When Evan Reed awoke, he found himself lying on a bed in the inner chamber. As he sat up, he noticed Lorian Vale standing nearby at a desk, his brush moving swiftly across a sheet of paper.
Without looking back, Lorian said, "Lie back down. Your Jade Gate has just opened, and your Spirit Platform is still unstable. You need to consolidate it." With a flick of his hand, a talisman flew from beneath his brush and landed on Evan's body.
Only then did Evan realize that the world around him had changed. Everything seemed sharper—colors more vibrant, the air crisper, and his body filled with boundless energy.
"Big Brother Lorian, does this mean I can cultivate now?" Evan asked, his voice tinged with excitement.
"In terms of aptitude… yes," Lorian replied.
"That's amazing!" Evan exclaimed, trying to leap up. But as he moved, the talisman on his chest flashed, forcing him back onto the bed.
"I told you not to move," Lorian said, turning to face him. He pointed his wolf-hair brush at Evan, and strands of light appeared in the air, wrapping around him like silk threads.
"Big Brother Lorian, what is this…?" Evan asked, confused.
"It's a minor spirit-binding technique to restrict the spiritual energy in your body. Last night, your spiritual energy went out of control, damaging your meridians. You need to rest and recover before you can start cultivating properly. I've already arranged for your leave from work in Anyang Prefecture, so take it easy for the next few days," Lorian explained calmly.
With that, Lorian set down his brush and sat beside Evan. Looking at him, he smiled slightly. "A five-turn Jade Gate—medium aptitude, not bad at all. What's truly remarkable is that you broke through on your own. That shows incredible willpower."
A five-turn Jade Gate meant Evan had opened five layers of his Jade Gate. In the cultivation world, Jade Gates were graded into lower, middle, and upper tiers. Below three turns was lower grade, while seven or more was upper grade. With five turns, Evan was squarely in the middle—neither a genius nor a failure.
Hearing Lorian's words, Evan recalled the hazy events of the previous night. Guided by Lorian, he had channeled his energy to break through the gate, managing to open five layers. The pain had been immense, and despite his strong will, he had passed out after the fifth turn.
"What a shame. My willpower wasn't enough to go further," Evan said, regret in his voice.
Lorian chuckled. "If your willpower isn't enough, then no one's is. Breaking through the Jade Gate isn't just about willpower. The Jade Gate is a heavenly lock, and its tightness varies from person to person. Some have gates so sealed that even exhausting all their spiritual energy—or risking their life—might not open a single turn. A mortal body can only hold so much spiritual energy."
Breaking through the Jade Gate required spiritual energy, but mortals had limited capacity. Thus, the number of turns depended on both the cultivator's determination and the innate looseness of their gate. With the same effort, a looser gate would open more turns. This meant the breakthrough was a mix of natural talent and personal grit.
Evan's natural talent wasn't exceptional, but his willpower far exceeded that of most, allowing him to maximize his potential. Many disciples with the potential for an upper-grade Jade Gate faltered during the process, crying out in pain and wasting their energy, ending up with a lower grade. Due to such factors, upper-grade Jade Gates were rare, making a five-turn gate quite respectable.
After Lorian's explanation, Evan's regret eased.
However, Lorian nodded with a hint of dissatisfaction. "For someone else, a five-turn Jade Gate might be commendable, but not for you. You used the breakthrough method created by the Warlord of the Nine Li for his reincarnation. To only achieve this level with such a technique… it's frankly underwhelming."
"Who is the Warlord of the Nine Li? Someone incredible?" Evan asked curiously.
Lorian's expression darkened. "The Warlord of the Nine Li was a supreme being, surpassing the Immortal Platform Realm and roaming freely across myriad realms. In his time, even mentioning his name could draw his attention. Mortals feared his power, referring to him only as the Warlord, never daring to speak his true name. Even now, after his fall, he's not someone a mere mortal like you should question lightly."
Chastened, Evan straightened up and replied respectfully, "I understand. I was wrong."
Seeing his sincerity, Lorian softened. "It's fine. You're new to the immortal path, and there's much you don't know. Over the next few days, I'll teach you some things you need to be aware of in the cultivation world."
Evan's heart leaped with joy. Lorian's tone suggested he might formally take him as a disciple. "Yes, Master!" he said eagerly.
But Lorian waved his hand. "Don't call me Master. I won't take you as a disciple."
Evan froze, stunned. Lorian continued, "Don't be disappointed. My refusal is for your own good. First, I'm currently being hunted. Though I've evaded them for now, my enemies will likely catch up eventually. Taking you as a disciple would only drag you into danger. Second, you're from the Wenxin Kingdom, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Moon-Washing Sect. Taking a disciple here without their permission would be improper. Third, I hail from the Vale family, and our techniques are reserved for blood kin. Teaching you would violate family rules. Finally, the Moon-Washing Sect is one of the six great sects of Qixia, with far deeper resources and teachings than my family. You'd be better off joining them than learning from me."
