When the voice rang out from the mountain, I was stunned into silence. The appearance of a youthful man in front of my eyes almost knocked me off my feet.

The apparition had the appearance of a young man in his twenties, with a mop of black hair that fell to his shoulders and amber eyes that sparkled with curiosity and life. He floated about an inch off the ground, looking down at me with annoyance.

He started digging about in one ear with his pinky finger, before pulling it out and flicking it at me. I felt a soft pang in my gut as whatever he'd done passed through me, but nothing came of it.

I had to assume this was the Nascent Soul Sage who built the Spring and Autumn Palace and this trial, but he looked younger than me. That was hard to reconcile, but he'd said he was considering how to judge my efforts, so clearly he was the arbiter of the Gate of Spring and Autumn.

"Apologies for disturbing your rest, senior," I replied with a bow, not wanting to offend the man who would be deciding how to reward my efforts.

He flicked a sleeve dismissively, before settling into a cross legged sitting position. He still floated in the air, making him seem like a mischievous buddha.

"You are the first to attempt this trial in two eras, but you have utterly failed. Yet, I cannot deny the results of your efforts. Even though the method you used was wrong, you managed to replicate the correct outcome. Truly strange. The technique you used, it is the Celestial Jade Emperor's Golden Vital Arts, yes? Are you one of his descendants?" the ancient youth asked me.

His question left me stumped. On the one hand I had learned the name of the miraculous technique the emperor used outside the Blossoming Heavens. That was a useful piece of information. However, would it be dangerous to admit my technique was self created?

I had no idea why healing arts weren't widespread in the outside world and if there was some sort of law being enforced by all the powerful cultivators or the emperor himself preventing it, I would be admitting to breaking it. In the end, I figured I wouldn't be able to hide much from a Nascent Soul Sage, even if it was only his apparition.

"No, I am not a descendant of the Celestial Jade Emperor. My healing technique was self created, based on the effects of my physique. I have to thank you for creating this trial, elder. It was frustrating, but my techniques and qi control have advanced in leaps and bounds through my efforts to pass the trial," I answered, telling him the whole truth.

Well, I left the part about my transmigration out, but I suspected it would be dangerous to admit that to anyone. It was the one secret I could never share.

"Oh? Self taught healing technique? That is magnificent. You are truly talented. However, it is a shame that you entered this trial. Clearly you are not suited for my Spring and Autumn Arts. Nonetheless, you still passed the first test, so I must reward you somehow. How about this," he suddenly slapped a fist against his palm and floated right in front of my face.

"Attempt the second and final trial of the Spring and Autumn Gate. If you pass, I have a perfect reward in mind. Even if you fail, I won't let you leave empty handed. After all, effort should be rewarded. What do you say, junior?"

I considered his offer briefly before deciding to accept. There was no downside. The ancient cultivator said he would reward me whether I succeeded or failed in the next trial, so there was no harm in giving it a go.

Worst case I would make more progress with my techniques and cultivation before failing. However, if I was able to find a path to success I would earn myself an even greater payout.

That was the reason I'd come to the Blossoming Heavens in the first place, after all. To find ancient and lost treasures.

"I will give the second trial a go, senior. Thank you for your kindness," I replied with a shallow bow. "I do have a few questions, if that's okay?" I added, wanting to clear up some of my doubts while I had access to a knowledgeable elder.

"Ask away. Whether or not I answer depends on your questions. There are certain things that cannot be shared to cultivators of your realm without exposing them to dangers they are not prepared to face," he replied with a neutral expression.

"First of all, who are you? Why did you build this place and how is it inside the Blossoming Heavens? You recognised the emperor's healing technique and he used it openly, but there are no other healing arts in the outside world. None that I have learned of, anyway. Why?" I unleashed a barrage of questions on him, but he listened without interrupting.

"Good questions. You are becoming aware of some of the truths of our world, but I cannot answer fully. I am the Spring and Autumn Sage, though you should already have known that," he replied, raising an eyebrow.

I nodded. I had known that because the black dragon had told me, but I couldn't be sure this youth in front of me was that lofty figure. The appearance didn't match.

"This Spring and Autumn Palace was where I resided during my life, along with all of my descendants. It upset them when my death approached and I decided to use it to leave these trials along with my inheritance. None of them showed affinity for my techniques so I didn't pass all of them along. As for how it came to be in the Blossoming Heavens, that is simply because I felt it was the most appropriate place to put it. Once one reaches a certain realm, you are able to interact with secret realms better. It's complicated. Is that sufficient?" he explained, leaving me with more questions than I had before.

Even so, I nodded and motioned for him to continue.

"Many of us old geezers did the same, leaving our inheritances in secret realms around the world. Plenty of them appear at the peak of the era, such as this Blossoming Heavens which marks the beginning of the era's golden age. I see you have Little Garden's token. You must have impressed him with your techniques. He rarely approved of the brats when we were alive," he continued.

I had to assume he meant the Garden Sage who had given me the object which led me through the Blossoming Heavens. To call a Nascent Soul Sage 'Little Garden'... I put it out of my mind, deciding to use more caution in my approach to this youth from now on.

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"He told me I had earned the right to his inheritance and forced the token on me. That was after he tried to kill me and my companions," I said, resisting the urge to scowl.

The youth burst into laughter, slapping his knees a few times. "Yeah, that sounds like him. Rambunctious little brat. In that case, I have another thing to give you along with your reward. Anyway, enough time wasting. Let me answer your final question before I send you into the final trial."

At that I perked up, eager to know the reasons behind the lack of healing arts in this world. It was something I'd been curious about since the very first day I arrived here in an unfamiliar body.

"Don't be too excited. I can't reveal much. The world itself has laws that restrict healing techniques on a fundamental level. The only reason the emperor can freely use them is that he was granted an exception from the will of the world. To be honest, I have no idea how you are able to do the same. It shouldn't be possible. The world itself should prevent you from performing them, yet I cannot refute the evidence in front of my eyes. I wish to see you grow, to see how you will shake this world's foundations." The sage's eyes took on an almost malicious sparkle as he spoke, staring at me with a hungry desire.

It was uncomfortable, but I was still reeling from the weight of the knowledge he'd just revealed. The world itself restricted healing techniques? Why?

It seemed so absurd as to be impossible, yet I wasn't qualified to call a sage a liar. Even though this was his apparition and he'd long since died, he was sure to have experienced more during his life than I would in a thousand lifetimes.

I thought back to the qi oath I'd made. Was that the reason I was an exception? Had the will of the world allowed me to practice healing techniques because of my promise?

Asking the Spring and Autumn Sage might clear up my confusion, but I wasn't sure whether to trust him with that secret just yet. "What about the qi healing technique? Everyone can use that freely," I asked.

"Yes. It isn't really healing, hence the world allows it. The qi healing technique is more… mechanical in nature. That's already telling you too much, but hopefully it clears up your doubts."

I nodded. It gave me a lot to think about as I moved forward. "One last question. You said I failed the trial on a technicality. What the hell was I supposed to do then?"

"Really? You still haven't figured it out? You are a bit slow, brat. Perhaps your mother dropped you on your head as a baby," he muttered, shaking his head. "The first trial pits the cultivator against the harshness of summer. They must understand the flow of the seasons and redirect the blistering heat into the gentle slumber of autumn. Understanding that principle is the first step to mastering my inheritance," the sage explained as if it was the simplest concept in the world.

It was just like an old monster to assume that everyone could understand such complex principles with the same ease that they did, forgetting that most didn't have the centuries of experience that had led them to that point. I didn't really get it, but maybe I would by the time I finished the second trial.

I already had an idea of what it might involve now, but I waited to let the sage explain. "I think I get it," I said instead, not wanting to disappoint him further or risk losing my rewards.

