The so called city that Elder Hui and First Uncle talked about was merely a village called the Crouching Tiger Village albeit much larger compared to the village he was born at. Only those who lived in isolated areas and the natives with no knowledge of the outside world called the village Crouching Tiger City. The only reason Xiao Tian Wen knew about this was because he had been informed by his Uncle Fang, who had been working as a bodyguard for the village chief for more than ten years.
Crouching Tiger Village wasn't very large. There was also only one tavern in village, located on its eastern border and several local shops which sold things like wood carvings. For any traveling merchant that didn't want to sleep outdoors, this tavern was the only option.
There was only one road for carriages in the eastern part of Crouching Tiger Village. It ran from the gates of the village and the Tavern all the way to the Spring Fragrance Restaurant, the only other place anyone would visit besides the tavern.
Spring Fragrance Restaurant wasn't big by any means and was actually quite old-fashioned. However, this establishment had a certain charm that was appealing to many travelers. Every day at noon, there would always be a crowd of people, making the place constantly swamped.
A bearded burly man with a round face emerged from a carriage along with a dark skinned, scrawny little boy who looked to be around ten years old, and they both walked into the restaurant with a swagger. All of the regular customers knew who this man was. He was also the manager of this restaurant, "Elder Xiao." The boy, however, was not someone they were familiar with.
"Elder Xiao, this tanned little boy resembles you a lot. Could it be an illegitimate son you never introduced to us?" someone joked.
The moment the joke was uttered, the entire restaurant roared with laughter.
"Hah! This is the son of my blood brother, my own nephew! Of course he'll look like me," Elder Xiao said proudly instead of being angered.
This duo had traveled for three whole days without rest before arriving at the village. They were Xiao Tian Wen and his First Uncle, who was known as "Elder Xiao" by the village people.
Uncle Fang greeted a few regulars before bringing Xiao Tian Wen to the back of the restaurant, and entered a remote courtyard.
"Tian Wen, you should rest here for a while. When the time comes for the immortals to take you to the examination site, I'll call you. For now, I must leave in order to attend to a few regulars and greet the mayor." Elder Xiao pointed at a side room in the courtyard and kindly motioned for Xiao Tian Wen to make himself at home.
After saying that, Tian Wen's First Uncle turned around and hurried back inside the restaurant to tend to his customers.
As he reached the door, he felt a sudden unease in his heart and reminded Xiao Tian Wen, "Don't run about. You might get lost in the village if you wander around. So it's best if you don't leave this courtyard."
"Alright First Uncle."
Hearing Xiao Tian Wen's honest response, he nodded in relief and walked out the door.
After his First Uncle left the courtyard, Xiao Tian Wen suddenly ran to the bed and sat cross legged and thought about what he learnt in the "Cultivator's Compendium". The moment he thought about those memories, they came back like a speeding train filling his heard. From the Cultivator's Compendium Xiao Tian Wen knew about Alchemy refining arts and more importantly a cultivation technique called the Grand Reincarnation Incantation.
The essence of the Grand Reincarnation Incantation was introduced to be divided into nine turns, and the exact method of circulation was to transform the spiritual energy in one's body into life and death qi before circulating it according to the 12 regular meridians and 8 extraordinary meridians. The reason he took a year to learn this method despite his photographic memory was because of its obscurity and miraculous effect on each turn. Life and death alternated and circulated, and it contained the profundities of reincarnation within it.
According to the Cultivator's Compendium, immortal cultivation was finding one's Dao. A simple swing of a cultivator can turn the seas and make the mountains prostate before him; the realms of Immortal Cultivation were divided into the initial Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Nascent Transformation, Soul Transformation, Integration and Immortal Ascension. The Qi Condensation Realm was split into 12 Grades while for geniuses, it is possible to reach the Ultimate Qi Condensation Realm which increases their level prowess to the first of Foundation Establishment Realm. For Foundation Establishment Realm and above were split into the Initial Grade, Middle Grade, Late Grade, Peak Grade and Ultimate Grade which is attained by cultivation geniuses.
On the road of Immortal Cultivation, the Qi Condensation phase was considered to be the most challenging as one needs spiritual roots in order to sense the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth draw it through his nostrils, only by drawing spiritual energy and directing through your meridians towards your Dantian to store it could one be considered to be a true cultivator by entering the First Level of Qi Condensation Realm.
