Rebirth of the Useless Bastard Son

Shortly after the apprenticeship ceremony began, Cheng Qi saw a Nascent Soul ancestor appear. The children awaiting selection by the master seemed like commodities with clearly marked prices. Each wore a wooden identity plate around their necks, detailing their name, origin, spiritual root attribute, comprehension test rating, and even birthdate.

Despite many competitors, Li Tianyan possessed a single fire spiritual root and had received a heaven-level rating for his comprehension. Surely, there would be a Nascent Soul ancestor willing to accept him as a disciple.

Cheng Qi waited with both anticipation and nervousness alongside Li Tianyan. Indeed, many ancestors seemed satisfied upon seeing Li Tianyan’s wooden plate, yet after some consideration, they shook their heads and departed.

As the sun set in the west, the apprenticeship ceremony came to an end, leaving only Li Tianyan and a few children with poor qualifications in the square.

Cheng Qi’s heart trembled, wishing he could embrace the figure standing alone in the square, reluctant to leave. Unfortunately, this was just a memory for Li Tianyan, and he could do nothing.

After spending the entire night in the square, Li Tianyan returned to his usual self the next day, though he became even more silent than before. The children with lower qualifications in the disciple room mocked him, but he remained silent.

In the past, Li Tianyan had worked for his meals. After becoming a disciple, he worked to earn merit points in exchange for skills and resources for cultivation.

He performed almost all chores in the outer sect, from handling the sect’s discarded spiritual weapons to sorting newly delivered ore materials.

Later, he learned to manipulate the spiritual energy in his body and assisted in decomposing materials in the underground fire room. Cultivators with fire attributes who spent extensive time in the underground fire room would face dangers of fire poison. Let alone Li Tianyan who was still young and had low cultivation level.

Li Tianyan paid no mind to these risks, focusing instead on the job’s high merit points. Whenever he saved enough, he would spend several days in the library before returning to work in the underground fire room.

With a profound understanding, Li Tianyan absorbed knowledge like a sponge. It wasn’t until he established his foundation at nineteen that the seeds buried within him finally blossomed, inheriting the Li family’s alchemy legacy into his sea of consciousness.

At this stage, Li Tianyan no longer needed to toil tirelessly. By selling medicinal pills, he was able to freely wander through the library.

As his cultivation deepened and his understanding expanded, Li Tianyan learned about the Tiansha Lone Star, his destiny. Cheng Qi was stunned when he saw the Destiny Record in Li Tianyan’s possession.

According to the book, individuals with this destiny would be destined to be disconnected from the seven emotions in life. Even those connected by fate could have suffered dire consequences due to their association.

Furthermore, it was stated that a cultivator with such a fate could make remarkable strides by pursuing the path of the devil. Yet, should they pursue immortality, their journey would be fraught with challenges, potentially ending in their demise upon achieving immortality.

Reflecting on the final sentence, Cheng Qi recalled Li Tianyan’s encounter with the Lihuo Beast. By then, Li Tianyan had already ascended to the divine transformation realm. Had unforeseen events befallen him afterward?

For the next five years, Li Tianyan had immersed himself in the library of the outer sect until he devoured every classic it had housed. Finally resolved, Li Tianyan set his sights on becoming an inner sect disciple, driven by the opportunity to access the inner sect’s immortal book pavilion.

Upon leaving the Library Pavilion, Li Tianyan seemed consumed by a determination for success. He ventured into perilous locales, pushing his limits. Eventually, after twenty years of relentless effort, he attained the Core Formation stage. Though Li Tianyan had achieved his goal of entering the inner gate, he lacked a master, settling in for a cave to cultivate.

Once settled within the inner gate, Li Tianyan eagerly inquired about the Nascent Soul cultivator who had saved him years earlier. Sadly, he learned the man had not returned in over two decades and was likely deceased. This news shattered Li Tianyan’s last vestige of hope.

Li Tianyan didn’t stop after entering the inner gate. He ventured into secret realms and perilous places, even risking his death. Cheng Qi was frightened by his daring.

Despite the dangers, Li Tianyan miraculously survived each time, gaining opportunities that others could only dream of.

Just as Li Tianyan left the sect again for training, he suddenly halted near Baize Peak. Cheng Qi observed his nostrils twitching, knowing he had caught a scent that intrigued him.

Li Tianyan landed on Baize Peak and followed the tantalizing aroma to a secluded mountain pass. After circling the area several times, he closed his eyes, relying solely on his sense of smell to guide him. Finally, he walked straight toward a seemingly solid mountain wall.

Cheng Qi anticipated a collision, but instead, the scenery transformed before his eyes, revealing a dark cave hidden within the mountain wall.

Entering the cave, Li Tianyan discovered the source of his attraction deep within. Peering closer, Cheng Qi saw a purple fire spirit nestled within the cave.

Upon seeing the fire spirit, Li Tianyan was mesmerized but didn’t approach.

Cheng Qi recognized the fire spirit and wondered why the Lihuo Beast transformed into a ball of flame. Just as he pondered this, the fire spirit in the cave began to expand, its aura intensifying.

After an indeterminate period, the small fire spirit grew head and limbs, finally transforming into the creature Cheng Qi had seen in his dreams.

Once the Lihuo Beast stabilized its appearance, it stretched out its butt and settled down on its stomach to sleep.

Witnessing this, Cheng Qi realized that Li Tianyan had observed the moment when the Lihuo Beast had just cultivated its true form from the Fire Spirit.