A couple of hours passed.

  The room was dimly lit, casting long shadows that flickered with the soft glow of a single lantern. Two figures occupied the space, a young man and an older woman. Scattered across the floor were an assortment of rare and peculiar resources: the sharp thorns of the thorny goatfish, the coarse skin of the rock serval, the delicate leaves of fear clover, and the dense strands of tube weed. Each item represented a story, gathered through labor, stolen in secrecy, or bought with care.

  The resources lay scattered in disarray, their placement seemingly random. At the center of it all sat a young man, Ren Lu, his body exuding a steady flow of earth and heavenly energy. With each passing second, the ingredients around him absorbed more of this energy, their auras growing stronger, their presence more pronounced.

  Yokai were magical beings, existing in a realm separate from the human world. They only crossed into the human realm when they sensed their favorite food or when they needed food to replenish their life force. The room's floor was covered with a variety of resources, each tied to a distinct path. There were resources from the water path, earth path, wood path, and plant path, as well as resources linked to lightning path, air path, and countless other paths.

  Some yokai would only materialize if their favorite food was presented, while others were notoriously picky eaters. There were also yokai that could consume nearly anything, so long as it belonged to their specific path.

  The blood seeking yokai fell into the latter category, capable of consuming almost anything within its path, though it was far more drawn to human blood than the blood of any other living being.

  As the resources absorbed more and more earth and heavenly energy, some grew greedy, drawing excessive amounts. This imbalance caused them to wither, shrink, or in some cases, be completely destroyed.

  Suddenly, a plant began to stir and rise, it was the yellow thunder parsley tulip. A common yet highly versatile resource, it was favored by multiple lightning path yokai. Not only did it serve as a delicacy for those yokai, but it was also a key ingredient in rituals involving multi path yokai, making it invaluable despite its abundance.

  Suddenly, a dazzling yellow light began to materialize in the room. This yokai didn't possess a solid form, instead, it appeared as a swirling mass of crackling yellow lightning, its movements reminiscent of a firework display. The energy danced and flickered around, crackling with violent force. It didn't take on a human shape, rather, it resembled a ferocious bee, its buzzing audible as the small lightning bolts formed a chaotic, shape, like a living storm ready to strike.

  "Oh, it's the thunder sting yokai, a middle tier yokai." Ren Lu murmured, his eyes glinting with a mix of surprise and excitement. "It possesses incredible firepower, but it takes a long time to charge up, and it only has one ability." A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as a surge of joy filled his chest. "It seems my luck is extraordinary today."

  "Mother, quickly use your blood path yokai! This yokai is truly ferocious!" Ren Lu shouted, gritting his teeth as he endured the painful stings. His body trembled under the relentless strikes, and his back began to darken, the skin scorched black from the lightning's hits.

  Suddenly, Ren Ling shouted, "Please endure, son! My blood path yokai is rank 2. If I strike that lightning path yokai, it might die, and the ritual will fail!" Her hands clenched tightly, her face a mask of strained determination.

  After a few tense moments, the lightning finally ceased, and the room returned to its dimly lit stillness. The thunder sting yokai suddenly darted toward Ren Lu, entering his body. Success.

  Ren Lu collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, his body finally giving way. Ren Ling, quick to react, immediately called for the servants to tend to his wounds.

  "It's alright, son, you succeeded! You're lucky, the thunder sting yokai is a middle tier yokai!" Ren Ling exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement as she congratulated Ren Lu.

  Yokai were categorized not only by their path but also by their tier. There were four tiers: low tier, middle tier, high tier, and special tier. The vast majority of yokai were low tier, followed by middle tier, with high tier yokai being very rare, and special tier yokai even more so. Special tier yokai were unique, each possessing abilities that were unparalleled in their scope and effect. Regardless of their specific power, the results they achieved were nothing short of world changing. One such example was the heaven defying light yokai, whose ability was reincarnation.

  A week had passed.

  Outside, the rain fell in torrents, drenching the earth and turning the ground into a thick, muddy expanse. The brown surface was pockmarked with countless puddles, reflecting the occasional flash of distant lightning. Each strike cast a brief, eerie glow across the landscape, illuminating the storm swept world for a split second before the light vanished. The sky above rumbled ominously as thunder followed in its wake, echoing with a deafening roar that sent shivers through the air.

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  In the aftermath of each flash, the surrounding wilderness seemed to come alive, with animals scattering in fear from the relentless storms. The loud cracks of thunder startled them into flight, their movements chaotic as they sought shelter from the wrath of nature.

  Inside, the vast corridor stretched for hundreds of meters, its width a generous fifteen meters. Along both sides, doors lined the walls, each one leading to different rooms. Some doors opened into classrooms, where rows of seats filled the space, and others opened to offices or storage. Two large classrooms stood on either side, each packed with around ninety seats. Some seats were empty, while others were occupied by students, all of them engrossed in their lessons.

