After reading for a while, Jin Eryndor had gained a basic understanding of the common knowledge and structure of the cultivation world. However, one particular fact left him utterly dejected: CULTIVATING BEFORE THE AGE OF SIX COULD LEAD TO STUNTED GROWTH !
"Why didn’t the novels I read before mention this?" Eryndor thought, thoroughly perplexed. "Just when I’m eager to dive into cultivation, it turns out there’s such a restriction?"
His mind filled with questions, Eryndor looked over to his mother, who was leisurely sitting at a table, nibbling on pastries and sipping tea, her expression one of pure enjoyment. Unable to hold back, Eryndor asked, “Mother, I read in a book that cultivating before the age of six makes you more likely to be short later on. Why is that?”
Serene Skyshade, caught off guard by the question, paused mid-sip. She set her teacup down gracefully and smiled. “Dori, that’s because a child’s body hasn’t fully matured yet. Before the age of six, the bones, meridians, and organs are still growing and developing. Starting cultivation too early disrupts this natural growth.”
“When mortals first begin cultivating, the process involves drawing spiritual energy into their bodies, guiding it through their meridians, and nurturing their physical form. This initial stage is a crucial foundation. Over time, even without focusing on body refinement, a cultivator’s body naturally becomes stronger as they progress, almost without realizing it.
However, novice cultivators often become arrogant once they acquire their first taste of power. Some, in their eagerness to prove themselves, develop an inflated sense of superiority, even going so far as to believe they are invincible after minimal training. These individuals are prone to reckless and ruthless disputes, especially among the younger generation, whose fiery tempers are difficult to contain even with the guidance of elders.
During such confrontations, it’s not uncommon for a cultivator to overexert themselves, unintentionally harming their foundational essence. While the damage may not be apparent at first, it leaves lingering effects that become increasingly evident over time. Without advancing to higher cultivation stages and undergoing purification by spiritual energy, this loss of foundational essence manifests physically—most notably, in significantly stunted growth compared to others.
To prevent such outcomes, all cultivation sects have adopted a unified principle: no one under the age of six should begin cultivating. This allows the body to develop naturally, ensuring a strong foundation for future cultivation. Consequently, sects only accept disciples aged six or older, as this age range is considered the golden period for establishing a robust cultivation base.”
Seeing her son’s furrowed brow, she continued, “Think of it like a sapling. If you tie it down or bend it too soon, it won’t grow straight. But if you wait until it’s stronger, it will grow tall and sturdy.”
Eryndor blinked, digesting the explanation. “So, if I start cultivating now, I might not grow tall like Father?”
Serene chuckled and patted his head. “Exactly. Be patient. Once you’re old enough, your foundation will be better, and your body will be ready to handle cultivation properly. Until then, just focus on learning, eating well, and growing strong.”
Though still somewhat disappointed, Eryndor nodded. “Alright, I’ll wait. But once I’m six, I’m going to be the tallest and strongest!”
Serene smiled warmly. “That’s my boy.”
After hearing his mother’s detailed explanation, Jin Eryndor finally understood. If he truly wanted to start cultivating now, he would need to avoid any form of combat with others. Moreover, he wasn’t sure whether his parents would even allow him to begin cultivation so early.
Having gained clarity on the matter, Eryndor picked up a book that caught his interest: Masters of Martial Arts in the Mortal World.
This world wasn’t solely dominated by cultivators wielding spiritual energy; mortals, too, had their own form of strength—internal energy or inner force, cultivated through martial arts techniques.
Unlike spiritual energy, which drew upon the boundless energy of the heavens and earth, internal energy came solely from within the practitioner. Once depleted, it required time and effort to replenish. This was in stark contrast to cultivators, who could continuously tap into the endless flow of spiritual energy from their surroundings.
Internal energy was also inherently weaker than spiritual energy. A master martial artist at the peak of their abilities could only match the strength of a Qi Refinement cultivator. If a martial artist trained in advanced internal energy techniques, they might be able to fight evenly with a cultivator at the Qi Refinement stage. However, practitioners of common internal techniques would be no match and would likely be easily defeated by even a low-level cultivator.
In rough terms, it was said that "20 years of internal energy cultivation was equivalent to 1 level of Qi Refinement". This significant disparity meant that martial artists, while respected in the mortal world, remained far below the realm of cultivators in terms of power.
Eryndor’s curiosity grew as he delved deeper into the book, marveling at the unique paths to strength that existed in the mortal world.
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Martial artists in the mortal world are categorized based on their accumulated internal energy (measured in years of cultivation).
1 YEAR OF INTERNAL ENERGY
* Newcomers or Novices: These individuals are at the entry level of the martial world, often referred to as "rookies."
* Within martial sects, they are disciples or trainees, just beginning to learn their craft.
* It is common for such individuals to pay tuition to join a sect and receive training.
3 YEARS OF INTERNAL ENERGY
* Experienced Wanderers: These are seasoned martial artists who have spent some time in the martial world.
* They are the most common type of practitioners.
* In sects, they often hold positions as instructors or mentors for new disciples but lack significant authority.
5 YEARS OF INTERNAL ENERGY
* Unranked Masters: These individuals have achieved moderate strength and may have some recognition within their sects or regions.
* They hold minor positions of influence and can serve as sub-leaders or instructors with more responsibilities.
10 YEARS OF INTERNAL ENERGY
* Third-Rate Masters: These martial artists are considered mid-level experts.
* They are strong enough to become the head of a small sect or lead small groups of martial artists.
30 YEARS OF INTERNAL ENERGY
* Second-Rate Masters: These individuals command significant respect and authority.
* They can serve as the head of a medium-sized sect and are generally well-known in martial circles.
60 YEARS OF INTERNAL ENERGY
* First-Rate Masters: Rare and highly esteemed, these martial artists are at the pinnacle of mortal martial arts.
