"Now, bring your palms together. Center your mind on your core, and then..." William's voice boomed across the yard.
"Lunge and strike!"
"Switch hands, uppercut!"
"Knee to gut!"
"Alternate legs, high kick!"
William, the village hunter, moved with the grace and power of a seasoned warrior. His clothes strained against his muscles as he demonstrated the sequence, his energy palpable in the crisp morning air.
The movements were deceptively simple - broad, sweeping motions that even a novice could memorize after a single viewing.
As he finished, William's deep voice rumbled, "Twenty repetitions, give it your all!"
Oliver, along with his peers Tommy and Henry, threw themselves into the exercise. William's word was law in these lessons, and they dared not slack off.
By the tenth repetition, Oliver's limbs felt like lead. The final ten were pure torture, his body screaming in protest with each movement.
William observed them with a critical eye. "Tommy, six reps. Pitiful. Eat more and toughen up."
"Henry, nine reps. All that food, and still so weak."
"Oliver, ten reps. Mediocre."
The hunter shook his head, disappointment etched on his weathered face. "You're all thoroughly ordinary. I doubt any of you will awaken your spirit roots. Typical."
Tommy and Henry exchanged confused glances, unsure how to interpret William's cryptic assessment.
Oliver, however, sensed there was more to the exercise than mere physical exertion. He had felt William's penetrating gaze during the routine, as if the hunter were peering into their very essence.
"On your feet," William barked. "Arms at your sides. Deep breath. Follow my rhythm."
"Exhale... Inhale... Exhale..."
William's chest expanded like a bellows as he began the energy cultivation lesson in earnest. Oliver focused intently, adjusting his breathing to match the hunter's cadence.
Whenever one of the boys faltered, William would swiftly tap their chest, forcing them to correct their technique.
Mastering the breathing proved far more challenging than the earlier calisthenics. After thirty grueling minutes, Oliver emerged as the most adept student, earning a slight nod of approval from William.
"Proper breathing is merely the first step," the hunter explained. "The crux of energy cultivation lies in nurturing the life force within your chest."
"Normally, one must hone their physical form to perfection before manipulating this energy through willpower alone. However, with a skilled guide to help you sense its presence, the process becomes far simpler."
"Now, center your mind on your core. Envision your consciousness sinking into your lower abdomen. Picture a warm current surging through your body, flowing with your heartbeat and converging in your core..."
William instructed them one by one, starting with Oliver due to his superior performance. The boy closed his eyes, following the hunter's guidance.
Suddenly, the world around Oliver seemed to fade away. A warm, calloused hand pressed against his abdomen, and he felt an alien energy flow into him.
Internal energy? Oliver marveled at the sensation of this extraordinary power coursing through his body.
All too quickly, the warmth began to dissipate. Oliver struggled to hold onto it, but the energy slipped away like sand through his fingers.
He opened his eyes, a mixture of wonder and regret on his face.
"Don't be disheartened," William said gruffly. "This is a lengthy process. If you can sense your internal energy within a month, you'd be a prodigy. Most take several months, if not longer."
"If your family can spare the resources, focus on building your physical strength. A robust body will accelerate your progress. I'll give you a mantra to recite daily as you practice. Write it down."
William intoned a series of phrases, which Oliver dutifully recorded.
"Thank you, Hunter William," Oliver said, bowing his head respectfully.
"Come here every third morning for the next month. I'll help you sense the internal energy. You have one month - don't squander the opportunity your family has provided."
As William moved on to instruct Tommy, Oliver lingered, listening intently. He noticed that the hunter provided different mantras to each boy, even telling Henry to return monthly for adjustments to his.
Intrigued by these variations, Oliver quietly slipped away, his mind buzzing with questions.
Back home, he encountered his older brother, Ethan, and sought answers.
"Everyone's body is different," Ethan explained while continuing his chores. "The mantras need to be tailored to each person's physique and stage of growth. Without proper adjustments, energy cultivation becomes far more difficult. Only the village chief and Hunter William have the knowledge to customize the mantras."
Ethan paused, fixing Oliver with a serious look. "Focus solely on your training this month. If you can successfully cultivate even a hint of internal energy, it would be incredible!"
"With internal energy, your strength will far surpass ordinary folk. You might even join the hunting party. Then you wouldn't be bound to these meager fields, relying on fickle weather for sustenance."
Oliver nodded thoughtfully. William's expertise was truly remarkable, able to accelerate one's cultivation through personalized instruction.
This, Oliver realized, was the true value of a master's guidance. Without it, progress would be painfully slow.
