CHAPTER 342: CHAPTER 342 ILLUSTRATION

Riley and the rest were immediately processed into the sect, the disciples at the entrance handling everything with a precision that spoke of long practice.

It did not take long before the group was led higher and higher up a vast cultivation mountain.

The sheer size of the place was enough to humble even the most arrogant of men.

Towering peaks stretched into the clouds, veiled in immortal mist that glowed faintly under the sunlight.

Rivers of spiritual energy flowed visibly in the air, like silver threads weaving across the mountains.

Waterfalls thundered down the cliffs, feeding into crystal-clear lakes whose surfaces reflected golden talismans that floated lazily above them.

As far as the eye could see, thousands of courtyards were arranged neatly across the mountain slopes.

Each courtyard pulsed with faint fluctuations of qi, designed for cultivation, meditation, and training.

The very air here was different—it was so rich with spiritual essence that even the weakest mortal would feel lighter, healthier, and more alive just by breathing it in.

Riley’s servants, as well as his wives and concubines, could not hide their astonishment.

"Ah! Look at those colors carved into the mountainside... even the air itself feels holy!" one whispered in awe.

"Is this... truly where we’ll live now? It feels like a dream..." another murmured, almost trembling at the sight.

Aurora, Riley’s wife, gripped his arm tightly.

Though she tried to maintain her composure, her widened eyes betrayed the same awe everyone else felt.

Even Edith and Juliet, usually quick to quarrel, were silent in reverence, their gazes sweeping across the immortal scenery.

"You can stay here, Riley," Adam said as they arrived before a sprawling courtyard reserved for disciples.

His voice was calm, but there was an edge of pride as he gestured to the mountain around them.

"Your family will also be accommodated. This is a place few mortals can ever step foot in, much less call home."

He continued, his tone more instructional now:

"I have two other direct disciples besides yourself, but they have already gone into the world to temper themselves. Your senior brother and sister rarely return to the sect, so it’s unlikely you will see them soon. For now, you will cultivate here. In a few days, I will have someone deliver the resources you requested. Use them wisely."

Riley bowed slightly, clasping his hands with respectful calm. "Thank you, Master. I won’t let you down."

Earlier, their master-disciple ceremony had already been completed.

Typically, such a momentous occasion would be marked by an extravagant feast.

Banners would be raised, disciples would bow, and countless elders would gather to witness the event.

Yet Adam had waved his hand dismissively at the suggestion.

"Feasts are but empty ceremony. Such things only waste time." Riley, sharing the same practical outlook, did not argue.

In truth, the lack of pomp suited him perfectly—after all, he had no desire to draw unnecessary attention just yet.

When Adam finally left, striding deeper into the sect, his hand rose to his forehead as if massaging away an invisible burden.

A bitter smile tugged at his lips.

"That boy really did drain a chunk of my resources..." he muttered.

The sheer amount of treasures, manuals, and tools Riley had requested would have made any other elder frown.

But Adam did not regret it. No, beneath the bitterness, his eyes gleamed with expectation.

"This boy will suffer much," Adam thought to himself, recalling Riley’s mediocre spiritual root.

"The path ahead will not be easy. But that is why he may yet surprise me. His past deeds show he has a heart strong enough to endure."

The bitter smile slowly gave way to one of anticipation, his stride growing more firm as he disappeared into the sect’s depths.

Meanwhile, Riley stood in silence within his new courtyard, his eyes sweeping over the mountains and the faint immortal glow that seemed to saturate the world.

His family was already exploring, whispering to one another with delight, but Riley’s gaze was distant, thoughtful.

"So this is the immortal realm," he mused inwardly. "A place where even breathing cultivates the body... where dangers lurk behind beauty." His fists clenched slightly, and a quiet smile tugged at his lips.

"No matter how difficult the road ahead, I will not falter. This time, I will carve my own path."

The courtyard grew still, but in that stillness, a faint pressure seemed to radiate from him—as if the mountain itself acknowledged his resolve.

***

Three days later, as promised, someone from the sect arrived to deliver what Riley had requested.

The attendant was polite, bowed once, and departed swiftly without lingering.

What was given to Riley did not appear impressive at first glance—merely a plain-looking storage ring, the kind that even outer disciples might wear.

Yet appearances in this world were deceiving.

When Riley injected a thread of his spiritual sense into the ring, his eyes immediately lit up in shock.

Inside was not just a few materials but an entire miniature world brimming with resources.

Mountains of spirit stones gleamed with a soft radiance, enough to power the cultivation of hundreds of disciples for decades.

Rare herbs, some of which Riley recognized only from legends, grew in carefully preserved fields within.

