Jake opened his eyes. He felt really refreshed like he had just had a good nights sleep. He had never felt like this before, like he was invincible! It must be because of my cultivation, he thought. He took a deep sniff and smelt a very bad odor, different from the usual garbage smell. He looked at himself and took off his robe. His upper body and arms were covered with a sludge like material that smelled really bad. Where did this come from? Thought Jake. He stood up and opened the old chest and took out his other set of clothes. He may have been poor but he kept himself clean.

He went out of the hovel and walked to a pond a little ways away. He grabbed some grass from the edge of the pond; this was a natural soap. He walked into the water and rubbed himself all over with this grass, then reached down and grabbed the sand from the bottom of the pond. He scrubbed his body with it and the sludge was washed off. Now this is better, he thought. He walked out of the water and sat on the grass to dry off. He shook his head to let some water fly off.

I should try some martial arts now that I can cultivate to see if it makes any difference, he thought. He stood up and took a basic fist stance and made a small punch with his right hand. Inside, unknown to him, qi started to flow through the meridians that had opened when he was meditating earlier. When he finished the punch a sound like a loud bang was created and the air in front of his fist was distorted. Jake stopped in amazement, what was this, he had never seen or heard of this before.

Behind him he heard a whiny voice.

“Hey trash, Wang Hu needs his villa cleaned.” Stated Wang Li. “Hurry up and come over. He also needs a punching bag to practice a new fist technique on. Also put on clothes you look disgusting with everything hanging out!”

“Tell him to clean it himself, or you can do it.” Replied Jake without turning around.

“Listen trash, the only reason you are kept in the sect is to do the menial tasks for us.” Wang Li replied with a sneer. “I guess I will have to beat you and drag you there then.”

With that he walked over and threw a punch at Jake’s back. But to his astonishment Jake avoided the punch, turned and swung back at him. The fist connected with Wang Li and drove him through the air, he landed almost 10 meters away. Wang Li lay on the ground and started coughing, with blood coming from his mouth. Wang Li could not understand what happened, since he could cultivate he had made sure he beat Jake every chance he could. This was the first time Jake had been able to fight back.

“Trash, that was a lucky punch.” He shouted as he staggered to his feet. “I am getting Wang Hu, he will beat you for this. No one hits the Wang family!”

Wang Li staggered off, still coughing blood. Jake meanwhile was ignoring Wang Li and was looking at his fist in amazement. He had never dodged a fist before since the others could cultivate, and this was the first time he had sent someone flying after hitting them. In fact he could not even land a punch on anyone during the past year. He was used as a punching bag by all the other disciples, especially the Wang family. Grudges were held because he had been the shining star before they could cultivate and he had never lost a sparring match to anyone. Everyone wanted to beat the “genius”.

Jake then took another stance and made a kick. It seemed stronger but still did not have the same effect as the punch. He then took another stance and punched with his left hand. When he finished the punch a sound like a loud bang was created and the air in front of his fist was distorted again, the same as with the right hand.

He then tried a combination of fists, and a series of bangs and distortions were created. He found himself getting tired however after about ten. He did not know but for each punch he used up his qi energy and it was nearly depleted, this caused him to be tired.

Jake then closed his eyes and looked inside at his dantian. He sensed that it was almost empty. Strange, he thought, it was full a little while ago. With his eyes closed and still looking at his dantian he threw another punch with his right hand. He was amazed as qi flowed out of his dantian and through different parts of his body and down his right arm and out his right fist. With his eyes closed and still looking at his dantian he threw a second punch with his left hand. He was amazed as qi again flowed out of his dantian and through different parts of his body and down his left arm and out his left fist.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

He stopped and thought, then took another stance and threw a kick with his left and then right leg. No qi flowed this time. He sat back down on the grass to think about this. It works for my arms but not for the legs, he thought. He closed his eyes and started to cultivate while concentrating on his dantian. This time he did not meditate but just used his breathing technique.

As he breathed his dantian attracted qi from the surrounding air, but also qi started to flow along those two pathways to his right and left hands and then back to his dantian again. The area where the qi flowed also tingled as the energy flowed into the muscles, flesh and bone in the area. He concentrated on the qi flow and noticed that his body was changing as the flow moved through it, and he started to smell a bad smell again.

