Chapter 2

C2 – Sea of Runes

Riding on the massive rune train bound for home, Lu Lixing gazed out the window at the swiftly passing urban sprawl, a hint of bewilderment creeping into his eyes.This chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com

His confusion stemmed not from severing ties with Sha Xiufen, but from the uncertainty of how to enhance his abilities enough to secure a university spot before the college entrance exams loomed.

In a day’s twenty-four hours, aside from three for sleep, Lu Lixing devoted ten to work and another ten to cultivation, leaving just a single hour for meals and rest. This rigorous routine had persisted for two and a half years, yet the adage ‘the early bird catches the worm’ seemed to falter in his case. The strides he made in ten hours of diligent cultivation paled in comparison to what his classmates achieved in two, not to mention the prodigies in the elite class.

Most would have abandoned cultivation and resigned themselves to their lot, but Lu Lixing was cut from a different cloth. Emerging from the slums, he understood that mastering cultivation was his sole avenue to alter his destiny. Surrender was not an option; he was resolute in his pursuit.

Previously, Lu Lixing had allocated the lion’s share of his cultivation resources to Sha Xiufen, sparing only a scant amount for his own use. Now that Xiufen no longer required his contributions, the resources at his disposal each month had significantly increased. With this newfound wealth of resources, he was certain his strength would surge in a short span.

Mulling over his cultivation prospects, Lu Lixing instinctively reached into his frayed canvas bag, withdrawing a quaint, palm-sized bronze box. Clutching the box, brimming with ancient charm, a wave of relief washed over him; he had nearly parted with this treasured family relic that had been his companion since childhood.

He had once intended to sell the bronze box to repay Xiufen’s generosity and boost her chances of entering one of the prestigious Big Six. But with their connection severed, there was no longer a reason to let go of the box.

“Old pal,” he murmured to the box, “today, you were almost sold. After all these years, you remain a mystery to me. What secrets do you hold within?”

“Where am I?”

Lu Lixing found himself adrift in an infinite expanse of stars, with a massive continent floating before him. Countless stone pillars rose from its surface, each inscribed with intricate and mysterious runes that exuded an aura of ancient desolation.

The sight of the seemingly infinite stone pillars and runes left Lu Lixing dumbfounded. In his seventeen years of life, he had never witnessed such a majestic spectacle. The innumerable golden runes before him appeared to merge into a vast ocean, bobbing and weaving with a heart-pounding force.

Without warning, the towering stone pillars on the continent began to crumble, and the endless runes cascaded down like leaves in the wind. The power they harbored, akin to wild beasts breaking free from captivity, erupted with a cataclysmic fury that shattered the continent to its core.

As the continent fell apart and the stone pillars met their end, the golden runes, having unleashed their unparalleled ferocity, slowly started to fade away. In the brink of their extinction, a small bronze box emerged from the debris. In a flash, it transformed into a colossal bronze door, exerting a fierce pull on the cosmos, drawing in all the floating runes and with them, the silhouette of Lu Lixing.

Boom!

Time lost all meaning until a thunderous noise jolted Lu Lixing awake, his consciousness resurfacing. His body lay afloat like driftwood on the sea, carried by the current. The sight of the ocean beneath him, a boundless sea composed of countless golden runes, left him utterly astonished.

In that instant, Lu Lixing’s mind seemed to detonate like a supernova, waves of information crashing into his thoughts without end. Overwhelmed by the deluge, he lost consciousness.

Meanwhile, the Sea of Runes beneath him transformed into gentle streams, infusing Lu Lixing’s body with their essence, as if the world’s most potent elixir was revitalizing his every sinew and bone.