C11 Wheel of Existence

After leaving the Yang family, Ling Chen made his way back to the Ling family home. Throughout the journey, he reflected on the past and the memories that came with it. His four adopted sons had all made something of themselves, which filled him, as their father, with pride. He just wondered where they might be now. They would probably be quite surprised to see his youthful appearance.

But now, Ling Chen was a father himself. Above all, he needed to ensure his own father's well-being. Ling Shan had been labeled as useless for so long, and the experiences he had endured were far beyond what Ling Chen had faced in his teenage years. With this in mind, Ling Chen let out a sigh. He looked up at the dilapidated courtyard before him, smiled, and stepped through the gate.

...

"Chen, you're back?" Immediately upon arriving home, Ling Chen found Ling Shan sitting in a chair, silently puffing on a dry tobacco pipe. Though only in his forties, Ling Shan's hair had turned completely white, and his face was etched with deep lines, a testament to the hard life he'd led, especially after the events of years past. He seemed to have aged more than a decade.

"Dad, I'm back," Ling Chen approached, his brow furrowed with concern. "Dad, you should smoke less. It's bad for your health."

"Oh?" Ling Shan looked up, visibly surprised. Ling Chen had never been one to initiate conversation, much less advise him on his habits. What had brought about this newfound thoughtfulness?

A sense of happiness warmed Ling Shan's heart as he set the pipe down on the table and smiled. "Alright, no more smoking. So, Chen, how are your studies going? Your final exams must be coming up soon, right?"

"Yes," Ling Chen nodded in confirmation. "The final exams at the academy are in a month. Don't worry, I'm sure to advance smoothly."

Ling Shan's smile faltered into a look of concern. Advancement at the warrior academy wasn't guaranteed for everyone; it depended on individual talent and strength. He knew that thousands of students enrolled in the Empire Academy each year, but only a handful managed to graduate.

Ling Shan was well aware of Ling Chen's academic performance.

"Chen, you must dedicate yourself to your martial arts training. Your late mother and I have placed our hopes in you," Ling Shan said, a sudden cough interrupting his words. A trace of frailty flickered in his eyes as he spoke with a bitter tone, "I've already wasted my life. You mustn't end up like me."

"Dad, you haven't finished yet!"

Ling Chen spoke earnestly, "Remember, you were once the Ling family's strongest warrior, bringing unparalleled honor to our name! In my eyes, you will always be a hero."

"...I'm going back to my room to cultivate."

After sharing this sentiment, Ling Chen gave his father a meaningful look and headed back to his room.

Watching his son's retreating back, Ling Shan paused, a touch of bitterness tugging at the corner of his mouth. "The strongest warrior?"

Ling Shan extended his hand, which began to tremble slightly, likely due to his frailty.

There was a time when he embodied the vigor that Ling Chen spoke of!

But now...

Taking a deep breath, Ling Shan's eyes hardened with resolve. He attempted to summon his spiritual power, but was immediately met with a familiar, sharp pain.

A low groan escaped him as the pain seared through his bones, contorting his aged face into a grimace while sweat beaded on his forehead. His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, his eyes betraying his frailty.

"Heh, the strongest warrior?"

Ling Shan pulled back his hand and slumped into the chair, defeated.

Perhaps... his son still believed in his strength.

...

"Ling Shan, you don't actually believe that kid's nonsense, do you?"

Out of nowhere, a mocking laugh broke the silence.

The door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside.

A middle-aged man, around forty, with a chiseled face and a brooding demeanor entered, his eyes sharp as a hawk's.

Ling Shan's brow furrowed, quickly masking the disappointment in his eyes. He asked coolly, "What brings you here?"

"I came to see if you were still alive." The man surveyed the room, noting the thick dust in the corners and the heavy scent of smoke. With a taunting smile, he remarked, "Ling Shan, it looks like nothing's changed. You're still living like a dog."

Ling Shan remained silent, merely frowning slightly before responding with indifference, "What do you want? If there's no business, please leave. I need to rest."

The man let out a scornful laugh.

He pulled a cloth bag from his bosom and tossed it onto the table with a resounding "thud."

"Here, this is your recuperation pill for the month. The head of the family sent me to deliver it, along with some gold coins."

"Thank you," Ling Shan responded coolly. He untied the cloth bag and meticulously verified the contents. Satisfied that the count was accurate, he stowed it away.

