"Can you tell me more about how cultivation works in this world?"
Lian's spectral form flickered as he gathered his thoughts. "Well, traditional cultivation in our world follows an ancient path. Cultivators harness the energy of the universe, known as qi, to strengthen their bodies, extend their lifespans, and perform feats that might seem miraculous to the uninitiated."
"Sounds intense," Bart commented. "What does the process look like?"
"The path of cultivation is divided into three major steps before reaching Transcendence," Lian explained. "But don't worry too much about the later steps for now. Most cultivators can't even progress past the first step."
Bart leaned forward, intrigued. "Tell me about this first step then. What does it involve?"
Lian's ghostly eyes fixed on Bart as he began to explain. "The First Step of cultivation is what most cultivators spend their entire lives pursuing. It's divided into seven realms: Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Spirit Severing, Dao Seeking, and Immortal Ascension."
"That's... a lot to take in," Bart said, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Lian continued, "Each realm is further divided into early, middle, and late stages. As cultivators progress, they gain more control over qi and unlock new abilities."
"And what about the other steps?" Bart asked. "What comes after Immortal Ascension?"
"Those who enter the Second Step are immortals who begin to comprehend the fundamental laws of the universe," Lian said, his voice taking on a reverent tone. "The Third Step... well, those rare individuals can manipulate the very essence of the universe."
"That's... wow,” Bart whistled softly. “But you said most people don't even get past the First Step?"
"Even reaching Immortal Ascension is considered an almost impossible feat for most cultivators. Many spend their entire lives just trying to progress through the early realms of the First Step."
"How do cultivators typically advance through these realms?"
"Advancement requires a combination of factors," Lian explained. "Cultivators must absorb and refine qi from the world around them, often through meditation or special techniques. They also need to gain insights into the Dao - the fundamental principles of the universe."
Bart nodded slowly, processing the information. "What about resources? Do cultivators need special items or something?"
"Yeah," Lian replied. "Cultivators look for special resources like spirit herbs, mystical beasts, or ancient artifacts to aid their advancement. Some even risk exploring dangerous, qi-rich areas left behind by the ancient demon invasion."
At the mention of demons, Bart's eyes widened. "Demon invasion? That sounds... intense. Can you tell me more about that?"
Lian's form shimmered as he prepared to explain. "Thousands of years ago, our world was invaded by demons. It was a massive war, with cultivators and demons clashing in epic battles. In the end, the demons were driven back, but the land was left scarred and ruined."
"Is that why this area seems so... desolate?" Bart asked, gesturing vaguely at their surroundings.
Lian nodded grimly. "The demon invasion wasn't just a physical battle. It was a clash between two fundamental forces - the orderly qi that cultivators use and the chaotic energy of the demons. This conflict warped the very fabric of reality in these areas."
"That sounds dangerous," Bart said, his voice hushed. "How do people even survive here?"
"It's not easy," Lian admitted. "The villagers learned to adapt over generations. They developed techniques to purify water and food of demonic taint, and they built their homes in areas where the qi flow is relatively stable."
"And what about cultivation?" Bart asked. "How does this affect cultivators?"
Lian's expression turned thoughtful. "The scarred lands are both a curse and a blessing for cultivators. On one hand, the unstable qi makes it much harder to cultivate safely. But on the other hand, these lands offer unique opportunities. The pockets of intense qi can supercharge a cultivator's growth if they can withstand the energy."
"High risk, high reward," Bart mused.
"Exactly," Lian agreed. "That's why our village always had a cultivator assigned to protect us. They act as a buffer against the chaotic energies and any demonic beasts that might wander too close."
Bart's expression turned serious. "You mentioned a cultivator earlier. What happened to him?"
Lian's form flickered, a sadness passing over his ghostly features. "He... he must be dead by now. If he wasn't, all this destruction wouldn't have happened."
A heavy silence fell between them. After a moment, Bart spoke up, "I think it's time I try to cultivate some more. We need to be as prepared as possible for whatever comes next."
"That's a good idea. I'll keep watch while you cultivate."
Bart settled into a comfortable position, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his knees. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on the feeling of Code Essence around him.
"Here goes nothing," he muttered, then began to concentrate.
