Chapter 12
“Well, well you’re pretty quick.” I open my eyes to the early sun peaking through the open door of the cart. Coachman Cai stands with a satisfied smile on his face. Though something about the world seems, different. Like a veil has been lifted off of me. It takes me a second to recollect myself before I can speak.
“Is this how cultivators see the world?” All around me, the world feels like it's bursting with life. I didn’t think it would be possible, but the world is even clearer than before. I can hear the smallest rustle of grass outside, and feel the damp air of the morning through every pore while smelling a blend of dew and dirt.
“Yes, it is, congratulations, you have achieved the first level of [Qi Gathering].” I stare at him in confusion.
“Wait, just like that?” He shrugs.
“I’m not an expert in cultivation like the instructors are, but I can tell that you’ve been using a cultivation art well before you came here. Which means you are much more familiar with the process than you realize. From what Elder Deng told me, I shouldn’t be surprised if you broke through in one night.” I guess unknowingly using a cultivation art was actually a good thing, even if it wasn’t suited for me.
“So now that I’m at level one of [Qi Gathering], what do I do next?”
“Continue using the [Universal Star Art] until we reach the [Secret Realm]. To be successful in cultivation one must put in hard work and not just rely on talent.”
“Right, so, are we off then?” He nods before closing the door. To think I could reach the first level of [Qi Gathering], something I thought would be hard to do. The cart begins to shake slightly as we get back on the road. Though I call it a road, it’s just a really worn dirt path. Now that I can use ‘Qi’, I decide to get a feel for what it can do. I focus inwards, finding a new energy stored within my body. This energy flows through my body from a single point outwards following a path connecting smaller points around my body. This larger point must be what they call the dantian while the smaller points must be meridians. I notice a subtle change as I focus more on this energy, it seems to be making me stronger the more it flows through my body. Old aches and previous injuries that didn’t quite heal right at the time begin to fade. I never heard of this happening to anyone while they cultivated when I listened in on their conversations at the [Pill Hall]. I scoot towards the very back, feeling along the wall towards the top where the same kind of paper pattern wraps around. I find the handle after fumbling around for a couple of minutes. I peek out the window until I can see Coachman Cai.
“I have some questions about this cultivation stuff and how it works.”
“Well, if you wanted a proper explanation of it you should have asked Elder Deng when you had the chance.”
“Is that a no?”
“Go right ahead.”
“So when you take in, ‘Qi, into your body, does it usually strengthen your body once it's in there?”
“Yes, though not the way you must be feeling right now. All that has happened is your body is now adjusting to having ‘Qi’ inside it.” So this is a normal occurrence for people like me. Though it must be common enough everywhere as well for it to be known to even a coachman. Maybe that's why there aren’t as many cultivators despite the number of people. My stomach interrupts my thoughts, drawing my attention to the bag of rations. Rummaging through, I find dried meat and a separate bag with rice inside. A pot and waterskin lean, hidden, against the trunk underneath the bench. Since we just got on the road again, I decide to eat the dried meat. Once I finish eating, I start reading the [Universal Star Art]. Past the first chapter, a list of martial arts starts. The [Celestial Star Path], is a footwork technique that uses the power of the [Stars] within ones dantian to move as swiftly as starlight. The [Colossal Comet Assault], is a martial art that draws the the power of the [Stars] in the dantian to allow explosive strength for a short time. Currently, these two are the only ones I can attempt, and understand.
The space of the cart isn’t big enough to try and attempt either right now. So instead I go back to using the cultivation art. This time I can feel the energy of Heaven and Earth all around me. I didn’t really understand what ‘Qi’ was until now. It’s the very energy flowing through all things in this world. It was also that strange energy I felt for the first time when I used [Psychic Detection] in this world. I can feel it so much more clearly, and my understanding of it almost seems innate now. I spend the remaining time before we stop again cultivating. By the time we’ve stopped again, I’ve made a quarter of progress to the second level. I can’t tell how fast this is in comparison to the disciples in the sect, but if it’s this fast I can build strength up faster than planned. It’s night outside again though this time a forest stretches out past the road beside us. Owls and birds chirp and call with the soft call of incests joining in.
Stolen story; please report.
“We are almost at the village, do you wish to rest for the night there?”
“Will there be anywhere to house us in a village?”
“Since this village is on the road to the sect, there are numerous inns for travelers to rest in.”
