章 1: Chapter - 1

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Chapter - 1: Totem

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[Divine Continent - Glory City]

[Saint Orchid Institute - Training Camp]

Li Ming's POV

In the training grounds of the Holy Orchid Academy, I found myself locked in battle with a demonic beast, a fight so intense that it shook the entire surrounding area.

I'm just a thirteen-year-old boy, but I'm much taller and more muscular than most my age. My messy black hair is tied back, and my small yet deep violet eyes are cold as ice. The arrogance and confidence in my gaze are unmistakable.

I quickly raise my arms to shield myself from the small debris flying toward me as I move backward, trying to avoid any surprise attacks that could prove fatal.

The demonic beast in front of me lets out an irritated snarl, its large horns becoming more pronounced as the ground trembles under its powerful charge. A red aura surrounds its body, and its crimson eyes are locked onto me.

The Demon Spirit of this horned sheep digs its hoof into the grass, carving a trench in the ground before launching itself at me with surprising speed, propelled by its two powerful hind legs.

"You're much stronger than all the other demonic beasts I've encountered here," I say sincerely to the demonic beast, a smile spreading across my face as my dark violet eyes gleam with excitement. "There's no doubt, you must have a Demon Spirit!"

This horned sheep is a one-star bronze-ranked demonic beast, and although they are very aggressive, they're still herbivores, so their attacks would, at most, cause serious injury.

But a Demon Spirit is a completely different matter! All demonic beasts are distinguished by whether or not they've formed a demon spirit. Moreover, a Demon Spirit is stronger and more intelligent than other demonic beasts of the same rank.

While any other thirteen-year-old would be terrified by the massive beast towering over six feet wide and two meters long, I am very different.

I am special for many reasons, but certainly, one of the most important is that I possess the memories of my past life, and now I find myself in this new world of cultivation without even knowing why.

I don't even remember exactly how I died. That moment seems to have vanished from my mind, leaving me with only a feeling of emptiness. When I woke up, I had no idea where I was or how I had gotten there.

I was an orphan in every sense, remembering only my name—or at least the name of this body—and some memories that didn't belong to me. The streets, the faces, everything was unfamiliar, yet at the same time, strangely familiar. It was a really strange feeling.

But, fortunately, I quickly adapted to this new life. I started trying to get acquainted with the world around me, exploring the city, and over time, I began to build a routine, doing my best to move forward with what I had.

Even more importantly, thanks to the cultivation technique I'm practicing, my body is much stronger than normal, and I can face beings far more powerful than me without too much effort.

And today, I finally have the opportunity to kill a demonic beast that possesses a Demon Spirit. Weak or not, it will be a huge boost to my power, thanks to the special ability that my cultivation technique grants me.

I can feel it: this demonic beast could finally bring me to a new level of strength that no one will be able to stop, allowing me to no longer worry about all the young masters that inhabit this universe.

As I land, I immediately propel myself forward from the ground, launching myself toward the gigantic goat-like beast, head held high and with no fear in my gaze, as if the outcome of the battle is already under my control.

At that moment, it doesn't matter to me if the Demon Spirit is more powerful than other members of its species—it doesn't change what I have to do. Just as we're about to clash, and the demonic beast is about to strike me with its horns, I extend my left hand and release a wave of spiritual power.

The force behind it pushes me out of the path of the demonic beast's charge, allowing me to pass by, while my other hand, clenched into a fist, glows with Qi as I unleash a powerful blow.

The horned sheep lets out a roar of agony as I feel its bones crack under my powerful strike, and the massive beast is sent flying over three meters into the air before crashing into a large tree trunk and sliding to the ground.

Despite some ribs being broken under my fist, the horned sheep only lets out a grunt and begins to rise just moments later. The sheer vitality and strength of a demonic beast should never be underestimated, even when it's one of the weaker species.

I, however, don't stand idly by. I raise my hand, and the small silver ring around my index finger glows with a blue light; a moment later, a large steal spear appears in my hand.

"Ah!" I shout in excitement for the battle, raising my arm, and without hesitation, I hurl the large spear with all my strength.

The spear slices through the air, and just as the demonic beast rises, the tip of the spear pierces precisely into its chest. The horned sheep emits a low, sharp cry before its legs give way beneath it, and the beast completely loses control of its body.

"Even a Demon Spirit like you can't fight off paralysis, can you?" I say, smiling as I watch the spectacle before me, licking my lips in anticipation.

I'm certainly no alchemist, and my spear isn't anything special. It's just a piece of iron I bought for 12 Demon Spirit Coins. But the spearhead was previously coated with a potent paralytic agent I learned to produce thanks to my cultivation technique.

The cultivation technique I'm practicing right now is the Totem of the Ten Thousand Beasts, a very mysterious art that, besides explaining an ancient, lost cultivation method, grants unparalleled knowledge of every species of demonic beast and even methods to exploit their weaknesses and various poisons to weaken and kill them.

Like the paralytic agent. All it takes is a bit of Zoysia Grass and Black Pit Grass fused with a binding agent. Black Pit Grass is a known paralytic agent, but it's incredibly weak, while Zoysia Grass is considered just a weed, and no one has ever found a use for it. Yet it clearly enhances the natural effect of the other herbs.

And it worked better than I initially believed—even just the tip of my spear coated with fused paralytic agent was enough to bring down a horned sheep with a Demon Spirit.

