Xuan exhaled slowly, his awareness expanding as he opened his senses to the surrounding qi. Drawing it in through his newly unlocked nodes, he carefully guided the flow toward his dantian, nestled deep within his core. But as the qi reached its destination, something unexpected occurred.
Following the guidance of the {Frozen Gale Codex}, he noticed a deviation. Rather than indiscriminately absorbing all the qi into his dantian, the process took on a unique complexity. At first, the wild qi was indistinguishable—a chaotic mass of untamed energy, its elements blended into a single volatile stream. Yet, as it neared his dantian, the method began to exert its influence, acting like a sieve.
Only a portion of the absorbed qi, faintly tinted with green and blue hues, flowed into his dantian—the wind and water qi. The rest was rejected, unable to pass through, and expelled harmlessly from his body. This was a distinguishing feature of level 2 cultivation methods.
The cycle repeated as he continued to absorb: his dantian refining the needed elements and discarding the others. The qi inside began to swirl, the wind and water energies naturally separating into distinct zones within his dantian.
What Xuan didn't realize was just how extraordinary this was. Normally, this process wasn't so smooth or immediate. For most cultivators, refining elemental qi required focus and time. They would absorb wild qi in surges, pausing to sort, refine, and expel the unwanted elements. The process was slow, and cultivating continuously like Xuan was extremely rare. Yet for him, thanks to his exceptional affinity with wind and water, the refinement happened almost instinctively. The dantian worked in perfect harmony with the method, filtering qi at a pace most could only dream of.
As the hours passed, Xuan's efforts bore fruit. The wind and water qi gradually accumulated within his dantian, each occupying its own side. At first, the energies were faint, like wisps of mist, but as he continued, they grew denser. Eventually, the collected qi reached a tipping point, condensing into tangible forms. On either side of his dantian, two small teardrop-shaped pools of refined qi took shape: one green, and the other blue.
By the time Xuan opened his eyes, the room was dim, shadows stretching across the walls. A long breath escaped him as he stretched, feeling the ache in his body from the prolonged session. Despite his progress, the effort had taken its toll. Deciding he needed a break, he rose to his feet and stepped outside.
---
The small garden attached to his quarters was unexpectedly charming. Patches of thriving herbs and vibrant flowers were interspersed with care, their vivid colors contrasting against the rugged mountainside backdrop. It was clear that a former occupant had taken great pride in this little sanctuary.
On a shelf near the garden door, Xuan found a small, leather-bound book—a self-written dictionary by the garden's former caretaker. The exquisite penmanship immediately caught his attention, each entry carefully describing the flowers and herbs growing in the garden, their uses, and how to tend to them. As he flipped through the pages, he couldn't help but wonder about the person who had done all this.
One entry, in particular, stood out. The dictionary mentioned a special mineral-enriched watering powder, essential for properly nourishing the plants and ensuring their growth. Intrigued, Xuan searched the house for it, hoping to find some left behind. Instead, he came across an empty jar on a shelf, labeled with the same name as the powder.
Kneeling near the soil, he ran his fingers through it thoughtfully. The garden was thriving for now, but without the proper supplies, he wasn't sure how long it would last. Straightening, he turned toward the house.
Lin Ran should be able to fetch it, he thought. A task like this might help distract her from everything that had happened—and, perhaps, make her feel a little more at ease. But as he stepped inside, the sight of her stopped him short.
Seated cross-legged in a corner, Lin Ran was deep in cultivation, her brow furrowed in concentration. Her breathing was steady, and a faint tension radiated from her, signaling the effort she was putting into unlocking her nodes. She was fully immersed, and Xuan hesitated at the threshold.
Let her focus, he decided.
Turning quietly, Xuan stepped back into the garden. Exhaustion from his earlier cultivation still lingered, but the fresh air offered a small reprieve. He couldn't sit idle, though. No, he refused to sit idle. Being alone with his thoughts was the last thing he wanted—he didn't want to remember, didn't want to relive the chaos of the past weeks. If he couldn't cultivate or ask Lin Ran for help, then he'd have to take care of this himself. Besides, he hadn't explored the sect grounds yet—this was as good a reason as any to look around.
