Episode 13

The Qi spirit was not static. It flowed like water and always headed toward the area with a lower Qi potential. On very rare occasions, the Qi would pool together, forming what the cultivators would call a Numinous Abode. Wherever there was sea, there would be a desert; some places hopelessly lacked Qi.

After having followed the path for a few miles, Chen Fan finally stopped.

“This is it. I think I will have to brave the depths of the Yunwu Mountain if I want to find an even better spot.” He looked around and found out he was in a patch of willow trees. Despite it being a hot summer evening, he felt the cool breezes against his bare skin, and it was quite comfortable.

Chen Fan found a big gnarly willow tree, and sat cross-legged, facing the Yanhui Lake.

Nestled beside the developed urban spaces, Yangui Lake, the “Lake of Returning Swallows” was the largest lake in Chu Zhou City. Many residential houses, commercial buildings, and hotels were built around the Lake. Thanks to the abundance of water provided by the lake, Chu Zhou City, a city in the northern part of the province, also had a bit of southern charm.

Sitting under the willow tree, Chen Fan let the breeze comb through his hair as he relished the refreshing cool air from the lake.

The cultivation progression was divided into eight stages: Qi Refinement, Connate Spirit, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Formation, Void Returning, Dao Reunion, and Tribulation. Within each stage were sub-levels. The first stage, for example, consisted of three sublevels: Foundation Establishment, Ethereal Enlightenment, and Divine Sea.

As the name suggests, the first sub-level was about building a solid foundation from which all the other cultivation stages were developed upon. Once completed, the cultivator would have immense strength, speed, and agility. It was a transitional period when the cultivator reaches beyond the limits of the human body. The cultivation should also have the ability to gather some degree of arcane force to use minor spells.

The next two sub-levels were usually combined together and were called the Immortal Enlightenment phase. Once the cultivator had completed both levels, he or she could use even more powerful spells and arts. They could call upon the natural elements such as dirt to turn it into golems who would fight to the death. In the eyes of an ordinary human, these cultivators were no different than a god, although they were technically not gods by a long chalk.

After the cultivator had breached the first stage, he or she would enter the stage called connate, during which one could ride on the back of the wind to wherever he wanted to and live more than five hundred years. However, even with those magical powers, they were still far from being immortals.

“It’s too early for me to think about Connate. I should start by focusing on the Foundation Establishment for now.”

“What kind of art should I use to rebuild my foundation?” Chen Fan asked himself.

“The reason why my cultivation had failed during the tribulation was not only the mental demons but also my weak foundation.” Chen Fan nodded as he reflected on his past cultivation.

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