The Eternal Supreme Chapter 1
Li Yunxiao had been drifting in a trance for some time. Fragmented memories flickered through his consciousness as if he were living another person's life. His physical form would occasionally lapse into seizures; he would cry out, weep, or burst into laughter without warning.
Stranger still was the persistent voice echoing in his mind, chanting an enigmatic scripture. Upon closer focus, it revealed itself as a cultivation technique, causing his body to sway in rhythm with the incantation. As his fits grew more intense, the mental fragments became clearer and more cohesive.
Eventually, the agony caused him to lose consciousness. When he finally awoke, the disparate memories had fused into a complete, lucid whole. Li Yunxiao’s gaze became as sharp and clear as eternal starlight; his awakening was complete.
“To think I have truly been reincarnated!” His eyes shimmered with light as he glanced out the window toward a massive monument piercing the clouds. “The year 1033 of the Heavenly Martial Calendar… Has it really been fifteen years since Gu Feiyang perished?”
Fifteen years prior, the continent had been rocked by the sudden death of Gu Feiyang—the Vanquisher Martial Sovereign—one of the ten Conferred Martial Sovereigns of the Heavenly Martial Realm, in the Tiandang Mountains. In the wake of his passing, tensions between major powers escalated, and long-standing rivalries reignited. The peace that had governed the Heavenly Martial Continent for centuries was shattered once more.
“Heh,” Li Yunxiao smirked, letting out a soft breath. “Returning to life after fifteen years… I, Gu Feiyang, have finally come back.”
“Li Yunxiao!” A sharp, icy reprimand suddenly cut through the air.
Whoosh!
The whistling sound of an object slicing the air reached his ears. Li Yunxiao looked up just as a piece of chalk flew toward his face.
With effortless grace, he caught the projectile between two fingers and set it on his desk. He then turned a steady gaze toward the podium, where Luo Yunshang, the class instructor, stood with an increasingly frosty expression.
It was far from the first time Li Yunxiao had daydreamed during her lectures. However, Luo Yunshang was clearly having a difficult day and was searching for a target to release her frustration upon.
Li Yunxiao, the class’s notorious failure, was the perfect victim. It had become a tradition among the faculty to vent their bad moods on him. The students knew that whenever a teacher was irritated, Li Yunxiao was destined for trouble.
The classroom erupted in snickers and jeers as his peers prepared for the entertainment; a few even began to heckle him openly.
Li Yunxiao narrowed his eyes at Luo Yunshang, thinking to himself, ‘She possesses a striking figure, long hair, and a lovely face. If she donned a crimson robe, silver-horned boots, a blue mantle, and carried the Frosty Sorrow, she would be the spitting image of the Red Lotus Martial Sovereign… Hehe, she really has a talent for cosplay. I wonder if Red Lotus would hunt me down if she knew what I was thinking…’
Luo Yunshang’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. A faint smile seemed to play in Li Yunxiao’s eyes, causing her to shudder for reasons she couldn't explain. It felt as though a harmless rabbit had suddenly been replaced by a stalking tiger. A wave of helplessness washed over her, making her feel as if she had stepped into a freezing cellar.
‘What was that? The look in that boy’s eyes… Was he mocking me? Impossible! I am a powerful martial master of the Four Quadrants realm! How could I be unsettled by the stare of a mere boy? I must be stressed because of my recent cultivation bottleneck.’
She quickly pushed aside her momentary panic, her composure returning. Her expression darkened into a sneer. “Li Yunxiao, our topic is the crafting of weapons. Pray tell, how many methods are used to forge common armaments?”
Luo Yunshang was leading a fundamental course on Artifact Crafting. While only a rare few possessed the talent to become alchemists, every warrior was expected to master the basics of weapon creation.
‘Weapon crafting? Ha! I am a ninth-tier emperor-grade alchemist of the Heavenly Martial Continent! Aside from those few immortal old monsters, who would dare lecture me on the methods of forging?’
Li Yunxiao replied nonchalantly, “There are forty-eight methods for crafting common weapons.”
“Forty-eight?” The room went silent for a heartbeat before exploding into raucous laughter!
“Haha! The kid is definitely still dreaming.”
“I knew it! For a second, his calm face actually made me think he knew something!”
“Tsk! If he’s right, then I’m a high-ranking guard!”
Li Yunxiao frowned, his eyes falling on the manual on his desk. He flipped it open and immediately found the passage: “There are thirty-six methods for crafting common weapons, which include…”
Closing the book, he noted the title in bold letters: “Basic Artifact Crafting.” Beneath it, a smaller line read: “Written by Yang Di.”
‘Didn’t I specifically teach that boy there were forty-eight methods? That brat actually ignored my instructions? He won't be allowed back in my lectures again.’