  At the far left corner of the corridor, Ren Lu stood by a window, his tired gaze fixed on the storm raging outside. Lightning flashed intermittently, casting fleeting shadows on his face. His eyes were distant, almost vacant, as exhaustion weighed heavily on him. Every now and then, he would glance back toward the instructor at the front of the classroom, when any interesting new information would appear.

  The world had undergone a massive transformation over the course of time. New information had been uncovered, while much of the old knowledge had been lost to the relentless passage of time. History, once filled with rich detail, had faded into myth, and only fragments remained. Ren Lu, piecing together the scattered knowledge, deduced that it had been a million years since the death of Ren Lin, his former self. In the centuries since, the world had shifted in ways he could scarcely imagine.

  Countless wars had ravaged the lands, many bloodlines erased from existence in the chaos. Entire civilizations had risen and fallen, leaving behind only echoes of their once great power. New superpowers had emerged, reshaping the balance of the world. The world was now unrecognizable, and Ren Lu couldn’t help but wonder what kind of future awaited him in this strange, new era.

  ...

  "Great elder, Pan Fu, we can't let this sickness continue! It's crippling us! We can barely cultivate anymore, just breaking through a sub realm now takes years!" A white haired woman cried out, her voice tinged with desperation. Her eyes, usually sharp with determination, were now clouded with frustration and fear. The weight of the situation was evident in every word, as the toll this affliction had taken on her people was becoming unbearable.

  "I know, elder Ye Yun, but what can I do?" Great elder Pan Fu responded with a sigh, his voice tinged with frustration. "Do you think it doesn't affect me as well? I've already asked for help from the higher ups, but it'll likely take years before any progress is made. This sickness is rare, and ridding ourselves of it requires an immense amount of resources." His tone was dismissive, as if the weight of the problem had already worn him down. He no longer seemed surprised or alarmed by the situation, it had simply become another burden to bear.

  "There's nothing more I can do for now. We just have to wait and hope that the higher ups manage to send aid. Until then, we’re stuck dealing with this sickness." His words hung in the air, heavy with resignation. The room fell into a solemn silence as the gravity of the situation settled over them.

  At that moment, the door creaked open, and a middle aged man stepped into the room. His expression was serious, and he carried with him an air of urgency. Great Elder Pan Fu, who had been growing weary of the conversation, simply gave a small, dismissive gesture with his hand, signaling to Ye Yun that their discussion had come to an end.

  Ye Yun, without a word, sighed internally as she turned and left the room. She knew there was little she could do, but the burden of waiting for the higher ups to act left a bitter taste in her mouth.

  Great Elder Pan Fu’s expression softened as his son, Pan Bao, entered the room. The sight of his son seemed to lift some of the weight from his shoulders. Pan Bao, a middle aged man with a calm demeanor, bowed respectfully, his voice steady as he spoke. "Elder Pan Bao sends his regards." he said, his tone formal but warm.

  Pan Fu nodded, acknowledging his son’s greeting before listening intently. Pan Bao straightened up, his eyes gleaming with a hint of excitement. "I believe I may have a way to rid us of this sickness." he continued, his voice laced with cautious optimism. "But unfortunately, it will take time to prepare. The resources required are not something we can gather overnight." He paused, his bow slightly deeper this time, a mix of respect and frustration evident in his posture as he awaited his father’s response.

  Great Elder Pan Fu’s expression darkened, burning with a fierce intensity. The sickness had taken its toll on him for far too long, and the frustration was evident in the tightening of his jaw. He had been suffering the effects for ages now. The sickness had corrupted the flow of earth and heavenly energy, causing it to become denser and thicker than ever before. As a result, cultivators were unable to absorb energy at the usual pace, and their progression had come to a near standstill.

  This hindered their ability to advance through realms, as the very essence they relied on to cultivate had become sluggish and difficult to manipulate. It wasn’t just a minor inconvenience; it was a crippling affliction. Great Elder Pan Fu knew that with every passing day, his cultivation would fail behind other people and thus his position as the Great Elder would be a matter of discussion once again.

  Seeing his father’s reaction, Pan Bao knew he had struck a nerve. The frustration in his father's eyes was unmistakable, and he quickly moved to present his idea. He spoke with urgency, knowing that this might be his only chance. The moment Great Elder Pan Fu heard his son’s plan, a spark of determination flickered in his eyes. His expression transformed, no longer weighed down by the despair. Instead, it radiated a new energy, as though a heavy burden had been lifted.

  Pan Fu could hardly contain his praise. "This... this is incredible!" he exclaimed, his voice full of approval and renewed vigor. "You’ve done well, Pan Bao. This is brilliant! Why didn’t I think of it sooner?" He continued, his words tumbling out in a steady stream, praising his son’s ingenuity and quick thinking. For the first time in a long while, a glimmer of hope seemed to shine in Great Elder Pan Fu’s heart, and he looked at Pan Bao with newfound admiration.