Cultivation was usually a tame endeavor, especially at the low levels. The cultivator would assume a relaxed position, make the appropriate Mudra hand position and Mandala mental image and recite a Mantra. These steps would allow them to transform the pre-natal and external Jing, the energy of the material world, into Qi, the ethereal energy that allowed for Martial Abilities and enhanced the soul. Then the cultivator would transform the Qi into internal Jing to strengthen their body.
Doing this process for a while would connect the cultivator with their Shen, the energy of the gods that allowed humans to escape their mortal limits and act upon the world through their aura. Although colloquially called Shen accumulation, this process did not create Shen, it only allowed the cultivator to access what every human had.
And like this, step by step, the cultivator would chip away at the heavens, accumulating Qi to progress their Martial Techniques and soul, Jing to strengthen their body, and Shen to connect with the gods and control their aura. Yang Xia had been handed a cultivation technique by the Great Elder Yang Chao and practiced it every day.
But, sometimes, there were opportunities to leap through some steps with the help of external treasures. Doing this was dangerous, one misstep and the cultivator could experience a backlash that would harm their fundations, but without danger there was no chance of defeating the heavens.
Yang Xia was experiencing one of these opportunities. On the highest point of Ren Qiu’s house, Yang Xia waited naked for the first Sun of the Summer. Yan Yan had covered his entire body with the contents of the Condescend Jing and had lightened the fire-enhanced candles he bought the other day. He had already eaten the Energy Acceleration Pill and was holding the secret Yang Mudra and had his mind conquered by the Mandala of the Invincible Sun.
As soon as he felt the rays of the morning hitting his body he started to chant. The Mantra of this cultivation technique were divided by rank, every cultivation realm had its appropriate line and the cultivator would add them as they progressed. In the Foundation Realm all that Yang Xia chanted was “The Sun God is back”. Every time he finished chanting these worlds a jolt of energy ran through his body as the energies of cultivation did another cycle. In the Nascent Realm he started chanting a new line. “Who can stop him?” was the line that made his Aura explode from his body and conquer everything around him.
And so, under the watchful eye of the Astro-Rei, Yang Xia absorbed the Jing external around him, transformed it into Qi, used the Qi to strengthen his soul, then transformed part of the Qi into internal Jing to strengthen his body, and through this process connected with his Shen. The Sun God is back, who can stop him?
*
After a couple of hours of cultivation Yang Xia finished his resources. All the Jing from the bottle and the ambience had been absorbed and transformed into Qi. The Candles had completely burned out, its fumes enhancing Yang Xia connection to his fire Techniques. And just in time, he felt like he couldn’t take anymore, his body and soul were bursting with energy, if he got anymore he would burst.
He got up and bowed to the morning Sun. It would be a while until he could do this again but he felt like he had taken the next step in his cultivation. He couldn’t tell how far away he was from the Spirit Realm, but every journey has its end.
Yan Yan was waiting for him in his room with the bath ready. Cultivating this hard always expelled impurities from the body, not as much as a proper cleansing ritual but he was filthy, so he just laid down and let Yan Yan and the other servants clean his body.
The events at the Garden, 5 days ago, were still in his mind. It was the closest he got to dying ever. Poison or not if he was a little slower after falling down he would be finished. A shiver ran through his spine, he could feel his legs trembling in the warm water of the bathtub. Even after all this time he couldn’t get used to the thought of his life finishing like that.
He did breathing exercises as he meditated on the events of the last months. It was a flux of life or death fights, sometimes he had everything figured out from the get go but in others it was really a coin toss. How many times will he be lucky? Was this the best path? Maybe he should listen to Mei Yun and return to the compound. He never advanced there as fast as he was doing now but he never was in danger of dying either.
He cultivated the Everlasting Sun Technique. A Technique that had guided cultivators to the peak of cultivation for millenia. A Technique that surrendered everything in the altar of the Sacred Fire. There are no half measures in this Technique, the Sun never ran away from the spirits of the Winter, He marched onwards and Conquered them. He did that on the First Day and will do it on the Last.
Yes. The Sun is not a domesticated creature. He never asked permission from the Heavens to raise in the morning, he just did it. Yang Chao did not ascend to the Ninth Realm by being a good boy and following Sacred Patriarch Kun. He ran away with a mercenary company and didn’t come back to Yang City before reaching the Sky Realm. Fighting in the streets of Pearl City was tame compared to that.
Today would be a normal indoors day so Yang Xia chose 3 Red Water flowers to match his pink robe and headed for the house’s garden. There he found the young lady of the house, Ren Zhen, practicing her posture with one of the servants. Ren Zhen was barely 10 years old, too young to even start cultivating.
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She had the brown hair of her father and a cute round face with small black eyes and was using a white robe with flower details. The flowers she was using for the exercise were ugly and generic Field Blues, for fuck’s sake. The Ren Family may not be on the top of the mercantile world in the city but there is no reason for their heir to be in such a sorry state. They stopped everything as he approached them.
