"Cultivation had been around since the inception of the first beings — the True Devils and the Holy Race.

"The True Devils device the level of body physicality and the Holy Race the manipulation of the elements.

"It would only be when the children of the Mother of Beasts would the control of Law would be integrated, and the mastery of weapons and one's path would open when the first conflict arose. This is the history of cultivation that lets a Mortal traverse their path to Godhood.

"Without man, the vessel for cultivation would not appear and without the Universe, there would be no man, thus only when the man is present within the Universe can life flourish. In short, cultivation is the gift of the first beings, therefore it is the gift of the Universe — do you now understand?"

A question from Wang Ling only made Leo blink his eyes.

It had been three weeks since their first meeting and now, while Wang Ling was waiting for his bloodline abilities to return, he was busily teaching Leo about the essence of cultivation, who showed interest in the matter.

About a week ago, Wang Ling found the boy swinging the knife used for butchering animals. He cackled at the sight of this, not because of Leo's childlike movements, but because of the kid's determination that led to nothing other than an aching muscle.

Seeing this made Wang Ling want to teach the lad a single proper movement of the butchering knife after going through the many methods he had in mind.

"Swing the blade as though you are tracing a line in the air, and when you can complete a single stroke without a single making a single marginal error then you shall see the result of your effort."

Leo was no prodigy; he was actually someone who lacks in the talent department, but he had the determination and hate to supplement this weakness. Determination to get stronger and hate of his weak self gave him strength!

It amazed Wang Ling seeing the young Leo distract himself with such a method.

[If he continues with this amount of effort he'll be able to destroy the barrier of his weak body. That's quite impressive. If he can strengthen the single path of his sword, then he would be able to create a robust way of swordsmanship.]

Wang Ling watched as the young Leo prepared himself to break through the middle-stage of [Qi Reinforcement Realm] it felt rather surreal.

But casting Leo's matters aside, Wang Ling had problems of his own.

The qi of the three supreme bloodlines had finally arrived after the long wait.

That would be good if not for the fact that this vessel was too frail to hold the qi. If the qi were not

Lucius' meridian channels were wider than an average person's, and even when compared to prodigies he wouldn't lose.

He could fill it with a lake-sized qi reserve and it would not be damaged, but, Wang Ling's three qi were not just a lake but the entire ocean.

At this moment he recovered enough True Devil Qi to regain two pair of wings and enough Holy Qi to manifest three Haloes.

[No ordinary Veins will hold out… the moment I try circulating my qi, the ensuing fight with the Dark and White Qi will result in my death and if Chaos is added, my entire body would disintegrate.]

Chaos was the worst of them all as it would render his entire body into nothingness, lacerating his meridians then his internal organs.

Wang Ling now had no way of using his qi.

Another five weeks passed without Wang Ling achieving anything. The three qi had stopped improving three weeks prior.

His state of being was as follows:

The True Devil Qi could mutate his body to bear two pairs of wings with the third pair not far behind. The God's Mark had yet to emerge but Wang Ling knew he could manifest it if he temporarily sacrifices the second pair of wings.

[The God's Mark enhances the body so that would be useful in furthering my vessel's power usage… but I fear without sufficient True Devil Qi the God's Mark might devour me.]

The obsidian-colored God's Mark was a powerful tool, but there was a reason why it appears only in the later stages of Wang Ling's cultivation.

It was a strong weapon but without proper control of the True Devil Qi, it would lead to the body getting devoured.

The Holy Qi stopped at the fourth halo and he now has the ability to manifest the Overlord Lines meant to help him absorb the qi of the Universe Faster.

[I can now manifest it and my body would appear as though it would have a funnel devouring the qi of the world. I will improve faster, but because of bodily limitations, I am left with nothing. I am weak, thus, even this is something I cannot do.]

The golden-azure Overlord Lines he once inherited to rule over every element and qi now became volatile to him. Something that would destroy his very existence upon usage.

Wang Ling could do nothing but shake his head in dismay, "My gifts are turning against me, but — everything has an answer, and I shall find this answer sooner or later."

For weeks onwards Wang Ling was left with the simple dilemma of being unable to harness qi. His meridians were growing stronger every day thanks to the True Devil Qi and Holy Qi.

Being bathed in both supreme qi made it so that it adapted to meet his demands. It would have already crippled any normal man, but thanks to the Overhaul Phoenix Rebirth Constitution, Wang Ling lived — though he now lives with constant pain.

Pain mattered little to him however as it had already accompanied him on two lives. He had endured much harsher before, this was nothing to him now.

[This Overhaul Phoenix Rebirth is really helping to keep my body intact, it is honestly impressive.] Wang Ling said as he meditated on tuning his Sword Intent.

On the third month of his revival — Wang Ling eyed a Spirit Wandering Elk, his eyes piercing the foliage without worries.

He held not sword and he had no intention of killing the beast despite his body already getting used to his overwhelming Sword Intent. Instead, he wanted another person to kill the beast before him, he wanted Leo to do it.

Three days ago, Leo finally completed the unwavering sword path after hundreds of thousands, if not millions of repetitions.

Wang Ling asked him to make a single vertical slash and the sharpness of its movement, and it was quite the sight to behold.

