In the Heavenly Star Dynasty, outside the city of Blue Stone.
Now winter, the sky filled with frost and snow.
Clank, clank, clank.
A sound that would make teeth grating arose amidst this frigid icy scene.
A slender figure braved the fierce winds and snow, moving forward with difficulty, their face filled with an indomitable spirit.
The youth was encircled by two incredibly enormous chains of cold iron, presenting a shocking sight.
Around his neck, he wore an old and worn-out jade pendant, which kept swaying to his shivering body.
That ear-piercing noise emanated from behind the youth.
On close inspection, it was actually a huge boulder!
"Ha! Isn't this our Grand Genius Lin Yan from the House of Battle Marquis's? Even in this freezing blizzard, you still have the mood to come out and train your body?"
A fat figure dressed like a rich young master, mounted on a tall horse, and followed by several servants, blocked the path of the black-haired youth.
"Lin He, get out of my way."
Looking at the mountain of flesh before him, Lin Yan couldn't help but frown slightly.
The Heavenly Star Dynasty, a third-rank dynasty, spread over tens of millions of miles, boasting countless kings and marquises that held it down in every direction.
This House of Battle Marquis was one among these countless nobilities.
In this Greenstone City, it is considered one of the foremost powers.
And Lin He, relying on the fact that his father is an elder of the War Marquis Mansion, acts overbearingly, committing numerous crimes in Greenstone City, but nobody dares to speak out due to his identity.
When Lin Yan was still considered the top expert in the Blood Condensation Realm, he once found Lin He's actions of bullying men and women intolerable, hence disciplined him. Since then, Lin He has harbored resentment.
Now that he has finally found an opportunity, how could he not take revenge?
"Step aside? Haha, you think you're still the same as you were three years ago? You are nothing more than a waste with your nine channels unmanifested and your totem undispersed," Lin He sat on his horse, looking down at Lin Yan and spoke sarcastically.
A look of mockery emerged on his plump face as he laughed at Lin Yan from atop his horse.
Lin Yan's body couldn't help but tremble slightly, and the hands that tightly held the cold iron chains gradually tightened, causing the bones in his fingers to whiten.
That's right!
He is now nothing more than a waste with unmanifested nine channels!
In this world, martial arts are highly respected.
There are nine major realms in total!
Blood condensation, Mountain moving, Sea of qi, Heavenly river, Realizing destiny, Yin void, Yang reality, Saint, Supreme!
Each realm is also divided into nine heavens!
When a martial artist reaches the ninth heaven of the Blood Condensation Realm, the sacred channels hidden within the body would manifest, thus forming a totem!
The more Holy Veins one possessed within their body, the higher the level of the totem that they could form!
There is a myriad of different kinds of totems.
A totem of the ninth level is the strongest, whilst a first-level totem is the weakest.
And Lin Yan, by the age of twelve, had already reached the ninth layer of the Blood Condensate stage, a cultivation speed so terrifying that it was hailed as a once-in-a-century prodigy.
Admired by all!
Even in the Imperial City, major forces sent envoys to congratulate him!
During that time, Lin Yan was basking in boundless glory.
However, unfortunately, the good times did not last. After Lin Yan reached the ninth layer of the Martial Condensate stage, his Holy Veins did not emerge.
At first, his family thought it was just a case of no pain, no gain. However, after a year, Lin Yan still hadn't formed a totem.
Without a totem, it was impossible to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, effectively severing the path to martial arts.
The attitudes of his clan members subtly changed.
At this time, Lin Yan's father, the real master of War Marquis Manor, Lin Langtian, mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind only a tattered jade pendant.
After his father's disappearance, Lin Yan's position plunged drastically.
The previous worship, the past admiration, at this moment, all transformed into sympathy, disdain, and contempt.
These expressions were like countless sharp swords, stabbing into Lin Yan's heart.
The genius of yesteryear has now become a current wastrel.
All that originally belonged to Lin Yan was ruthlessly stripped away, leaving only a worn jade pendant left by his father, Lin Langtian.
All of this, just because of one sentence: The worthless do not deserve these resources.
This made Lin Yan deeply feel what is called the fickleness of the world.
Taking a deep breath, the cold wind poured into his chest, slightly reducing the burning anger there.
