The spinning qi needles collided with the crumbling, condensed impurities with every ounce of strength I had left, the impact reverberating through my body like a hammer striking steel. Each pulse of force pressed against my meridians with an intensity so extreme that I felt as though my very veins might rupture, as though the walls of my body's internal energy channels were about to shatter under the immense pressure I was forcing upon them.
The spinning needles, delicate yet sharp as needles forged from the essence of condensed qi, met the stubborn resistance of the condensed impurities. It was a clash of wills and forces, the culmination of all my pain, my desperation, and the years of study and preparation I had poured into this single moment.
The condensed impurities, despite being battered, scorched, and stretched to their breaking point, refused to surrender immediately. They groaned beneath the assault, minuscule cracks appearing along their surface as qi began to seep out through the fissures, like water finding the tiniest weaknesses in a dam.
I clenched my teeth, gritting through the pain as I shouted inwardly, 'COME ON! BREAK ALREADY!'
The first cracks appeared with sharp, audible CRACK! CRACK! sounds, each one sending a shiver of hope through me, but also a reminder of the fragility of my own body. I was astonished; even in their fractured state, the impurities were holding on. They resisted like a living organism, refusing to yield even as the path for the qi flow widened incrementally. Yet, beneath my shock and awe, I knew their resistance was temporary.
These blockages, these stubborn remnants of accumulated impurities that had plagued my meridians for so long, were already teetering on the brink of destruction, and it would not take long before they were completely obliterated.
I pressed forward, pushing the spinning needles harder, forcing them into every crack, every fissure, every weak point I could exploit. CRACK! BREAK! The sounds echoed in my mind as though the walls of my body themselves were groaning under the strain.
Finally, after a struggle that felt like hours compressed into moments, the last of the blockages shattered completely.
I felt the impurities explode outward, expelled violently through my pores in the form of black, sticky waste that stained my clothes and coated my skin in a foul, pungent scent.
The moment the blockages were destroyed, my qi, freed from the years of imprisonment and obstruction, surged through my meridians like a tidal wave breaking through a dam. The momentum of the release was almost too much for me to handle, and for a split second, I feared I would lose control completely.
My body trembled as the qi raced through the freshly cleared channels, threatening to spiral out of control, yet my focus, honed through years of desperate study, managed to contain it. I let out a long, steadying breath, the first real relief I had felt in what seemed like an eternity.
'Finally… I broke through. I can now cultivate properly,' I murmured inwardly, a quiet declaration that carried the weight of years of struggle, failure, and longing. I allowed myself a brief moment of satisfaction, a fleeting indulgence in the euphoria of finally overcoming the qi blockages that had imprisoned me, stifled my potential, and made cultivation an impossible dream.
The joy was intoxicating, but I forced myself to set it aside quickly; there was no time for celebration, not when so much still depended on my next actions.
The meridians, now unblocked, channeled the qi smoothly without obstruction. Each pulse, each ripple of energy, felt like a river finally allowed to run its natural course. I knew the relief was temporary, for obstacles would always rise anew, but for now, I could truly feel the first spark of genuine progress.
'No time to waste. I have to proceed to forming my energy core—the Dantian,' I reminded myself, snapping out of the brief reverie that threatened to slow my momentum. Years of dreaming about this moment had finally converged into reality, and hesitation now could undo everything.
I focused all my thoughts on the lower abdomen, where the Dantian would be formed, the most crucial foundation for any cultivator. The lower Dantian was the core, the center where absorbed qi would condense and solidify into a repository capable of fueling all future cultivation.
I guided my qi inward, coaxing it toward my lower abdomen, concentrating on shaping it into a perfect sphere. My body, still fatigued from the effort of breaking the blockages, trembled with both excitement and exhaustion.
'Hmm? What is this? Why am I gathering such a large amount of qi all of a sudden? Where is it coming from?' I wondered, realizing that the accumulation of energy was happening at an unnaturally rapid pace. The speed of absorption far surpassed what I had anticipated, the qi streaming into my body in a torrent that defied explanation.
I paused momentarily, considering the source. This was impossible; the surrounding environment did not contain nearly enough qi to account for such a sudden surge. My thoughts raced, analyzing every possibility.