In his mind, he had already condemned the author. Had Yang Di known this, he would have been moved to tears of despair.
Ignoring the mocking environment, Li Yunxiao spoke in a level voice. “There are thirty-six traditional crafting methods. However, sixty years ago, Gu Feiyang developed twelve technical crafting techniques. These were officially recognized by the Association of Alchemists and categorized as foundational methods. Therefore, the total is forty-eight.”
“Tsk! What garbage is he spewing? Does he think he knows more than Lord Yang Di?”
“Haha! He’s so scared of punishment that he’s just making things up now.”
“Exactly! Lord Yang Di was a disciple of Lord Gu Feiyang himself. How could he not know the correct number of basic methods?”
The classroom was thick with ridicule until a sudden shout brought an immediate silence.
“Quiet! He is correct!”
Luo Yunshang slammed her hand onto the desk, sending a powerful shockwave through the room. The students recoiled in fear at the overbearing pressure. Those closest to the front turned pale, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of them.
Li Yunxiao felt the surge of Qi and smiled inwardly. ‘Two-star of the Four Quadrants Realm… She is quite talented. Her soul strength is also significant; she must be at least a senior apprentice alchemist.’ He was mildly surprised. He knew Luo Yunshang was strong, but he hadn't realized she had reached such a level.
Warriors were ranked across nine stages: The Origin Realm (Warrior), the Two Forces Realm (Martial Master), the Three Powers Realm (Great Martial Master), the Four Quadrants Realm (Martial Lord), the Five Elements Realm (Martial King), the Six Directions Realm (Martial Grandmaster), the Seven Constellations Realm (Martial Emperor), the Eight Desolation Realm (Martial Supreme), and the Nine Heavens Realm (Martial Sovereign). Each stage contained nine stars. Those who reached the summit of the Nine Heavens Realm were honored by the Holy City with a title, becoming a Conferred Martial Sovereign.
Luo Yunshang stared at Li Yunxiao, her mind racing with curiosity. She turned back to the class to explain.
“Historically, there were thirty-six basic methods. Sixty years ago, the peerless genius Lord Gu Feiyang introduced twelve more, which the Association of Alchemists verified. However, these twelve are far too difficult for the average person to comprehend, which is why Lord Yang Di excluded them from this introductory text.”
The students were stunned, staring at the composed Li Yunxiao in disbelief. It was as if the worst student in school had just solved a problem that baffled the elite.
Luo Yunshang herself was taken aback. While alchemists knew of the forty-eight methods, it was unheard of for a low-level martial apprentice to possess such knowledge.
A new possibility occurred to her. ‘They claim Li Yunxiao is a martial arts illiterate… but perhaps his talent lies in Artifact Crafting? Could he have been studying this on his own?’ The thought excited her. Training a successful alchemist was far more prestigious than training a common warrior!
‘I must test him further!’
Luo Yunshang looked up and saw Li Yunxiao watching her with a knowing smile, almost as if a master were observing a pupil. Her irritation flared. With a cold smirk, she challenged him, “Don't think a little obscure knowledge earns you a free pass. I will ask one more question. If you answer correctly, you are excused from my class and will receive a perfect grade. But if you fail… you will spend six hours in the tenfold gravity chamber!
“Explain the purpose of adding Sky Crystal Sand during the forging process.”
“Six hours in the tenfold gravity chamber? That’s brutal!”
“Haha! Teacher Luo is clearly in a foul mood today. The kid walked right into a trap.”
“He had it coming. That smug look on his face makes me want to slap him. I’d love to see him get taken down a notch!”
“Did you hear that question? It’s impossible. Everyone knows you add Sky Crystal Sand, but nobody knows why!”
“Yeah, it’s like asking why one plus one is two. Teacher Luo is definitely trying to humiliate him.”
“Six hours in the tenfold gravity chamber?” Li Yunxiao shook his head, feeling slightly annoyed. In his previous life, a thousand-fold gravity wouldn't have bothered him, but his current weak body would struggle with ten times the normal force.
Luo Yunshang mistook his hesitation for terror. Her brief spark of admiration vanished, replaced by her usual disdain. ‘He really is just a loser. Nothing has changed.’
She immediately felt a twinge of guilt for the harshness of the question. He had, after all, shown a rare moment of studiousness. Was she destroying his newfound confidence just as he was trying to improve? Was she crushing a potential talent before it could bloom?
As she wrestled with her conscience, Li Yunxiao answered without a moment's thought.
“Actually, Sky Crystal Sand isn't strictly necessary for crafting. However, since most alchemists struggle to maintain the proper fusion levels between materials during the quenching and refining stages, they use it as a stabilizing agent due to its neutralizing properties.”
An oppressive silence fell over the room. The students looked at one another, completely unable to grasp the meaning of his words.