LOST CULTIVATION METHODS

The sun hung low over Valeria's restored city walls, casting long shadows across the bustling streets and shattered courtyards alike.

The undead army, once a horrifying symbol of death, now stood silent sentinels beyond the gates, their bones gleaming faintly under the dying light.

Jin walked calmly through the center of the city, his robe catching the last warm rays.

Word had spread fast of the arrival of emissaries from three of the most secretive and powerful sects in the land: the Cold Yin Valley, the Tai Buddha Sect, and the

Thousand Blood Sect.

Each had sent their envoys, eager to see the man who had woken the city from its nightmare and commanded an army of the dead.

As he approached the grand plaza, the atmosphere thickened with tension. Ornate banners fluttered in the cool breeze, each bearing the distinct symbols of the sects crowd fell silent as Jin entered the meeting ground.

First came the envoy of the Cold Yin Valley, a man dressed in heavy black robes, his pale eyes sharp and cold like winter's frost.

"Prince Jin," he said, bowing low, "our sect acknowledges your power and your accomplishments.

We offer you the shelter of our valley—a place to cultivate the balance of yin and yang. Join us, and together we can command forces beyond mortal comprehension."

Jin's gaze did not waver. "I appreciate your offer," he said evenly. "But I walk my own path. I cannot bind myself to any one sect."

The Tai Buddha Sect's envoy stepped forward next, a serene woman clad in flowing saffron robes.

"The fire within you is fierce and unyielding," she said, her voice calm but resolute.

"Our sect can help you refine that flame, temper it with the wisdom of enlightenment. Join us, and become a force of both destruction and peace."

Jin nodded slowly. "Your offer is honorable, but it is not mine to accept. I must choose for myself."

Finally, a scarred man representing the Thousand Blood Sect spoke, his eyes burning with fierce intensity.

"Blood is our bond, and power our birthright. We seek to welcome you as a brother. Rejecting us may cost you more than you realize."

Jin's voice sharpened. "I refuse all your offers. My destiny is mine alone to shape."

The three envoys exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable but tinged with respect and warning.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd. From the shadowed edge of the plaza, an old man emerged.

His robes were tattered, dark as midnight, and his hair flowed like silver mist. There was an aura about him — not just of power, but of something ancient, something that whispered of forgotten eras.

No one recognized him, yet the silence that followed spoke volumes.

Jin's senses prickled.

This was no ordinary visitor. His blood chilled with the weight of the man's presence.

The old man's eyes fixed on Jin, sharp and unreadable.

"I am called Shenwu," the old man said simply, his voice calm but resonant, like thunder rolling through a deep valley.

"I have come to see if you are worthy of the path you claim."

Jin met the gaze without flinching.

"I have no need of your judgment."

"Then we shall see," Shenwu replied.

Without further words, the old man moved.

The ground trembled as he stepped forward, his aura radiating a power that even Jin could feel pressing against his soul. The duel began.

Jin unleashed his full strength the Tyrant Body glowing gold, the Blood Devour Sutra pulsing within him, the elemental winds swirling at his command.

He fought with every technique he had learned, every lesson absorbed from battles past.

Shenwu countered with effortless precision.

His movements were fluid and terrifying, blending power with grace.

He anticipated Jin's every strike, parried with ease, and struck with an intensity that pushed Jin back step by agonizing step.

The battle raged through the city's heart and into the surrounding wilderness. For nearly a full day and night, they clashed — the earth itself seeming to shudder beneath their power.

But slowly, inexorably, Jin began to falter.

Shenwu's mastery of ancient techniques overwhelmed Jin's raw strength. The old man's control of spirit qi and heavenly force was beyond anything Jin had encountered.

In a final devastating strike, Shenwu pinned Jin to the ground, his aura pressing down like a mountain.

"You are strong," Shenwu said quietly, "but you have much to learn."

Jin gasped, blood dripping from his mouth, pride burning fiercely even in defeat.

"Will you take me as your disciple?" Shenwu asked.

Jin's eyes blazed. "I do not bend my will to anyone."

Shenwu smiled faintly, a knowing glint in his ancient eyes. "Then I shall teach you from afar."

With that, Shenwu vanished into the mist, leaving Jin battered but unbroken.

In the days that followed, Jin's recovery was slow but steady.

His wounds healed, yet the memory of Shenwu's overwhelming strength lingered like a shadow.

He returned to the city to find the sect envoys watching him with renewed interest, their offers still unspoken but hanging in the air like storms waiting to break.

But something had changed.

Though Shenwu remained unseen by others, he appeared to Jin in visions — guiding him, instructing him in meditation, sending messages carried on the wind.

The old man had taken a position in the distant mountains, establishing a secret training ground where Jin could cultivate new strength.

Each day, Jin rose before dawn and journeyed to the mountainside, where Shenwu's teachings pushed him beyond limits he hadn't known existed.

He meditated through storms, channeled spirit qi under Shenwu's watchful eye, and confronted the shadows of his own soul.

His Paragon Heavenly Technique stirred within him, fragile but awakening.

Back in Valeria, the city buzzed with rumors.

The undead army remained motionless, a ghostly legion bound by Jin's will but eerily silent.

The sect envoys debated whether to press their claims or wait for Jin's new strength to fully reveal itself.

The air was thick with anticipation.

One evening, as Jin returned from the mountain, Lana awaited him at the mansion. Her eyes held concern but also unwavering faith.

"You were lost," she said gently, "but you came back."

Jin's gaze softened, exhaustion etched across his features. "I do not want to lose myself again."

Lana stepped forward, placing a hand on his cheek. "You won't. This time… we'll pull you back."

Jin nodded, drawing strength not just from his cultivation but from those who stood beside him.

The path ahead was uncertain filled with sect challenges, mysterious forces, and the weight of his own destiny. But Jin was no longer alone.

System Notification:

[New Quest Unlocked]

→ "The Remote Path of the Unyielding"

Objective: Train under Shenwu's guidance and unlock new cultivation breakthroughs

Reward: Paragon Heavenly Technique Advancement, Spirit Qi Mastery, New Ancient Skill