Zar woke up to the dim light filtering through the narrow window of his room. The events of the previous day lingered in his mind, but he set them aside, focusing on the day ahead. He poured himself water from the magic bucket in the corner and decided to start his morning with a bath.
The cold water helped clear his thoughts as he prepared for his first day of classes. After washing, Zar noticed a mirror mounted on the wall in the small bathroom. He hadn't paid attention to it before, but now he found himself staring at his reflection.
His long black hair, still damp, hung slightly over his eyes. His face was average, nothing particularly striking about it, yet his skin was surprisingly clear and smooth, unmarred by the hardships he'd faced. He wasn't disappointed with what he saw; it was functional, if not remarkable. His body was toned, a result of years of training, though not overly muscular. At 5'6", he appeared lean and agile—qualities that would serve him well in the days to come.
Zar finished getting ready, slipping into his academy uniform. The fabric was sturdy and comfortable, fitting him well. As he prepared to leave, he felt a sense of anticipation for what the day would bring. Today, he would attend his first General class, and he knew he needed to gather as much information as possible about the academy, its power structure, and its people.
The academy was already bustling with activity as Zar made his way through the corridors to his first class. The Cultivation Theory class was held in a modest-sized lecture hall, its walls adorned with charts and diagrams depicting various cultivation levels and techniques. As Zar entered, he noticed that the room was filled with students from different classes, some chatting quietly while others reviewed their notes. He found a seat near the back, preferring to observe rather than draw attention to himself.
The teacher, a woman with a commanding presence and a sharp gaze, entered the room, immediately silencing the chatter. Her aura suggested that she was not one to be trifled with.
"Before we begin," she started, her voice calm but authoritative, "let's establish a clear understanding of the differences between knights and cultivators. I will provide an unbiased overview of both systems."
She paused, allowing the students to focus on her words. "A knight is someone who harnesses their own life energy and develops it into life essence, often referred to as 'qi.' Knights work primarily with their personal life force and spirit. Their energy is self-generated and becomes an integral part of their combat abilities and techniques. On the other hand, a cultivator creates a dantian—a core within their body—where they gather and manipulate qi from external sources. A cultivator's energy is drawn from the world and refined for their use."
The teacher continued, detailing the stages and stars for knights:
Initiate Realm:
1-Star: Novice level, with basic control over life essence.2-Star: Improved techniques and strength.3-Star: Intermediate skills, capable of taking on more advanced opponents.4-Star: Advanced techniques and significant power, making a substantial difference in combat.5-Star: The pinnacle of the Initiate Realm, demonstrating mastery and superior combat skills.
Valor Realm:
1-Star: Beginning to refine techniques and increase life essence capacity.2-Star: Enhanced abilities and resilience.3-Star: Advanced Valor techniques, facing more formidable foes.
Tempered Realm:
1-Star: Basic mastery and improvement over previous techniques.2-Star: Intermediate skills and power.3-Star: Advanced mastery and combat effectiveness.4-Star: Significant power and advanced techniques.5-Star: Mastery of the realm, requiring intense training and skill.
Sovereign Realm: Mastery over life essence, with refined techniques and superior combat prowess.
Champion Realm: Before reaching the legendary Godslayer Realm, this stage represents the highest known level of knightly power, characterized by unparalleled combat skills and profound mastery of life essence.
"The distinction between stars is crucial," she added. "A 1-Star novice knight stands little chance against a 4-Star novice, as the difference in skill and power is substantial. The stars represent minor realms within each major realm and significantly impact combat effectiveness."
She then shifted her focus to cultivators. "Cultivators, by contrast, create a dantian—a core within their body—where they gather and manipulate qi from external sources. Their practice involves drawing on the world's energy and refining it for their use."
The teacher outlined the stages for cultivators:
Mortal Realm:
1st Stage: After body tempering, students are expected to temper their bodies to prepare for energy absorption. This stage is foundational for future progress.2nd Stage: Cultivators need about five pills to advance. It requires significant effort to refine their qi and prepare for the next stage.3rd Stage: Involves gaining experience through combat and absorbing world energy. Advancing to the 4th Stage: Stage requires talent for cultivation and a space for breakthrough to throughly strengthen your daitan and make sure all your meridans are open-- succesfully breaking through this realm will give you a 25-50 Years of youthful lifespan
Qi Gathering Realm:
Stage 1: Minor Qi Gathering, where cultivators begin absorbing and storing qi from the environment.Stage 2: Major Qi Gathering, with improved efficiency in absorption and storage.Stage 3: Peak Qi Gathering, achieving mastery in qi absorption and preparing for the next realm.
Qi Condensation Realm:
Cultivators choose specific paths and energies to focus on, such as a specific Elemental Qi for example: Water Qi or Earth Qi. This stage involves the refinement of their chosen energy type usually some people create their own paths but they usually dont go pastMind Aperature Realm, due to it being much more challenging to walk your own path.
Core Formation Realm:
Cultivators form a core within their dantian, crucial for further advancement. The paths from this stage vary widely, often depending on individual talent and resources.
