Journey of true Cultivation

"Wakey, wakey, little sleeping beauty! The morning has arrived! It's time to wake up and face the challenges of today. Hehehe."

A playful voice echoed in Yuan's ears as he slept. The tone carried a hint of amusement, teasing him awake.

Still half-asleep, Yuan groaned softly, humming lazily as he tried to bury himself deeper into sleep. But before he could drift off again, the once amused voice returned,only this time, its tone was far less pleasant.

"Wake up, brat. We don't have all the time under the heavens… or perhaps we do. But if you insist on sleeping, be prepared to face the consequences."

The moment those cold, ruthless words reached Yuan's ears, an icy dread crept up his spine. His body tensed instinctively, and he jolted upright, his once drowsy mind now fully awake.

Blinking rapidly, he looked up at the Azure Ghost. Then, realizing he had likely angered his senior, he quickly bowed his head and saluted, his voice filled with sincere respect.

"Good morning, Senior! This child has been careless and angered you. Please be patient with this one!"

The Azure Ghost chuckled, clearly amused by Yuan's reaction. Waving his hand dismissively, he let out a lighthearted laugh.

"Angered? Hardly. I simply wanted to wake you up, and I succeeded. That's all there is to it. Now then, let's move on,there is much to do before we face the next trial!"

Hearing that they had other matters to attend to before the trial, Yuan tilted his head in confusion.

"Senior, what other things must we do?" he asked, curiosity shining in his eyes.

The Azure Ghost smirked, his voice carrying an air of authority.

"Oh, nothing too difficult,just ensuring that you don't meet an untimely end the moment you step into the next trial. You see, the next trial is always focused on either combat or survival. You might have to flee from a powerful beast, battle one directly, or survive in an environment teeming with monsters. The problem is…" The ghost's smirk deepened. "You are far too weak."

Yuan's excitement dimmed slightly at those words, but the Azure Ghost continued.

"Right now, you are helpless in the face of true power. If you encounter a beast beyond your strength, no plan in the world will save you. Against absolute power, cleverness alone is useless. That's why before we move on, we need to fix that weakness of yours."

Hearing those words, Yuan's earlier confusion was replaced with excitement.

"Senior! Does that mean… I will become stronger?" he asked, his eyes lighting up with anticipation.

The Azure Ghost let out a knowing chuckle.

"Hehe, look at you. The moment I mention training, your excitement flares up instantly. Well, I was the same when I first learned my first martial technique." The ghost's expression turned thoughtful. "However, we don't have much time for true training. I can't teach you fist or sword techniques,fist techniques require time to temper the body, and you don't have a sword to practice with. Even if we tried using the Green Royal Key as a weapon, it wouldn't work."

The ghost folded his arms before continuing.

"So instead, we will focus on something far more important,fleeing. Running away is the most crucial skill for survival. No matter how strong an opponent is, if you can escape, you live to fight another day. And as luck would have it, you have encountered me, a master of survival."

The Azure Ghost's tone shifted to one of pride and arrogance, his azure flames flickering like an amused grin.

"Heaven itself must have blessed you, child. Because under my guidance, you will learn the finest methods of survival,methods that have saved me from countless life and death situations. By the time I'm done with you, no beast, no cultivator, and no force in this world will be able to catch you easily!"

"Heh, disappointed, aren't we?" The Azure Ghost chuckled, a mischievous glint flickering in his spectral eyes. "Hehehe… You think fleeing is weak? Let me tell you a little story, boy."

His voice grew lower, his tone filled with dark amusement.

"Once, I found myself surrounded by ten cultivators, all stronger than me at the time. They thought they had me cornered. In the end, only six of them walked away."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.

"Yes, I killed four of them… and used that opportunity to escape."

Yuan's breath hitched. Four? Against ten opponents stronger than him?

The Azure Ghost's flames flickered as he continued.

"Do you want to know how I did it?"

His grin widened.

"I laid traps. Everywhere. These arrogant fools were so sure of their victory, they didn't even consider the possibility of a scheme. One of them fell first,dead in an instant. The others? They were enraged, blinded by fury, rushing toward me like wild beasts."

His flickering form crackled as he relived the moment.

"But, do you know what happened next? Just when they thought they had me cornered,I had something prepared."

The Azure Ghost laughed, his amusement growing.

"Hehe… I lured them into a perfect trap! They were so focused on me, so obsessed with revenge, that they failed to notice what lay ahead. In their moment of hesitation,I struck."

He raised a hand, mimicking the motion of a deadly blow.

