Chapter 23: Chen Yan.

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Chen Yan.

His gaze then returned to the character panel. This time, however, his attention fell upon the labels beside each technique he possessed.

Entry. Familiar. Proficient. Mastered. Perfected. Transcendent.

Chen Yuan stared at them briefly and immediately understood what they meant.

He had initially ignored these labels, but after comparing them with his own experience in practicing techniques over the years, he quickly understood what they represented.

Entry meant having only a basic understanding.

Familiar meant becoming accustomed to the technique.

Proficient meant being able to use it with ease.

Mastered meant having complete control over it.

Perfected meant pushing the technique close to its limits.

And Transcendent...

It meant surpassing those limits entirely.

"Especially my Flaming Fireflies technique. It is already at Transcendent mastery."

"That should be it."

Chen Yuan nodded slightly.

His understanding of the six stages was simple, but after ninety years of cultivation, he felt that it was more than enough to grasp their general meaning.

His gaze then fell upon the two techniques at the top of the panel.

[Myriad Flesh Avatar Technique, Entry]

[Flaming Fireflies, Transcendent]

The difference between them was immediately obvious at a single glance.

Next, Chen Yuan’s attention shifted away from the character panel and back toward the brand-new spiritual technique he had obtained.

"The Myriad Flesh Avatar Technique. What a domineering name."

That was what he had been attempting to use before the character panel suddenly appeared. He had not actually tested it yet.

"Then let me experience it firsthand, this ability to create a perfect clone."

Chen Yuan closed his eyes and took a slow breath. The strange memories of the technique remained exceptionally clear within his mind.

From the steps required to perform it to every detail involved in separating a portion of his physical essence to form a new body, everything was deeply engraved within his consciousness.

"The ancients have it that the techniques were originally one and universal. Fire is law, water is order. Earth is nature, and nature is thunder."

Chen Yuan spoke as he began circulating his spiritual energy according to the technique’s method.

"But as time passed, the ancient laws were lost, and the immortal arts were broken down into countless fragments of laws."

"Each separated and lost within its own order."

Chen Yuan’s voice remained calm as he spoke, his eyes still closed. He continued circulating his spiritual energy according to the technique’s method.

"The Flaming Fireflies is a technique of the Spiritual Law. It belongs to the category of spiritual techniques."

His spiritual energy slowly moved through his meridians, following the peculiar circulation route recorded within the Myriad Flesh Avatar Technique.

"The sword arts, on the other hand, belong to the Body Law. They are physical techniques, allowing the body to become one with the laws of the sword."

A faint spiritual pressure gradually gathered around Chen Yuan’s body.

"And the divine arts..."

His voice paused briefly.

"They belong to the Soul Law. They are techniques that cultivate the essence of the soul itself."

Chen Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

His understanding of cultivation had always been limited to the techniques he had encountered throughout his life.

Yet the knowledge contained within the Myriad Flesh Avatar Technique had given him a completely different perspective.

Spiritual Law.

Body Law.

Soul Law.

Three different paths, yet all of them had once belonged to the same ancient whole.

Chen Yuan lowered his gaze toward his own hands.

"Perhaps the cultivation techniques of the present era are merely fragments of something that was once much greater."

"It’s strange how the system labelled this technique as a spiritual technique despite involving all three major laws at the same time."

With that thought, he continued circulating the technique. The spiritual energy within his body began to move faster.

Then...

Something strange happened.

A faint crimson light appeared beneath his skin, pulsing softly as his skin began to glow with a strange reddish hue.

Chen Yuan lowered his gaze and noticed it immediately.

Tiny streams of blood slowly seeped from the surface of his body. They did not flow like ordinary blood. Instead, they emerged from his skin as countless thin strands of crimson liquid, gathering beside him and floating quietly in the air.

Chen Yuan watched the process calmly.

There was no pain, no discomfort, nor even the slightest feeling of weakness. It was as though the blood being drawn from his body was not truly being lost, but rather separated and rearranged into something else entirely.

