After a while, they arrived at their destination. From far away, Wu Dong Yi could see that it was a large tower. Rather than a tower, it was a nine-story pagoda.
"There's something strange about this pagoda, I can't quite get my finger on it. Is it one of those?" he thought.
As he was thinking, Yang Xinyue opened the door and broke him free from his thoughts. Bing Yi Jian went in first, followed by Wu Dong Yi and Yang Xinyue.
"This is a special training space within the entire nation. On each floor, a certain amount of Spiritual Qi could be felt. The higher the floor, the more one could feel and absorb. Of course, if you are not talented enough or your cultivation base isn't high enough, you wouldn't be able to cross to the next floor." Bing Yi Jian explained.
Wu Dong Yi nodded. "It looks like I was right." he thought.
"Sit down over there, I will begin now." she pointed.
Wu Dong Yi followed her instructions and sat down where she pointed, which is the very center of the room. Bing Yi Jian and Yang Xinyue sat down in front and behind him.
Wu Dong Yi closed his eyes. He knew that he must close his mind and be free of thoughts. Even though he knew that, it was a little bit harder than said. Though for him, he could actually do it easily, which would shock other people.
After clearing his mind, he could hear Bing Yi Jian speak.
"Clear your mind of any thoughts. Try to feel the Spiritual Qi within Heaven and Earth. It should be in the form of a bead or a thread. Focus and try to sense it." she said as she put her hand on his back.
Yang Xinyue put her hand on his chest at the same moment. The two began to slowly spread their Spiritual Qi into his body, to allow him to feel the Qi more easily.
After a few minutes, Wu Dong Yi felt a strange sensation in his lower abdomen. He could feel a small strand of a strange light that looked like a thread.
"So that's Spiritual Qi." he thought.
"Once you have sensed it, try to imagine yourself absorbing the Spiritual Qi into your Dantian." Bing Yi Jian followed up.
Wu Dong Yi imagined himself absorbing the Spiritual Qi into his body. He could imagine a vortex, crazily absorbing it into a single spot within his lower abdomen.
It didn't take long before he could sense Qi as well as absorb it into his body. From reading novels, he knew that once this was done, he would need to spread it throughout his entire body.
From his muscles and tendons to each and every meridian and bone in his body. He imagined the Spiritual Qi in the form of golden liquid, that streamed like blood along his veins. Once it spread throughout his body, it returned to his dantian which was the shape of a sphere.
It rotated around and around throughout his dantian, as well as his body. It was like an endless cycle that wouldn't stop until his body breaks apart.
Bing Yi Jian and Yang Xinyue had long taken their hands off his body and only observed him. The two of them with their high cultivation bases could sense the change inside his body.
They knew it would be easy for him to achieve such a feat since even they could do it on the first try. Of course, it took them a little bit longer than he did, but nevertheless they were still extremely gifted on the Martial Path.
After an hour, they could tell that Wu Dong Yi had stepped into the Body Tempering realm and would begin his journey on the Martial Path.
Even though it was late, since he was already 20 years old, he had still easily reached such a stage that quickly despite his age. Normally, children who are of 4 years of age, would begin their cultivation.
Since their bones hadn't formed completely and were still flexible, it was easier to begin the Martial Path. Of course, there are many who have done so later in life, but for Wu Dong Yi it is considered to be extremely late.
Wu Dong Yi himself could feel his body changing. He felt more powerful and rigorous even though he had been sitting there for an hour. From what he read in a scroll, there are no such things as Body Refiners in this world.
Body Refiners refer to those who continually temper and cultivate the physical body rather than their Spiritual Qi and Spiritual attacks.
Generally, Body Refining is much harder and is a slower process, since they need to feel immense pain while cultivating their bodies, on the plus side, they are much stronger than those of the same level and can even fight others above their own level.
He didn't plan to become a Body Refiner. He didn't want to have a large bulky body, and neither did he want to experience immense pain all the time while cultivating. He would rather cultivate normally and focus on non-physical attacks.
Though, when he read the Golden Immortal Deity technique, it seemed to be a technique that cultivated the body as a minor while mainly focusing on regular cultivation.
Since that's the case, he didn't mind since he wouldn't be feeling a lot of pain. Opening his eyes, Wu Dong Yi got up from his seat.
He punched the air with vigor and could tell that his body was many times stronger than it had been in the past. For a regular cultivator, once they have entered the Qi Condensation stage, they would stop cultivating the body entirely.
"You have taken your first step on the Martial Path, congratulations." Bing Yi Jian told him.