"Three more fell. Their corpses still warm. But I didn't stay to enjoy the moment,I had no reason to. Because while I escaped, they had much bigger problems than me. You see, in my desperation, I had guided them toward something far worse than death…

A slow, eerie chuckle escaped his lips.

"A Demonic Beast."

Yuan's body stiffened.

The Azure Ghost leaned in slightly.

"A beast so powerful it could erase them with a single swing. While they panicked, I ran. But that wasn't all… I had made sure of something."

He smirked.

"I left behind a treasure,one rare enough to tempt both man and beast alike. You see, this particular treasure gave off a scent irresistible to both cultivators and Demonic Beasts."

Yuan's eyes widened as realization dawned.

"They didn't just have to fight the beast… they had to fight their own greed."

The Azure Ghost laughed again, shaking his head.

"In the end, I don't know how many survived. But I do know one thing… I was long gone by then."

Yuan was stunned.

A single man, outnumbered and outmatched, not only survived but slaughtered four of his pursuers and left the rest to their doom?

It was beyond shocking,it was terrifying.

And the Azure Ghost wasn't done yet.

"Hehe, now, boy, do you want to know the key to my escape?"

Yuan swallowed hard, then nodded.

The Azure Ghost's flames flared proudly.

"I used a very special technique. A movement technique unlike any other,one that I created myself!"

He stretched out a hand, his form flickering with excitement.

"This technique is called Azure Dragon Steps. A unique art crafted by none other than me! It is a movement technique that allows for absolute speed and deception. And the best part? Even without purified blood or spiritual energy, the first step can still be used!"

Yuan's heart pounded as the Azure Ghost spoke the name of the first step.

"The first step,Wingless Dragon!"

"Azure Dragon Steps, first step,Wingless Dragon…"

Repeating the words of the Azure Ghost, Yuan felt a surge of excitement flood his mind. A technique with "Dragon" in its name,how could he not be fascinated by it?

Seeing Yuan's eager expression, the Azure Ghost's mood visibly improved. His flickering form crackled with energy, and his voice carried a hint of pride.

"But that's just the beginning! The first step is merely a foundation. The real brilliance of this technique lies in its later steps!"

His azure flames flared, his voice filled with conviction.

"The second step,Bone Dragon Step! The third,Illusioned Dragon Step! The fourth,Winged Dragon Step! And finally, the fifth and last step,True Dragon Step!"

Each name carried a weight, a promise of unfathomable speed and power. Yuan's breath hitched as the Azure Ghost continued.

"Each step surpasses the last. If you master this technique completely and can execute the True Dragon Step, you will move with the speed of a dragon itself!"

The ghost paused, his tone deepening.

"But what truly makes the Azure Dragon Steps unique is its adaptability. This technique is crafted in a way that allows the user to utilize external spiritual energy,through spirit stones or other sources,rather than relying solely on their own."

Yuan's eyes widened.

"Of course," the ghost continued, "the higher the step, the greater the price. The Bone Dragon Step alone demands an immense amount of energy, making it nearly impossible to sustain for long. But it is possible."

The ghost's flames flickered, a knowing grin spreading across his face.

"Now, you might be wondering… if we don't have spirit stones or access to a stable energy source, why am I even teaching you this?"

He chuckled.

"Well, normally, I could grant you temporary spiritual energy to practice, but that energy would vanish the moment the fourth trial begins. However…" The ghost raised a flickering hand, revealing a familiar object.

"The heavens have favored us, for we have the Green Royal Key."

Yuan's excitement surged.

"The Green Royal Key isn't just a key to the Royal Chamber of the Crowned Ghost Prince. It still holds a small amount of spiritual energy,energy that wasn't fully used when cleansing your senses. And that, my young friend, means you can use the Azure Dragon Steps!"

The realization hit Yuan like a thunderclap.

He could use it.

He could truly wield a technique that allowed him to move like a dragon!

Yuan's heart pounded as his face lit up with sheer exhilaration.

"Senior! This child is beyond honored to learn the legendary Azure Dragon Steps! No matter the cost, I will dedicate myself to mastering this technique!"

Dropping to one knee, his voice rang with unwavering determination.

"Please, Senior! Teach me the Azure Dragon Steps!"

The Azure Ghost burst into laughter, his flames dancing with amusement.

"Hehehe… No need to beg, child. I will teach you the Azure Dragon Steps freely, without condition!"

He lifted his hand, the azure flames flaring like a beacon.

"Now, listen carefully… and prepare yourself!"