Cultivation: From Poor Peasant to Celestial Lord

Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Pure Qi

Time flowed like a river, and seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

In the early morning at Cyan Cloud Academy, the melodious chanting of scholars gave way to the solemn, rhythmic sounds of breathing exercises.

Inside the Outer Sect lecture hall, over thirty students sat cross-legged.

Compared to a week ago, the gap between the students had already become visibly apparent.

In a corner, however, Chu Bai’s figure was particularly eye-catching.

His eyes were slightly closed, the rise and fall of his chest methodical. Each breath he took was accompanied by a subtle, drawn-out whisper of wind. He was calm and composed, exuding a steadiness that seemed to transcend his surroundings.

He had already been immersed in the Small Qi Gathering Technique for a long time and was on the verge of a breakthrough.

Now, with the complete Heart Method Mantra and a week of nearly masochistic, diligent training, his progress had left everyone else in the Outer Sect in the dust, all without the aid of any external resources.

At the front of the hall, Master Liu set down his disciplinary ruler. His gaze swept over Chu Bai, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes, before he let out a soft cough.

”Stop.”

The students ceased their practice one by one, opening their eyes to look at their master.

”We will not be practicing the Breathing Technique today,” Master Liu said, stroking his beard. ”Over the past week, some of you have found the path, while others are still treading water. But regardless of your progress, you all need to understand what ’Cultivation’ truly means after you’ve achieved Qi Introduction.”

With that, Master Liu’s expression turned solemn. He suddenly extended his withered right hand, palm up, and made a grasping motion in the empty air.

”Rise!”

Following his low shout, the air in the lecture hall seemed to grow slightly humid.

Then, to the utter shock of the students, a fist-sized ball of water condensed from thin air above Master Liu’s palm.

The sphere of water was crystal clear, refracting a rainbow-colored halo in the sunlight. It hovered in the air, slowly rotating with the master’s gestures.

”Go.”

Master Liu flicked his wrist.

The sphere of water flew out as if alive, landing precisely on a pot of somewhat withered orchids on the windowsill. It dissolved into a fine mist, instantly drenching the plant.

”Wow—”

The lecture hall instantly erupted. The boys’ eyes went wide, filled with a mixture of disbelief and fervent excitement.

This was an Immortal Technique!

To this group of boys, who had only ever seen the rough skills of farmhands, this act of summoning water from thin air was nothing short of a miracle.

”This is the Water Control Technique, one of the most basic of the Five Elements Techniques.”

Master Liu looked at the revitalized orchid on the windowsill, but the light in his own eyes gradually dimmed, revealing a hint of reminiscence and bitterness.

”Thirty years ago, Qingzhou was plagued by relentless downpours. Floods were rampant, and riverbanks burst their levees time and again. That year, the Celestial Court’s Water Department was in dire need of flood control specialists, and they made a great many positions available.”

”Among the candidates in my year, eight out of ten were arduously cultivating this very Water Control Technique. They all hoped to be noticed by the great officials of the Water Department during that year’s Celestial Examination and leap the Dragon Gate.”

At this, Master Liu gave a self-deprecating laugh. ”Unfortunately, my aptitude was poor. The technique I mastered was ultimately too crude, and I failed to distinguish myself from the countless other competitors. In the end, all I could do was come to this academy with this worn-out body to teach and make a humble living.”

The hall fell silent.

Sitting in the corner, Chu Bai understood the situation perfectly.

’If you fail to pass the Celestial Examination and receive an official talisman from the Celestial Court,’ he thought, ’then even if you master a Magic Technique, you’ll never be able to glimpse the higher Realms.’

’Still...’ Chu Bai glanced at Master Liu’s worn but respectable scholar’s robes. ’Even as a low-level Qi Cultivation Cultivator who failed the exam, having a Magic Technique means you can live a respected life in the county, never worrying about your next meal. Compared to a farmer toiling in the fields, it’s the difference between the heavens and the earth.’

This only strengthened his resolve to enter the Daoist School.

...

...

The bell signaling the end of class rang.

Chu Bai gathered his things. Just as he walked out of the lecture hall, he saw a slender youth standing in the covered walkway.

It was Gu Qinghe.

Over the past week, because they were both from Humble Families and both had ”extra training” in the Inner Sect, the two had developed a quiet, unspoken rapport, though they weren’t yet close friends.

”Brother Gu,” Chu Bai said, walking over to greet him.

”Brother Chu.” Gu Qinghe’s face was as stern as ever, but his eyes weren’t entirely unwelcoming. ”Master Zhang is teaching today. Shall we go together?”

”That was my plan.”

The two walked side-by-side through the stone gate separating the inner and outer areas, heading toward Calm Heart Hall.

