As soon as Ethan returned to his dormitory, he closed the door behind him and sank into the chair. He didn't sleep immediately. Instead, his mind was alive with all he had absorbed. Throughout the day, he had saved numerous cultivation manuals and encyclopedic texts into his system's database. Though he still lacked the Skill Points required to learn from them, he knew he could at least absorb their information and prepare for the future.
He was still a complete stranger in this world. He didn't know the name of the planet he had been transported to. Nor did he know the name of the country he was in, the customs, the culture, the government systems — if any even existed at all. He had no clue about anything. His entire knowledge about this place was blank.
On Earth, he had been content to hide away in his room, rarely venturing outside. Shirley, the only person who deeply cared about him, had often been frustrated by his isolation. She had insisted, time and again, that only by stepping out of his comfort zone and learning about the surrounding world could he increase his chances of survival, especially in times of trouble. Yet, boredom and apathy had clouded Ethan's will to listen. He had only gone out for Shirley's sake, not for his own.
But now, the world had changed. Transmigrated into a cultivation realm—a world he had dreamed of but never truly believed he would inhabit—there was no place for laziness or disinterest anymore.
"System! Show me all the details regarding the encyclopedia of this world from all the manuals you have saved in your database!" Ethan commanded, determination lacing his voice.
Command Accepted
Analyzing all stored data from the database
Analysis Completed
Found 5 books meeting user's criteria
"Gather all five records for me to read," Ethan added.
Instantly, the system displayed detailed texts on the world's geography, history, sociopolitical structures, influential sects, and other vital knowledge. Ethan dove into the information with fervent concentration. The recent gains in his strength and stamina also enhanced his focus, allowing him to absorb the dense details more efficiently than ever before.
For two full days, Ethan did not leave his dormitory—except for brief trips to the dining hall to maintain his strength. He stayed away from the library as well, choosing instead to immerse himself in study, steadily uncovering the secrets of his new realm, until at last he grasped a general understanding of the world he now inhabited.
The name of the world was perfectly simple: Mortal Realm. The ancient manuals provided exhaustive descriptions of this realm's geography, its powerful sects and sprawling academies, and the territorial boundaries they controlled. The Mortal Realm was divided into three great continents: Grace Continent, Snowflake Continent, and Profound Continent. Sacred Wind Academy, Ethan read with mild surprise, was located on the Grace Continent.
According to the manuals, the Grace Continent was the weakest of the three. The mightiest cultivator here, so the texts claimed, would barely rank as a minor warrior on the Snowflake Continent. As for the Profound Continent, the manuals were curiously silent, simply labelling it as remote and mysterious. Ethan's experience reading countless cultivation novels whispered a different truth—that the Profound Continent was likely the true stronghold of power in the entire Mortal Realm, and the ultimate destination for any serious cultivator.
Though he was still very much a novice, Ethan knew he would not stay at Sacred Wind Academy forever. For now, however, it was a place of safety and relative learning. He resolved to remain there until he had built enough strength to venture out with less danger.
Having memorised important places, powerful sects, and forbidden zones, a comforting thought arose in Ethan's mind: ignorance was the greatest danger. Without knowledge of one's surroundings and their hidden risks, even the strongest warrior might stumble to oblivion. For that, he silently thanked Shirley—her admonitions about learning the world outside had finally taken root.
Later, Ethan discovered an even more crucial topic buried within the dusty tomes—cultivation stages.
According to what he read and reread countless times, the cultivation path was divided into eight major stages:
Elementary Stage
Physique Strengthening Stage
Spiritual Roots Cleansing Stage
Meridian Opening Stage
Meridians Activation Stage
Qi Awakening Stage
Vigour Stage
Mortal Ascension Stage
The Elementary Stage alone was subdivided into nine distinct levels. It required intense physical training combined with precise breathing exercises. Physical training reshaped the body's constitution, improving endurance, muscle, and vitality. Breathing exercises allowed pure spiritual energy from the world to flow into and cleanse the internal organs.
But the process was incredibly difficult, especially for older novices. Children around the ages of ten to eleven years had naturally fewer impurities in their bodies, making them ideal beginners for cultivation. Without proper cleansing of these impurities, advancement beyond elementary stages was near impossible.
Success in this crucial stage also heavily depended on one's talent pool—qualities like Spiritual Roots, Physique, and Spirit. A higher quality pool made purifying the body faster and smoother, while poor quality often resulted in repeated failure and wasted chances.
Ethan exhaled slowly, realising that an Elementary Stage cultivator was barely considered a true cultivator. The journey ahead was long and arduous. Yet, it was undeniable that mastering this stage formed the foundation of all higher cultivation.
As he reflected, it became clear why the academy had fallen into decay. The wounds of the war two hundred years ago did far more than shatter buildings; the surviving disciples who inherited Sacred Wind Academy's legacy lacked the profound knowledge of their predecessors. The closure of the once-grand library symbolised their diminished grasp of true cultivation. Their inability to attract talented students compounded the decline.
No wonder the academy now teetered on the edge of collapse.
Ethan closed the book and stared out the window. The path ahead was daunting, but knowledge was his greatest weapon. He vowed to learn, to cultivate, and one day to restore the academy's lost glory.