The wind howled through the Zhao Clan's secluded training grounds as the first rays of dawn illuminated the empty field. Saman stood in the center, his body drenched in sweat, muscles tensed from exhaustion. The past months had been nothing but torment—a relentless cycle of training that pushed him beyond his limits every single day.
Yet, despite the pain, despite the overwhelming strain, he remained standing. Stronger. Faster. More refined.
Zhao Tian observed from a distance, his sharp eyes filled with an unreadable expression. His grandson had surpassed every expectation. No, he had shattered them. What should've taken decades to master, he had grasped in mere months.
And yet…
Something is missing.
Despite his monstrous progress, Zhao Tian could tell that he still hadn't fully tapped into his true potential. The boy's Qi control was near perfect, his swordsmanship was unparalleled for his age, and his martial arts were already at a Grandmaster's level. However, there was a subtle disconnect, an unseen barrier preventing him from ascending to a realm beyond comprehension.
The Breaking Point
"Again." Zhao Tian's voice cut through the silence like a blade. He tossed a wooden training sword at Saman, who caught it instinctively.
A flash of amusement crossed Saman's face. "Gramps, you sure you're not trying to kill me?"
Zhao Tian didn't respond. Instead, he blurred forward, his palm glowing with a dense concentration of Qi. Heavenly Suppression Palm.
He barely had time to react as an overwhelming force pressed down on him, his bones creaking under the immense weight. His knees buckled, his vision blurred—but instead of giving in, he gritted his teeth and countered.
Phantom Step.
He vanished, reappearing behind Zhao Tian in an instant, his sword swinging with lethal precision. But before his attack could land, Zhao Tian disappeared as well, his movement too fast to perceive.
A hand struck he's back, sending him crashing into the ground, dust exploding upon impact. Coughing, he tried to get up, only to feel an immense force pinning him down.
"This is your limit," Zhao Tian said coldly. "You have reached the peak of what the Zhao Clan's techniques can offer. If you cannot break past this point, you will never reach the true pinnacle of martial arts."
He clenched his fists. Limit? Me?
An unfamiliar frustration burned inside him. He had always known he was different—his Qi absorption, his unnatural endurance, his ability to grasp techniques instantly. But if all of that still wasn't enough… then what?
He gritted his teeth. "Then I'll break it."
The Birth of a New Path
That night, he sat cross-legged in meditation, replaying the fight in his mind. His body was powerful, his techniques were refined, but something was fundamentally wrong.
The Zhao Clan's techniques… they were powerful, but they weren't meant for him.
They were meant for cultivators who had a normal dantian.
He clenched his fists. He had spent years refining his Qi circulation, yet something always felt off. His energy didn't flow like others. It was erratic, chaotic, boundless yet restrained.
Then it clicked.
I don't have a dantian.
His heart pounded in his chest. His entire body functioned as a dantian. That was why he never ran out of stamina, why his Qi absorption was endless, why his attacks held unnatural force.
Which meant…
He didn't need a traditional cultivation technique.
He needed his own.
Closing his eyes, he focused inward, letting his energy guide him. His mind drowned in the endless abyss of his own power. He felt his Qi—vast, boundless, completely unrestricted. He needed to mold it into something greater, something beyond mortal cultivation.
Hours passed. Then days.
Until finally…
His body trembled.
A new path had been forged.
The First Step Toward Transcendence
Zhao Tian stood atop the training ground walls, watching as him emerged at dawn. His presence had changed.
Before, his energy had been powerful but untamed. Now, it was something else entirely. It wasn't just Qi—it was something far more profound.
Zhao Tian narrowed his eyes. "What have you done?"
He smirked, stretching his arms. "I created something new."
Without warning, he stomped his foot on the ground.
A wave of pure, unfathomable force erupted outward, shaking the entire training ground. Zhao Tian barely managed to resist its pressure, his breath hitching.
For the first time in decades, he felt it.
Fear.