Tian Mo's first step, into the central hall, made him stagger, it's oppressive aura inside was suffocating, that beads of sweat traced down his forehead almost immediately.
How many deaths had this building witnessed?
Though countless deaths had occurred here, it was the continuous release of qi from disciples that caused the oppressive atmosphere. The combined energies, laced with malice and competition, were enough to weigh down anyone lacking a strong body, soul, or cultivation realm.
Taking his second step, his knees buckled. "Guh!" Tian Mo's spat out blood, his soul quivering under the relentless pressure.
'Damn it, I can't hold on!' His thoughts screamed, glancing at the senior disciples standing unmoved. Their calm composure was like towering mountains amidst a raging storm. He wondered. How are they withstanding this so easily? Were they truly used to the pressure, or did they simply hide their discomfort?
He was too weak, too unprepared. His body, frail and unconditioned, could never withstand this. Was this it? Was this the limit of my potential? How can I become a cultivator without any potential?
He swallowed a bitter taste, as panic about to overtake him, a firm hand settled on his shoulder. The oppressive force vanished almost immediately, replaced by a cool, stabilizing presence. Tian Mo glanced up to see Xing Lin, his cold eyes again unreadable.
He remained utterly unmoved, as if the pressure didn't even touch him.
"Thank you, senior brother," Tian Mo muttered. Yet, Xing Lin silence left him unsure. Was this an act of care, or merely a duty to avoid trouble? It's not that he didn't care, he felt unease to see human so.
Forward, Xing Lin's hand reminded on his shoulder reaching the classroom. Once inside he gazes around he noticed, the class was a little bit dark barely able seeing the dicples were sitting down. Xing Lin at the side mind raced. 'He won't last long if he can't adapt... Let's see if he has the will to survive.'
While Tian Mo was distracted Xing Lin released him, walked to the back of the room without a word.
"Wa__"
Tian Mo was taken back, Xing Lin releasing him, he didn't fell the oppressive qi. He began, feeling the predatory stares of the disciples fixated on him. The room was dimly lit, some smirked and chuckled.
I am they prey. It for sure made he livid because his weakness.
The disciples began whispering among themselves, their voices dripping with malice.
"A human? Here? How amusing."
"Are we practicing cultivation on him today?"
Elder Pan Hai's, standing forefront of the class, approached Tian Mo. He gripped his shoulder was firmly, that he wince. He didn't care he wanted to show his power again.
"Quiet, all of you,"
Elder Pan Hai, smirked it disappeared before anyone could see. "This new disciple will be joining us."
The whispers subsided, though the sinister intent in the room didn't waver.
"What entries finished a month ago any shouldn't be able to enter"
"This is weird maybe he is special"
"Maybe he's from a high-class family. That would given special treatment."
Elder Pan Hai's, sneered inside knew he was about to test his feeling to truly know if it was right to spare Tian Mo. "Now disciple, Introduce yourself".
Tian Mo's cupped his fists and bowed. "My name is Xun Min. I hope we can grow together on our journey to... demonhood."
Tian Mo shivered with just saying 'demonhood'. In fact, other being in control of other races, cultivators also strenghten themselves to reach the ultimate power.
A few chuckles erupted, their disdain was clear.
"Well, Xun Min, let's see if you can survive the first day."
Tian Mo knew what the disciples' words meant. It was a warning, immediately he started to think about as precaution after seeing how they looked at him one the way here. He felt a faint tentative right now.
He will make it pass day one either by, staying away getting stronger or having to fight back which he rather the latter, but he never knows which will happen. Even now he tested blood in third for revenge.
Elder Pan Hai's had a glint in his eye, he spun Tian Mo face to face. "Now, let's activate your qi,"
Before Tian Mo could speak, a sharp pain seared across his forehead, and he hissed, stumbling back. His hand flew to the wound, but his gaze snapped to Elder Pan Hai. The elder stood unmoving, his face cold as he bit his finger. Slowly, blood dripped from the cut, landing on Tian Mo's wound with a faint hiss from a seating heat.
In the world there are different ways of activating your qi, humans couldn't naturally access qi like demons or gods. Instead, they required an external catalyst. Absorbing demonic blood was one such method, though painful and invasive. Thought for a natural born demon they already had it unlock, gods are they same.
"This will allow the qi to spread evenly through your body," Elder Pan Hai explained. "Now, sit and follow my movements." He entered meditative position lotus.
Yes, asborning the blood throught his palm would have been faster but it also dangerous. It can rush to your heart and more.
Tian Mo mimicked the elder's seated position, his body tense. Elder Pan Hai began performing a series of intricate hand signs, Tian Mo struggled to follow, often fumbling or hesitating. He had saw this done a couple time by outside he tried it him never able to, still he wondered, now like back then what was the use?
Halfway through the process, an excruciating pain erupted within him. His muscles felt as though they were being torn apart, mutiple veins bulged across his body, and glowing faintly. He felt a pain never than before, it was as though the very core of his being was being reshaped, torn between two forces one that sought his destruction and another that offered the promise of unimaginable power.
"I can't... take this!" Tian Mo's mind screamed, but Elder Pan Hai's voice cut through the haze of pain.
"Don't give up, Fail now, and you'll lose your only chance."
In the back of the room, Xing Lin crossed his arms, observing silently. 'So the elder sees potential in him,'
Or is he just testing his limits?
Elder Pan Hai's words carried a dual edge of truth and manipulation. If Tian Mo failed, his journey would end here. He knew off there no other way of going back a halfway form Dantian. Elder Pan Hai curiosity about the strange energy within Tian Mo drove him to push harder.
