I walk slowly through the deserted streets of Grimshire's lawless district, my mind awash with the revelations of my recent ascent. I have finally broken through—a first step into the Foundation Establishment Realm. The weight of this achievement settles onto my shoulders, and I murmur quietly, almost in disbelief, "After entering this Realm, the requirements for progressing have become staggeringly hard. My core now carries the Qi equivalent to that of ten cultivators of the same realm. I decided that having a large pool of Qi will prove advantageous so there's no backing out of this one"
I pause to reflect on the dramatic transformation of my inner essence. During my days working as a stable boy, I had been given only the most rudimentary techniques—the Wind Slash and a basic Qi method, both mortal-tier and embarrassingly insufficient. Today, I stand as a cultivator of the Foundation Establishment Realm. With the absorption of vast amounts of elemental magic during my countless battles, I now possess the five elemental spirit root. They say this spirit root is notoriously difficult to cultivate, but with the system's guidance, I can upgrade and refine them at my own pace.
My system's interface flickers as I review the new techniques I have acquired and honed from the fallen foes of this foreign world. It is an astonishing roster:
- Aura Blade: A technique that channels the very essence of my inner Qi through my sword, slicing through air and enemy alike.
- Elemental Attacks (now reformed into Elemental Arts): What were once rudimentary magic spells have been transformed, layer by layer, into dynamic cultivation techniques.
- Barrier Formation: A defensive art that allows me to create resilient shields forged from condensed Qi.
- Healing Arts: Methods to mend wounds and rejuvenate even the most battered physical form.
- Formation Mastery: Originally enchantment knowledge, now restructured into advanced formation techniques.
- Celestial Blade Arts: Techniques once used only by the Knights of this realm—moves like Starfall Slash, Moonlit Dance, and Crescent Moon Slash—that blend military precision with mystical power.
- Phantom Bow Art, Dragon Flame Fist, Storm Piercing Spear, Earth Fortress Technique, Void Resonance Meditation: And even the Pelvic Thrusting technique(not a fighting technique but a very important technique for facing other forms battles)—all these have been refined to the Entry stage of the Minor Accomplishment level, to top it off these are Profound Tier techniques, thanks to my tireless upgrading and careful absorption over countless battles the past months.
To put it into perspective, there are 24 grueling stages of mastery for any technique—each divided into three sub-stages: Entry, Middle, and Peak. The levels are, in order: Novice, Initiate, Minor Accomplishment, Major Accomplishment, Consummation, Transcendence, Divine Mastery, Transcendent Insight, Void Comprehension, Karmic Enlightenment, Dao Fusion, Grand Unity, Ethereal Resonance, Heavenly Dao Resonance, Origin Comprehension, Ethereal Enlightenment, Karmic Sovereignty, Infinite Void Mastery, Celestial Flame Insight, Temporal Ascendency, Soul Dominion, Universal Fusion, and finally, Transcendent Creation. Additionally, cultivation techniques are ranked by tiers: Mortal, Yellow, Profound, Earth, Heaven, Saint, Immortal, Divine, and Primordial. For me, who had never even seen other mortal tier techniques, to now be at Entry stage of Minor Accomplishment, in practicing Profound Tier techniques, I would be lieing if I said I hardly believe what I'm experiencing.
As I walk, I recall a time when I used to fret over my lifespan as a cultivator. Now, with this breakthrough, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. I muse aloud, "Back in the Qi Gathering stage, a cultivator lives for about 120 years; in the Body Refinement stage, around 160 years. But now—at the Foundation Establishment stage—my lifespan stretches to roughly 500 years. And later, as one climbs higher, it only increases: Core Formation for 1,000 years, Golden Core for 5,000, Nascent Soul for 8,000, and so forth. I can't wait to invest in some rejuvenation pills—I currently look more like a man in his fifties."
My heart swells with excitement at the thought of an extended existence and limitless potential. I continue on my path until, suddenly, a rare smile tugs at the corner of my lips. "It seems I've caught the big fish," I murmur to myself. The night is cool and silent as I enter a narrow alleyway. Under the luminous glow of the full moon, I pause and remove my worn robe. The moonlight cascades over my form, accentuating my features as if revealing my true, resilient spirit forged in battle.
But almost as soon as I relax, I sense trouble. Shadows around me stir with clandestine intent. The system's interface materializes once more before my eyes with a sharp alert:
> World Protagonist Detected
From the dark recesses of the alley, I glimpse a figure encased in a radiant golden aura—a brilliance that apparently only my system can perceive. I had found him; marked by the Providence Aura, which the system said only the protagonist carries. I don't know his true identity yet, only that his dazzling presence designates him as the world's protagonist.
Before I can fully process the sight, a booming shout slices through the still night. A knight, his voice resonating with authority, bellows, "Mage's ready!" At his feet, a colossal, intricately detailed magic circle unfurls in a blend of black and purple sigils—an imposing mana interference spell from the looks of it. I smirk inwardly; such spells are engineered to disrupt magical energies, but that won't work o me, I possess nothing but Qi. The mages around him exchange panic-stricken glances as their spells fizzle against my power. I mutter quietly, "I'm the only one who wields Qi in this realm. Your mana interference is useless against me," though my words are lost in the myriad of clashing energies.
The ambush has been set, and I refuse to wait idly. I tap into the reservoir of my Qi and unleash my signature attack: Thousand Winds Barrage. With a thunderous roar that echoes through the bleak night, hundreds of razor-sharp wind scythes erupt in every direction—a devastating AOE technique that transforms the very air into a lethal weapon.
The force of my attack creates a seismic boom. The ground trembles under the onslaught, and as dust swirls in the dismal moonlight, even my own shadow seems to vanish into the chaos. I release a long, measured breath and swiftly draw a sword from my storage ring. Crouching low, I grip its hilt with practiced determination. My heart hammers with the thrill of battle as I leap onto the nearest building, intent on neutralizing the mages before they can recover.
From a nearby ruin, the captain of the ambushing guards bellows desperately, "Attack now!" His voice is raw with fear and command as he chants a strange incantation. In response, a vast golden dome materializes, covering nearly half of the lawless slum. Within this barrier, every movement is laid bare—the positions and intentions of every foe become crystal clear to those who cast it. I smiled at the thrill of this, as I continued my onslaught of the mages.
The Knights and mages scrambled desperately; some hurl spells, others lunge forward with swords drawn, but their attacks are mere sparks compared to the storm I have unleashed. I twist and weave, dodging the frantic onslaught with the fluidity of a seasoned practitioner. Every dodge, every parry, every counter-strike is executed with precision refined over relentless practice and hard-won survival.
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