Chapter 1 - Unbroken Fang
After leaving the grotto, Falven sauntered in the direction of the closer city, taking his time to perceive the laws of the world. His perception and ability to see through the Dao laws had no equals, in fact this was the main reason behind his rise in the past.
“The chi is truly too thin, I was not mistaken. The mixed natural chi of this world has still the same composition though, it is not lacking something in particular. Instead, it seems that the world is struggling to generate it… something is definitely amiss”.
While pondering on this issue, a group of experts arrived with horses and carriages. The leading figure, a young man carrying a saber on his back, had a nonchalant and easygoing attitude. The expert immediately attracted Falven’s attention, who focused his stare on him for a brief moment, before changing posture and humbling approaching “Dear sir, would you be so magnanimous to help a poor pedestrian in dire straits? I humbly seek passage to the closest big city, let me be shameless and invoke your generosity for a service I cannot afford”.
The experts behind the leading man were annoyed at the sight of a dirty approaching beggar, but hearing a so well-posed speech they could not master the courage to chase him away. The young man stopped his horse and with a slightly surprised look observed the beggar, humbly but firmly staying at the side of the street. After some seconds he amiably acquiesced with a laugh “Fellow friend, please be my guest in one of our luxurious carriages”.
The march of the experts resumed, with Falven uncomfortably sitting in a wooden carriage full of low grade arrows and armours. “Luxurious carriage my ass!” he stated smilingly. Although his harsh words, he was in a good mood, the leader of this group of mercenaries gave him a favorable impression. Others may not notice because of his easygoing attitude, but his cultivation level was a peak Knight grade, which set him as a prestigious figure in this area. The first levels of the cultivation journey were the three Soldier levels: Recruit, Specialist and Veteran. If a peak veteran soldier manages to break through, he would become a Knight. For fairly talented experts it would be no issue to reach the Knight rank, but breaking through at a young age with a solid foundation was not a common sight.
“Young friend, what fate has brought you to my rich convoy?” an amiable voice came from the side of the carriage, where the young leader was riding his horse. While Falven took his time to observe the man, the mercenary just stared back, leisurely.
If others had been present they’d be astounded. A beggar daring to take his time scrutinising a Knight, instead of answering his question, such a disrespectful behavior. The mercenary, however, didn’t seem to mind at all.
“I can’t help but to admire you, sir. Not only you’re a Knight at a fairly young age, with a good and solid foundation, but the aura that permeates you is interesting indeed. You feel like a tempered sheathed saber which has polished itself through many battles, basking in bloodlust and carnage. About your convoy, don’t ploy me with the “rich” lie. If this was luxurious I’d be a charming prince!” Finally the youth affirmed, posturing haughtily.
The two were testing each other, staying true to their natures. After some instants of eye contact, heartily laughs came out of their mouths. “Oh young friend, I see you’re a man of character. Let me tell you something though. Look at those soldiers, advancing. Together we fight as mercenaries for the Unbroken Country. Many times we have repelled the enemies, saved villages, protected cities. Their cultivation is not great at all, the majority of them is at the Specialist stage, with small or no hope to ever surpassing the soldier rank. And these armours and arrows are the reserve equipment. If they ever finish their arrows or a plate gets broken during a fight, they can hastily find a salvation path in these carriages. Yes, they’re not luxurious, but aren’t they even more precious?”. The look of the mercenary leader became deep and charismatic, fascinating the youth.
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After showing off his incomparable talents, he was groomed by a glorious sect in the past, never touching anything mediocre. What he could refer to as normal items would be treasured as Heaven’s gift by these people “I see, they’re precious indeed” he stated, in an involved manner, before chiming in with a half joking and half serious tone “But I hope your salvation path in the future will be a little more shining”.
The man continued to look into his eyes and uttered, before leaving for the head of the convoy with laugh “Even if your dirty appearance is the one of a beggar, I can see you’ve just started your cultivation journey. I like your attitude, young friend, you’re welcome to join my family of rich mercenaries. In the future, ask for Unbroken Fang, my name shall not go unheard!”
An enigmatic smile was left on Falven’s face. Unbroken Fang, mercenary of the Unbroken Country, such an interesting fella. He was a peak Knight indeed, his perception was proof of it. When a Knight breaks through the early and middle Knight stages arriving at the late Knight stage and wants to break through to the next cultivation rank, Captain, the Mind Eye needs to be formed. The Mind Eye terrifically boosts one’s perception and comprehension of the Dao, allowing the perceptual sense to roam outside of the body and the cultivator to engage in mind battles.
The Convoy continued advancing towards Unbroken City, the capital of the Unbroken Country. It was a big city, with many cultivators and sects, governed by a royal lineage coming from a third rate sect, the Devil Slaying Sect. This was an ancient human force which had existed for uncountable generations, it had been a shining star back in the days, before the great calamity capsized the world.
The journey lasted several days that Falven spent cultivating. He hastened the chi circulation activating his Asura Art, ulteriorly polishing his meridians, forging them through a process of destruction and salvation. His deep comprehension of the Asura Law, the Dao principles that acted as the foundation of the Asura Art, allowed him to leverage this terrific cultivation process to the maximum. This time he would not be satisfied with anything else but perfection. The past cultivation journey showed him his shortcomings, this time every step shall be flawless.
Asura Law, such a wondrous Dao law. Thriving in the difficulties, transforming adversities in opportunities for growth, pushing forward with no turning back, falling down the pit just to use the bottom to jump higher. Polish yourself through straggles, push yourself to the limit, start an eternal fight until the only option remaining is for you to be the last one standing. As a muscle grows through a breaking and reconstruction process, the Asura Art use your limits to train yourself through a never-ending struggle of failure and salvation, giving you two options: rising higher than before and overcome your limits, or to perish.
The raging chi inside his meridians created havoc, causing death and life. While running wild through the meridians, the chi started refining and destroying them. Through his mastery and resolve, the chi fused in the broken meridians, leveraging its stimulated potential to rebuild them. The forged and tempered meridians would be capable of resisting fiercer chi currents, sustain heavier impacts, circulate chi faster. The process was long and painful, but the gains would be immense.
Ignoring the agony of this horrifying cultivation process, Falven devilishly smiled “Such an amazing opportunity. No cultivator in history has ever had this chance. There is no way a Soldier ranked cultivator would have a so profound grasp of the Asura Art, allowing him to lay the most solid foundation. Even Immortal Asura, the terrifying genius who created this art at the peak of his journey, couldn’t get so many profits by it. This might seem pain, but to me, it’s the sweetest of the pleasures. The pleasure of having the power to destroy my own fate to create a new one, by me and only me designed. Maybe I should thank the Demons and the traitors, if they didn’t force the crippling of my cultivation, I would have never started this long road. A road that’s leading me to meet Heavens, slay Heavens”.
“Identify yourselves!” a deafening shout stopped his drooling, while the convoy was entering Unbroken City, bringing inside an awakening monster. Maybe a savior. Maybe a doom.