"How fascinating. It’s almost like fission of cells."

Chen Yuan narrowed his eyes as he observed the increasingly brighter orb of blood floating in the air.

More and more blood essence flowed out, causing the crimson mass to grow increasingly dense.

Then, the flesh began to appear.

Chen Yuan was slightly shocked by the sight as a vague shape slowly emerged from within the crimson mass.

First came the bones.

They formed silently, piecing themselves together within the blood as the framework of the body gradually took shape.

Muscles then formed around the newly constructed skeleton, followed by tendons, skin, and every other part of the physical body.

The process was slow, yet strangely fascinating.

It was as though he were witnessing the process of creation itself, yet this creation was being forged entirely under the will of a human.

Chen Yuan remained focused as he continued circulating his spiritual energy throughout the process.

As time passed, the body gradually became complete.

A chest appeared, followed by two arms and two legs.

A neck formed above the torso, and finally, a head took shape, with lush hair beginning to grow across it.

The newly formed head remained motionless as its facial features gradually became clearer and the remaining blood essence gathered around it.

The features were somewhat different from Chen Yuan’s own appearance, as though the technique had deliberately given the new body its own identity.

Yet Chen Yuan recognized the appearance right away.

It was the middle-aged appearance of this body.

"At least it got the size right," Chen Yuan muttered, his gaze falling toward the clone’s lower body.

"Yeah, that’s alright."

Finally, the last traces of blood essence sank into the body. The crimson glow surrounding the figure gradually faded, and Chen Yuan breathed out as he silently watched.

"The body is now completely formed. The Law of the Body is complete."

His gaze then shifted toward the motionless figure.

"Now, I need to integrate the Law of the Soul by splitting a piece of my consciousness into the body."

Chen Yuan’s expression became solemn as he closed his eyes once more and turned his attention inward.

"Consciousness is the soul, while the mind is spiritual."

He slowly raised one hand, his fingers moving slightly as if trying to grasp something invisible in the air.

"The mind is what allows us to think, to reason, and to remember. But consciousness is the root that allows us to recognize ourselves."

His voice was quiet, almost as though he were explaining the principle to himself. His mind raced as he tried to understand the profound principle behind the technique.

"If the mind is the branches and leaves..."

Chen Yuan’s consciousness slowly gathered.

"Then the soul is the tree."

A faint ripple spread through his sea of consciousness.

"And if I want to create another existence that carries the same imprint as me, I cannot simply copy my consciousness into it."

"I need to give it a root. A strand of my consciousness."

The moment he finished speaking, Chen Yuan’s soul trembled, and a strange sensation spread through his entire being.

It was as though he were reaching into the deepest part of himself and attempting to separate something that had always been inseparable.

His brows slowly tightened as he felt a slight tug within his intangible consciousness. Then, little by little, a faint golden light emerged from the center of his consciousness.

It was extremely small.

Almost like a tiny seed floating within an endless sea.

Chen Yuan carefully drew it outward with a pained grunt. The further it moved, the stronger the connection between it and his original soul became.

A faint sense of tearing spread through his consciousness, and Chen Yuan’s expression became slightly pale.

He endured it without making a sound.

"So that’s how it is..."

"Like a seed from a tree..."

Chen Yuan slowly guided the golden light toward the newly formed body.

"The seed contains the imprint of the tree, but it is not the tree itself."

"It can be planted elsewhere, take root, and eventually grow into another tree."

The golden light drifted closer to the body.

"And the same applies to the soul."

"It carries my imprint, my memories, my understanding, and my existence."

"But once it takes root..."

Chen Yuan’s eyes opened slightly.

"It can grow into another soul. Isn’t this like the propagation of a tree? That’s truly fascinating."

The golden seed entered the body’s forehead.

The moment it disappeared inside, the newly formed body suddenly trembled.

Chen Yuan immediately felt the connection between them strengthen.

A strange sensation passed through his consciousness. It was as though another perspective had suddenly appeared inside his mind.

