After splashing into the lake, the brothers climbed out, soaked but awestruck. They looked around and discovered that the lake was situated atop a mountain that reached an incredible 1100 kilometers in height. The air shimmered with a dense, pure spiritual elemental aura—the kind cultivators would kill for.
Little Life stepped forward and addressed his brothers seriously. "Here—this is my holy art. The first and second pages, at least. You should all cultivate them. They will help you one way or another."
His brothers perked up with curiosity. "Brother, what can it do?" they asked cheerfully.
Little Life smiled faintly. "The first page is called 'Fake Disguise.' It allows you to hide your identity and even your cultivation level. There's also an enlightenment phase, though I don't know much about it. But… when I first cultivated it, something strange happened."
He paused, eyes distant. "A spiritual image of our mother appeared. And she left behind a quote… burned into my memory:
'My disguise is fake,
I myself may be fake,
But my emotions are real.
And if Heaven were to declare my emotions fake,
I shall make the Heaven itself fake.'
"I don't understand it fully," Little Life admitted. "But it shakes me deeply."
He continued, "The second page is 'Connection of Emotions.' It's a bloodline art. It allows communication directly through the blood and soul—without using consciousness."
Little Wind asked, puzzled, "Why not consciousness as well?"
Little Life explained, "Consciousness-based communication is common, but it has limits. It can be detected by someone with stronger cultivation. However, 'Connection of Emotions' is undetectable unless the person is of the same bloodline. There are no distance limits either. Even if we're in different realms, we can talk."
Everyone grew quiet with awe.
"The third page is called 'Divination of Fortune.' It's not very useful in battle but can reveal the origins or 'starting point' of any event. It's complicated… and honestly, mind-consuming. Use it only if you must.
"The fourth page is 'Reverse of Wounds.' A powerful healing art. It can heal you even if all your bones are shattered or you're poisoned throughout your body. But if your heart or brain are injured, you'll have only ten minutes to live.
"And finally, the fifth page is 'Soul Protection.' You can use it once—on yourself or someone else. It shields the soul from reincarnation. It's actually Sister Yue Yu's innate ability."
Little Life looked at his brothers. "Now go. Begin cultivating these arts. I will guard you."
"We'll master them in ten days!" they all promised in unison.
---
Three Days Later
To Little Life's shock, Little Water had already cultivated and mastered all five arts.
"What? I needed thirty days just to reach the basic level!" Little Life muttered in disbelief.
Little Water grinned. "Brother, you stay here and keep guard. I'm going to explore a little further down the mountain. I'll return on the seventh day."
"Alright," said Little Life. "Be careful. If you run into trouble, contact me immediately."
Little Water waved. "Bye, brother!" Then he turned and descended the mountain alone.
---
Xiao Shui's Solo Exploration Begins
As he journeyed downward, Little Water discovered a thick jungle at the base of the mountain. Far off in the distance, a large temporary camp sat nestled among the trees. He disguised himself as a cultivator at Element Abortion Stage 2, hiding his true cultivation level: Middle Stage of Law of Element—which he had reached upon mastering the five arts.
After walking for three hours, he encountered a group of cultivators—two girls and three boys—clearly a gang of bullies.
Little Water greeted them politely. "Fellow cultivators, I am Shui Jin. May I ask who you are?"
One of the girls snapped at him. "A weakling at Element Abortion 2 dares to question us?"
The boys jeered in support. Clearly, the group lacked discipline. It was more like a rogue gang than a proper sect team.
Suddenly, a cold voice cut through the air. "You brats, instead of cultivating, you waste time bullying others?"
A young woman appeared—her aura elegant, powerful. The group trembled in fear.
"S-Sorry, Elder!" they stammered before fleeing.
The woman turned to Xiao Shui. "Apologies for their behavior, little one. I'm Shuye—it means 'Leaves.' I'm a cultivator at the Law of Element – Middle Stage."
Xiao Shui bowed. "No need to apologize, Sister Shuye. I was the one who was too forward. May I ask what's going on here?"
She smiled. "I like your honesty. Come with me. Let's talk in the camp."
---
At the Camp
Shuye explained as they sat at a table, sipping tea. "We're from the Middle Wind Clan, located in the corner of the National Continent. We're here looking for the Divine Lake—rumored to exist atop this Forbidden Mountain. It appears once every ten years and stays open for one. Its waters are said to cure any illness and even bring someone back from the brink of death."
She leaned in. "Several clans are competing for it this time—Middle Earth, Middle Fire, Lower Dark, Middle Water, Upper Light, and of course, us, Middle Wind. They plan to control the lake and demand heavy payments from the Medicine Clan."
She listed the ranks of clans for him:
Clan Ranks:
Lower Clan: Low, Middle, Higher
Middle Clan: Low, Upper, Higher
Upper Clan: Low, High
Supreme Clan: Low, High
God's Clan: Six Clans only
Highest: Flame God Clan
Weakest: Water/Wind God Clan
"I like you, Shui Jin," she said. "What clan are you from? Wind? Light? Water? If you're Wind, I could recommend you to my clan."
He changed the subject. "Sister Shuye… what year is it? And can you tell me about the world today?"
She looked surprised. "You don't even know the year? Were you trapped here when the mountain last opened?" She patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll teach you everything."
She explained species—humans, beasts (lion, tiger, snake, etc.), and the extinct dragons—eradicated by the Three God Clans.
She detailed Refining:
Weapon Refining (Fire element required):
1. Bronze – Mortal basic
2. Silver – 10 years experience
3. Gold – Mortal heirloom
4. Diamond – Refined 7 times, durable
5. Heroic – Born from Fire Law insight
6. Saint – Combine two Heroic weapons
7. God – Indestructible
Pill Refining (Fire, Poison, Medicine elements):
1. Brown – Cosmetic
2. Silver – Heals scratches
3. Gold – Minor wounds
4. Diamond – Major injuries (slow)
5. Heroic – Major injuries (instant)
6. Saint – Heals soul
7. God – Full energy restoration
Night fell as they talked.
Shuye yawned. "It's late. Are you staying here, little brother?"
"No need to trouble Sister Shuye. I'll take my leave."
"You're already leaving? Hmph. Fine then. Be careful."
---
Midnight Discovery
Instead of returning to his brother, Little Water sent all the information to Little Life via Connection of Emotions and continued exploring.
He stumbled upon a hidden cave on the far side of the mountain, filled with snake bones. As he went deeper, he noticed something strange—his emotional link with his brothers weakened, as if this place blocked their connection.
Then he saw it.
A starry sky, shimmering above, like a void—not black, but glowing with unknown stars.
"What is this place?" he whispered.
After an hour of walking, he reached a dead end—and a dead body. He bowed respectfully, prayed, and buried it.
But when he turned to leave, the path back was gone. A new path had opened ahead.
"Well… if death is what awaits, so be it."
He followed it—and found a room with a mysterious note on the wall. A cultivation technique based on movement, stealth, and traversing voids.
Its name: Steps of the Thief.
"Weird name," he muttered. "I'll call it… Chasing Dreams."
He sat down and began cultivating.
---
Meanwhile
Little Life glanced at the others. "Only Little Wind and Little Earth remain. Need help understanding the arts?"
They nodded.
"Also, Little Water sent me valuable information. I'll share it with you all now."
Only one day remained.
Tomorrow, Little Water would return—and their journey would continue.
[To be continued…]