Eternity Starts From His Seed

Underground Prison.

In multiple cells, a cadre of men cultivated relentlessly, their laughter and banter reverberating against the sandstone walls.

Seated at a rickety table bathed in flickering candlelight, two guards savored gulps of wine, engaged in animated conversation.

“Hey, the cold season is almost here. Those mortals should be shamelessly offering themselves again… have you heard which district the boss is eyeing next for our harvest?”

“Not sure, but I saw a promising one in the new batch of servants the Collectors brought back. Maybe boss will bring us to the fourth district once these goods flow out to the-”

Abruptly, the dungeon door emitted a protesting squeak, and Bubai entered, drawing the attention of the drunken pair.

One of them squinted, his gaze fixed on the unexpected visitor’s face. "Huh, never seen you around here? Are you new?"

Circulating some Qi, the men gradually began to sober up, but before they could gather their wits, Bubai vanished like a phantom, arriving at their side!

In a sudden and brutal display, a fist forceful connected with each of their temples, causing their eyes to roll back as they crumpled to the ground.

Thump. Thud.

Despite the commotion, the other laboring men in the cells remained oblivious, the noises from their cultivation drowning out the alert from their fellow guards.

Observing this, Bubai shook his head in disappointment. Even loose cultivators were more vigilant than these fellas.

Moving forward along the narrow path wounding its way between the cramped cells, barely allowing two men to stand shoulder to shoulder, Bubai’s eyes scanned the dismal scene of the female inmates enduring squalor on rush mats, some sobbing, others dully staring into space.

The air was thick with the nauseating blend of fishy odors and rancid oil, causing Bubai to wrinkle his nose in distaste, quickening his pace.

Halting before a cell door where two men worked together to double their dual cultivation’s impact, Bubai seized the iron bars. With a powerful tug, he effortlessly ripped the door from its hinges.

The loud metallic screech of the displaced door finally seized the attention of the working duo.

They glanced over, one of the instinctively asking, "Huh, who are you?"

Seriously, can’t these side characters come up with a better line?

With a tap of his foot, Bubai closed the distance, and a powerful fist collided with the man’s face, shattering his nose and sending him smashing into the cell’s sandstone wall.

“You- enemy att-”

With a backhand, Bubai's hands transformed into lethal claws, leaving afterimages as it seized the other man by the head, slamming him against the prison cell's bars. Dong!

As the defeated figure gradually slumped over, Bubai looked up. The other prison guards had finally stirred.

They hastily pulled on their pants and grabbed their batons, their disgruntled yells echoing in the prison.

“Actually dared to come mess with our Flower Picking Gang! Seeking death!”

“How did he get in?! What are those cursed fools doing above?!”

“Go! Go! Go! Get him, don’t let him escape!”

Stepping out from the dismantled cell, Bubai observed the agitated men emerging from their cells, clear aggression in their advancing strides as they squeezed over.

Unfazed, Bubai positioned himself right at the center of the narrow path, effectively blocking their only way out.

“Twerp, let grandpa teach you a lesson for ruining grandpa’s good deed!”

The first guard lunged forward, his baton aimed for a swift strike!

Whoosh! A simple sidestep let the baton greet air, and Bubai’s hand snaked toward the man’s wrist in retaliation.

With a strong tug, the guard was destabilized and fell forward.

“Wha-” Fluidly pivoting his body around, Bubai’s elbow drew an arc and slammed down right into the man’s head! Bam! K.O.

As the man’s body slowly toppled over, Bubai’s vision flitted over to another baton sweeping toward his head, tilting his head ever so slightly, observing the club barely grazing his ear.

Clang! The baton connected with the prison bars, rebounding due to the force of the impact!

Not giving its owner a second chance to swing it, Bubai’s claws gripped the rebounding baton. Weapon acquired.

With a kick, Bubai sent its owner launching backward, smashing into the two incoming guards behind him!

“Your ancestor!” “Get out of my way!”

While the cursing guards were busy with the obstacle thrown their way, the baton in Bubai’s hand didn’t stay for long.

Fwoosh! Like a boomerang, the stick spun through the air, narrowing drilling in between the clumped trio and accurately striking the head of a Qi-circulating guard chilling at the back! “Oof-”

Sorry, ranged attacks are banned.

Mirroring its victim, the baton soon clattered to the hard, sandy floor, and this was the signal for the trio who had stabilized themselves.

“Charge!” “Kill this piece of trash!” “Arghhhh! Die!”

Keeping a stable stance, Bubai stepped forward to meet his foes. Fists and batons instantly collided!

Snap! Unexpectedly, the batons splintered into two pieces! The shocked expression was then fixated on their owners’ faces by a choreographed sequence of fists.

Left. Right. Left. Hah!

The rhythmic blows left the prison bars ring as victims planted their faces against them. Yet, this didn’t deter the third man.

“Arghhh! Take this!” Bubai sensed the Qi bursting forth from the third guard’s hand! “Golden Sand Palm!”

