Zhao Yi had only ridden a horse a handful of times, but he got the hang of it and steadied himself fairly quickly. Lord Xi Shen was tense the entire time until they left the forest and found themselves in open fields further than the eye could see in any direction.

Xi Shen led the convoy as he kept a careful eye on the surroundings. Zhao Yi meanwhile couldn’t stop himself from continuing to try and feel the energy around him and funnel it through to his soul.

“How long have you been trying to cultivate?” Xi Shen said without looking at Zhao Yi keeping his eyes forward.

Zhao Yi frowned “about two years to no avail Lord.”

“No. Not in vain or to no avail. I realize part of the reason you intervened was you felt that I had enabled you to cultivate, but the reality is I merely sped up a process you were about to undergo in a few weeks time anyways.” Xi Shen shook his head as he spoke. “The reality is you were destined to be a cultivator the moment I saw you. If I was brutally honest with you though. Your talent is highly limited, but talent isn’t everything. Your hardwork I could sense from the moment I sensed your state when I rode by and on a whim I sped up the process.”

If he was honest Zhao Yi didn’t think it mattered whether it was inevitable or not. His intervention saved him a lot of time. “Regardless of why or when I appreciate you deciding to assist me even if it wasn’t much.”

Xi Shen looked at him. “What is your goal at the tournament?”

“Honestly the same as everyone’s to get brought into a cultivation force so I can pursue the path of a cultivator and gain strength.” Zhao Yi didn’t reveal his silly dream as he felt it wasn’t worth explaining. To desire a place to call home and have friends, family, and allies wasn’t his idea of a big noble dream.

Xi Shen chuckled “A very generic dream, but it is okay if you don’t desire to tell me exact reasons. I won’t pry further. However, due to your bravery I will give you some advice. When you are trying to funnel energy into your soul it should be cycling before trying to force more through your meridians and just letting it naturally flow. All that to become second nature.”

Zhao Yi listened and immediately began to attempt what was explained to him and immediately felt a resistance when he put pressure on it, but it also felt like he was almost breathing and felt good.

He could feel as if the meridians were being forcibly expanded as if the rate of the drip had been increased even if ever so slightly. After a moment he let off the pressure and let it resume its trickle.

“You understand the concept well, but if you are ever going to be capable of standing up on your own you need to make up a lot of progress. Most children of the Xi clan learn this by the time they are 4 years old.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Zhao Yi cupped his fists and gave a short bow “Thank you for your gracious help Lord Xi.”

“Call me simply Xi Shen when it is just the two of us. We will arrive in Xi city in a few weeks ride enjoy it while we can. I doubt we will encounter any more issues in the next several days.”

Xi Shen went back to focusing on observing the open plains and seemed to enter into a relaxed state. Zhao Yi noticed he had stopped clutching his wound; it seemed he was healing quickly, which Zhao Yi found extremely impressive. Cultivators truly were in a world of their own.

…

**Earlier**

The sound of fighting raged outside the carriage, but for Xi Biyu had been sitting quietly for several days cultivating in silence. Her female aids were terrified, all huddled in the corner, a few of them silently crying.

“Miss Xi! What if the bandits defeat Lord Xi? Shouldn’t we leave?” one of the newer aids asked timidly.

“Lord Xi is one of the top outer elders of the clan. If he were to be defeated by a mere bandit and I had to step in. I warrant he would be at greater risk of dying from shame than by any blow they could land on him.” Xi Biyu didn’t open her eyes, but her spiritual sense could tell the soldiers while ambushed and caught off guard were already quickly making quick work of these thugs.

The aids were at best minor cultivators who never had talent or resources to advance far into the world of cultivation, but they had the stamina to perform their duties well. Xi clan nursed all their people, even those outside the direct family or its various family branches.

Xi Biyu’s father was gathering his supporters for a bid at the next Xi Clan promotion while only part of the branch family by her father’s side. Her mother was the eighth daughter of the Xi clan Patriarch. Not that it was all that impressive. The man had six wives and more than twenty children and even more grandchildren and great grandchildren. For the Patriarch all he cared about was strength which is why the tournament was an opportunity for the various branches to fight it out for dominance and recruit young talent.

Despite her only being fifteen her father believed that she was ready to take on more responsibilities. Her two younger brothers were still too young to take on any role besides diligently cultivate and learn.

As she listened and observed the battle she saw the bandit leader get a lucky hit on Lord Xi, but it wasn’t something he would lose the battle with, but to her surprise a youth with next to no discernible spiritual energy joined the fray and attacked the leader head on.

Lord Xi didn’t play fair and took the chance to instantly end the leaders life, but Xi Biyu was most satisfied with him.

“Lord Xi, take the boy in. I know you helped him earlier. I sense your tampering with his meridians anyways and we Xi clan should reward those who help despite themselves." She sent a voice transmission to Xi Shen.

After a few moments pause Xi Shen responded. “As you say Lady Xi.”

“Good, don’t disturb me for another few days. I can sense I am about to make a significant breakthrough and don’t want to be disturbed.” Xi Biyu started cycling the energy around her soul which had started to form a hard casing around itself. In a few more days she will have officially entered the third stage of the core formation realm. The third layer of hardened energy around the soul would then start to take on the attributes that she had been cultivating since she was a small girl.

“Go out with the soldiers and leave me in seclusion for a few days.” She dismissed the aids who left to assist the soldiers immediately.

Xi Biyu knew if she could accomplish her cultivation goals she would catch the eye of grandfather.