Chapter 2: The Mysteious Book II
As he absorbed the energy from three different sources and converted into the qi that flowed throughout his meridians, he formed a ball in the center of his lower dantian located just a few inches below the navel area.
Woosh! Woosh!
The feeling of qi gathering felt great, helping Yang Jian to feel relaxed as if he were floating while no thoughts had crossed his mind throughout the entire process. After absorbing enough qi, Yang Jian used the gathered qi to temper the bones in his body.
The human body consists of two hundred and seventy bones at birth, however, when they become an adult in time this number drops to merely two hundred and six. After humanity entered the interstellar era, in order to adapt to their mythological genes, the human body produced another twenty bones to enable the body to contain their genes.
Yang Jian spent just over twenty minutes tempering twenty-five bones as well as one hundred and forty-six tendons within his body which to his knowledge means that he had entered the first layer of the Body Tempering realm of cultivation.
Just like the name implies, at the Body Tempering realm, a mortal begins their path of cultivation through tempering their bones and tendons. Once every bone and tendon is tempered, that means they have reached the peak of Body Tempering and are about to enter the Qi Condensation realm.
Opening his eyes, Yang Jian observed his body and noticed his bones had a faint golden light flowing around his bones. Not only this, but the toxins hidden deep inside his bone marrow were also released as he tempered his bones making the training room stinky and covered in filth.
"Yikes, I gotta get rid of this filth before everyone comes home," he thought as he took a shower in his room and then cleaned up the mess he made.
...
After cleaning the mess he made, Yang Jian's parents and little sister Yang Chan came home, then the four of them had dinner together in the dining room.
As they ate the rough meal which was the only thing his family could afford, Yang Jian thought, "I must cultivate diligently and become an Interstellar Warrior! Once I do, I will be able to buy proper food for my family! Yang Chan too needs to strengthen her genes."
Whilst he was thinking to himself, his father Yang Tianyou said bitterly, "Jian er, I think you shouldn't go to college and just find a regular job."
Hearing this, Yang Jian couldn't be upset because he knew of his father's thoughts and replied "Father, please trust me. If I don't score over the minimum passing score in the upcoming mock exams I will do as you say."
"..."
"Okay, I will trust you, you must honor your words." Yang Tianyou said as he looked into the eyes of his second son.
"Thank you, I will pass for sure!" Yang Jian said as he began eating faster to enable more time to cultivate.
...
Inside his room, Yang Jian sat on his bed then a blue screen popped up in front of him.
========
Name: Yang Jian
Gene Score: 0.3
Eye Gene: 2
Weapon Gene: 1
Gene Points: 10
========
Seeing this Yang Jian closed his eyes and looked inside his body to once again see the map of all his genes, which he called the Genetic Map. Using his gene points, Yang Jian awakened some new genes within his body.
Focusing on the Genetic Map, Yang Jian felt like he could control it using his mind as a red line begun following the direction of the newly awakened genes before they lit up bright red, like his first two genes.
[Airflow Gene awakened]
[Cloudy Mist Gene awakened]
[Moisture Gene awakened]
[Airflow + Cloudy Mist + Moisture = Frost Gene]
"Hmm to think I'd awaken these three genes... But that's quite lucky for me to awaken the Frost Gene over the Rain Gene." Yang Jian thought
The genes Yang Jian had awakened had two possible combinations, namely the Frost Gene or the Rain Gene and one could only awaken one over the other.
To his surprise, the total amount of gene points used to unlock those genes cost a mere one!
The formula's of the newly awakened genes suddenly appeared inside his mind as if it had always been there, though, it didn't surprise him at all.
One had to know, that there were different grades of genes namely Tier 0, Tier 1, Tier 2, etc. Since 0 is the first number, all Tier 0 genes are also known as basic or beginner genes. 1 is the basic element of numbers and since it is the beginning, all tiers are derived from it and are known as Primordial genes.
Different genes have different abilities that may complement each other and synergize into Tier 1 genes and Tier 1 genes can evolve into Tier 2 genes, etc.
When genetic formulas of similarly-tiered genes were grouped together, at the end of the process, a genetic tree diagram would be formed.
Genetic cultivation arts = Genetic tree + Genetic formulas + Gene development.
A genetic tree showed the evolution path for genes and would point to the overall direction of future cultivation. The genetic formula was a method for synthesizing low-tiered genes to turn them into higher-tiered ones.