Rows of medicinal pills sat sealed in jade bottles, their fragrances strong enough to clear his meridians with a single breath.

Ancient scrolls shimmered faintly, talismans hummed with dormant energy, and weapons of refined spirit iron rested silently, waiting to be wielded.

"Well..." Riley muttered, a faint smile spreading across his face.

"This is more than enough for me to begin my journey in this realm."

But satisfaction quickly gave way to caution.

He sat cross-legged inside his cultivation chamber, a sealed and isolated room that no one else could enter—not his wives, not his concubines, not even his servants. Here, silence reigned, broken only by the rhythmic sound of his breathing.

"But before I touch any of this... I need to address the most vital weakness in my cultivation." His gaze turned solemn, reflecting the weight of his thoughts.

His spiritual root. It was weak, ordinary—an anchor holding him back.

If left unchanged, no amount of resources would make him anything more than mediocre.

In this world, where geniuses with heavenly constitutions could shatter mountains before the age of twenty, mediocrity was a death sentence.

There were countless ways to strengthen a root: herbs, pills, bloodlines, and external treasures.

But those paths were obvious and ultimately limited.

They could raise him to "good" at best, but never to the realm of monsters who stood at the apex of cultivation.

Thus, he turned to the greatest card in his hand—the immortal treasure he had stumbled upon before coming here.

It contained knowledge far beyond this sect, perhaps even beyond this realm itself.

Within it lay countless cultivation paths, each one profound and mysterious, enough to drive ancient immortals into madness with greed.

Closing his eyes, Riley sank his mind into the treasure’s sea of knowledge.

Immediately, a vast cosmos of golden scripts and glowing scrolls unfurled before him.

Each floated in the endless dark, shining like a constellation.

Some whispered of immortal fire, others of eternal ice, others of bodies indestructible as diamonds or souls eternal as the heavens.

His consciousness drifted among them, resisting the pull of their temptation.

Each technique promised power, glory, and transcendence.

Yet he knew he could not afford to choose recklessly—one wrong path, and his entire foundation would collapse, leaving him crippled for life.

At last, his gaze settled on a particular scroll. Unlike the others, it did not glow brightly.

Instead, it pulsed slowly, steadily, like the heartbeat of an ancient giant.

The words written upon it were bold, domineering, and filled with a pressure that made even Riley’s soul quiver.

"God Titan Physique."

The moment he chose it, his entire spiritual sea trembled, as though the heavens themselves had acknowledged his decision.

The scroll burst open, and knowledge flooded into his mind—a vision of towering giants standing taller than mountains, their every step cracking the earth, their roars splitting the skies.

Each swing of their fists could shatter stars, and their bodies alone were divine weapons.

Riley’s lips curled into a grin.

"Yes... this is the one. A path not for the cautious, but for the daring."

Without hesitation, he began the first steps of cultivating the God Titan Physique.

His body shuddered violently the moment he circulated the technique.

The air in the chamber turned heavy, as though gravity itself had multiplied tenfold.

His bones creaked, his muscles tightened, and his veins bulged with surging blood that felt like molten lava.

"Arghhhhhh!" Riley groaned, gripping the ground as waves of pain assaulted him.

His blood vessels writhed under his skin like serpents.

Every cell in his body screamed as if it were being broken down and reforged at once.

He spat out a mouthful of dark, foul blood that sizzled when it hit the floor—impurities purged from his mortal flesh.

His skin turned crimson as steam poured off him, his sweat evaporating instantly under the heat of his transformation.

The God Titan Physique demanded more than energy.

It demanded essence—raw vitality and the will to endure torment beyond comprehension.

"This... hahhh... this is the price!" Riley laughed through gritted teeth, even as his muscles tore and regenerated, stronger each time.

His bones rang like metal being hammered on an anvil, reforged again and again until they began to gleam faintly with a golden hue.

His heart pounded like a war drum, louder and louder until it echoed in the chamber like thunder.

With each beat, blood surged through his body like a tidal wave, flooding his meridians, tempering them, stretching them wider, stronger.

Hours passed like minutes.

Riley’s body was breaking apart and being rebuilt, over and over.

His hair clung to his face, soaked in sweat and blood, yet his eyes burned with determination.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a low roar escaped his throat.

Not a scream of pain, but a sound of dominance.

His body swelled with strength, muscles firm and defined, bones unyielding, veins coursing with vitality.

He opened his eyes, and for a fleeting moment, golden light flashed within them.

"God Titan Physique... the first step is complete." Riley whispered hoarsely, his lips curling into a victorious smile.