Subtitle : Under the Spirit Tree's Gaze
Ray and Arisa sat cross-legged within the glowing formation, encircled by countless spirits that drifted like motes of starlight in the twilight air. The forest around them was hushed—only the faint rustle of ancient leaves and the rhythmic pulse of Qi echoed in the silence. The ancient spirit Sophia, her translucent form emanating a soft emerald radiance, spoke in a calm, resonant voice that carried the weight of centuries.
"Sit cross-legged," she instructed. "Take the pill that Theresa has given you."
Without hesitation, Ray and Arisa obeyed. The moment the pill touched their tongues, it melted instantly, sending waves of warmth through their veins. The sensation spread like ripples in a still pond, awakening dormant pathways within them.
"Now," Sophia's voice floated gently through the clearing, "feel the Qi energy surrounding you."
For Arisa, it came naturally. Her eyes shimmered faintly with silvery light as her spiritual sight awakened. The world around her transformed—she could see streams of Qi flowing through the air like luminous threads, drifting toward her, welcoming her presence. She inhaled softly, and the Qi responded, entering her body in smooth, rhythmic waves. Her aura pulsed gently, harmonizing with the energy of the forest.
But for Ray, the experience was different. He could feel the Qi, faint and intangible, like wind brushing across his skin, but he could not see it. His brow furrowed with concentration, determination burning in his eyes. He focused on the subtle vibration until, at last, the energy yielded—slipping into him like cool water drawn into parched earth.
The pill's essence made the flow smoother and easier. Both their bodies began to fill with that warm, living current.
Sophia's voice resonated again:
"Now, create your Qi core. Let it contain your energy, so it does not escape."
Arisa moved with careful precision, her breathing steady, her posture unmoving. Sweat glistened on her forehead, her focus absolute. She was patient—meticulous—unwilling to risk even a single mistake.
Ray, however, sensed something far deeper within him—an intricate formation matrix carved by talisman runes, two-thirds complete. Now, the missing one-third—the part starved for Qi—began to awaken. The matrix pulsed hungrily, a bottomless void yearning to be filled.
Yet the flood of Qi that entered him felt like mere droplets to the vast emptiness inside. He needed not a river but an ocean of energy to reach the threshold of true cultivation.
He remembered the Qi cultivation scroll his father had given him long ago—but Ray had forged his own path. After studying countless techniques from the Walker family's library and even the king's castle, he had created something unique with the help of his system—the Unlimited Cultivation Technique. A fusion of all arts. A path without limits.
The spirits sensed the magnitude of his ambition. The Qi they offered was nowhere near enough. To aid him, they summoned their kin. What began as hundreds of glowing forms became thousands—an ethereal tide of spirits swirling like a constellation above Ray. Their collective Qi gathered and poured into him.
Ray cultivated soul, Qi, and body simultaneously. His meridians shuddered and began to link, one after another, to his matrix. The flow turned torrential.
Beside him, Arisa continued her own cultivation. Her Qi cultivation scroll—a gift from Grandma Theresa—focused on communion with the spirit world. The more she cultivated, the brighter she shone, and the more the surrounding spirits adored her, lending their strength.
From her perch atop an ancient tree trunk, Sophia watched the two children. Her eyes, deep as the earth itself, widened in astonishment. The air trembled. The roots of her tree quivered.
Arisa's Qi gathered like a rising sea, calm yet unstoppable—but Ray's grew like a vast ocean, wild and boundless. Their potential defied comprehension.
Sophia's lips curved into a quiet, knowing smile. "Monsters," she murmured fondly. But then a wistful look crossed her face as she remembered the day she made a promise—the day Arisa was born. Back then, she had sworn to Theresa that she would one day become the spirit partner of that child.
Her gaze lingered on Ray, her heart heavy with quiet regret. If only she could be his partner... his affinity with the laws of nature, the sheer number of laws resonating within him—they called to her deeply. But her oath was already sealed.
Sophia descended gracefully from the tree, her luminous form gliding toward Arisa. "Raise your hand, child," she said softly.
Arisa obeyed, her movements steady despite the overwhelming Qi storm around her. Sophia pricked Arisa's fingertip—a droplet of crimson gleamed in the glowing light. Then Sophia did the same, pressing her own finger against Arisa's.
Their blood mingled, mortal and spirit becoming one.
Sophia's voice rang with solemn power:
"Arisa, would you be willing to accept me as your spirit?"
Without hesitation, Arisa's eyes shone with certainty. "Yes!" she said, her voice firm and clear. She had known this moment would come—her grandmother had prepared her for it.
Sophia's form shimmered, dissolving into motes of green light that entered Arisa's body. The moment the fusion began, the air trembled. Sophia worked within her, strengthening Arisa's foundation, expanding her Qi core, and refining her meridians. Pain seared through Arisa's body—her teeth clenched, her breathing ragged—but she endured it, as Sophia had warned her to.
The ground beneath her pulsed. Her Qi core expanded fourfold, radiating light that bathed the entire grove.
At that instant, the three relics that belonged to Ray began to glow. As if unwilling to be outdone, they pulsed with ancient resonance, channeling their power into their master.
A blinding light burst from Ray's body. His Qi flared violently, and pain exploded through him. His blood boiled; skin split and mended; bones cracked, shattered, and reforged. His vitality surged, bloodline evolved, meridians fortified, and matrix broke and remade in endless cycles.
Dark, impure blood poured from his pores, evaporating into mist. The air was thick with the scent of iron and ozone. Yet Ray did not falter. He had felt pain before—but never like this. Still, he endured, gritting his teeth, refusing to stop.
Hours passed. The storm of Qi slowly calmed.
When it finally ended, Ray's entire being radiated tranquil power. Within him flowed a perfect cultivation circuit—meridians, matrix, and soul in flawless harmony. His soul cultivation thrummed on its own; his Qi cultivation breathed with every heartbeat.
Arisa, who had been held back by Sophia, rushed to his side as soon as the light faded. Her eyes were filled with worry.
Ray opened his eyes, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I'm okay," he said softly. "Just… resting."
Exhausted but exhilarated, he felt the boundless Qi coursing within him—alive, responsive, infinite. He had done it. He had finally become a cultivator.
Ray Walker had reached the Qi Stage.
And ahead of him, his next destination awaited—the Academy.