Chapter 4: The Journey begin

The first thing Jul noticed was a disorienting haze. He thought he opened his eyes, but the world around him was blurred, filled with dim lights and shadowy shapes cloaked in a thick fog. His body felt distant, foreign, as though it wasn’t his. Everything was cold, as if he had been broken into fragments and clumsily reassembled.

“Where am I?” The question echoed in his mind, but no sound left the lips. He tried to move a finger, but his body didn’t respond. All he could feel was an icy numbness, as if frost had encased every part of him.

"Am I still alive?" The thought consumed him as a faint, unsteady heartbeat drummed in his ears. It wasn’t familiar; it felt strange, weak. Like the faint flicker of a candle on the verge of extinguishing. The realization struck like lightning: this body is a body of a newborn. It was far too small and fragile.

He then heard voices drifted from above, muffled and distant. They sounded distorted, like echoes bouncing through water. The words were incomprehensible, fragmented bits of conversation that refused to take shape.

He thought he heard a woman’s voice, her tone tinged with worry, but the meaning slipped away before he could grasp it.

"Why can’t I understand them?" Jul thought.

"Is it because of this body? Or is it a language I’ve never heard before? Either way, I need to figure this out fast. Whoever she is, her voice doesn’t sound hostile—there’s concern there, but I’m helpless right now. This is frustrating."

Then, a sudden chill pulled him out from his thoughts. A rough hand touched his skin. The faint warmth it carried felt almost foreign against the overwhelming cold that enveloped him. Someone was looking at him

"I could feel their presence" he thought.

"Even though this body is fragile and burdensome, my consciousness remains as sharp and clear as it was on Earth."

"But I couldn’t move to see them. My body felt heavy. Felt like a cage. Now this is annoying"

Another voice spoke. It was deeper, heavier, carrying a foreboding tone that sent a shiver through him. Though he didn’t understand the language, but the tension and fear in their voices were unmistakable.

Slowly, the murmurs faded, replaced by a heavy silence that pressed down like a weight. He felt himself being carried, though he couldn’t tell where. His thoughts circled endlessly, fixating on the body he now inhabited. He tried to move again, to flex those tiny fingers or toes, but the weak, cold form remained unresponsive. A sinking realization settled in his chest: He had definitely become a child. Not just any child, it's a newborn milk sucking tiny human.

He forced himself to breathe deeply, calming the whirlwind of emotions in his mind.

"Well, it's a fresh start!" he thought, excitement bubbling within him. "Let's see what wonders this world holds for me!"

Instinctively, he reached inward, searching for something familiar.

"Breathe in pure, let Qi flow clear,

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Gather it deep, where strength draws near.

Through Ren it climbs, to crown it goes,

Through Du it falls, the cycle grows.

Yin and Yang in balance flow," he chanted in his mind.

First, he breathed in deeply to calm his mind, feeling the density of energy around him.

Second, he focused on gathering energy at the Dantian, located about three fingers above the belly button.

Third, he directed the Qi to flow through the Ren channel, moving upward.

Fourth, he guided the Qi to flow downward through the Du channel, completing the Microcosmic Orbit.

Lastly, as the cycle ended, the energy returned to the Dantian, creating harmony between Yin and Yang.

To his surprise, the dantian stirred faintly. Energy, faint but familiar, began to spread through his body’s pathways. He focused deeply, reaching out to the world around him. Slowly, he tried to gather the energy from the air, the earth beneath him, the surrounding trees, and even the faint warmth of fire lingering in the atmosphere. Each element offered its unique pulse, flowing toward him like streams converging into a river. As it flowed, he became acutely aware of the world around him. The energy here was extraordinary—thick and potent, saturating the air like an invisible mist.

"Just by the first step of Qi gathering, I can feel the energy around me flood inside this body like a magnet."

"If I trained in this environment, my progress would be unmatched."

He had been reborn, and this was only the beginning.

Having confirmed that the Qi gathering technique worked seamlessly in this new environment, he decided to push further. Despite the limitations of his infant body, his mind remained sharp. Carefully, he began experimenting with the energy flow, channeling it toward specific points within his body. He aimed for the meridians, the energy pathways running through the body. These pathways acted like rivers, carrying Qi to different parts of the body to nourish and strengthen it. By guiding the energy through these channels, he could awaken dormant connections and improve the flow, making the body stronger and more responsive.

Jul knew there were twelve main meridians, each corresponding to vital organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, and stomach, among others. These pathways formed the foundation of Qi flow in the body. Additionally, there were eight extra meridians, often referred to as the extraordinary vessels, which supported and supplemented the main channels. To fully open all energy pathways, Jul would need to unblock all twenty meridians.

"Twenty pathways to complete mastery," he thought. "It’s going to take time, but every step will bring me closer to the potential this world offers." It was a slow process, like coaxing life into a withered plant, but he could feel the faint tingling as Qi began responding to his intent.

He visualized small spheres of energy forming in his hands and feet, anchoring the flow. As the spheres solidified and the energy flowed smoothly, he felt the first stirrings of strength in his fragile body.

"Nice. I can feel the numbness in my limbs fading away," Jul murmured as he slowly tried to close and open his palm. The movement was small but deliberate, signaling the first signs of control over his fragile body. Though the process was slow and required intense focus, Jul could sense the pathways responding, becoming clearer with each cycle. His determination grew as he realized: every small success was a step closer to rebuilding his strength in this new world. Though his body protested with its fragility, he pressed on, determined to establish a foundation. The dense energy of this world supported his efforts, almost as if it welcomed his presence.

"This body may be small, but it will adapt," he thought, his confidence growing. ""The potential here is limitless," he thought, his mind racing with excitement. "There are no limits to what man can achieve. Not even the sky is a boundary—for there are skies above skies, each more vast than the one below."

"Above the heavens and beneath the earth, I alone am supreme," Jul whispered to himself. "A thousand skies and a thousand lands, yet I am unrivaled."

Between cycles of energy cultivation, he began to attune himself to the natural elements around him. The air carried a refreshing clarity, the earth offered grounding stability, and the faint echoes of fire brought warmth to his core. Even the stillness of water in the unseen distance seemed to resonate within him. Each element complemented the other, weaving a balance that he could harness.

A plan formed in his mind. "If I can strengthen this fragile vessel, I’ll have the foundation I need to uncover this world’s secrets. For now, I must focus on refining the basics. One step at a time."