The man's eyes brimmed with even greater scorn upon witnessing this. He had not anticipated that...

The once strongest warrior of the Ling family would be reduced to living off the family's charity?

The irony was palpable.

"Hey, if I were in your shoes, I'd have taken my own life long ago. How can you bear the shame of living in this world? You're a burden to the family and a disgrace to your son!"

The man shook his head, his laughter tinged with derision.

Ling Shan remained silent, though his fist tightened unseen beneath his robe.

"Oh, one more thing," the man added after a brief pause. "The family competition is in two weeks. Your boy is competing, isn't he?"

A tremor ran through Ling Shan, and his grip on the pipe wavered.

"In two weeks? That soon?"

"What did you expect?" The man's lips twisted into a sneer. "You know the rules of the Ling family, Ling Shan. If your son hasn't advanced to the Fourth Heaven of Warforged by then, he'll be cast out of the family!"

"And then, it won't just be you—your son will be nothing but a complete failure!"

"Best of luck to you both!" With a laugh, the man turned and strode away.

Ling Shan was left sitting there, his expression growing darker by the moment.

...

As the man departed, a soft whisper echoed from an adjacent room.

"Fourth Heaven of Warforged?"

A slight smile played on Ling Chen's lips as he inhaled deeply.

Seated in a lotus position on the bed, he formed an intricate hand seal.

A subtle glow enveloped him, and spiritual power wafted through the air, funneling into his nostrils. Had anyone been present, they would have been astounded to see another figure materializing beside Ling Chen!

This figure was a perfect replica of Ling Chen!

Yet, it appeared far more ethereal. Silently, he sat beside Ling Chen, mirroring his movements.

Was he also absorbing the surrounding spiritual power for cultivation?

"Phew..."

Ling Chen let out a breath and released his hand seal. Then he watched as the phantom beside him was drawn into his body.

As the shadow merged with him, the young man's eyes slowly opened, and a flash of dark purple light darted across his pupils.

"Breaking through to Fourth Heaven in two weeks? Fifth Elder, you're really selling me short."

Ling Chen chuckled.

Speaking, he slowly lifted his right hand, and a fierce aura burst forth from within him.

Fifth Heaven of the Warforged!

Indeed, Ling Chen's cultivation had ascended to the Fifth Heaven of the Warforged!

Upon his rebirth, Ling Chen had realized that his body was brimming with spiritual power. His previous low cultivation level wasn't due to a lack of talent, but the absence of a proper mentor.

With his lowly status in the Ling family, no one would instruct him in cultivation, nor offer him any pills for support. His progress in cultivation was all through self-exploration, leading to an accumulation of spiritual power within him over time.

This unguided spiritual power was not only unhelpful but also clogged his meridians, causing harm.

Consequently, at eighteen, Ling Chen was still only at the Second Heaven of the Warforged!

But now...

Everything had changed!

"After utilizing the Wheel of Existence, not only did I consolidate all my spiritual power into my Dantian, but my physique has also been elevated! The Voidheart Emperor's skill is truly formidable!" Ling Chen licked his lips, his eyes brimming with excitement.

The Wheel of Existence was the signature skill of the Voidheart Emperor, a friend from Ling Chen's past life!

This skill emphasized overpowering opponents and had extraordinary body-strengthening effects. While ordinary warriors could muster a strength of 250 kilograms at the Fifth Heaven of the Warforged, Ling Chen could achieve 700 kilograms!

This meant that even when facing a warrior at the Sixth Heaven of the Warforged, Ling Chen was more than ready for the challenge!

However, the most alarming aspect was...

The Wheel of Existence was renowned not just for its name, but because practitioners could use this technique to conjure illusions. These illusions, lacking a physical form, could nonetheless cultivate on their own.

This meant that even though Ling Chen had only manifested a single illusion, his cultivation speed had already doubled compared to the average person!

Should he manage to manifest a second, third, or fourth illusion...

Then his cultivation efficiency would skyrocket to an astounding degree!

Ling Chen had witnessed the Voidheart Emperor, at the zenith of his power, simultaneously conjure 67,000 illusions!

His cultivation speed was a staggering 67,000 times that of an ordinary person!

Once Ling Chen attained that level, his progress in cultivation would surge forward at an incredible pace!