Li Wei carefully weighs his options. The Desert Soul Technique and the Stone Mountain Technique shared a commonality—both enhanced Qi absorption and retention. However, the Desert Soul Technique boasted a significantly higher efficiency improvement of 85%, compared to the Stone Mountain Technique's 55%. He noted this immediately, recognizing that an 85% boost was the highest among the available techniques.
As he delved deeper, Li Wei observed that the descriptions used different verbs: "Heighten Qi skeletal density and increase structural Qi channel efficiency" for the Desert Soul Technique versus "Reinforce skeletal density and strengthen structural Qi channel efficiency." "Heighten and increase sound more impactful than reinforce and strengthen," he says, considering that the former implied a more active and substantial enhancement.
Despite the advantages, a practical concern nagged at him. "Where am I going to find a desert?" he mutters. His current surroundings lacked the expansive desert landscapes necessary to access and transfer Desert Qi through the rune array. The modification suggestion involved two sandstone stones inscribed with Tet and Resh runes, aiming to improve efficiency by 85%. "Implementing this would require either finding a secluded desert-like area or somehow simulating desert conditions to tap into the Desert Qi," he adds quietly.
Despite the hurdle, Li Wei can't ignore the allure of that 85% efficiency. "Eighty-five percent… can't get that with anything else," he mutters, eyes narrowing. The technique promises not only unmatched improvement but also the ability to channel Desert Qi into potent energy. "If I can make this work, my Qi absorption will skyrocket. No way I'm passing that up."
Frustration bubbled up within him. "But it's a desert technique. How am I supposed to access Desert Qi without a desert?" The practicality of implementing the Desert Soul Technique in his current environment posed a legitimate challenge. However, Li Wei was determined not to be easily deterred. He considered the possibility of creating a controlled environment or finding a secluded area that could simulate desert conditions, thereby tapping into the Desert Qi without physically being in a desert.
After a moment of intense deliberation, Li Wei's resolve solidified. "Ughhhhh, fuck it," he muttered under his breath. The potential gains outweighed the logistical hurdles, and he was far too greedy to let go of an 85% efficiency boost. His obsession with squeezing every drop of Qi from any technique drove his decision. His determination to push his cultivation to new heights overshadowed the inconvenience of sourcing Desert Qi. Additionally, the Desert Soul Technique's terminology—"Heighten" and "Increase"—resonated more with him than the more mundane "Reinforce" and "Strengthen" of the Stone Mountain Technique. These terms suggested a more profound and elevated enhancement, aligning perfectly with his relentless hunger for power.
Li Wei decided to forgo the Rockheart Technique, finding it less effective and lacking the impressive efficiency improvements of the first two. Its lower Qi compression efficiency of 60% and the generic name did not meet his standards for advanced cultivation.
With his decision made, Li Wei focused on the Desert Soul Technique. He spent the remainder of the hour meticulously memorising the technique, concentrating on the steps required to create the two sandstone stones inscribed with Tet and Resh runes. Although he was unfamiliar with the exact appearance of these runes, he concentrated on understanding their purpose and the process of transferring Desert Qi into his meridians. By the end of the session, Li Wei felt a surge of anticipation and excitement. The Desert Soul Technique was now firmly in his memory, and he was ready to harness its full potential.
Li Wei steps out of the library, the heavy wooden door closing behind him with a muted thud. He moves swiftly
Inside the entrance, the senior sits at his large oak desk, papers neatly stacked on one side and ancient texts open before him. He watches as Li Wei exits the library, his eyes narrowing slightly with curiosity.
"What technique did you choose?" the senior asks.
Li Wei does not respond. He turns his head slightly, avoiding eye contact, and continues walking down the corridor
After Li Wei leaves, the shopkeeper resumes altering a document. He leans against the desk and mutters, "Asshole."
Li Wei makes his way back to his cave. He steps inside and stands in the central area, recalling the Desert Soul Technique he has memorised.
