Chapter 3: The Path of a Cultivator Begins
---
Kent leaned back, staring at his hands, still buzzing with energy from the Physique Enhancement Fruit.
"Does this mean the fruit enhances the physique of weaklings like me and gives a temporary boost to stronger people?" he mumbled.
He thought back to something he'd read in a Cultivator Book.
A mysterious organisation published a cultivation book for the public 5 years ago.
18 years ago, everything changed.
Before that, only a handful of talented individuals, major clans, and exclusive organizations had talent for cultivation.
It was rare—something out of myths and legends. Then, around 18 years ago, traces of spiritual energy began spreading across the globe.
At first, only a few elites could harness it.
But in time, it grew.
And five years ago, the world took a giant leap. Everyone, no matter how ordinary, began to feel spiritual energy. Humanity's potential exploded.
People can awaken power randomly. There's no limit to it. Anything people can imagine of or heard/ watch/ read in anime, novel and manga, those all powers becoming reality.
They just need some kind of trigger to awaken their superpower. It could be anything.
Like from running, getting angry, kicking rock, etc. Any random things can make someone awaken as a cultivator.
Leveling up as a cultivator is totally different thing. People need proper discipline and techniques to level up.
Without a proper technique people can't progress any further. Old cultivation books and marital art's books come handy here. People can follow those techniques to level up alone.
Cultivator organizations released books on cultivation techniques, guiding people on how to level up their awaken powers.
But all techniques they released were for low level. Once someone cross level D they have to join some organisations to progress further.
It came at a cost. To cultivate spiritual energy requires money—lots of it. You need to buy many spiritual foods, pills, tools and treasure. Not everyone could afford to pursue this path, and fewer could master their awaken unique superpower.
The world now followed a global ranking system:
F-Rank: The weakest.
E-Rank:
D-Rank:
C-Rank:
B-Rank: The current peak of humanity. Strong, powerful individuals.
A-Rank: A mythical goal. No one had reached it yet.
[Note: There are more rank's but no ancient records published yet. Normal people don't know anything about that.]
Kent rubbed his chin thoughtfully, excitement dancing in his eyes.
"So my spiritual energy copying skill is actually god-tier!" he muttered.
"This fruit alone proves it! I can draw cultivation treasures like this from the lottery. I just need more spiritual points... which is basically money!"
He clenched his fist, a huge grin spreading across his face.
"YAY! I'm gonna be a big-shot cultivator!"
I will become rich… Heh Heh Heh.
Kent jumped up, punching the air. The excitement was too much.
💢 "KENT! Are you gonna stay in there all day?"
His sister Nima's voice snapped him out of his daydream. Her irritation carried through the thin walls.
"Noodles are getting cold!" she added with a huff.
Ding!
+99 spiritual energy copied from Nima.
Kent smirked. Thanks for the bonus sp, sis.
He quickly toweled off, pulled on his clothes, and rushed out of the bathroom. Annoying his sister too much could result in disaster.
The kitchen smelled heavenly. A small table in the middle of the room held two bowls of steaming noodles topped with some extra slices of meat—meat that Kent recognized immediately.
"Wait a minute... is this from Aunty Zhou next door?" Kent asked, raising an eyebrow.
Nima pouted slightly, avoiding his gaze. "She gave it willingly! I just borrowed some."
Kent chuckled, sitting down. "Borrowed?
Nima ignored him, focusing on her noodles. Kent picked up his chopsticks and took a big bite. His eyes widened as the flavors burst in his mouth.
"Whoa, not bad, Nima!" he said. "This is better than usual!"
Nima looked away, trying to hide her smile. "It's nothing," she said with fake modesty. "Besides, you're the one who's supposed to be the noodle expert, not me."
Kent grinned, sensing an opportunity. "Oh? Since you're so much better at cooking now, how about you take over from here on out?"
Nima glared at him.
Ding!
+99 spiritual energy copied from Nima.
Kent's grin widened. Easy points!
"Don't push your luck, Kent!" Nima snapped, pointing her chopsticks at him.
