques… they complement each other."
Dai Long's smirk deepened. "Now you see why I was surprised by your choices."
"With these, your path will not be that of a mere brute, nor a simple assassin, nor an orthodox cultivator. You will be something else. Something that neither the heavens nor the earth will be able to fully grasp."
Tao swallowed, feeling the weight of those words.
He exhaled slowly, steeling himself.
"I will master them." His voice carried no hesitation. Inwardly, he promised to give it his all.
Dai Long's expression softened just slightly before he turned, his presence once again imposing.
"Then it is settled. From today onward, you will cultivate these techniques in my household."
He took a few steps away before glancing back.
"But to ensure your growth, I will assign someone to oversee your training." His smirk returned, sharp and knowing.
"Butler An will be your personal instructor."
Tao nodded and exhaled, gripping the jade slips in his hands.
His path was now set.
And he would walk it to the end.