The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

Jiang Xuan bid farewell to Shi Yu and Ning Meng, and walked alone towards Lao Mo's warehouse.

Pushing open the creaking wooden door, a familiar scent wafted out. The warehouse was filled with all sorts of odds and ends, yet surprisingly tidy.

Jiang Xuan's tense nerves finally relaxed.

He walked to the old chair in the corner and sat down.

The chair groaned under the weight, yet it still steadily supported his body.

I closed my eyes, and scenes from the assessment flashed through my mind.

The barbarian's ferocious face, the cold blade, the moment between life and death.
Jiang Xuan unconsciously touched his chest, where there was a scabbed-over wound.

"You came back alive?"

Old Mo's hoarse voice came from the doorway.

Jiang Xuan opened his eyes and saw the old man's hunched figure standing at the door, his expression obscured by the backlight.

"Yes, I'm back."

Old Mo strolled in slowly, carrying a food box in his hand.

"Eat something, look at you."

Jiang Xuan took the food box, lifted the lid, and the steaming aroma of the food made his stomach growl uncontrollably.

He then realized that he hadn't had a proper meal in a long time.

"Thanks."

Jiang Xuan said in a low voice, his voice slightly choked.

Old Mo waved his hand and turned to walk towards his workbench.

"Eat breakfast and get some rest; we have training tomorrow."

Meanwhile, in a secret room in the central camp of the Bloodthirsty Camp, Xu Sanqi was listening to reports from several instructors.

"Is it confirmed that Jiang Xuan killed him alone?"

Xu Sanqi tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table.

"Yes, the evidence at the scene and the barbarian's wounds both indicate that only one person was involved."

An instructor answered respectfully.

"It's hard to believe, but it's true."

Another instructor added.

"However, judging from the battle marks, Jiang Xuan's victory was not easy; it could even be described as lucky."

Xu Sanqi nodded thoughtfully.

"For a newcomer who has only recently joined the camp to kill a level-two elite barbarian, even if it was by chance, is enough to demonstrate his potential."

"One more thing.

"The head instructor said in a deep voice."

"The appearance of a powerful witch-barbarian expert of this caliber in Demon Cloud Ridge is highly unusual."

Xu Sanqi's expression was sharp.

"Have you figured out the cause?"

"Preliminary assessment suggests that a powerful member of the Water Barbarian lineage has some ulterior motive, but their specific purpose remains unclear."

The head instructor shook his head.

"We have increased border patrols to prevent similar incidents from happening again."

Xu Sanqi was silent for a moment, then suddenly changed the subject.

"The Lake of Transformation will open in three months. How are your preparations going?"

The instructors looked at each other, and finally the head instructor answered.

"As is customary, we have prepared cultivation resources for thirty people."

Xu Sanqi stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to the crowd.

"This time, we need to eliminate twelve more people from the forty-two trainees."

"What?"

Several instructors exclaimed in surprise at the same time.

"My lord, isn't this... too cruel?"

A young instructor couldn't help but ask.

Xu Sanqi turned around, his eyes as cold as knives.

"The Bloodthirsty Camp has no place for the weak. Only the thirty strongest are qualified to enter the Lake of Transformation."

Jiang Xuan was awakened by a warm, damp sensation.

He opened his heavy eyelids and, through his blurry vision, saw a furry red shadow close to his face.

A warm little tongue was licking his cheek, its texture slightly rough.

"Chirp! Chirp chirp!"

Joyful shouts rang in my ears.

Jiang Xuan finally came to his senses and reached out with a wry smile to wipe his wet face.

"Chirp chirp, that's quite a unique way to welcome me."

The little red beast jumped excitedly around his pillow, its fiery red fur gleaming with a golden-red luster in the morning light, its tail like a cluster of leaping flames.

"Oh, Sleeping Beauty has finally woken up?"

A teasing female voice came from the other side of the room.

Jiang Xuan sat up and saw Xiao Man leaning against the window, playing with a copper coin in her hand.

"It watched over you all night."

Xiaoman gestured towards Qiuqiu with her lips.

"He wouldn't even give other people a second glance."

Jiang Xuan rubbed his temples; his head was still a little dizzy.

How long did I sleep?

"One day and one night."

Xiaoman put away the copper coins and picked up a wooden bowl from the table, handing it to him.

Here, have something to eat.

The bowl contained simple rice and pickled vegetables, but in Jiang Xuan's eyes at that moment, it was better than any delicacy.

He took the bowl and chopsticks and began to wolf down his food.

Chirp jumped off the bed, circled around his ankles, and occasionally rubbed its head against his calf, making satisfied purring sounds.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."

Xiaoman couldn't help but laugh as she watched him eat like a starving ghost.

"I heard you got first place in the war zone assessment?"

Jiang Xuan, his mouth full of food, mumbled a reply.

