The world had vanished in flame.
Hellcoil Severance tore through the air like a sky-serpent of fire and fury.
Stone shattered. Dust engulfed the sky.
Even the outer courtyard's formation lines flickered, trying to hold the space stable.
And then—
Silence.
Ten whole seconds passed.
Not a breath.
Not a whisper.
Not a sound.
Dozens of students stared, unmoving.
Fēng Yùxiāo's eyes trembled.
Even the Elder, eyes still glowing with qi, stood frozen.
"He's… gone?" someone muttered.
The attack was meant for a Level 4 opponent.
Jiǎng Mùchéng was a newborn Level 1.
No one—no one—should have survived.
And then—
From within the cratered earth…
A hum.
Not of fire. Not of thunder.
But of stone, metal, grit.
A black ripple spread out from the center of the impact zone.
Molten dust twisted. Lava cracks pulsed.
And from the darkness…
He stood.
A figure, once chubby and trembling—now encased in an obsidian-black sheen that flowed like liquid armor.
But this wasn't metal. Nor rock. Nor flesh.
It moved with him, yet wasn't him.
It clung like a second skin, alive—pulsing, adaptive, hardened from pain itself.
And behind him—six massive stone rings, floating in a wide circle.
Each one radiated a primal aura of weight, stability, and unyielding law.
A visual manifestation of a body forged in endurance.
The crowd gasped.
The elder finally spoke.
"What… What is this technique?"
His voice was barely audible.
"His body—it's changed. Not just reinforced… it's like a liquid rock form. A self-generated armor..."
"And those… circles of earth behind him—he's channeling the laws of Iron... no, Earth too? Is he glimpsing elemental law comprehension already?! At Level 1?!"
📜[SYSTEM ALERT – TIME: 4 minutes 30 seconds]
✅ Congratulations. You have endured.
⚙️ Technique Breakthrough Achieved
🌑 Technique Name: Blackstone Forged Body – First Layer (黑岩体诀 · 初层)
Form Type: Adaptive Liquid Iron-Form Body
Classification: Forbidden Body Transformation Art
Status: Level 1 · 1-Star
Visual: Black Liquid Armor without Helmet
Rings of Compression: 6 (Iron Pulse Nodes Activated)
Huǒ Chén staggered backward, panting—his blade cracked, his fire aura dimmed to embers.
He stared at Jiǎng with wild disbelief. "I… I used all my energy… that blow—was enough to kill a Level 3…"
"You're just a Level 1 minor cultivator…"
Jiǎng looked at him, silver eyes burning from within the black armor.
The courtyard parted like a wave.
Fēng Yùxiāo, and even Ranks 4 and 5, stood in awe.
They had seen it all—
The flames.
The destruction.
And now… the impossible survivor.
Jiǎng stepped forward.
His voice echoed, calm and deep—like a hammer striking steel.
"Senior."
"Now it's my turn."
He vanished.
A flash of black smashed into Huǒ Chén's chest—
A punch that lifted him clean off the ground.
Before he could react—
A knee to his gut.
An elbow to the jaw.
A spinning heel that cracked stone under his back as he hit the floor.
The hits came fast, personal, and heavy.
Not with flair.
Not with cultivation arts.
But with the kind of anger that could only come from years of pain.
Huǒ Chén collapsed, groaning.
Jiǎng stood above him, black armor steaming, fists still clenched.
Then, with blood on his lip, he looked down—and spoke not to the man beneath him, but to everyone watching.
"This fat punk…"
"…will never be the old fat punk again."
"I'm the forge you tried to burn. I'm the one who melts pain into power."
"Every bruise I carry… is a hammerstroke. And I'm not done forging."
Up above, the elder finally exhaled—then let out a loud, booming laugh.
"This kid…"
"This kid's something else."
He turned, his robes trailing embers as he vanished toward the flame tower.
"Inform the Inner Council. A new anomaly has emerged in the Outer Academy."
