Hengsheng’s breath caught for a moment as he gazed at the endless expanse of the Golden City below. "This is the center of the Golden Pillar Continent," he murmured, his voice tinged with awe. His eyes then drifted beyond the city, toward the towering Golden Pillar itself. Its immense base seemed to stretch forever, surrounded by lush golden trees and a misty, golden glow that veiled its true grandeur.

He squinted, attempting to discern anything resembling the Golden Sword Sect, but all he could see was the mountain and the forest surrounding it. Still, he knew better. Somewhere within that overwhelming landscape, lay the entire sect—He whispered, almost to himself, “It must be a concealment formation.”

Despite the awe the sight inspired, Hengsheng felt a pang of frustration well up within him. The comparison between his Lan Clan and the Golden Sword Sect was humbling, almost crushing. His fists clenched as he muttered through gritted teeth, “Dammit!” It was as if he had been reduced to nothing more than a small fish in a vast ocean—a reality that stung more than he cared to admit.

Soon, the Lan Clan’s skyship began to descend, lowering its altitude as it approached the city limits. Hengsheng wasn’t surprised. A city of this scale and prestige wouldn’t allow even skyships to freely fly overhead. The rules here would undoubtedly be as rigid as they were in Lan City, where only clan members were permitted to fly within its airspace.

Later The Lan Clan skyship hovered briefly over the outskirts of Golden City, its massive silhouette casting long shadows on the golden streets below. The ship lowered gradually, its hull gleaming in the sunlight as it approached the docking area. Around the landing site, city patrols in gleaming golden armor stood at attention, their eyes scanning every movement with meticulous precision. Hengsheng felt the subtle pressure of their auras, each one seemingly at least in the Spiritual Foundation Realm.

The ship came to a halt with a faint hum, its descent cushioned by the qi-powered mechanisms that supported its structure. Moments later, the gangway extended, and the first elder, Lan Mingzhi, descended with an air of authority. A group of golden-robed cultivators waited below, their demeanor calm yet imposing. Hengsheng recognized them immediately as members of the Golden Sword Sect, their presence marking the weight of the city's importance.

Lan Mingzhi exchanged formal greetings with the Golden Sword Sect inspectors. Their conversation was brief but filled with undertones of mutual respect and restraint. The Golden Sword Sect elder gestured toward the city gates, signaling approval for the Lan Clan members to disembark.

“Everyone, gather here!” Lan Mingzhi’s voice cut through the murmurs among the Lan Clan juniors as they filed off the ship.

The younger generation assembled in neat rows, their eyes darting around to take in their surroundings. The golden streets stretched endlessly before them, bustling with activity. Merchants loudly promoted their wares, while cultivators, some emanating terrifyingly dense qi, strolled confidently, their robes marking various factions. Above, the towering Golden Pillar loomed, its sheer size and radiant glow dominating the skyline.

“Listen closely,” Lan Mingzhi began, his voice stern. “Golden City is the heart of the Golden Pillar Continent and the territory of the Golden Sword Sect. Their rules are absolute. Do not, under any circumstances, provoke their disciples or other major factions.”

An elder chimed in, “This is not Lan City. Your status here means nothing. Remember your place.”

Lan Mingzhi continued, “We are here to prepare for the Land of Pillar Foundation. Use this time wisely to refine your techniques, replenish your resources, and gain insights into the competition. Stay disciplined and avoid unnecessary conflict.”

As the briefing concluded, Hengsheng observed the mixed reactions of his peers. Some nodded with serious expressions, taking the elder’s words to heart, while others exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to proceed in the face of such expectations.

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Hengsheng, however, had no interest in exploring the city at the moment. There was still almost a month before the secret land would open. He noted the air around them, dense with qi so rich and tangible it was nearly visible. The sheer abundance of spiritual energy here made him envious of cultivators who resided in such an environment. With qi this concentrated, advancing in cultivation would be far easier.

As the group dispersed, many excitedly ventured into the city, eager to experience its grandeur and opportunities. Hengsheng, however, turned back toward the skyship. His priority was elsewhere. With the immense qi surrounding the Golden Pillar, his spirit beast egg would hatch far faster than he had initially calculated. Without hesitation, he returned to his chamber to focus on what truly mattered.