Block! Oom! A breeze ruffled his robe… But the attack failed to break through his body’s inner layer of Qi defense – an innate ability of every Foundation Establishment realm physique!

“Huh?!” The guard was shocked, but he didn’t get a chance to think further.

Upper cut- Bam! Nice try, buddy.

"No effect?! No- h-he’s not a Qi-refiner! Call for rein-" shouted another panicked guard, but before the words could fully escape his lips, a powerful roundhouse kick sent him slamming into the cell bars.

In the oppressive stillness that followed, only one guard remained standing, his back pressed against the unforgiving sandstone wall at the end of the corridor.

Seeing the end of his fellow disciples and smelling the metallic tang of blood saturating the air, the final, trembling guard dropped to his knees, kowtowing with clenched fists, “Little one have eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai, please spare me my lord!”

Bubai, indifferent to the surrender, advanced with measured steps, each footfall echoing in the guard’s ears.

Just when Bubai arrived before him, the guard suddenly threw his hand upwards, playing out his last desperate gambit!

"Hah! Got you-" His defiant shout was abruptly silenced by a lethal claw that seized his half-raised wrist in a vice-like grip, and with a twist-

A sickening crack reverberated through the prison, followed by the guard's agonized screams. “Ahhhh!”

Accompanying his scream, reddish powder, like cascading sand, flowed from the guard's mangled hand…

Burning Balm – an itch-inducing drug.

Though the effects were reduced against Foundation Establishment cultivators, it would still be an annoyance if he gets contaminated. Needless to say, the effects on the poor man’s hands...

Merlin’s beard. Truly ruthless.

Even insignificant minions like these can't be underestimated in a world of cultivators. Without proper awareness, dealing with their dirty tricks can be more challenging than spells and talisman.

Too bad divine sense was a part of his kit.

Lifting his legs, Bubai’s knee swiftly connected with the man's face, a brutal impact that sent the man's head snapping backward, colliding with the unyielding stone wall.

After spraying a mouthful of blood, the guard slumped to the side, drawing a gruesome, bloody trail on the wall.

Bubai pivoted on his heel, surveying the chaotic and blood-smeared aftermath.

Indeed, he was heavy-handed, even brutal, but he had already restrained himself, exercising control to leave them still alive and breathing.

He only came to plunder wealth, not lives.

After all, there was no deep-seated enmity between them… yet. So, he had no intention of needlessly escalating the conflict to a fatal extent.

However… since he was here, he decided to clean them all up.

In his eyes, they happened to be good practice dummies - stepping stones to hone his martial skills… there was no other reasons.

He wasn’t a holy saint. Opening doors was a just a matter of convenience...

Bubai’s claws ripped off the last lock, allowing it to clatter to the ground. With the metallic sound of freedom reverberating in the prison, Bubai indifferently walked toward the exit of the dungeon without looking back.

He wasn’t wearing a green jumpsuit, but the core of his growth was inherently green.

Now, the gate of life had been opened, but what happens after… will depend on the controller of the sands in this particular stretch of the desert.

Ascending the sandstone steps, Bubai retraced his path to the first floor.

Immediately appearing in his vision was the gang's leader, wrapped up by ropes like a dumpling. The poor bloke still seemed to be knocked out cold and was slumping against the wall next to the metal trapdoor he had torn off.

Approaching the unconscious figure, Bubai’s fingers skillfully gave the acupuncture point on the man's neck another strike.

Late-stage Qi-refiners tend to be more resistance against drugs and recovers faster from conventional incapacitation methods. If the man regains consciousness, a mere rope can’t detain him for long.

So, it was best to ensure the continuation of his good night’s sleep, lest he wakes up and attempts to escape.

Of course, it’ll be a miracle if he could escape under his divine sense.

“Well, let’s make this quick.” Hoisting the gang leader over his shoulder, Bubai proceeded toward the base’s entrance.

Blatantly stepping out into the open, his sudden appearance naturally drew the attention of the gangsters loitering outside.

Greeting him was a face contorted into a mocking expression. “Ahh? Who do we have here? A scrawny idiot acting tough by painting a couple of lines on his face?”

Between the two was a burly man, the vicissitudes of experience visible as he warily squinted his eyes, “Don’t remember seeing that face around. Newcomer?”

“Probably.” The third one had lust clearly visible on his face, “Oi, that a lady you carrying? Newcomers can’t enjoy special night activities. Did you bring her out for us to enjoy? Well, put her down. Let me-”

Mid-sentence, his words were abruptly stifled when Bubai tossed his baggage to the ground.

The body's thud against the ground silenced the gangsters, their expressions shifting from jesting to bewilderment, gradually becoming pale when they recognized the bloody face of their leader.

Bubai twisted his neck back and forth, emitting slight cracks.

Grinning, he punched his fists together in a foreboding manner. They came to kick his stall, so now...

"Yo. I came to kick your house."