“Young Master.” The servant bowed her head to him and Ren Zhen hastily followed through, dropping the flowers in the process.
“That won’t do.” Said Yang Xia collecting the roses from the ground. “Every proper cultivator must be able to maintain their posture at all times.”
“I-I’M SORRY.” Ren Zhen bowed even deeper.
“There is no need for this, here, let me teach you. Stand straight.” She followed his command and Yang Xia placed the roses in her hair again. “Now, you are being too stiff, the secret is to relax and walk with confidence.”
“Like this?” Asked Ren Zhen as she dropped the flowers again.
“Haha, let’s try again.” Yang Xia smiled at the crestfallen girl.
For the next 30 minutes he guided her through the exercise, the servant only smiling at them without saying a world. Once Ren Zhen managed to do a lap around the pond without dropping the flowers Yang Xia clapped and picked her up by the waist.
“Now now, aren't you a fast learner?” He teased Ren Zhen, who had embarrassment painting her cheeks.
“No, it took me forever to do just that, all of my friends have already finished this exercise.” She then noticed the flowers on top of Yang Xia’s head. “Young Master, why are you still wearing equilibrium flowers despite being so old?”
“Because a true cultivator never stops improving.” He picked one of the Red Water flowers from his head and offered it to her. “Here is a prize for your hard work.”
“Seriously?” Her eyes shone looking at the flower. Poor thing, she must really be starving for the good things in life. “Thank you, Young Master.” She then hugged Yang Xia’s neck.
“Now.” Said Yang Xia as he put her back on the ground. “Let’s make a deal, if you complete all your equilibrium exercises and are able to bow to me without dropping the flowers I would give you an even better prize.”
“Bow without dropping the flowers?”
“Yes, like this.” Yang Xia demonstrated.
“What prize?” She looked at him with fire in her eyes as she hugged the flower in her hand.
“It’s a surprise.” Yang Xia smiled and touched her nose.
“It’s a deal then.” She lifted her hand to her nose before running back to the servant that was happily watching their interaction.
*
“That was so cute.” A cold voice greeted Yang Xia when he entered the main hall of Ren Qiu’s house.
By the central table a girl was calmly sipping tea. She had light red hair, jade like skin, a beautiful face with calm black eyes and small lips, and a petite frame. The perfect picture of a young fairy in her pink robe, Yang Lian was flawless even in the way she kneeled. Yang Xia’s blood turned cold.
“Greetings, younger sister.” Yang Xia bowed too fast and almost dropped his flowers. She chuckled.
“Come, older brother, drink tea with me.” She patted the spot near her. Yang Xia didn’t dare to think about it and immediately kneeled next to his sister. A servant served him a cup of tea and he drank it by reflex, his mouth barely tasting it.
“It’s been a while since we did this.” She stated.
“Y-yes.” He drank the rest of the tea in one sip.
“Always in such a hurry.” She shook her head and placed her cup on the table. “No love for the good things in life.”
“Sorry, sister.”
“What should I do with you, older brother?” Her voice was exasperated. “You are the one who was supposed to be taking care of me, but in the end I’m the one who was to clean the messes you leave behind.”
“Sorry, sister.”
“Killing someone in the middle of a Garden? Do you know how many young children were watching you stick your sword through that poor boy’s eyes?”
“Sorry, sister.”
“And dragging a screaming woman through the city while you are covered in blood? The only reason the guards didn’t arrest you on the spot was because Uncle Jin waved them off.”
“Sorry, sister.”
“And that was just your last scandal, the Niao Patriarch is still claiming for your punishment after you stole that pearl from his daughter, and you know even our father can’t ignore him for long.”
“Sorry, sister.”
“Tsk.” The lines on her face hardened. “When will you stop this foolishness and come back already?”
“Never, sister.”
Her hand flew through the space between them and slapped his face with enough force to knock him into the ground and scatter the floors through the room. Yang Xia tried to get up but Yang Lian’s Spirit Realm aura locked him in the ground.
“Never, older brother?” Her voice could freeze a bonfire. “There is no one you answer to?”
“If father orders me....” Spit Yang Xia through gritted teeth. “If he orders me I would do what he says.”
“That’s better.” She smiled and released the aura. “But you really wouldn’t do this little favor for your dearest sister.” Her eyes sparkled to him as Yang Xia got up from the ground and kneeled in the same spot he was in before. The red mark of her hand on his face was already turning purple.
“Sorry, sister.” He dropped his head.
“Hmpf.” She got up. “Unbelievable. Fine, do what you want. But know that next time we would not do any favors for you, Yang or not you will face the consequences of your actions.”
“Understood, Sister.” Yang Xia bowed in the direction of his sister as she left the compound.