The story takes place in a world called the Nexus Realm, where cultivation reigns supreme. To cultivate means to grow stronger, ascending step by step to the peak of existence. Countless individuals, clans, and sects strive for this ultimate goal, each eager to surpass their limits and stand at the top.
Among these factions is the Flamecrest Clan, a clan with its own ambitions of reaching the pinnacle of power. This tale, however, focuses on one particular member of the clan: Aiden Flamecrest.
Aiden paced back and forth in the narrow corridor, his mind racing with uncertainty. "How am I going to survive in this world?" he thought to himself. The truth was, Aiden didn't belong here—he had been transported to this strange, dangerous world through transmigration. A month had passed since his arrival, and though the initial shock of his new reality had faded, the weight of his situation was still overwhelming.
After calming down from his arrival, Aiden began researching this new world. What he discovered was both fascinating and terrifying. The Nexus Realm was vast, divided into five major domains, each larger than the last. His own clan resided in Firestorm City, a relatively small place within one of these domains: the Anima Domain.
Despite his efforts, Aiden couldn't learn the names of all the domains—his world was simply too big, too foreign. All he knew was that Firestorm City was but a speck compared to the immense regions beyond it.
He also learned something vital to his survival: in this world, to cultivate, one must awaken a special type of physique. Each clan had its own methods and rituals for this awakening, requiring a unique set of ingredients and immense preparation. For months, individuals would undergo rigorous training to prepare their bodies for the awakening ritual.
Aiden exhaled slowly, relieved. He had already completed his training, and in a month, he would undergo the physique awakening ritual. His future in this world depended on that ceremony.
Still reflecting on everything he'd learned over the past month, Aiden paced the corridor, waiting anxiously for his turn to undergo the physique awakening. The anticipation was eating at him, but he didn't have to wait long. A few minutes later, a clan elder appeared, smiling as he gestured for Aiden to follow.
Aiden nodded and fell in step behind him, heart pounding.
"Phew, the ritual is about to begin. Let's hope I awaken a decent physique—something that'll give me a stable position in the clan," Aiden thought, nerves creeping in. He had learned a lot about this world since arriving, and one of the most important things was that simply awakening a physique wasn't enough. The quality of the physique mattered just as much, if not more.
In his research, Aiden discovered that physiques were divided into three major grades, each with nine sub-grades. The lowest was the Awakened Grade, followed by the Foundation Grade, and finally, the most powerful, the Core Grade Physique. There was rumoured to be another grade beyond these, but information on it was scarce—Aiden hadn't been able to learn much about it.
Aiden's hope was to awaken at least a Grade 6 or higher Awakened Physique. His expectations were realistic; after all, the Clan elder of the Flamecrest Clan himself possessed a Grade 7 Awakened Physique. Aiden estimated that if he could reach Grade 6, he would have a stable life within the clan, and that was enough for him.
"This world is ruled by the strong," Aiden reminded himself, "I just want to survive and live quietly."
The elder led him out to an open field where other children his age had already gathered, all waiting for the same fate. Aiden glanced around, noting the nervous faces of his peers. The ritual had a gravity to it—they all knew how much their futures depended on the outcome.
In the distance, the clan elders stood on a large, elevated stage. Among them were senior members of the Flamecrest Clan, their brows marked with a distinctive crest—the symbol of those who had successfully awakened their Flamecrest Physique.
Aiden, too, was a part of the Flamecrest Clan. Though his immediate family had passed away, the clan was still his home. Like the people on the stage and the children gathered around him, Aiden was about to undergo the ritual to awaken the Flamecrest Clan's unique physique—an honor and a test that only true members of the clan could undertake.
The awakening ritual was no simple matter. The awakening formula, passed down through generations, was fiercely guarded. It was said that only those with strength equal to the clan leader could even access it, ensuring that the secret would never fall into the wrong hands.
In the month leading up to the ritual, Aiden had prepared himself physically, but his knowledge and understanding of cultivation were far from complete. To make up for this, aside from his personal research, he had attended clan sessions designed to provide the basics of cultivation to younger members.
It was during these lessons that Aiden learned about the grades of physiques and the special physiques unique to the Flamecrest Clan. The Flamecrest Clan boasted a lineage of five distinct physiques:
Crest of Spark, Crest of Flame, Crest of Blazing Flame, Crest of Inferno, Crest of Blazing Inferno
The first two—Crest of Spark and Crest of Flame—belonged to the Awakened Grade Physique. The remaining three—Crest of Blazing Flame, Crest of Inferno, and Crest of Blazing Inferno—were classified as Foundation Grade Physiques.
In the clan's long history, only the ancestor of the Flamecrest Clan had ever awakened the legendary Crest of Blazing Inferno Physique. Even the current clan leader, hailed as the most talented cultivator since their ancestor, had only awakened the Crest of Inferno Physique, a powerful but lesser Foundation Grade physique.
The Crest of Blazing Inferno was said to be a Peak Foundation Grade Physique, unparalleled in strength. But for Aiden, such lofty ambitions were far beyond his expectations. He would be satisfied—grateful, even—if he could awaken the Crest of Flame Physique, a Grade 6 Awakened Physique. It was enough to provide him with a stable life in the clan.
Aiden took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of thoughts swirling in his mind. Soon, he would know his fate.
As Aiden worked to steady his nerves, an elder stepped forward to the centre of the stage and raised his voice.
"Let us commence the monthly awakening ceremony!"
The elder's words echoed across the field, and immediately the crowd fell silent. The only sound that remained was the faint rush of wind, carrying an eerie calm over the gathered children. Aiden's heart raced, a cold sweat forming on his brow.
Then, suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled.
Aiden's gaze snapped back to the stage. The figures of the elders and clan members, once standing tall, had vanished in an instant. Panic flickered in his mind, but before he could react, he noticed that the children around him were also disappearing one by one—fading from view as if swallowed by the very air.
"What's happening?" Aiden thought, his mind scrambling to make sense of it all. Before he could process anything further, a piercing light erupted from nowhere, blinding him completely. He instinctively raised his hands to shield his eyes, but it was no use. The light overwhelmed everything, and the world around him dissolved into blankness.