Chapter 11: The Cabinet

“Swoosh!”

The glossy wooden cabinet creaked as it slowly opened, revealing the contents hidden within. Lester’s heart raced, the blood pumping furiously through his veins. His eyes were immediately drawn to a thick, yellow book lying on the top shelf. Its cover was adorned with a strange pyramid symbol surrounded by intricate alien script, and just looking at it made Lester’s pulse quicken with a mix of excitement and fear.

There were other items in the cabinet as well: two fragments of different books, their pages worn and frayed, and a peculiar black gem nestled on top of them, gleaming ominously in the dim light.

Lester knew these objects were not just random relics; they were invaluable. He had found them washed ashore near his home in the Philippines, remarkably close to where the alien cargo ship had crashed years ago. The discovery had been a stroke of fate, but it had taken him several years to translate the alien text painstakingly. Once he had completed the translation, he had carefully stored these items in the cabinet, waiting for the day when he might need them. That day, it seemed, had finally come.

His gaze lingered on the yellow book. The alien text on the cover read, [Black Sand Zu Lizard Cultivation]. Just seeing the title sent a shiver down his spine. The reason for the book's thickness was simple—it was a complete cultivation book, with all its pages intact. In today’s world, something like this was priceless. Cultivators would kill, betray, and do far worse to get their hands on such a treasure. Knowing he possessed perhaps the most valuable object in the world had always weighed heavily on Lester’s shoulders, like a secret too dangerous to keep but too perilous to reveal.

The book itself contained numerous pages, each filled with detailed instructions and diagrams. It described a cultivation technique that comprised five stages, each bringing the cultivator closer to transforming into a Zu Lizard, a mythical creature believed to reside on planets covered in black sand. These lizards were rumored to be descendants of the Earth Dragon, a primordial being whose power was revered across countless worlds. According to the book, these lizards were incredibly powerful, especially if they had mastered the mysterious Law of the Black Sand. Lester still didn’t quite understand what that meant—likely a mistranslation on his part—but he knew it hinted at a power far beyond his comprehension.

His eyes moved to the two fragmented books lying beneath the cultivation manual. These weren’t complete books; they were torn remnants, containing only bits and pieces of their original content. One discussed various defensive techniques with swords, teaching how to turn the blade into an impenetrable shield. The other described a method that allowed the user to grow in size temporarily, amplifying their strength many times over a brief period. Fragments like these are common among cultivators today. They didn’t offer a path to cultivation, but they provided powerful supplementary techniques—useful for any cultivator who could find one that complemented their existing abilities.

Technique books differed from cultivation books in one crucial way: they didn’t provide a way to cultivate or refine World Qi; instead, they granted unique abilities or enhancements. Some cultivation techniques already came with their own built-in techniques, but external techniques could be extremely valuable. Still, not every cultivator could use these books. The techniques had to align with one’s core cultivation style; otherwise, they could cause devastating internal conflicts. Trying to forcefully integrate an incompatible technique could halt one's progress can make them stuck forever.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Lester’s gaze shifted to the final item in the cabinet—a strange, black marquise-cut gem. It was small, no larger than a fingernail, but it emanated an unsettling aura. Whenever Lester looked at it, he felt an inexplicable, almost magnetic pull—a strange sensation he couldn’t quite put into words. The gem had come stuck between the pages of the [Black Sand Zu Lizard Cultivation] book, as if hidden there by accident or intention. Had the handlers of the cargo ship overlooked it, or had it been placed there deliberately? Lester often pondered this mystery, but he never found an answer.

He took a deep breath, a mixture of relief and anxiety washing over him as he stared at the contents of the cabinet. Patrick had always been there for him, guiding him through his initial steps into cultivation. If it hadn’t been for Patrick’s notes and advice, Lester was certain he would have made a fatal mistake during the process of creating his core. He owed Patrick his life and more. He had considered sharing the fragments of the two technique books with his friend as a gesture of gratitude. But deep down, he knew it wasn't enough. Patrick deserved more than remnants. He needed a real cultivation path.

Lester had also toyed with the idea of giving Patrick the [Black Sand Zu Lizard Cultivation] book. But that thought made him uneasy. In the world of cultivators, secrets were sacred. Even the closest of friends and allies kept their true strengths hidden. Revealing one’s secrets was a dangerous move that could backfire disastrously.

He remembered a story he had heard about two brothers—cultivators known as the Battle-Brothers—who had found pages from a cultivation book and decided to cultivate it together. The book contained techniques that had unique secrets, giving each brother an edge in battle. But tragedy struck when they ventured deep into a forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo and encountered a powerful beast capable of possession. The beast took over one of the brothers, using the knowledge he had of his sibling’s secrets to kill him easily. The possessed brother was later found and slain, but the story served as a grim reminder that no bond, no matter how strong, was impervious to treachery.

This was also why swearing loyalty to a country was so terrifying. Countries provided resources, but in exchange, they knew everything about a cultivator's techniques and weaknesses. They could exploit those secrets at will. Lester did not want his only true friend, Patrick, to become a pawn in some government's game. In this world, having a trusted ally was crucial. While beasts were humanity's greatest threat, evil cultivators weren’t far behind. Many cultivation books contained sinister methods that could corrupt a person’s soul, leading them down a dark path of cruelty and power.

For the past few days he had been brainstorming what to do in regards to giving Patrick the only cultivation technique he had. He considered giving him the techniques instead, however, it didnt feel right as Patrick had selflessly guided him before.

As Lester stood there, contemplating these heavy thoughts, an idea began to form in his mind. He had made some progress with controlling World Qi, but he wanted to test himself further. His eyes fell upon the black marquise gem. He had already practiced moving small objects with his Qi, but could he manipulate something more complex, like this gem?

With his decision made, Lester focused his mind and directed a thin cloud of World Qi to surround his fingers. He brought his hand closer to the gem, and the Qi began to envelop the small, dark stone. His breath became shallow with anticipation as he concentrated harder, willing the gem to move.

And then it happened.

Boom!

A deafening explosion echoed in his mind. Lester's vision blurred, and a wave of disorientation washed over him. The gem glowed with a faint, dark purple light, an eerie hue that sent chills down his spine. The world around him spun, and he felt a sudden, overwhelming weakness seep into his body. His eyelids grew impossibly heavy, and before he knew it, he was falling. He tried to steady himself, to fight against the pull of unconsciousness, but his body betrayed him.

He collapsed backward to the floor like a bag of vegetables, his world fading to black.