The dust had finally settled.
Huǒ Chén lay unconscious, his shattered sword beside him, flames long extinguished. Around the cratered courtyard, students remained frozen, staring at Jiǎng Mùchéng—no longer the fat, forgettable background character.
He had survived what should have been death.
He had fought back with nothing but his body.
He had won.
📜[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION – QUEST COMPLETE]
✅ 5-Minute Endurance Challenge: Success
🔥 Fire Elemental Absorption: 99.98%
→ Energy stored in Core Crystal
⚠️ Note: Enough energy to break through to Level 2
⚠️ Advice: Do not break through now.
→ Convert elemental energy into stability pills first for safety.
⚙️ Elemental Body Absorption – Breakthrough Achieved!
Current Physical Capability: Equivalent to Level 5 · 1-Star Cultivator
Body Type: Enhanced Strength · Adaptive Iron-Forged Structure
🎁 Reward Gained: Physical Body Reforge Activated
🔄 Transformation Type: Fat to Lean Power Frame
Note: To complete transformation, user must undergo intensive refinement.
🏋️ Daily Routine Initiated:
• Run: 20 kilometers
• Cliff Climb: 300 meters
• Combat Training: 10 hours daily
• Knowledge Study: Provided via AI Quest Archives
Jiǎng stared at the floating screen, pale.
"…That's not a reward," he croaked, "that's a prison sentence."
He had just fought for his life, earned the respect of dozens, stood above his bully…
And now he was being sentenced to self-improvement bootcamp.
The crowd still murmured in shock. Some were speechless. Others in awe.
And then—
she stepped forward.
Fēng Yùxiāo, eyes still unreadable, walked slowly toward him. She looked at the fractured tiles beneath her feet, then at the boy now cloaked in molten black and bruises.
"You," she said softly. "What's your name?"
He turned. For a moment, his iron guard slipped.
"…Jiǎng Mùchéng."
She nodded. "I see. Thank you for holding back."
He frowned. "You think I held back?"
She glanced at Huǒ Chén's crumpled form. "That final hit… you could've broken more than bones. You didn't."
She bowed slightly. "He's not normally like this. I don't know what provoked him today. I just… hope you won't hold it against him."
Jiǎng's eyes darkened for a second. His breath tightened—but then… he exhaled.
He looked away. "It's enough, senior. I know you're a good person."
He turned and walked past her, limping slightly but straight-backed.
Fēng Yùxiāo reached out. Just a little. Her fingers brushed the air—but she pulled back. Her lips parted but no sound came.
She watched him walk away.
A step forward... and a piece of the past burned away with it.
As Jiǎng left the courtyard, the system pinged again.
📜[SYSTEM – CAMPUS MAPPING ENABLED]
🔍 Class Group: Outer Academy · Class 9-D
🏫 Your dormitory: Flamehall Dorm #73
🕰️ Class Status: No lectures today
🔜 Next Class: Beastpulse Theory & Symbiosis, starting tomorrow at 9:00 AM
Instructor: Master Lán Xīshuǐ (澜溪水) – Rank 5 Beastpath Specialist
He sighed.
"…So I finally become strong," he muttered. "And now I've got homework."
But he was smiling.
Because for the first time in two lifetimes—
He was walking forward.
The golden sky of Cindralore was fading into molten dusk as Jiǎng Mùchéng limped his way across the campus.
📍[SYSTEM NAVIGATION ENABLED]
🏠 Destination: Flamehall Dorm #73 – Class 9-D Housing
Status: Unshared – Current Occupant: 1 (You)
The route was quiet. The dormitory was a small, square room carved from stone and reinforced with fire-resistant wood. Nothing divine. No cultivation formations. Just a bed. A desk. A dry lamp fueled by emberstone.
He stood inside the room, silent.
No cheers. No welcome. No applause.
Just creaking wood and cracked tiles.
