Lu Ye finds himself cornered in the dark tunnel by Manager Yang, who intends to kill him to keep his hiding spot secret. Knowing he cannot win a direct clash against a cultivator, Lu Ye leverages his knowledge of the mine's geography, leading Yang into a chamber packed with origin magnetic ore. The invisible force field instantly cripples Yang's spirit force, dragging the cultivator down to a mortal's level. Lu Ye acts with absolute ruthlessness, swinging his pickaxe to shatter Yang's arm and cave in his skull. Despite taking a deep sword wound to his thigh, Lu Ye survives and loots Yang's storage sack. This desperate victory yields his first cultivation manual, the Golden Cicada Carefree Method, and a strange red ore that awakens his Shadow Tree, forcing open his first spiritual orifice and leaving him with the powerful Sharpness spirit rune. The physical toll is immense, but the true danger lies in the aftermath. Lu Ye must now heal his wounds in the dark, learn to control his newly awakened spirit force, and find a way to escape the collapsing mine before other desperate cultivators find him. He spends days in isolation, consuming the looted pills and testing his new Sharpness rune on the stone walls, only to realize that using it drains his energy completely and damages his flesh. When he finally tries to leave, he is forced to put his new lethal skill to the test against another surviving cultivator, Zhou Cheng. By imbuing his sword with the Sharpness rune, Lu Ye shatters Zhou Cheng's weapon and cuts his throat, proving that his desperate gamble has turned him into a deadly force. Yet, as he stands over the corpse, he is confronted by a mysterious, powerful elder who has appeared silently behind him.

After escaping the mines, Lu Ye must verify his identity and undergo the talent test administered by the victorious Haotian Alliance. Sitting on the testing array, he watches in disappointment as only a single leaf sprouts on the bald saplings, marking him with the abysmal Yiye talent. The recruiters lose all interest in him, but Lu Ye refuses to despair. He pays the greedy but knowledgeable Pang Dahai with rare ores to secure crucial advice. Dahai tells him to set his expectations to the absolute bottom and make only one choice. Lu Ye trusts this guidance, bypasses the prestigious sects, and selects only the ninth-grade Righteous Blood Sect. This bold, single-choice strategy activates a hidden alliance rule, forcing the reluctant Sect Master Tang Yifeng to accept him and saving Lu Ye from being discarded as a talentless commoner. This strategic maneuver highlights Lu Ye's pragmatic approach to survival, proving that knowledge of the system is just as valuable as raw power. While the other rescued slaves celebrate their acceptance into higher-grade sects, Lu Ye is left to contemplate his choice, knowing that the Righteous Blood Sect is in deep decline and has not accepted a disciple in thirty years. He is soon left alone as the other cultivators depart, waiting in the quiet valley for his new master to claim him. When Tang Yifeng finally appears, he reveals that the path ahead will not be easy, as the sect's low status hides a dark history of suppression by powerful enemies. Lu Ye must prepare himself for a hard life of cultivation under a master who is far more than he seems, setting the stage for a journey where every step must be earned through blood and sweat.

Sect Master Tang Yifeng takes Lu Ye aboard a Flying Dragon Ship, guiding his spirit force to locate his second spiritual orifice and providing genuine Spirit-Nurturing Pills. Lu Ye's cultivation accelerates rapidly, but their peaceful journey is shattered when three Divine Sea Realm assassins ambush their carriage. Tang Yifeng reveals his true nature as a powerful physique cultivator and fights back, but he knows Lu Ye cannot survive the collateral damage. To save his new disciple, Tang Yifeng sprays his own blood onto the sect's big seal, stamps the mark onto the back of Lu Ye's hand, and activates a hidden teleportation pillar. Lu Ye is flung into the perilous Spirit Stream battlefield, leaving his master behind to face a deadly struggle. This violent transition thrusts Lu Ye from a protected disciple into a lone survivor in a brutal warzone. The sudden shift in environment forces him to adapt instantly, as he is dropped into a wilderness populated by hostile beasts and ruthless rival cultivators. He wakes up with a burning mark on his hand, a symbol of his official discipleship but also a target on his back. With no master to guide him and no safe haven to retreat to, Lu Ye must rely entirely on his own resources, his newly opened spiritual orifices, and the mysterious power of the sect seal to navigate this deadly new environment. The tension of his master's fate hangs over him, driving him to grow stronger as quickly as possible so he can one day return and uncover the truth behind the ambush.

Lu Ye lands in the brutal Spirit Stream battlefield, where he forms an alliance with the tiger Amber and the spirit girl Yiyi. He uses his unique ability to apply the Sharpness rune to his weapons, killing rival Nine Stars Sect cultivators and earning valuable merit points. However, his deadly reputation as the mountain tiger draws the attention of Dong Shuye, a powerful Level 7 cultivator. Dong Shuye pursues him relentlessly across a barren plain, launching a devastating fire spell that leaves Lu Ye severely burned and unconscious. Amber carries him to safety, where he is rescued by Hua Ci, a skilled healer leading the Independent Wanderers Society. Safe in her care, Lu Ye begins to heal his wounds and resumes his rapid cultivation, preparing for the inevitable clashes ahead. This narrow escape teaches Lu Ye the limits of his current strength, showing him that even with his powerful spirit runes and beast allies, he is still vulnerable to the overwhelming power of higher-level cultivators. His time with the Independent Wanderers Society provides a brief respite, allowing him to observe the dynamics of independent cultivators who must band together to survive. Under Hua Ci's gentle but firm care, he discovers that his blood Qi is unusually abundant, allowing his body to heal at an unnatural speed. As he recovers, he continues to consume his remaining pills, pushing his cultivation to new heights. The looming threat of the Nine Stars Sect and the ongoing faction war ensure that this peace is temporary, and Lu Ye must use every second to prepare for the next battle.