It took me a day to calm down, another one I spent in denial, and only then did my brain accept my situation for what it was and decided that, since I was already a bear, I might as well make the best of it.
‘Since I am a bear there is no way that I will live in mediocrity, I will be the best bear in existence!’
A refreshing feeling spread through my mind and with it a new sense was added to the existing five. I stand there marveling at this new capability when a blue box appears in front of me and, with it, a set of information flowing through my mind.
[Species changed to Prodigious Ursus Arctos]
Name:
–
Species:
Prodigious Ursus Arctos
CULTIVATION
Qi
–
Mental
Early 1st stage Spirit Sense Realm
Physical
–
SKILLS
Language Understanding (Max LV)
Spirit Sense (LV 1)
TITLES
Genius
[Select 3 cultivation methods]
I dismiss the panel right in front of me and start going through the new information in my head:
*
Firstly, because I calmed myself down my recently fused soul has been able to stabilize and I achieved a breakthrough of the mind from the Understanding Realm to the Spirit Sense Realm. Since usually, a normal beast is in the Self-discovery Realm, the lowest realm possible for a living being, I was two realms higher than my species' normal mental cultivation realm.
*
Second, this happening before I started cultivating and without the influence of external heavenly treasures seems to have given me the chance to connect to something called “the System” that allows me to get cultivation methods, an ability to check my progress, and even the possibility of evolution.
Exiting from my dream-like state I laugh maniacally realizing that, thanks to the soul of the bear that killed me, I am now born with the advantages of a cheat protagonist, practically starting life with an ace up my sleeve. Now that I was calmer, I start realizing where I am.
I’m in an underground cave with a pavement made of dirt and a bed of grass and leaves. On it is my mother together with my siblings, a male and a female. Like myself, they are furless and are breastfeeding from our mother. She’s looking at me with a worried look. I realize my recent strange behavior and the fact that I have not eaten since I woke up is certainly the cause of the worry. Since my stomach is growling and I am starving, I decide to accept the offer and start drinking.
After eating my fill I begin to reflect again.
‘One: I am now a bear. Two: this probably isn’t planet Earth but a word of cultivation. Three: there was a third one? Whatever, since I am already here I will do the best with what I have. Let’s look at those cultivation methods.’
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[CULTIVATION METHODS:]
Tiger fist
Seven lotuses Cultivation art
Way of the Buddha
Super invincible tornado of heavenly destruction
…
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‘Ok, this is a mess. And what the heck is: “super invincible tornado” or whatever?’
‘Let's see if I can somehow restrict the list. First of all, I need a cultivation method for bears of the highest grade that cultivates Qi…’
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[CULTIVATION METHODS:]
Fire Bear cultivation technique
Water Bear cultivation technique
Earth Bear cultivation technique
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Wood Bear cultivation technique
Metal Bear cultivation technique
Wind Bear cultivation technique
Thunder Bear cultivation technique
Demonic Bear swallowing technique
Gluttony technique
Dragon transformation art
Bear Sutra
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‘Ok, that works. Now let’s eliminate the elemental ones since I don’t wanna be shackled to a single element, as for the other I should read the description.’
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[Demonic Bear swallowing technique]
An advanced cultivation method that allows the user to quickly assimilate and integrate into its body the characteristics of the defeated foes. It helps the user to rapidly grow and obtain different elements.
[Gluttony technique]
It allows the user to completely digest spiritual herbs and other natural treasures, completely transforming them quickly into Qi while assimilating them and their relative attributes.
[Dragon transformation art]
It allows the user to cultivate by assimilating the dragon bloodline in the beast's body and cultivating it to transform into a true dragon in the end.
[Bear Sutra]
Steady cultivation method that allows the bear to realize his true potential.
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‘Ok... Let's exclude dragon transformation art and the gluttony technique: they are not tailor-made for bears and they need external resources, which I don’t have while I am stuck in this cave. And since I will not leave in the foreseeable future it’s better to pick something else. Even if I really want to become a dragon and soar into the skies.’
‘For the these reasons I should also not choose the Demonic Bear swallowing technique. This makes the winner the Bear Sutra. Besides, it is known that slow and steady wins the race.’