As for gene development, it referred to the subtle methods one used to train and stimulate the potential of each and every gene.
With extensive research on genes, an unlimited number of genes was possible. Though common genes and formulas are written down and are revealed to the world which brings no surprise to anyone even if one were to awaken them.
[Carbon Dioxide Gene unlocked]
[Water Vapour Gene unlocked]
[Oxygen Gene unlocked]
[Nitrogen Gene unlocked]
[Carbon Dioxide + Vapour + Oxygen + Nitrogen = Combustion]
[Combustion Gene unlocked]
[Smoke Gene unlocked]
[Flare Gene unlocked]
[Combustion + Smoke + Flare = Flame Gene]
[Flame Gene unlocked]
[Discharge Gene unlocked]
[Volt Gene unlocked]
[Current Gene unlocked]
[Cloud Gene unlocked]
[Discharge + Volt + Current + Cloud = Lightning]
[Lightning Gene Unlocked]
[Lightning + Fire = Thunderfire]
[Thunderfire Gene Unlocked]
[Frost + Fire = Frostfire]
[Frostfire Gene Unlocked]
"Huh? Some genes were unlocked on their own, that's weird." Yang Jian thought before he continued awakening new genes slowly.
[Divine Strength Gene awakened]
[Elekrokinesis Gene awakened]
[Energy Projection Gene awakened]
[Eye+ Electro+ Energy= Psychic Eye gene]
[Strength+ Weapon= Warrior gene]
He then tried to strengthen his Frost Gene which cost him one point. Using the remaining of his points, Yang Jian strengthened his genes.
[Warrior Gene +1]
[Warrior Gene + 1]
[Warrior Gene + 1]
[Eye Gene + 1]
[Eye Gene + 1]
[Frost Gene + 1]
After using all his gene points, Yang Jian felt satisfied as he looked at his total stats
========
Name: Yang Jian
Gene Score: 0.6
Eye Gene: 4
Warrior Gene: 4
Frost Gene: 1
Gene Points: 0
========
"..."
"I spent years trying to increase my gene score and it only got to a mere 0.3 and now with just a few minutes, it increased by 2 times?!" Yang Jian thought as he smiled bitterly.
"But now that it's 0.6 I should easily be able to pass the mock exams and continue on to college and become an Interstellar Warrior!" he thought excitedly.
After increasing his Gene Score, Yang Jian sat on his bed crossed legged and cultivated for the rest of the night.
During his cultivation, his father had woken up and went to have a cup of water and walked by his second son's room as he peered through the gap of the door to see his son diligently cultivating even at 3 am in the morning.
Watching for a few moments, Yang Tianyou sighed as he walked away and had his drink of water before gently closing Yang Jian's door then lied on his bed as he stayed awake and thought about some things before slowly falling asleep.
...
The next morning, Yang Jian came out of his cultivation state and noticed that he gained 1 gene point. "So an entire nights cultivation gives me 1 gene point? That's even better than I thought it would be!" he shouted internally.
"But wait, that's only a lot during the early stages, once my genes become Tier 3 or higher, it will cost a lot to strengthen so, for now, I'll let them pile up and use them only when needed."
Yang Jian then brushed his teeth and washed his face, after wiping his face with a cloth, he noticed his skin became whiter and soft like jelly without a single blemish but when he thought about cultivation novels from the ancient past he remembered that it wasn't anything surprising.
After changing into his uniform without bothering to fix his hair, Yang Jian had breakfast with his family before heading off to school as per usual.
...
This went on for slightly over a week before the college mock exams began which Yang Jian didn't need to study for since he already has the knowledge provided by the mysterious book and instead spent all his time cultivating.
Then, came the day of the mock exams where each student is to do a written exam filled with questions on knowledge about mythology, battle strategy, mechas, gene cultivation etc within a set time. Each exam is headed by a different teacher which meant that after each exam they were to go home and prepare for the next exam the day after.
After finishing the written exam on mythology before anyone else did, Yang Jian went home directly whilst his homeroom teacher thought he had completely given up on entering college since he had finished within less than half of the given time.
However, she didn't think her guess was so far off the mark as she began checking all his answers as her surprise grew greater the more she read.
Yang Jian did this continuously for all five written exams and headed home to cultivate continuously like a maniac until the upcoming Monday when the results of the written mock exams were out.
Chatter. Chatter.
