C11 Innate

Deep within the slums on the west side of Brittlecoast, Xue Tao pushed open the weathered wooden door and called out, "Mother, I'm home!"

As he spoke, Xue Tao stepped into the dilapidated dwelling and made his way to a frail, elderly woman with pale skin, thin as a rail, her white hair a testament to her years, and her face etched with wrinkles. "Mother, I've managed to collect 1,000 gold coins. We can afford your treatment now!"

"Tao'er, 1,000 gold coins is far too much. Even if I recover, I won't have much time left. You should keep the money for yourself," the old woman said, shaking her head in refusal.

"Mother, you're the most important person in my life. Not 1,000, not 10,000, not even 100,000 gold coins could ever compare to a single strand of your hair," Xue Tao declared earnestly.

With that, Xue Tao lifted the old woman in his arms and left the ramshackle house, heading towards the bustling commercial district at the heart of Brittlecoast.

Before long, Xue Tao arrived at a sprawling medical center on the commercial street, still carrying his mother.

"Dr. Wang, I've saved up 1,000 gold coins. Can you treat my mother now?" Xue Tao asked, hope shining in his eyes as he gently set his mother down on a chair.

While speaking, Xue Tao untied a cloth pouch from his belt, opened it, and poured out a cascade of gold coins onto a square table, forming a small golden mound.

"Xue Tao, I'm amazed you've managed to gather a thousand gold coins. What a pleasant surprise! Rest assured, with this money, I guarantee your mother will be healed," the middle-aged doctor said, his eyes gleaming as he chuckled and approached Xue Tao's mother to take her pulse and assess her condition.

The following morning, Xue Tao, carrying a large bottle of medicine and his mother on his back, left the clinic and made his way to Yang Rui's residence.

"Xue Tao, has your mother's illness been cured?" Yang Rui asked with a beaming smile as he looked at Xue Tao.

"Thank you for your concern, Young Lord. My mother's illness is indeed cured. She just needs to continue taking the medicine and get some rest, and she'll be fully recovered! Young Lord, if there's anything you need me to do, please don't hesitate to ask. I assure you, it will be done to the best of my abilities!" Xue Tao said, his face filled with gratitude as he gazed at Yang Rui.

"Your current strength is too weak to be of any significant assistance to me. Take this Haunting Petal and dedicate yourself to its cultivation. You must grow stronger quickly if you are to be of any use to me!" Yang Rui said as he handed over a densely written secret manual he had prepared to Xue Tao.

"Young Lord, I will return home and commit to my cultivation. I promise not to disappoint you!" Xue Tao accepted the manual, his face etched with a look of grave determination.

"Good, go and focus on your cultivation. And while you're at it, spend some quality time with your mother," Yang Rui instructed with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Yes, Young Lord!" Xue Tao responded before turning to leave Yang Rui's study.

"As rare as a godly soul is, with odds of one in a million, I can't believe my fortune in finding one. I just hope you don't let me down, or I'll have no choice but to destroy you myself," Yang Rui mused quietly, watching Xue Tao's retreating figure.

On the Astral Continent, to absorb cosmic energy into one's body and become a formidable cultivator, one must elevate their cultivation to the peak level of a big master and then condense a godly soul.

Yet, in every world, there are those naturally gifted individuals, the proud sons of heaven, born with a godly soul, capable of directly absorbing cosmic energy into their bodies to become mighty cultivators.

Xue Tao was one such individual, a proud son of heaven, born with the ability to directly absorb cosmic energy for his cultivation.

Unfortunately, Xue Tao's luck had not been great. Born into a lowly station with no cultivation skills, he was unaware of how to harness cosmic energy, leaving him unable to use it for cultivation.

Meeting Yang Rui, however, seemed to be a turn in fortune for Xue Tao.

Yang Rui provided Xue Tao with the Haunting Petal, an exceptionally potent cultivation technique. With the right talent and ample resources, one could become a powerful cultivator in a relatively short time.

However, having only recently acquired Xue Tao, Yang Rui's trust in him was limited. He granted Xue Tao access to only the first three levels of the technique, enough to reach the realm of a peerless warrior. To access the more advanced levels, Xue Tao would need to prove his value and earn Yang Rui's trust.

After ensuring Xue Tao was comfortably settled, Yang Rui, accompanied by Yang Ann and three guards, carried 20,000 gold coins and headed towards the County Seat of Brittlecoast.

Upon arriving swiftly at the County Seat, Yang Rui located the tax office and paid the combined taxes for the small towns of Oakenbreak and Rogueforest.

With the year's taxes settled, Yang Rui, Yang Ann, and the rest of their party made their way to the home of Yang Qianyu, the Vice Commander of the City Guards and a stalwart ally of the Yang family. Yang Rui's grandfather and Yang Qianyu had been close friends, and without Yang Qianyu's discreet support, the Yang family would have likely fallen to the might of powerful Lone Wanderers.

It was customary for the Yang family to visit Yang Qianyu after paying their annual taxes, presenting gifts to maintain their favorable relationship. The guards at Yang Qianyu's residence, recognizing them from previous visits, allowed Yang Rui and his companions to enter and wait.

Meanwhile, in a spacious room deep within the Blood Wolf Gang's stronghold, Zhao Kui, the gang's leader, glared at his son Zhao Ann, who was swathed in bandages resembling a mummy. A flash of malice crossed his eyes as he fixed a cold stare on Zhao Ann's guard and demanded, "Who is responsible for my son's condition?!"

The guard, having already investigated Yang Rui's identity after being injured by him, responded promptly to Zhao Kui's question, "Sect Master, the one who harmed Young Lord Zhao Ann is Yang Rui, the Young Lord of Oakenbreak."

"Dad, Yang Rui has beaten me so severely; you must exact revenge for me and shred Yang Rui to pieces!" Zhao Ann, lying on the bed, cried out vehemently, his voice thick with the desire for retribution.

"I recall that Oakenbreak's protector is none other than Yang Qianyu, the Vice Commander of the City Guards. Nevertheless, even Yang Qianyu must show respect to the Blood Wolf Gang. Yang Rui, the Young Lord of Oakenbreak, has dared to inflict serious injuries on my son, which is tantamount to a direct affront to our Blood Wolf Gang!" Zhao Kui seethed with anger at the thought.

If we don't give Yang Rui a severe lesson, what will become of the Blood Wolf Gang's reputation? We must maintain our standing in Brittlecoast!

Send someone to inform Yang Qianyu about this situation and make it clear that she should not get involved!

Furthermore, notify Yang Rui that he is to pay 100,000 gold coins for my son's medical bills. He must also bow his head in apology to my son, sever his own arms, and only then will I consider sparing his life. If not, I will annihilate the Yang family!"

Upon seeing the bandages on Zhao Ann's body, Zhao Kui was consumed with rage and issued his commands with an icy tone.