He could still see the body before him through his own eyes, but at the same time, he could also see through another pair of eyes.

The sensation was incredibly strange. Two different bodies and two different perspectives, yet both possessed the same mind and understanding.

Chen Yuan remained completely focused as he guided the final strand of soul essence into place.

"Mind gives it thought."

Spiritual Law.

"Soul gives it self."

Soul Law.

"And the body gives it form."

Body Law.

As the three came together, the entire body suddenly shook.

Thump!

Its heart began beating, blood began circulating through its veins, and the spiritual energy within its dantian surged out of nowhere, as if it had always been there from the start.

The empty sea of consciousness began to fill, and the three great paths finally converged.

The Body Law stabilized the physical form.

The Spiritual Law connected the body to spiritual energy.

And the Soul Law gave it true consciousness.

A powerful wave of spiritual pressure suddenly erupted from the newly formed body.

Boom!

Chen Yuan’s robes fluttered violently.

The figure before him trembled as its fingers slowly curled.

Its chest rose.

Its head lifted.

And then...

Its eyes opened.

The moment the clone’s eyes opened, a much more powerful wave of coercion erupted from its body.

Boom!

The air within the cave violently distorted, and the surrounding dust was swept into the air. The stone walls trembled beneath the sudden pressure, and even the countless Flaming Fireflies were scattered away from the two figures in the center.

Chen Yuan’s expression remained unchanged as he immediately raised his hand and waved it through the air.

Almost immediately, an invisible barrier spread outward, completely enveloping the surrounding area and suppressing the surging coercion before it could escape the cave.

Chen Yuan looked toward the newly awakened clone, who was already staring back at him.

The two exchanged silent glances for several breaths.

Then, almost simultaneously, their lips curved into faint smiles.

His gaze then lowered.

The man was completely naked.

Chen Yuan’s expression became slightly strange.

"Before anything else, friend, let’s make sure you’re properly dressed."

He reached into his storage ring and retrieved a clean set of clothes before casually throwing them toward the man.

The clone caught them without difficulty.

He glanced at the clothes in his hands before calmly putting them on, his movements unhurried from beginning to end.

Once he finished dressing, the robes fit perfectly over his tall and lean frame. His long silver-black hair fell loosely over his shoulders, while his sharp features and calm grey eyes gave him a composed appearance.

Chen Yuan looked at him briefly.

The clone looked back.

Neither said anything.

Then, without warning, the two figures silently vanished from the cavern.

The next instant, they appeared high above the Chen Family’s residence.

The vast estate spread beneath them, with countless buildings, courtyards, and paths illuminated by the faint light of the evening.

The two figures stood side by side in the sky, quietly overlooking the entire family.

The clone remained silent, his gaze moving across the residence below. Chen Yuan glanced at him before turning his attention back toward the residence.

There was no need to continue standing in the air.

With a casual wave of his hand, a simple wooden table appeared between them, accompanied by two soft seats on opposite sides.

Chen Yuan descended first and took his seat, settling comfortably against the backrest. He then raised a hand toward the seat across from him.

"Care for a talk?"

The man looked at the empty seat before slowly descending and taking his place.

He nodded.

"Very well," he finally said.

The quiet atmosphere between them gradually relaxed.

Chen Yuan did not immediately continue the conversation. Instead, he reached into his storage ring and took out a simple porcelain tea set, placing the teapot and two cups neatly upon the wooden table.

He picked up the teapot and filled it with water. A faint glow gathered around his fingertips as he gently guided his spiritual energy into it.

The water quickly warmed, and a thin veil of steam began rising from its surface.

He then retrieved a small jade box from his storage ring and opened it.

Inside were neatly dried green tea leaves.

Chen Yuan pinched a small amount between his fingers and dropped them into the teapot.

The leaves slowly unfolded as they met the hot water, releasing a fresh, earthy fragrance that spread through the air.

He waited patiently for the tea to steep before pouring a cup for himself and another for the man sitting across from him.