The best age to cultivate is for a person from 7 years to 18 years of age because if one has a Spiritual Root that person nourishes it through spiritual energy but if a person does not start within this period of time then the spiritual root wither making it hard to draw spiritual energy through it. The earlier a person condenses their qi, the more they would accomplish in the future.
Within the Spirit Fragrance Restaurant, in an isolated room, as Xiao Tian Wen was reviewed the Cultivator's Compendium and followed the Grand Reincarnation Incantation to absorb the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth.
Threads of Spiritual Energy surged towards him from all directions, entering his body via the nostril, if a cultivator could see this they would be deeply shocked because there has never been a person able to draw his spiritual energy on a single sitting unless they are monstrous geniuses. The Spiritual Energy moved along the meridians like a tiny snake, slithering towards the Dantian. The Spiritual Energy from all directions moved via the meridians and converged in one spot.
There was a small hole on the Dantian which kept opening the more spiritual energy he inhaled while exhaling turbulent qi in exchange. Xiao Tian Wen soon forgot himself in the mysteries of the Grand Reincarnation Incantation.
"Cluck"
As time passes, within Xiao Tian Wen's Dantian a heavy dull sound as if the doors of the Dantian have finally opened shook the body of Xiao Tian Wen then a musky gas started to form but its color was a baleful demonic and righteous qi that soon vanished towards his corporeal body, the changed baffled Xiao Tian Chen making him continue trying. Xiao Tian Wen was woken up by a waffle of rotten and fishy odor where he found a black sticky smell around him.
He knew that the technique actually works albeit he did not reach the first level of Qi Condensation Realm his body was actually elevated to a higher level. His seven orifices could now sense the tiniest change even his First Uncle's laughter from the restaurant. Though the start of cultivation is a successful endeavor, the smell led to him finding a simple washing bowl to clean himself up.
When the night came, a servant came by with some food. Although it wasn't a lavish meal, it was still delicious. After Xiao Tian Wen ate the food, the servant was clearing away the remaining dishes when his First Uncle leisurely walked in.
"How was it? Was the meal suitable to your taste? Are you nervous about not getting selected as a disciple?"
"Yes, I don't want to disappoint my parents…" Xiao Tian Wen replied in his childish voice.
First Uncle seemed satisfied with Xiao Tian Wen's response. He began to talk to him about his daily life and bragged about many of his experiences. Xiao Tian Wen commented at some points while listening to words spoken by his uncle, apart from talking to his First Uncle and eating, he cultivated the Grand Reincarnation Incantation which despite his success could not get into the first level of Qi Condensation.
In this manner, two days passed by quickly.
On the third day, after Xiao Tian Wen finished his dinner, he was summoned by his uncle at the courtyard where he met a three pompous children and some elderly seemingly waiting for something as they looked up the sky.
Getting into the courtyard Xiao Tian Wen found an old man standing there while eluding a kind aura but Xiao Tian Wen's elevated senses seemed to feel a bloody aura from him, probably from the killing during his military exploits. When he saw Xiao Tian Wen, he nodded and said, "Ahh! So this is Xiao Tian Wen, I heard a lot about you from your uncle."
The old man's tone was rough but soothed the soul making everyone comfortable despite being uptight.
"Xiao Tian Wen greets the mayor." Xiao Tian Wen arched his body forth and cupped his hands to show acknowledgement to the old man because he knew that without this old man he could not have not known about immortals until he was older.
"Smart boy, truly a smart boy." The Mayor rubbed his goatee as he showed Xiao Tian Wen with praise.
"Tian Wen, this is Mayor Wei." First Uncle's voice came into Tian Wen as he affirmed he heard him with a nod.
Xiao Tian Wen moved to the continued to stay silent. He looked around and noticed that the three kids wore expensive robes and eluded a prideful aura. Despite his better complexion after a series of body impurities being cleaned, Xiao Tian Wen's physique was still as skinny as it was making all those pompous kids treating him like air despite getting a recommendation.
Right at this moment, the clouds in the sky suddenly split open. Then a sword of light suddenly descended like lightning. After the light disappeared, there stood a youth in white whose eyes were bright and piercing, emitting an elegant spirit. His cold eyes swept across the four youths, especially at Xiao Tian Wen. He asked coldly, "Are these three the ones recommended by the Wei family?"
"So this is a cultivator?" Under his gaze, Xiao Tian Wen heart started to beat at an incredible speed. His face flushed with what appeared like an endless excitement while staring at the cultivator.
