Chapter 4: Chapter 4: The path of cultivation
Sun Long spent the whole day in the library, pouring over the books and scrolls that he found on the subject of cultivation. He learned about the various stages of cultivation, ranging from the Qi Condensation stage all the way up to the legendary Nascent Soul stage. He also learned about the different techniques and abilities that cultivators could use, and he was filled with excitement and determination to learn more.
But what he was most interested in was the Qi Condensation stage. He had already experienced firsthand the incredible power of the black ring that he wore on his finger, and he knew that he had to start cultivating as soon as possible if he wanted to make the most of it. So he focused his attention on learning about the Qi Condensation stage, and he was amazed by what he found.
The Qi Condensation stage was the first step on the path of cultivation, and it was the stage where cultivators learned to gather and condense their qi, or spiritual energy. The qi was stored in a special part of the cultivator's body called the dantian, and the more qi a cultivator had, the stronger they would become.
There were thirteen sub-stages of Qi Condensation, each representing a further increase in the cultivator's strength and abilities. The first sub-stage was called the Initial Qi Condensation, and it was the stage where cultivators first began to gather and condense their qi. The second sub-stage was called the Minor Qi Condensation, and it represented a further increase in the cultivator's qi gathering and condensing abilities. This pattern continued all the way up to the thirteenth and final sub-stage, called the Ultimate Qi Condensation.
Sun Long was fascinated by all of this information, and he couldn't wait to start cultivating. But before he could do that, he needed to find a place to stay. So he left the library and made his way back to the small village where he had been taken in by the kind Li family.
As he walked through the village, he couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity and excitement. He had always been a curious person, and he couldn't wait to explore this new world and learn more about it. He knew that there was much more to learn about the great Yan plane, and he was determined to find out as much as he could.
The great Yan plane was a vast and varied world, filled with many different continents, cities, and sects. There were four main continents on the great Yan plane, each with its own unique culture and history. The first continent was called the Heavenly Continent, and it was the largest and most powerful of the four. The Heavenly Continent was home to the Daoist Cultivators, a powerful group of cultivators who were renowned for their abilities and strength.
The second continent was called the Devil Continent, and it was home to the Devil Cultivators, a group of cultivators who practiced dark and forbidden techniques. The third continent was called the Demonic Continent, and it was home to the Demonic Cultivators, a group of cultivators who practiced even more powerful and dangerous techniques.
The fourth continent was called the Mortal Continent, and it was home to the mortals, or non-cultivators. The Mortal Continent was a place of great diversity, with many different cultures and traditions.
Sun Long knew that he was on the Mortal Continent, and he knew that he needed to find a way to get to the Heavenly Continent if he wanted to start cultivating in earnest. But for now, he was content to stay in the small village of Shangba, and he was grateful to the Li family for taking him in and giving him a place to stay.
As he settled into life in the village, Sun Long began to cultivate in earnest. He followed the instructions in the manual that he got from the unknow man in the forest, focusing on gathering and condensing his qi. He was amazed by how quickly his cultivation progressed, and he knew that it was thanks to the black ring on his finger.
As he cultivated, he could feel the qi flowing into his body through the ring, filling his dantian and forming a small lake of qi. He knew that he was making rapid progress, and he was determined to reach the highest sub-stage of Qi Condensation as quickly as possible. With his quickly progressing cultivation he managed to
But as he cultivated, he couldn't help but wonder about the mysterious woman who had given him the black ring. He had no idea who she was or why she had given him such a powerful gift, but he was determined to find out.
As the days passed, Sun Long continued to cultivate and make rapid progress. He knew that he had a long way to go, but he was determined to reach the highest levels of cultivation and become the strongest cultivator in the great Yan plane.
After cultivating all night, Sun Long finally reached the first stage of Qi Condensation. However, as he woke up and checked the black ring on his finger, he noticed that it had lost its shining radiance. Nevertheless, he was still overjoyed at his accomplishment and couldn't wait to share the news with the Li family.
As he sat down to breakfast with the Li family, Sun Long excitedly announced that he had reached the first stage of Qi Condensation. Everyone at the table was shocked, with Li Chen and Liang Mei staring at him in disbelief.
"That's impossible!" Li Jun exclaimed, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "It would normally take at least a few years to reach the first stage. How did you manage it in just one night?"
Sun Long hesitated, not sure how to explain the black ring's involvement in his rapid cultivation. He decided to keep that a secret for now and simply shrugged, trying to play it off as a natural talent for cultivation.
"I just had a good feeling about it, I guess," he said with a nonchalant shrug.
Li Jun didn't seem convinced and proposed a spar to test out Sun Long's skills. After a moment of contemplation, Sun Long agreed, thinking that it would be a good opportunity to improve his cultivation journey.
After finishing breakfast, the two of them grabbed wooden swords and headed out to the fields to spar.
Sun Long stood on the field, his wooden sword held firmly in his grip. Across from him, Li Jun stood with a confident smirk on his face, his own sword held ready. The two youths had decided to spar to test Sun Long's cultivation abilities, and although Sun Long was nervous, he was determined to prove himself.
The two youths faced off, circling each other as they sized each other up. Sun Long took a deep breath, focusing on the qi within him. He was still new to cultivation, having only reached the first stage of Qi Condensation the previous night, but he was determined to make the most of it.
Li Jun was the first to strike, his sword flashing through the air as he aimed for Sun Long's chest. Sun Long barely managed to parry the blow, his sword clanging against Li Jun's as he tried to keep his opponent at bay.
The two youths fought fiercely, their swords ringing as they clashed. Sun Long was clearly outmatched, his skills still rough and untested compared to Li Jun's polished technique. But he refused to give up, gritting his teeth as he parried blow after blow, trying to find an opening to attack.
Finally, in a moment of desperation, Sun Long channeled all of his qi into a single strike. The force of the blow sent Li Jun stumbling backwards, and for a brief moment, Sun Long thought he might have a chance to turn the tables.
But Li Jun was a seasoned cultivator, and he quickly regained his footing. He launched a counterattack, his sword flashing through the air as he drove Sun Long back. Sun Long fought with all his might, but in the end, he was no match for Li Jun's superior cultivation. He fell to his knees, panting and exhausted, as Li Jun stood victorious.
Despite the defeat, Sun Long was pleased with his own performance. He had managed to hold his own against a cultivator two stages above him, and he knew that with time and practice, he would only get stronger. He vowed to continue cultivating and training, determined to one day stand on equal footing with Li Jun.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone