[Age 4: Your village was attacked by a demonic cultivator. Since there were no cultivators in your village, they were defenseless against such a powerful enemy, resulting in the death of almost half villagers. Fortunately, luck was on your side as a passing cultivator arrived and defeated the demonic cultivator, sacrificing his own life in the process.]
Kneeling amidst the ruins of his village, Xuan Ji's eyes burned with anger as he surveyed the aftermath of the demonic cultivator's brutal attack. The lifeless bodies of his neighbors, once familiar and full of life, now lay scattered among the wreckage.
Their expressions of pain and horror haunted his thoughts, casting a shadow over his soul. The symphony of suffering, with roaring fires and anguished cries, pierced the air, leaving an ineradicable mark.
The massacre had shaken Xuan Ji to his core, challenging his understanding of life and death. It surpassed anything he had ever witnessed, shattering the boundaries of his imagination. As a cultivator, he had taken lives in the past, but this calamity dwarfed any previous encounter. The sheer magnitude of the tragedy overwhelmed him, threatening to consume his mind.
The demonic cultivator had proven to be far more powerful than anyone in the village had anticipated. Even the passing cultivator who had come to aid them was taken by surprise by his sneak attack, resulting in the demise of both of them.
Xuan Ji was consumed by a profound sense of powerlessness and the inability to seek revenge. The knowledge that the demonic cultivator had met his demise did little to ease the torment within Xuan Ji's mind.
Yet, amidst the chaos and devastation, a sliver of relief shone through. Xuan Ji's family, fortunate to have their house situated in a corner of the village, had escaped the worst of the attack.
Amidst the fallen ruins, Xuan Ji's attention was drawn to the heroic cultivator who had valiantly fought the demonic cultivator. Sorrow and gratitude welled up within him as he approached the lifeless body.
The cultivator's aged appearance and white hair indicated his old age, while his face disfigured bore witness to the sacrifices he had made. Xuan Ji wished to give his savior a dignified resting place, but his eyes caught sight of a small bag attached to the cultivator's belt—a space bag.
An urgency to cultivate and regain his strength consumed Xuan Ji's heart, clouding his judgment. Opposite from his usual character, he considered stealing the bag, driven by the desperation bred from his lack of cultivation.
Uncertain about whether he could return to the previous world, Xuan Ji made a firm decision to embrace this new life as if it were his reality. To live in this world, he knew he had to cultivate and become stronger, and the key to unlocking his potential lay primarily within the contents of his bag.
The prospect of finding a technique within the space bag fueled his desire even more.
He hesitated no more and seized the space bag and walked away, firmly choosing not to glance back. As for finding a proper burial place for the fallen cultivator, he simply threw it back of his mind.
Returning to his partially damaged house, Xuan Ji, still grappling with sadness, came to a realization. In the world of cultivation, the weak were often preyed upon. Pushing aside his conflicting emotions, he focused on the task at hand and made his way to his room.
Seated on his bed, Xuan Ji carefully examined the acquired space bag. It's rough, brown texture resembled sackcloth, but he knew better. Hidden within its unassuming appearance lay a small enclosed space akin to a storage ring, though inferior in quality, space, and lifespan.
Its limitations were reflected in its cheap price. Anticipation gleamed in his eyes as he opened the bag, ready to explore its contents.
Inside, Xuan Ji discovered two spirit stones, radiating pure spiritual energy—an invaluable currency and resource for cultivators. Alongside them were two low-grade human-level healing herbs and a book.
The sight of the book sparked excitement, confirming his suspicions. It was a cultivation technique, albeit of low-grade Human-level, capable of guiding a cultivator to the Body Refinement Level 3, only scratching the surface of true cultivation.
In the world of cultivation, artifacts, techniques, pills, formations, talisman and herbs were categorized into Human, Earth, and Heaven levels, each with low, middle, high-grade, and top-grade tiers.
Despite its low grade, Xuan Ji steeled his resolve to cultivate this technique, knowing that even a small step forward could make a significant difference.
[Age 5: You began cultivating and with your previous life experience, you took a significant step forward in cultivation, but you were still far from reaching Body Refinement Realm level 1.]
[Age 6: After using both spirit stones and cultivating for a year, you finally breakthrough to Body Refinement Realm level 1.]
"Finally, I am a cultivator!" Feeling power running through his body Xuan Ji exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension. While the two spirit stones he possessed were scarce compared to the monthly supply in a sect, they were a blessing that accelerated his progress. Without them, his cultivation would have been as slow as a crawling snail.
Becoming a cultivator quickly had become Xuan Ji's paramount goal, as it would grant him the opportunity to join a sect.
Realizing the limitations of his own cultivation talent, Xuan Ji understood that it would be challenging for him to join a sect without impressive aptitude.
However, if he could showcase his attainment of the Body Refinement Realm at such a tender age, it would likely secure his acceptance as a disciple without much inspection. He understood that without a good cultivation technique and access to resources, his progress would be severely hindered.
With determination burning in his heart, Xuan Ji made the difficult decision to leave his family behind. In a heartfelt letter, he explained his reasons.
Overwhelmed by the pain of leaving behind the love and care of his parents, Xuan Ji found solace as this was his first time feeling parental affection, as he had been an orphan in the previous world.
With a heavy heart, he recognized that embarking on this journey was his only opportunity for a better future, and so he packed some of his luggage in space bag and set forth, determined to seize the chance before him.
Days combined into nights as Xuan Ji ventured deeper into a dense mountain range, its towering trees and uneven terrain creating an immersive backdrop.
Xuan Ji's appearance was not pleasant to behold. His clothes were torn in various places, and his face was smudged with dirt. His hair was unkempt and uneven. It was clear that he had faced many challenges and hardships on his journey, which had taken a toll on his overall appearance.