4 An Inheritance!

Currently, Bai Hei was in a small but luxurious residence in Blossom City.

Earlier, Bai Bingyun said that they had to separate for a while. But she didn't leave before giving him something,

"Little Hei! Take this mirror, it will let you talk to me from anywhere in the world! But sadly, it only lasts for an hour each time and can only be used once every three months!"

Bai Hei was extremely saddened about her having to leave, but he didn't ask the reason why seeing the complicated look on her face.

In this world, strength was law! If his sister was in trouble, it meant even she was too weak! He had to get stronger, and quickly!

To be honest, his main drive for becoming strong, was so he could live however he wanted. All the beauties, all the treasures, everything!

He wanted them!

Well, who didn't?

Bai Hei sat down onto the bed, cross-legged, as he looked at the cultivation manual in his hand. He couldn't help but to exclaim in his heart,

"Big Sister is really nice, ah! Giving me money so I could buy whatever I liked!"

Bai Bingyun had given Bai Hei a total of two gold coins! Coins were separated into copper, silver, and gold! One gold coin was equivalent to one hundred silver coins or ten thousand copper coins!

It was important to know that a single gold coin could last an average family in the city for twenty whole years!

Two gold coins meant forty whole years!

However, the costs to become a cultivator were extremely expensive, it was a path of pain and risk, but amazing rewards. Not many people didn't become cultivators, either because they were afraid, or that they just couldn't afford it!

Generally, Bai Bingyun would have gave Bai Hei many different cultivation methods and Martial Skills, along with some resources, but that would seem like she was forcing him to become a cultivator. She would rather have him be tempered through difficulties and make his own choices, than being protected by her at all times.

Bai Hei looked at the name of the manual as he read it,

"Thunder Lotus Art"

He nodded as he opened the manual and started to read.

'The element of thunder! An element that the Heavens use to punish! Tyrannical and almighty! By cultivating many lotuses, you will gain the power of thunder! Shatter even the Heavens, and suppress all other forces in the world!

The element of thunder is n...'

Bai Hei carried on reading and just chuckled. Nearly every beginner cultivation method would have a grand introduction. 'Shatter the Heavens', this technique was nowhere near good enough for that!

He had been told by Bai Bingyun that cultivation methods could be changed very often. This one he got was more expensive than others since it had an element. Thunder was a rare element.

The five 'main' elements were: wood, fire, earth, metal and water! There were also other elements too, such as: thunder, wind, etc.

Some elements were stronger than others, while some were weaker. But most of them had areas they specialised in too. For example, wind may help with mobility and quick attacks, rather than raw power.

Soon, Bai Hei had finished reading. He took in a deep breath and sat down for a few minutes, his eyes closed, while memorising and digesting what he just learnt. A while later, he had memorised what he needed to do.

For this particular cultivation method, he had to recite an incantation in his mind, while continuously absorbing the energy of the Heavens and Earth.

His cultivation would have the element of thunder!

He sat down, and felt the spiritual energy around him. Slowly, he started to absorb it and used it to temper his whole body. Small swirls of energy were flitting around his body in circular motions.

Around the time it takes three incense sticks to burn, he suddenly heard crackling sounds coming out from his body, along with a pleasant feeling spreading all over him. His cheeks had a faint red tint to them due to the pleasurable feeling.

A few tiny sparks of lightning also surrounded his body before quickly disappearing. Inside his dantian, however, was a single pale yellow lotus that emitted faint, crackling booms!

He grinned excitedly as he clenched his fists, feeling the raw power running throughout his whole body.

"First-layer Body Tempering Realm!"

He jumped off the bed and onto his feet, while grabbing his manual and shoved it into his robe.

He had ten silver coins left, so he grabbed those too.

Outside of the door, he told one of the servants,

"Look after the residence, I'm going to be gone for a while."

The servant nodded and calmly replied,

"Yes, Master."

Bai Hei nodded as he went outside the residence and made his way towards a nearby forest. He was going to test his strength!

Soon, he had reached the perimeter of the forest. There was only a few people here as this place had nothing special. Not even any beasts were in this nameless forest!

Bai Hei walked deeper into the forest. Soon, he had reached an area that he thought was enough for nobody to hear him.