Many students surrounded the scoreboard placed near the entrance of the school. Though technology had advanced and the scores could've been uploaded and shared with every student and teacher, the school decided against this in case of any data leaks leading to do what they had done.
As Yang Jian slowly approached the scoreboard, the chattering students all looked at him and created a path for him to make way which puzzled him.
"Huh why are they all avoiding me like the plague?" he wondered.
Looking at the board, Yang Jian looked for his name and found it at the top of the leaderboard sitting at the top place which meant he took the big fat number one, within the entire year of his school.
He then looked at his total score which is scored out of five hundred, he saw an amazingly perfect score of five hundred while second place scored four hundred and sixty-eight and third with four hundred and sixty-five.
"I see so this must be why." Yang Jian thought as a male and female student stood behind him and looked at their scores.
This male student in particular named Duan Tai had always placed second in his year causing him to forever feel inferior to the female student next to him who had always placed first causing him to feel even more furious that the person who had surpassed her was someone who had always been placed near the bottom.
"How can this be?! Wan Yu was overtaken by this unknown student?" Duan Tai shouted.
"Unknown? Didn't you know? Yang Jian is even more famous than I am, his nickname is the study maniac since he always paid the most attention in every single lesson and could always be seen studying at all times." the previous first-place Wan Yu replied.
"Huh, why didn't I know of this 'famous' person?" Duan Tai asked
"Because you're always focusing on surpassing me, of course, you won't pay attention to anyone else" she replied.
"Dafuq? Why are they having a conversation right here?" Yang Jian thought as he walked away only to hear Duan Tai shouting behind him "Hah, it must be a fluke! The day of the real exam I will sweep away the number one spot from you!"
Hearing this Yang Jian just kept walking as he thought "Yea you can have a go at that, but why did I just gain a rival out of nowhere?"
...
Entering his classroom, all of his classmates looked at Yang Jian with a peculiar look which he completely ignored as he sat in his seat and began to cultivate.
Bang!
Suddenly Yang Jian's table was flipped over by a burly student standing next to him. The burly student named Kong Bo who looked like a gorilla said, "Hey Yang Jian, you cheated didn't you?"
Yang Jian of course who is cultivating naturally didn't pay any attention to him causing him to be even more furious as he smashed Yang Jian's table to pieces.
Crack!
"I'm talking to you!" Kong Bo shouted as Yang Jian opened his eyes and looked at the gorilla in front of him.
"Fellow classmates, did this gorilla just say that I cheated?" Yang Jian asked sarcastically.
Pfft!
Some students couldn't help but laugh, however, the 'gorilla' stared them down making them completely quiet.
"You! I'm not a gorilla!!" Kong Bo shouted furiously as he swung his right arm and aimed at Yang Jian's face with his Gene Score of 0.8 and smiled as he thought of how Yang Jian would look like a pufferfish with swollen cheeks.
Grab.
To everyone's surprise, not only did Yang Jian not get injured, he yawned and casually grabbed Kong Bo's arm.
"What? How did he do that?"
"Is he really THE Yang Jian?"
Naturally, Kong Bo tried to pull his arm back only to find out that Yang Jian didn't budge "What the? I didn't put all my strength into this but with my Gene Score of 0.8 I should easily be able to crush someone with a Gene Score of 0.6 not to mention a mere 0.3!"
"You done?" Yang Jian asked.
"Let go of me!" Kong Bo said as saliva sprinkled from his mouth and almost landed on Yang Jian.
"Disgusting!" he shouted as he let go of Kong Bo's arm suddenly causing the burly man to fall over backward and become a laughingstock.
Kong Bo shouted "Shut up!" at the laughing class who quickly shut their mouths as they continued watching the show. The gorilla became even more furious and then said "Don't blame me for this! You asked for it!" as he prepared to punch Yang Jian with all his might.
Bang!
Their homeroom teacher slammed the door and shouted "What's going on? Kong Bo how dare you use violence in the classroom! If you want to fight, do it during physical education! Go stand outside!"
Kong Bo naturally stopped his incoming punch and pointed at Yang Jian to say "You're lucky the teacher came in time or else you'd be in the hospital and won't be able to take the exam! Watch out the next time we have PE will be the day you regret being born!" as he walked outside and slammed the door shut and stood outside the classroom while glaring daggers at Yang Jian.
"Phew, if staring could kill me, I think I'd have died a thousand times over by now." Yang Jian thought.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
-- Power
stone