"Thanks," he replied.
When he stood up, his body felt sticky all over. He noticed that Bing Yi Jian and Yang Xinyue had taken a step back when he opened his eyes.
Looking down, he saw black substances on the ground, he knew full well what it was.
"Let's head back." Bing Yi Jian said.
"I'll take care of it later." Yang Xinyue added.
Only when both of them assured him, did Wu Dong Yi nod his head and go to take a bath.
**********
After the bath, he looked at himself in the mirror. His body looked a little more shredded, revealing an eight pack rather than a six-pack. His skin also looked much better like a newborn baby, while his hair had grown longer.
His looks also improved a bit after entering the Martial Path. Apparently, everyone in this world who enters the Martial Path gains an improvement in looks. It seemed like there weren't any 'ugly' people in the world since almost all children cultivate.
If he were back on Earth with his current looks, even his parents probably wouldn't recognize him.
His boxers that were made on the request of Bing Yi Jian were worn. Now he had a pair for every day of the week. He finally felt comfortable since his 'little brother' was now contained within his pants.
After his bath, he wore his clothes and stood in his room. Now that he was a cultivator like he always dreamed of, he now had to select a weapon of his choice.
Since he was young, he had always dreamed of riding on a flying sword, while raining down swords on his opponents. But now that he was older, he realized that it was dull and that everyone could do the same.
What he wanted now was something different. Something unique that not many others have done in the past.
He then looked at the guqin in the corner of his room as well as the flute attached to his belt. His eyes brightened when he figured it out.
"I got it." he thought.
In the past few years, he had read a famous novel where the protagonist used a flute to control feral zombies to fight for him. Even though his path wasn't righteous, he was a man who fought for justice and saved the lands from a tyrant clan.
Not only that, but his best friend also used a guqin as well as a sword. When he thought of that, he knew that he would use both the guqin as well as the flute as his weapons of choice.
It didn't come out of nowhere, either, since he practiced both instruments, he thought it would be a good choice since he was familiar with them more so than the sword.
After all, he was just a young man in the 21st century.
What use would a sword be in a world of guns and nuclear weapons?
He then noticed Bing Yi Jian's presence, coming from the bath. Her hair was still wet, while she had just dressed herself in new clothes.
He pointed at the guqin in the room which Bing Yi Jian and Yang Xinyue knew what he meant right away.
"Are you sure?" Yang Xinyue asked.
Wu Dong Yi nodded.
"Alright, let us head to the treasury then." Bing Yi Jian said.
"We sure have gone to a few places today…" Wu Dong Yi thought as the three of them headed out again.
*********
At the royal treasury. Wu Dong Ying entered and saw piles upon piles of gold bars. He could tell all of them were incredibly pure with probably no filth and 100$ purity in them. If he brought them to Earth, he would be rich if he could find the right buyer.
Nevertheless, that wasn't what he was after. He came here, to select a treasure.
He entered on his own and walked around in a certain direction. Bing Yi Jian had pointed out where the instrumental treasures were since she had memorized everything that existed inside the treasury.
Step! Step!
Walking on top of gold, he proceeded in a certain direction. Now that he had Spiritual Qi inside his body, he could sense the treasures inside.
When he came closer, it was as though the treasure was drawn to him. A green bamboo flute that looked like jade flew towards him on its own, while a guqin made of wood also flew at him.
He reached out his hands and caught the flute, placing it into his belt. While the guqin landed between his hands.
He plucked the strings slowly, listening to the sound, as well as familiarizing himself with the guqin. After playing a few notes, he exited the treasury.
Bing Yi Jian handed him a ring and taught him how to use it. He put the spatial ring on his finger and moved the guqin inside the space.
On the way out, he noticed his long hair. He was considering whether he would tie a ribbon or use a piece of wood to keep his hair in place. He leaned against the former but he was still trying to decide.
Back in his room, Wu Dong Yi sat down on a cushion and began playing the guqin. Bing Yi Jian and Yang Xinyue both sat by the dinner table and listened to his playing.
He played the song, 'Think*ng of an old friend' before stopping for a few seconds, then played another song. It wasn't until it was dinner time, that he stopped playing and ate dinner together with his wife.
Before Yang Xinyue left the room, Wu Dong Yi stopped her. "Why not eat with us? I know that you two consider yourselves as close as family."
"I've said the same thing in the past, Xinyue, eat with us from now on." Bing Yi Jian added. Both the husband and wife looked at her, making her speechless.
She could only agree to their antiques. "Yes, your majesty."