Chapter 1107: The Enforcer |
The young man's expression turned serious. The Elemental Tide was a new phenomenon entirely; it had only happened once before. That time, a human had awakened to fire, showing astonishing talent and affinity. But perhaps due to absorbing too much elemental energy, his body had suffered damage and he had become unable to cultivate.
Yet in the next moment, the young man's concern turned into surprise. The towering waterspout did not surge upward into the sky, but instead curved, drawing a graceful arc as it moved toward the shore.
As it neared, they could clearly see that the waterspout was made up of two colors: green and red.
When it landed on shore, it instantly dispersed, revealing a dazed little girl surrounded by a soft two-colored aura. The glow around her condensed into a small cloud, also red and green, which floated behind her head.
"Is that… dual affinity? Control over both fire and wind? This is amazing! It's a divine blessing!"
***
Bathed in golden light, Ling Mian felt as if he had once more become a little baby, held tightly by a pair of warm arms. Was this what a mother's touch felt like? The radiance was gently caressing and comforting his body. A warm current enveloped him completely, and it felt like something inside him was awakening and ascending.
His eyes turned golden, and his black hair fluttered despite the still air. His handsome young face was tense with nervousness, but also excitement. He didn't know what this power was, but he could sense that it was a great power, and it was becoming his.
Warm energy surged into his body like a great river into the sea. He felt it course through his veins, following the flow of his blood toward his left hand.
"Ah!" He gasped softly, unable to resist glancing down.
In his palm lay a thin booklet with a dark-golden cover. The moment he saw it, a wave of deep resonance struck his mind; it felt as if the book had always been part of him. It almost felt as if he were looking at a record of his own life.
On the cover, a single brilliant golden word glowed: Enforcer.
What… what is this? Did I succeed?
Just then, a gentle sigh echoed through the air.
"Finally, someone…. Hmm… I didn't expect the success rate for the Codex to be this low. It seems exceptional talent is required. I'll need to lower the threshold next time. If not everyone can reach the pinnacle, they should at least gain some ability to protect themselves. I must continue refining it."
Ling Mian looked up, puzzled. The thick book still hovered in the air. To his surprise, even though the book was just as far away and the light around it was just as strong, he could now see a silver feather embossed into the cover and even read the words written on it. Had his vision improved?
The Book of All Laws….
"Child, you are the first human to inherit the Codex of Divine Grace. From today onward, you are an Enforcer. In the future, you will use your strength to uphold and protect order for humanity. Will you accept this duty?"
"Yes! Thank you!" Ling Mian's heart swelled with joy. I really have power now? I'm the first? That must mean it's strong!
Suddenly, he felt something exploding in his mind, while the small booklet in his hand began to glow.
The cover opened, revealing a blank page made of something that looked like paper but shone with a strange metallic sheen.
Then, a torrent of knowledge poured into him—how to cultivate using the Codex, how to meditate, how to activate it, how to imprint powers… It was simply overwhelming, so much information that his mind grew dazed.
"I cannot guide you directly," the voice continued. "But I've etched the knowledge of the Codex into your mind. As you grow, you'll come to understand its secrets. And as the first disciple of this path, you must not only cultivate yourself, but teach the others who will follow. To celebrate that, I will grant you a divine gift: your first Codex ability. It will protect you and help you grow as you should."
The blank page rippled as the golden light of the Book of All Laws poured into it. Gradually, the light formed an image: a long sword with a golden blade and black fittings, surrounded by flowing patterns of light. Just looking at it gave Ling Mian a sense of awe and mystery.
"I grant you the Sword of Time and Space. It is a sword of judgment; those who have ill intentions will fall under its blade. This will be your sword in the future. But remember one thing: If your heart ever strays from the right path, it will judge you in turn, and cut you down all the same."
"Yes! Thank you, Master!" In awe, Ling Mian knelt down with the Codex in his hands, offering a reverent bow.
At that moment, the same clear voice echoed across the valley. "Testing is suspended. We will continue after adjustments."
***
Tang San looked down at the Book of All Laws in his hand. Over the past days, he had been tirelessly refining and adjusting the cultivation system he had created. He had named it the Codex of Divine Grace.
Only humans aligned with the principles of order could learn it. It was practically a smaller version of the Book of All Laws, and those who qualified to receive one could record and use various abilities. In creating this, Tang San had drawn not only from the Human Emperor's legacy, but also from his own Mysterious Heaven Technique—specifically its ability to condense bloodline power into bloodline imprints. It had taken a lot of work to bring everything together, but in the end, he had succeeded.
What he hadn't expected was for the system requirements to be so strict. To be compatible with the Codex of Divine Grace, one needed talent, affinity, and more importantly, a matching temperament. Of course, many people would fail to resonate with any given method of cultivation, but in this case, "many" really meant 99.9 percent. In three days, more than a thousand people had been tested, yet only a single one had succeeded.
Such a low success rate was clearly a problem. Even if a few could succeed, it wasn't enough to uplift the whole human race.
The Codex was simply too demanding.
How can I make this more accessible? I need more people to be able to resonate with it… Tang San pondered deeply. This wasn't something that could be solved overnight.
"Don't be too hard on yourself," Mei Gongzi said gently. "Someone inherited it. That alone is a good beginning. Your Book of All Laws encompasses just too many things now. It's no wonder it's hard to inherit. It's not that our people lack talent; your Codex is just too powerful."
Tang San's eyes lit up. "Too powerful… I see."
He pulled Mei Gongzi into his arms and kissed her cheek. "You really are my clever treasure."
Mei Gongzi gave him a playful punch but nestled closer. "So, what are you thinking?"
Tang San smiled. "If the entire thing is too powerful, then I'll break it down. Split it into different branches. That way, more people can find something that fits them. I'll also create a step-by-step progression. Those who can advance, will advance; those who can't will at least gain some measure of basic strength. They may not become top warriors, but they'll still be valuable contributors to our people. I need to sort it out carefully, but it should work."
Mei Gongzi couldn't help but sigh in admiration. "You're incredible. To create an entirely new path of cultivation from scratch, and in such a short time… It's almost unimaginable. The Elemental Seas are going great too. Actually, I noticed earlier that the four basic elements are beginning to blend. I think new elements will appear soon enough."
Tang San grinned. "Of course. Can't have Big Sis Mei losing face."
Mei Gongzi laughed brightly. "Now that's more like it."
Tang San nodded. "Anyway, I have the direction now. What I need is a bit of time. The problem is, I've been away from the Blue Gold Tree clan too long, so I have to return and check on them. And after that… hehe. It will be time to depart."
Mei Gongzi's eyes sparkled, her cheeks flushed. "Then… I'll wait for you in Kali City."