Using this method, I've hunted about three hundred horned sheep, 150 tusked pandas, and even 100 silver tigers in the more than five days I've spent in the training area, before finally encountering the Demon Spirit.

I don't want to waste any more precious time. I approach the paralyzed beast and crouch down beside it, drawing a saber from my side before delivering another strike to its heart, ending the beast's life.

A few seconds after the demonic beast's death, I see several mysterious runes forming around my right leg as an intricate tattoo of a bony beast appears, giving off a rather eerie sensation.

[Picture: First Beast Marks of Death]

"Beast Death Mark. Embryonic form," I murmur, with visible excitement I can't hide at the sight of the intricate tattoo with mystical lettering. I had to admit that the sensation of this new Aspect Totem of mine was incredible, and it was still in its weakest form, with plenty of room to grow in strength.

"But my power at the Fighter rank has increased more than I expected!" I remark with pleasant surprise, nodding to myself, satisfied with my choice of cultivation technique.

The Totem of the Ten Thousand Beasts was certainly not an unparalleled cultivation art under the heavens, but it possessed unlimited potential that could surprise anyone, as it was a mystical Totem technique with vast prospects.

Although it's far from the most powerful cultivation technique I could have learned, I know that this choice could lead me to levels of strength no one would have ever imagined.

But, in truth, there's a second reason why I chose this particular cultivation technique. In my previous life, I had read my fair share of cultivation novels, and my decision was influenced precisely by this.

In True Martial World, the protagonist, Yi Yun, gave up on the Totem of the Ten Thousand Beasts after killing his second beast. While others spent months in desolate wilderness, killing dozens or hundreds of beasts before condensing their Aspect Totem, he wanted to give up after just the second beast.

For this reason, as soon as I got my hands on it, I decided to choose it. I was convinced that there was still much to discover and exploit, especially since, being the protagonist's choice in that story, it couldn't possibly be a weak option.

I quickly shake these thoughts from my mind and focus on the task at hand. I begin dismantling the beast's carcass with precision and skill, just as I've done with every other creature I've killed in these past days.

I extract the horns, the neck fur, the demon crystal, and finally, the true prize of my victory: the Demon Spirit.

When the Demon Spirit emerges from the horned sheep's body, I feel a surge of power coursing through me. The small orb of light floats between my hands, pulsating with wild, uncontrolled energy.

I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and begin to channel the spirit into myself. The process is far from simple, especially since I haven't even reached the Silver rank yet.

I know that if I weren't up to the task, attempting to absorb this spirit could easily cause me to explode from the overwhelming power of the Demon Spirit. But I'm not just any cultivator; my physique is nothing to be trifled with.

As time passes, I feel the runes on my right leg glowing intensely, merging and transforming under the influence of the Demon Spirit. The strength of the horned sheep flows into me, but it's not just physical power that I gain.

I can feel a part of the beast's essence—its tenacity, its fighting spirit—melding within my soul realm, making me stronger not just in body, but I can feel my Aspect Totem growing ever more powerful.

When the last spark of the Demon Spirit merges with my being, a wave of energy washes over me, leaving me shaken by its intensity. I slowly open my eyes and look at my leg, noticing that the mark, once blurred and undefined, has now taken on a clearer and more intricate shape.

The lines have transformed into a complex design that seems to pulse with a life of its own, reflecting the growing power awakening within me.

In my Soul Realm, I could observe my Aspect Totem beginning to take form. Its skeletal structure emerges first, sharp and knotted bones materializing from nothing, followed shortly by muscles and flesh wrapping around the skeleton, creating a figure both eerie and powerful.

"Rooar!" The roar erupts, shaking the surroundings with force and making everything around me vibrate. It seems my new friend is rather arrogant, asserting its dominance over all the beasts nearby.

Finally, after its roar, the beast retreats into my soul realm and falls asleep, at least until I call upon it to unleash its power in this world.

"With this, I've taken another step toward my goal," I murmur to myself, as a cold but unyielding determination settles on my face. My objective has not changed since I arrived in this world.

I simply want to uncover the reason behind the feeling that drives me to keep pushing forward until I reach the pinnacle of this world, especially if I want to find the answers I seek.

I am utterly convinced that my Totem of the Ten Thousand Beasts will lead me to heights few have ever dared to dream of. And with one last glance at the beast's lifeless body, I turn and start making my way toward the exit of the training field.

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Osmosian Sorcerer?: 3 advanced chapters:

Son of Li Qiye?: 3 advanced chapters:

patreon.com/Demon_King22

Chapter - 13: Grimm - Chapter - 14: Magix - Chapter - 15: Bloom

Chapter - 2: Totem of Ten Thousand Beasts - Chapter - 3: Rival - Chapter - 4: Power Aspect Totem

A/N: I hope you enjoy the chapter!

On the other hand, if you want to see something specific in the next chapters, or even just have some good advice for the story as a whole, I am always willing to read a comment if it is constructive criticism.

If you see any mistakes, I would be grateful if you would point them out to me, so that I can correct them when I have some spare time, and make the story as complete as possible for myself and especially for you.

To facilitate a clearer understanding, I've retained pictures of the respective characters. Your feedback is always valued, and if you have any suggestions for the upcoming chapter, please feel free to comment—I'll be sure to respond as usual.

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