"W-who are you?"Xiao Chen stepped back from where he stood.
"Foolish disciple… Have you already forgotten your master's gentle voice?"
Xiao Chen was stunned. He immediately knelt down and said,"Master, please forgive me for doubting you… It's just that, Master—"His words came to a halt when he truly saw the elegance and beauty of his master's spirit form.
"Ahem… You've trained quite hard, but there is still a long road ahead if you wish to become an invincible cultivator in the future."
"Then what should I do, Master?"
The Stellar Soul's eyes carefully examined Xiao Chen's body. She observed his weak physique for a moment before nodding.
"Before becoming a true cultivator, you must first understand what Qi energy is. Qi is a natural force that exists throughout heaven and earth. It cannot be seen with ordinary eyes, but it feels warm and gentle. Now sit down, focus, and try to sense the circulation of Qi around your body."
Xiao Chen understood. He followed her instructions carefully.
Five minutes later, the Stellar Soul smiled faintly when she noticed the slight tension on Xiao Chen's face.
"Understanding Qi is indeed difficult, as long as you—"Her words suddenly stopped as her gaze locked onto the flow of natural energy moving toward Xiao Chen and slowly entering his body.
"Master, is Qi energy supposed to feel this comfortable? Why does my body feel so light?"
"Th-this isn't a coincidence… He has grasped the principle of Qi? Even the most talented cultivators wouldn't comprehend it this quickly… This boy…"
Her shock was overwhelming; her eyes nearly popped out at Xiao Chen's terrifying comprehension.
"Master?" Receiving no response, Xiao Chen opened his eyes in confusion and saw his master staring at him wide-eyed.
"Is something wrong, Master?"
"Ahem—no, no… Now that you can sense Qi, it's time to enter the core within your body."
The Stellar Soul then explained in detail the functions of the meridians. Meridians were the pathways and reservoirs for Qi energy. As one's cultivation realm increased, the meridians would expand accordingly.
She also explained that aside from meridians, there were other vital cores within the body—such as elemental roots. Normally, a cultivator possessed only one elemental root. However, those with the Phoenix bloodline were different. As one of the three legendary beasts, Phoenix blood could possess multiple elemental roots—just like Xiao Chen.
"But Master, why couldn't I cultivate before?" Xiao Chen asked, confused.
"Is that so?" The Stellar Soul felt puzzled. Quietly, she extended her spiritual sense into Xiao Chen's body.
Moments later, she closed her eyes and said, "I can still sense a powerful residual energy within you—remnants of a meridian-sealing formation. Whoever did this must have been an extremely powerful cultivator. Could it have been your father?"
Xiao Chen fell silent. Her explanation made sense—especially when he recalled how his parents had always forbidden him from learning anything related to cultivation.
"Now that you can cultivate, there's no need to dwell on meaningless matters. In time, you'll understand everything on your own. Xiao Chen, try gathering the Qi of heaven and earth into your meridians."
"Yes, Master!"
Xiao Chen focused his mind and followed her instructions. Cultivation required clarity of mind and absolute concentration.
Not long after, the Stellar Soul's expression twitched. She hadn't expected Xiao Chen to grasp cultivation so easily. A stream of Qi rapidly flowed into his body, clearly visible even to the naked eye!
"M-monster?!" She muttered, her emotions indescribable.
BOOM!
A muffled explosion sounded within Xiao Chen's body. He felt as light as cotton.
"I-is this what it feels like to be a cultivator?" Xiao Chen asked, pride filling his voice.
The Stellar Soul merely shook her head.
"Xiao Chen, this is only the beginning. Cultivators have realms, from the lowest to the highest. You've only just reached the Initial Spirit Stage."
"Initial Spirit?"
"Yes. There are three major cultivation realms: Spirit, Earth, and Heaven. Each major realm contains multiple minor stages—such as the Spirit Realm you're currently experiencing."
The Spirit Realm is divided as follows:
1.Spirit Realm
2.Initial Spirit – One to Five Stars
3.Mid Spirit – One to Five Stars
4.High Spirit – One to Five Stars
5.Peak Spirit – One to Five Stars
Xiao Chen absorbed this new knowledge eagerly. Having just stepped into the martial world, he felt cultivation advancement was easy. However, the Stellar Soul scolded him—reminding him that as cultivation increased, the meridians within the body would need to expand further.
"Master, then what about the Earth and Heaven Realms?"
"Hahahaha! Don't think about realms so far beyond your reach. After all, you're a genius—and geniuses often face the hardest tribulations."
Xiao Chen nodded. "Master, what should I do next?"
The Stellar Soul fell silent. Though she was born from a legendary artifact, shaping Xiao Chen into a powerful cultivator was no easy task—especially since she lacked a combat technique perfectly suited for a Phoenix bloodline.
"Begin your journey… and search for a combat technique that suits you. For now, comprehend this technique—Thousand Thunder Steps."
Swuuuuush!
A streak of golden light shot out from one of her fingers and flew straight into Xiao Chen's forehead. His body trembled, and moments later, the method to use the Thousand Thunder Steps appeared in his mind.
"Master, what kind of technique is this?"
The Stellar Soul smiled faintly."It has two excellent uses for you. First—it increases your attack speed."
"And the second?" Xiao Chen asked eagerly.
"Escaping!"
Xiao Chen's mouth fell open. He knew his master was teasing him—but before he could react—
Kraaack!
She flicked his forehead hard.
"Learn it properly first, idiot, then you'll understand its true value!"
"Y-yes, Master!"
Xiao Chen closed his eyes and began comprehending the fundamentals of the Thousand Thunder Steps from memory.
Not long after, he opened his eyes and attempted a long jump. The result looked completely ordinary.
"Study it properly. This technique relies on footwork speed!"
Xiao Chen nodded and continued practicing. On his tenth attempt, he finally realized his mistake.
'Using physical strength alone won't increase jumping power… Now I understand what Master said about Qi energy.'
Activating the Qi stored in his meridians, Xiao Chen circulated it throughout his body—especially into his legs.
When he jumped again, he leaped much higher!
When he ran, the result was the same—his speed increased dramatically with Qi support.
"F-five minutes to grasp the basics?! D-damn it… he's truly a monster!"