Under the blue sky was a magnificent forest that stretched far and wide. In the middle was a lavish town that ranged several kilometers.
The buildings looked to be of the ancient Ming Dynasty of the eastern region. The area was tranquil, making one feel relaxed.
Under this grand environment, in the town was a building at the far edge—not at the back but close to the core of the town.
Inside the house was a woman with blue eyes that reflected the northern frozen lakes and white hair that resembled the cold mountain peaks. She wore ordinary clothes that reflected her status as an ordinary person. Her presence made one feel love and care.
As she sat in the middle of the bed, in her hands was an infant, only born yesterday. He had white hair that reflected the Eternal Frost and blue eyes that felt like the blue sky.
The infant opened his eyes as the bright, shimmering sun pierced through his darkness.
He looked at the ceiling as his gaze was lax, like that of an infant. His mother, holding him in her arms, said,
"Little one, even though you've just been born, you've already stolen your mother's heart."
"But alas... your father is not here," she said as her mood dimmed, but her eyes brightened once again.
"What should I call you, little one?" she thought as she looked at him. "That's right... your name from now on shall be Hao. From now on, I shall call you Li Hao'er."
Li Hao turned his gaze to her as he heard her say those words, but his focus was not on this—rather, it was on himself.
His thoughts chimed as he thought, "What is this... why is my body so small?"
"It seems that I reincarnated... but how?" he thought, as his mind raced, yet his face remained serene.
But alas, before he could solve this issue, his baby eyes dimmed as he felt the weight of his eyebrows closing.
He was unable to withstand the extension of time and fell asleep.
SEVERAL HOURS LATER
In the middle of the night, Li Hao woke from his slumber. His thoughts chimed.
He was sleeping between his father and mother on the warm bed. He looked side to side as he thought,
"It seems that I'm really in another world."
"But what is this world? I feel the air—denser, yet lighter—as if I could take one breath and survive several seconds with my little body."
Just then, under Li Hao's serene blue eyes, a ding was heard as a system interface appeared.
[Ding]
[You have awakened the Immortal Path Extreme System. Activation Reward:
Reward: Spiritual Essence Nourishing Art.]
[Name: Spiritual Essence Nourishing Art
Grade: Low Human
Quality: Profound
Description: Technique that absorbs the spiritual power in the air to refine the body. Created by a Fourth Turn Scholar.]
[Accept or Store]
Li Hao looked at those words for a while. While accepting is one thing, for it to ask this question meant there must be something he didn't know.
How could simply knowing a technique require such a choice?
"But the ultimate truth is that what I seek is the start of cultivation," Li Hao said, looking at the technique with solemn eyes.
"Accept," he said.
Just then, information about the technique flooded his mind. His little body, focused to hold such immense information, was not enough.
His brain turned as he felt dizzy. His world spun, spiraling in twists and turns.
His mind shut down, unable to handle so much information.
SEVERAL HOURS PASSED AGAIN. MORNING
Time is ever infinite, with no beginning nor end, but the infinite river that moves forward.
Several hours later, the sun's radiant light pierced through the windows as the shimmering luminescent rays fluttered.
The once dark, cold room lit with light and warmth.
Li Hao opened his eyes and looked around. He grabbed his baby head as he felt his temples hurting.
This was a side effect of the technique—at his age, his mind was not fully developed to sustain this kind of information.
Li Hao looked into his subconscious and saw the memories of the technique. It seemed that every chapter was right there.
And as he looked at them, he felt as though he had read the book several times—as if it were his original memory that could not be forgotten.
It was like its own book in his mind; whenever he needed it, he could open it—but he could not forget it.
"It seems that to forget this technique, I either need to go through actual reincarnation or erase it myself once I reach the required realm," Li Hao silently thought.
"But that's good. I will not be able to forget this technique due to my age. I should start right now."
To use such a technique, one must know how to cultivate spiritual Qi.
To cultivate or even use spiritual Qi, you need to command the spiritual power in the air to flow through your body.
Commanding spiritual power is one of the hardest things for those who don't have a strong mentality.
The spiritual power in the air is like small spirits—if you command them to move left or right, they will comply with all your demands.
But what you need more is intent. To command the spiritual power, you use your will and intent, telling them to move.
Intent is one's desire—the desire that one holds in their heart: love, anger, lust, etc.
Li Hao sat in a lotus position as he started to feel the spiritual power in the air.
He felt the spiritual power as it floated through the atmosphere. All the same, he focused his intent, calling out.
The spiritual power in the air vibrated a little but stood in place. Li Hao saw this but thought it was a work in progress.
The spiritual power cannot be controlled instantly. You must refine your intent to shape what you truly want in your heart.
After you refine this skill to its peak, it will be the same as breathing and eating. After that comes precision.
Li Hao focused as a small amount of spiritual power stopped in mid-air and floated toward him slowly.
But life is never so simple. Even the smallest things need great refinement to become perfect.
The spirit power in the air stopped halfway, as his intent was no longer as focused.
"It seems that this world is not simple. Just simple intent can't control the spirit of heaven and earth," Li Hao silently thought.
A faint, unreadable smile—one that didn't quite reach the eyes—formed on his face.
"I wonder how strong the true peak powers of this world are..."