He opened his eyes and looked down at his body. The sludge was starting to form again. It seems to be coming from the area where the qi is flowing, he thought. There was no sludge below his waist. He jumped up grabbed some grass and went into the pond again to clean up again. He walked back to the grass and sat down again.

Because he had never cultivated before today and was not allowed into the library or classes, he had no idea about cultivation or cultivation techniques. Is what is happening natural, he wondered. Hopefully Ling Lin can get her grandfather to let me take part in classes and access the library, he thought.

He then heard noises coming toward him, so he stood up and turned around. Coming up the path were ten disciples being led by Wang Hu and Wang Li.

“There is the trash Brother Hu.” Said Wang Li. “He has still not left. Perverted trash cover yourself.”

Looking at Wang Li, Jake responded, “Do you wear clothes when you bathe idiot. Some of us cannot access the baths and have to bath in the pond.”

“Ah yes I forget trash were not allowed where dignified people bathed.” Responded Wang Li while sneering at Jake.

“If you are considered dignified, then I would rather bathe here.” Responded Jake. “What do you assholes want I am busy here?”

“Trash, you were supposed to come clean a mess in my villa.” Said Wang Hu, while looking at Jake with distaste. “I guess it is time to teach you another lesson about your station and your betters. I do not want to dirty my own hands on trash however. You bunch grab him, beat him and bring him to my villa.” He made a motion with his hand towards Jake.

Wang Hu and Wang Li stepped back as the other eight moved towards Jake. Jake quickly set himself and waited. As the first came he moved forward and hit him with his left fist sending him flying. Jake kept flowing forward however and with a series of lefts and rights all eight were sent flying one after the other.

Wang Hu and Li looked on in disbelief, was this still the trash from before? Wang Hu summoned a sword from his ring.

“Hmm I guess I will have to dirty my sword with you then.” Said Wang Hu, he moved quickly forward with some sword technique. Jake quickly avoided, but slash after slash were raining at Jake from all angles. Soon Jake had a series of cuts on his body. Wang Hu was talented after all.

“Go Wang Hu!” Shouted Wang Li. “Cut the trash to ribbons.”

Wang Hu stepped back, he was a little winded. He had not expected Jake to avoid so many of his attacks. As the pressure lessened Jake summoned his own sword from his ring and then attacked Wang Hu.

He quickly drove Wang Hu back. Lightning also came out of the sword burning Wang Hu. Automatically qi had flowed down his arm into the sword. In a few minutes Wang Hu was lying on the ground thoroughly defeated. His robes were in ribbons, and he was covered with cuts and burns. Jake then turned and put the sword against Wang Li’s neck.

“Who is the trash now Wang Li?” He asked. He then sliced the robes off Wang Li and kicked him into the pond.

“Jake!” Came a scream from behind Jake.

Jake turned to see Ling Lin running up to him. She grabbed him and hugged him.

“Are you ok?” She asked. “Why are you so bloody? Why are these people all lying on the ground? Oh MY why are you naked?”

With this she released Jake and turned around with a blush on her face and shouted. “JAKE PUT ON SOME CLOTHES.” In her concern for Jake she did not realize she had hugged his naked body.

“What is the problem Ling Lin?” He replied. “We used to swim naked all the time when we were young.”

“We are not kids so clothe yourself!” Ling Lin said with a huff. “Respectable unmarried men and women are not nude together.”

Jake sighed and picked his robe up from the ground and put it on. He also sent his sword back into his ring.

“Ok, I am clothed.” Said Jake. “You can turn around. As for these guys we were sparring, giving each other pointers.” He picked up Wang Hu and shook him. “Right Wang Hu?”

“Right, pointers.” Responded Wang Hu groggily. “Jake has improved his techniques and was helping us.”

Jake threw him back on the ground and turned and smiled at Ling Lin.

“So did you want something Ling Lin?” Jake asked.

“Oh I just came from grandfathers.” She replied. “He wanted to see you.”

“Well then lead the way.” Jake replied. “Gentlemen, I will see you tomorrow for more pointers ok?”

He turned and with a big laugh followed Ling Lin, leaving ten groaning people behind them.