Cultivation Realms

So cold.

When Lin Heng woke from his daze, the first thing he felt was cold.

Though it was the height of summer, though he was covered by a thick quilt, Lin Heng felt as if he were standing naked amid a world of ice and snow, exposed to the biting wind.

It was as though even his brain had frozen stiff, leaving him utterly unable to think.

This was a sign of frail health and weak qi, his life so fragile that he could not endure even the slightest wind or sun.

Fortunately, the sensation did not last long.

Lin Heng could clearly feel a large hand pressing against the top of his head.

Then, a warm current poured down upon him like divine enlightenment, dispelling the chill from his body. He shuddered, and his entire being finally awakened completely.

Instinctively following the direction in which the large hand withdrew, Lin Heng saw an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face sitting by the bed, looking at him with a kind smile.

"Child, you're finally awake. You truly could sleep—you've been asleep for a full seven days."

"Are you hungry? Come, drink this bowl of porridge."

"Your spleen and stomach are weak right now, so meat is unsuitable. Rest and nourish yourself for a while. In a few days, this old man will cook you some fish soup."

With a smile, the old man picked up a small bowl of fragrant rice porridge from beside him and fed it to Lin Heng with a spoon.

Over the past few days, Lin Heng had relied entirely on honey water and the old man's divine enlightenment to sustain his life. Now that he was awake, he still needed to eat something.

"Thank you."

Starving as he was, Lin Heng had no time to think much.

After instinctively offering his thanks, he drank the porridge the old man fed him.

This porridge was clearly not made from ordinary rice. It was azure green throughout, a kind of Spirit Rice. The moment Lin Heng swallowed a mouthful, he tasted an unimaginable sweetness. His entire stomach warmed, and strength gradually returned to his body.

As mouthful after mouthful of porridge entered his stomach, Lin Heng's stalled mind began turning once more.

Xiao Rang was very satisfied by Lin Heng's polite behavior.

Even while starving, he still knew to offer thanks. That showed Lin Heng was no ordinary child. He had already gained understanding and possessed a good disposition.

Xiao Rang had originally intended to bring up taking him as a disciple after some time, but now, it could be brought forward.

A Cultivation Prodigy who had already gained understanding could not have his training delayed for even a moment.

Seeing Lin Heng's eyes gradually regain their liveliness as he drank the porridge, Xiao Rang smiled and continued, "This old man is Xiao Rang, Sect Master of Cloud Sword Palace, a righteous Jianghu sect. Some days ago, you were abducted by human traffickers and sold to Li Hen Pavilion, a major heretic sect, as a Cauldron. After ingesting Tiger Wolf Medicine, your life hung by a thread."

"Although this old man saved you, you have suffered Essence Depletion, leaving your body frail and qi weak. You already bear a Sign of Early Death."

"Fortunately, your Talent is extraordinary. You are a one-in-ten-thousand Cultivation Prodigy. So long as you cultivate diligently, you will naturally be able to make up for your losses, prolong your life, and enjoy greater longevity."

By this point, Lin Heng had finished the entire bowl of porridge.

Xiao Rang set down the bowl and asked seriously, "Would you be willing to take this old man as your master and cultivate under me?"

By then, Lin Heng had already sorted out what had happened over the past while.

Clearly, since he still could not summon the Life Simulator's interface, he was currently within a simulated life.

Before beginning the simulation, he had reset his Attribute Points. He had traded away his Fortune and Physique attributes in exchange for Top-Tier Family Background, Charm, and Comprehension attributes, and had even given himself the negative Talent, Sign of Early Death.

That was why, after being kidnapped by human traffickers and made to ingest Tiger Wolf Medicine, using his Lifespan to increase his Charm and cultivation aptitude, he had so coincidentally been saved by the Sect Master of a major righteous sect. The man even thought highly of him and intended to accept him as a disciple and teach him cultivation.

Lin Heng did not hesitate. He immediately agreed, "This disciple, Lin Heng, greets Master."

Only by becoming the old man's disciple could he live up to the Top-Tier Family Background attribute.

As he spoke, Lin Heng intended to rise and perform the grand ceremony of taking a master.

Even putting aside the fact that the old man intended to accept him as a disciple, the man had saved his life. That alone was worthy of a grand bow.

Xiao Rang stopped Lin Heng's movement and had him lie back down. Smiling, he said, "There is no need for such formalities, Heng'er. Your body is weak right now, so rest and recover well. Once your health improves, I will invite fellow Jianghu practitioners far and wide and hold the discipleship ceremony before the heroes of the Jianghu."

Over the past while, Cloud Sword Palace had already thoroughly investigated Lin Heng's identity and background.

They had confirmed that he was a child of clean origins, with no family ties or encumbrances.

To take in a Cultivation Prodigy with Innate All Meridians Open and Innate Precociousness as a disciple was naturally an occasion worth celebrating on a grand scale.

Not only would it bring honor to Xiao Rang himself, it would also enhance Cloud Sword Palace's prestige.

"Master, what is cultivation?"

Lin Heng truly was weak at the moment. Even his attempt to rise had left him drenched in sweat.

Thus, he did not stubbornly insist on performing the discipleship ceremony now. He could make it up later.

Lying back down, he looked at Xiao Rang and curiously asked about this world's cultivation system.

Though he had lived five years in this life, before the age of three he had only babbled as he learned to speak and could barely care for himself.

For the following two years, he had wandered everywhere begging with the Old Beggar, struggling each day just to eat a full meal. Under such circumstances, he naturally knew nothing whatsoever about this world's cultivation system.

Being able to speak and read people's expressions were the only gains Lin Heng had obtained from five years of begging in this life.

"Cultivation is the cultivation of one's own virtue, allowing one's body and soul to grow and become more perfect."

"To achieve this growth of body and mind, the Ancient Sages, after countless years of research, created a martial cultivation system: externally tempering the sinews, bones, and skin, and internally refining a single breath of qi."

"According to one's progress in cultivation, it is divided into four great Realms: the Postnatal Realm, the Xiantian Realm, the Grandmaster Realm, and the Great Grandmaster Realm."

"The Postnatal Realm chiefly cultivates the Meridians, using the postnatal essence of the five grains produced from eating to Condense Internal Breath, accumulating inner force and opening the Meridians throughout the body."

"The Xiantian Realm chiefly cultivates the Acupoints. One can merge one's spirit with Heaven and Earth, borrowing the Power of Heaven and Earth to Condense one's own Internal Breath."

"The Grandmaster Realm chiefly cultivates the Physique. Because all the body's Meridians and Acupoints have been opened and connected, and the Human Body's potential has been fully unleashed, one can temper the Physique to a transcendent Realm and accumulate a vast inner force beyond ordinary imagination."

"As for Great Grandmasters, they chiefly cultivate Intent. Through one's Essence, Qi, and Spirit reaching the Peak, they influence Heaven and Earth Nature and unleash a mighty power that transcends the mundane and enters the sacred."

"Ordinary people need to temper themselves in the Postnatal Realm for many years before opening all the Meridians in their bodies. Heng'er, you were born with Innate All Meridians Open. Once you recover, you can directly borrow the Power of Heaven and Earth to cultivate your own Acupoints. By nature, that puts you far ahead of others, and you may reach even higher Realms in the future."

Xiao Rang spoke of matters related to cultivation, while also making clear Lin Heng's advantages on the path of cultivation.