As Lin Feng transitioned from childhood into his early adolescence, his extraordinary abilities, once subtle whispers, began to manifest with an undeniable presence. He was now eleven, a solitary figure often found amidst the bustling school library, his head buried in tomes that detailed ancient spiritual practices, forgotten cultivation techniques, and the obscure history of civilizations far removed from modern textbooks. His classmates, engrossed in video games and social media, found his quiet intensity peculiar, opting to leave him to his own intellectual pursuits. They couldn't fathom the depths of understanding that bloomed within his young mind, far beyond what any formal education could impart.
His control over the subtle energies he'd discovered grew, albeit unconsciously. When frustrated by a difficult math problem, the pen in his hand might vibrate with a faint, unseen force. During moments of intense focus in his martial arts practice, the air around him would grow dense, almost palpable, creating a miniature vortex of spiritual energy that dissipated as quickly as it formed. He learned, through sheer intuition, how to calm the chaotic flow of energy within his own body, a technique he called "Inner Serenity," which helped him maintain his extraordinary composure even under pressure. This self-taught method was, in fact, a rudimentary form of Qi Circulation, a foundational technique in the cultivation world, unknowingly honed by the dormant instincts of a Celestial Emperor.
One breezy afternoon, Lin Feng was meditating by a koi pond in a secluded public garden. His eyes were closed, his breath even, as he attempted to reach that state of "Inner Serenity." This time, however, something was different. The spiritual energy in the garden, usually a faint hum, now felt like a rushing river, pulled towards him. The koi, normally placid, began to swim in mesmerized circles around him. A faint, almost imperceptible golden glow enveloped his form, visible only to those with heightened senses.
Unbeknownst to Lin Feng, he was being observed. Perched silently on a nearby bench, cloaked in an unassuming grey jacket that seemed to absorb the light around him, sat an old man. His face was a roadmap of wrinkles, his eyes ancient and piercing, like two deep pools reflecting centuries of wisdom. This was Elder Wei, a reclusive grandmaster of the Azure Dragon Sect, one of the oldest and most respected cultivation organizations in the modern world. He had been drawn to the garden by the subtle, yet powerful, surge of spiritual energy emanating from the young boy. Elder Wei had sensed countless nascent cultivators in his lifetime, but never one with such raw, untamed potential. It was like feeling the gentle stirrings of a sleeping leviathan.
As Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes, the golden glow receded, and the koi returned to their leisurely pace. He noticed the old man for the first time. Elder Wei offered a small, knowing smile. "A young sprout with roots that reach far deeper than the soil it grows in," he mused, his voice raspy but kind.
Lin Feng, usually wary of strangers, felt an odd sense of comfort and familiarity radiating from the elder. "Are you a cultivator?" he asked, a rare spark of eagerness in his usually stoic demeanor. He had read about them in his books, these mystical individuals who could manipulate energy and defy the laws of physics, but he had never encountered one in person.
Elder Wei chuckled, a sound like dry leaves rustling. "Indeed, young one. And you, it seems, are a natural. The way you drew the ambient Qi... it's a talent most cultivate for decades to achieve a fraction of."
This was the first time Lin Feng had heard the term "Qi," but it instantly resonated with the feeling he had been experiencing. Elder Wei then spent the next hour speaking to Lin Feng, not about complex cultivation theories, but about the true nature of energy, the unseen forces that governed the world, and the importance of balance and self-control. He spoke of academies where young talents like Lin Feng could learn to harness their potential, not for destruction, but for wisdom and protection. He gently probed Lin Feng's past, noticing the boy's evasiveness about his family's cultivation background, a subtle sign that his power was not inherited but intrinsically his own.
The conversation ignited something profound within Lin Feng. It was as if a missing piece of his internal puzzle had finally been placed. The vague dreams, the inexplicable talents, the innate sense of knowing—they all began to coalesce into a nascent understanding. The world of cultivation was not just a myth from ancient texts; it was real, and he was undeniably a part of it. Elder Wei, recognizing the unique spark in Lin Feng's eyes, subtly left a small, intricately carved jade token on the bench as he departed, murmuring, "When the time is right, this will guide you to the Azure Phoenix Academy. They await those who are truly destined."
Lin Feng picked up the jade token. It was cool and smooth to the touch, pulsating with a faint, warm energy. He knew, instinctively, that his life was about to change. The tranquil, isolated existence he had known was about to give way to a world of power, mystery, and perhaps, answers to the lingering questions of his forgotten past. The subtle scent of ancient incense seemed to cling to the jade, a scent that triggered a fleeting, intense image in his mind: a vast, golden hall, filled with beings of unimaginable power. The image vanished as quickly as it came, leaving him with a tremor of excitement and a deeper sense of destiny.
The following weeks were a blur of intense self-study. Armed with the newfound terminology from Elder Wei, Lin Feng devoured every piece of information he could find on cultivation, Qi manipulation, and the various academies. He discovered that the modern world had indeed integrated cultivation into its fabric. Academies weren't hidden monasteries but state-of-the-art institutions, blending ancient wisdom with scientific methodology to train the next generation of cultivators. These institutions were the backbone of national defense and technological innovation, revered as much as any elite university.
His parents, though initially bewildered by his sudden fervent interest in "spiritual energy," dismissed it as another one of his eccentric genius phases. They were proud of their son, who excelled effortlessly in every subject, assuming his quiet studies were just him being Lin Feng. They had no idea their son was preparing to step into a world far beyond their comprehension, a world that was secretly buzzing with the anticipation of a coming shift in the spiritual currents—a shift that Lin Feng, unknowingly, was at the very heart of.
Lin Feng practiced the basic Qi absorption techniques he gleaned from online forums and obscure digitized ancient texts, combining them with the "Inner Serenity" method he had developed. His progress was astounding. Where others took months to perceive their first strand of Qi, Lin Feng could already guide it through his nascent meridians, feeling the subtle warmth spread through his limbs. This wasn't just talent; it was the inherent knowledge of a Supreme God beginning to reassert itself, even without conscious memory. The celestial body that Zhen Wu once possessed, though now a mere human form, still remembered the intricate pathways of cosmic energy. He was a lake masquerading as a pond, unknowingly holding an ocean of power within its depths.
One evening, while performing a particularly deep meditation, a shimmering, almost holographic vision flickered before his closed eyes. It wasn't a dream, but something far more vivid. He saw ancient runic symbols, swirling vortexes of energy, and then, unmistakably, a vast, majestic gate—the very gate he had envisioned when holding the jade token. It pulsed with an inviting, yet formidable, spiritual pressure. He knew, with an unshakable certainty, that this was the path Elder Wei had spoken of, the way to the Azure Phoenix Academy. The time was, indeed, right. His extraordinary childhood was about to conclude, replaced by a journey into the world of cultivation, a journey that would inevitably lead him back to the legends of his forgotten past.