Cade stood in a small, rectangular room a few dozen feet long. The walls and floor were inscribed with shifting runes and intricate diagrams. Having seen nothing like it in his father's books, this was his first time witnessing a formation in person.

  Gazing at the runes for too long hurt his eyes, so he focused on the metal box in the center of the diagram, which resembled a large coffin. It too was covered in dense script. Glowing red liquid filled the box, releasing a strong, coppery scent. Nearby stood Lao Ren’s soul wisp, a complicated expression on his ageless face.

  “The First Chapter from the Book of Life is the Chapter of the Flesh. It consists of two realms: Blood Transformation and Flesh Fortification,” Lao Ren began. “Asura stepping onto their cultivation path initially feed on blood qi. In the early days of our race, we drank large quantities of blood to sustain ourselves, leaving little for cultivation. At some point, an unknown expert came up with this cultivation coffin. It was a huge breakthrough that has forever changed our species.”

  Lao Ren gently touched the lid, and the runes on the box lit up with a soft white light.

  “The coffin absorbs spiritual qi from the environment, creating a barrier that stops blood qi from dissipating. An Asura can then absorb it through the pores of their skin directly into their voracious heart.” A red orb materialized above Lao Ren’s hand, pulsating like a heart. “A voracious heart is created inside the stomach during the conversion, similar to a qi cultivator's true core. It stores absorbed qi, sending it into every part of the body. Human blood doesn’t hold any advantage over beast blood—use whatever you can obtain.”

  Relieved, Cade sighed internally. The explanation was fascinating. The discomfort of being submerged in blood was a laughably small price to pay for the strength it would grant him.

  A palm-sized red book appeared over Lao Ren’s palm, replacing the orb.

  “Each Asura receives a similar book from their Master. Over years of cultivation, they create their own version of the Book of Life, enhanced with their knowledge. This means every iteration of the book is superior to the previous one, allowing the new Asura to potentially reach an even greater height. This is what a true inheritance really is.” Lao Ren didn't hide the pride in his voice. “The Book of Life will unveil its secrets to you as you grow, so that you never rush too far ahead and put your life at risk.”

  Lao Ren turned towards Cade, his expression serious. “But first, you must go through the rebirth. You will be submerged inside the protoblood, which will gradually remake you. Both your looks and body will change. Some aspects might remain, or not. We have no control over the final result.”

  “Can I end up disfigured?” Cade asked. If he looked like a monster, there would be no way to live among humans.

  “It’s not impossible, though very unlikely. It’s a rare occurrence, typically when an inheritor’s spiritual cultivation is too high. In your case, it should be a straightforward process, but I can’t guarantee anything,” Lao Ren smiled apologetically.

  Cade steeled his heart. The risk was small, and the benefits hugely outweighed it. “Well, I don’t think I’ll be more ready than I am now. The sooner we begin, the sooner it’s done.”

  “Very true,” Lao Ren chuckled. “Since your mind is set, take off those rags and lie inside the coffin. Allow the blood to cover your body completely, including your face. Don’t worry, you won’t suffocate. The protoblood will provide everything your body needs. As I said, this will be very painful, but the suffering will rebuild you into something far superior.”

  Cade nodded, preparing himself mentally as he entered the coffin. The blood was surprisingly warm, and the coppery scent wasn't as nauseating as he'd feared. He lay down, and just before submerging his head, he asked, “Senior Lao Ren, how long is this process exactly?”

  Lao Ren flashed his white fangs in a broad smile. “Not very long. Usually, around a year.”

  “What?! Senior, I can’t wait that long! I have to give my mother a proper burial! And what about the other villagers?” Cade exclaimed, but his plea fell on deaf ears as Lao Ren slammed the lid.

  “A few people from the village have already buried your mother,” the Asura stated calmly in his mind. Hearing this, Cade couldn’t stop himself from shedding silent tears. “The two villagers who were with you survived the crash with just a few scratches. They were less than sixty miles from the village and made it back safely.”

  Upon hearing the news, he breathed out in relief. Gerard and Maria’s unknown fate weighed heavily on his conscience.

  “Let go of all your concerns and clear your mind. Superior power is the only way to take control of your life,” Lao Ren concluded. “This chamber is protected by powerful defensive formations. You are safe from everything except the pain. Embrace it, and it will make you stronger.”

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Cade nodded and sank fully beneath the blood. He never saw the tiny crystal bottle appear in Lao Ren’s hand, nor the sudden blaze of golden light that flooded the chamber, accompanied by a faint, ancient chant. When Lao Ren uncorked the bottle, the air filled with a sacred aura.

  “So incredibly precious…” he murmured with reverence, tilting the bottle to let a single drop of liquid sunlight fall into the coffin. The protoblood flared with golden radiance, and with a flick of his finger, the old Asura sealed it shut.

  Cade felt as if a thousand needles pierced his skin, and the coffin echoed with wild, distorted howling.