But strangely… he wasn't disappointed.
He sat on the bed.
His hand curled into a fist.
"Back there… I survived what no one thought I would."
His voice was quiet.
"I used to be pathetic," he whispered. "Back in that world... I had knowledge, but no courage. I buried myself in simulations. In fiction. In fear. I was smart—but I was nothing."
His silver eyes darkened.
"Not anymore. I'm not running now."
And yet, as his body finally relaxed into bed…
📜[SYSTEM ALERT – UNPROCESSED ABSORBED ENERGY DETECTED]
⚠️ Please begin conversion process to condense 99.98% Fire Elemental Absorption into Flame Qi Pills.
🕒 Remaining safe window: 3 minutes.
Jiǎng groaned, turning over.
"Later…"
📜[WARNING: Ignoring conversion may lead to qi contamination.]
📜[Second Warning: Conversion pending. Irregular pulse feedback rising.]
"I said LATER, okay? Let me sleep, I earned this!"
📜[FINAL WARNING IGNORED]
His eyes snapped open.
The room was gone.
He was standing in a black-red void.
Flames pulsed from the ground like veins. The air crackled with molten sound.
"W-What the hell…"
Behind him, a hiss.
He turned—
And saw it.
A beastpulse—massive, red-gold, scaled—hovering like a god-serpent in the sky.
🐍[CRIMSON PYROSNAKE – BEASTPULSE LEVEL 5 · 1-STAR]
🧬 Location: Inner Consciousness Beastpulse Realm
⚠️ STATUS: Punishment Simulation Active
📜[SYSTEM NOTICE – PENALTY MODE ENGAGED]
Cause: Ignored Mandatory Energy Conversion Sequence
Punishment: Endure 1 Hour of Survival Trial
Rule: No death permitted. Pain is real. Escape impossible. Growth... possible.
Jiǎng Mùchéng's jaw dropped. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
The beast roared.
A flaming tail swept toward him like a meteor.
BOOOOM!
He was sent flying across the red sky. His body cracked into burning stone pillars. His ribs howled.
"GAAAAHH!!"
He rolled, coughing smoke, every nerve in his body screaming.
"Where AM I?! Did you teleport me into a dungeon?! IS THIS ANOTHER WORLD?!"
📜[SYSTEM RESPONSE]
No. This is your inner Beastpulse Realm, a mental landscape created from your elemental imprint.
All real pain. All real development. You can train here. Fight here. One day, command from here.
But for now—
This is punishment.
Jiǎng spat out ash. "You... LUNATIC SYSTEM!!"
He scrambled to his feet, running, dodging as fireballs and blazing arcs chased him through the burning ruins.
For thirty minutes, he could do nothing but run, roll, and scream.
Then—he remembered.
His breath slowed.
Wait… I'm not the same.
He clenched his fists.
"My body… is already at Level 5 strength. And that technique…"
📜[Elemental Body Absorption – Active]
Reminder: Every hit absorbed increases durability.
Current Progress: 1.8% toward next sub-stage.
Jiǎng turned to face the serpent.
"You think I'll just run? Fine. Let's see who bends first."
The snake hissed, lunged.
A tail swept again.
CRACK!
He was smashed backward again, through a wall of burning crystal.
His body rolled. He coughed blood. His mind whited out from pain.
📜[Beastpulse Strength: Level 5 · 1-Star – Calibrated to Your Body Strength]
Jiǎng Mùchéng: Cultivation Level 1 · 1-Star – Elemental Energy Locked
Status: Severe Pain Detected
Technique Growth: +3.1%
"YOU'RE KILLING ME!" he roared at the sky.
📜[Incorrect. I'm training you.]
THWACK!
A massive tail of molten scale slammed into Jiǎng Mùchéng's side again, sending him flying across the flaming sky like a chubby comet.
"AAAAAAARGHHH!! WHY IS THIS STILL SO DAMN PAINFUL?!"