He recalled stories of ancient guilds, jealously guarding their secrets and passing them only to chosen apprentices. Such knowledge represented power and livelihood - not something to be shared freely.
"In any case, I must focus on my practice," Oliver mused. "This energy cultivation seems to be the key to awakening my spirit roots and perhaps... even immortality?"
With a thought, Oliver summoned his Rebirth Codex, carefully recording the key points of energy cultivation. To his amazement, a new entry appeared in the second column:
◇
Mortal Skills:
Farming (Level 3: 80/300, 30% yield increase)
Energy Cultivation (Level 1: 0/100, 20% increased cultivation speed)
◇
As the information settled into place, Oliver felt a deeper understanding of the technique wash over him. The Codex's magic had taken effect - his efficiency in energy cultivation would now be boosted by 20%, whether in learning the art or in cultivating internal energy itself.
Filled with renewed determination, Oliver stepped outside. He stood beneath the old oak tree, face turned towards the warm sun, and began to regulate his breathing.
The initial stage of energy cultivation required developing a sense of one's internal energy. This demanded constant bodily awareness and the mastery of an elusive, almost mystical sensation.
The sun's warmth reminded Oliver of the internal energy William had channeled into him. Whether driven by fear of an uncertain future, fascination with extraordinary power, or simply the desire to level up his newfound skill, Oliver threw himself into his training with unwavering dedication.
Day after day, he honed his body and sought to sense the energy within. A month passed in the blink of an eye.
On a bone-chillingly cold morning, William assessed Oliver's progress.
"Your advancement is commendable," the hunter grudgingly admitted. "While you haven't fully grasped energy cultivation, you're on the cusp of proficiency. With another month or two of diligent practice, you may well achieve your first spark of internal energy."
William's expression darkened. "It's a pity your family lacks the resources for prolonged training. Even if you manage to sense your internal energy, cultivating it to its full potential will be... challenging."
The hunter shook his head and moved on to instruct Henry.
Oliver glanced at his peers - Henry, still round-faced and well-fed, and Tommy, whose earlier enthusiasm had given way to dejection. He sighed inwardly at the harsh realities of their world.
Changing one's fate was no easy task. Cultivation demanded proper nourishment - a luxury for those who could scarcely feed themselves through farming.
While Willowbrook's conditions were marginally better than the feudal societies Oliver had read about in history books, the underlying dynamics remained the same.
As peaceful villagers, they could eke out a living by paying their yearly tribute. But anything beyond mere survival was a distant dream.
The village's limited resources could support only a handful of cultivators. Unless one possessed such extraordinary talent that external resources became unnecessary, the chances of successfully cultivating energy and awakening one's spirit roots were virtually nonexistent.
Oliver understood that energy cultivation was evaluated on two axes: proficiency and realm.
Proficiency represented one's skill with the technique itself - the efficiency with which one could cultivate energy. It progressed through six stages: Novice, Adept, Expert, Minor Achievement, Major Achievement, and Perfection.
Realm, on the other hand, measured the fruits of one's labor - the level of internal energy one had cultivated. Sensing one's internal energy marked the first realm, with five additional levels beyond that.
In the span of a month, Oliver had advanced his proficiency to the Adept stage - no small feat, but still far from breaking through the initial barrier.
Despite his progress, he had yet to sense his internal energy. He had not truly begun to cultivate.
Two more months crawled by.
A blanket of pristine snow covered Willowbrook, and the biting wind showed no signs of relenting.
"Inhale... Exhale..."
Oliver sat cross-legged in the courtyard, his breathing steady and rhythmic. He focused intently on gathering energy in his core, willing it to condense into internal energy.
Suddenly, his body trembled. Waves of heat rolled off him, as if he were seated in a furnace. A surge of joy welled up within him.
"Three months!" he exclaimed, eyes flying open in amazement. "I've finally sensed my internal energy!"
He leapt to his feet and dashed into the house, seeking warmth by the hearth.
With this breakthrough came a host of new abilities. He could now channel his energy to raise his body temperature, enhancing his physical fitness and sharpening his senses.
Where once he could barely clear two meters with his mightiest jump, he now easily soared three or four meters into the air.
By infusing his eyes and ears with internal energy, the world around him came into sharper focus. Both his vision and hearing had undergone a qualitative improvement, setting him apart from ordinary folk.
Yet his newfound power had its limits. His internal energy reserves were meager, quickly depleted, leaving him physically exhausted.
"Little Ollie, have you truly cultivated internal energy?!" his father's voice rang out in astonishment.
"Brother, what does it feel like?" his sister chimed in eagerly.
Oliver found himself surrounded by his family, their faces a mix of surprise and awe at his accomplishment.