The Zodiac Pot was an ancient item that even Li Bai did not know about. If even he, who was reborn a hundred times over a span of a couple millenniums, have never heard of it before, then it surely must be an artifact that is not of this world! For him to have never heard of it was preposterous, but true. Therefore, Li Bai desperately wanted to get his hands on the Zodiac Pot.
The Zodiac Pot was black with a dozen of protrusions that looked like they symbolized the twelve Zodiacs. This was the very reason it was called the Zodiac Pot.
All of these marks somehow help the pot in absorbing extra energy from the surroundings or from a cultivator. The cultivator could then use the energy stored inside of the Zodiac Pot.
Li Bai was interested in how this Zodiac Pot was related to his condition. He, too, had all of the Zodiacs on his body, and he, too, absorbed too much energy, the same with this peculiar pot. He felt like the two cases were somewhat similar.
Finally, Li Bai lifted it up and examined it, looking at every nook and cranny of this Zodiac Pot. He found something odd at the bottom of the pot.
It looked the same as the place on the ring where the aura was imparted.
This confused Li Bai. Why would a pot need an owner? However, this didn't stop him from imparting his aura to the pot. He did the exact same thing that he did to the ring.
A blue gemlike item appeared beneath the pot, symbolizing that the ownership of the Zodiac Pot had been passed onto Li Bai. He felt something happen to him. The Zodiac Pot is... draining my Earth energy dry!
He needed to absorb faster if he wanted to live, but an imbalance of energy and the shattering of his gems were possible if he was to absorb the Earth energy around him. This mark of his made him suck excessive amounts of Earth energy from the air that it might overwhelm both his other energies and gems.
Li Bai needed to be careful. He was treading down a thin line, but behind him was a wall closing in. He needed to go forward.
He sat down and immediately absorbed the Earth energy. This time, however, it didn't feel like the energy was rushing towards him, but rather, towards the Zodiac Pot! He was able to cultivate like normal!
"Yes!"
A triumphant Li Bai stopped meditating and stood up. Soon enough, the Zodiac Pot was draining him of his Earth energy again, making Li Bai postpone his happiness.
"I have to do something about when I'm not cultivating... Aha!"
The Zodiac Pot needed lavish amounts of Earth energy and he thought of just the place where that would be - his Silverstone ring! He immediately put the pot inside and came along.
Now, the pot was not draining from him, but from the atmosphere itself! Due to the endlessness of Earth energy in the ring, he could just leave the pot there if he wished to stop cultivating. Right now though, he wanted to rise his cultivation levels.
Li Bai brought the pot outside the ring once again and started cultivating.
.....
During cultivation, a light would be seen if one were to break through a Level Mark. Each individual had different trajectories and colors of light that emitted from them once they did. The color of the light determined the potential of the person, while the path of the light determined what Level Mark was broken through.
In one day, Backwater City, and quite possibly some of the neighboring cities, bore witness to four multicolor lights resembling a rainbow, each one with a higher level path than before.
If the trajectory was the same every time, it would make one think that the cultivators that emitted the four lights were different people. However, these four lights were of the same color, and in a rising pattern of the trajectories! It undoubtedly came from only one person.
This monstrous cultivation speed was unprecedented even for Li Bai! The fastest he could cultivate before was a Level Mark per week, but just now he broke through Fifth Level Mark with ease on his first day properly cultivating!
Li Bai even used an ancient cultivating technique that made it much harder to break through but would benefit one in the long run as it made the body of the cultivator the perfect body. Still, he broke through at lightning speed!
All of the people in Backwater City were impressed with the speed, but what's more was the color of the light, which was a rainbow-like color. This color has been said in the legends to be the ones with the highest potential but the hardest to cultivate, so a rainbow streak of light only appeared once a mark genius was born, which was about every five decades.
But now, they saw the supposedly rare rainbow light four times, up close even! This event that occurred only once in a blue moon has occurred four times, how could they possibly not get excited?
It was apparent that the one cultivating was the so-called mark genius. Everyone was curious as to whom it might be and started tracking the lights. It led everyone to the Li clan's territory.
.....
In a small and secluded secret room, there was a number of the minor clan heads evidently having a meeting. An outsider was also there, but he was allowed entrance since he was their main benefactor.
"The Li clan got another genius... bah!"
All of the people who attended the meeting were clenching their teeth. It was obvious that they were jealous of the talents constantly appearing within the Li clan.
"They've got too much power on their hands. It's only a matter of time till they become a major clan."
The leaders were arguing back and forth, blaming everyone else for not taking action earlier.
One of the lower clan heads within the minor clans spoke to provoke.
"Who came up with the plan to incite a riot within the measly commoners?"
Unexpectedly for him, the clan head that was third among the clans had responded to his provocation.
"It was I. Got a problem?"
The one that initially asked the question became timid due to his fear and respect for one of the higher minor clans. He disrespected him so it was only natural for him to become afraid.
"No... it's just that we should've targeted one of the major clans to take the Li clan down..."
One of the other clan heads interrupted by asking a question.
"Hey, do we have any acquaintances within one of the major clans? Maybe we could use them to incite a riot within the elders of that clan."
The timid clan head spoke again.
"Yes, I do... from the Liu clan. But I don't know if he'll be convinced..."
The main organizer of this meeting, the clan head that had his clan rank second, finally spoke after staying quiet.
"Yes, thank you. That is all the information we need..."
An evil grin appeared on his face.
