Chapter Five – Blood on the Soil, Eyes of the Heavens
The morning sun shone gently over the village, its golden rays glinting off rooftops, catching the dew on the grass. Shen Yuan, as usual, moved silently through the fields, hoe in hand. His figure, though lean, carried a quiet strength. Chickens scattered at his approach, and the clink of his hoe echoed through the stillness.
No one paid much attention to him anymore.
The villagers had long since labeled him "odd." Animals seemed to behave strangely around him. Plants near his hut grew faster than elsewhere. The air around him often felt... off.
But today, someone was watching.
Hidden behind a worn granary, a man crouched low. His eyes, sunken and greedy, glinted at the sight of Shen Yuan's back. He was a wandering thief, infamous in the outer villages—known for targeting orphans and the weak. Rumors of strange spiritual fluctuations around this village had piqued his interest.
And now, he had found his prey.
As Shen Yuan turned toward the river to fetch water, the thief lunged.
Steel glinted. A dagger sliced through the air.
Shen Yuan barely had time to react. His body twisted, the blade grazing his arm. Blood spilled onto the soil. Pain flared, but so did something else—something deep within him.
The air thickened.
The thief smirked. "You're not even worth robbing. But you've got something... strange in your blood."
Shen Yuan's eyes, calm as still water, stared into the man's. "You shouldn't have come here."
The next moment was a blur.
The thief struck again, faster now. But Shen Yuan moved like a shadow breaking free of light. He grabbed a rusted hoe from the ground and struck forward—not with desperation, but with eerie calm.
The hoe crashed into the thief's ribs. Bones cracked. The man screamed.
In a final lunge, the thief tried to stab him in the throat. Shen Yuan turned, catching the blade with his palm, blood dripping—but his other hand moved on its own. It slammed into the man's chest.
A black mist exploded.
The thief's eyes widened in horror.
"No... what is this?!"
His body convulsed. A light—faint, greenish-gold—rose from his chest and was instantly devoured by the mist. The man crumpled to the ground, his face frozen in terror.
Shen Yuan staggered back. The world spun.
Something inside him had... shifted.
A golden ripple flowed through his veins. His breath caught in his chest as a panel of knowledge—unseen, unspoken—flashed in his mind:
[Heavenly Root Absorbed: Low-Grade Root – Level 1, Stage 1]
[Heavenly Root evolved: Level 1, Stage 2]
[Potential expanded – Body Tempering limit increased]
He fell to his knees, breathing heavily.
The black mist vanished.
His arm throbbed from the wound, but even the pain was overshadowed by the shock.
"What... was that power?" he whispered. "That wasn't just cultivation... it was like swallowing someone's fate."
A soft growl came from the bushes.
Niangtian, the tiny beast he had named just days ago, peeked out from under a tree. Its babyish features still glowed with innocence, but its amber eyes shimmered with something older... ancient. It rubbed its head against Shen Yuan's leg.
"I'm fine," Shen Yuan muttered. "Let's go... before someone sees this."
But it was already too late.
By noon, the village square buzzed with excitement. Today marked the beginning of the Five-Year Sect Trials, when major sects would visit remote villages and test youths for talent.
This time, three sects had arrived: the Iron Plum Sect, the Green Willow Pavilion, and the Falling Sun Sect.
Each sect would offer one trial—a test of strength, mind, and potential.
The villagers gathered eagerly. Children cheered. Parents whispered in hope.
The first trial—a stone platform test. Those with spiritual roots could make the ancient slab glow.
Child after child stepped up. Most failed. A few caused a flicker of light. One boy made it glow dimly green.
And then... Shen Yuan stepped forward.
The elders scoffed. "Why let him waste our time?"
"He's rootless."
"He's strange, that one. Always talking to beasts."
But the elders couldn't stop him. Shen Yuan placed his hand on the stone.
The air turned cold.
A deep hum echoed across the square. The stone glowed—not faintly—but with pulsing gold and streaks of black. The slab cracked slightly, unable to contain the pressure.
Gasps.
Even the sect envoys leaned forward.
"What root is that?"
"Golden glow... but there's something else—chaos? No... this doesn't follow any natural pattern."
Shen Yuan removed his hand.
Silence.
He bowed, expression calm, then stepped back.
The villagers could only stare.
"That boy... he has a root."
"Impossible."
"But how? He's lived among us all these years!"
The Falling Sun Sect envoy narrowed his eyes. "Keep an eye on him," he whispered to a disciple. "He's not ordinary."
Shen Yuan stood quietly near a tree, Niangtian hiding in his robe. The little beast licked his ear once, then curled back inside.
He touched his chest.
That power... that voice from before... was it all connected?
Whatever was inside him, it had just revealed a glimpse of its strength.
And now, the heavens had taken notice.
Let me know when you're ready for Chapter Six!