Back in the relative privacy of his corner bunk, Kai unrolled the scroll containing the Azure Cloud Qi Manual with trembling hands. The characters were elegantly written, filled with the esoteric language of cultivation – meridians, dantian, Qi gates, circulation cycles. Compared to the vague, instinctual breathing exercises taught freely, this was a detailed roadmap to power, at least at the Qi Condensation stage.
He spent hours poring over the text, cross-referencing it with the previous Kai's hazy memories and using the system's 'Earth Knowledge Archive' (specifically accessing basic translation and analogy functions) to decipher the more obscure passages. The manual described how to sense ambient spiritual energy, draw it into the body through specific acupoints, refine it into personal Qi, circulate it along designated meridian pathways, and store it within the lower dantian, gradually expanding one's capacity and control.
Excitedly, Kai sat cross-legged on his pallet and attempted the initial Qi sensing and absorption technique described in the manual. He focused his mind, extending his senses outward as instructed, trying to feel the invisible river of spiritual energy flowing through the world.
It was… difficult. Excruciatingly so. He could vaguely sense something, like static on the edge of his perception, but drawing it in felt like trying to suck sludge through a narrow straw. His meridians felt tight, resistant. After nearly an hour of intense concentration, beads of sweat dripping down his face, he had managed to absorb only a minuscule thread of Qi, leaving him frustrated and exhausted.
The previous Kai's assessment of his own talent wasn't wrong. It was abysmal. Even with a proper manual, progress felt glacially slow. At this rate, reaching Level 2 might take months, if not years – time he didn't have if he wanted to survive and thrive.
Discouraged, he turned his attention to the system notification he'd momentarily ignored in his eagerness to study the manual.
[System Analysis of 'Azure Cloud Qi Manual' Available. View Now?]
Yes! He commanded mentally.
The system interface displayed the text of the manual, but now with highlighted sections and annotations appearing alongside it.
[Analysis Complete: Azure Cloud Qi Manual (Standard Qi Condensation Technique)]
[Overall Efficiency Rating: C- (Compared to Universal Cultivation Standards)]
[Strengths: Stable foundation, low risk of Qi deviation, compatible with Azure Cloud Sect advanced techniques.]
[Weaknesses: Slow absorption rate, inefficient initial refinement, rudimentary Qi circulation pathways, lacks body tempering elements.]
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
[System Optimization Suggestions:]
[1. Meridian Pathway Adjustment: Minor rerouting of initial Qi flow can increase absorption efficiency by ~8%. (Requires precise control or external aid)]
[2. Refinement Enhancement: Incorporate 'Resonant Frequency Breathing' (Earth Qigong principle) during refinement stage to improve purity by ~5%. (Requires specific breathing pattern guidance - Access via Knowledge Archive?)]
[3. Compatibility Check: Manual shows high compatibility with 'Qi Attunement Pill (Low Grade)' - System Store Item. Expected synergy: ~25% increase in cultivation speed for 24 hours post-consumption.]
Kai read the analysis with rapt attention. The system hadn't just rewarded him for getting the manual; it had analyzed it, critiqued it, and offered concrete improvements! The suggestions for rerouting pathways and resonant breathing were intriguing but seemed complex to implement immediately. However, the third suggestion leaped out at him.
Compatibility with the 'Qi Attunement Pill'. He remembered seeing it in the store earlier.
He quickly navigated back to the System Store.
Qi Attunement Pill (Low Grade): Enhances Qi sensing and absorption rate significantly for a limited time. Increases affinity with ambient spiritual energy. Cost: 50 System Points.
50 points. He currently had 73. It was a steep price, nearly all his accumulated points from the manual task and his recent sales, but the potential payoff – a 25% increase in cultivation speed when combined with the manual – was incredibly tempting. Months of slow progress potentially condensed into weeks or even days?
He hesitated only for a moment. Stagnation was death in this world. Progress, even costly progress, was essential.
Purchase Qi Attunement Pill (Low Grade)!
[Purchase Confirmed. Cost: 50 Points.]
[System Points Balance: 23]
[Materializing Item…]
A small, unremarkable grey pill appeared in his dimension storage. He retrieved it mentally, materializing it in his hand. It felt slightly cool and emanated a faint, refreshing energy signature. According to the system analysis, the effect would last 24 hours after consumption, synergizing best with active cultivation using the new manual.
Taking a deep breath, Kai popped the pill into his mouth and swallowed. There was no immediate taste, but a cool, minty sensation spread down his throat and into his stomach. Within seconds, a profound change occurred.
The world seemed to brighten. Not visually, but energetically. The vague static of ambient spiritual energy he'd struggled to perceive before now felt like a tangible, flowing river all around him. His senses felt sharper, more attuned to the subtle energy currents in the air. His own sluggish meridians seemed to relax, becoming more receptive.
Wasting no time, Kai immediately sat down again and began the Azure Cloud Qi Manual's initial absorption technique. The difference was night and day. Where before he strained to draw in a trickle, now threads of spiritual energy flowed towards him almost eagerly, drawn into his body through the designated acupoints with far less resistance. The refinement process felt smoother, the Qi circulating through his meridians with noticeably less friction.
He cultivated intensely, losing track of time, completely absorbed in this newfound ease of progress. Energy flowed, refined, circulated, and settled into his dantian, which felt like a slowly filling reservoir rather than a leaky cup. Hours melted away.
Sometime deep in the night, he felt a distinct shift within his dantian. The accumulated Qi reached a threshold, coalescing and stabilizing at a higher density. A sense of clarity and subtle strength flowed through his body. His connection to the ambient energy deepened.
He had broken through.
[Host Cultivation Detected: Qi Condensation Level 2 Achieved!]
A simple notification, but it felt like a monumental victory. Kai opened his eyes, a grin stretching across his face. He could feel the difference – the increased Qi reserves, the slightly enhanced physical vitality, the clearer senses. It wasn't a huge leap, but it was tangible progress, achieved in a single night thanks to the combination of the manual and the system's pill.
The 50 points had been well spent. He was finally, truly, on the path. The Qi Attunement Pill's main effect would fade within a day, but the breakthrough was permanent. Now, he just needed to continue cultivating diligently with the manual, and perhaps save up for another pill in the future. Or maybe… maybe there was a way to address the root cause of his slow speed: his poor innate talent. He glanced towards the System Store interface again, a new, more ambitious goal forming in his mind.
