The sun was setting, sky turned to deep shades of orange and purple casting an orange glow over the small city. The air was cool and crisp, signaling the end of summer and the start of autumn. A young man stood on the outside of the city gate, gazing out at the rolling hills beyond. He was tall and lean, with sharp features and deep-set eyes. His name was Liang Zhi, and he was not from this city.

Liang Zhi was a man like no other. He had lived for over three centuries, but he was not a cultivator. He had devoted his life to the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom. He had traveled the world, seeking out the greatest scholars and masters of all kinds. He had studied medicine, philosophy, and martial arts, and he had become a master of all of them. He had even dabbled in alchemy and divination.

Liang Zhi gazed out over the vast landscape before him, a mixture of awe and curiosity filling his mind. He had been traveling the world for centuries yet he still found himself fascinated by the beauty and mystery of the world around him. The massive gate was flanked by two towering statues, each depicting a fierce-looking warrior with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. The gate was heavily guarded, and Liang Zhi knew that he would have to convince the guards to let him enter.

Approaching the guards, Liang Zhi could see the skepticism in their eyes. "What business do you have here?" one of them demanded, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"I am Liang Zhi," he replied calmly, "a traveler seeking knowledge and wisdom. I have come to this city in search of the greatest cultivators and scholars."

The guards exchanged a glance before one of them stepped forward. "We cannot simply let anyone into the city, especially not without proper credentials," he said sternly.

Liang Zhi nodded in understanding. "I am well aware of the importance of security. However, I assure you that I am no threat to this city. I have spent my entire life pursuing knowledge and wisdom, and I come to this city in search of the same."

The guards studied him for a few moments before the one who had spoken before nodded. "Very well," he said, "but we will need to search your belongings before we allow you to enter."

Liang Zhi nodded and stepped forward, allowing the guards to search him. They found nothing of concern, and he was allowed to pass through the gate and enter the city.

The city was unlike any that Liang Zhi had ever seen. It was a bustling metropolis, filled with people of all kinds. Merchants shouted out their wares from street stalls, and scholars debated in open courtyards. The sounds of the city filled the air, from the clanging of blacksmiths' hammers to the calls of street vendors.

As he walked through the bustling streets of the city, he couldn't help but observe the people around him. They went about their daily lives, completely unaware of the ancient being in their midst, his appearance unchanged for over three centuries. Liang Zhi had learned long ago to blend in with his surroundings, to avoid drawing too much attention to himself. He had no interest in becoming famous or powerful; his only desire was to enjoy his life fullest and cultivation is the only way to achieve it.

He approached a small shop, its sign proclaiming it to be a purveyor of rare books and manuscripts. Liang Zhi's eyes lit up; he had been searching and researching cultivation tomes for years, and he had a feeling that this might be the place where he would find one. He pushed open the door and stepped inside, the musty scent of old parchment filling his nostrils. The shopkeeper, an old man with a kindly face, looked up from his desk and smiled. "Welcome, traveler. What can I do for you today?" Liang Zhi nodded politely. "I am in search of a rare book," he said. "It is said to contain knowledge of the ancient arts, and your family should have one I am looking for."

The shopkeeper's eyes widened. "Ah, you seek the forbidden knowledge. Very well, I may have just the thing for you."

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Liang Zhi smiled inwardly at the mention of "forbidden knowledge." He had encountered such things before in his travels, but he knew better than to dismiss them out of hand. The ancient arts were powerful and dangerous, and yet they held the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe.

As the shopkeeper disappeared into the back room, Liang Zhi glanced around the shop, taking in the shelves of books and manuscripts that lined the walls. He noticed that many of the books were written in languages that he had never seen before, which only piqued his curiosity even further.

After a few minutes, the shopkeeper returned, carrying a thick, leather-bound book. He set it on the counter and pushed it toward Liang Zhi.

"This is the book you seek," he said. "But be warned, it contains knowledge that is not meant for mortal eyes. Those who pursue the ancient arts risk madness, death, or worse."

Liang Zhi nodded at the man. He had heard such warnings before, but he knew that the pursuit of knowledge often came with a price, and he had been researching these cultivation manuals for centuries. In the process, his sacrifice was not small. He opened the book and began to read, his eyes scanning the page. Liang Zhi absorbed the ancient wisdom contained within. The book was unlike any he had ever read before. It contained detailed instructions on the cultivation of Qi, the vital life force that flowed through all living things. As he read, memories flooded back to him of the time when he first consumed a rare spiritual herb that granted him immortality and supernatural powers. He had been a young scholar then, obsessed with uncovering the secrets of the universe.

After consuming the spiritual herb at the age of 35, he discovered that he could not die and would revive after 12 hours with all his memories reset. It was then he decided to become a cultivator, using immortality as a means to achieve it. He had spent centuries studying and mastering various forms of knowledge and martial arts, but he had always been drawn to cultivation. He had learned to harness the power of Qi, allowing him to control the elements and perform incredible feats of strength and agility.

But despite all his knowledge and skill, there was one thing that had always eluded him: the ability to condense his Qi into a solid form, a technique known as Qi Condensation. It was said that once a cultivator had achieved Qi Condensation, they had truly begun their journey towards immortality.

Liang Zhi had been researching Qi Condensation for over three centuries, but he had never been able to find a manual that provided the level of detail and insight he needed. That was until he stumbled upon the rare book in the shop. As he closed the book and thanked the shopkeeper, Liang Zhi couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation building within him. He knew that he was closer than ever before to achieving Qi Condensation.

He left the shop and made his way back to the inn where he was staying. As he walked, he could feel the eyes of the locals upon him. They knew he was not from around here and they could sense that he was different somehow. But Liang Zhi paid them no mind. He had learned long ago to blend in with his surroundings, to avoid drawing too much attention to himself. He had no interest in becoming famous or powerful; his only desire was to achieve Qi Condensation now.

Once he arrived back at the inn, he retired to his room and began to pore over the book once more. He studied each page carefully, committing every detail to memory. He spent hours practicing the techniques and visualizing the process of Qi Condensation in his mind.He knew Qi condensation is a fundamental stage of cultivation. It is the process of gathering spiritual energy, or qi, from the surrounding environment and compressing it into the body to form a core. This core acts as a reservoir for spiritual energy, allowing the cultivator to perform powerful techniques and improve their physical and mental abilities.

Liang Zhi had studied many different techniques for qi condensation throughout his centuries of travel and research. However, the book he had just acquired contained a method that he had never seen before. It was a complex technique that involved manipulating the flow of spiritual energy within the body to create a vortex that would draw in more energy from the environment.

He spent hours studying the technique, carefully dissecting each step and analyzing the underlying principles behind it. He drew upon his vast knowledge of medicine, philosophy, and martial arts to create a manual that was not only detailed but also accessible to a wide range of cultivators. He included diagrams and illustrations to help readers understand the complex concepts and provided examples of how to apply the technique in different situations.

Liang Zhi knew that the process of creating a manual was not easy. He had to distill over 300 years of knowledge and experience into a manual that had to have complete compatibility.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Liang Zhi remained holed up in his room, completely immersed in his studies. He emerged only to eat and drink, and even then he barely spoke to anyone. The other guests at the inn began to grow curious about him, wondering what he was up to.