"Alright."
Fat Long took a deep breath and said earnestly, "Since we are compatriots in this foreign world, we are practically family now. It looks like you don't quite understand this world yet; otherwise, you wouldn't have mentioned 'Cultivation Talent.' Let me give you a rough idea of what this world is like."
"This is a Cultivation World."
"But it's not quite the same as the worlds we've seen in Cultivation novels. There's no such thing as 'talent' here; anyone can cultivate if they are willing, or it depends on whether their Initial Entry is suitable for cultivation."
"Entry?"
"Exactly!"
Fat Long nodded vigorously, "This world is like a massive Cultivation game, with Secret Realms even having fixed opening times, and there are various leaderboards, such as the 'Heavenly Pride Leaderboard,' 'Beauty Leaderboard,' 'Cultivation Leaderboard,' and so on."
"Every now and then, there are regional announcements indicating when and where opportunities will arise, and countless cultivators will gather at these locations."
"There are also things like 'Sect Establishment Order,' 'City Building Order,' 'Country Establishment Order,' and if you're wanted, you'll have a red name displayed above your head."
"Right now, I am at the sixth layer of the Qi Refinement Realm, having just broken through. It's been almost five months since I came to this world."
"When I first got my entry, I thought it was my golden finger, but later I found out that everyone has this thing."
"Everyone who breaks through to the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm will get an entry, which is totally random. Most of them are the lowest white entries, like 'Logging Sacred Body,' which can chop wood much faster than others."
"Like 'Medicinal Herb Saint Hand,' it significantly increases the survival rate of planting Spirit Grass. It's not quite suitable for cultivation, but it can also enter the cultivation world to serve Alchemists."
"Basically, the entry you get when you break through to the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm will determine most mortals' future career path."
"The entry gained at the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm is mostly unrelated to combat power; they are basic entries. Only after reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage do you have the chance to get some awesome entries. Many originally unremarkable fellow Daoists, after breaking through to Foundation Establishment Stage, luck out and get an extremely awesome entry, and then suddenly take off."
"After Qi Refinement Realm, every time you break through a Great Realm, you can choose one entry out of three random ones, such as the stages of Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and so on."
"To survive in this world, you must become an Immortal, otherwise, someone with Cultivation like mine can easily kill you. Think about it, isn't that dangerous?"
Chen Qiu nodded, although he did not understand why an Immortal at the sixth layer of the Qi Refinement Realm would be so frail, he did not agree with Fat Long's claim that killing him would be easy.
That was what he thought internally, but verbally he did not object. He roughly understood the situation of this world—it was like a game, yet it was reality, a fusion of game and Cultivation World.
"So, what was the entry you got when you broke through to the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm?"
"This..."
Fat Long's face suddenly showed a hint of difficulty, and after hesitating for a long time, he sighed deeply, "Well, showing you won't hurt. My luck wasn't very good; otherwise, I wouldn't have planned to establish a sect to pave the way for my Cultivation."
With a wave of his large hand,
a semi-transparent panel enveloped in mist suddenly appeared in mid-air. This sort of technique did indeed seem like something an Immortal would use.
'Entry Name': Nine Ox Power.
'Entry Level': White.
'Entry Effect': Possess nine oxen.
"..."
Chen Qiu's mouth unconsciously slowly opened, and after a while, he muttered, "What does 'possess nine oxen' mean... It's not literal, is it?"
"Hmm."
Fat Long nodded, a bit irritated. The first entry one got usually dictated a person's career path, yet he had randomly received this one, which irritated him every time he thought about it.
"Um... If I may ask, can I see it in action?"
"What do you think?"
"Then never mind."
Despite his irritation, Fat Long still took a deep breath and said earnestly, "Reaching the first layer of the Qi Refinement Stage is simple as long as you can perform introspection. All you need to do is concentrate, and if you can see the pathways of your body amidst the darkness, then you're successful."
"This is for free."
"Every City Lord Mansion of different cities offers this kind of free service. They will have you drink a Potion, and then help you perform introspection to successfully obtain the first entry. But, as the saying goes, the most expensive things are those that are free."
"If you happen to randomly get an entry suitable for 'Demon Cultivation' or 'Evil Cultivation,' which are somewhat negative, congratulations, you'll be beheaded on the spot."
"If you happen to randomly get an entry suitable for 'planting Spirit Grass' or 'cultivating Spirit Beasts,' congratulations, soon you'll be captured by some Cultivation sects like a Palu and spend your whole life doing these tasks in the sect."
"Of course, if you get some other normal entries, the government will recommend a career path suited for you."
"These are the paths the destitute take. Many still buy their own Potion to test their first entry on their own, so at least there's no danger to their lives."
"I just happen to have a bottle of Potion here. As a compatriot and seeing that you have a sharp mind, I'll give it to you. Afterward, would you recognize me as your boss and follow me without a problem?"
"..."
Chen Qiu remained silent, simply looking at the broken porcelain bottle in Fat Long's hand. After a moment of contemplation, he took the bottle and drank its contents in one gulp.
In the span of a moment.
He felt his head reel with dizziness, his eyelids involuntarily closing, and his body beginning to weaken.
At the same time.
A loud shout reached his ears.
"Sit cross-legged, close your eyes, and calm your heart!"
Chen Qiu did as instructed, and after a few breaths, he suddenly felt a ray of light appear in the darkness. He focused hard and saw the light growing ever further away, followed by an explosive brightness, and in that moment, he clearly saw the meridians within his body.
Simultaneously.
A panel enshrouded in clouds and mist, visible only to him, appeared before his eyes.
'Cultivation has greatly increased, officially entering the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm.'
'Acquired a random entry for the first time.'
'Randomizing...'
'Randomization successful, entry name "Step by Step".'
-
'Entry Name': Step by Step.
'Entry Level': Seven-colored.
'Entry Effect': Each time Cultivation advances one small realm, one entry will be obtained, and each time three random entries will appear, allowing the selection of one.
-
"How is it?"
As Chen Qiu slowly opened his eyes, Fat Long couldn't help moving closer with an expectant look, asking, "Well? Is the entry related to combat power? Typically, the first entry is likely unrelated to combat power."
"But if you're lucky enough to get an entry related to combat power, it could smoothly transition you to the Foundation Establishment Stage!"
"Once you reach the Foundation Establishment Stage, you will get to choose from three random entries each time, then you can freely select the one that suits you best."
"As soon as you reach the Foundation Establishment Stage, you're a true Immortal!"
"Unrelated."
After a long silence, Chen Qiu shook his head: "It's more of a long-term entry, not much use for the early stage."
He didn't elaborate.
And Fat Long didn't press for details.
At this point, Chen Qiu also discovered that after breaking through to the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm, as long as he introspected, he could see a panel floating above his meridians, also wrapped in clouds and mist, within his body.
-
'Name': Chen Qiu.
'Cultivation': Qi Refinement Realm, first layer (0%).
'Entry': 'Step by Step'.
'Cultivation Technique': None.
'Spirit Beast': None.
'Force': None.
'Country': Da Xia Country.
-
At this time, his physical strength was almost the same as before, and his only means of attack was the somewhat worn cleaver in his arms, which didn't really match his stereotypical impression of Cultivation.
Just then—
A voice from beyond suddenly exploded in their ears.
'Heavenly Dao Decree': In response to the heartfelt calls of the residents, the Heavenly Dao bestows its blessing. A Heavenly Dao Secret Realm will appear in the bamboo forest three miles east of Fufeng City in Da Xia Country. Only Cultivators below the sixth layer of the Qi Refinement Realm may enter.
The entrance opens immediately and will close at sunset.