Mind Aperture Realm,
Immortal Ascension Realm
And she paused to add suspense the 7th Realm goes by many names. The most widespread is Zenith Realm and Heavenly Soverign Realm, but some have called it Divine Ascension Realm.
There has only been a handful of people to reach this realm within History, and some believed for it to be the last realm and others not. We aren't to sure
These advanced stages are rare and require immense talent and backing. They are often defined differently by various practitioners, with some reaching realms beyond even these.
"The Mortal Realm stages can be particularly challenging," she concluded. "Without significant luck or resources, it typically requires five pills to progress to the 2nd Stage and ten to twenty pills for the 3rd Stage. This underscores the importance of points for acquiring the necessary resources for advancement."
The gravity of her words weighed on Zar. He realized the magnitude of the challenge ahead and the crucial role points would play in his progress. As the class ended, Zar darted toward Lila and asked her if she already knew the best ways to acquire points. She giggled, covering her smile. "Of course, on your ID, if you tap it, it has a map feature, silly. The mission boards or trading are the best ways. I've already sold some of my expensive jewelry and clothes I won't need for 3 points."
Zar thanked her and said he had to hurry. He wanted to escape while he still could, to avoid Feng and other potential threats.
Approaching the rather mundane gymnasium-like building made of bricks, Zar mentally prepared himself, absorbing the knowledge from his previous class. As he entered, he noticed a bustling hub area where students were drinking and eating, with trading activities taking place. He observed that students were transferring points by tapping IDs and using a fingerprint on the other person's ID. Zar wondered if he could murder someone, steal their points, and launder them through trading. His mind raced with ways to exploit the system for acquiring points.
As he approached the five mission boards situated on a podium, he saw four other people standing next to the boards, looking intensely at the posted missions. Zar casually picked a mission: "5 Points – Eliminate Pelisnake 2** Monster."
The woman to his right gasped loudly enough for those nearby to notice. Another man gasped in shock and nervously spoke. "H-Hey dude, if you don't want to die, yo--you p-p-probably shouldn't try that mission, no matter how much you need points." The woman chimed in, "Yeah, you're clearly a first-year, and a 2-star monster means you need a party of 4-5 2-star fighters to take it down."
Zar glanced at them, noting their half armor and chainmail. He replied calmly, "Oh, I'm a cultivator. I should be fine."
The woman's voice turned mocking as she spoke loudly, "I'm a cultivator, ha—are you stupid? Cultivators are weaker than us knights," she laughed. "Now grab a mission for half a point, like harvesting berries, if you don't want to die out there. We're trying to help. Look at my clothes; I'm a 2nd year."
Zar looked at them and didnt speak and put the mission back onto the board and grabbed a 1 star mission Eliminate 10 Wolfs 1 Point * Repeatable* but no more than 30 a student in a year -- bring their ears for proof and you can sell the bodies to the schools butcher for gold if not points. Zar took the mission and headed to his dorm
In the evening, Zar immersed himself in the academy's library, poring over The Legends of Lorat Moretti. Though its tales were fantastical, the book's emphasis on forging one's own path resonated deeply with him. Inspired by the book's exploration of destiny and self-discovery, Zar set out to develop his own body-tempering technique. He understood that the path to mastery was fraught with pain and challenge, much like the existential reflections of a philosopher grappling with the nature of existence.
He considered the words of Camus, rephrased to fit his own philosophy: "To temper the body is to embrace the struggle of self-realization; it is through pain that we uncover our true essence." Zar recognized that his approach to body tempering needed to reflect his unique nature and aspirations.
Zar methodically cut himself, avoiding major arteries. He slashed at his arms, torso, and calves, each cut shallow but intentional. The stinging pain was a testament to his resolve, a physical manifestation of his mental discipline. The act of self-infliction was not just a ritual but a deliberate engagement with his inner nature—an acceptance of his darker instincts intertwined with his quest for self-mastery.
As the blood seeped from his wounds, Zar pondered his nature. He had always been driven by a complex blend of ambition and a darker edge, qualities he had embraced since his past life. He realized that his path was one of relentless pursuit, shaped by both his strengths and flaws. Zar laughed softly to himself, a grim acknowledgment of his nature.
Sitting on the floor, drenched in water, Zar began to gather Qi. His previous approach had been overly cerebral, a futile attempt to fit a celestial ideal. Now, he resolved to allow the world's natural flow to guide him. He inwardly chastised himself for overcomplicating the process and vowed to be true to his own nature, rather than conforming to an abstract ideal.
As Qi flowed through his body, he felt impurities being expelled from his wounds. The stench that filled the room was akin to the sweat and grime of an intense workout, an odor that spoke of deep, internal cleansing. Despite the discomfort, Zar understood that this process was essential for his growth.
Two hours later, after what felt like both an eternity and an instant, he showered, cleaning the remnants of his exertion. He ate two rations and collapsed into bed, exhausted but satisfied. The night was a reflection of his journey—painful yet profoundly revealing, a testament to his ongoing transformation.