Cultivating According to the Technique, Initial Minor Success

I sat in the center of the room, my palm pressed against the spirit stone. It was dimmer than the previous few days, almost devoid of light, but when I pressed my fingertips against it, I could feel a faint warmth. A corner of the animal hide covering the roof was lifted by the wind, letting in a gust of cool air. I didn't move, just settled into my cross-legged position and straightened my back.

For the past three days, I'd been busy building the shelter, and my body was already at its limit. The injury on my shoulder throbbed with every touch, and the abrasions on my palms had scabbed over, only to crack open again with any movement. But I couldn't stop now. I had finally managed to establish a base here, and I needed to start cultivating as soon as possible.

I closed my eyes, my mind still replaying last night's events. The sensation of raindrops on my wrist was still vivid. In that moment, I suddenly realized I could no longer rely on luck to survive. The Great Desolation was too vast, too full of dangers. Without strength, I couldn't even endure a single night's rain.

My breathing gradually deepened. As soon as I settled, a voice sounded in my mind: "Detected host's spiritual energy perception threshold has reached the entry standard. Activating the basic chapter of the Profound Origin Breathing Technique."

Immediately after, a passage appeared directly in my consciousness: "Inhale as if drawing in clouds from a deep valley, exhale like a stream returning to the sea."

I didn't speak the words aloud, but I recited them mentally. Then, following the rhythm, I took a deep breath. The air entered my nostrils, carrying the dampness of the valley, cool and refreshing. I tried to push it down, guiding it towards my Dantian.

At first, nothing happened. My lungs expanded, then emptied. I tried again, still no success. On the third attempt, my lower abdomen felt a slight warmth, like a small pool of warm water swirling within.

I paused, waiting for the warmth to dissipate. Then, I began again.

I repeated the process countless times. I didn't know how long it took, but eventually, the warmth stopped its erratic movement and settled steadily in my lower abdomen. I used it as a starting point, continuing along the path in my mind.

System prompt: "Guide spiritual energy downwards along the Ren Meridian, pausing at the Huiyin Acupoint for three breaths."

I followed the instructions. My intention moved forward bit by bit, like feeling my way in the dark. Every so often, I had to stop and regulate my breathing. If I rushed even slightly, the warmth would dissipate.

After half an hour, I had only completed half of the path. Sweat beaded on my forehead, not from exertion, but from intense concentration. I could hear every rustle of the wind outside, especially from the south entrance; the slightest flap of the curtain would break my focus.

On the fourth attempt, I finally managed to guide the spiritual energy to the Weilu Acupoint. Just as I was about to pull it upwards, it suddenly got stuck. It felt like a tangled thread, refusing to budge no matter how hard I pulled.

I gritted my teeth and persevered, a vein throbbing on my forehead. But the harder I tried, the more blocked it became. My chest felt tight, and my breathing grew ragged.

Just then, the system spoke again: "Suggest using a Qi Condensing Pill to assist in breaking through the bottleneck."

I remembered. The pill I received as a reward for answering correctly in the second chapter. I hadn't used it yet. I took it out; it was a tiny, ash-white pill, barely visible in my palm.

I placed it in my mouth. It was dry and tasteless. After swallowing, I waited a few seconds.

Suddenly, a surge of heat erupted from my abdomen. This wasn't the gentle warmth from before; this time, it was like a dam had burst, rushing straight up my spine. The blockage suddenly loosened, and the surge of energy flowed up the Du Meridian, passing the Mingmen Acupoint, Zhiyang, Dazhui...

It continued all the way to the back of my neck, where its speed began to slow. I could feel it struggling, like climbing the last step of a staircase.

"Relax," the system said. "Don't force it."

I unclenched my fists and lowered my shoulders. My breathing reconnected with the rhythm of the incantation.

The spiritual energy continued to rise, passing the Fengfu Acupoint, Shangxing Acupoint, and finally gently bumping against a point on the top of my head.

In that instant, every pore on my body opened. The roots of my hair tingled, and my arms developed a fine layer of calluses. I opened my eyes. Nothing in the room had changed, but my perception of it had.

The light was clearer; I could see the intricate patterns of moss in the cracks of the stone walls. My hearing had also sharpened; the sound of the distant stream became distinct, and I could even discern which parts flowed quickly and which were obstructed by rocks.

I raised my hand and slowly clenched it into a fist. My strength had returned, and it felt more substantial than before. With each movement, the air seemed to offer a slight resistance, like pushing through water.

System prompt: "First spiritual energy cycle complete. Cultivation has entered the Early Stage of Qi Refining Layer One."

I remained silent, a sense of profound relief washing over me. It wasn't excitement or joy, but a feeling of solid grounding. I was no longer just a passive recipient of blows.

I closed my eyes again, preparing to repeat the process. This time, my body remembered the path without the system's prompts. The spiritual energy circulated much more smoothly. Though still weak, it had taken form.

After two cycles, beads of sweat appeared on my forehead, not from heat, but from exertion. I knew I shouldn't overdo it, so I stopped to regulate my breathing.

The sky outside hadn't changed; mist still swirled around the valley. I looked down at my hands, my knuckles red from the calluses left by moving stones a few days ago. They were still there, but the owner of the hands felt different.

I tried to release spiritual energy again. Following the system's instructions, I sent a wisp of energy to my palm and pushed it outwards.

A gentle palm wind brushed across the ground, stirring up a small clump of dust. It wasn't much, but it had moved.

This was the first time I had actively influenced the outside world.

After a short rest, I decided to consolidate my progress. I sat down again, adjusting my posture. This time, I focused on the details: the ratio of breath length, the speed of spiritual energy circulation, and the method of concluding each cycle.

Just as the third cycle began, the system suddenly issued a prompt: "Detected host's physique has improved. Nervous system reaction speed increased by twelve percent."

I nodded, thinking that explained why I could see such fine details earlier.

For the next few hours, I repeatedly practiced the basic circulation. Each time was more stable than the last. Although the spiritual energy was not abundant, it was becoming increasingly obedient.

By evening, I could complete five consecutive cycles without interruption. During this time, there were two instances of sluggishness, one near the Jianjing Acupoint and another near the Baihui Acupoint. I resolved both by pausing briefly and regulating my breathing, without needing to rely on pills again.

When I finished the last cycle, the sun had not yet set. The room was dim, but I could clearly see where each vine was tied and how each stone was stacked.

I stood up and stretched. My knees were a little stiff, but overall, I felt much more relaxed. Previously, my shoulder would ache when I walked, but now I could barely feel it. I reached out and touched the wound on my right shoulder. The scab's edge was peeling back, revealing tender new flesh underneath.

I walked to the south entrance and lifted the curtain. The wind blew against my face, carrying the scent of stream water and earth. I took a deep breath, pushing spiritual energy into my Dantian.

Turning back, I sat down in the spirit stone's resting place. I prepared for my sixth cultivation session of the night.

As soon as I closed my eyes, the system suddenly displayed a new message: "Detected host has completed the Foundation Establishment of Basic Cultivation Method. Initiating next stage mission: Complete three full cycles daily for seven consecutive days."

I silently agreed.

My breathing gradually steadied.

Spiritual energy rose from my Dantian, slowly advancing along the familiar path.

As it passed the Baihui Acupoint for the second time, my eyelashes trembled slightly.

Outside, a dry leaf detached from a vine, spiraling down to land beside the threshold.