The first spark of reason

Lu Qinghe gripped his hand tightly, his palm rough and damp with sweat. He walked slowly, his shoulders slumped. The alley was narrow, its earthen walls mottled.

"Little Yuan." His throat was dry. "Don't take it to heart."

Lu Yuan said nothing.

Other matters were turning over in his mind. Once his memories had settled, they were like a library thrown open: Soul Power theory, Martial Soul analysis, energy models... vast and complex, yet orderly.

What can I use now?

His body was weak, his Soul Power was at half a level, and his Martial Soul's activity was low. The conditions were harsh.

But there was a solution.

His index finger tapped unconsciously against his father's palm. From the knowledge base, he selected the lowest-level material, the parts that required almost no resources. "Basic energy absorption model optimization"-adjusting the resonance frequency between breathing and Soul Power circulation to improve the efficiency of capturing Soul Power from the surroundings. It required no external resources, only precise control.

His control was far too poor. He needed practice.

"Father," he said.

Lu Qinghe stopped and looked down at him, tension in his eyes. "What's wrong? Feeling sick?"

"I'm fine," Lu Yuan said calmly. "Just tired. I want to go home and lie down for a while."

The man froze. There were no tears or tantrums on the child's face, no dejection, only an excessive calm. Like a deep pool.

A chill ran through him, but he finally nodded. "All right, let's go home and rest."

Their home consisted of three mud-brick rooms, with firewood piled in a corner of the courtyard. His mother, Lin Xiu, leaned out of the kitchen. Her eyes reddened at once, and she wiped her hands on her apron, wanting to touch him but not daring to.

"Little Yuan..."

"Mother, I'm hungry," Lu Yuan said. He needed energy.

Lin Xiu nodded hurriedly. "The congee's ready. I'll get you a bowl!"

Lu Yuan went into his little room and closed the door.

The world fell quiet.

He sat on the edge of the bed, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes. He wasn't meditating, but searching and planning.

"Basic Soul Power guidance efficiency optimization."

"Outline for physical adaptation training under low-Soul Power conditions."

The researchers of his previous life had been particularly obsessed with fundamental problems, leaving behind extensive projections concerning "below level one Soul Power" and "scarce resources." Many were hypotheses, but their reasoning was clear.

Perfectly suited to his needs.

About a quarter of an hour later, he opened his eyes.

The spark in his eyes had grown a little steadier.

First objective: raise his Soul Power from half a level to level two within three months. At the same time, attempt the most basic "activity stimulation" on his Blue Silver Grass and collect data.

He broke the objective down.

First, improve his physical foundation. If his nutrition couldn't keep up, everything else was out of the question.

Second, master "optimized basic Soul Power guidance." It would require repeated practice.

Third, design a "stimulation plan." It would require experimentation.

He got off the bed and pulled open the drawer in a wooden chest. Inside were a few sheets of rough grass paper and half a charcoal pencil.

He pulled out a sheet, but didn't write immediately. Three paths lined up side by side in his mind.

Path one: focus on optimizing Soul Power guidance. Increase absorption efficiency by thirty to fifty percent. It would show results quickly, but had a bottleneck.

Path two: focus on physical training. Strengthen his muscles and stabilize his meridians. It would show results slowly, but provide a solid foundation.

Path three: attempt to stimulate his Martial Soul's activity. The risk was high; it might fail or even backfire. If it succeeded, it might activate a basic characteristic.

All three required very few resources.

Time? Three months.

Lu Yuan opened his eyes.

There was no hesitation in them.

Only children made choices. He wanted them all.

He would pursue paths one and two in parallel. He would attempt path three after his Soul Power had improved a little.

The tip of the charcoal pencil paused on the paper.

He began to write. His handwriting was crooked, but the strokes were clear.

"First stage: adaptation and foundation building (approximately thirty days)."

"Objectives: master the optimized breathing method (codename 'Tide'); complete the basic physical training movements (codename 'Stance,' forms one through three)."

"Daily schedule: upon waking, Stance form one for thirty breaths, combined with Tide. Morning, help with housework. Afternoon, learn to read or observe. Evening, Stance forms two and three for twenty breaths each. Before bed, lie quietly and circulate Tide through nine complete cycles."

"Resources required: none. Additional note: eat as much grain and leafy vegetables as possible."

At this point, he stopped writing.

Nutrition was a problem. The family's congee was thin, and their leafy vegetables were dried. Meat? They only saw a little during festivals and holidays.

Soul Power cultivation was, in essence, the improvement of life energy. When the underlying energy was insufficient, twice the effort brought half the results.

His fingertips tapped against his knee.

He had to find a way. But it couldn't be rushed.

His mother's voice came from outside the door. "Little Yuan, the congee's ready."

Lu Yuan folded the paper and tucked it into a gap in the bed. He got up and pulled the door open.

Three bowls of congee and a plate of pickled vegetables sat on the wooden table in the main room. The congee was very thin. Lu Qinghe sat at the table, his chopsticks untouched. Lin Xiu stood nearby, rubbing her hands uneasily.

"Come sit down and eat." Lin Xiu pulled out a stool for him.

Lu Yuan sat down and picked up his bowl. The congee was warm. He took a large mouthful and swallowed slowly. The faint sweetness of grain spread through his mouth.

He ate attentively, taking a little pickle with each mouthful of congee.

Lu Qinghe and Lin Xiu exchanged a glance. The child was too calm.

"Little Yuan," Lin Xiu said cautiously, "if you're tired, get a good rest. Tomorrow, I'll borrow some fine flour and make you a bowl of noodles."

"No need, Mother." Lu Yuan looked up. "The congee's good. From now on, I just need to drink another half bowl at each meal."

Lu Qinghe's throat moved, but in the end he only grunted an acknowledgment. He picked up his own bowl of watery broth and gulped down a large mouthful.

"I've made up my mind," Lu Yuan continued, as though reporting a decision. "From now on, I'll get up earlier in the morning and help Mother with the work. In the afternoon... Father, I want to read that old literacy book of yours. At night, I'll go to bed early."

It was perfectly reasonable.

Lu Qinghe was silent for a long while. "You don't need to work. The book... I'll find it for you tonight."

"All right." Lu Yuan nodded and said no more.

That night, Lu Yuan went to bed early. After his mother tucked in the corners of his quilt, closed the door behind her, and her breathing grew even, he opened his eyes.

He sat up quietly without lighting a lamp. By the faint moonlight from outside the window, he felt for the charcoal pencil and pulled out another, more battered sheet of paper.

He concentrated, recalling the Tide breathing method and the basic Soul Power circulation path. He translated the theoretical model in his knowledge base into a description of physical sensations: inhale, guide his intent in through the nasal passages, sink downward and focus it three inches below the navel, then, with the exhale, split it into two thin streams that rose along the sides of his waist...

The path was simplified, even crude. But it was the optimal model he could construct based on his current level.

Guided by feel, he used the charcoal pencil to draw curved lines on the paper. He marked several key "nodes" and "flow directions."

The pencil tip rasped softly.

His hand was steady.

After drawing the final stroke, he examined it in the dim light. The lines were crooked, the nodes indistinct. But that didn't matter. It was an anchor, connecting the theory in his mind to this world's body and to "Soul Power" for the first time.

The crude circulation diagram on the paper resembled a tender young root that had just pushed out of the soil and was trying to find its way.

Lu Yuan looked at it for a long time.

He folded the paper and put it with his plan. He blew the charcoal dust from his fingertips and lay down again.

He closed his eyes.

Just before he sank into sleep, the spark at the bottom of his consciousness flickered gently.

It illuminated the narrow opening before him, the one no one believed held promise.