* They are capable of leading large and prestigious sects, commanding widespread recognition and influence.
80 Years of Internal Energy
* Peak Grandmasters: These individuals represent the pinnacle of mortal martial arts, possessing immense strength and mastery.
* They are exceedingly rare, as few martial artists live long enough or cultivate diligently enough to reach this level.
* Those who achieve this status are typically revered as patriarchs or grand elders of their sects.
* They only appear in times of dire crisis, such as when their sect faces extinction or a catastrophic event threatens their legacy.
One remarkable aspect of internal energy cultivation is that those who reach its pinnacle can begin to sense spiritual energy (Qi). Through processes such as Three Flowers Gathering on the Crown and Five Energies Converging to the Origin, martial artists may transcend their mortal limits and step into the path of cultivation, becoming true cultivators.
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UNDER 60 YEARS OF INTERNAL ENERGY
* At this stage, internal energy is confined to circulating within the practitioner’s body.
* Martial artists use their energy to strike through specific acupoints, enhancing physical attacks.
* With internal energy, martial artists can perform feats such as shattering stones or breaking walls, but their power remains grounded in physical strength and techniques.
60 YEARS OF INTERNAL ENERGY OR MORE
* Practitioners begin to achieve minor externalization of internal energy, forming an energy field around their strikes, known as fist aura
* This energy can also be channeled into weapons, creating effects like blade aura or sword aura, enhancing their cutting or striking power
The martial world operates similarly to the sects of cultivators, albeit within the confines of mortal society. Martial sects remain rooted in the secular world, forming tight-knit communities to protect their traditions and legacies.
Every 20 years, the top martial artists hold a grand gathering to test their strength and determine the strongest among them, the "Edge of Eternity Tournament"
The martial world also creates pills and elixirs, but their methods are very basic compared to the advanced alchemy of cultivation sects. The difference between the two is like the distance between the earth and the heavens.
Cultivators who know alchemy are often proud and see no reason to make pills for mortals. On top of that, the cost of making pills for mortals isn’t worth their time or effort.
Martial sects could only offer gold to hire cultivators for alchemy, but the thing is, gold is almost useless to them. Cultivators value spirit stones, which are crucial for their cultivation. Spirit stone mines are strictly controlled by cultivation sects, so mortals rarely have access to them. Even if a spirit stone somehow ended up in a mortal’s hands, it wouldn’t be enough to pay a cultivator to make pills.
Even though cultivators live much longer than mortals, they don’t have time to waste. They are always racing against time to grow stronger and reach higher realms. Making pills for themselves already takes a lot of effort, so they can’t afford to spend their time creating pills for mortals.
This shows the huge gap between the martial world and the cultivation world, with cultivators having far more resources, knowledge, and power.
Eryndor was deeply immersed in thought, analyzing and absorbing as much knowledge as he could about this new world. His goal was to first understand how the world worked before devising a detailed plan for his future development. He wanted to map out the best possible path for cultivation, knowing that his talent wasn’t among the highest. This meant he didn’t have much time to waste. Thankfully, he had two loving and capable parents to support him.
While reading, a small footnote suddenly caught his attention:
"If a cultivator trains in internal energy before cultivating spiritual energy, they may have a slight advantage in combat against others of the same level."
This single line intrigued him, sparking a flood of thoughts as he began to consider how this information could influence his plans.
He didn’t hesitate to ask, “Mother, I read here that cultivators who train in internal energy before spiritual energy have an advantage. What kind of advantage is that? Is it significant?”
Serene glanced at him briefly and replied, “It’s true that cultivators who train internal energy first may have a slight advantage, but it’s a roundabout path, not the proper way to cultivate. Let me explain it with an example.
If someone starts cultivating at the age of six and chooses to train internal energy first, it would take them five months at best, or up to a year, to build the equivalent of 20 years of internal energy. This assumes they have no solid foundation or support for pills and herbs.
In contrast, if they used the Meridian Unblocking Pill, Qi Gathering Pill, and spirit stones provided by the sect and diligently trained while completing basic sect tasks, they could reach the peak of Qi Refinement Level 1 in just over two months.
The problem with internal energy is that it takes much longer to progress, and no one is willing to provide pills or resources to help you train it. This slow progress means you lose the precious early momentum, falling behind your peers. Once others take the lead, even by a step, it becomes ten steps in no time, and you risk failing on your cultivation path entirely.
So, if you truly want to become a cultivator, this method isn’t recommended. It’s not the proper path. Read about it to understand the concept, but don’t think of practicing it.”
Her firm yet gentle explanation left no doubt in his mind about the pitfalls of pursuing such a path.
Eryndor nodded outwardly, signaling his understanding, but deep down, he had his own thoughts. Training in internal energy wasn’t necessarily a step backward. He still had plenty of time before turning six, and he could use this period wisely to study and train. Whether or not he pursued cultivation in the traditional sense, he wouldn’t overlook the importance of strengthening his body. After all, wasn’t it always emphasized in the novels he read that a strong and healthy body was crucial for any cultivator?
Of course, body refinement had undeniable benefits. If he decided to train in external martial arts first, transitioning from external to internal energy, how long would it take? How many years would he need to reach 60 or even 80 years of internal energy cultivation? And how long after that would it take to convert that energy into spiritual energy for cultivation?
The most critical question was: did he have the support of a family? Did he have the resources needed for training?
Eryndor glanced at his mother, then thought of his father. A sense of confidence welled up inside him. With such supportive and capable parents, he knew he wasn’t without backing. That realization solidified his resolve, and he made the first major decision of his new life:
“I will train in internal energy.”
It was a calculated choice, one rooted in preparation for the future. If he could build a strong foundation now, he would step into the cultivation path better prepared than most.