It was mid-April, the sun setting on this spring day to make way for a clear night with a bright moon.
Wang Qi was taking advantage of the moon to sit in his garden and meditate.
As the moon crested the sky, it cast a bright light upon the house, revealing a big building and a spacious backyard, spanning roughly a hundred square meters. It, however, appeared neglected, with overgrown paths and fresh trails of dug earth all around, but they were not for gardening. Under the moonlight, the cinnabar became conspicuous inside these trails, revealing to the world an odd pattern as all the lines connected. Where the lines met, there were small jades placed inside as well.
This was a basic Spiritual Gathering Array, a simple array the low cultivators of Divine Province used. It had endured the test of time for over seventy thousand years. Not great by any means, but it still scrounge up some spiritual energy from the world, crude as it was. This proved more than enough for Wang Qi, having just started on the path of immortal cultivation.
Wang Qi could see with his eyes closed, and through the Spiritual Gathering Array, the sparse specks of spiritual energy.
The first step for any wannabe cultivator was to take a strand of spiritual energy and turn it within oneself into spiritual power. It was also the first step in taking what was essentially the world’s.
As spiritual energy entered Wang Qi, it wasn’t long before he felt full.
Wang Qi’s hands danced through signs. He looked up and opened his mouth, taking a long breath. This breath felt nice and cool in his belly, like a cold beer on a hot summer day. Outside the invigorating feeling, there was also strength flowing into his body. Wang Qi’s mind was sharp, trying to control the spiritual energy, while leaping through a series of rehearsed punches.
This was no ordinary fist art. While using this in a fight, it was worse than some random thug. The youth knew the fist art wasn’t for fighting, but for training and refining spiritual energy.
Orıginal content can be found at 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⟡𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚⟡𝘯𝘦𝘵
Completing the set, Wang Qi found the spiritual energy to be a part of him. As he looked inside, he also saw that it was no longer mixed, turning into pure black.
The cultivation stages were divided into Revolving Illumination, Awakening, Soulstice, Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Spirit Severing, Unity Integration and Great Ascension.
The first three stages were more commonly known as Spirit Body. They adapted one’s foundation to take the first step on the path of cultivation. This step made a cultivator’s body tough and strong, able to live for 120 years. As no spiritual power could be used in this stage, it was also considered as a trial version of true cultivation.
Qi Refining was, however, marked by the use of spiritual power. Wang Qi looked inside, at the feeble black energy roaming through him and knew this was his start as a cultivator, towards immortality.
Wang Qi had a carefree nature, feeling for the strand of spiritual power and using it to amuse himself with a gleeful expression. After a while, his face held disdain.
Wang Qi’s jade ring shook twice and a cool feeling entered his head. He heard an aged voice, “Spiritual power protects and restores, holds immense strength and swift speed. What’s not to like?”
Wang Qi smirked, “Training for three bitter years feels like a hassle. All that money spent on ingredients and the cinnabar flowers could’ve gotten me many more oxen and horses. And if you use technology to harness water’s power, it can’t even compare to ten bulls.”
The old man’s voice rose, “What gibberish are you spouting again, brat? How can borrowed strength compare to immortality? Every progress you make will be yours and yours alone.”
“The nack to raising animals, the wisdom passed on of machinery and devices is also borrowed strength?”
“Why are you being so antagonistic?”
At the attitude of the old man in the ring, Wang Qi fell silent for a moment before saying, “It’s so boring.”
[Is this the difference between an advanced society and a cultivating civilization?] The youth though helplessly.
It had been fourteen years since he came here from Earth and had slowly made peace with it, overcoming the forlorn look he had in the first few years here. One thing that hadn’t changed was the critical thinking he had gained from the other world.
Wang Qi happened to come here from Earth and took the body of an infant in Divine Province by accident. He did not have an easy life. His father had a weak body and passed away soon, while his mother died due to birth complications, leaving him in grandfather’s care. His grandfather gave him the name Qi, meaning lofty, seeing his survival. The Wang clan had lands and were wealthy. While they didn’t have many people, the days were easy. Alas, the earth took everyone in the end.
The grandfather and grandson enjoyed many years of joy, but it all took a sad turn when his grandfather was buried. As he made his grave, he found a ring in the earth – the standard transmigrator cheat, naturally.