Bart visualized the streams of code flowing around him, just as he had before. He mentally repeated the command he'd learned earlier:
Input.getCodeEssence();
As he focused, Bart felt a familiar tingling sensation spread through his body. It was as if he could feel the Code Essence seeping into his very being, filling him with energy.
Time seemed to blur as Bart lost himself in the process of cultivation. He wasn't sure how long he sat there, drawing in Code Essence and refining it within his body. It could have been minutes or hours.
Suddenly, something changed. Bart felt a shift within himself, as if a barrier had been broken down. His eyes snapped open as he heard Lian's voice, now in that deeper, more resonant tone:
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
[Script Initiation Progress: 25%]
[New Ability Unlocked: Basic Physical Enhancement]
[Basic Physical Enhancement: This skill allows you to use Code Essence to temporarily boost your physical stats. Think of it as the difference between a normal punch and a punch enhanced by qi in traditional cultivation stories.]
[To use this ability, focus on the stat you want to enhance and input the following code: enhanceStat(statName, duration);]
Bart's eyes widened as he processed this information. "Wow," he breathed, "I can actually enhance my physical abilities now."
Lian's voice returned to normal. "That's right. This skill will be incredibly useful for us. Why don’t you give it a try."
"Wait a second," Bart said, a curious look on his face. "In games and stuff, there's usually a stat sheet or something. Do I have one of those?"
Lian's ghostly form flickered. "Oh, right! I forgot to mention that. You can access your stat sheet by thinking 'Status' or 'Open Status.'"
Bart nodded, closing his eyes. "Alright, here goes. Status!"
Suddenly, a translucent blue screen appeared in front of him:
class Bart extends Programmer {
int level = 1;
int cultivation = Script Initiation;
int health = 50;
int mana = 50;
int strength = 5;
int agility = 6;
int vitality = 5;
int intelligence = 10;
int wisdom = 10;
String[] skills = {"Debug Reality", "Basic Environmental Manipulation", "Basic Physical Enhancement"};
void debugReality() {
// Allows inspection of object properties
}
void manipulateEnvironment(String factor, String intensity, int radius) {
// Manipulates surrounding environment
}
void enhanceStat(String stat, int duration) {
// Temporarily boosts a chosen stat
}
}
Bart whistled. "Whoa, that's pretty cool. So, these are my base stats."
"That's right," Lian confirmed. "Your intelligence and wisdom are a bit higher due to having lived another life but both stats are extremely hard to increase."
Bart nodded, studying the screen. "So, how do I use my new ability to enhance a stat?"
"Focus on the stat you want to enhance and use the command I taught you," Lian explained. "Remember, it's temporary and uses up your mana, which is essentially your qi or energy in this world."
"Got it," Bart said, concentrating. He decided to enhance his agility, thinking:
enhanceStat("agility", 10);
Instantly, Bart felt a change. His body felt lighter, more responsive. He took a few steps in the confined space of the cellar, amazed at how much easier it felt to move.
"This is incredible," Bart murmured. "I feel like I could dodge bullets or something!"
Lian's ghostly form flickered in confusion. "Bullets? What are those?"
Bart blinked, suddenly realizing his mistake. "Oh, right. Sorry, Lian. It's a thing from my world. Fast, dangerous projectiles. Forget I said that."
"Ah, I see," Lian said, still looking a bit puzzled. "Well, enhanced agility would certainly help you avoid many dangers, but let's not test it unnecessarily. Why don't you check your status again to see the change?"
Bart nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed about his slip-up. It was easy to forget sometimes that Lian came from a completely different world. "Yeah, good idea. Let's take a look at those stats."
Status!
The blue screen reappeared:
class Bart extends Programmer {
int level = 1;
int cultivation = Script Initiation;
int health = 50;
int mana = 50;
int strength = 5;
int agility = 10;
int vitality = 5;
int intelligence = 10;
int wisdom = 10;
String[] skills = {"Debug Reality", "Basic Environmental Manipulation", "Basic Physical Enhancement"};
void debugReality() {
// Allows inspection of object properties
}
void manipulateEnvironment(String factor, String intensity, int radius) {
// Manipulates surrounding environment
}
void enhanceStat(String stat, int duration) {
// Temporarily boosts a chosen stat
}
}
"Wow, my agility really jumped up by 4 points!"
