Chapter 4

"Helping me recover and breaking the seal is actually quite simple. You just need to find enough heavenly treasures or inner cores of beasts with the five elements attributes—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—for me to devour and absorb. Only then can my injuries gradually heal, and with strength, I can gradually break the seal and obtain the cultivation techniques recorded in the *Pangu Heavenly Book* to teach you," the spirit of the artifact explained in detail.

"Is it that simple?" Lu Tianyu was taken aback. On the Divine Wasteland Continent, he knew of many things with the five elements attributes. In the Lu Family Manor, there were quite a few such heavenly treasures and beasts.

"It can be simple, but it can also be difficult. To heal the injuries I have suffered, ordinary treasures won't do; they must be supreme treasures. Moreover, the seal on my body can only be gradually broken. The further along it gets, the stronger it becomes. In the end, to break it, I might need to devour heavenly-grade treasures with the five elements attributes. This is something that the low-grade treasures in your small Lu Family Manor cannot achieve," the spirit of the artifact, as if able to see through Lu Tianyu's thoughts, explained.

"Uh... Senior Spirit, then this junior is powerless. Heavenly-grade treasures are merely legendary. How could I obtain them?" Lu Tianyu said somewhat dejectedly.

Lu Tianyu had learned to read and write from a young age with his mother. When his father was alive, he had once read a secret manual that his father brought out from the Lu Family Manor's library. It recorded that the heavenly treasures on the continent were divided into four grades: Heavenly, Earthly, Profound, and Yellow. Heavenly-grade treasures were only legendary, and even in the Lu Family Manor's treasure room, the highest grade was Yellow. Obtaining a Heavenly-grade treasure was no easy task.

Moreover, beasts, like humans, could absorb the essence of heaven and earth to cultivate. The higher the grade of the beast, the stronger its power. For the current Lu Tianyu to kill a beast and take its core was like lighting a lamp in a toilet—courting death.

Therefore, after much thought, Lu Tianyu had no confidence at all, feeling that this matter was too difficult.

"Junior, why are you so lacking in ambition? You can't obtain them now, but that doesn't mean you can't in the future. Moreover, things must be done step by step. Don't be unrealistic and expect to achieve everything at once. First, help me obtain some low-grade Yellow treasures to restore some of my vitality. Then I can break a small part of the outer seal of the *Pangu Heavenly Book* and obtain some simple cultivation techniques to teach you. As your strength gradually increases, you will be able to obtain higher-grade treasures in the future," the spirit of the artifact scolded, frustrated by Lu Tianyu's lack of resolve.

"Senior, I understand. I will remember your advice," Lu Tianyu nodded, feeling ashamed. He secretly muttered to himself that even Yellow-grade treasures were considered top-tier in the Lu Family Manor, treated as precious treasures, and not easily obtained, let alone the higher-grade Profound, Earthly, and Heavenly treasures.

But this thought, Lu Tianyu could only keep to himself. He understood a principle: there was no such thing as a free lunch. To obtain cultivation techniques and become stronger, one had to pay a price.

No matter how difficult it was, to become stronger, he had to try.

"By the way, Senior Spirit, why has my strength suddenly increased? And why am I moving much faster than before? What's going on?" Lu Tianyu, recalling the various unusual phenomena earlier, asked in confusion.

"Junior, I already told you before. I used the energy from the two beasts' self-destruction to break the seal in your body and also improved your physique. Finally, I left the two water and fire attribute energies in your body. However, because you haven't mastered any cultivation techniques yet, you can't fully absorb these two energies. Only when you master cultivation techniques in the future can you gradually digest and absorb them, making them your own. For now, your body is just stronger than an ordinary person's, and your strength is greater, but you have no other advantages. Don't be complacent; always remain vigilant and low-key to avoid exposing the fact that you possess the *Pangu Heavenly Book* and inviting a deadly disaster," the spirit of the artifact warned again.

"I remember, thank you for the reminder, Senior Spirit," Lu Tianyu said, almost breaking out in a cold sweat. He had thought he was different and stronger than before. After returning to the Lu Family Manor, he had planned to teach Lu Tianci and his lackeys a lesson, but after hearing the spirit of the artifact's words, it was like a sudden enlightenment. He realized that he had no right to challenge Lu Tianci, or he might not even know how he would die.

Therefore, after returning, he must act low-key and not reveal that the seal on his body has been broken until his strength is sufficient to avoid drawing the attention of those who once harmed him and being ruthlessly eliminated.