Two of the three kids and Xiao Tian Wen, upon seeing immortal, arched forth their arms to pay respect to him, showing a respectful demeanor while throwing away their pride. Their eyes held a fanatic expression.
Only a more prideful kid casually looked at the others and Xiao Tian Wen's face and snorted.
Mayor Wei quickly stepped forward and respectfully said, "Immortal, these three are the Wei family's recommendations."
The youth nodded and then impatiently said, "Who is Wei Hao?"
The old man's face showed a flash of happiness, and then he quickly pulled one of the three kids who clearly held a better status than the two because of his embroiled Wei family crest on his back and the glamour he held. "Immortal, this is my grandson, Wei Hao."
The immortal youth gave Wei Hao a deep look as if assessing him. Then his face brightened and he nodded. "Wei Hao is indeed talented; no wonder Martial Uncle took a liking to him and gave away four recommendation slots but it seems you are not the only one with talent."
Wei Hao's proud demeanor was poured cold water by his response because there was someone else on the same level as him but he swallowed the bitter bile as he said with pride, "This is natural. In order to become an immortal, one must have a strong spirit and immortal fate so naturally I can't be the only one."
The youth made a frown, but it quickly disappeared. He faintly smiled at Wei Hao's direction, waved his sleeves, and took the three youths on the rainbow and disappeared.
First Uncle looked into the sky and muttered, "Tian Wen, you must be selected!"
Xiao Tian Wen felt his body lighten, and the wind hitting his face felt like a nice breeze. On closer inspection, he noticed that he was under the arm of the youth, and they were flying quickly through the sky. The town turned into little black dots as they quickly flew forward.
He noticed that Wei Hao and the other two kids seemed to tear up due to the wind hitting against their skin.
"Unless, you three want to become blind, close your eyes," the youth said coldly while nodding his head in Xiao Tian Wen's sight as if knowing he was unbothered by the wind.
After a short period of time, Xiao Tian Wen could feel that the youth was short of breath and his speed started decreasing. Then, in a flash, the youth quickly descended. The moment before landing, the youth loosened his arm and the four kids fell to the ground.
Thankfully, the fall wasn't hard, so the four got up quickly. In front of Xiao Tian Wen was a paradise-like scene, with mountains, flowers, and a river. It was a truly idyllic scene.
Straight ahead stood five towering mountains, their peak covered in misty fog that hid its true appearance, among the five peaks one was in the middle was shaped like a sword as if it was the king of other peaks with large chains protruding from it connecting to the other four peaks . Echoes of beasts' cries could be heard. There were paths of twisted steps that snaked their way from each peak to the foot of the mountain before connecting at a singular point down the mountain, it was like a painting, evoking a feeling of a different world.
Far off in the in the distance, there was a hall at the top of the sword looking mountain that seemed to stand out compared to the halls of the other peaks. Even though it was covered by the clouds, the shining bright light made people to want to worship it.
Next to the hall, there was a silver-colored bridge with the shape of the circular ring connecting each of the four peaks.
With these natural beauties, this was truly worthy of being the location of the Heavenly Mist Sect. The Heavenly Mist Sect was one of the few cultivation sects in the Desolate Wastelands. A thousand years ago, it was the leading force of cultivation sects in the Desolate Wastelands and had several Nascent Soul old monsters. However, with the passage of time, it had shrunken to its current size but its deep roots made it not to be underestimated in the cultivation world with its powerful Core Formation masters.
It was an elusive figure for both cultivators and mortals alike within the Desolate Wastelands.
"Little Brother Qi, are these the four candidates recommended by the Wei family?" A middle-aged man dressed in white with an immortal demeanor floated down from the sword shaped peak.
The youth showed a face full of respect and said, "Third Martial Uncle, these are indeed the Wei family's four recommended youths."
The middle-aged man's gaze swept across them, focusing on Xiao Tian Wen and Wei Hao a few times. Smiling, he said, "I know you are about to have a breakthrough. I'll handle the test, you go cultivate."
The youth agreed, and then his body moved toward the lofty sword shaped-mountain, and disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Xiao Tian Wen stared at the scene before unable to contain his excitement. Suddenly, he noticed someone tugging his clothes and turned around. It was one of those two kids. Eyes filled with excitement, he said "This is where immortals live, damn it. No matter what, I, Qing Feng, must be selected." After saying so, he touched his shirt that seemed to hide something within it.