The man lowered his gaze toward the steaming cup but did not pick it up immediately.

Chen Yuan took his own cup and took a small sip, allowing the quiet atmosphere to settle naturally between them.

The man eventually picked up his cup as well. He examined the clear tea briefly before bringing it to his lips and taking a careful sip.

The warmth spread through his mouth, followed by the faint fragrance of the tea leaves. He swallowed slowly, savoring the lingering taste before taking another sip.

"This tea is quite good."

Chen Yuan glanced at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Is it?"

"The fragrance is light, but it remains after swallowing," the man replied, taking another sip. "There is also a slight bitterness at first, followed by a faint sweetness. It is quite pleasant."

A quiet laugh escaped Chen Yuan.

"Of course it is."

The man looked at him with a hint of confusion.

Chen Yuan lifted his cup again, taking another leisurely sip before setting it down.

"How could I not know what kind of tea I would like?"

The man stared at him for a few seconds before realizing what Chen Yuan meant.

The preference had already been carried within the fragment of consciousness that had become him. He did not need to develop a taste for the tea from scratch. He simply knew that he liked it because Chen Yuan liked it.

"It seems I will have to get used to it, then," the man said.

Chen Yuan smiled faintly.

"You’ll have plenty of time."

The conversation fell quiet again as both of them continued drinking their tea.

The fragrance of the leaves lingered gently between them, while the Chen Family below continued about its daily affairs, completely unaware of the two figures sitting high above the residence.

Chen Yuan rested his fingers lightly against the rim of his cup, his thoughts gradually shifting toward the matter that had been left unattended since the man’s creation.

There was something rather important they had yet to decide.

He looked across the table.

"Actually, there is something else we should settle."

The man raised his eyes from his tea.

Chen Yuan placed his cup down and leaned back slightly in his seat.

"You need a name."

The man remained silent.

"A name of your own," Chen Yuan continued. "You can’t exactly go around using mine. That would only cause unnecessary confusion."

The man considered his words quietly.

Chen Yuan tapped a finger lightly against the table.

"Since you’re going to exist as your own person, you should have something that belongs to you."

He looked at the man thoughtfully before adding,

"So, what kind of name do you think would suit you?"

Silence settled between them once again.

The man did not answer immediately.

His gaze lowered toward the tea resting in his hands as he quietly contemplated Chen Yuan’s question.

A name?

It was a simple thing, yet this was the first decision that truly belonged to him alone.

Chen Yuan did not press him. He simply leaned back in his seat and continued sipping his tea, allowing the man the time he needed.

The gentle steam rising from the cups slowly dispersed into the evening air as the man remained silent.

Eventually, his fingers tightened slightly around the teacup.

He raised his eyes.

"I have decided."

Chen Yuan lowered his cup and looked at him.

"What is the name that you’ve chosen?"

The man answered without hesitation.

"Chen Yan."

Chen Yuan repeated the name quietly.

"Chen Yan..."

He rolled the name over in his mind before giving a small nod.

"Not bad."

His gaze remained on the man across the table.

"But why Chen Yan?"

Chen Yan lowered his eyes toward the tea before answering.

"Because I am still a member of the Chen Family."

"The name Chen is not something I wish to discard simply because I was created from you."

He paused and looked toward the vast Chen Family residence below.

"If I am to walk outside as an individual, then I want my name to remind me where that root lies."

Chen Yuan listened quietly.

"And Yan?"

Chen Yan’s gaze followed his toward the family below.

"Yan means to continue, to extend onward."

His fingers gently rested against the side of his teacup.

"I was created from your existence, but I do not wish to simply become another version of you. I want to continue what you have built while eventually creating something of my own."

"The Chen Family has survived for generations because those who came before us left something behind for those who came after them."

He looked back at Chen Yuan.

"So I chose Chen Yan."

"A member of the Chen Family who carries what came before him and continues it into what comes next."

The words settled quietly between them.

Chen Yuan stared at him for several breaths before a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Chen Yan."

He nodded slowly.

"It suits you."