The first rays of sunlight spilled gently across Mystic Moon Peak, warming the rooftops and setting the courtyard dew aglow like tiny gems.
Inside his residence, Bai Zihan slowly opened his eyes.
“Mmm… What a great night!”
Bai Zihan muttered, stretching lazily as he sat up on the edge of his bed. A soft yawn escaped his lips as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
Yesterday had gone far better than he expected.
“Hah… I really did it. Lin Xuan is in.”
He couldn’t stop the smile from tugging at the corners of his lips.
Snagging a protagonist this early—without even needing to fight him—was an absolute win in Bai Zihan’s book.
Normally, these Heaven’s Chosen were arrogant and prideful to a fault, but Lin Xuan?
He was cautious, sure. But he also had no backing, no powerful sect elders watching over him.
That made him vulnerable and easy to win over.
“Now all that’s left… is to cultivate his loyalty.”
Bai Zihan chuckled to himself as he stepped into his robes and fastened his belt.
He pushed open the doors to his residence, stepping out into the crisp, fresh morning air.
His long robes fluttered softly, and his expression was calm and composed, as if everything in the world was proceeding exactly as he intended.
The moment he stepped out, his eyes fell on the figure seated cross-legged under the old plum tree not far from his courtyard gate.
It was Lin Xuan!
The youth was sitting in a meditative pose, his back straight, breathing calm and even.
Thin wisps of Qi spiraled around him like invisible threads drawn from the world itself, converging toward his dantian.
A subtle fluctuation in the air told Bai Zihan all he needed to know—Lin Xuan had already begun cultivating the Star Breathing Technique.
It seemed Lin Xuan had spent the entire night cultivating beneath the plum tree—something Bai Zihan hadn’t expected.
He had assumed that once Lin Xuan confirmed the technique was genuine, he would return to his own quarters to rest.
“Huh. That fast?”
Bai Zihan raised a brow.
Learning a Cultivation Technique was never an easy task, even with the right method.
And yet, Bai Zihan hadn’t personally taught Lin Xuan—he had simply handed him the technique.
(As expected, the protagonist with a cheat-like ability to learn!)
Bai Zihan recognized that only someone like Lin Xuan, with an innate gift for rapid learning, could absorb a new technique so swiftly.
If Lin Xuan had access to enough resources and a variety of techniques, Bai Zihan reckoned he could very well rise to become one of the strongest in the future.
“Lin—”
Just as he was about to call out, Lin Xuan opened his eyes.
A flash of brilliance flickered within them.
As soon as he saw Bai Zihan standing there, Lin Xuan stood up and bowed deeply, both hands cupped respectfully.
“Young Master Bai!”
Lin Xuan said earnestly, voice filled with gratitude. Unlike yesterday, his voice was filled with only genuine gratitude and nothing else.
“Thank you. I… I never imagined such a technique even existed.”
Bai Zihan gave a small smile.
“You’ve tried it?”
Lin Xuan nodded vigorously.
“Yes. I couldn’t sleep last night after you gave me the scroll. I began cultivating as soon as I could.”
As he spoke, his voice trembled slightly, still overwhelmed by what had happened.
****
Last night…
The courtyard was quiet, illuminated only by the soft silver light of the moon.
Lin Xuan sat alone on his simple mat, the scroll unfurled before him.
Every character inscribed by Bai Zihan carried traces of Qi, making the entire scroll glow faintly under moonlight.
As he began reading, he felt as though he had stepped into a completely different world.
He wasn’t sure if the Star Breathing Technique was truly Earth-Grade, but it felt incredibly profound, far more powerful than the technique he was currently using.
It spoke of harmonizing one’s breathing with the pulse of the stars, sensing the rhythm of the cosmos, drawing celestial Qi directly into the meridians and refining it with eerie efficiency.
As he followed the first breathing cycle described in the scroll, Lin Xuan immediately felt a difference.
His body responded almost instinctively.
The Qi around him stirred, faster and more willingly than it ever had before. His pores opened, and spiritual energy surged into his body like a tide.
“This… this is at least ten times faster than before!”
He had gasped inwardly.
Compared to his old cultivation technique, the Star Breathing Technique allowed him to absorb Qi at a rate ten times faster.
In just a few minutes, his Early Core Formation cultivation realm seemed to be on the verge of breaking through.
Even more incredible, the longer he cultivated, the more stable his foundation became.
The heavenly energy drawn from the stars was purer, calmer, and more harmonious.
Seeing such improvement, he couldn’t possibly stop and continued cultivating.
As the night grew later and more stars filled the sky, his cultivation speed increased even further. At times, it was up to 15 times faster than his previous rate.
As he sat in the silence of the night, with the starlight gently falling on his shoulders and the scroll glowing before him, Lin Xuan felt something he hadn’t felt in years.
Hope!
Before he realized it, morning had already arrived.
He only stopped cultivating when he sensed someone nearby, and it was none other than his benefactor.
***
“I couldn’t stop cultivating,” Lin Xuan said now, still visibly emotional.
“I’ve used many techniques over the years, but none of them… none of them even come close to this. It’s like I’ve finally found a path that belongs to me.”
Bai Zihan’s expression didn’t change, but deep in his heart, he was pleased.
That’s right. The more you gain from me, the more you’ll depend on me.
“You’ve only just started. The full potential of the Star Breathing Technique will reveal itself in time. For now, focus on mastering the breathing rhythm and stabilizing your meridians.”
“Yes!”
Lin Xuan bowed again.
“I will not let you down, Young Master Bai!”
Bai Zihan nodded slightly.
“Good. When you reach the Core Condensation Stage, I’ll give you another gift.”
“Yes, Young Master!”
Lin Xuan responded enthusiastically. He didn’t care much about what he might be given next, since he had already received something he could only dream of.
Still, he replied excitedly, eager to show Bai Zihan that he was genuinely happy to hear it.