The sound of footsteps could be heard outside the Wang residence, and As it turned out it was Wang Lu. He was returning alone, and let Aunt Meng handle her issues alone. He was pretty much sure that this old woman had her own weird fetishes, and he didn't want to stay around her that much. His figure kept moving and thus the only source of sound, until he reached the entrance to the house. He didn't step and pushed the door open, and to his surprise, he could actually hear the sound of someone talking in the guest hall.
Without even stopping, he headed in that direction.
"Oh! Grandson!...."
*****
2 years later..
Sitting on a cliff, looking into the distance, eight year old Wang Lu had long hair hanging behind his back. Other than that, his figure seemed to appear different.
Only those that were close with him could tell he had started to lay foundation, and process was literally meant to harden one's will.
He was lost in thought. After coming to the Wang clan ancestral home did he understand that the real path of martial cultivation was not as fun as the 'Travel Records'.
Even now he was still shivering slightly when he thought about the cold pond he had to sit in for three hours daily. The most scary thing was that the cold reached its bones, and even after busking in the sun, it couldn't expel it.
Based on the information he just acquired after coming to this place two years ago, the path of cultivation was very tough.
The same was true for laying the foundation. Enduring the cold was nothing, as he had already seen about the next stage after reaching about ten years of age, when he would start actual cultivation.
Apparently, geniuses usually start to appear at that stage, as it is when cultivation of the first technique takes place. He also seemed to understand that martial arts couldn't be just practiced because one wanted to, the process of transformation for about four years was important.
Apparently if he started later, it would not change things at all.
Two years ago, he was excited about practicing martial arts, but this was only to end up realizing that nothing was simple in this world. After all the books and records contained in the Wang clan were enough to allow him to grasp the situation about the process. He even scoffed at the idea that someone that had not started to practice at the age of 25 could suddenly create miracles from nowhere and catch up to other geniuses. Where did the four years of laying foundation go? It was what he was thinking about, as he felt the urge to cry, but tears were nonexistent.
He couldn't cry or blame anyone, after all he wasn't the youngest person in the group. He actually saw a five year old kid shivering close to him and that allowed him to understand this world was not very keen on child abuse.
But then again, the benefits are suprisingly good, as he could feel changes in his body. Forget about anything else, had become very sensitive. He could feel that his senses had been improvd during this process. Even if he didn't want to, he had to go along with it. This was the equivalent of going to school back in his home wold. At early stages the parents made sure their children attended even private schools to gain a good foundation.
In this world, this process of transformation was the same thing, and those that have not undergone this process would find it hard to cultivate to the human Commander level. The information he had read in the Wang Clan library was just too extensive, as he experienced the cold pool for the first time he made sure to do some research on it.
The process was not an exception and all the kids in the clan were required to attend. But surprisingly enough, the Medical pill they received daily seemed very useful in making sure that the cold didn't damage their body at all.
Getting out of his daze, due to the sound of someone calling him, he looked back and smiled slightly. The person calling him was clearly the only friend he had created over this period in the clan. He had little to no interest in the children his age, only Wang Xingyue was different. He didn't expect that even in an Ancient clan like the Wang clan, class distinctions also existed. Right! The number of families in the clan were numerous, and his father had a high status only due to his grandmother. She was a strong cultivator, or more clearly, she was among the strongest powerhouses among those in her generation. Even his grandfather was lacking slightly, and with them only having one son, it was obvious they would be better off.
The class differences in the clan didn't stem from wealth, rather the cultivation realm behind the family one was from. With how big the clan was, it was obvious that the strongest of her generation had a high status even though she married into the Wang clan. She had given birth to a descendant for the clan, and this solidified her identity. The clan had other stronger individuals but they were of the older generation. Such individuals didn't care about trivial issues and spent most of their time cultivating.
She was also considered his backing in the clan as such he could be said to have an okay standing. Things would change though when it came to cultivating, and the talents one displayed determined the treatment they got. Only if one had a good background could they still gain resources from them, and practice even after failing to gain enough from the clan due to average talent. Even better if they gain a lot, their background could allow them more resources. of course these resources didn't belong to the clan, but are accumulated by the strong individuals themselves. It was not hard for them to support some low level practitioners. But most preferred not to waste time in useless descendants.
Even though the clan tried to make things fair, it wasn't possible to accomplish this aspect about fairness.
Wang Xingyue before him was not as lucky as he was as his grandparents were not around and his parents didn't have much influence with regards to martial arts. Only, he worked harder than most, and even more importantly, he was very nature compared to those his age. Wang Lu found out that he was not practicing because his parents forced him, but rather his choice. It is also why he has been able to adapt and hold on the mental torture of the cold pool.
Seeing him arrive, he asked, "is the lesson today about to start already?"
"Hmm! But I don't get why you come to this place to sit all the time? What are you trying to accomplish busking in the sun at this cliff? You know that it is impossible to elevate the coldness in the bones this way right? Besides? Haven't you already gotten used to the coldness?" Wang Xingyue was indeed very confused at his friend's behavior.
"Just because I can't eliminate the coldness doesn't mean I can't enjoy the sun right? Besides! We are going in for that lesson right? Just sitting in that room makes me want to sleep. We are soon to be Martial artists but still have to learn about gods!" He indeed was complaining.