'There's something inside him absorbing the qi,' Elder Pan Hai reflected.
To him, Nothing of value is gained without loss. If Tian Mo must lose his innocence, his sanity, or even his life to awaken what lies within, so be it. What matters is the result.
Fueled by desperation, Tian Mo gritted his teeth and persevered and continued his hand signs. Push forward. Break through the walls. Endure. But at what cost? Was this the path of salvation, or am I simply giving in to the darkness, becoming something monstrous in the process? This thought terrified him.
He started hearings whispers grew faint each second taunting him. Thought it grew less as a small grey sphere of qi formed between his palms, pulsating with evil.
Tian Mo's trembling hands moved faster than he realized, forming intricate signs that seemed to draw symbols from the air itself. The glowing sigils spiraled around the qi ball, pulsing violently as they compressed it into a dense, one-inch sphere. Sweat poured down his face, his breaths ragged, yet he couldn't stop. This was his only chance to survive
He knew from outsiders talks to children about, Qi the act of controlling Qi to flow from the dantian, through the meridians, and back into the dantian in a cycle, usually it helps replenish stamina, purify the Qi, or strengthen the meridians.
At that moment, Tian Mo haven't formed his dantian yet so everyone natural had a ball qi before the dantian forms. Once the your qi ball were filled to the brim with the qi, it would be the first official step into cultivation.
Like now where, slowly as multiple symbols attack the qi pushing it into his body. That the sphere shot into Tian Mo's body. A deafening pulse exploded outward, rattling the room. The disciples' robes and hair were blown back by the force, eyes widening in astonishment.
"What!"
"What a strong demonic aura"
"That can't be coming from him right"
Xing Lin's, eye contracted, it had been a long time, he ever someone exploded such aura.
"This... isn't normal," Elder Pan Hai thought, his curiosity deepening..'What a pulse…that unusual to unlock qi of degree'
Is it because stored up by whatever is inside his body?
Tian Mo inhale deeply, his chest rising and falling as the ball of qi slowly settled within body, the core area in his lower abdomen. The sensation was both alien and exhilarating a storm of energy swirling inside him, vibrant and alive.
Tian Mo rose slowly, his silhouette framed by the faint red glow of his newly-formed qi. His breathing was ragged, but his gaze burned with newfound strength. The simple act of moving his fist caused the air to ripple faintly, accompanied by a cracking sound echoing through his joints like the shattering of old chains.
His vision, once ordinary, now sharpened to an extraordinary degree. He could count the fine cracks in the stone floor beneath his feet, and the faintest whispers of the other disciples reached his ears with crystal clarity.
'So this is what it feels like to be a cultivator,' Tian Mo thought, his heart pounding with awe. His body felt light, almost weightless, yet brimming with strength.
"You're different," Elder Pan Hai said. "You weren't born into this darkness like me. No, you clawed your way into it, willingly stained your hands, and bound your soul. A self-made demon."
His eyes gleamed with a knowing light as he studied Tian Mo. 'Ha, ha, I made the right choice,' musing silently, stroking his beard. "I just have to figure out how to extract whatever anomaly is within his body. I've tried before, but it didn't work… yet."
"Thank you, Elder Hai," Tian Mo's said, cupping his fists and bowing slightly in gratitude.
Elder Pan Hai nodded, his expression calm but his thoughts churning. 'Interesting… he didn't bow fully again, yet I let it slide. Why? Because his potential might outweigh the usual formalities. His body is the key, and I need to ensure he stays alive long enough for my plans to bear fruit.'
"Good. Go find a seat, Today is your first lesson, and I will go over the basics of cultivation."
Tian Mo nodded respectfully, made his way toward the back of the room. As he walked, he couldn't shake the feeling that Elder Pan Hai's lack of comment on his half-bow was deliberate. 'Why didn't he reprimand me?'
Maybe I'm overthinking it… or maybe he has other priorities.
Once Elder Pan Hai returned to the front, his voice carried across the hall with an authority that silenced even the most restless disciples.
"The body, inner world, and soul these are the three most important aspects of a cultivator. When a cultivator practices martial arts, it is to enhance and temper these three parts. Together, they form the ultimate foundation of cultivation."
Elder Pan Hai stroked his beard thoughtfully as he continued. "The first and lowest realm of cultivation is called Origin Awakening. This realm serves as the foundation for all cultivators, regardless of race be they demons, humans, or gods. While some races may start with innate advantages,"
Yet, each race cultivate, they were not able to distinguish themselves from other species. They could not escape the fact that they were still one there one species. However, Origin Awakening were much stronger than normal people, you can now tear apart elpahbt and move fast as a cheater.
Tian Mo sat next to Xing Lin, no one was around him, he started listening on Elder Hai teaching. 'As long my foundation was solid enough, then every breakthrough would bring immeasurable progress and strength at astronomical speeds…is it really that easy.' His minded raced he had to do the same time he was doing to asborb the blood and strengthen himself. He just didn't know how harder, on he it will be only Elder Pan Hai began to know.
Elder Pan Hai's voice cut through his thoughts. "The First Stage of Origin Awakening focuses on refining the body, preparing it for the rigors of higher realms. At this stage, a cultivator strengthens their physical form, honing their flesh, bones, and senses to a level far beyond ordinary mortals."
Tian Mo was now in the first realm of Origin Awakening where every cultivator being by using the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to refine the body from the inside out as it's essential. It even Even his lifespan extended to make him sure to survive to 100 if he was to live a normal life however that isn't happening it it.
The realm of Origin Awakening is the genuine first stage of the path of cultivation. Under normal circumstances, one person out of hundred people who achieved this would already be lucky considering the difficulty of walking this path.