At night, he had a dream in which an old man in black sat across from him.
“You’re telling me you’re Zhen Chanzi, a leader of a sect that came to be destroyed and had your spirit obliterated so you struggled to preserve yourself by sending your soul fragment in this ring and now you want to teach me so that one day I can build you a body?”
Wang Qi spoke in disbelief. The old man in black looked pleased with Wang Qi, unaware of Wang Qi’s thoughts.
[Shit, this is your standard transmigrator spirit grandpa, a washed up and overblown plot used by those useless third-rate writers back home…] The thought stuck with Wang Qi for a long time.
And so began Wang Qi’s road to immortality.
As he entered the road to cultivation, Wang Qi began to suspect that he might be some lame book’s main character. The Spirit Body period checked one’s talent. A poor talent would need pills to advance, and without an elder pointing the way, one would spend decades for some meager growth.
As for Wang Qi? He took not a single pill since he began, his talent being like those true disciples Zhen Chanzi talked about from ancient times.
[The question is, was this the ‘genius underdog’s rise from the mortal world’ theme? If I got some godly talent and a spirit grandpa to boot, next ought to be some fiancée kicking my door to annul the marriage. But the Wang clan hadn’t expanded in generations and doesn’t quite fit the script for a second-rate clan’s young miss to be my betrothal. Future marriage of babies? Ha-ha, I didn’t even get to see my mother and she already got me a child bride? How can she then sell her descendant’s future?]
No matter how Wang Qi criticized his cliche and flat life, he now walked the twisted path towards immortality.
The old man sighed from the ring, “You’re definitely a great talent, but why can’t you put some effort in it?”
He became annoyed, “Cultivate and you’ll live forever. You’ll move mountains and earn the worship of millions. If you’re compassionate and caring, then you’ll be hailed a saint. If you like to bathe in blood, then you can kill anyone from anywhere. The world will be your oyster…”
“Tch,” was the youth’s cold disdain at the old man’s pep talk, “I’ve seen things you cultivators wouldn’t believe…”
[Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion… I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain…] Wang Qi recited the monologue from the Blade Runner movie.
The old man laughed, “I’ve seen Kunlun, rode on celestial horses, followed the heavenly river and went against the world. I’ve once went to the Underworld, dived through its waters and even saw the land beyond the vast oceans. I know everything there is to know about this world.”
[Spoken like a true yokel.] Was Wang Qi’s mental reply. [It was no different than scale Everest, tour Guilin, drift along Yangtze River and go against the currents on Yellow River. Then take a plane ride before going through Mariana Trench. Nothing a bit of money and a healthy body can’t fix.]
[Geezer, you don’t get to talk to me about experience. ‘I have journeyed through the darkness between the most distant stars. I have beheld the births of negative-suns and borne witness to the entropy of entire realities…’ Sure, it’s Zeratul, the Dark Templar, but I’ve at least seen the cinematic, alright?] (Tamon: Starcraft 2 reference.)
Wang Qi thought nonsensical stuff, but soon lost interest, gazing at the moon instead.
The old man sighed at his attitude, “You’re clearly a great talent, but why can’t you put in any hard work?”
“There are two things I hate in life, hard work and being cheered on.” Wang Qi said, “I only want to do what I like. If I can’t live forever, I’ll abandon cultivation.”
The old man huffed, “You’re no longer a child to play all day long. And you think you can’t have fun with high cultivation either?”
Wang Qi confronted him, “Do you know how I want to play?”
The old man said, “Enlighten me then, what exactly do you like? Except for throwing tasteless jokes, I’ve never seen you take up anything.”
Wang Qi started and looked at the moon in contemplation. “Do you need to ask?” Wang Qi smiled, “Living is wonderfully brilliant.”
——————————————————————
Not far, a girl in red was making her way to Wang Qi’s residence, muttering, “I can’t believe there’s a vermin here trying Qi Refining, senior brother.”
A voice came out of nowhere, “Be careful, your actions are implicating ancient powers. Don’t let your guard down.”
The girl shivered, “We’re on the same side, right?”
“Can’t say.” The man paused and asked, “What do you mean by vermin?”
“Dregs using ancient practices, what else?”
The voice sounded pondering, “Based on your findings, you’d best return. Let’s take on a softer approach.”