Wujin Ji. That is my name.
Coincidentally, it is also the name of the body I've come to inhabit.
It's been exactly one month since I've transmigrated into the body of a disciple of the Azure River Sect and I've made steady progress.
While others have quickly gained multiple wisps of qi floating in their dantian while following the manual given by the sect, I only have a single one floating in my dantian.
This isn't because I'm less talented or stupid, but because instead of taking the fast route like these wastrels, I'm focusing on building a strong foundation.
I've read countless novels where the protagonist would speed through realms, sometimes even skipping them entirely! I couldn't help but think of how stupid they are!
You follow the path that is set before you which inherently has no risk, but to truly take advantage of this strange world, you must go through some hardship!
This is why every strand of qi that I've managed to attract into my dantian, I've forcibly been condensing and merging them into one.
So to some I may look like an untalented loser who will surely be passed, this identity is temporary.
According to the basic manual given to us that is called the 'Endless River Manual', we are to attract 100 wisps of qi and then manipulate them into a vortex shape until it turns into a swirling ball.
That is the method to break through to the first stage of Qi Refining.
I could have broken through already since I've gathered exactly 100 wisps of qi, but instead I've decided to condense 100 wisps into one, each time, until I've accumulated 100 condensed qi wisps.
I would love to condense these qi wisps even further, but it seems 100 is my limit.
*Knock knock*
Wujin Ji opened his eyes and rose from his lotus position in his room and organized his thoughts.
He breathed heavily and exhaled and then opened the door to his room.
Standing in front of him was a long haired man wearing the standard robes of an outer sect disciple of the Azure River Sect.
"Senior brother Lu! What are you doing here?" Wujin Ji questioned as he cupped his hands and lowered his head.
"Your monthly resources have arrived and I was tasked to deliver them." Lu Changsheng said as he tossed a sack over to Wujin Ji who caught them in his chest.
"How much progress have you made in the Endless River Manual?" Lu Changsheng asked with a trace of hesitation.
"I've been making steady progress, senior brother! By my calculations, I should be done in about 10 more months!" Wujin Ji answered as if he felt prideful about this.
Wujin Ji thought that while most other disciples would take 6 months to officially enter the Qi Refining realm, he could create an enormous foundation in just 11!
"That is quite slow isn't it, junior brother?"
He looked at Wujin Ji angrily.
"Your senior sister Liuyan Xue is about to enter Qi Refining in a few days! While we don't expect your talent to match hers, at least catch up with your fellow junior brothers!"
Wujin Ji couldn't help but sigh at the remarks his senior brother was making which only served to further his anger.
"They've all at least gathered several strands of qi and from my senses, you've clearly only been able to gather one!"
"Does this make sense to you?!"
"But senior brother, I'm focusing on establishing my foundation!" Wujin Ji attempted to explain which only caused Lu Changsheng's jaw to drop.
"Foundation establishment? Are you insane! Shut your mouth and quickly enter Qi Refining before I report you to an inner sect senior brother!" Lu Changsheng shouted and slammed the door and stormed off.
Wujin Ji was at a loss for words. He truly was focusing on building a strong foundation, but it seems his senior brother had thought he meant the realm and not the action.
He sighed and walked back to his bed and re entered a lotus position and closed his eyes.
Wujin Ji just continued to do as he always has.
Slowly attempt to accumulate qi, condense them, and move on.
He didn't understand why his senior brother was so angry, especially since they were both technically of the same rank.
They were both fellow outer disciples! Why create conflict?
Wujin Ji sighed and cleared his mind of these thoughts.
Like this, the night passed.
Wujin got up from his lotus stance feeling proud of himself.
He had managed to somehow condense 10 wisps of qi in one night!
"It seems the more condensed qi I have, the faster I can manage to gather wisps" Wujin Ji smiled as he exited his room.
Though, Wujin Ji could not tell why he had improved gains, this would have to be studied later.
Every morning since Wujin Ji arrived in this world, the newly recruited disciples of the Azure River Sect had to stand in a line and be assessed.
So, Wujin Ji made his way down to the courtyard near the rooms that they were all staying in.
The courtyard was beautiful with exotic plants and trees littering the edges of it.
The wind swept through the plants onto the otherworldly grass and served to enhance the view into something akin to an exquisite painting.
Wujin Ji entered the line and waited for the one to assess him.
The one assessing them would be the same senior brother who had visited Wujin Ji last night, Lu Changsheng.
One by one Lu Changsheng went down the line.
"Zhao Xuan, enter a meditative state and attempt to gather qi." Lu Changsheng demanded from one of the disciples.
Zhao Xuan immediately did as he was told and entered his meditative state. He furrowed his brows as if it was an arduous task.
Lu Changsheng watched as blue energy swirled around the surrounding area with a few bits and pieces being absorbed by Zhao Xuan, he then looked at Zhao Xuan's dantian and examined it.
"Not bad, 9 strands of qi. Though it seems the wisps you've gathered are abnormally small. Have you been properly gathering them?" Lu Changsheng said as he questioned the abnormality.