“The enhancement will last for 60 seconds, as you specified in the command. After that, your agility will return to normal and you'll feel a bit tired."
Bart took a few more steps, in awe at how agile he felt. "This could be really useful if we encounter those beasts again. I could enhance my strength for fighting or my agility for running away."
"Exactly," Lian agreed. "But be careful about overuse. You'll need to be smart about when and how you use these enhancements. Your MP is limited, and if you run out, you'll be in trouble."
As the agility enhancement wore off, Bart felt a slight fatigue settle over him. He noticed that some of the qi he had accumulated in his body had depleted. It was a strange sensation, like a small well inside him had been partially drained.
"You're right," Bart said, sitting down to rest. "I'll need to practice more, get a feel for how much I can enhance and for how long before it becomes too draining."
A few moments later, a thoughtful expression appeared on his face. "Lian, you know when you were telling me about the traditional cultivation stages, if I'm not going through the same stages as other cultivators, what exactly am I doing? Are my powers completely different?"
Lian's form flickered in what might have been amusement. "Not completely different, just... uniquely yours. Think of it like learning a new programming language instead of a spoken one. Same goal, different syntax."
"Okay..." Bart said slowly. "So what stage am I at now?"
"You're in what we call the Script Initiation stage," Lian explained. "It's roughly equivalent to Qi Refining for traditional cultivators. You've actually made some decent progress already."
Bart perked up at that. "Really? What can I do?"
"Well, you've mastered the basics of drawing in Code Essence and using it to boost your abilities. That's the Input Command stage. And you've learned to store that energy for later use - that's Variable Binding."
"Oh yeah," Bart murmured, flexing his fingers. "My stat sheet did mention all this. What's next, then?"
"The next step is called Condition Handling," Lian said. "It's about setting up automatic responses. Like programming a script to run when certain conditions are met. So, you'd be setting up simple 'if-then' scenarios in your mind. Like, 'if I sense danger, then enhance my speed.'"
"I think I get it. It's like training your body to react automatically in certain situations."
"Yeah, just remember, this isn't going to happen overnight. It'll take practice, but you've got a good foundation to build on."
"Right. I'll start working on it right away. Thanks, Lian. You know, for a ghost, you're a pretty good teacher."
"Just doing what I can to help,” Lian's form flickered in what might have been embarrassment.
Bart scratched his head, a curious look on his face. “Is there a way to increase my stats permanently? You know, without using mana every time?"
Lian's ghostly form bobbed in what might have been a nod. "There are two main ways. First, you can increase your physical stats through good old-fashioned training. Lift heavy things to boost strength, run to improve agility, that sort of thing."
"Makes sense," Bart said. "What's the second way?"
"You can allocate stat points when you earn them," Lian explained. "You get stat points from completing missions."
Bart's brow furrowed. "Missions? I don't remember getting any missions yet."
"Ah, right," Lian's form flickered. "We're still in what you might call the tutorial stage. There's only one mission right now."
"Which is?"
Lian's voice shifted to that deeper, system-like tone:
[Current Mission: Leave the Tutorial Stage]
[Reward: 5 Stat Points]
[Description: Exit the village and enter the wider world.]
"Five whole stat points? That's... pretty good, right?"
Lian's voice returned to normal. "It's a decent start. Remember, every point counts in this world. Those five points could make a big difference in a tight spot."
"No kidding," Bart murmured. "So, all we have to do is leave the village? Sounds simple enough."
"Simple, maybe," Lian cautioned. "But not necessarily easy. Remember the dangers we've already faced? It will only get worse out there."
Bart nodded, his expression turning serious. "Right. We'll need to be prepared before we make a move. Any idea what we might face out there?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Lian admitted. "My knowledge is... limited in some ways. But I'd expect more of those shadow beasts, at the very least."
"Great," Bart sighed. "Well, I guess we better start planning our exit strategy for tomorrow. Any ideas where we should head once we leave?"
Lian's form shimmered thoughtfully. "There should be a larger town to the east. If we can make it there, we might find more information and resources."
"Alright then. East it is. Let's start figuring out how we're going to do this."