Evan hadn't realized there were so many restrictions on taking disciples in the cultivation world. Now he understood why Lorian had been hesitant all along.
"However," Lorian added, "since fate has brought us together, I can still teach you a few things, even if I can't take you as a disciple. Once my injuries heal, I'll take you to Wan Quan City and help you enter the Moon-Washing Academy under the Moon-Washing Sect. That will settle our karmic bond."
Realizing that becoming Lorian's disciple was impossible, Evan could only nod. "Thank you, Big Brother Lorian!"
Lorian laughed heartily. "Since you call me Big Brother, I can't leave you in the dark about who I am. Very well, I'll start by telling you about the cultivation world—beginning with myself."
Lorian Vale hails from the Vale family of Moqiu, one of the four great cultivation families of Moqiu, known as the "Empty Valley Bright Void." The Vale family ranks fourth. Lorian Vale is the third son of the family head, Huaili Vale, with an older brother, an older sister, and a younger sister. Born into privilege, Lorian was considered a prodigy, opening his Jade Gate at nine with seven turns, once seen as the next family head.
But Lorian soon disappointed his father. He had no interest in the family's powerful techniques like the Heaven-Deceiving Seven Illusions or the Void-Piercing Scripture. Instead, he was obsessed with array formations, excelling in the art of calculation and transformation.
In the cultivation world, the four auxiliary paths—alchemy, talisman-making, array formations, and artifact crafting—were crucial but never granted authority. Strength ruled, and while auxiliary skills were respected, they didn't confer power. A family like the Vales had plenty of array masters; they didn't need their heir to be one.
Thus, Huaili Vale was furious at Lorian's "neglect of proper duties," but Lorian refused to change. He was a prodigy in his own right, rising to become Moqiu's foremost array master. His cultivation to the Heavenly Heart Realm was merely a byproduct of his father's pressure and his need for higher-level array crafting.
For most cultivators, reaching the Heavenly Heart Realm was a lifelong goal, but for Lorian, it was incidental. As a result, his combat prowess among Heavenly Heart cultivators was unremarkable.
Despite his growing fame in array formations, which spread across Qixia, his standing in the family declined. Eventually, his father gave up on him, allowing him to focus on his passion. Undeterred, Lorian continued to delve into array arts, his reputation growing even as he was sidelined by his family.
It was during this time that he received a special invitation, which led to his current predicament—severely injured and on the run. Though he didn't elaborate, Evan could infer it was related to the Warlord of the Nine Li.
"Those days of being sidelined were the freest of my life," Lorian mused. "Many pitied me for losing the heirship, but I never wanted it. I'm not suited for it. Managing a great family comes with sacrifices, and I wasn't willing to make them. Sometimes, to avoid loss, it's better not to gain."
"To avoid loss, one chooses not to gain…" Evan pondered. "Does that mean to gain, one must be willing to lose?"
"Yes," Lorian affirmed. "You're different from me. You're someone who can sacrifice for gain. I realized that when I learned you were from Riverside Village. Despite the massacre of 138 villagers, you managed to deceive me. That shows either a cold heart or exceptional self-control. Both can be dangerous."
"Dangerous?" Evan asked, confused.
"Yes, for the Heart Demon Tribulation," Lorian explained, detailing how cultivators face inner demons based on past actions that violated their true nature. Evan's deception, if it weighed on his conscience, could become a seed for future tribulations.
"So, to pass the Heart Demon Tribulation, is it better to have low morals? The fewer principles, the less guilt, the easier to overcome?" Evan asked, alarmed.
"That's why the wicked often endure," Lorian replied. "Ruthlessness and opportunism can lead to quick success, but they're despised. Even among their kind, trust is scarce. They're like lone wolves, unable to form packs because they can't rely on each other."
"True," Evan agreed. "Villains thrive among the virtuous. In a world of villains, they'd have no one to exploit."
Abandoning morals might grant power but forfeits trust. The cultivation world, though harsh, has order and won't tolerate unchecked malevolence. Moreover, villainy is a habit—once embraced, it's hard to turn back. To revel in killing means one must keep killing or betray their nature, a path to self-destruction.
"So, when I asked if deceiving me violated your heart, it was to gauge your future risks," Lorian said. "If you act without bounds, you'll incur heaven's wrath and human resentment. Small acts accumulate. Ask yourself: if I never found out, would you feel guilty?"
Evan thought deeply, then answered, "I'll act with measure in the future, but for deceiving you, I feel no guilt. It didn't cross my line; my heart is clear."
Lorian stared, then muttered, "That line… is rather low."