C3 I Start Cultivating!

Ho Liao excitedly carried the "Origin and Purity" technique to a valley about 1,800 feet from his home. Normally, he wouldn't dare come here at night due to rumors of giant snakes, but with the Book Spirit by his side, he felt no fear of wild creatures.

Reaching the center of a clearing in the valley, he stopped and asked, "Sir, do you think this spot is suitable for practicing the 'Origin and Purity' technique?"

A glow emanated from Ho Liao's waist, transforming into a lean, white-bearded old man. Smiling, the old man said, "To practice this technique, you must first become a disciple."

Without hesitation, Ho Liao knelt three times and said, "Disciple Ho Liao greets Master Book Spirit!"

The Book Spirit, embodying the demeanor of a grand master, waited for Ho Liao to finish his bows before saying, "Rise. Now, I will teach you how to use the 'Origin and Purity' technique to nurture your spirit."

Ho Liao stood up, looking respectfully at the Book Spirit, and said, "I am ready to learn, Master!"

"The concept of 'Origin and Purity' can be divided into two parts," the Book Spirit explained. "Origin refers to cultivating your own spiritual roots and maintaining the essence of your spirit. Purity involves eliminating external influences that could affect your spiritual roots, meaning you must not use elixirs to alter your spirit."

Ho Liao listened intently, captivated by the explanation.

"Breathe out until your abdomen is empty, inhale until your abdomen is full, and hold your breath until you feel the pressure in your core," the Book Spirit instructed in simple terms.

Ho Liao sat earnestly, following the guidance of the Book Spirit. Suddenly, the Book Spirit shouted, "Hold on!" Before Ho Liao could react, the figure of the Book Spirit blurred, and Ho Liao felt as if a massive stone struck his abdomen, causing him to faint from the pain.

In a haze, Ho Liao noticed the pain in his abdomen gradually subsiding. A current, like a small snake, roamed through his abdomen. Suddenly, it accelerated toward the base of his spine, piercing it like an arrow, causing excruciating pain. Ho Liao couldn't help but cry out, his voice echoing like a mournful wail, scaring the nearby wildlife into a frenzy.

Yet, the pain didn't fade. Another current formed in his abdomen, meandering before rushing toward his spine again. The agony compounded, making Ho Liao feel as if he were enduring the torments of the underworld. Anyone hearing his cries would have been terrified.

The cycle continued, with the current repeatedly forming and crashing into Ho Liao's spine. He lost track of how many times he was brought to the brink, feeling as though his spine had been shattered. But then, he sensed a faint movement in the center of the shattered spine, as if it had come alive. Only then did the relentless assault of the current cease.

Suddenly, the shattered spine seemed to come alive, quickly reassembling around the awakened spinal cord. At that moment, the Book Spirit master spoke: "Impressive, you've activated your spiritual root without succumbing to the pain. Do you know why cultivators use elixirs? It's because training without them is excruciatingly painful, enough to kill someone! You managed to activate your spiritual root in just an hour, which truly shows your exceptional talent. You are worthy of being my apprentice; my efforts to find you weren't in vain!"

Realizing he had endured an hour of pain, Ho Liao felt cold sweat trickle down his back.

The Book Spirit master continued, "Now, clear your mind and listen to me. Close your eyes and breathe using your core. Let your breath flow from your core to your spine, then throughout your entire body..."

Gradually, under the repeated guidance of the Book Spirit master, Ho Liao slipped into a deep sleep, yet his practice of core breathing and energy flow continued uninterrupted.

Watching Ho Liao train even in his sleep, the Book Spirit master nodded in satisfaction and muttered to himself, "This kid has quickly entered a state where he can cultivate both light and dark energies. It's funny—I was worried I might harm him while helping him strengthen his bones. It seems this kid truly has an extraordinary spiritual root!"

When Ho Liao woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. His sister, A-Chou, had prepared breakfast for him, along with some food to take to school for lunch. It wasn't surprising for Ho Liao to wake up at home, as his mentor, the Book Spirit, often took care of such small matters.

After breakfast, Ho Liao said goodbye to A-Chou and unconsciously began his training. Gradually, he felt the air he inhaled gather more and more in his abdomen. As this energy moved toward his spine, a powerful force attached itself there, spreading throughout his bones. This force could accumulate in his entire body, which was truly fascinating.

Excited by this discovery, Ho Liao couldn't resist picking up a rock the size of a watermelon, weighing about 40 pounds. To his surprise, it felt as light as a sesame seed. Overjoyed, he looked at a large boulder, about three feet across, not far ahead and was about to try lifting it when suddenly, a group of ten men dressed as servants appeared, making a racket. Each held an iron rod, and they looked to be around 30 years old, cursing fiercely.

Listening closely, Ho Liao heard one of the men shout, "That woman dared to stain the master's favorite quilt with blood! For that alone, we'll wipe out her entire family, not leaving a single one!"

Yesterday, while working on some needlework at Mr. Wang's house, A-Chou accidentally pricked her finger. A drop of blood fell onto the phoenix she was embroidering. At the time, A-Chou didn't notice it.

Today, the housekeeper discovered it and informed Mr. Wang. He believed that blood on the phoenix was a terrible omen and, in a fit of anger, ordered his men to deal with A-Chou and her brother.

From the curses of Mr. Wang's men, Ho Liao gradually understood what had happened, and anger boiled within him. A-Chou was his beloved sister, and he glared fiercely at the menacing group.

One of the men noticed his hostile gaze and shouted, "Hey, kid, why are you staring at me? Are you that ugly woman's brother?"

His words quickly caught the attention of the others. They stopped around the young Ho Liao, eyes filled with malice.

A thin man with a scar on his face sneered at Ho Liao, "Who cares who he is? If he dares to disrespect us, let's feed this little brat to the wolves!"

These men were used to throwing their weight around and couldn't care less about a poor mountain kid. A burly man, spurred by the scarred man's words, raised his iron rod and swung it viciously at Ho Liao's head. To them, the death of a poor child was less significant than that of a dog. At least with a dog, they might check if there's meat to eat. Ho Liao's death wouldn't even warrant a glance.