"Don't call me Senior Spirit anymore. In the past, the great god Pangu bestowed me with the name Dao Gu. From now on, call me Senior Dao Gu. Also, I must tell you that I have already absorbed part of the energy from the two beasts' self-destruction, so I now have some water and fire attribute energies. You just need to find some metal, wood, and earth attribute heavenly treasures or beast cores to temporarily complete my five elements and restore some of my vitality. This will allow me to break the outer seal of the *Pangu Heavenly Book* and obtain some low-grade cultivation techniques suitable for your current level," the spirit of the artifact, seeing Lu Tianyu lost in thought, slowly explained, clarifying some matters.

"Understood, I will remember," Lu Tianyu nodded, stood up, and began to look for a way out.

Although he had no status in the Lu Family Manor and often suffered bullying from Lu Tianci and the manor's evil servants, Lu Tianyu had to return because his mother was still suffering in the Lu Family Manor.

If not for his concern for his mother, Lu Tianyu would never have returned after escaping death this time.

The next noon, the ragged Lu Tianyu finally climbed up the cliff after a near-death experience and stumbled towards the direction of Lu Family Town.

If not for the help of the *Pangu Heavenly Book* spirit, Dao Gu, and the improvement of his physique, the previously weak Lu Tianyu would have been unable to climb the cliff. However, he was now covered in external injuries, and his coarse blue robe was torn into strips, making him look extremely ragged.

But in Lu Tianyu's eyes, a fierce light flickered, and deep in his pupils, a flame of defiance seemed to burn. He was returning to seek revenge.

Walking on the stone-paved streets of Lu Family Town, countless passersby cast strange glances at Lu Tianyu. Upon recognizing him as the famous waste of the Lu Family Manor, some sympathetic people sighed inwardly, feeling sorry for his situation, while others looked at him with disdain.

Lu Tianyu ignored all of this, lowered his head, and took large steps towards the Lu Family Manor.

The Lu Family Manor was located in the center of Lu Family Town, consisting of numerous ancient and grand buildings, clearly distinct from the low buildings in the town.

The old master of the Lu Family Manor, Lu Tianyu's grandfather, was the guardian of Lu Family Town. In this remote town, the old master was like a local emperor, and his word was law. Everyone in the town dared not disobey, so the buildings of the Lu Family Manor were extremely luxurious, resembling an imperial palace.

Lu Tianyu headed straight for the back gate of the Lu Family Manor. Since he and his mother were sent to the back courtyard by his third uncle, he had lost the right to enter the manor through the front gate. Once, he had tried to enter through the front gate due to an emergency, but was caught by Lu Tianci, who immediately ordered a group of evil servants to beat him half to death and threatened to break his legs if he ever tried to enter through the front gate again.

Lu Tianyu could only endure all of this now because he couldn't afford to provoke the current Lu Tianci.

"Stop! Who are you? How dare you intrude on the Lu Family Manor?" At the back gate, two burly men were guarding. Seeing the ragged and dusty Lu Tianyu trying to enter, one of them stepped forward and blocked his way.

"I am Lu Tianyu. Please let me in," Lu Tianyu had to state his name.

"Ah, it's you, the waste. I ask you, young master Lu, what happened to you? Why do you look like a beggar? Are you starving and deliberately dressing like this to beg for food?" The guard mocked him cruelly.

"Move!" Lu Tianyu felt a surge of anger. He wanted to lash out and slap this dog slave, but remembering Senior Dao Gu's advice, he forced down his anger and glared at the guard with a dark face.

"Ha, I never thought the waste would get angry. That's really new. Young master Lu, what can you do if I don't let you in?" The guard continued to taunt him.

"You..." Lu Tianyu's eyes blazed with fury, and he stared at the guard, almost ready to explode. His right fist clenched tightly, making a cracking sound.

"What, you, you waste, thinking of using force?" The guard, who had reached the late-stage Martial Disciple level, continued to speak sarcastically, not taking Lu Tianyu seriously.

"Old Three, don't be too harsh. Let him in," the other guard, unable to bear it, spoke up.

"Damn, if you want to enter, you need to be polite. You waste, next time when young master Tianci orders me to act, I'll give you a good beating. Still glaring? I'll gouge out your eyes and feed them to the dogs," the guard, emboldened by Lu Tianci's support, shouted angrily but moved aside.

Lu Tianyu was filled with rage but ultimately gritted his teeth and lowered his head, stepping into the back courtyard.

Before he was strong enough, he had to endure all the humiliation.

"Old Three, I remember you," Lu Tianyu turned and glared fiercely at the evil slave, Lu Lao San, muttering to himself. He then turned and quickly walked towards his small courtyard.

Feeling the icy cold gaze of Lu Tianyu, Lu Lao San shivered involuntarily, sensing that this young master of waste seemed different from before.

But then, Lu Lao San coldly laughed. What could a cold gaze do? This young master of waste was born without a spiritual root and could not cultivate, destined to be a waste for life, never able to hold his head high in the Lu Family Manor. As long as he flattered young master Tianci, he had nothing to fear from this waste.