A self-deprecating, desolate smile tugged at the corner of Lin Yan's mouth.
The sneers and mockery over the years, this wasn't the first time he had endured them.
Compared to his peers, Lin Yan was much more mature.
Not saying a word, just as he was planning to sidestep Lin He, a mischievous smile suddenly appeared on Lin He's face and he leapt down from his horse.
Blocking Lin Yan's way once again.
Being blocked twice, even Lin Yan's good temperament could not prevent his mood from slowly darkening.
"Lin He! What the hell do you want!"
The enraged words of the young man, mixed with the cold wind, resounded between heaven and earth.
"What do I want? Heh! I want you, the once great genius, to crawl under my crotch!"
After saying that, Lin He pointed to his spread legs, challenging Lin Yan with a provocative look on his face.
The lackeys behind him were all sneering at Lin Yan, their hands crackling as they tightened into fists.
"You've gone too far!"
Lin Yan's body shook violently and bloodshot veins pulsed in his eyes.
"Too far? And what if I've gone too far? You're nothing more than a waste, I can do whatever I want with you. Who told you to be a failure who is incapable of condensing totems?"
Lin He spoke dismissively.
"Lin He! I am still the son of a war marquis! My name exists amidst the royal strategies of the Star Dynasty, if you want me to crawl under your crotch, can you bear the consequences?"
Lin Yan bellowed in a low voice.
His exclamations shifted Lin He's countenance greatly, causing him to retreat subconsciously.
No doubt, Lin He felt frightened by Lin Yan's sudden outburst.
Upon regaining his composure, a hint of blush appeared on Lin He's face, was he actually scared by this so-called waste?
He found it quite shameful.
However, by this time, Lin Yan had already left, leaving only his retreating figure behind.
"Hmph, this guy is not only a waste, but also lacks brains. Knowing full well his nine meridians are not activated and yet he still trains his physique outside the city every day, what an idiot."
"Let's go! Let's enter the city to drink and warm our bodies! I won't waste time with this kind of waste. He's hailed as the genius of Qing Stone City, what a joke, pah!"
Lin He spat onto the ground disdainfully.
He wasn't in a hurry. After all, he had all the time in the world later to toy with this waste.
As these words were spoken, the figure dragging the boulder shivered slightly. But Lin Yan did not look back and instead, he faced the wind and frost, continuing to trudge onward.
That back view was like a wounded lone wolf, quietly licking its wounds on the side.
As though it was waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity that would enable it to rise once again!
Dragging the massive boulder, Lin Yan returned to his dwelling.
Ever since he was branded as a waste, he was driven out of the War Marquis Mansion.
He could only live in an abandoned thatched house outside the city.
What was different from the past was that upon returning to this abandoned thatched house, Lin Yan locked the door from the inside, finally exhaling a breath of relief.
The look of bitterness on his face gradually disappeared without a trace, revealing an exceptionally eager expression instead.
This was the first time such an expression appeared on Lin Yan's face in these three years.
He took off the damaged jade pendant around his neck and fiddled with it back and forth in his hand.
His expression was complex.
In a barely audible voice, he said, "Father, oh father, two years have passed. Today, I have reached the limit of the Blood Condensation Realm you spoke of. It’s finally time for it to open."
If these words were heard by others, it would undoubtedly cause an uproar!
The Blood Condensation Realm was divided into nine heavens!
If one reaches the Ninth Heaven, they can wield the strength of 900 jin!
There's a rumor across the mainland that above the Ninth Heaven, there exists a Tenth Heaven!
If one could ascend to such a state, they could possess the power of 1000 jin in the Blood Condensation Realm!
However, throughout the vast Tianxing Dynasty, no one has managed to break into this realm in the last hundred years!
Unbelievably, this achievement, which no one has reached for a century, was accomplished by a good-for-nothing from this remote place.
Taking a deep breath, as per his father's instructions, Lin Yan bit his finger and squeezed out a drop of fresh blood.
With eyes filled with anticipation, the blood drop fell onto the broken jade charm with a 'pat'!
The next moment, the jade charm burst into a dazzling radiance!
A massive amount of information surged directly into Lin Yan's mind!
An extremely powerful voice, like a giant bell resounding, buzzed in Lin Yan's ears.
"Nine Channels Dragon Transformation!"