Chapter 2: Beginning Cultivation
The village of Krasnoyar lay blanketed by the early autumn frost. A year had passed since Alexei Mikhailov's fateful encounter with the glowing plant and the demon bear. Life in the village carried on as usual, though murmurs of Qi, cultivators, and monstrous beasts had become more frequent. News traveled slowly, brought by merchants who returned with stories from cities where the laws seemed to be crumbling.
Alexei sat in his modest wooden cabin, a journal open on the table before him. The faint light of a candle illuminated scribbled notes, anatomical sketches of plants, and crude diagrams of human organs. The chemist had spent the past year attempting to understand the strange energy coursing through his body—the same energy that had awakened that night in the mountains.
He held up a dried leaf, its surface faintly shimmering. The plant he'd stumbled upon—a miraculous discovery—had become the centerpiece of his research. Its fragments, when consumed or infused into tinctures, seemed to amplify the energy inside him. He called the energy "Qi," though he was still uncertain if it truly was.
The glow in his liver and intestines had grown stronger over the months and had even been joined by two faint glows in his heart and right lung. Alexei had discovered that breathing deeply while focusing on these organs seemed to intensify the feeling. A warmth would spread through his body, accompanied by a strange sense of clarity.
Tonight, he was ready to test a theory.
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In the dim forest near the village, Alexei knelt beside a fallen tree. His hands trembled slightly as he placed the glowing leaf against his palm. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply. The crisp air filled his lungs as he focused his mind on the energy within the leaf.
The process was slow, but gradually he felt it—Qi stirring like a river under his skin. A faint green glow began to radiate from the leaf, tendrils of energy curling outward and towards him. He marveled at the sight.
It worked.
The sudden crack of a branch snapped him out of his trance. He turned to see a fox watching him from the underbrush. Its eyes gleamed unnaturally, a golden light that sent a chill down Alexei's spine. The stories of animals growing stronger and smarter were no longer rumors to him. He had seen enough evidence in the past year to know the world was changing.
The fox tilted its head, then darted into the trees. Alexei exhaled, pulling the Qi into his palm. The experiment had worked, but he needed guidance. His knowledge, solely from his own intuition, could only take him so far.
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The opportunity came two days later when the village's traveling merchant, Yuri Karpov, returned from one of his trips to the city of Chita. Yuri was a broad-shouldered man with a booming laugh and a knack for storytelling. He often brought news from the outside world, and tonight, the villagers gathered in the tavern to hear his latest tales.
Alexei joined the crowd, sitting quietly as Yuri spoke of cultivators battling in the streets of Moscow, strange herbs being sold for fortunes, and beasts capable of tearing down buildings.
"What do they call it, this power?" Alexei asked when the merchant paused to take a drink.
"Qi," Yuri said, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. "They say it's the life force of the world. People are using it to grow stronger, faster, smarter. But it's dangerous. Not everyone survives when they try to awaken it."
"And how do they awaken it?"
Yuri eyed him curiously. "Why do you ask, Alexei? Are you looking to become one of them?"
Alexei hesitated before answering. "I've... felt something. I think I have it too."
The room fell silent. The villagers, most of whom dismissed Qi as something distant and irrelevant to their lives, turned to look at him.
Yuri leaned forward, his expression unreadable. "You're serious?"
Alexei nodded.
For a long moment, Yuri said nothing. Then he sighed. "Fine. I'll tell you what I've heard, but don't blame me if you end up worse off."
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Back at Alexei's cabin, the two men sat across from each other, the fire crackling between them. Yuri explained what he knew of cultivation—a process of refining the body with Qi, starting with the skin, then the bones, and finally the internal organs. He spoke of meditation, breathing techniques, and the importance of controlling one's mind.
"It's not easy," Yuri warned. "People die trying to push too far too fast. And even if you succeed, there are risks. Cultivators are hunted in some places, worshipped in others. You'll never live a quiet life again."
Alexei listened intently, absorbing every detail. When Yuri finished, he stood and offered his hand. "Thank you."
Yuri shook it firmly. "Just don't get yourself killed. The world needs more brains like yours, Alexei, not another sword-swinging fool."
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That night, Alexei began his first true attempt at cultivation. He sat cross-legged on the floor of his cabin, the glowing leaf resting on his palm. Following Yuri's instructions, he focused on his breathing, drawing the energy within him to the surface.
The process was excruciatingly slow, but as the hours passed, he began to feel a change. His skin tingled, the faint green glow spreading across his arms and chest.
Alexei sat there, uncaring for the time. The process was sometimes pleasant and sometimes excruciating, but he carried on.
By dawn, he was drenched in sweat, but he felt stronger than ever. The world outside his window seemed sharper, the colors more vibrant.
He had taken his first step.
Unbeknownst to him, the journey ahead would challenge everything he thought he knew about himself, the world, and the power that now flowed through his veins.