บท 6: The usual routine, with a difference!

That night, Fan Heng and Fan Hui moved into the cave residence of Fan Zhi.

Fan Zhi then notified them about the details of the inheritance he had received, the details of his body's recreation and the cultivation scripture.

When his parents heard that the [Elemental Divinity Scripture] had four cultivation arts within it, they grew faint with shock.

Fan Zhi decided not to tell them just what would happen as he attempted to break through a stage because his parents would likely attempt to dissuade him.

Although he would still cultivate the Scripture, his resolve would almost certainly be weakened by his parents' disagreement of his choice.

After all, Fan Zhi was still a mere 15-year-old boy who had yet to experience the world and greatly cared about the opinions of his parents.

After bidding his parents good night, Fan Zhi enters his room and walks over to a large bookshelf on one of the walls.

Browsing the fair sized collection of books on various topics related to cultivation, Fan Zhi grabs the books related to physical training and basic martial arts.

Sitting on the large chair in the corner of the room, Fan Zhi stacks the pile of books he selected at his feet and opens the first one.

For the next few hours, Fan Zhi proceeded to read through and digest the information within the book.

The book is about the training of the physical body in a balanced way. Fan Zhi had read similar books before from the clan's library, but this book was the highest quality one and was inaccessible to those who couldn't access the 3rd story of the Clan Library.

Since Fan Zhi had gained the ability to cultivate, his grandfather -the clan ruler- had given him copies of all the key books related to setting foundations and preparing to cultivate that the clan had on the 3rd floor of the library.

Naturally, the books were of high quality; the Fan Clan was once the most illustrious clan in the world; their foundation of indescribable quantities of knowledge still remained just as formidable as it did at the peak of the clan.

After all, unlike cultivation techniques, knowledge was much easier to impart to others and the clan had done so when it had to disband at the fall of its era.

Several hours later, Fan Zhi closed the book he was reading and put out the lamps to his room.

Walking to the bed, Fan Zhi closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Since Fan Zhi was not yet a proper cultivator, he still needed to sleep.

It was actually common knowledge that only once a person reaches the Formation Domain do they gain the ability to go without sleep.

Even then, Formation Domain cultivators should still get a full night's sleep at least once a week to restore their mental state.

This sleep requirement goes down, but never goes away.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

The next day, Fan Zhi awakes at dawn just like he has done since he began training.

After eating some breakfast, he makes his way to a private training area.

Once Fan Zhi reaches his new training room, he begins his usual routine. However, while he is doing so, his body is passively absorbing the surrounding natural qi of the 8 elemental attributes.

The path of qi cultivation has a beginning similar to the path of physique cultivation.

Both utilize the body's passive absorption of the natural qi to strengthen the physique.

Therefore, Fan Zhi just trains in a routine that is a near replica of his previous routine; with several unidentifiable and mystical changes due to the training method of the [Perpetual Elementalist Art].

Fan Zhi continues to train in the method specified by his physique art for almost 4 hours straight.

After doing so, Fan Zhi internally assesses his body, becoming shocked at the results.

Fan Zhi noticed that not one aspect of his physique was superior or inferior to another.

Every single aspect of his body was balanced during the training period. Sighing to himself as he takes a short break, Fan Zhi begins to train again.

As someone who was a cripple for around a decade, Fan Zhi had been planning the time he became a cultivator for almost 3 years.

His daily schedule, his diet and other such important things were all done by himself using the knowledge within the clan library.

Using these plans that were prepared years ago, Fan Zhi continued to cultivate; spending time with his family when possible, but not letting his desires outside of cultivation affect him as best he could.

Despite that though, Fan Zhi's will wasn't strong enough to match old monsters like his grandfather, who are able to cultivate for years at a time within seclusion.

Still, despite all the planning done by Fan Zhi, he knew he most likely had not covered everything he needed to cover to conceal his strength. Thus, the next morning Fan Zhi walked into his grandfather's private study to discuss this problem.

"So Fan Zhi, we have made ample preparations. What do you think we haven't covered?"

Fan Cheng asked, in a good mood.

Fan Zhi was in quiet contemplation for several minutes before responding in the negative.

"I get the feeling that I am forgetting something, yet I don't know what that could possibly be. The only issue that has appeared due to the way my legacy cultivation arts work is the heavenly tribulations every bottleneck; however, those tribulations directly attack the user from what I have discovered through some research last night. This means that it is something else…"

Fan Cheng watches Fan Zhi descend into another bout of quiet thought before chuckling slightly.

When Fan Zhi hears Fan Cheng chuckle, he looks up sharply.

"The problem you are unable to discover grandson is the fact that you cultivate eight different attributes of qi."

Fan Zhi's face falls as he realises he missed something as simple as that. 'how could I have missed something so simplistic and obvious?' Fan Zhi thought, reprimanding himself mentally.

When Fan Cheng had noticed Fan Zhi was ready to hear more, he continued.

"The solution is simple, boy. The goal of our planning is to downplay your talent and potential while still making you seem important enough to warrant the various benefits I have bestowed upon you. Everything is planned to perfection, the only problem is that the other two villages have no idea on the degree of your talent. This makes them worried and I am afraid that they will team up to kill you before you can mature. Thus, the downplaying of your talent is crucial and I have the perfect solution. Fan Zhi, what qi types are cultivated by your parents?"

"My father is a dual-attribute thunder and metal cultivator. My mother is a dual-attribute thunder and air cultivator. Why does this matter, grandfather? Is it related to your solution?"

Fan Cheng smiles lightly as he reveals his solution.

"Yes, it does. My answer to this problem of unknown talent is simple, announce you as a tri-attribute cultivator."

Fan Zhi gasps as he realises the genius of his grandfather's plan.

"Your parents have the three attributes of thunder, metal and air. These three attributes also are elements that you have an incredible affinity for due to the nature of your body and soul. So my plan is to make you only show those three types of qi in public and train the others but not use them. People can't tell what attributed qi others cultivate since it would require the cultivation of one of those legendary eye techniques that our clan once had cultivated to its peak. Even then, given what you told me… the purity of qi that you absorb should be able to be nigh undetectable even by those legendary techniques unless the cultivator is of the level that can absorb similarly pure qi."

Fan Zhi smiles and nods as his grandfather speaks; clearly agreeing with all the points made by his grandfather.

"To add another positive point of this plan, the three qi types of thunder, metal and air all match well. Thunder gives you explosive power. Metal gives you a versatility with a balanced offensive and defensive capability. Air would be your mobility and speed. It would be how you dodge attacks and outmaneuver enemies. Although it isn't as fast as light is in a straight line, it has far more flexibility in the mobility you have while using its speed compared to light. This gives you a balanced fighting style that can counter most enemies as long as you have sufficient levels of skill and combat instincts."

After saying this, Fan Cheng proceeds to continue making casual conversation with Fan Zhi for a few minutes after.

The grandfather-grandson duo had been talking for almost half an hour when Fan Zhi bids goodnight to Fan Cheng and returns to his room.

Sitting down, Fan Zhi begins to meditate.

The fanatical love of self-improvement that Fan Zhi has made him unable to stay relaxed for more than an incense stick worth of time. After all, since he can finally cultivate after 10 years' delay, why should he waste time talking casually with people when he could spend time improving?