The First Step of Cultivation

"Huang Tian" did not just refer to the person Huang Tian; it had become a concept!

"My superpower has evolved once again!"

A smile appeared on Huang Tian's face, followed immediately by a solemn expression. He quickly turned on the room lights and retrieved paper and a pen from the nightstand drawer.

"Static..."

The voice from the world where the Thick Earth Sect resided stuttered for a few seconds before becoming crystal clear once more.

"...Next, I will explain the cultivation techniques for the first three layers of the Qi Refining stage of the Yellow Heaven Mountain-Suppressing Spirit Scripture.

If you have any questions, keep them in mind for now. Do not speak until I have finished. Do you understand?"

"We understand!"

"Good. Silence your voices, focus your minds, and listen carefully!"

"...The beginning of cultivation: Yellow Heaven and Thick Earth, embrace the origin and guard the one; the Mountain Spirit clears the apertures, Qi permeates the Yellow Court; the stars of the heavens revolve, the River Cart moves of its own accord; sow jade in the Yellow Court, true breath brings longevity...

The so-called 'Yellow Heaven and Thick Earth, embrace the origin and guard the one; the Mountain Spirit clears the apertures, Qi permeates the Yellow Court' means to focus your intent on the Yellow Court, breathe deeply, slowly, and steadily, gradually discarding distracting thoughts to clear and rectify your spirit.

Next, use your intent to guide the spiritual energy from the Yellow Court up along the Governing Vessel, passing the three gates of the Tailbone, Spinal Ridge, and Jade Pillow, reaching the Hundred Meetings point to complete the small circulation of spiritual power..."

As Mo Qiu, the instructor of the Thick Earth Sect, spoke, Huang Tian took notes.

Fortunately, Mo Qiu was not speaking quickly—in fact, he was speaking quite slowly, sometimes repeating a single sentence three or four times, giving Huang Tian ample time to record everything.

Half an hour passed, and Mo Qiu finally stopped. By then, the several sheets of paper on Huang Tian's desk were completely filled.

The actual cultivation technique accounted for only three hundred words, while the rest consisted of cultivation tips and various secret incantations.

"Do you have any questions? Ask them all; do not hesitate," Mo Qiu's voice echoed.

However, few people asked questions. It was clear that Mo Qiu's explanation had been very thorough, and everyone had understood almost everything.

Seeing this, Mo Qiu said: "Since there are no questions, I will explain the cultivation tips for two basic spells: the Earth Golem Technique and the Lesser Cloud and Rain Technique.

The Earth Golem Technique, molding earth into a human form, is the most commonly used defensive spell for low-level disciples of this sect. It consists of four essential keys: Sensing Earth, Shaping, Infusing Spirit, and Controlling...

The Lesser Cloud and Rain Technique can turn mist into clouds and clouds into rain. Of course, if the day is clear and sunny, the effectiveness of this spell will be greatly diminished. But if it is already destined to rain, casting this spell can turn a storm into a torrential downpour.

However, once you learn this technique, you will mostly use it for irrigating spiritual fields and herb gardens; its combat power is secondary..."

Mo Qiu continued his in-depth explanation, and Huang Tian recorded it all tirelessly.

Half an hour later, Mo Qiu's voice cut off abruptly, and the silence returned to Huang Tian's ears.

"Is that it... is the time up?!"

Huang Tian realized with a start.

Looking at the pages filled with text, he saw that both the Earth Golem Technique and the Lesser Cloud and Rain Technique had been recorded in their entirety!

"Not bad, not bad. Tonight, I not only obtained a cultivation technique but also noted down two spells.

I just wonder if this Yellow Heaven Mountain-Suppressing Spirit Scripture can be practiced here on Blue Star?"

Huang Tian took a light breath and read the transcribed technique on the paper carefully several times.

Confirming he understood it completely, Huang Tian turned off the lights. The room plunged into dimness, with only a few strands of cold light filtering through the curtains, adding a sense of tranquility to the space.

Huang Tian sat cross-legged, his mind gradually calming. A sliver of his consciousness seemed to drift out of his body, making contact with the various energies between heaven and earth.

Suddenly.

Huang Tian felt a cool stream of energy pour into his Yellow Court, then slowly travel along his meridians until it reached the Hundred Meetings point, before circulating back to the Yellow Court.

As the small circulation finished, Huang Tian snapped his eyes open; they were exceptionally crystalline and bright in the dark.

"There is actually spiritual energy on Blue Star?!"

He did not rush to continue practicing, instead falling into deep thought.

"If there is spiritual energy, could there be other cultivators? But in over twenty years, I've never heard of any... Could it be that I'm just at too low a level to encounter them?

However, the possibility of other cultivators existing is quite small. Otherwise, this world wouldn't be so quiet. After all, if there really were cultivators, wouldn't at least one of them be unable to resist eating beef?

It's not like the world was peaceful before I started practicing, and the moment I began, suddenly the Dragon Group, the Special Ability Association, superhumans, and immortals all appeared.

I am not the protagonist, after all."

Huang Tian mused: "Regardless of whether other cultivators exist, with my current level of cultivation, it is better to just keep my head down and stay safe."

If he wants to avoid eating beef, he at least needs to be able to survive a nuclear blast, right?

Until he can survive a nuke, it is better to play it safe.

"Continue practicing!"

Huang Tian cast aside all the random thoughts in his mind and refocused on guiding the energy.

The next morning, golden sunlight illuminated the world. Huang Tian slowly opened his eyes and let out a long, steady breath.

"According to Mo Qiu, condensing a yellow gas cloud within the body signifies becoming a first-level Qi Refining cultivator."

He silently sensed his Yellow Court, where a golden cyclone was currently floating.

"An average person needs at least three months to condense a gas cloud, yet I succeeded in a single night. Could it be that I am a cultivation genius?"

He blinked, feeling that he could fully accept such a notion.

Since his superpower is so heaven-defying, it would only be normal for it to come with the side effect of altering his physique, right?

Huang Tian smiled as he climbed out of bed, walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, and opened it, letting the dazzling yet mild sunlight spill onto his body.

He looked down at the street where many vehicles were coming and going; the sound of horns blared from time to time, and pedestrians hurried by, presumably rushing to work or school.

"Huh?"

Huang Tian's gaze sharpened, settling on a little girl carrying a schoolbag on the sidewalk.

The two were separated by nearly fifty or sixty meters, yet at such a distance, Huang Tian could actually see the small characters on the girl's schoolbag!

"Genius Scientist."

That was clearly the brand of the bag.

"My eyesight has actually become this good!"

As a rather diligent small-town test-taker, Huang Tian had been nearsighted since his first year of middle school, and by the time he graduated, his vision had remained at over three hundred degrees.

He usually didn't wear glasses, so he couldn't see clearly from a distance, yet right now, even with such a vast distance between him and the little girl, he could read the words on her bag with absolute clarity.

"It's not just my eyesight; my hearing and sense of smell have improved too."

He only needed to focus slightly to hear the voices of pedestrians buying breakfast by the roadside, and with a light sniff, he could detect the scents of various breakfast foods.

"The changes that cultivation brings to the human body are truly immediate."

Huang Tian couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

This was only the first level of Qi Refining, the very first step on the path of cultivation, yet it already had such potent effects.

What kind of scene would it be once he reached a higher realm of cultivation in the future?

Huang Tian held high expectations for this.

However.

"I should head downstairs for breakfast first. After all, even though I don't feel mentally exhausted after cultivating for the whole night, my stomach is starting to complain."