The next day after this Wang Ling thought Leo three simple moves. After Leo learned the basics of the basics, Wang Ling brought him out so he could make his first hunt.

"Ready yourself, steel your resolve, and when you see an opening, you must defeat it with your own hands. In this hunt, none shall help you; if you lose then escape. Can you do it?"

"I can, Brother Wang." Leo was confident and determined.

"Confidence is good — get ready."

Leo nodded his head, his eyes not leaving the Elk. His hands holding the butchering knife trembled, but after taking a deep breath all of it disappeared.

Leo grew silent, Wang Ling said nothing several minutes then passed.

After twenty minutes of the elk eating grass, Wang Ling had already seen more than a hundred openings, but Leo still did not make a move.

The two may see the same thing but their experience and abilities were vastly different. And Leo, someone who had not even killed anything before, but now, he was asked to execute a tall task.

Then, after another ten minutes, Leo finally showed signs of movement. His eyes changed; his very scent disappeared as if he blended into the forest.

With his desire to be sneaky, Leo became invisible to the senses of lowly beings.

He strengthened his body and jumped around, trying to make as little sound as he possibly could. He soon reached the tree adjacent to the Elk that was about to rest.

The Elk lowered its guard as it gained peace, and it was at this moment that pounced at the beast with no hesitation.

His eyes reeked no bloodlust, it was but a simple desire to kill and erase the life of the Elk before him. Like his presence, his intent was hidden, and then, like the wind, his knife moved to draw blood.

Slash!

An arc formed; Leo's blade slashed through the beast's neck.

"I did it!" He celebrated seeing the blood.

Wang Ling shook his head.

GIHWIIIIIIIIII!

The Elk rampaged because of the pain; blood poured out of its body but it was not dead just yet. Beasts were resilient beings, their existence.

Wang Ling could kill one in one slash because he always takes the head and leaves bits of his sword intent to rampage through the body… but, Leo had no such ability.

Caught by a surprise, Leo received a kick on the stomach by the rampaging Elk.

BAM!

CRASH!

Sent flying backward, he crashed on the ground, coughing up blood in the process. His internal injuries were severe.

He then saw the Elk's eyes, pure of hate and killing intent and with this simple exchange of gazes, fear devoured Leo's mind!

The Elk then charged with its horns pointed at him. It wanted nothing more than to drag him to the other side.

'Am I going to die… like this?'

Leo looked at his eventual killer with fear, but hen, from the corner of his eyes, he saw it, a gaze coming from the one who taught him.

Wang Ling remained steady, his eyes without blemish nor worry, he knew Leo would not die, and even now when the boy was about to meet his end.

The boy did not wish to disappoint Wang Ling, the one who taught him and the one who stayed by his side.

His persistence stemmed from his desire to be strong, but there was also the desire to be approved of.

Leo never met his father for he died fighting against the Abyssal Demons and his mother left soon after giving birth to him.

Leo had no talent with fighting, he was frail and weak, and could not comprehend even the simplest of fist technique of their household.

He went and learned butchering techniques to help his brother in the future, but even he died right before Leo's eyes.

Lucius' body was taken over by some unknown soul — this man stole Lucius' chance to live, he should rue him, hate his existence, and curse at him — yet Leo failed even at this.

Leo wanted a companion, and despite being dead weight, Wang Ling stayed by his side, taught him ways to fight despite his frailty, and praised him for his bravery — and most of all, Wang Ling believed in him!

'My brother gave his life to him in order to save my life and I — I received another life from him, a life where I do not have to be weak, he believed in me, he was patient, he was certain. I lacked the talent but he didn't convince me to stop — I do not know him that long, but I wish to believe the thing he saw in me — I wish to believe I can do it! I want to succeed!'

The fear disappeared; Leo gathered everything in his butchering knife then dashed forth to mee the Elk!

'Use everything he taught you! Remember Everything he gave you! And Kill With MY OWN BLADE!'

A scream resonated in his heart, the butchering knife glowed red, a fire erupted like a Phoenix Crying out to the heavens, reclaiming its throne!

However, this was no special qi! Like Leo said he had no talent, he had nothing, he knew nothing, this cry was not from his lineage but coming from himself! This Phoenix Cry stemmed from within! This is a Scream — a scream that only he could do, this is Leo's own Phoenix Cry — a cry built upon perseverance!

"Blood Seeking Knife: PHOENIX SLAUGHTER!!"

From the north to the south his butcher knife traveled, and he never relegated his stance. The Elk also didn't stop, it reached him but its horns didn't.

SLASH!

The Elk had been split in two vertically. A clean-cut appeared, and both its body moved past Leo and dyed his clothes red with blood.

Feeling the loss of qi, Leo fell face down only to have a hand catch him.

He raised his head and saw Wang Ling nodding at him approvingly.

"You face death directly in the eyes and killed it with a single swing thereafter, that's good."

Leo laughed as he fell asleep. That single slash caused him all his energy.

Wang Ling was happy for the boy.

Placing the boy on his back, Wang Ling proceeded to drag the Elk's carcass away.

And as they left, a single black wisp appeared seemingly out of nowhere.