"Yes senior brother, I just seem to be a bit unlucky.." Zhao Xuan sighed.
Lu Changsheng didn't say another word and mentally noted the strange scene. It seemed like none of the abundant qi strands were even interested in Zhao Xuan!
He then continued moving down the line.
Zhao Xuan couldn't help but feel that he had disappointed this senior brother.
"Su Yan. I can sense that you've gathered 12 strands of qi and each of them are moderate in size. Keep it up." Lu Changsheng said simply and then moved onto Wujin Ji.
Su Yan didn't have any trace of emotion on her face upon hearing this, she thought such progress was to be expected.
Lu Changesheng then had a frustrated expression as he reached the next person.
"It seems you've taken my words to heart, seeing as you've finally obtained another wisp of qi." Lu Changsheng said as he nodded to himself feeling as if his shouting last night worked.
"Of course senior brother! When have I ignored your teachings?" Wujin Ji replied with a smile.
Lu Changsheng didn't even feel the energy to refute and sighed and moved on to the next disciple.
"Liuyan Xue.. truly an outstanding prodigy. You've managed to enter the first stage of Qi Refining?" Lu Changsheng said as he beamed with pride.
"Yes senior!" She simply replied.
"Good good. Continue with your hard work and I will give you some of my personal resources!" Lu Changsheng smiled and walked away towards the next disciple.
"Chen Long. Your progress is not fast or slow. It's quite average but better than some people." Lu Changsheng then walked off after inspecting the last disciple.
Chen Long shrugged and didn't really mind, he felt that Lu Changsheng was telling the truth.
As Liuyan Xue stood there feeling proud of herself from Lu Changsheng's compliments, Wujin Ji suddenly spoke to her.
"Fellow junior sister.. why are you cultivating incorrectly? That foundation you're building, it will surely crumble within 100 years!"
Liuyan Xue was baffled. Foundation?
"Junior Wujin.. foundation is only built after the Qi Refining realm, are you mistaken?" She said with a confused look on her face.
"This idiot is more brain damaged than I thought! He truly thinks he's in the foundation establishment realm!" The man next to Liuyan Xue said as he laughed.
Wujin Ji rolled his eyes.
"Chen Long, a hill is built in a day, but a mountain for life. A foundation is a foundation, doing so in a single realm will surely lead you to catastrophic ruin in the near future." Wujin Ji replied without an ounce of anger.
"No.. he's right Junior Wujin, the Endless River Manual is the same as every other manual in the world. It just leans towards a water focused element. In the build up to Qi Refining you only need to gather 100 wisps of qi, where is the foundation in that?" Liuyan Xue said, attempting to inform Wujin Ji.
Previously Wujin Ji did not interact with these other disciples but he could not help interjecting when his fellow junior sister was going so far off the path!
Wujin Ji sighed. "Another untalented one. Unfortunate. I saw hope in you Liuyan Xue. I suggest you destroy your cultivation and start over, but do it properly this time!"
"????" Liuyan Xue was at a loss for words and was stunned. Was this guy being genuine?
"Shut your mouth! Senior Liuyan is the future of the sect!" Su Yan who was on the other side of Wujin Ji yelled.
"She's reached the Qi Refining Realm faster than anyone in the sect's history! Who are you to lecture her?" Su Yan furthered as she pointed at Wujin Ji angrily.
"Truly pitiful. You are all trying to run before you can walk, only delaying and even ruining your future accomplishments. One day you will all grovel and beg me for forgiveness. For now I'll forgive your stubbornness." Wujin Ji said simply as he walked away.
???
Everyone was more confused than angry at this statement. But it was clear, Wujin Ji wouldn't be making any friends any time soon.
Shortly after, in his room, Wujin Ji looked at the sack that his Senior Lu Changsheng had delivered last night and shook his head.
"I know senior means well. He even delivered his own personal spirit stones under the guise of orders in an attempt to help me, but this is in the wrong direction." Wujin Ji said as he emptied the bag and stared at the blue crystals before him.
"For each spirit stone I absorb, toxins build. There is no such thing as a shortcut in the path of cultivation." Wujin Ji then tossed every spirit stone out the window.
"Thanks senior, but no thanks." He then resumed his cultivation.
The sun soon set.
To be a cultivator meant to be diligent in the act. Taking breaks would only further delay your realm.
As such, Wujin Ji spent the entire day cultivating and condensing his Qi.
Wujin Ji initially thought that there would be a realm for this, but there wasn't.
In this world the realm directly jumped from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment.
Wujin Ji thought the only reason this was, was because it was impossible to condense the Qi once it turned into a vortex.
Otherwise, who in their mind would skip out on this potential?
As Wujin Ji meditated and gathered qi wisps, he heard the sound of some of the disciples outside.
They were practicing their sword techniques.
"Not only are they building a shallow foundation but they dare take a break from the basics to attempt to polish their combat techniques? It can only be said that they are arrogant!" Wujin Ji shook his head and regained his focus.