Li Wei returns to his cave. He stands in the centre, recalling the Desert Soul Technique he has memorised. He begins to create the necessary environment for the technique. Bone starts to grow rapidly from his elbow, extending outward. The bone growth proceeds until Li Wei periodically halts it when it becomes too extensive. His strength diminishes as a result of the substantial bone formation.
He signals his bone slave to process the bone. The bone slave approaches with a mortar and pestle, beginning to grind the bones into fine dust. The process is slow, ensuring the dust is uniformly ground. Li Wei leans against the cave wall, allowing himself to rest while the bone slave works meticulously.
Li Wei concentrates on expanding the cave's interior. He manipulates the bone dust, directing it to reshape the walls and floor. The space grows incrementally, as there is just soil around and a few large rocks. He extends the areas with soft soil and stops when he hits a rock as the bone ash takes forever to break it down, creating a larger, more secluded area.
At his direction, the dust streams out smoothly, spreading evenly across the cave floor. "I hope that the dry ash will remove all moisture from the environment," he thinks, using the ash to dry the air completely. The humidity decreases steadily, making the cave feel more isolated. The air becomes drier and colder, aligning closer to the arid desert he needs.
Li Wei attempts to perform the Desert Soul Technique without the runes for now, planning to figure that aspect out later. He channels his Qi, focusing on enhancing his skeletal density and optimising his Qi channels. Despite his efforts, the dust remains ineffective, showing no signs of giving him any Qi. Frustration settles in as he realises the technique does not work as intended.
He tries again harder, concentrating his energy with increased intensity. A sliver of Qi emerges from an unexpected source. Li Wei focuses on finding the origin of the strand, tracing it to a pouch containing ash from Xue Feng and Shi You in the corner of the cave. "Ingesting this ash is bad for my foundation, but meditating and drawing Qi from the ash stabilises it. How does this make sense?" he muses, spending more time pondering the situation.
He examines the pouch, noting the ash's properties. "So you can't generate Qi from nothing. If you're using this technique properly in a desert, you probably still have to hope that the remains of a great creature have died there," Li Wei thinks. He decides to continue experimenting. He notes the interaction between the ash and the bone dust, observing that while ingestion weakens his foundation, meditating near it allows him to draw Qi without adverse effects.
Li Wei stands in the centre of the cave, breathing in the dry, stagnant air. His gaze shifts to the pouch of bone essence in the corner. He hesitates for a moment before grabbing a handful of the coarse powder. The surface feels gritty and cold against his palm. He exhales sharply, weighing his options in silence. The thought of using the Desert Soul Technique on the essence irritates him, but he has no choice. Consuming the essence as pills would yield more Qi, but he knows he cannot afford to delay stabilising his foundation.
He crouches down, places the bone essence before him, and begins the process again. He channels Qi slowly, directing it through his skeletal structure. The faint pull from the bone essence enters his meridians. The flow is weak, barely noticeable, but consistent. He closes his eyes, focusing entirely on maintaining the steady rhythm of absorption. His head feels heavy, his body tired, but he continues.
The words from the senior at the library replay in his mind. If his foundation isn't stabilised soon, his cultivation could collapse. The risk of crippling himself lingers at the edge of his thoughts. His grip tightens as he continues guiding the Qi into his bones. Even with the inefficiency, even with the slow progress, there's no alternative.
Still, he remains in the cave, enduring the slow and frustrating process. He carefully directs Qi into his skeletal structure, noting every minor outcome, even if they don't meet his expectations. Progress is sluggish. He's determined to master the Desert Soul Technique, convinced that its true power lies beyond this initial hurdle.
Li Wei feels the weight of boredom pressing on him. A full week of non-stop meditation, and he's had enough. He checks his foundation again, sensing stability. It's good for now. He knows he'll have to keep doing this periodically, but the thought of more endless meditation makes his jaw clench.