Ten minutes later, another cultivator joined us, but this time without any "catch." The leader of the group lined up the ten teenagers, including me, into a tight formation. With a dramatic wave of his hand, we all rose into the air together. While I remained indifferent to this, the other "passengers" screamed in terror.

"Shut up!" - the cultivator barked. - "Whoever screams the loudest, I'll throw them down on purpose."

That silenced everyone immediately, allowing me to enjoy the flight in peace. I had deliberately positioned myself for the best view, giving me a chance to marvel at the surrounding natural beauty. We soared over plains, gentle hills, and towering cliffs. After about an hour of leisurely levitation, we landed at the foot of a fairly tall mountain. The cultivator left as soon as he received confirmation that he had met his daily quota.

"Alright, you brats! Listen up!" - A massive, beastly-looking man addressed us. Do they recruit these types on purpose? - "I’m one of the three overseers of the Eighth Outer Forest Camp of the Heavenly Blades Sect. My name is Master Xiao Xiao San. That’s how you’ll address me—no exceptions! You’re now part of the sect. Or rather, you’re candidates for entry into the sect. There are no moms or dads here. No one will stand up for you. The only thing you can rely on is the mercy of higher-ranking sect members, like me."

The man swept a fierce gaze over the group of subdued kids.

"From now on, you will devote all your free time to cultivation. You’ll be provided with housing, food, and training in the basics of Qi Condensation. In six months, there will be an exam. Those who reach the fifth level of Qi Condensation will earn the right to take the sect’s entrance trial. Those who prove insufficiently talented or diligent will be tossed into the forest to be eaten by wild beasts. And don’t think I’m bluffing. The sect has no need for weaklings or slackers. No one will take you back to your village. At best, you’ll have to traverse hundreds of kilometers through wild mountains to reach any inhabited area. And even then, you’ll likely be captured and sold into slavery."

In short, the man did his best to terrify us, motivating us to work tirelessly for the sect. I was inclined to believe him. To cultivators, ordinary people were akin to livestock—expendable. However, I doubted an average person could reach the fifth level of Qi Condensation in just six months. Well, we’d see.

After some more dire warnings about our fate should we fail, we were handed over to a slightly older boy who acted like he was the Pope and President of the United States rolled into one. At the very least, he had enough arrogance for both. He led us to a stone dwelling designed to house ten people. No one seemed concerned that three of our group were girls. Judging by the lecherous glances he gave them, our guide might revisit that issue later, but not today. After showing us our new home, the communal dining hall, and the lecture hall, he left to attend to his "very important" business.

"Hi, let’s get acquainted" - said a freckled girl, addressing me. - "My name is Liu Qiang. I’m thirteen years old and at the second level of Qi Condensation."

From the way the others looked at me, it seemed they had already introduced themselves to one another.

"I’m Tang Ji Tao" - I replied with a nod. Since no one else seemed interested in introducing themselves, I considered the ritual complete. I wasn’t particularly curious about my new neighbors' names. After all, here, everyone was on their own. - "See you later."

I then took a look around, searching for a place suitable for cultivation. Predictably, there was such a place, but it was occupied by buildings housing meditation halls. Access was limited to one hour a day, and outside each hall, dozens of students crowded, waiting their turn.

"Sir, may I know your name?" - I asked a young man, barely a couple of years older than me, standing at the entrance to one of the halls. He clearly enjoyed being addressed so respectfully, as he smiled and introduced himself with smug satisfaction.

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"I’m Chong Chuan Chui, overseer of the third meditation hall."

"Pleasure to meet you, sir. I’ve heard that meditation halls are incredibly important for cultivation. I only just arrived here today. Would you grant me the opportunity to spend a few minutes experiencing the atmosphere of a meditation hall?"

"Kid" - Chui looked at me skeptically. - "All these people have been waiting their turn, some for two days. Every student is entitled to visit the meditation hall only once per day. Why should I let you in out of turn?"

Judging by the tone, it was clear he expected a bribe.