“Then let's stay at one of those inns.” With a crack of the reigns, the cart sets off again to the [Autumn Hare Village]. It doesn’t take more than a couple hours to arrive on the village outskirts. Surprisingly there aren’t any walls erected around the village. As we ride in, a group of armored soldiers march past onto the next street. In the distance, a guard tower comes into view. We stop outside a weathered building with the doors open and light coming out. The sounds of laughing and quarreling reach outside as Coachman Cai hops off the cart. The door opens up not long after.
“We are here. The prices are cheap but it has decent beds and food.” I grab my bag of money, clutching it tightly. The one thing I don’t like about these clothes is that they don’t seem to know what pockets are yet. Most things are tied to someone's waist with a special pouch they call a [Subspace Bag]. They are expensive from what I have heard and can hold far more than it should be able to. Coachman Cai goes to park the cart leaving me to get our room. It can’t be any harder than getting one from the motels in New Republic cities. Walking in, there are countless round tables with a path leading to a twin staircase to a second floor. It’s almost packed full of people. Some have massive swords and weapons on their backs or lying nearby. While others wear clothes that radiate ‘Qi’ from them. There are also quite a few weapons that radiate ‘Qi’ as well. I walk up to what seems to be a counter in the middle of the path with a man wearing a white rag tied to his head and short black hair. He smiles as I approach.
“Welcome! How may I help you today.” His cheerful face doesn’t match his tired voice.
“I’d like to rent a room for two please.”
“Of course! We have an available room with two beds for three [Spirit Stones] a night. How many nights do you plan to stay?” That doesn’t seem too bad considering we will only be staying for tonight.
“We will only be staying for tonight.” He writes something down with a smaller version of the brushes they use in the [Pill Hall]. I hand him three of my [Spirit Stones] just as Coachman Cai walks up.
“It seems you didn’t get lost.”
“Kind of hard to get lost when there’s only one desk here.” My sarcastic remark seems to have tickled him as he chuckles a bit.
“Very true, come on. There won’t be another village until we reach the camp outside the [Secret Realm] so rest while you can.” Patting me on the shoulder, he heads up the right stairs disappearing into the back. Since I have some time to spare, I might as well see how these martial arts work myself. I walk outside again, finding a secluded area nearby. The [Celestial Star Path] requires me to move in a certain way to properly use the power of the [Star] in my dantian. This is actually harder to do than the breathing technique. After my fifth failed attempt, I decide to put it aside for now. Instead, focusing on the [Colossal Comet Assault]. This is a series of punches, kicks, and palm strikes that take the power of the [Star] to generate an explosive power. To do this properly, you have to have a mastery over the basic physical movements first.
I start with the punching series, each punch increases in power the more you hit your opponent. These strikes are meant to be chain strikes though, meaning for them to be effective the hits have to happen in rapid succession. I run through the moves deliberately first, moving with purpose. By the time I finish one set of the punching series, I’ve worked up a sweat and am out of breath. This is more exhausting than the training we endured in boot camp. I catch my breath as the night air cools me down. Once I’ve recovered some, I look over the other series. Each one looks harder than the last, and struggling with just the first means no matter how fast I go up, it’ll take me a while to properly utilize it. I close the book, running through the punches again. I run through them more quickly this time, seeing how far I can get before messing up. I didn’t get far to be honest. I run through the punches intentionally again, hoping to somehow memorize the pattern this time. I pick up the pace again, and this time I manage to get all the way through without messing up. Once I finish this set, my muscles are screaming in pain. It really does feel like boot camp again. Too tired to try anything else, I head off to bed.
The next morning, I and Coachman Cai eat together in the restaurant portion of the inn. We don’t speak much, instead focusing more on the food. Once we are finished, Coachman Cai quickly grabs the cart. We start back off again, passing through the streets of the village. A small market area opens up towards the other end of the village. Tents and mats with various items and trinkets line the stalls. There seems to be quite the crowd as we have come to a stop again. Peering out the window, a line of people pulling personal carts of items walks in front of the cart. Grumbling a bit, I scan the market for anything that stands out. A weird pulling sensation snags at my senses. It feels like something is calling to me, though I’m not sure what or from where. I focus my [Psychic Detection] on the market, and almost immediately my detection is pulled to a single location. A cluster of ‘Qi’ in the shape of a book floods my vision for a split second. I burst out the door of the cart, scanning across the stalls. I’m not sure what it is, but I have to find it. If I don’t I would be denying something, something along the lines of fate.