On the way, Gu Qinghe suddenly spoke. ”Brother Chu, how is your progress? I’ve noticed your aura has grown much more stable these last few days. Have you managed to capture any Spiritual Qi yet?”

Chu Bai shook his head and admitted candidly, ”I’m fluent with the Small Qi Gathering Technique now, and I can clearly sense the Spiritual Qi flowing through my meridians. But every time I try to trap it in my Dantian, it feels like I’m missing something. It’s like trying to catch an eel—slippery and impossible to hold.”

He glanced at his panel.

[Small Qi Gathering Technique: skilled (5/200)]

He had been grinding almost without sleep for the entire week, and his proficiency had soared.

Hearing this, Gu Qinghe slowed his pace. He pondered for a moment before saying in a low voice, ”I was the same a few days ago. It took me a while to discover the trick to it.”

”Oh? I would be grateful to hear it,” Chu Bai said, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture.

”It’s in the momentary pause between the exhale and the inhale.” Gu Qinghe lowered his voice, sharing his insight freely. ”You don’t try to grab it as you inhale. Instead, it’s at the very end of your exhale, before you begin to inhale again. For a split second, there’s a vacuum in your Dantian. That’s when you have to abruptly focus your mind and will it down from above. Only then can you completely lock that wisp of qi in place.”

A sharp glint flashed in Chu Bai’s eyes as he listened.

’The end of the exhale, before the start of the inhale...’

That was the very detail he had been overlooking!

”Thank you for your guidance, Brother Gu!” Chu Bai said with sincere gratitude.

Gu Qinghe waved his hand dismissively. ”It’s nothing. I just put a little more thought into it and had a moment of insight. Neither of us has a powerful family to rely on. If we aren’t diligent, how can we possibly compete?”

As they spoke, they arrived at Calm Heart Hall.

Daoist Zhang was already waiting for them under a tree.

Once the four of them were seated, Daoist Zhang wasted no time, simply waving a hand to signal them to begin their cultivation.

Chu Bai sat down cross-legged, but he didn’t begin immediately. Instead, he first mentally rehearsed the method Gu Qinghe had just described.

A moment later, his mind settled, and he began to operate the Cultivation Technique.

INHALE—

Spiritual Qi from the world around him trickled like a gentle stream, seeping through his pores and into his meridians.

EXHALE—

Turbid qi was expelled. The Spiritual Qi grew restless along with it, threatening to slip away.

’Now!’

In that empty moment, when the old breath was spent and the new one had yet to begin, Chu Bai’s Spiritual Power—honed to an incredible sharpness by his panel—suddenly plunged downward!

HUMMM!

It was as if a formless chime resounded within his Dantian.

The faint, slippery coolness that had been trying to escape was suddenly pinned by an invisible hand. It could no longer move, finally settling obediently at the very bottom of his Dantian Qi Sea.

Success!

It was an extremely faint but real sensation of coolness. It no longer dissipated or drifted away; it had truly become a part of his body.

Chu Bai suppressed his elation, stabilized his mind, and focused on nurturing this hard-won wisp of Spiritual Qi.

「Two hours later.」

Daoist Zhang walked over to Chu Bai. His gaze lingered for a moment on his lower abdomen, where the Dantian was located, and a flash of admiration crossed his eyes.

”Did you manage to trap it?”

Chu Bai opened his eyes, rose, and bowed. ”Thanks to Master Zhang’s guidance, I was fortunate enough to capture a wisp.”

Daoist Zhang reached out, placed a hand on Chu Bai’s shoulder to sense his condition, and nodded. ”Your aura is tranquil and balanced. This is an Attributeless Qi born of heaven and earth. It is called Pure Qi.”

”Pure Qi?” Nearby, Li Jinyuan and Wang Xiaoliu looked over curiously.

”That’s right,” Daoist Zhang explained. ”Within the borders of the Great Zhou, the Law Net purges and suppresses Evil Qi, so most of the ambient Spiritual Qi is of this type. It lacks the ferocity of fire and the endurance of water, but its strength lies in its perfect neutrality and tranquility. It is all-embracing, the cleanest form of Spiritual Qi.”

”If you use this Qi for your Qi Cultivation, you won’t have any special powers, but it will be exceptionally stable and compatible with all techniques. In the future, you’ll be able to switch to a Cultivation Technique of any attribute without conflict.”

”Nurture it well.” Daoist Zhang patted Chu Bai’s shoulder. ”Now that you have grasped Qi, you have truly reached the Beginner stage. From here on, it’s the Water Grinding Technique, accumulating wisps into a thread.”

Chu Bai bowed in acknowledgment.

With a flicker of thought, he summoned his panel.

[Skill:]

[Small Qi Gathering Technique: skilled (6/200)]