Just as I choose my first cultivation technique the information about it instantly flows into my mind. However, just the cultivation of the first realm is clear the rest is obscured by a thick mist. The first stage is called the “meridian cleansing stage”, and, as the name suggests, it consists of utilizing the Qi around to unplug the meridians and reshape the meridian pathways in the bear body, allowing them to withstand the energy necessary for the higher realms
‘One down, two to go. Now let’s search the cultivation methods for the mind usable by bears the highest grade’
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[CULTIVATION METHODS:]
[Visualization] [Forging] [Construction]
* [Visualization]
* Demon god
* True Dragon God
* Grand Buddha
* Tyrant Bear King
* Mountain Climbing
* [Forging]
* Grand mind
* Crying Buddha
* Devil’s Fire
* [Construction]
* Crystal Lake Palace Mind technique
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‘Ok… Let's see. What’s the difference between a visualization, a construction technique, and a forging one?’
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[A visualization technique allows the user to imagine a figure and it slowly refines the mind, making it stronger, if the user imagines a specific entity, it will bring them closer to what it represents while using it to defend the mind. A construction technique is a generic but still rare method that allows the user to build his mind as he sees fit, while in the restrictions of the technique. The mind forging is a painful technique that allows the user to cleanse his mind to extract the impurities and make it stronger.]
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‘That explains it. Now while an entity that protects my mind is tempting, changing my mind to resemble someone else is a big NO for me. And I’m also not so good with pain, so while it has many benefits, the mind-forging technique is also out. Let’s see the details of the other two…’
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[Mountain Climbing visualization technique]
It allows the user to visualize a mountain and climb it once it is done another peak will appear. Every time the user conquers a new peak, the mind will be greatly cleansed and strengthened.
[Crystal Lake Palace Mind technique]
It allows the user to transform his mind into a lake allowing him to slowly clean it. Once it’s done, the user will be able to built upon it a palace that will protect and store the user's memories for him to use as he sees fit.
‘Crystal Lake Palace, all the way. While the Mountain climbing technique sounds good, the process looks too time-consuming and I still have to cultivate my Qi and my body. The CLP, on the other hand, is easier and more versatile. I am particularly intrigued by the last part as well: the one that says that I can use my memories as I see fit.’
‘Now, before going to sleep, let’s see the body cultivation suited for bears of the highest grade’
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[CULTIVATION METHODS:]
* Demon beast body cultivation method
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‘Well, that’s underwhelming.’
‘I expected a bit more than something so generic. Description, go!’
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[Demon beast body cultivation method]
Long lost method created by the most eminent Demon god to allow his descendants to reach the peak by strengthening every aspect of the body in the most optimal and uniform way possible. It was the spark of the first human, devil, and demon war that ended with the destruction of the manual and the death of the Demon god alongside some of the powerhouses of the humans and the devil’s factions. The System has saved the technique in his archives though.
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‘JACKPOT. The system has never given out the background of any of the techniques. who knew there is such a pearl behind its unassuming name.’
I click on the Crystal Lake Palace and the Demon Beast Body Cultivation and, as the relative memories are instilled in my brain, I curl up near my siblings and my mother and go to sleep.
Soon my life enters a repeated routine. In the morning, I have breakfast and use the Qi in the air to try clearing my meridians. Although the meridians were mostly cleared already since I was just born and the impurities didn't have time to set in. But, because of that, the meridians were closed and thin, so I had to carefully open and strengthen them.
The absence of impurities was a blessing. In fact, usually, when clearing the meridians, the body starts emitting a foul odour, that in a closed space and with a beast nose would have been pretty unbearable.
After lunch, I start going through the motions of attack and defense depicted in the Demon Beast Body Cultivation to strengthen the body and to learn the proper way for a bear to fight. Eventually, after dinner, I dedicate myself to the Crystal Lake Palace mind technique.
Unfortunately, I can’t practice some of the body cultivation methods I have chosen without being at the Qi accumulation stage, the third stage of qi cultivation, or with the help of someone who's at the core formation stage, the fifth stage of qi cultivation. At the first level, the Skin Refining Level, you need to store qi to strengthen your skin to a supernatural level.
Like so I spend my first few months in a new world.