In a world where cultivation paths are predefined and power flows like golden rivers through the meridians of the worthy, one young man's destiny takes an unprecedented turn. Liu Wei, a street sweeper's son from the Lower Ring of Yanjing City, manifests copper meridians during the Sky Pearl Academy's Testing Ceremony - a phenomenon unheard of in thousands of years of cultivation history. Unlike traditional cultivators who channel spiritual energy and qi, Liu Wei possesses the extraordinary ability to absorb the very essence of objects, gaining not just their power but their accumulated memories and knowledge. Under the guidance of the enigmatic Master Chen, he discovers he is walking the long-forgotten path of the Essence Collectors, an ancient sect erased from history. But as Liu Wei delves deeper into this forbidden art, he realizes that every essence absorbed changes him, filling his mind with memories that aren't his own and pushing his humanity to its limits. With the cultivation world divided between those who see him as a threat to the natural order and those who wish to exploit his unique abilities, Liu Wei must navigate political intrigue, ancient conspiracies, and his own transforming nature. "The Forgotten Path" tells the story of a young man's journey to forge his own destiny in a world that fears change, exploring themes of power, identity, and the price of breaking centuries of tradition. As Liu Wei uncovers the truth behind the Essence Collectors' extinction, he faces a choice that will reshape the very foundations of cultivation society: maintain the safe, established order, or risk everything to revive a path that was hidden for perhaps very good reasons.