"Get out. Now." Zhou Yang's voice was icy with disdain. He couldn't stand the sight of these scum any longer.
Zheng Xiongfeng and his disciples, who had been trembling in fear, nearly collapsed in relief at the command. Scrambling to their feet, they fled the Ziqiang Martial Arts School in utter disgrace. After tonight's events, every one of them would carry this trauma with them—none would ever dare cross Zhou Yang again.
Once they were gone, Zhou Ziqiang locked the school's doors and turned to his son with barely contained excitement. "Son, when did you master the Profound Sky Qi? And to reach the fifth level or higher—this is unbelievable!"
A fifth-level Profound Sky Qi master was a formidable existence, someone who need not fear even the Li Family. Zhou Ziqiang had never dreamed his son could achieve such heights.
Zhou Yang smiled faintly. "I'll explain later, Dad. Just know that from now on, no one will ever bully us again."
Zhou Ziqiang nodded eagerly, his eyes shining. "A fifth-tier Qi Refiner! At the very least, we won't be pushed around in Spring River City anymore."
Little did he know that his son was already an eighth-tier Qi Refiner—if he had known, he might have fainted from shock.
Zhou Yang chuckled. "Get some rest. I'm heading to bed too—got school tomorrow."
Returning to his room, Zhou Yang sat on his bed, reflecting on everything that had happened.
He had been reborn ten years into the past, become the boyfriend of the school belle Lin Qinglu, and inherited the legacy of the residual soul residing within him, advancing to the eighth tier of Qi Refinement.
It was all almost too exhilarating to believe.
Just then, a voice echoed in his mind: *"Don't get cocky, kid. An eighth-tier Qi Refiner is still far from a Qi Sovereign. If you don't want to stay trash, train harder. Reach the fifth tier of Limitless Qi—only then will you be considered a true expert. And even then, in my eyes, a fifth-tier Qi Sovereign is still nothing special."*
Zhou Yang nearly choked. The residual soul's expectations were absurdly high—a fifth-tier Qi Sovereign? In all of Huaxia, there were probably only a handful of such beings, each a once-in-a-generation genius, practically godlike figures.
And him? Just an ordinary eighteen-year-old high school student with negligible talent. Becoming an eighth-tier Qi Refiner had already been beyond his wildest dreams.
"Senior, you're overestimating me," Zhou Yang muttered in resignation. "I'll never reach Qi Sovereign in this lifetime."
Suddenly, the door burst open. Zhou Ziqiang peered inside, confused. "Son, who were you talking to just now?"
Zhou Yang hadn't realized he'd spoken aloud. "Ah, just talking to myself. Go get some sleep, Dad."
Zhou Ziqiang closed the door, still buzzing with excitement. His son, a fifth-tier Qi Refiner! This was cause for celebration. Pouring himself a drink, he savored the moment—for the first time in years, he felt truly happy and at ease.
Once alone, the residual soul's voice returned, sharper this time: *"Listen here, brat—no slacking off. You have one year to reach fifth-tier Qi Sovereign. After that, I have a far greater task for you."*
Zhou Yang wanted to scream. The residual soul was either insane or delusional. Going from eighth-tier Refiner to fifth-tier Sovereign in a year was impossible. Even the most gifted cultivators needed decades for such a leap.
With a bitter smile, he whispered silently, *"Senior, you might as well kill me now. What you're asking is beyond me."*
*"Impossible? Nothing is impossible! And you won't be training alone—I'll be guiding you every step of the way."*
Zhou Yang sighed. The residual soul was relentless. Still, he had no choice but to try—he'd push himself as far as he could.
Now, curiosity burned within him. Just who was this residual soul? How had it ended up inside him?
"Senior," he ventured, "I'll do my best. After all, becoming a Qi Sovereign is my dream too."
In Huaxia, Qi Sovereigns commanded immense respect. Even a first-tier Sovereign could make politicians and tycoons grovel at their feet. A fifth-tier Sovereign? They were legends—figures who could shake the nation with a single step.
*"Good. Start training now. I'll be watching you closely."*
"Before we begin," Zhou Yang pressed, "can you at least tell me who you are?"
*"Not yet. When you reach fifth-tier, I'll reveal everything. Knowing my identity now would only get you killed."*
The gravity in those words sent a chill down Zhou Yang's spine. He dared not ask further, though his curiosity only grew.
*"Sit cross-legged. Close your eyes. Clear your mind. Follow my instructions."*
Obeying, Zhou Yang soon felt currents of energy swirling within him—like tidal waves surging through his meridians, pooling in his dantian before cycling out again.
His body seemed to expand and grow lighter, as if floating upward like a balloon, high