Chapter 39: The Dance of the Heavens Begins
Ten months had passed in a blur of discipline, sweat, and self-discovery. Jin's days were filled with rigorous training and experimentation. His cultivation realm had not advanced, just as he predicted, but his battle prowess was now far beyond what it had been when he first emerged from the Forest of No Return.
He refined his body tirelessly, bringing the Titan Vein Tempering to an impressive 70% completion. His flesh grew tougher, his bones denser, and his reflexes sharper. Soul cultivation was an enigma, elusive and difficult to grasp, yet Jin made progress by exploring the Silent Flame Meditation to 40% mastery, allowing him to separate layers of his consciousness more fluidly. His coordination with elemental techniques had become second nature, and the deadly synergy of his skills was becoming increasingly formidable.
But it wasn't until the tenth month that Jin stumbled upon something that sparked a deeper fire in him.
While scanning through the thousands of techniques stored in his personalized spatial ring, Jin found a dusty, seemingly unremarkable book wedged between grandiose volumes on ultimate destruction arts and legacy-tier soul scriptures. The book was simply titled: *Sword Formation: Dance of the Heavens.*
Curious, he flipped through it. The contents were underwhelming at first—basic sword forms, rigid postures, and vague philosophies about balance. But what caught his eye was the final page. Scrawled in elegant handwriting was a passage:
"This sword formation is incomplete. But for those with elemental affinity, each strike can transcend. Fire grants propulsion. Earth offers relocation through vision. Wind grants omnipresence. Water grants elegance and razor precision. With all four, your sword becomes the dance of the heavens."
Jin's breath caught.
It was as though the technique had been waiting for him.
For the next month and a half, he obsessed over the sword formation. Day and night, he practiced each movement, gradually incorporating his elements. The fire element burst from his feet, accelerating his charges. The wind lifted his steps, making his slashes lighter and faster. The water flowed with each cut, smooth and precise. And the earth grounded him, allowing him to reappear where he envisioned within the formation's path.
The sword he had once cursed—a gift from his master—now became an extension of his body. The very same sword that had attracted beasts in the forest now carved arcs of destruction through the air with his will.
In the final ten days, Jin ventured back to the Forest of No Return to test the technique in real combat. Weaker beasts stood no chance. His strikes blurred through the air, his form nearly invisible as his blade danced with elegance and force. The formation was far from perfected, but the potential was undeniable.
When he returned to his dwelling, the time had come.
The old man waited for him outside the hut, a rare solemnity in his eyes. Jin bowed deeply, his storage ring fully packed.
"Ready?" the old man asked.
"Yes, Master."
Just as Jin turned to leave, a powerful roar shattered the calm. From within his spatial ring, a golden glow surged out. Jin blinked in surprise as Gorr burst forth, now radiating the energy of a full-fledged Adept Realm beast. The rhino's body shimmered with new strength and his eyes burned with pride.
"You broke through," Jin murmured.
Gorr let out another triumphant roar, causing the skies to ripple.
"Alright, alright, back inside," Jin said quickly, his eyes darting around. With a chuckle, he sealed Gorr back into the ring.
"That beast will serve you well," the old man said, a rare note of praise in his voice.
Then, without another word, he raised his hand.
Space twisted.
Jin watched in awe as his master revealed a palm-sized crystal glowing with a silvery hue. It pulsated with dense energy.
"A natural elemental stone formed from the fusion of space essence over millennia. Extremely rare. Use it wisely, boy."
Before Jin could respond, the old man pressed a finger against the stone and channeled space essence.
Reality cracked.
With a low hum, a silver vortex expanded around them. Jin felt his body dissolve into particles as he was pulled through the fabric of space.
In the blink of an eye, the wilderness vanished.
They stood now before an enormous archway embedded into a mountain, a realm-sized gateway glowing with runes. Cultivators bustled around in organized chaos. Floating platforms, teleportation arrays, sect banners, and dignitaries filled the area.
The Grand Ascension Tournament.
Jin's eyes widened.
The old man took a step back. "This is the start of your rise. Train well in this last year, and don't disappoint me."
Jin nodded, but before he turned away, the old man added something cryptic.
"I will protect you for as long as you remain on Planet Detrox."
Jin froze.
Planet?
That word echoed in his mind.
He turned slowly, eyes filled with confusion. The old man didn't explain. He simply stood there, wind tugging at his robes.
So Detrox… wasn't the world. It was merely a part of it?
More questions surged within him, but he shelved them for later.
"Thank you, Master," Jin said finally, bowing low.
Then, with his sword sheathed, Gorr slumbering in his ring, and the fire of ambition blazing in his chest, Jin stepped forward.
He would spend the next year not increasing his cultivation realm, but mastering everything he had.
Refining his body to peak efficiency.
Exploring the elusive depths of soul cultivation.
And mastering the coordination of his vast array of techniques.
The world didn't know his name.
But soon, it would.
This was the beginning of Jin's rise to fame.