Spiritual qi rushed toward him like a tide.
The corrupted energy of Fallen Star Ridge—normally lethal—was swallowed by the void within Xu Shiye's body. Pain surged, but he endured it silently.
His bones creaked. His blood burned.
Then—clarity.
The void stabilized.
Xu Shiye opened his eyes, and for the first time since awakening, he smiled.
"This path… is not cultivation as the world knows it."