Rejected by the Cosmic Order

Chapter 4 : Cultivator Levels

After Zhao Tian knew his room, he entered the room while carrying some books that Ling Yun gave. Those books looked worn out, but what made him a bit interested the most was a book written on animal skin.

Zhao Tian did not rest immediately, he sat down then began to open the book from goat skin.

The first thing he read was a record regarding martial arts and the levels of a warrior.

He read the introductory writing of that book. [I wrote this book so that humans could practice martial arts. The goal was simple, besides being able to protect themselves from wild animals, humans could also prolong their ages. The goal of becoming a warrior was not to be able to kill, but to be able to create justice, and protect ordinary humans.]

Zhao Tian continued to read. [To begin becoming a warrior, humans must be able to cultivate the body first. That is why I wrote these realm levels so that humans could learn gradually. The first is Initial Qi: humans must awaken their Qi, and begin to flow it throughout the body for the first time.]

[Then Pioneer Qi: beginning to manipulate and flow the Initial Qi internally and externally. Three Guardian Qi: a warrior can master external Qi to strengthen the body and launch attacks. Four General Qi: that can already be called a cultivator. Because General Qi is an advanced stage of Qi purification and already allows element fusion. Qi can destroy mountains.]

Zhao Tian continued to read it.

[Five Monarch Qi. Six Ascendant Qi. Seven Saint Qi. At each stage each is divided into three parts. Early, middle, late. As for the next level, I myself cannot know it yet. One can only ascend to a higher realm to be able to know what level is after the Saint Qi realm.]

Zhao Tian took a long breath. “Qi? I want to see whether I can already feel Qi?”

He sat cross-legged, trying to feel the Qi in his body. After a few moments, Zhao Tian sighed softly. “I cannot feel Qi yet. Now I must try to awaken the Qi in my body,” he muttered.

Zhao Tian began to practice the cultivation technique from the book he just read. The Qi energy around his residence began to flow towards his body. However, when that Qi energy was about to enter his body, an unexpected thing happened. His body automatically rejected that energy.

“Aaahhh.” Zhao Tian felt an extraordinary pain.

He gritted his teeth. “Damn, actually what is wrong with me?”

Zhao Tian clenched his hands, to endure the pain.

BAANG!!!

Suddenly a very terrifying energy shot out from his fist hitting the wall of his house.

That wall immediately got a hole, and there was a little smoke billowing from that wall.

“Zhao Tian, what happened?” Ling Yun's voice sounded panicked.

Xiao Tian panted, he also did not know why that happened. “It seems I have shocked master.”

He saw Ling Yun was already in front of his room door staring at the holed wall. “Master, forgive me. I did not mean it. Even actually I also do not know why this happened.”

BUZZ!!!

Zhao Tian felt a gentle energy envelope his body. That energy immediately infiltrated into his body organs. He knew this was his master's energy.

Ling Yun frowned his forehead. He stared at Zhao Tian with an astonished gaze. “Zhao Tian, can you already practice? But strange, why can I not feel Qi at all.”

Ling Yun stared sharply. “After my business is finished, I must check your spirit root. This is important, your body does not have Qi, but can create damage like this.”

Ling Yun was a bit helpless when seeing the room wall that had been maintained all this time was now severely damaged. He as the Sect head was made a fool by the child he just brought. Without Qi, but could create damage.

Zhao Tian shook his head. “I only tried to practice from the cultivation technique written in the book, but before being able to feel Qi, I was already in pain,” he replied.

“Tomorrow master will teach some basic techniques. You will practice directly under master's supervision so that master knows what energy you use.”

Zhao Tian nodded. He truly wanted to know his body's anomaly. Perhaps that way, he could know who he was.

The next morning, the atmosphere in the courtyard of the house standing on that hill looked calm and cool. Thin fog still enveloped the entire area, hanging low between the ground and the air, as if not yet willing to leave even though dawn had long arrived. The morning sunlight pierced that fog layer in gentle golden-colored lines, falling slowly onto the grass and the house surface, creating a faint blend of light and shadow.

At the edge of the courtyard, the large tree that towered solidly looked increasingly alive under the morning touch. Its broad branches stretched like a natural umbrella, partially covered by fog, partially struck by the sunlight. Its leaves shone softly from the dew, occasionally swaying slowly blown by the cold wind from the mountains.

From the edge of the courtyard, the scenery below the hill looked faint and far, covered by the fog that still rolled slowly. The air felt fresh and cold, bringing a deep tranquility.

Zhao Tian saw Ling Yun was already sitting while leaning his body under that large tree. He stared towards him with a gentle gaze.

“Zhao Tian, before master leaves. Master will teach some basic techniques. This can not only protect you from wild beasts. But to stimulate what power is inside you,” said Ling Yun.

“Master, I will listen to your instructions,” replied Zhao Tian.

Ling Yun pulled a sword from its sheath. “Zhao Tian, pay attention well.”

Zhao Tian nodded, and Ling Yun began to move playing his sword. Ling Yun's first movement flowed slowly, like a calm water stream on the surface, yet keeping a swift current in its depths. The tip of his sword vibrated finely, forming thin curves in the air, as if drawing something invisible. Every swing looked light, but kept a deadly precision, enough to cut off an opponent's breath in one opportunity.

Ling Yun's body moved in harmony with his sword. His footsteps were almost soundless, moving from one point to another point with perfect balance. His robe swung following the direction of movement, adding an elegant yet deceptive impression. In one draw of breath, he changed from calm to sharp; from gentle to deadly.

However behind that beauty, Zhao Tian did not feel the confusion like a beginner should experience.

His gaze instead became sharper.

Every sword trajectory that should be difficult to follow, instead looked clear in his eyes. He saw how Ling Yun's wrist was a bit late for a fraction of a second when changing direction. He caught how the left footstep sometimes gave a small gap before the next footing became stable. Even a slashing angle that looked perfect, in his view, left a thin space that could be utilized by an opponent.

All of that took place so naturally, as if his own mind compiled that analysis without him realizing.

Ling Yun continued to move, his speed increased. His sword now cleaved the air with a soft sound, creating overlapping shadows. For ordinary people, that movement would look like a flash that was impossible to follow.

However Zhao Tian remained standing still, his eyes following every detail.

He did not only see. He understood. And the strangest thing, the longer he observed, the more gaps he found in that technique that should be perfect.

[Tian’er, catch!]

As he continued to observe, in his mind suddenly appeared a figure of a beautiful woman throwing a sword towards him.

“Aahh!” Zhao Tian slightly groaned in pain. But he hurriedly stabilized his mind. Even though he was very curious why suddenly that picture appeared from his mind, he did not want to chase it, he preferred to let his mind calm.

“Someday later I will definitely find answers from the memories that come and go from my mind. Now it is better to focus on observing the technique that master teaches,” he thought.