📜[SYSTEM RESPONSE]
Reminder: The beastpulse you face now is calibrated to Level 5 · 1-Star, matching your current body strength, not your cultivation level.
You are still Level 1 · 1-Star cultivator. Elemental control is minimal. Pain receptors are at 100% sensitivity. No internal qi channels open.
🔍 Suggested Strategy:
• Keep dodging.
• Absorb damage over time (slow method).
• Or: Finally convert the stored energy into pills.
Jiǎng screamed between wheezes. "Fine! Fine!! Convert the damn energy!!"
📜[Command Registered: Begin Energy Conversion Protocol]
Dropping instructional scroll…
A floating golden scroll materialized midair and smacked him in the face.
He caught it, blinking. "Wait, what?! You're not gonna help me?!"
📜[SYSTEM NOTE]
"Knowledge is the key to success."
I wish you all the best. ☺️
"YOU—!!! I'M GONNA RIP YOUR CORE CHIP OUT AND FRY IT OVER SPIRITUAL FLAMES!"
But there was no response.
Only the massive snake behind him, circling again, glowing brighter—charging another tail slam.
So there he was:
A fat boy. Running. In hell.
Reading a scroll while dodging Level 5 death strikes.
The scroll glowed, words rearranging themselves as he focused:
🔥[Flame Energy Conversion Ritual – Elemental Core Compression Method]
Step 1: Meditate and release elemental tension from the core.
Step 2: Isolate all non-chaotic qi into 10 stable rotational streams.
Step 3: Condense fire-element energy into pill forms inside the Elemental Core via spiritual will.
Step 4: Stabilize the formation by imagining an inner flame forge.
Step 5: Breathe with the pulse of the flame—slow, focused, rhythmic.
"Condense, rotate, forge—ugh, I feel like a human blender…"
He inhaled deeply, began to sync his breath, all while leaping over a tail strike, flipping behind boulders, and ducking fireballs.
Time passed.
More sweat.
More curses.
📜[TIME ELAPSED: 1 HOUR]
📜[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT – PUNISHMENT COMPLETED]
✅ You have endured the full 1-hour Beastpulse Attack Trial.
🔥 Absorption Accrued During Trial: 5.1%
🪬 Result: Partial elemental absorption converted to stored flame qi
❗ Note: This is the final time conversion assistance will be available.
Once you reach Level 5, all cultivation must come from real-world combat and pill refinement.
Jiǎng collapsed on his back, laughing and crying at the same time.
"…I hate you, AI. I hate you so much."
📜[Punishment Reward Unlocked]
🎴 1-Minute Beastpulse Card – Ironhowl Steel Tiger
Description: Summon your beastpulse for 1 minute of real-time combat.
Restriction: Until Level 3 · 1-Star, you cannot maintain full beastpulse summoning.
This card bypasses that limit for emergencies.
Jiǎng stared at it. "If you hadn't given me this reward, I swear on every fried rice I've ever loved, I'd uninstall your system myself."
📜[SYSTEM RESPONSE]
😊 You're welcome.
Now seated, mind clear and body pulsing with low-burning flame, Jiǎng finally focused on the conversion ritual.
He shut his eyes, entered deep breath state.
Inside his Elemental Core—a fiery orb of swirling orange-red energy—he isolated the nearly 100% stored flame absorption gathered during the trial and previous battle.
Following the scroll:
• He formed ten rotating channels, like gears of molten steam.
• Each stream compressed like tightening rings, folding the qi inwards.
• Gradually, pill-shaped nodes began to crystallize—glowing red-orange, fiery yet stable.
• With his will, he imagined a miniature forge in the center of his core.
• Every breath he took, the forge pulsed with flame.
💊💊💊💊💊💊💊💊💊💊
🔥 10 Flame Qi Pills successfully formed.
Grade: Stable Beginner Tier (High Absorption Quality)