Thebeasthowledinpainasbloodtrickleddown.Iturnedandran—Thirty-SixStratagems:runningisthebestpn.
Withinthreemicaughtuptome.Isighed.
“EarlyQiRefi...Ifinallydidit.”
“GRUUUHHH!!”
Injustthreeminutes,Idefeatedtheferociousbeastwithease.
Withageure,thegodtransportedmetenewpce.
Icrashedtotheground.Itstailswepttowardme,butIjumpedandgrabbedanearbybranch,leapingontoitstail.Thebeastthrashedleftandright,butIgtightly,refusingtoletgo.
Themomenthefinishedspeaking,agoldenlightdesdedbeforeus.Acalm,emotionlessvoiceechoedfromwithin.
Then“I”gotserious.
Slowly,Iclimbedforward—handsagrippinghard.Ireachedthefrontandaimedatitsbackside.
Fagabeastwhoseteethalonewerergerthanmybody,Ifeltfear—evenwithmyEarlyFoundatioablishmentcultivatioecouldendme.
Weonceagainfacedoffinstillhealowgrowndstruckthebeast’sleg—ablowtwiceasstrongasbefore.Itslegwentnumbinstantly.
“ThisistheAsuraRealm.Youmustpletethreeentrytrialsbeforeyouqualifytobemydisciple.”
Inoddeddumbly.Heledmetoatrainingchamberpreparedjustforme.Therewasevenapersonalstewardtocook,servetea,aasks—butIhadtopletethethreetrialsfirst.
ThenIcharged.
Today,forthesakeofmygtalent,FatherbroughtmetotheAsuraTempletoprayforhelp.Wekbeforethegod’sstatue,andhesincerelyprayed:
ienergy!”Myheartleapt.Iheldmybreath,carefullyguidingthefaintqitowardmydantian.
Atfirst,weremaiill—herattag.
Ithreunchatitsstomach...andbouncedoff.
AfterswitgfromQiRefiManualtotheFoundatioablishmentManual,qibecameevenhardertotrol.Eachadvafeltliketemperingmyselfthroughpain.
Hisvoicesoundedagain.
MyfirstmissionwastofightaTyrannosaurusRex.AsIacceptedthechalleheserybehmyfeetgedfromasquareroomtoarockywilderness.
“Lookslike...I’tkeeppyingaround.”
“Soweak...”
“IamtheAsuraDeity.Yoursonpleasesme.
“HYAAAH!”
Boy...ewithme.”
Butitwasfaster.
“GreatAsuraGod,I,yourhumblebelieverTianlong,begyoutohelpmysonTianyan.Granthimsuccessohofcultivation.Ihope...youwouldaccepthimasyourdisciple.”
Itstaggered.Ileaptagain—thistimereagtwelvemeters—strikingitsshortfrontlimbuntilitfractured.
“I”exhaledlightly.
Thebeastroaredandrushedtowardme.Ileapedintotheair.AcultivatoratPeakQiRefijumpfivemeters,PeakFoundatioablishmey-fivemeters.AsanEarlyStageFoundatioablishmentcultivator,Icouldjumpaboutseveers—justenoughtoreachitsbelly.
Witharoar,Idrovethebrantoitsrear,creatingasmallhole.
Fiveyearsflewby.I’myearsold,havingbarelyreachedtheEarlyFoundatioablishmentstage.Thepathwasn’tsmooth.Everybottleneckrequiredmetogritmyteethandperseverethroughtlessdaysandnights.Thougheldersinmyfamilycoulduidance,breakthroughsultimatelydependedonmyownpersistendexperimentation.
Asthefirstraysunlightshhthewindow,afaintvortexhadformedinmydantian—proofoftrueqi’sbirth.
Afterhoursofeffort,Ifinallygatheredmyfirststrandofqi.ToreachEarlyQiRefi,I’dneedhundredsmorestrandstransformedintotrueenergy.
Iopenedmyeyesandsmiledfaintly.