Book 1- The Start of Cultivation Chapter 11: Free Public Lesson.

"Then I will use two poor-quality Qi Condensation Pills and take this Hundred Phantom Hands. I also chose the Mana Compression Method as my cultivation method." Xue San took out the bottle containing the pills, took two out, and held them out. He watched in amazement as the two pills floated from his hand and vanished. Moments later, two books appeared before him.

"Take these copies and leave," the elder's voice echoed.

"Thank you, Senior!" Xue San said earnestly, bowing deeply.

Clutching the precious manuals, Xue San left the Scripture Pavilion, a newfound determination burning within him.

As he stepped outside, dusk had settled in; the moon was already ascending to claim the sky from the sun. Xue San took a deep breath and set off. He had no idea where he was heading. Returning was out of the question—the relentless bullying would only continue. So he walked onward, destination unknown, his footsteps echoing his uncertainty.

He yearned for a place where he could rest and maybe begin his cultivation. With no other options, he decided to head to the mountain behind the living area. Survival in the wilderness didn't daunt him; he had the necessary skills. Embracing the idea, he pressed on.

The mountain was a verdant expanse, brimming with trees and lush greenery that seemed to breathe life into the very air. Towering trees formed a dense canopy, their leaves whispering tales with every breeze. The forest floor was a mosaic of wildflowers and ferns, alive with the scurrying of small creatures. Birds sang melodious tunes from hidden nests, and the gentle rustle of leaves provided a soothing backdrop. It was a sanctuary teeming with vitality and natural beauty.

Xue San walked until he found a magnificent oak tree beside a babbling stream of water. Its branches were broad and sturdy, forming a natural canopy—a perfect place to rest.

That night, he didn't cultivate; he simply rested there, gazing up at the tapestry of stars. Thoughts swirled in his mind about everything that had transpired since he left the village. He wondered if his family was doing okay if they had reunited with his elder brother.

Truthfully, he didn't understand why he felt this relentless urge to cultivate and endure such abuse. He could have stayed with his family, and enjoyed a comfortable life in a big city with countless pleasures. If he left now, no one would blame him; he wouldn't have to be alone.

And who could fault him? He was just a fourteen-year-old boy with dreams of becoming an immortal, not fully grasping the cruelty of this world. No matter how much others had tried to warn him, only through personal experience did he truly understand: life was the harshest of teachers.

But as these thoughts crossed his mind, a tiny nagging feeling stirred deep within him, like a low murmur—a whisper he couldn't quite decipher, as if someone or something was trying to tell him something.

And so, Xue San spent his first night in the sect sleeping in a tree, the vast expanse of the starlit sky his only blanket.

Early the next morning, his stomach woke him, protesting with hunger. He cleaned himself in the stream, donned his outer sect uniform, and set out to find where the outer sect disciples ate. After inquiring with some passing disciples, he discovered, to his dismay, that meals for outer sect disciples were delivered to their residences.

Since returning was not an option, he decided to look for food in the forest. After a while, he caught some fish and found some herbs to season them. Grilling them over a makeshift fire, he enjoyed an unexpectedly delightful breakfast.

After eating Xue San picked up the Mana Compression Method manual.

"This is it, my first step toward becoming an immortal," Xue San murmured with a smile, trying to mask his nervousness. He opened the Mana Compression Method manual.

He began to read:

"In the beginning, a cultivator needs to find a quiet environment to start meditating, focusing on deep, rhythmic breathing to calm the mind. Direct your attention to your Dantian (located below the navel), visualizing the mana as a warm, light stream of water gathering there. Concentrate and gently compress this mana, imagining it condensing into a denser, more potent core within your Dantian. Maintain steady focus and breath control throughout the process, progressing gradually to prevent internal imbalance. This method enhances the intensity of your energy, amplifying your cultivation progress and cleansing your body of impurities even more."

The manual included detailed illustrations of the proper postures, highlighting key points to observe.

Xue San assumed the meditation posture and began his first-ever cultivation session. His breathing became deep and rhythmic, just as the manual instructed. He felt a profound connection with the nature surrounding him. Then he sensed it: mana entering through his nostrils, beginning to circulate. Like a delicate stream, the energy flowed through his body.