He looked at a tree and cocked his fist back. In an instant, he threw his fist forward, and slammed it straight into the tree. With a crunching sound, the tree had an imprint of his fist, with small cracks spreading around it!

He nodded in satisfaction. What a powerful punch! It was far, far stronger than what he could ever do as a mortal.

But then, he suddenly remembered: his thunder lotus!

Quickly, he activated the power of his thunder lotus, the faint streaks of lightning were rushing around his whole body. Right now, he felt quite a bit stronger than before! And faster, too!

He positioned himself towards another tree and cocked his fist back once again. With a loud boom, his fist instantly shot towards the tree and landed on it.

Splinters of wood went flying everywhere. He looked at the mark left on the tree and was proud. The imprint of his fist was a lot deeper than before, and there were light, black burns on the wood!

His power with only a single lotus made him almost rival the second-layer Body Tempering Realm! But it was only almost, and it was also considering that they had no Martial Skills, which was very unlikely!

Just as Bai Hei was about to return to the city, his eyes suddenly caught some sort of glow in a bush. He swung his towards the bush and cautiously walked closer.

With his hand, he moved the leaves out of the way, and instantly he was surprised.

"A silver ring? Looks pretty normal.."

Just as he was about to grab it, the ring suddenly flew up!

"Wh-What the hell?!"

The ring suddenly flew into a certain direction in the forest. Bai Hei's curiosity was far too much for him to just let it go, so with all his cultivation, he followed after it!

However, whenever he was about to catch it, it suddenly flew quicker as if mocking him. Bai Hei swore that he wouldn't let this motherfucker go today!

If one were to see this scene, they would surely have their eyes popping out of their heads. Not because this was unusual, but because a ring with sentience would surely be some sort of great treasure!

For a treasure to gain sentience or to have a spirit, it must have some sort of amazing capabilities!

Bai Hei chased after it for quite some time, going in circles again and again. He was quite lucky that no one saw him and the ring...

Suddenly, the ring stopped and bounced up and down, as if saying: 'Follow me.'

Bai Hei couldn't help but to curse out loud,

"Fuck! I have been following you, stupid ring!"

The ring jumped backwards in shock as if its feeling had been deeply hurt. It turned around, quickly flying into the distance.

Bai Hei decided to follow it.

After following for a few miles, they had finally reached some sort of cliff. It didn't seem special at all, there were many cliffs in the forest, after all.

He looked at the ring while grunting,

"Now what?"

The ring made a 'Bzzz' sound, while going towards a rock and knocking on it.

Bai Hei looked at the ring and then the rock, confused. But after a few seconds, he realised that it was telling him that the rock was something important?

Bai Hei walked towards the rock and tapped it. Nothing happened. He tried a few more things, like picking it up. But for some reason, even with his cultivation, he couldn't lift it.

He looked towards the ring and shrugged his shoulder. As if the ring was annoyed, it hit the back of Bai Hei's head, making him bite his own lip.

Bai Hei wasn't pained but instead he was annoyed and angry.

"What the hell was that? I'll fight you!"

But he was suddenly interrupted by a red glow coming from the rock. When he bit his lip, a drop of his blood had dropped onto the rock, causing some sort of phenomenon.

Bai Hei's angry gaze towards the ring lightened slightly, but he was still annoyed. Was there no other way to tell him, 'drop some blood' than just hitting him on the head?

The rock's shiny red glow suddenly calmed down, and instead, a part of the cliff started to glow!

A part of the rock disappeared, creating some sort of entrance. A sign appeared next to the cliff and on it, the words written were:

"Heavenly Empress' Inheritance!"

Bai Hei looked on in excitement but also in caution. A name like that was surely of someone great, but it also could be a trap!

He found it hard to believe that someone could find the inheritance of someone this great that easily. He looked towards the ring in suspicion,

"You... Why are you tricking me?"

The ring suddenly moved side to side as if denying it. It suddenly emitted a faint, prideful aura, and moved in certain directions. Somehow, Bai Hei understood what it was saying: 'I can choose who inherits it! By the way, I chose you because I was bored. Teehee!'

Bai Hei looked at it speechlessly. What the hell? But, of course, Bai Hei was still suspicious, he wouldn't trust it that easily.

However, if he didn't take risks, how would he progress on the path of cultivation?

With a deep breath, he walked towards the entrance.