"Killed a level two elite barbarian warrior."

Xiaoman seemed lost in thought.

"This doesn't seem like something that can be explained by luck."

Jiang Xuan swallowed the rice in his mouth and reluctantly put down the bowl.

"Just ask me whatever you want, no need to beat around the bush."

Xiaoman's lips curled into a sly smile.

"Oh, you've learned to read women's minds? That's an improvement."

"I've never won an argument with you."

Jiang Xuan shook his head, wisely choosing to concede defeat.

When arguing with a woman, admitting defeat is often the wisest choice, a valuable lesson he learned from Xiaoman.

Xiaoman nodded in satisfaction, then said seriously.

"Tell me, what exactly happened?"

Jiang Xuan put down the empty bowl and pondered for a moment.

"Actually, I killed him using a spirit rune array."

"Spirit rune array?"

Xiaoman was a little excited.

"You can set up a complete spirit rune array now?"

"Um."

Jiang Xuan nodded and began to explain in detail.

"That barbarian is called Water Eagle, and he's incredibly fast. I set up a triple-layered spirit-binding array in the stone forest beforehand, and lured him into it."

As Jiang Xuan recounted the story, Xiaoman's expression gradually changed from surprise to astonishment.

When he explained how to use the water eagle's own momentum to trap it in the spirit pattern trap, Xiaoman couldn't help but applaud in admiration.

"so amazing!"

She excitedly grabbed Jiang Xuan's arm.

"Even among the Empire's spirit pattern masters, only a handful can set up a triple-layered array at your age!"

As she spoke, she suddenly leaned forward and kissed Jiang Xuan on the cheek.

Jiang Xuan froze instantly, his ears burning.

"What are you doing?"

"A reward!"

Xiaoman smiled so much that her eyes curved into crescent moons.

"What, you're not happy with it?"

"no."

Jiang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly and quickly changed the subject.

"By the way, I got this from the water eagle."

He pulled a jet-black animal fang from his pocket, about the size of a thumb, its surface covered with fine patterns, gleaming eerily in the light. "This is..."

Xiaoman went closer to observe.

Just then, the previously quiet Chirp suddenly bristled, let out a sharp cry, and transformed into a streak of red light, rushing straight for the beast tooth in Jiang Xuan's hand!

"Chirp chirp!"

Jiang Xuan exclaimed in surprise, but it was too late.

The little beast swallowed the black tooth whole, but when it landed, its body began to sway, as if it were drunk.

Even more astonishingly, its fur began to glow with a reddish sheen, growing brighter and brighter until the entire little beast transformed into a burning flame!

"Chirp chirp!"

Jiang Xuan reached out in alarm to grab it, but the ball of flame seemed to have a mind of its own, avoiding his palm and drawing a line of fire in the air before drilling straight into his right palm!

"what!"

Jiang Xuan felt a burning sensation in his palm. Looking down, he saw a lifelike flame-shaped mark on his skin, as if it were about to burst into flames.

"What...what's going on?"

He stared at his palm in shock.

Xiaoman was also stunned, and it took her a long time to come back to her senses.

"It may have absorbed too much power and needs to digest it."

"Digestion?"

Jiang Xuan asked anxiously.

"When will it be able to come out?"

"After it swallowed that spirit crystal last time, it slept for three days."

Xiaoman recalled.

"This time, it will probably take even longer."

Jiang Xuan reluctantly rubbed the flame mark on his palm.

"What exactly are those beast teeth?"

"I don't know, but it's what made Chiu Chiu so excited."

Xiaoman pondered.

"It's probably much more precious than spirit crystals."

Jiang Xuan suddenly remembered something.

"The Compendium of Ten Thousand Beasts states that spirit beasts are divided into three levels: Earth, Heaven, and Saint. Earth-level beasts are common, Heaven-level beasts are rare, and Saint-level beasts are extremely rare. Spirit beasts that can reside within a cultivator's body usually require a complex ritual of recognizing their master."

"But Chirp doesn't need to acknowledge a master at all."

Xiaoman chimed in, her eyes shining with excitement.

It chose you directly!

Both of them saw shock in each other's eyes. Chirp's origins were probably far more mysterious than they had imagined.

"one way or another."

Xiaoman patted Jiang Xuan on the shoulder.

"Since it has chosen you, it won't harm you. That's right."

She suddenly remembered something, and her expression turned serious.

"A new round of training begins in three days. This time, it will determine whether you can enter the Lake of Transformation, so you must give it your all."

Jiang Xuan clenched his fist, feeling the faint heat emanating from the flame mark on his palm, and nodded solemnly.

Three days passed in a blink of an eye.

As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the training ground of the Bloodthirsty Camp, the remaining forty-two trainees were already lined up in neat rows.

