[Breakthrough Achieved]
[Primordial Genesis Body Cultivation: Realm 1, Stage 3 → Stage 4]
Shen Tianxu's eyes opened slowly. Dawn light was just beginning to filter through his window.
His entire body ached with an intensity he'd never experienced. Every muscle felt like it had been worked past failure a hundred times.
But underneath the pain was something else. Power. Real, undeniable physical power.
He stood up carefully. His legs felt completely different. Stronger. More responsive. He took a single step and nearly stumbled from the unexpected force.
'I need to completely recalibrate my movement patterns,' he realized. 'My muscle memory is all wrong now. I'm literally more than twice as strong as I was eight hours ago.'
He pulled up his status.
[Status Update]
Name: Shen Tianxu
Age: 16
Race: Elf (Primordial Spirit Bloodline - Dormant/Cursed)
Cultivation Realm: Muscle Tempering Realm - Stage 4
Technique Mastery: Primordial Genesis Body Cultivation - Realm 1, Stage 4 (100% mastery for completed stages)
Physical Enhancement: +650% strength, +480% endurance, +520% speed, +340% durability
Estimated Combat Power: Bone Forging Realm Stage 2 equivalent
Note: Combat effectiveness significantly higher than estimate due to perfect technique execution and tactical superiority. Actual combat capability: Bone Forging Realm Stage 5-7 range.
Active Systems: 2/12
- Supreme Comprehension System
- Phoenix Fate System
Current Project: Genesis Elixir Development (Curse Breaking Method 17)
Progress: Theoretical framework complete, requires ingredient gathering
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Three stages in one night. And his estimated combat power had jumped dramatically.
A Muscle Tempering Stage 4 with combat capability matching someone at Bone Forging Stage 5 or higher.
That gap came from multiple factors.
Perfect technique execution.
Superior tactical thinking.
Enhanced control.
But also because his technique was simply better than anything normal cultivators used.
'At this rate, I'll complete Realm 1 in four more nights. Reach Realm 12 in forty-eight nights of focused cultivation. And I'll be developing the curse-breaking formula simultaneously.'
His door burst open. Shen Chen stuck his head in, then froze with wide eyes. "Brother? You look... different."
"Different how?"
"I don't know. Bigger? No, not bigger. Just... more? Like you take up more space somehow?"
Shen Chen stepped closer, examining him. "And your eyes are glowing a little. That's weird."
Shen Tianxu moved to the mirror. His younger brother was right. Subtle changes. His posture was different—straighter, more balanced.
His muscles were more defined despite no visible size increase. His eyes had a faint luminescence that hadn't been there before.
The physical transformation was beginning to show.
"I was cultivating," he explained simply.
"ALL NIGHT?!" Shen Chen's eyes went huge. "That's crazy! You look like you fought a war! Can you teach me to do that?"
"When you're older and your body is ready."
"That's what everyone always says," Shen Chen complained. But he was staring at his brother with obvious admiration.
"Mother says breakfast is ready. And that you have to take Moonlight girls back to their home today, remember?"
Right. The twins. He'd almost forgotten during his cultivation trance.
"Tell Mother I'll be down in a few minutes. I need to change clothes."
Shen Chen nodded enthusiastically and ran off, already shouting down the hallway about how his brother looked like a completely different person and had glowing eyes.
Shen Tianxu looked at himself in the mirror one final time. Three stages in eight hours. His self-created technique was working even better than projected.
'And this is just the beginning,' he thought.
'As I understand more about this world's cultivation principles, the technique will evolve.'
'Become even more optimized. By the time I reach the higher realms, I'll have created something that could fundamentally reshape cultivation theory.'
He changed into clean clothes, noting how differently they fit now. His body proportions had shifted subtly.
Time to have breakfast with his family. Then deliver the twins home and start building the tribal alliance.
But tonight, he'd continue. Four more stages to complete Realm 1. Then eleven more realms after that.
And somewhere in there, he'd develop the Genesis Elixir. Break the curse that had crippled the Elf race for five hundred years.
Because he had something worth protecting now. People who mattered. A family that loved him. Friends who trusted him.
And he'd need power to keep them all safe in this dangerous world.
Although, his true goal is to acquire supreme power. Never to have his life dictated like before.
"Tch," he clicked his tongue in displeasure as he recalled the memories of his enslavement at humanity's supreme AI.
'Damned humans.'
He didn't want to think about it but if he had to admit maybe he may have done the same in their shoes.
After all, most men with the power would think, 'Since I can, why not?'
After pushing away his random thoughts he thought of his present life.
'Freedom is gold,' he thought.
'Also, I need to check out the Phoenix Fate System more properly later today.'
His lips curved into a small smile as he headed downstairs toward the sounds of his family's voices.
'One step at a time. But each step brings me closer to being strong enough to do whatever I want with all freedom.'
The scent of his mother's cooking filled the air. His siblings' laughter echoed through the house.
Somewhere outside, Feng Yan chirped a morning greeting.
For the first time in trillions of years, Shen Tianxu felt like he had a real purpose beyond mere survival.
And he was going to become strong enough to fulfill it.