Aunt Meiqi always told me that the world outside these was amazing and fun, but she always warns me about how the strong always prey on the weak.
'Well, I refuse to be preyed upon, so it's if I start my training then.'
After leaving aunt Meiqi's room, I stuffed myself with a bunch of fruits before going to my room.
It was only then that I noticed the stains on my bed sheets. The impurities that came from my body earlier had stained my bed sheets.
'Since I'm a cultivator now, perhaps there are techniques for cleaning as well?'
I quickly searched in my mind for any techniques suitable for cleaning, but it turns out my cultivation base is too low to even dry my own body.
So I did the cleaning the traditional way, before sitting next to my bed in a lotus position before cultivating, while simultaneously searching for cultivation techniques I will need to practise before leaving these woods.
It took me hours to choose suitable cultivation techniques.
An offensive technique - Sword Mantra - a growth-type technique which typically contains basic sword movements. The user has to create their own sword techniques and attain enlightenment.
A defensive technique - 100 Golden Shields - which was connected to a defensive formation.
a movement technique- Nine Cosmo Steps - my current body would break if I dare attempt the step step of the technique.
and a detection technique- Soul Detection Technique- I chose this one due to my innate ability to see souls and their nature.
It took me a while to notice the small texts written at the end of each cultivation technique. It seems like my father was a thief. That guy stole most of the techniques he stuffed in my mind, and every one of them were like his trophies.
'Ah, whatever, all I have are mere copies in my mind.'
By the time I stopped cultivation, I'd already made 4 breakthroughs to the eighth level Elemental Spirit Realm.
The sun was about set already. In these woods, the sun only stays up for 9 hours before setting.
Nevertheless, the night sky is so beautiful that I always stare at them for hours before going to sleep.
"Little Rui!" Aunt Meiqi called out just when I was about to check my body's condition. "Come out, I've got something you'll like!"
Coming out of my room, I was welcomed by a mouthwatering smell. There was too much meat on the dinner table.
"Eh, Aunt Meiqi, where did you get so much meat, and how are we going to finish it on our own?" I asked, using all my willpower to resist the urge to devour everything on the table.
"I hunted a Profound Spirit beast for you. Now that you're a cultivator, you'll need to strengthen your body, and meat filled with spiritual Qi is…" she didn't get to finish what she wanted to say, as my willpower was finally broken.
Without any form of table manners I stuffed my mouth with big chunks of meat. "Well? Go on, let's eat." I said, seeing that aunt Meiqi was still standing. All she did was laugh before joining me.
After dinner, I could feel that body cultivation has risen to the third level of the Elemental Spirit Realm.
"So, Aunt Meiqi, now that I've become a cultivator, what's the next step?" I asked.
"Little Rui, soon you'll have to leave these woods and find a sect to take you in." she said, looking a bit sad.
"Me? Alone? How am I going to survive alone out there? Isn't it dangerous?" I asked, reluctant to leave alone.
"Yes, little Rui. You'll have to brave the world on your own. You'll have to be a man and face all dangers that come to you."
"Uhm, okay. But what does being a man have to do with anything?" I innocently asked.
"Never mind that. One year. I'll prepare you for one year before you leave. I'll teach you all I can teach you and then wait here for you to come back when you're stronger." she said.
And just like that, my long and gruesome training started. Ever since I opened my eyes for the first time 5 years ago, I always saw aunt Meiqi as an angel.
However, that has changed since she started training me. I saw her as a wolf and in sheep skin… no to be more precise, a demoness that has deceived my innocent self.
Even my sleeping hours were cut to only 2 hours before I had to endure another 22 hours of hellish training every single day. My innocence was beaten out of me.
I tried to run away from that demoness but all my attempts failed. No matter how many stealth techniques I learned in secret, not once have I ever gotten out of her detection.
That one year seemed much longer than the five years I spent in peace but in the end, everything I went through paid off tremendously.
Well, of course I still couldn't kill my aunt yet.