Xiao Tuheng woke up the next day still exhausted, but with a surprisingly clearer mind than before.
'Did I really get reincarnated?' he thought, still processing the idea. But as he looked around, he saw the familiar shabby hut, the same one he remembered from before passing out.
His head swirled with a jumble of unfamiliar memories. He sighed and focused, trying to absorb and organize them. After about an hour of intense concentration, his mind felt much clearer. The memories of his predecessor began to make sense.
'Should I try cultivating? Maybe my talent got a boost because of the transmigration,' he mused, sitting cross-legged on the floor, his thoughts swirling.
'For now, let's see if I can sense the Qi in the air like Xiao Tuheng did in the memories.'
He closed his eyes, calmed his mind, and focused on the flow of energy around him.
'Huh, this is easier than I thought.'
He barely had to concentrate before he could sense the Qi in the air, soft and ethereal, like smoke carried by the wind, always shifting, always moving. It swirled around him in a current, heading in the direction of the mountain's peak.
'Is this natural, or is the Sect pulling the Qi toward the peak?' He briefly wondered, but quickly pushed the thought aside and focused again.
'Now, I need to breathe in the pattern from the Golden Mountain Manual, and draw the Qi into my Dantian.'
He started breathing rhythmically, the first breath drawing in Qi that filled his body with a surprising rush of pleasure. It was a sensation that shot through his entire being, calming and energizing at the same time. He kept going for what he thought was ten minutes, lost in the rhythm.
"Wow..." he murmured under his breath. 'That feels amazing. No wonder people get obsessed with cultivating.'
Just as he was basking in the euphoria, a blue screen flickered into view in front of him.
[ Name:Xiao Tuheng ]
[ Cultivation:5th Layer of the Qi Gathering Realm (63%) ]
[ Stored Energy:0 ]
[ Spirit Roots: 4-Elemental Spirit Roots (Earth, Water, Fire, Metal) ]
[ Skills:
- Golden Mountain Manual (Qi Gathering Realm) - Proficient (34%)
- Stone Skin Technique (Qi Gathering Realm) - Beginner (78%) ]
"What?" he blurted, startled, then froze as a wave of understanding swept through him.
'I actually got something from reincarnating?' His heart raced with excitement.
'So, I can upgrade my Skills and Spirit Roots using Stored Energy. And I can gather this Energy in several ways… but all but one of them are out of reach for now,' he thought, his excitement dimming a little.
'Giving up the Qi stored in my Dantian...' he grimaced.
'It's not the best choice, but beggars can't be choosers.' He sighed and converted all the Qi in his Dantian into System Energy.
[ Cultivation:5th Layer of the Qi Gathering Realm (0%) ]
[ Stored Energy:4.63 ]
'My Dantian is still the same size as before the conversion,' Xiao Tuheng noted with some relief. 'It just absorbed the energy. That means I won't need to waste time expanding it when I recultivate. I can just gather more Qi.'
'So... now what?' He thought for a moment, considering his options. 'I don't have enough energy to upgrade my Spirit Roots. That's off the table for now.'
He didn't hesitate long.
'I should work on mastering my Cultivation Technique,' he decided, channeling all the Stored Energy into the Golden Mountain Manual.
[ Skills:
- Golden Mountain Manual (Qi Gathering Realm) - Proficient (80%)
- Stone Skin Technique (Qi Gathering Realm) - Beginner (78%) ]
"Aghh..." Xiao Tuheng groaned, his mind flooded with insight as if a floodgate had opened. The sheer amount of new knowledge almost made him dizzy.
'So that's how it's done,' he thought in awe. He immediately dove into cultivating with newfound zeal, the recent insights propelling him into a frenzied pace. The rush of enlightenment was so intense, he devoured every bit of Qi in his vicinity.
Hours passed, and his enlightenment continued all day. By the time it ended, Xiao Tuheng was famished. Without a second thought, he headed to the Sect's Dining Hall, which, thankfully, was open 24/7.
He ignored the bustling disciples around him, his mind too consumed by recent revelations. He quickly grabbed a simple meal of steamed rice and vegetables, then settled into a quiet corner of the hall.
'Is this what they call enlightenment?' he mused between bites. 'I always thought only geniuses experienced this sort of thing. But now I can force it using the System.'
His heart raced with excitement. 'Maybe I could even become an Immortal...'
For a moment, he daydreamed about destroying mountains with a wave of his hand. But then, the hunger won, and he quickly finished his meal.
When he stood up, his mind shifted back to more immediate concerns.
'I finished my Sect mission for the week,' he thought. 'No more work for now.'
He took a moment to consider his options. 'I'll aim to reach the next layer by the end of the week,' he resolved, his determination growing. He rushed back to his hut, eager to dive back into cultivation.