"Good. Even though you don't show much affinity, I am curious to see how you approach the next trial. Good luck, brat," he said with a flick of his sleeve.

The smooth cliff face suddenly started to rumble and shift. The entire mountain moved beneath me and in a few breath's time what was once an unassailable climb had turned into a gentle incline.

I had barely taken a single step when I felt a powerful force smack into the small of my back. I was launched upwards, flying through the clouds above at lightning speed. Before I knew it, I was at the summit.

A tiny ledge stood about two metres beneath the true peak of the mountain. I had landed on it at the end of my flight, coming to a surprisingly gentle stop despite the turbulent way I'd arrived there.

I felt my legs start to shake and my teeth began chattering soon after. Roaring winds howled all around me as a raging blizzard picked up. Snow and hail buffeted my face, gently at first but soon the hard hailstones left small bruises on my skin.

I was forced to erect a thin barrier of qi across my body in order to protect myself. The blizzard restricted my vision until I could only see a metre beyond the ledge in every direction.

The first trial was supposed to involve turning summer into autumn. This was clearly winter, so that meant the trial was to bring about spring?

As the sage himself had said, my affinity with his techniques was low. I had little comprehension of the seasons and how to integrate them into my techniques.

That was despite the fact I had still succeeded in rejuvenating the forest and passing the trial on a technicality. The sage had still sent me into the second trial, so I assumed he wanted to see how I would approach it in my own unique way.

Rather than bend and try to fit his mold, I would do just that. Perhaps I wouldn't be able to turn winter into spring, but this trial suited me even more than the first.

After all, what was spring if not the world healing after a long, near-death slumber. Winter was devoid of life and warmth, but as spring arrived the flowers bloomed and animals woke from hibernation. Life and abundance returned to the world.

Bringing life was something I knew how to do. The first trial had allowed me to bring that ability to new heights as my healing technique became something radically different from what it had started as.

I didn't believe this trial would be easy, but it shouldn't take nearly as long as the first had. Provided I understood the task correctly.

Unfortunately, most of the effort I had undertaken to improve my technique wasn't applicable here. I was now able to heal dozens of patients at once, over a reasonable distance.

This trial however, required me to treat a single, gigantic patient. The mountain itself. The skills required and the way I would need to use my technique was very different to the way I'd healed the forest.

Even so, I was confident that I would succeed. Everything was possible with enough time and hard work. I had all the time in the world and I was no stranger to effort. With my mind focused on my goal, I sat down to begin cultivating.

At one-star Foundation Building, all my techniques and the essence of my being had reached a new level. With much denser qi, bringing spring to the mountain wouldn't be impossible.

My first attempt involved gathering as much of my qi as I could, before sending it deep into the mountain as I used my healing technique. I thought that it was interesting how a single technique could have so many applications, but perhaps that was a narrow minded way of seeing things.

From a single technique I had created a full set of techniques for all kinds of situations. For a while I had wondered how to leave a full set of arts for my sect, but I had ended up doing so without trying.

There would be a lot to teach my disciples when I returned.

The first try at healing the mountain failed spectacularly. My qi travelled about ten metres into the behemoth before I felt it vanishing from my spiritual senses.

Unlike the forest, where my qi was being repelled by the sickly trees, this was the opposite. The mountain's presence dwarfed my own, erasing the intent of my technique before it could begin to take hold.

The first trial had required me to increase the 'width' of my technique. This trial instead would need it to have a much greater 'depth'. I sat down, knowing another lengthy cultivation session lay ahead of me.

Despite that I felt at peace. Not simply at peace, but excited for the challenges ahead of me. Even though many cultivators gave it a bad reputation, I was beginning to enjoy cultivation for its own sake.

As I began my second attempt, the dao fragment in my mind sang in joy, resonating with my medicinal qi as my spiritual sea began to ripple. The results of its assistance were mind blowing.

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