With that thought, Xuan set off down the winding stone path, leaving his new quarters behind.
---
As Xuan walked along the mountain, his face was illuminated by lanterns hovering gently along the pathways. Soon, he arrived at a sprawling building with smoke curling from its chimneys. This was the Alchemy Hall. It exuded the faint scent of herbs and minerals through the wide-open doors.
Further along the way, Xuan walked past more core locations of the sect.
There was the Combat Arena. It had a wide, open structure surrounded by an array of training grounds. Even at this late hour, faint echoes of sparring could be heard from within. Training dummies lined one side, and a few disciples moved with precision, practicing their techniques.
Moving past, Xuan passed by theBeast Hall, a massive, multi-leveled building that seemed almost alive with sound. Growls, chirps, and occasional roars broke through the stillness of the evening. This was where disciples learned to tame and raise spirit beasts, forging bonds with creatures that could aid them in battle or cultivation. The faint smell of hay and earth wafted through the air as he passed.
Finally, the path led him to the Ressource Hall, a large and meticulously organized building. Lanterns flanked its entrance, casting a warm glow over the polished stone steps. Inside, rows of shelves lined the walls, holding jars, scrolls, and tools. A few disciples moved between the aisles, examining the inventory or speaking with clerks at the counters.
Xuan approached one of the counters, where a young woman with sharp features sat, her attention focused on a ledger in front of her. At the sound of his footsteps, she glanced up, her eyes narrowing briefly at the sight of him. Her gaze flicked to the token he carried, the silver spider insignia glinting faintly.
"A core disciple?" she murmured, her tone neutral but laced with curiosity, as her eyes lingered for a moment on his missing arm before she composed herself. "What do you need?"
"I'm looking for Verdant Essence Powder," Xuan said plainly. "Enough for a small garden."
Her eyebrows raised slightly, though she maintained her professional demeanor. "One moment."
As the woman turned to check the shelves behind the counter, Xuan's thoughts lingered on the powder. Verdant Essence Powder, the booklet had called it. It was a specialized blend made by extracting the residual essence from spirit beasts, usually those with strong affinities to nature or growth and combining it with some special spiritual plants. According to the garden's former caretaker, this powder was essential for nourishing the plants and flowers, enhancing their growth and medicinal properties.
The sound of a jar being placed on the counter jolted Xuan from his thoughts. The woman had returned with a small container, its contents a faint green hue that shimmered under the lantern light. "We only have low-quality Verdant Essence Powder available," she said, setting it down with a soft clink.
Xuan reached towards the jar and inspected it briefly. Low quality, he mused. It wasn't surprising. Verdant Essence Powder came in several grades, and higher-quality versions required essences from stronger spirit beasts, making them far rarer and more expensive.
"That's fine," Xuan replied, placing the jar back on the counter.
As the woman tallied the cost, Xuan's thoughts turned briefly to the wealth of information he had already encountered. The notes prepared at his quarters and the resources available at the library had been invaluable. Without them, he realized, he would've been completely lost.
He realized that knowledge was just as crucial as power in this unfamiliar world. If he wanted to succeed, survive, and eventually make it back home, he needed to make the most of every resource. The thought solidified in his mind as the woman completed her task, her hands moving methodically. He resolved to consult the library whenever he was too tired to continue cultivating.
While Xuan was getting lost in his thoughts, the woman reached for a slip to record the transaction. But then she abruptly stopped. Her hand hovered mid-air, her movements stilled, and her expression shifted subtly. A flicker of recollection and something unreadable crossed her eyes as she thought of something. Slowly, she turned back to Xuan, her tone cautious but tinged with disbelief.
"Are you… staying in the Jasmine Garden?"