Chapter Three: The Ruined Desolation Physique

After skimming through the “Chronicle of the Eternal,” Li Ruoyu picked up “Common Knowledge of the Cultivation World” and began to read. This tome was impressively comprehensive, touching on every aspect of the cultivation realm. Li Ruoyu turned to the chapter on the powers of the Yan Kingdom. The kingdom’s chief powers numbered seven: the Ninefold Sect, the Supreme Unity Sect, the Sword Sect, the Heavenly Reliance Hall, the Ancient Sect, Putuo Temple, and the royal family of Yan. In addition, there were a number of intricate family clans and lesser factions, such as the Ji family, the Zhao family, and the Feng family, whose influence fell just short of the seven great powers.

Li Ruoyu then found the chapter on innate talent. Talent determined the speed of cultivation; those blessed with it advanced swiftly, while those without lagged behind.

“Hmm, Physiques of the Cultivation World and Their Descriptions.” As he read further, Li Ruoyu’s thoughts grew pensive. “I recall Ling Jiuyue once told me I have the ‘Wasted Desolation Physique.’”

The first entry he found was the “Gluttonous Physique.” “I remember Fat Duan possesses this physique,” Li Ruoyu mused.

The “Gluttonous Physique” was said to devour all things. The stronger one’s cultivation, the more one could eat. Whenever such a physique emerged, assassins would inevitably close in. The more a Gluttonous Physique consumed, the faster they could advance. In the desolate ancient times, twelve of these individuals appeared; only the first eight survived and flourished, while the latter four met bloody deaths at the hands of their enemies. The life of a Gluttonous was one of blood and tears—while the physique granted peerless inheritance and speed, those close to them rarely met good ends.

Next, Li Ruoyu saw the entry for “Born Close to the Dao”—those born in harmony with the Way, natural favorites of the Dao, chosen to comprehend and realize profound truths. Their enlightenment would surely be formidable. This was the advantage of someone like Chen Cang. It might not be apparent in the early stages, but the further one advanced, the more terrifying their power would become.

Li Ruoyu continued reading, discovering many other unique physiques. The Holy Blood Physique—born superior, with every movement imbued with might; the Immortal Blood Physique—so rare it could only arise in descendants of those who had achieved immortality; the Yama Physique—a demon among demons, destined for terrifying power if one practiced demonic scriptures or celestial techniques.

Eventually, Li Ruoyu came upon the description of the “Wasted Desolation Physique.” Only three such beings had appeared in history, known as both the most pitiable and the most powerful among all physiques. Their lives were tragic— the more they cultivated, the more crippled they became, until the highest realm brought utter ruin. Yet, their suffering was paired with combat prowess that could shake the ages.

The three who possessed this physique grew ever more fearsome with each generation. To exist alongside one was both a blessing and a curse; it was said in the ancient days, “To behold the Wasted Desolation is to bow in submission.” Yet, their very nature doomed them—the higher their cultivation, the more miserable their fate.

The appearance of a Wasted Desolation Physique meant invincibility among peers in the same realm, but such power was shadowed by sorrow and lament.

“No wonder Ling Jiuyue frowned that day when my talent was tested,” Li Ruoyu thought. He flipped to the chapter “The Beginning of Cultivation.”

What is cultivation? Its ultimate goal is to attain indestructibility, transcendence, and perfect freedom. The first realm of cultivation was called the Dust Refinement.

Dust Refinement meant purging oneself of all impurities, elevating the self and nurturing the spirit, so that one’s very constitution could transform. It cleansed the body and blood of harmful remnants, making it easier to sense the heavens and comprehend the Dao.

The Dust Refinement Realm was divided into five stages: Shedding the Mortal, Shaping the Embryo, Condensing the Spirit, Connecting to Heaven, and Realizing the Dao.

The very next day, Li Ruoyu was summoned to the disk he had arrived at the day before, known as the Reception Terrace. There, a young woman in purple awaited him—the same one who had accompanied Ling Jiuyue to the town’s disciple selection. Her name was Yan Qing, with lustrous black hair, lively eyes, and dimples accompanying her smile. She was already among the most outstanding in the outer sect, being at the Dust Refinement—Realizing Dao stage, and also possessed a special physique.

Soon, the new disciples arrived.

“My name is Yan Qing. Today, I will be instructing you on the beginnings of cultivation,” she announced.

“What is ‘Shedding the Mortal’? It means casting off your mortal body and purifying your constitution. In short, for the next three months, you may only eat vegetarian food.” Upon hearing this, Li Ruoyu thought, “This must be the crux of Dust Refinement.”

After Yan Qing’s explanation, Li Ruoyu returned to his small courtyard. At the entrance, he encountered Fat Duan and noticed someone seemed to be following Wang Bo from a distance. Li Ruoyu understood—this must be a form of protection for Wang Bo.

Three months passed—neither long nor short. Li Ruoyu spent them diligently, devoting most of his days to “Common Knowledge of the Cultivation World.” His understanding of the world of cultivation was utterly transformed. For these months, he subsisted on lotus root and other vegetarian fare, which only made his spirit seem more refined.

One day, Fat Duan came to invite Li Ruoyu to search for old medicinal herbs near the sect to improve their meals. The ruins outside the Ninefold Sect often yielded wild ginseng and polygonum, most of them a century old—perfect for new cultivators. The ruins, named Heaven’s Ruin, were created three millennia ago when the Daoist Tianheng first established the Ninefold Sect in Yan and fought a great battle. The area spanned thousands of kilometers.

Li Ruoyu and Fat Duan rode white crane-birds to the ruins. These birds were the sect’s standard mounts, and every disciple was permitted to adopt one. They were intelligent and intimately familiar with the Ninefold Sect’s territories.

Upon arriving, the two ventured into Heaven’s Ruin. Along the way, they found some ginseng and polygonum, though most were only two or three decades old. Pressing on, they eventually discovered several herbs that were seventy or eighty years of age.

Heaven’s Ruin was divided into the outer and inner regions. The outer region contained mostly herbs under a century old, while the inner region held much older ones—but it was also haunted by the remnants and sinister energies left from the ancient battle. Thus, the sect strictly forbade new disciples from entering the inner region.

When Li Ruoyu and Wang Bo reached the boundary between the inner and outer regions, they were about to turn back.

Suddenly—a thunderous boom echoed from the depths of the inner ruin, the sounds of battle reaching their ears. Moments later, two strange beasts burst from the ruins. One resembled a qilin described in “Common Knowledge of the Cultivation World,” though something seemed off—it appeared to be a descendant with mixed blood. The other was a massive serpent, and the two fought fiercely.

Li Ruoyu mused, “There must be something extraordinary deep within the ruins to provoke a battle between a giant serpent and a qilin descendant.” With this thought, he decided to enter the inner region of Heaven’s Ruin to take a look.