"Extreme Heat and Extreme cold… Yin and Yang…" Tianyu murmured unconsciously.
"These energies exist naturally in nature, they clash against each other but also complement each other, can't be darkness without light…"
Tianyu didn't realise it, but at that moment, he was setting a foundation that would aid him in all his future achievements.
The two energies spiralled violently inside his Dantain, and the energy was so violent that he saw cracks form around the core.
And outside, one moment, the entire cave froze over ice creeping on the walls of the cave like spiderwebs. The next scorching heat melted all the ice into water, which evaporated into mist.
This continuous rotation, mixing with Tianyu's Qi, changed the environment around him.
Grass sprouted along the stone floor. Small shoots emerged, then grew into tiny trees.
The once-barren cave slowly transformed into a cradle of life. As days passed, insects and little creatures wandered in, living off the plants flourishing from the shifting energy.
"I understand now…The Flow of these two extremities," Tianyu whispered.
A soft rumble echoed. Tianyu lifted from the ground, floating cross-legged as a lotus of pure light bloomed above his head.
Crrrrrrkkkkk!
His skin began to crack glowing fissures appeared on his body. Heavenly Qi charged into those cracks, netting them back.
"Huuuu…"
He exhaled deeply, steadying his mind as the final moment approached.
Crack!
The barrier that had been holding him back shattered.
All the surrounding Qi surged toward him in a violent rush, pouring into his body like an endless well. The lotus absorbed a portion of it as well. A few moments later, the lotus turned translucent… then faded completely, disappearing as if it had never existed.
Tianyu slowly floated down. His feet touched the ground, and he opened his eyes.
"Mmm…" he murmured, opening and closing his hand. "I have made into; this is the Foundation Realm…" He flexed his fingers. "I can feel the Qi surging through me. It's two no, three times more than I had before."
A cool feeling washed over Tianyu.
He stood up and tried to balance himself on a nearby stone the moment his foot touched it.
Crk—
The stone crumbled under his weight, collapsing into dust.
"Haaa… my body feels even tougher now." He finally looked at his surroundings and saw a few trees that had grown in the cave.
"How much time was passed…?"
He moved toward the entrance, and the creatures around him scattered in fear.
Once outside, a gust of wind rushed him; he drew his sword and swung downward. An arc of orange flame traced through the air.
He swung again. A streak of icy blue followed, and frost spread across the forest, freezing everything in its path.
"So, I also have dual affinities. This is great, I couldn't have found it out without absorbing that flame's essence… but let's never do that again. I almost died for real." Tianyu leapt out of the cave fully now.
"I wasted too much time here. I have to go back."
He began his journey back to the compound using the movement techniques he had taught himself in conjunction with the Astral steps.
His speed had increased tenfold. With a single breath, he dashed off the mountain like a streak of light.
Within an incense stick's worth of time, the forest behind him was a silhouette fading into the distance,
He finally found himself on the road and passed people one after another, passing through a group of young boys. He caught whispers of the manor; the boys were dressed in shabby clothes, a telling detail that they belonged to the outskirts of Tianlong.
"Did you hear? The Heavenly Star Sect will be attending the Xing Family Gathering. They're even inviting all the geniuses to participate," a young man said excitedly.
"I want to try my luck. Maybe they'll choose me," another replied, eyes shining with hope.
"Hah! You wish," the first man snorted. "You won't even make it into the first screening with your trash talent."
"Hahahah, maybe you're right," the second man admitted with an awkward laugh. "But I bet I can beat that trash Tianyu Xing, though. I heard he hasn't even broken through the first layer of the Human stage."
They both burst into laughter.
"Yeah, yeah—I'm sure I could beat him with one hand," the first one added proudly.
Their voices stabbed like needles, but Tianyu didn't look at them. He passed by, silent.
Across all of Tianlong City, he was known as the number one, number one trash among the youth of Jainsu.
Moments later, he slipped back into his usual path and sneaked into the Xing compound undetected. He moved quietly, avoiding the guards, and soon reached his shabby little hut.
Not long after, as if fate had arranged it, the boys arrived loud, arrogant, and as rowdy as every heading straight for Tianyu's house.
"Tianyu! Come out, you piece of trash! I have a message from the Patriarch," Yue Xing shouted, his usual group of lackeys standing behind him with smug expressions.
"Hmmm, let's see him this time," With a quiet breath, he stepped outside.
The boys wore wide, mocking grins. Yue Xing himself was dressed in ostentatious armour trimmed with silver and streaks of jade green. The sight alone made Tianyu's brow tighten.
"OHhh, so you are still alive, you were missing for the last ten days, I thought you had run away and died in some ditch somewhere."
"What do you want, Yue?" Tianyu asked flatly, voice cold.
Yue's smile widened, and something about it made Tianyu's skin crawl.
"When the hell did you grow so tall? Were you eating beans every day for the last five days?" His eyes moved from Tianyu's head to toe.
"Tch, it doesn't even matter. Growing a little taller is sure to help you do your chores much easier, right?" Yue said, handing him a folded sheet.
Tianyu opened it, and his eyes moved across the words slowly.
Divorce papers.
"Your engagement with Mai has been cancelled," Yue declared dramatically. "The Zhou Family announced it today."
Tianyu didn't react. He simply folded the paper again, slid it into his sleeve, and turned to walk away.
But Yue wasn't done.
"And for your own sake," Yue called behind him, "don't show up tomorrow. You'll embarrass yourself even more. The geniuses from Tianlong are coming, and the minimum realm is half-step Human Realm."
Yue and his gang burst into loud laughter, spitting on the ground before swaggering off.
"So this is the arranged marriage my father had made for me, tch that was a waste of my time." Tianyu burned the paper.