Faced with the divine selection ceremony, Alric must confront a brutal truth: the great gods of cultivation have no place for the coreless. In Chapter 3: "Blessed Mother," witness Alric’s descent into the halls of the divine as he is rejected by one patron after another.

Just as despair sets in, an ancient, "barbaric," and long-forgotten method of Body Cultivation offers a final, grueling path for the underdog who refuses to break.

Keywords: Progression Fantasy, LitRPG, Cultivation, Underdog, Magic School, Academy, Body Cultivation, Xinxia, Grimdark.

Note on Production: This episode features an AI Voice Clone of the author, Michael Taggart, created with ElevenLabs. Every word was written by the author.

As the town's selection ceremony reaches its final, heavy moments, the spotlight shifts to the last orphan: Alric. In Chapter 2: "Chosen," Alric must step onto the platform and face the reality of his situation. The Town Elder recounts the tragic story of how Alric burned out his core at age seven to save his brother’s life—a selfless act that left him coreless, physically stunted, and with a drastically shortened life expectancy.

Witness Alric’s first steps toward a new name—Alric Core—and a dangerous, uncertain path at a school where power is everything.

Follow Alric’s journey weekly as he discovers that even a "broken" life is a future worth fighting for..

Note on Production: This episode features an AI Voice Clone of the author, Michael Taggart, created with ElevenLabs to bring you a consistent and immersive listening experience. Every word was written by the author.

Discover More: Find Michael's books on Amazon and Audible, or visit his Etsy shop, MichaelTaggartPhoto, for digital art inspired by these mythic worlds.