Could it be the lingering effects of the Condensing Qi Flow Method? That technique had allowed my qi to be condensed into thin threads and accelerated absorption before, but the scale of this increase was extraordinary.
'Wait… perhaps it's the leftover qi from the herb I took earlier,' I realized suddenly, recalling the qi herb I had used in my past forced cultivation attempt, the one that had almost led to my death and caused the initial qi deviation.
The residual energy from the herb, long dormant within my body, seemed to have awakened at precisely the right moment, flooding my system and drastically cutting down the time required to form the Dantian. Fate, it seemed, was not entirely cruel; for every hardship I had endured, it now seemed to grant a small, unexpected boon.
With the residual herb qi contributing to my absorption, I reached the required amount for Dantian formation far sooner than anticipated. 'Alright, I've gathered enough,' I murmured, the words barely audible as I focused my mind entirely on shaping and condensing the energy.
Every thread of qi, every pulse of life force within me, was directed inward, swirling and coalescing into a dense sphere that gradually took form in the center of my lower abdomen.
Normally, guidance from a master would have been essential at this stage, both to ensure proper formation and to reduce the risk of catastrophic backlash, but I had no choice but to rely entirely on my own judgment and control. Confidence, born from the successful execution of the Reverse Qi Flow and Condensing Qi Flow Methods, strengthened my resolve.
'It's not like I can ask Geonu to help me form a Dantian,' I thought wryly, recalling the absurdity of requesting assistance after nearly killing myself through forced cultivation.
With unwavering focus, I shaped the qi into a perfect sphere, observing it shrink gradually as it condensed bit by bit. The process, while instinctively guided by my years of study, was still fraught with danger; one lapse in concentration, one misstep, and the energy could destabilize, causing irreparable harm.
'This is easier than I thought…? I expected this to be far more difficult,' I noted internally, marveling at the surprising instinct that guided me through the formation. Despite having no prior experience, I was able to shape and compress the qi with precise control, a testament to the years of study and desperate practice that had led me here.
As the sphere grew denser, the speed of condensation slowed, each layer of compacted qi demanding ever more precise control. I reminded myself silently, 'I see… this is why a master is needed. No wonder people warn against forming one alone.'
Without external guidance, the responsibility of maintaining stability fell entirely upon me, and fear gnawed at the edges of my mind. Yet, I pushed it aside, focusing solely on the delicate balance of compressing energy while preventing any form of backlash.
Step by step, the sphere continued to solidify, the energy compacting tighter and tighter, until the process reached its final stage. With a deep, steadying breath, I completed the condensation, feeling the energy stabilize into a solid, coherent form.
The last vestiges of excess qi burst outward with a violent surge, expelling remaining impurities as black waste that stained my already tattered clothes. 'I finally formed my Dantian!' I exclaimed inwardly, a rush of exhilaration flooding through my body as I realized the magnitude of what I had accomplished.
Only once the energy sphere fully solidified did the Dantian exist as a functional core capable of storing and regulating qi, providing the foundation for true cultivation. I opened my eyes slowly, overwhelmed by a mix of joy, fatigue, and disbelief.
The journey from blocked, feeble meridians to this moment, from despair to genuine progress, was now tangible, and I could hardly contain the mixture of relief and excitement coursing through me.
Years of longing, effort, and regret from my past life felt vindicated in this single achievement. My body, once fragile and limited, had begun to awaken, responding to my newly structured energy core with a vitality that was exhilarating to feel.
I stood and bounced lightly, like a child discovering newfound freedom, a wide smile breaking across my face as I acknowledged that the first real step of cultivation had been taken.
The hours of intense focus had passed unnoticed, marked only by the fading light outside. 'It's almost night… just how long did I cultivate?' I wondered, glancing toward the setting sun and realizing with a mixture of exhaustion and pride how far the day had stretched. My legs felt weak after sitting cross-legged for so long, every muscle protesting, yet the satisfaction of progress outweighed the discomfort.