As Hengsheng returned to his chamber, he noticed it had been thoroughly cleaned. Lan Ju sat cross-legged in a meditative state, her breathing steady and focused. He decided not to disturb her and turned his attention to the spirit beast egg. The egg continued to absorb spiritual qi voraciously, the flow of energy around it forming faint ripples in the air. Hengsheng couldn’t help but wonder why it required such an immense amount of spiritual qi just to birth a Rank 1 spirit beast.

“This amount of qi could easily be used to create another main system,” he mused. “Perhaps forming a life isn’t just about constructing a physical body. Maybe it’s about something deeper.”

His thoughts wandered further, contemplating the mysteries of life and the profound energy required to create it.

Before long, Lan Ju stirred from her meditation, her eyes opening to meet Hengsheng’s. “Young master,” she greeted, bowing slightly.

“Good, you’re awake,” Hengsheng replied. “I have a new mission for you. Go explore the Golden City with the other clan members and gather information about the professions of Formation Masters, Artificers, and Runic Engravers. Relay anything you find back to me.”

“Yes, young master,” Lan Ju responded without hesitation. She stood, bowed again, and left the chamber, taking two of Hengsheng’s other servants with her.

Hengsheng settled onto his mat, his mind already buzzing with ideas. The memory of taking the system outside his body still intrigued him. It had been a revelation, opening his eyes to new possibilities.

“The system... it’s like a Qi artifact,” Hengsheng murmured. “Constructed through Qi runes and Qi formations. If I can master these arts maybe, I could build a far superior system.”

He clenched his fist, determination surging within him. Back at the Lan Clan, he had always wanted to delve into the study of formations and runes, but his focus had been solely on cultivation. Now, with the resources and opportunities available in the Golden City, he could finally have a chance to learn them.

Hengsheng shifted his focus back to the spirit egg, immediately noticing subtle changes. The once golden hue of the egg had faded, replaced by a luminous white. The qi runes that once danced around its surface had rearranged themselves into a far more intricate pattern. He nodded to himself, understanding that this transformation must have been triggered by the Infinite Evolution System he installed within the egg.

Despite its grand name, the system was simply an extension of his main system’s upgrade function, designed specifically to refine and enhance the bloodline of the spirit beast. Hengsheng had infused it with the intent to create a being with the utmost potential. It rejected its mortal-grade bloodline entirely, along with its original elemental affinity. Instead, it evolved into the purest form of a spirit beast—one free from any innate limitations.

“This way, it won’t be bound by its bloodline like ordinary spirit beasts or demon beasts,” Hengsheng thought. “Its potential will be determined by the path it forges, not its origins. It’ll be weak at first, but the possibilities will be limitless.”

The transformation process completed, and the egg absorbed the last remnants of spiritual qi in the air. The absorption abruptly stopped, and Hengsheng’s eyes lit up. “It’s hatching,” he murmured, leaning forward.

The egg trembled violently, radiating an intense white light that enveloped its form, turning it into a floating orb of brilliance. Hengsheng’s heart raced as the glowing sphere began to shift and reshape itself midair. His mind flashed back to a familiar scene from his past life—a game he used to play when ha was a child. The uncanny resemblance made him pause. “Am I really living in someone else’s imagination world?” he wondered, shaking the thought aside.

The orb of light gradually started to take form, limbs sprouting and a tail extending. Hengsheng squinted, trying to discern its shape. Slowly but surely, it became clear: a feline figure. Four legs, a slender body, a tail flicking elegantly behind it.

"‘Ting! Ting! Ting!’" The light shattered like glass, fragments dispersing into tiny specks of qi that vanished into the air.

Standing before Hengsheng was a small, pristine Gray cat with fur that shimmered faintly under the room's light. Its large, curious yellow eyes blinked at him, reflecting an intelligent gleam.

“Meow…”

Hengsheng froze, staring at the tiny creature in disbelief. The newborn spirit beast tilted its head at him, emitting another soft “Meow?”