When I finished my prayer, Lou Xia waited for a second before asking, "Are you alright?"
This question must have been prompted by my absence last night, So I simply nodded in response and decided to look at the table waiting for the food. I heard Lou Xia start to ask something else, but she stopped soon after, and the room went back to silence. I felt like everyone in the room was staring at me in judgment, even though I knew that to be false, causing the atmosphere to feel oppressive. This lasted until the food arrived what felt like hours later.
When the food did arrive, I focused on that and finished it as fast as possible, only realizing partway through that I had broken custom and ate the food first. This caused me to pause slightly, but I chose to finish the food first and wait for the questions afterward. Somehow, though, I was not able to finish the food first as Mr. Xia Asked, "Are you sure that you are alright? You have not forgotten about following customs before."
I finish the last bit of food on my plate before answering, "Yes, I'm fine. "While still looking at the table in front of me.
"You know, you would be a lot more convincing if you said that while looking at me and with your tail not resting on the floor." He responded with a note of concern in his voice.
"Leave her be for now. She is going through a lot at the moment. Though you will have to make up for this later, Valaria." Rain spoke up, defending me and also saying that I was going to have a punishment for this.
This was not helping with my feelings at the moment, so out of guilt, I said, "Sorry, I did not mean to be blind," in a low voice, almost quieter than a whisper.
Lou Xia looked confused for a moment and was about to ask something, but Raina spoke up first. "Do not worry about that; just be more attentive next time. Though, like I said, you will still have to make up for this later."
Looking around, I can see most people here looking like they were agreeing; the only reason I don't think it's everyone is that some of them are so stone-faced that it is hard for me to interpret what they are thinking. This only made me feel embarrassed and even guiltier than I was earlier. I did not care at this point and left the room out the backdoor leading to the garden and the shrine that was right in front of me. Walking straight up to the statue and knelt down, praying about many things.
This prayer involved not just me talking to Elinaria but also praying to someone else. Most of it was about the memories that I had and wanting to say goodbye to my family, give the message to my father that my mother asked me to do, and ask for some help with what I was going through at this moment. This prayer lasted for a while before I felt better and ended this setion and stepped back to the outer area of the shrine. I was about to start cultivating but decided that I needed to check my status since it had been a while since I last looked at it.
Name: Valaria "Vale"
Race: One-Tailed Kitsune (unaspected)
Height: 1.8288 Meters (6' Ft)
Physique: Primordial Empress Body
Spiritual Root: Heavenly Ten Element Revolving Spiritual Root
Realm: Body-tempering: stage 1/5 (Bone-Tempering)
Qi pool: 80%/100%
Survival Level: 13 (Level up available)
Stats:
STR: 12.4 (Limit)
END: 12.4 (Limit)
AGI: 12.4 (Limit)
INT: 12.4 (Limit)
SEN: 12.4 (Limit)
ENE: 12.4 (Limit)
Traits:
[...]
(NEW)[Attuned Skeletal Structure: Your entire skeletal structure has been engraved and attuned with all types of Qi and World Concepts. Increase in Qi gathering speed and law comprehension.]
A new trait had shone up, and I also now had a new Qi pool state on top of a change in realm on the screen. I did not even think that my body tempering technique would give me a trait to begin with. Now, I am getting a trait just from the first stage of my technique. I wonder what will happen when my body Tempering Technique is cultivated to completion. The change in my stats did not go unnoticed as I expected this to happen as one's strength is supposed to increase as their cultivation does. The stats increase with each stage, but only the body tempering stage has a stat change based on a person's Qi pool.
This was a great inspiration (and wanted distraction) to keep cultivating until my Qi pool maxed out and I was able to move on to the next stage. So I found a spot on the edge of the shrine, sat down in a lotus position, and started to draw Qi into my body to finish filling my bones with Qi. My bones were already purified of impurities and only needed to be filled with Qi to strengthen them and prevent any impurities from getting in them again. Since I was able to purify food of all impurities by putting it into my inventory, I got pretty good at placing and pulling things out of my inventory without anyone knowing. Meaning I was able to prevent any impurities from entering my body. These thoughts did not last for very long in my mind and I was able to clear it soon so I could focus on filling my bones.
It did not take very long for my Qi pool to fill entirely, so I pulled out my technique manual to review what I needed to do next. An hour later, I had memorized every step and was ready to start. The first thing that I had to do was purify my muscles from every impurity that could be found within to create a clean slate to build upon. From here, I needed to fill each muscle fiber with every type of Qi and concept and then shape the energy that they were now filled with into a continuation of the tapestry that was carved into my bones. In reality, the tapestry did not continue, and instead, all of the muscle structure across my body started glowing with a faint multicolored light.
I did not feel any pain or discomfort from tempering my muscles, and I was quickly able to fill my qi pool once again. Opening my eyes, I was able to see that only two hours had passed, so I pulled out my technique again and reviewed the third stage. This took another hour, and I was ready to attempt the next stage. The first part of this stage required me to pull in a large amount of Qi, which was easier than it was before tempering my muscles, to purify all of my organs at once. The next stage had me take this Qi and, flood my organs, and direct all of my impurities from this stage towards my bowels. Holding back the need to use the bathroom, I then directed all the remaining Qi and some new Qi combined with all world concepts and fused them into my organs. The pattern that this was done in was that of the revolving elemental structure that combined all elements.
All of my organs started shining in a revolving multicolor light. This lasted until I was unable to resist the need to use the bathroom anymore. After breaking meditation and using the bathroom, I moved back to the shrine and started cultivating again to fill up my Qi pool once more. This took me another three hours to finish, and once done, I checked my status once more.
Name: Valaria "Vale"
[...]
Realm: Body-tempering: stage 3/5 (Organ-Tempering)
Qi pool: 100%/100%
Survival Level: 13 (Level up available)
Stats:
STR: 19 (Limit)
END: 19 (Limit)
AGI: 19 (Limit)
INT: 19 (Limit)
SEN: 19 (Limit)
ENE: 19 (Limit)
Traits:
[...]
(NEW)[Attuned Muscular Structure: Your entire muscular structure has been engraved and attuned with all types of Qi and World Concepts. Increase in Qi gathering speed and law comprehension.]
(NEW)[Attuned Organ System: Your entire Organ System has been engraved and attuned with all types of Qi and World Concepts. Increase in Qi gathering speed and law comprehension.]
The new status proved that my theory was correct, but I now thought that all the traits gained from cultivating the body tempering technique would combine into one and be far better than what I have now.
I was so wrapped up in the effects of my cultivation that I failed to notice that someone had appeared behind me and was about to grab my tail. Thankfully, someone shouted near the shrine, drawing my attention to my surroundings and what was happening behind me. The person behind me was also stunned for a moment, and I was able to dart away just in time for Lou Xia to tackle him to the ground.