Outside of Wujin Ji's window the training swords began to collide, the sound resounding throughout the area.
"Su Yan, I will win this time!" Zhao Xuan yelled as he swung his sword overhead.
Su Yan turned her body and twisted herself into a half somersault and parried the blow.
Using the momentum of the attack Zhao Xuan attempted, she used it against him, easily pushing him back.
"You're a thousand years too soon to attempt to win." Su Yan said as she yawned and dropped her training sword.
"I'm bored, I'm going to continue cultivating." She said as she left.
Zhao Xuan's expression turned dark. He was tired of all of these people looking down on him!
The only thing that kept his mental state in check was the fact that he wasn't the worst one in the group of recruits, that title was earned by Wujin Ji!
Wujin Ji, unfazed by the disturbance outside his window, continued to gather qi.
Every strand that Wujin gathered was larger than the last!
"It seems that the benefit of condensing qi has not only sped up the gathering process, but the attraction force has grown stronger as well." Wujin Ji smiled as he refined the newly entered qi in his dantian.
Hours passed until the sun rose once more.
"20 strands of qi.." Wujin Ji was shaking with excitement as he looked at his dantian.
1 fully condensed qi strand and 30 wisps.. Mind you, the previous day he condensed 10, the next 20? The progress was simply remarkable!
Wujin Ji got up with a smile and exited his room to the courtyard.
Again, they were inspected.
However Lu Changsheng didn't simply leave this time.
"In about 3 months we will be having a tournament competition against 2 other teams of recruits. They are all also being led by senior outer sect disciples. As such, we really need to get some of you that are behind up to par.." Lu Changsheng said as he looked directly at Wujin Ji.
"You and I will be enough to carry us to victory sister!" Su Yan whispered to Liuyan Xue.
Liuyan smiled and nodded in affirmation, confident in her ability.
"The winners of this tournament will be granted an allotted time in the cold water qi pool and 5 minutes of guidance from a sect elder!" Lu Changsheng said with excitement.
"A sect elder?!" Zhao Xuan gasped. Perhaps they could find what was wrong with his qi gathering!
Chen Long frowned.
"So we will have to carry this idiot to victory and he will benefit from us? Does that make sense?" Chen Long complained.
"Don't worry, I will speak with the elder regarding this if someone isn't pulling their weight.." Lu Changsheng said as if he had recognized this specific dilemma ahead of time.
"That's great to hear senior! Now I can ensure the others won't hold me back and reap the rewards!" Wujin Ji said with a smile.
"Shutup as if you will even do anything! You'll probably run away before the tournament even begins!" Zhao Xuan shouted at Wujin Ji.
"Right? All you spout is this foundation nonsense, but have you ever considered tempering the body to truly have a foundation?" Chen Long said in an attempt to poke fun.
"You know what. You're right. I shouldn't just focus on Qi but should be tempering the body, how blind sided I was!" Wujin Ji said, genuinely thankful towards Chen Long.
Chen Long was taken aback. He had thrown the words out as a mere jest but the lunatic took it seriously!
"It's important to know that our sect does not contain any body cultivation techniques." Lu Changsheng said, hearing the conversation.
Wujin Ji nodded in understanding. "That's fine, I can come up with something."
Liuyan Xue looked at Wujin Ji and felt genuine pity.
She no longer saw Wujin Ji as an overconfident confused disciple but as a lunatic who needed rehabilitation.
"Junior Wujin, perhaps we could get you some mind mending pills with the reward instead?" She offered.
"Liuyan, you keep calling me a junior, yet we have both arrived in the sect at the same time? Does your rushed sloppy realm truly give you such confidence?" Wujin Ji replied, rolling his eyes.
Su Yan stomped towards Wujin Ji and raised her hand to slap him in the face.
Wujin Ji began to circulate his condensed qi and his eyes began to glow, ready to burst forward with all of his strength!
But just as Wujin Ji was going to unleash his qi, Liuyan Xue caught Su Yan's hand.
"Junior sister, its not right to be violent especially with ones who are not all there." Liuyan said as she stepped back in line.
Su Yan nodded and slowly walked back to her position with a flushed expression.
Wujin Ji was genuinely confused at this point.
Are they enemies, or not?
Chen Long and Zhao Xuan's excited expressions turned neutral once more. They wanted Wujin Ji to finally learn his place.
Unfortunately for them, it seems they'd have to wait for him to embarrass them at the tournament.
Su Yan, grasping her hand, looked down at the ground with her flushed expression remaining, only being broken from Lu Changsheng suddenly talking.
"Alright enough with this nonsense! Everyone return to your rooms and resume your cultivation! We can't afford to lose our focus and must advance as far as we can!"
The line broke and each recruit began to move back to their rooms.
Su Yan couldn't help but gaze at Liuyan Xue as she entered her room and reluctantly went into her own room shortly after.
Zhao Xuan watched Su Yan with a confused expression and left shortly after.
Wujin Ji was still contemplating the events that happened while walking into his room.
All he could think of was that final moment..
How come he couldn't think of body cultivation? That's foundation 101!