It's been an entire week since Niwas has possessed the body of a young boy named Fei Cai. Honestly, even after assimilating the memory and the language of this world, he still had to practice his own name a few times before he got comfortable with his accent and slowly matched it with his previous self's accent.
Fei Qing, his father, a man with broad shoulders and an equally broad chin, shoulder-length black hair, and a heroic face, stood up as his vision fell on Niwas— Fei Cai.
"How goes the training, son?"
His voice was akin to a breath of spring in the cold Northern Plains, yet, no emotions emerged from Fei Cai's heart.
'A loving and strict father. If used properly, the benefits obtained are numerous, not to mention, he is a Rank 4 Gu Master and the leader of the tribe.'
Being a power-hungry sociopath that bordered into the levels of psychopathy, Fei Cai only had demeaning tactics swirling within his mind. Fei Cai bowed with a calm expression before looking at Fei Qing and smiling.
"I had some troubles with the foot technique you taught me the other day, Father."
It was a lie.
Fei Cai never practiced his footwork. Instead, he ran laps around the tribe in the name of training to map out the entirety of the situation of the Warm Pond Valley, the location of his tribe.
Hearing his words, Fei Qing nodded instead of getting angry. To not understand a few concepts meant that Fei Cai actually practiced. Even the reports from the scouting Gu Master detailed on how Fei Cai was improving his foundation by running laps around the tribe.
"Hmm, the application of the footwork comes naturally. Aside from the basics, the rest needs immense practice.
Son, today, you don't have to feel pressured."
Fie Qing suddenly spoke up. His expression gentle.
"I understand, Father. To a Gu Master, his rationality is his best tool. To lose one's calm for sadness is the worst-case scenario."
Hearing Fei Cai's words, Fei Qing's eyes widened before a pleased smile finally formed on his lips as he patted his son's back joyfully.
"Rightly spoken, Cai'er! Don't worry! No matter the result, your father will support you with all his foundation."
***
This is the world where Gu Insects are used to cultivate the Dao. Starting from Rank 1, a Cultivator cultivates his Aperture using his primeval essence.
The Fei Tribe was a small tribe comprised of a few hundred members that lived a shallow yet peaceful life. Although they were a small tribe, they had a solid foundation to cultivate Gu Masters.
A Spirit Spring and healthy cultivation of numerous Hope Gu.
Alongside a group of youths, Fei Cai moved towards the center of the tribe— the restricted region with a lot of Gu Masters stationed— as Fei Qing's lead only made the gu masters surrounding a beautiful crystal lake bow their heads and salute in reverence while an old man quickly stepped forth with his arms clasping in front of him.
"Tribe Leader, we all have been waiting."
The old man named Fei Zhang— one of the four elders of the tribe. He spoke softly before making way for the impassive Fei Qing as the group slowly stood in front of the lake.
The lake itself wasn't too deep, in fact, it was filled with a lot of moth-like insects that were clear even in such a distance.
Fei Zhang, on the other hand, stepped up and spoke loudly.
"Alright, youngsters! Today is the day when you all get a chance to step on the path of cultivation. The moment I speak someone's name, he has to walk into the lake and continue moving forward.
Is that understood?"
The boys and girls present nodded vigorously as the Elder finally spoke out a name.
"Fei Hao!"
Elder Fei Zhang announced a name as a thin youth hurriedly stepped out before bowing towards the Elder and then finally making his way towards the Spring Lake filled with moths.
The moment he stepped into the spring lake, the moths slowly turned into a wisp of light that shot towards the youth's body before disappearing. As the teenager kept on moving forward, the moths would keep on entering the body until the youth took his eleventh step.
After his eleventh step, the youth's forehead was quickly filled with sweat while the surrounding moths also started to settle down.
Seeing this, the tribe elders and Fei Qing sighed lightly before Fei Zhang announced.
"Fei Hao, no aptitude. Step back.
Fei Cang, move out."
Just like that, the gathered youths slowly ventured into the lake. Out of the sixteen youths present, 4 were D Rank Aptitude cultivators, the lowest of their kind.
While 5 distinctive youths did not have any aptitude at all.
"Fei Cai."
Fei Zhang spoke out the much-awaited name as all the elders rose to attention. Till now, all they had were D-Rankers or plain mortals. They finally held a sliver of hope towards Fei Cai. This even included a particularly striking Elder— Fei Chang, Fei Qing's cousin, and his greatest rival.
Fei Cai stepped forth and performed the same ceremony before looking at the Spring Lake and moving forward calmly.
Fearing at this stage was meaningless, so, with a confident gait, he placed his foot within the warm pool as he suddenly felt multiple moths shooting into his body.
These moths were called Hope Gu worms. They are the essence of heaven that represents the hope of mankind by allowing human beings to activate their apertures.
As stated in the legends, a warm current of energy traveled towards Cai's abdominal region before disappearing mysteriously.
Feeling the miraculous side of this new world for the first time in his life, Cai had a hard time controlling his excitement as he slowly made his step into the lake.
3 Steps...
17 Steps...
24 Steps...
'Definitely a C Rank Aptitude... maybe B.'
While the elders had such thoughts in their minds, Cai kept moving forward.
39 Steps...
44 Steps...
By now, even Fei Qing's calm expression was gone. Cai'er was finally into the ranks of the C Rank Aptitude, but deep down, such a low Aptitude would only guarantee him the title of cannon fodder. As a father, he couldn't help but wish for his son to be even more talented.
At least, B-Rank Talent, like himself. This way, Cai'er could at least hold the title of the Elder in the future.
The moment Cai stepped his 60th step, Fei Qing sighed heavily as if the burden over his shoulder was finally revealed.
'Do you see this, dear? Cai'er finally has the chance to grow strong.'
Meanwhile, Fei Cai himself started to feel a bit bloated.
Touching his stomach, he fell into deep thought while he kept walking forth.
'If I am feeling stuffed, this means that the energy is definitely getting stored somewhere, but out of the senses of the human mind. At least... out of the senses of a mortal human...'
As he took his 79th step, Cai's entire body quivered before he felt his perception quickening as he held the sense of world slowing down. His stomach felt hot... almost scalding while a strange melody seemed to be chiming within him.
Tuc
A strange popping sound rang within him as the surrounding hope gu worms immediately dulled out while Cai felt a new organ within his body. Unlike other biological organs, he could feel it... somehow, sense it. It was filled... at least, more than half of the hollow organ was filled with something...
"Fei Cai, B-Rank Aptitude!"
Finally, the Elder's announcement brought him out of his reverie.
***
Author's Note: According to this timeline, Fang Yuan should have already conquered the Fox Blessed Land. But since this is the part where Fang Yuan is living the life for the 'first' time, none of the stories of canon Reverend Insanity took place.
This means Bai Ning Bing is dead, Fang Zhang is dead, too, and Fang Yuan is currently traveling.