Footsteps approached my room with a slow, deliberate rhythm—step, step, step. Reflexively, I scrambled back to my bed, feigning sleep to conceal the fact that I had been cultivating immediately after recovering from severe qi deviation. The door creaked open, and Geonu stepped inside, his aged yet familiar presence bringing both relief and a sense of urgency to maintain my cover.
"Young Master, are you alright? Please endure until the Life and Death Doctor arrives, he will arrive soon." His voice was filled with genuine concern, and he reached to touch my forehead. I jolted reflexively, pretending to awaken from a light slumber, masking the truth of my accomplishments.
"Ngh… Geonu… what are you doing in my room…? What happened?" I feigned confusion, watching his expression soften with concern.
"Young Master! Are you alright? Does anything hurt?!" His tone was anxious, his hands hovering in readiness to aid me further.
"Yes… my body feels like it's falling apart. Did I… fail?" I murmured, maintaining a weak, pitiable facade.
"Yes. I found you on the floor coughing blood after you forcefully cultivated and suffered qi deviation. You were severely injured," he replied gravely, unaware of the monumental success I had just achieved.
Before I could respond further, my stomach growled loudly. Grooowl! The sound echoed embarrassingly through the room.
"I didn't expect you to wake up so early, so I haven't prepared dinner! So I better hurry..! ...But before you go downstairs please take a bath" Geonu exclaimed, pinching his nose before quickly rushing out.
"Take a bath..?" I murmured confused before finally finding out why, when the prior excitement faded it made the stench hit my nostrils. The black waste expelled during breakthrough coated my body and clothes, forcing me to nearly retch on the spot. 'Right… this is all the expelled impurities… great,' I thought, rushing to the bathing room to scrub clean.
Hours of washing, scrubbing, and cleaning later, I finally felt free of the lingering filth. My reflection revealed a slightly leaner and muscular form, improved definition hinting at the subtle benefits of impurity expulsion. I dressed and made my way to the dining room, only to find Geonu proudly presenting his meal, oblivious to its impending catastrophe on my palate.
"Oh! Young Master, I've just finished preparing your dinner. Please, take a seat!" he said cheerfully.
I hesitated despite how appetizing the meal appeared and smells due to the various warnings from my instincts telling me not to eat it, but hunger won. I took a bite—and immediately regretted it. Bitter, sour, and almost poisonous in taste, it was a calamity on a plate. My eyes widened as I forced myself to continue, each bite a test of willpower.
I then remembered something from my previous life about Geonu as for the longest time in my life, he was a terrible cook and that anything that is made by his hands no matter how appetizing it looks and smells, against all odds it will be one of the worst things you will ever taste in your life.
"Cough! Cough!" I cough heavily but in truth I wanted to puke out what I just ate but held back to not be seen as disrespectful towards Geonu's cooking, incapable of telling him the truth about his cooking skills.
"Young Master! Are you okay?! does something hurt?!" Geonu said with a voice filled with worry, probably because he was worried I may have some internal wounds from my incident before which I do but nothing that really bothers me, but with his cooking I may potential form a new and more severe one.
"I'm fine… I just have a hard time swallowing," I lied to his concerned gaze, desperate to preserve my cover.
"...If you say so Young Master... Call me of you ever need anything." He said with worry still present in his voice and left to go do his other business.
After he left I continue to take bites of Geonu's cooked meal for me, enduring each bite with each is worse than the last but I had no choice unless I want to starve myself to death. The whole reason as to why Geonu is the only person allowed to cook my meals instead of other servants was that he was the only person I trust enough to prepare my meals and to keep me safe, since I encountered plenty of assassination attempts by poisoning my food.
After enduring the meal, I returned to my room, contemplating how to reveal the formation of my Dantian to Geonu. I settled on waiting for the Life and Death Doctor, allowing the revelation to appear as if by miracle, sparing me unnecessary scolding.
Later, as I passed by an open window, I noticed someone outside tying a paper to a messenger bird. My curiosity flared, but the identity of the sender remained unknown as a shadow silhouette. I lingered for a bit before closing the window and returned to my room, finally allowing myself to collapse onto fresh sheets, exhausted yet exhilarated.
'Let's just sleep and wait for the Life and Death Doctor's arrival,' I thought, letting the events of the day wash over me as consciousness slipped away.