It was arduous; circulating even this tiny amount of mana was extremely difficult for Xue San. The pathways felt obstructed, with barriers that impeded the flow, and in some places, they were so blocked that barely any energy passed through. Finally, after a full cycle, a minuscule amount reached his Dantian. But his task was not over—he still had to compress the energy. Xue San tried to do it, but the mana dispersed from his Dantian, like water slipping through his fingers back into the sea.

Opening his eyes, he realized that dusk was already approaching.

"What... What the hell! All this work for nothing," Xue San muttered in frustration. Uncertain of how to proceed, he recalled Fang Ma's words and decided to find out when the next free public lesson would be.

"At least something is going my way for once," he thought upon learning that the public lesson would be tomorrow morning, in a lecture pavilion north of the Minor Dragon Hall.

With nothing else to do, he decided to look for food and rest for the remainder of the day. Xue San couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of his situation: here he was, in a powerful cultivation sect, yet he had to live in the forest and hunt for his own meals.

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At dawn the next day, Xue San made his way to attend the free lecture, hoping to resolve his doubts and perhaps even pose a question or two.

He joined the flow of people heading toward the lecture pavilion. He hadn't expected such a large crowd for the free lesson, but after overhearing snippets of conversations among the disciples, he began to understand why.

Only about 10% to 15% of the outer sect disciples had entered the sect like him, through recommendations—in other words, without taking any tests. The others had to undergo rigorous trials to gain admission, and many of them were not yet cultivators, just like him. These lessons were actually intended for those who had little to no prior contact with cultivation but possessed the aptitude for it.

The Lecture Pavilion was true to its name: a vast, open space with a platform on one side serving as a stage. Surrounding it were rows of stone seats in a semicircle, providing a clear view of the platform to everyone present. The layout was both grand and welcoming, with the platform slightly elevated—perfect for demonstrations or speeches.

Xue San took a seat on the edge, trying not to draw too much attention. He waited for the lesson to start, the place buzzing with the sounds of disciples conversing.

"Okay, settle down," a voice came from above.

They all looked up to see a man in his fifties, wearing dark red robes with the words "Outer Elder" embroidered on the left side of his chest. He was descending gracefully to the center of the platform, standing atop a flying sword.

"My name is Fang Yi, and I will be your instructor today," he announced. "The lesson will be divided into two parts: first, I will talk about the basics of cultivation, and afterward, you can pose any questions you may have. While I talk, no one is allowed to speak. Understood?"

"Yes, Senior," all the disciples responded in unison.

Instructor Fang Yi spoke about the Qi Establishment Stage. He described how he entered the 1st stage of the Qi Condensation Realm through deep meditation, harmonizing his energy with the rhythms of nature. Daily practices involved visualizing the flow of mana and maintaining mental and emotional clarity. He discussed about the challenges he encountered along the way like energy stagnation, explaining the underlying reasons and how to overcome them.

Instructor Fang Yi emphasized the importance of laying a strong foundation throughout this stage.

After he finished speaking, he waited a while for the disciples to digest all the information he had shared.

"Now I will answer any questions that you may have," he said.

"Instructor Fang Yi," a girl blurted out as she jumped to her feet. Then she realized that no one else was clamoring to ask questions, her cheeks flushed crimson.

"Go ahead."

"Yes, when... when I try to cultivate, I can only do it by using the pill that was given by the sect, and even then, most of the energy is lost."

"That's because when you meditate, you must be doing it incorrectly," Fang Yi explained. "There is a disharmony between your body and mind, making you unable to properly feel the mana. Focus on your breathing"

After the girl, a few other disciples asked some other questions, all of which Instructor Fang Yi Xue San thought there would be many more people posing queries. Seeing that no one else was going to ask anything, he stood up and spoke.

"Instructor Fang Yi, when practicing the Mana Compression Method, the energy that I gathered in the core didn't condense, and then after it dispersed. Why is that?"

Fang Yi gave him a deep look before replying, "The Mana Compression Method is a difficult technique to cultivate but an amazingly powerful one. However, if you truly use it, you won't ever be able to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage. Are you sure you want to cultivate using it?"

