“West Houndhill?” As a keyboard warrior who used to hang out in forums in his previous life, Zu An was vaguely aware of this name. It seemed to be an auspicious ancestral land of the Qin Royal Family.

But still, why can’t you just tell me what I’m heading to the West Doghill for? Why are experts like you so fond of acting so secretively? Do you actually think that it makes you appear wise?

“Remember, you must bring Tai’e with you to West Houndhill,” instructed the man in the dragon robe.

“Why?” asked Zu An.

“Tai’e is the key into West Houndhill.”

“Key?”

Zu An looked at the sword in his hand as he wondered just how large the door must be to require such a massive key.

“Of course, I won’t assign you a task without compensation. Sealed in Tai’e is the first half of the Primordial Origin Sutra. It can temper your body, and has strong cleansing and restorative effects. It should be of great help to you.”

“Primordial Origin Sutra?” repeated Zu An. 

The name alone made it seem likely that it was something formidable. He could care less about the tempering and cleansing effects, but the restorative effect was something that he was in dire need of at the moment.

The Phoenix Nirvana Sutra’s ability to give him strength when he was in low health was indeed formidable, but it was very dangerous as well. If he failed to keep a close eye on his health and accidentally overstepped his limits, it would spell the end for him. 

On top of that, most restorative medicines took quite some time to take effect, including those made by Divine Physician Ji. If he was in a critical condition, it was unlikely that those medicines would be able to save his life. In the end, the only one that was truly reliable was ‘Faith in Brother Spring’, but it was simply too hard to draw it from the lottery.

“How do I cultivate this skill?” asked Zu An.

“Immerse your consciousness on the sword, and you will be able to feel it,” replied the man in the dragon robe.

Zu An was worried that the other party would try to possess him, so he made sure to keep a sliver of his consciousness to monitor his surroundings. After all, it was a common plot point in the drama series and novels he’d seen and read in the past.

He tried focusing his consciousness on the Tai’e Sword, and a series of words emerged in his mind.

“Heaven and earth yet severed in the primordial, bleak and unseen. Everything originates from the primordial…”

It was then that the voice of the Keyboard filled his ears. “Detected: Westhound Hill’s Secret Scroll - [Primordial Origin Sutra]. Consume it to activate a keyboard function?”

Zu An was overjoyed. What an unexpected surprise! I managed to find another secret manual here? 

He quickly accepted the option. Black mist swiftly gushed into the ‘F3’ key, forming a mysterious imprint on it.

“Begin tempering your body?” prompted the Keyboard.

Tempering my body? What does this mean?

However, fearing that he would miss this opportunity if he rejected the option, he quickly selected ‘Yes’.

Immediately, a cloud of black mist billowed out from the Keyboard, shrouding his body completely. He had a feeling that the ki of the world—no, it was a power that was much purer and more nourishing than mere ki, something that he had never sensed before—gushing into his body.

Is this the ‘primordial ki’ which is often spoken about in books?

He could sense that his body and meridians were being reforged by the primordial ki gushing into his body. It felt like he was soaked comfortably in a warm spring. From time to time, though, there would be a sharp tearing sensation, as if someone was sawing through a part of him.

It was fortunate that the pain receded swiftly, leaving behind a vague feeling of euphoria after each burst of pain. If not for that, he would have believed that he had fallen into the other party’s trap.

“Sealed ki core detected under the abdomen. Dispel the seal?” prompted the Keyboard once more.

Zu An was stunned for a moment there before rapturous joy soaked his entire being, and he nearly leaped up in excitement. “Yes, dispel it!”

The primordial ki gushed toward his abdomen in order to break open the seal, similar to how the energy from the petal of the Evanescent Lotus had done earlier. However, the primordial ki was much more concentrated and way more powerful. The energy from the Evanescent Lotus might not have been enough to break through the seal, but now, with the primordial ki constantly ramming against it, the obstacle that stood in his way earlier on began to loosen.

As if sensing the disturbance, the primordial ki in the other parts of his body swiftly flowed as well to aid in the process. It didn’t take long for all of the primordial ki to be concentrated in his abdomen, leaving Zu An feeling deeply nervous.

He remembered hearing from Old Mi that that region was extremely fragile, and even the slightest mistake could easily result in irreversible damage.

The primordial ki better not make a mistake! I might be sealed right now, but at least I’m still a man! If this primordial ki were to strike too hard and accidentally knock ‘it’ off, I might just ram my head into a pillar and end my life, right here right now!

It was fortunate that the primordial ki was far more formidable than he had expected. Soon enough, he heard a vague popping sound, and Zu An sensed that something which had been blocked for many years had finally opened up, leaving him refreshed and invigorated. His body suddenly felt lighter than ever.

He might not know much about seals, but he knew that whatever it was that had been placed on him previously had finally been undone.

Even better than that, though, the primordial ki didn’t dissipate after breaking the seal, but continued to circulate around his body to temper it.

Zu An looked down, and his eyes swiftly reddened from sheer excitement. The little chick which had caused him a great deal of insecurity had finally unfurled its wings and matured into a grand roc!