Inside, Kent couldn't help but celebrate. "Ha! My sister might just become my spiritual point ATM," he thought. Then, guilt crept in.
"But I can't always rely on making her angry... I need another plan to earn points."
After dinner, Nima tugged on Kent's sleeve.
"Let's go build a snowman outside," she said.
Kent frowned. "You're using up our carrots for that again? Those are for eating, not decoration!"
Nima puffed up her cheeks. "Fine! But you have to buy me some sugar apples later, okay?"
"Deal," Kent said with a sigh.
Outside, snow fell lightly over the small yard. The siblings began rolling snow into large, uneven balls.
"Doesn't this snowman look like us?" Nima said, standing back to admire their handiwork.
Kent examined the lumpy snowman with a smirk. "Nima, let's talk seriously for a second. What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Nima blinked, surprised. "Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"
"Just curious," Kent replied.
She grinned proudly. "I'll be like you—a seller! But I won't sell eggs. I'll sell sugar apples! That way I can eat them all the time, too."
Kent burst out laughing. "Ha! I knew you only wanted the job for the snacks!"
"Hey!" Nima pouted. "What about you? Why are you asking me this like some old man?"
Kent crossed his arms and smirked. "Thank goodness you don't want to be an artist. If this ugly snowman is your idea of art, we're doomed."
+99 sp copied from Nima.
Nima gasped in mock offense. "What did you say?!"
Before Kent could react, Nima scooped up a snowball and hurled it at him.
WHACK!
It hit him square on the face.
"You little—!" Kent shouted, laughing as he grabbed his own snowball.
The two chased each other around the yard, their laughter ringing out in the quiet night. Snowballs flew through the air, landing with soft PLOPS.
While the siblings played, far across the city, a different scene unfolded.
Somewhere in a busy district…
A government official stood locked in combat with a towering man whose fists glowed with rocky energy.
The news had reported an "earth-awakened" individual attacking citizens earlier that day.
"Stand down!" the official roared, spiritual energy crackling around him.
The earth-awakened man growled, slamming his fists into the pavement.
BOOM!
The ground cracked violently, sending shockwaves rippling outward. People screamed as they fled the area.
Back at home, completely unaware of the chaos elsewhere, Kent and Nima finally returned inside. Both were covered in snow, laughing and panting from exhaustion.
Kent flopped onto the couch and pulled out his phone.
Nima peeked over his shoulder. "Who are you texting?"
Kent smirked. "A group chat with my classmates. Unlike some people, I have friends."
Nima pouted. "Are you picking up girls? Ignoring your pretty, lovely sister like this?"
Ding!
+77 spiritual energy copied from Nima.
"Don't be jealous," Kent teased, typing rapidly.
He cracked a few jokes in the group chat, earning waves of laughter reactions from his classmates.
Ding!
+33, +55, +66 spiritual energy copied from classmates.
Kent smirked to himself. "Not bad. Jokes = free spiritual points. This system is starting to feel like cheating."
Nima squinted at him suspiciously. "Why are you smiling like that? Are you sick? You never act like this!"
Kent cleared his throat. "I'm just being charming, as usual."
Nima rolled her eyes. "Weirdo."
After earning a decent batch of spiritual points, Kent opened the system lottery again.
"Time to try my luck," he whispered.
The wheel appeared in front of him, its empty slots mocking him.
Cost: 100 spiritual energy per spin.
Kent rubbed his hands together. "Alright, let's do this."
He pressed the button.
Woop woop woop woop woop…
The wheel spun furiously.
Clink. Clink. Clink…
Empty.
"Damn it!" Kent grumbled.
He spun again.
Empty.
"Ugh, come on!"
Spin three.
Empty.
Kent's eye twitched. "Is this thing rigged?!"
By the sixth spin, he was about to lose hope when—
Ding!
The wheel stopped, and a golden light burst from the panel.
"Congratulations! You have won a….."
Kent sat up straight. "Finally! Another item!"
He grinned, staring at the glowing thing in the System.
"Looks like my luck's turning around after all."
---