"Yes!" Xue San replied firmly.

"Very well. The reason the mana dispersed when it reached your Dantian is that the amount you gathered was too minimal. The Mana Compression Method requires a certain threshold of mana to be present in the Dantian to initiate "compression". Unlike other cultivation techniques, which gradually store mana in your Dantian, the Mana Compression Method only retains mana after you have completed the 'compression' phase of the process. This is where the technique's difficulty truly begins: you must simultaneously cultivate and focus on your Dantian to keep the mana from dispersing. Once you've amassed a sufficient quantity, you should be able to condense the mana, and it will no longer dissipate. The practice is exceedingly challenging, but the benefits are immense, and your cultivation speed will also be faster than normal."

"I see. Thank you, Instructor Fang Yi," Xue San said, clasping his hands and bowing.

"Even if a cultivator has a really poor aptitude, he can still reach the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Stage with pills or other materials," Fang Yi continued. "But there hasn't been one who could switch to another cultivation method after starting with the Mana Compression Method. You aren't the first, and you won't be the last to use it. I hope you are sure about picking this technique. Is there any other question?"

But no one stood up.

"Very well, we will end today's lesson here," Fang Yi concluded. Then he departed atop his flying sword.

The disciples departed one after another, some bearing expressions as if their worlds had crumbled. They were the ones who had chosen and successfully cultivated the Mana Compression Method, having not taken the warnings seriously at first.

The only exception to this was Xue San, who understood that for him, there was no other path available.

Xue San rushed back to his secluded spot in the forest behind the outer sect disciples' living quarters. Anticipation coursed through him; he couldn't wait to attempt cultivating again and see if this time the results would be different.

Beneath the sprawling oak tree, he sat cross-legged, his breathing steady, spiritual energy slowly seeping into his body.

This time, as he completed one cycle, his mind went into overdrive. He concentrated intensely on maintaining control of the Qi within his dantian while simultaneously drawing in more Qi from the surrounding environment. It was an exceedingly arduous task, but by some miracle, he succeeded in completing another cycle, and the tiny amount of Qi in his body doubled.

Despite this progress, he sensed that failure still loomed, so he resolved to repeat the process once more. But then a splitting headache pierced his concentration. When he opened his eyes, the sky was already awash with stars.

"Shit, how much time did I spend cultivating?" he grumbled, his stomach protesting loudly.

And just like that, his second attempt at cultivation ended in failure. His head throbbed, and his stomach felt as if it were glued to his spine from hunger.

He went to check some of the traps he had set the previous day and, luckily, found a plump rabbit caught in one of them.

He prepared the rabbit over a fire. Just as he was about to enjoy his meal and settle in for the night, a sudden crack echoed through the forest.

Startled, Xue San jumped to his feet. "Who is there?" he shouted, thinking it might be Long Shang and his cohorts. From the shadows of the bushes, a tiny creature emerged.

He exhaled in relief. "Hey, little buddy, come here."

"Ghreee," came the timid response.

"Oh, it's actually a wolf cub?"

"Ghreee," the tiny wolf cub growled softly, visibly afraid yet too hungry to flee.

"Come here." Xue San tore off one of the rabbit's legs and waved it enticingly in front of the wolf cub.

The wolf cub hesitated but, driven by hunger, threw caution to the wind and approached him.

Xue San tossed the rabbit leg to the cub, who pounced on it, devouring it in an instant. Then it lifted its tiny head, eyes meeting his.

"Hahaha, you're a greedy little fellow, aren't you?" he chuckled, tossing the cub another leg.

The wolf cub devoured the second leg just as quickly. Once finished, it trotted over to Xue San and began licking his hands.

"Haha, so cute. So you're alone too, buddy. How about you stay with me here for now?"

"Woof!"

"Maybe you really are a dog and not a wolf," Xue San joked. "Alright, from now on you'll be... let's see." He pondered for a moment, admiring the cub's beautiful, bushy silver fur. Finally, he decided. "You will be Fluffy from now on."

The wolf cub looked at him quizzically and barked again as if asking for more food.