An unprecedented chilling atmosphere filled the air, and everyone understood that from today onwards, the real training for the Bloodthirsty Camp would begin.

Chief Instructor Xu Sanqi stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over everyone like a sharp blade.

"Those who stand here are all elites who have passed through layers of selection. From this day forward, you will receive the true inheritance of the Bloodthirsty Camp!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it sent a chill down everyone's spine.

"One-on-one guidance and targeted training are the core training methods of the Bloodthirsty Camp."

Xu Sanqi continued.

"Each instructor will develop a personalized training plan based on your individual characteristics to help you break through your limits."

Jiang Xuan stood at the front of the group. As the top scorer in the war zone assessment, he had the right to choose his instructor first.

Almost all the trainees thought he would choose Chief Instructor Xu Sanqi, after all, he was the strongest in the Bloodthirsty Camp.

"Jiang Xuan, step forward!"

Xu Sanqi called out the roll.

Jiang Xuan stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the instructors before finally settling on Xiao Ke.

This female instructor had guided him many times and knew his situation very well.

"I choose Instructor Xiao Ke."

Jiang Xuan's voice was clear.

A murmur of discussion immediately arose in the room.

Xu Sanqi looked surprised, but quickly regained his composure.

"reason?"

"Instructor Xiao Ke understands my growth trajectory and characteristics best, and can provide the most effective training tailored to my strengths and weaknesses."

Jiang Xuan answered crisply and decisively.

Xiao Man, standing to the side, smiled.

"Wise choice."

Xiao Ke stepped forward, her cold and beautiful face revealing neither joy nor anger, and simply spoke indifferently.

"Since you've chosen me, be prepared for a fate worse than death."

Jiang Xuan grinned.

“I couldn’t ask for more.”

After the selection process was completed, the trainees left with their chosen instructors.

Xiao Ke led Jiang Xuan to a secluded training ground. The facilities there were complete, but it exuded a suffocating sense of oppression.

"Take off your shirt."

Xiao Ke gave the order.

Jiang Xuan did as instructed, revealing his muscular upper body.

Xiao Ke pressed on various acupoints on his body with her fingers, sometimes with force, sometimes with gentleness, as if she were checking something.

"Muscle strength has improved by 30% compared to the last test, but flexibility is insufficient."

Xiao Ke checked and recorded the information.

"The speed of spiritual energy circulation is acceptable, but the explosive power is lacking."

After the inspection was completed, Xiao Ke took out a set of specially made training clothes and threw them to Jiang Xuan.

"Put it on, and from now on, you are not allowed to take it off at any time except when you are sleeping."

Jiang Xuan took the training uniform; it was unusually heavy, weighing at least 300 pounds. After putting it on, he felt even breathing became difficult.

"This is just the beginning."

Xiao Ke sneered.

"Over the next three months, I'll show you what real training is like."

The first day of training started with the most basic physical fitness.

Under Xiao Ke's supervision, Jiang Xuan, wearing heavy training clothes, completed five hundred squats, three hundred push-ups, and one hundred pull-ups.

Every movement had to be perfect; the slightest deviation would result in Xiao Ke's merciless whipping.

"Your movements are off! Let's do it again!"

Xiao Ke's whip lashed Jiang Xuan's back, leaving a bloody welt.

Jiang Xuan gritted his teeth and persevered, sweat dripping down his face like rain.

When he finished the last pull-up, he had lost feeling in his arms.

"Rest for five minutes, then begin the spiritual energy control training."

Xiao Ke's voice was icy cold and devoid of emotion.

Five minutes later, Jiang Xuan was taken to a spiritual energy testing ground.

Xiao Ke asked him to control five streams of spiritual energy simultaneously, navigating through the complex maze without interfering with each other.

This was extremely taxing on his mental energy. Jiang Xuan tried three times but failed each time, and his head was throbbing with pain.

"Focus! Spiritual energy is an extension of your body, not an external object!"

Xiao Ke shouted sternly.

On his fourth attempt, Jiang Xuan finally managed to complete the task, but he was completely exhausted and collapsed on the ground, panting heavily.

"waste."

Xiao Ke dropped a bottle of elixir.

"Drink it, and we'll begin combat training in ten minutes."

As the elixir entered my throat, a warm current instantly flowed throughout my body, easing my fatigue considerably.

But before Jiang Xuan could fully recover, Xiao Ke was already standing in front of him with a wooden sword in hand.

"Attack me with every martial art you've ever learned."

Xiao Ke gave the order.

The next hour was the most painful combat training Jiang Xuan had ever experienced.

Xiao Ke's every move precisely targeted his weaknesses, and no matter how he changed his tactics, they were easily countered. By the end, Jiang Xuan was covered in bruises and didn't even have the strength to stand.

That's all for today.

Xiao Ke sheathed her wooden sword. (End of Chapter)