Word of Li Zephyr's sudden improvement spread like wildfire. The sect elders, curious and wary, sent him to the Ancient Ruins of Frostpine, a dangerous trial ground left by cultivators centuries ago.
The ruins were alive with spiritual beasts, traps, and unstable energy. Even mid-tier Spirit Realm disciples had perished here.
Li Zephyr's heart raced, but he was no longer the weakling who trembled at every step. His body absorbed energy from the ruins; his senses sharpened; his reflexes quickened.
A silver-scaled beast, easily three meters tall, leapt from the shadows. Its roar shook the chamber, and its claws slashed through the air.
Li Zephyr dodged instinctively, then unleashed a refined spiritual palm technique, the force imbued with energy from the Soul Dao System. The beast was hurled back, staggering.
"First true battle complete," the system whispered. "Growth accelerated."
As he advanced deeper, Li Zephyr realized the ruins held not only beasts and traps but also hidden legacies. Ancient inscriptions glowed with a faint light, guiding him toward treasures that could elevate him far beyond ordinary disciples.
Li Zephyr smiled, bloodied but exhilarated. "This is only the beginning."
And somewhere, deep in the shadows of the ruins, an ancient presence stirred, sensing the awakening of a cultivator destined to shake the realms.