"Master Chong Chuan Chui, I only need a couple of minutes inside the hall. For this, I'm willing to forfeit my right to today's visit to this magnificent place. I'm sure you'll find someone willing to take my place in exchange for expressing their gratitude to you."

"Fair enough." - He grinned, clearly satisfied. - "Go ahead."

We entered the large hall, where I was instructed to place my hand on a massive jade slab. It recorded the imprint of my aura.

"I’ll need no more than the time it takes for three breaths" - I said, making my way to the center of the hall.

As I had suspected, this wasn’t just a room. The Qi in this area surged up from the ground in a wide stream. The hall's construction, with specially treated walls and roof, trapped and concentrated the Qi inside, enriching the air and enhancing the effectiveness of breathing techniques.

Breathing techniques held little value for me. However, I noticed that the Qi inside the hall behaved like radiation, bouncing back and forth between the walls, ceiling, and floor. This made it possible to absorb the energy much more efficiently through the skin.

Standing in the center, I pretended to take a deep breath, producing an exaggerated sound. At the same time, I opened all the pores of my body, voraciously absorbing the Qi from the surrounding space.

"Wooooooosh!" - I inhaled deeply. Chui and a couple of other students who noticed me burst out laughing.

"Wooooooosh!" - I repeated, inhaling again. By this time, the concentration of Qi in the hall had dropped by half.

"Wooooooosh! - Thank you for your kindness, Master Chong Chuan Chui" - I said with a bow before heading for the exit. It didn’t matter; within the next hour, the energy density in this hall would be zero.

"Hey! Where’s all the spiritual energy gone?" - one of the students exclaimed, suddenly realizing his cultivation had stopped.

"What?" - Chui turned to him, alarmed.

At that moment, I slipped out unnoticed.

"If anyone wants to take my place in the meditation hall, please speak with Master Chong Chuan Chui" - I announced benevolently, setting the terms for bribing the official.

The crowd immediately buzzed, tallying their resources for potential bribes. I quickly walked away, vanishing behind some bushes to observe the chaos that would unfold.

"Where is he?!" - Chui burst out of the meditation hall, his gaze wild.

"Master Chong Chuan Chui, may I take the spot of the student who just left?" - the most eager briber asked him.

"Take his spot? Excellent! You’ll take his spot in the snake pit!" - Chui snapped, grabbing the offender by the shoulder.

"What? Master, have mercy! I’ve done nothing wrong!"

"That’s for the overseer to decide. Guards!"

"Yes, sir!" - Two burly men stepped forward.

"Don’t let any students enter or leave the meditation hall. I’m going to the overseer."

"Understood, sir!" - The guards nodded, their exaggerated seriousness clearly meant to impress.

It looked like I had stirred up a hornet’s nest. Ha! From behind the bushes, I slipped around the meditation hall to find a spot suitable for cultivation.

The "energy anomaly" covered an irregular area roughly shaped like a square. Four meditation halls were built within it. The narrow pathways between the buildings were too busy for meditation, but I discovered that in one spot, the Qi stream extended slightly beyond the square, reaching part of a nearby park.

I was about to sit on the grass to meditate when I noticed a sign: "Do not sit on the grass." Scratching my head, I looked up and saw that the branch of a gnarled old tree extended over the pathway between the buildings. The energy flowing through the gap passed right through the branch.

After scanning my surroundings, I nimbly climbed the tree, balanced on the swaying branch, and settled into meditation within the anomaly. The Qi flow here was ten times stronger than what I was used to back in my village, dramatically boosting the efficiency of my cultivation.

After five minutes, it occurred to me that I didn’t have to sit on the branch—I could lie down, increasing my "effective cross-sectional area" for the flow. Of course, the branch wasn’t exactly comfortable, but by reinforcing my back with the inner Qi already under my control, I managed to eliminate any discomfort entirely.

People below were running around, yelling, and discussing something, but I paid them no mind. No one noticed me the entire time, so I lay comfortably on the tree until evening, when the aroma of dinner began wafting through the air.

At that point, I climbed down and made my way to the dining hall.