Qi Awakening In The Modern World

Chapter Three: The Path Ahead

Daniel was excited at his newfound ability to refine his skin using qi, but knew that he shouldn't get ahead of himself and instead he should look further into the full path of cultivation.

The website had provided more information than Daniel could have imagined. The text was still strange—often written in poor English—but the more he read, the clearer the concepts became. This wasn't just some fantasy; it was a step-by-step path to something greater. Something that, for a moment, felt within his reach.

Sitting cross-legged on his bed, his phone still open to the website, Daniel skimmed through the next section. The page detailed the realms of cultivation, each one a significant step forward in a cultivator's journey.

Pre-Cultivation Realm...

Daniel paused. The page was divided into several stages, each one more difficult than the last. The first few were focused on the physical refinement of the body. Skin Refining, Bone Forging, and Visceral Purification. They sounded so basic, but they were necessary. It was clear now that he had to begin here, refining his body before he could even think about cultivating qi.

The next realm, Qi Refining, felt like a distant dream. Qi—life force—was the foundation of all higher cultivation, but Daniel had barely learnt how to begin harnessing it, let alone refine it.

Beyond that, the text described realms like Foundation Establishment and Core Formation, where one would solidify their energy pathways and form a core of power inside their body. The more advanced stages were even more staggering: Nascent Soul, Immortal Transformation, Celestial Sovereign and eventually the Void Emperor Realm.

Daniel ran a hand through his hair, staring at the screen. Void Emperor Realm. The idea of reaching that point felt laughable. Yet, the page claimed that those who reached the highest stages were immortal, living far beyond the span of normal human life, requiring no sleep, food, or water. Their power grew exponentially the further they went, as their bodies became as resilient as the universe itself.

He sat back, absorbing the magnitude of it all. There was a lot of work ahead of him. He wasn't even close to being ready for any of it. The words of the page haunted him as he pictured himself alone in his room, surrounded by the same small, familiar things. Was he really capable of this? Could he really transform himself like the characters in his manga?

His fingers traced the edges of his computer screen, and his eyes fell on the section about the early stages of cultivation. Refining the Skin was the first step, the very foundation of a cultivator's path. He would first refine his skin, then he would be on his way.

Daniel took a deep breath and looked at his laptop again. He reread the page to make sure he didn't miss anything. The page described a simple technique to refine the skin:

"Focus on the outer layer of your body. Visualize it as a shell, a vessel. Imagine your skin as a fragile membrane that must be made stronger, more resilient. Let your qi flow into it. Heal it. Reinforce it. Once the skin is strong enough, it will no longer be susceptible to external forces."

Daniel stood up, walking to the bathroom to look at himself in the mirror. The reflection that greeted him was the same one he had seen for years—just a regular seventeen-year-old, with dark hair and eyes. There was nothing special about him, and yet...

The energy was there. He could feel it, if only faintly. It was in his veins, in his chest. He could sense it pulsing, like the heartbeat of a sleeping beast.

Daniel closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on his skin. He imagined it as a delicate, thin membrane, fragile yet necessary for protecting the deeper parts of his body. He pictured the energy flowing from his chest, extending outward into his skin.

At first, nothing happened. He opened his eyes, peering at his reflection. His skin looked the same—soft, unblemished. He frowned, frustrated.

But then he felt it. A faint tingling sensation on his fingertips, as if something deep within his skin had stirred. It wasn't much, but it was something. He focused again, pushing more of the energy toward his skin.

Slowly, the tingling spread. The feeling was subtle but distinct. His skin felt warmer, tighter, like it was becoming more... solid.

He felt like he was truly cultivating.

_____

He stopped after a few minutes, feeling both exhausted and invigorated. His skin was not yet as strong as it would need to be, but he had taken the first step. He could feel the energy still swirling inside him, waiting for his next move.

Daniel walked back into his room, feeling a new sense of purpose. The path was long, and he had barely taken the first step. But now he knew how far he had to go, and that was enough to drive him forward.

His phone buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked down and saw a message from his grandmother.

"Remember to go to the library today for your project. Don't get distracted!"

He chuckled softly, knowing his grandmother would never let him forget. His school project was important, but for the first time in ages, something else felt more important.

Daniel stood up. He knew he had work to do, both with his project and with his cultivation. The library could wait a little longer. Right now, he had something more pressing to focus on.

He was ready to make progress.

And this time, he wouldn't stop.