  —

  “Senior, how long has it been? I don’t know if I can take it anymore.” His teeth were clenched so hard they were cracking. His body was undergoing a terrible strain: bones being crushed into powder and reformed, muscles tearing and instantly knitting back together. The pain from his stomach, however, was indescribable.

  “It’s better if you don’t know,” Lao Ren’s calm voice replied. “The first half a day is the worst. This is when you’re forming a voracious heart. Bear with it. Focus on staying conscious. Once it stabilizes, you will slowly get used to the pain. Eventually, your mind will learn to distance itself from it, a huge gain on its own. Once you stop feeling anything, the rebirth will be nearing completion. For now, circulate your blood qi according to the diagram I taught you. Allow the world to narrow down to the diagram alone. Channel your pain through the soul-numbing repetition, and you'll see it yield."

  Having no other option, Cade followed the Asura's instructions to the letter, hoping for the slightest relief from his torment.

  Neither of them could sense a speck of multicolored light awakening inside Cade’s body. Initially dormant, the spherule traveled into his stomach, where it slowly grew brighter, eventually burning with a power capable of melting reality itself. It completely shielded its host from those world-defying energies as the godseed greedily sucked in the life qi from the protoblood, gradually taking the shape of a tiny energy core.

  —

  “Senior, how much longer? Hasn’t it already been a full year?” Cade inquired for the thousandth time, as the pain continued to remorselessly gnaw at him. His mind was ceaselessly rotating between three different cultivation diagrams, his blood qi swirling in complex patterns. It was as Lao Ren had said—through ceaseless repetition, he got slowly used to the all-encompassing pain. He accepted it. And now, the pain was working for him, refining his soul, mind, and body.

  “It seems your body is still going through the transformation, so we can only hold on!” Lao Ren cheered on.

  “We? What are "we” holding on to? It’s just me who’s suffering!” he grumbled.

  “Do you think it’s so interesting for me to sit here, educating you? It’s a pain of a different kind. Fine, I admit things are taking longer than usual. Tell you what, since that’s the case, I’ll let you call me Master from now on. There’s no need to thank me,” Lao Ren stated graciously.

  “I don’t care about that! Release me from this damned box!” Muffled banging accompanied his words.

  “What do you mean, you don’t care? Do you know how many people would beg to swap places with you? Hmph! Even dogs know how to show gratitude. Are you a piece of rock?!”

  “You said it would take a year, and a year has passed! Wasn’t that a lie?” Cade retorted angrily.

  “One year, two years, what’s the difference? It will take however long it must. Besides, you’re definitely approaching the finish line,” Lao Ren answered, unbothered, though deep inside he was shocked. Cade lasted a full year without asking to be released. Lao Ren himself begged his own Master for release after only three months.

  “I am?” Cade’s tone was hopeful, though still skeptical. The wait had become unbearable, a mental torture that made him even more impatient for the end.

  “Of course you are. After all, I am thirty thousand years old. I can predict these things,” Lao Ren answered, nodding with unwavering confidence.

  —

  “Lao Ren, you damn Asura conman, release me! It’s been seventeen months! I can barely feel the pain anymore, why am I still locked up?!” Cade screamed into his realm of consciousness.

  “First, show some respect for your Master. Second, since you still feel something, it means the process is ongoing. One more month, just be patient,” a lazy reply arrived.

  “Five months ago you said the process was nearly finished! Are you just coming up with random timeframes?!” Cade argued, his irritation peaking.

  “My definition of ‘nearly’ is different from yours, likely because I’m old and wise. Look, the rebirth is almost complete. This is all to your benefit. The longer it takes, the more tempering your body will go through. I’ve never heard of an Asura whose conversion took this long. You wouldn’t know a good thing if it slapped you in the face. Just wait patiently and stop whining.”

  “Fine,” Cade sighed, no longer bothering to argue. He did feel good, so apparently Lao Ren wasn’t bullshitting.

  "One month, if that. You’ve already lasted this long, what’s a few more weeks?”

  "It’s not like I have another option anyway,” Cade grumbled.

  "That’s the spirit! You’ll be done before you know it.”

  Cade thought of a witty remark but decided against it. Lao Ren was knowledgeable, and over the last year and a half, they had actually gotten on quite well. He didn’t want to come off as ungrateful.

  "Thank you, Master. For everything you did for me, for teaching me and answering my questions,” he said after a while.

  Lao Ren coughed, covering his embarrassment. "Hmph. A Master is like a parent. What I can answer, I answer. It’s no big deal.” Though his reply sounded nonchalant, inside he was moved. This was the first time in seventeen months Cade had sincerely acknowledged him.

  In truth, Lao Ren was eagerly awaiting the moment his disciple left the coffin. Whatever changes his own body had gone through were but a shadow of Cade’s transformation. He could already sense the immense life force flowing through the boy’s newly transfigured flesh. Lao Ren smiled with deep satisfaction. The Asura race was about to gain a new, powerful specimen.