That very feeling that he would wake up to every morning in his previous life was finally back!

Zu An was tempted to raise his head and howl like a wolf in order to release the flood of overwhelming emotion welling up in his heart. 

Finally, finally! I’ve finally managed to get back what I’ve lost!

All this while, everyone assumed that I’ve been living the high life. Suave, handsome, kind, and having a wonderful wife; I’m the very embodiment of a winner in life! Yet, I was the only one who knew that it was all just a facade. If my equipment down there does not function, everything else is meaningless.

Rejoice, for all the days of wallowing in despair over my impotence is finally over! 

Were it not for the fact that it would be too embarrassing to tell others that he used to be impotent, he would have gone around beating a gong and announcing this joyous news to everyone!

He looked down again, and a jolt of fright ran through his heart. But this… isn’t this a little too exaggerated?

Watching as the remaining bits of primordial ki continued to temper his body, he felt a little embarrassed, yet incredibly gleeful at the same time. By the time the tempering came to an end, his body had already fully recovered from its previous wounds, and he was overflowing with energy. He felt stronger than ever.

It was then that the Keyboard’s voice filled his ears once more. “Unable to unlock the new function. The Primordial Origin Sutra is incomplete.”

“Hm?” Zu An was stunned for a moment before realizing that he only had the upper half of the Primordial Origin Sutra.

“You’re blessed with talent and luck. I did not expect you to be able to complete the first level of tempering so quickly. Your strength, resilience, and physical recovery have all been greatly enhanced,” said the man in the dragon robe. 

“As you rank up with the Primordial Origin Sutra, your body will undergo transformative changes. Cultivators of the same rank will find it difficult to cause you harm, and the damage you receive from the attacks of higher rank cultivators would be greatly reduced as well. If you’re able to reach the highest rank of the skill, then no matter how much damage you suffer, your body will be able to regenerate back to its original state, as long as you aren’t ground to ashes. By then, you’ll become the strongest man in the world!

“However… could you stop pointing that thing at me?”

Zu An was flustered. He squirmed around uncomfortably as he tried hiding away parts of his own body, saying, “My apologies. I’ve only just finished tempering my body. This is a natural reaction, a natural reaction!”

The man in the dragon robe snorted coldly and said, “Of course I know that! Why else do you think you’re still able to speak to me?”

Zu An scratched his head sheepishly as he changed the topic, “Speaking of which, why is only the upper half of the Primordial Origin Sutra available? Could you tell me where the lower half is?”

“The lower half is in West Houndhill,” replied the man in the dragon robe. “You’ll be able to obtain it when you get there.”

Zu An couldn’t help but suspect that the man was doing this intentionally. You’re giving me a taste of the Primordial Origin Sutra in advance before telling me that it’s split into half, just to force me to do your bidding.

In any case, it was all worth it, since he’d been able to release the seal on his little brother. Furthermore, this skill synergized really well with the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra. One needed him to be severely injured in order to activate, and the other allowed him to recover quickly. This was the perfect combo!

“The Primordial Origin Sutra must be practiced often. The more you use it, the easier it will be for you to advance to the next rank. Protect yourself well. Don’t die before you manage to find West Houndhill,” said the man in the dragon robe.

“Thank you for your advice, elder,” replied Zu An. “May I know how I can find West Houndhill?” 

The man in the dragon robe was silent for a long while before finally replying, “I don’t know.”

“Are there no writings, maps, or anything that could serve as a clue?” asked Zu An.

The man in the dragon robe shook his head. “There’s nothing at all.” 

“Nothing at all?” Zu An was alarmed. Isn’t this a goddamned trap? The world is huge! How am I to find a single location without a single clue?!

The man in the dragon robe continued, “I am just a sliver of a soul at the moment. My knowledge is limited, and too much time has passed. West Houndhill might not be in the same place it used to be. You have to rely on your own power to find it.”

His figure began to fade, and it seemed as though he would vanish at any moment.

“Is there a time limit to this mission?” Zu An asked anxiously.

“None at all. However, my memories tell me that you should accomplish this mission as soon as possible,” replied the man in the dragon robe.

Zu An heaved a sigh of relief. He was glad that there was no time limit. This meant he could take his time to look for West Houndhill.

The aura of the man in the dragon robe grew even fainter. “I’m about to vanish soon,” he said. “If you have any other questions, ask them, and I’ll answer you.” 

“How should I deal with the woman in the crystal coffin?” asked Zu An carefully.

A sharp glint flashed across the eyes of the man in the dragon robe. “Kill her!” he replied.

“Kill her?” Zu An was stunned. The two of you used to be a couple. Is there a need to be so vicious? Not to mention, it’s such a pity to kill a woman as beautiful as she is… “But she’s much stronger than me. How can I bear to kill her?”

“You can do it… Use the Primordial Origin Sutra… purify…” The man in the dragon robe finally dissipated, leaving behind a final few murmurs.

Zu An felt his vision blur, and by the time he snapped out of his daze, he was already back in the underground palace. The Tai’e Sword was firmly grasped in his hand.

“Why are you hanging around up there in a daze? Hurry up and get down here!” shouted Mi Li.