Six years later Qi was growing up quickly as his father was obsessed with him doing better than himself. With all of his work to teach Qi he created a environment of learning for Qi along with a training regiment to strengthen his body as soon as possible . With Quan teaching Qi, from such a young age Qi learned he lived in the Red Dawn Kingdom; In the new Green valley County. Luck would have it his family lived on the outskirts of the region capital of Green Jade city a well defended area of the county.
Qi wasn't sure of his survival chance if he lived closer to the kingdoms intended area of expansion. As initially the red dawn kingdom had intended their expansion to a fertile land found beyond the Heavy mist mountains. They created the new county and sent Tens of thousands to settle the land; with everything was going well till about 50 years after the expansion began. One of the phenomena's of this world began and a Rift was formed attaching a small world to these fertile lands. This small world was connected to rats and created dungeons around the rift in Green Valley county acting as anchors to our world.
With the dungeons spewing out rat monsters and a world of rat men sending out thousands of problems a day; Red Dawn kingdom sent out an army to destroy every dungeon formed between Heavy Mist Gate and Green Jade city. This Effectively created a buffer between the new threat of Rat men for the Kingdom; but the new development of the county came to a stop as the constant fighting to keep the new threat back took its toll on the population making it stagnant.
The true problem the county troops faced was the potential of being swarmed after tiering out so great efforts were put into creating ways to even out the numbers. This lead to great developments in Golem creation and puppetry arts. Enabling Cultivators the ability to control a few puppets at a time even at the early stages of Qi Refining. Giving the county a chance to survive nearly another 150 years bringing the calendar to the present day.
Quan Just stepping into the fifth stage of Qi Refining could now control 2 puppets with out issue. This allowed him to stay a safe distance away as his puppets fought, or used to aid him in looking after and planting spirit plants in the spirit fields he looked after. Quan didn't want Qi to follow him in his profession of Spirit planting as he himself only did it to support his family after he accepted his lack of potential in advancing far in his own cultivation. Having to start over again with a better refinement method later in life as lower grade cultivation methods impeded ones ability to break through bottle necks. Quan decided it was best to start a family when he became fifty years old and give the next generation a fighting chance to bring glory to the family.
Quan walks into the house and Looks at Qi sitting at a small desk studying. Qi is large for his age looking like he should be closer to nine years old instead of six. This shows Qi is growing similarly to young masters of small cultivation families; as Quan uses cheap substitutes to replace the normal growth conditions of such families.
As the families use Spirit fruits and medicines to improve the spiritual growth of their members Quan makes Qi eat bowls of soul splitting pea's. To give Qi the Nutrition of Spiritual beast meat he feeds him spiritual insect powder and rat meat with spiritual energy. Most people wouldn't eat such food as it is seen as food to eat only in desperation as the taste is bad and can be easily cause food poisoning if not prepared right. Something QI learned with experience.
Quan: Qi How are your studies going?
Qi: Good father I have almost remembered all the basic runes and how to write them.
Quan: Good that will help you learn Artifact refining when the time comes. Also to help you prepare I'll have you go to the smithy tomorrow.
Qi: Smithy? what do you mean?
Quan: I got you an apprentice ship at the smithy near the outer walls north gate.
Qi: (well I'm glad he didn't decide to tell me "last minute", But I should have guessed this would happen he has talked a lot about me learning Artifact refinement. ) Is there anything I should get ready for tomorrow?
Quan: Yes and tonight you should meditate and try to unlock your Status magic. With Status magic you wont waste as much time when trying to understand the deeper meanings of your technique's.
Qi: ... Status .. Magic?
Quan: Yes most kids don't unlock their status magic by themselves. Usually kids have their first experience with status magic when they turn eight and are taken to the church to have their status unlocked. However some gifted children can unlock their own status magic early through meditation.
Qi: So you can use status magic?
Quan: Of course! I wasn't able to figure out my status before my eighth birthday though.
Qi: What is your Stats?
[ Name: Bao Quan ]
[Qi Refining fifth stage]
Green Qi Strengthens Roots Technique - intermediate
[Skills Panel]
Iron Palm technique - small success
Sword control - small success
Floating cloud step movement technique- Advanced
Red Dawn golem control technique - small success
Spirit rain technique - intermediate
Fertile earth technique- entry level
[Talents]
Spirit root - 4th class
Quan: Your Father is pretty impressive huh!
Qi: Yea ... So everyone can use status magic?
Quan: Yes and those peas I feed you should be helping to temper your soul, and will hopefully allow you to open your status magic during meditation early
Qi: I can use status... like almost everyone..
Quan: Already! I hoped you would be able to open it early but you figured it out before I guided you! Such a promising son!
[ Name: Bao Qi ]
[Mortal]
[Skills Panel]
Basic meditation (mortal) 1812/2000 great success
Reading and writing (mortal) 401/2000 great success - aids in comprehension of new skills and processing of knowledge
Poison Resistance 132/200 intermediate - aids in resisting the effects of poison
[Talents]
Spirit root - 4th class (22/100)
Parallel processing 54/100 entry level
Quan: Can you open your status and tell me if you see anything under Talents for Cultivation?
Qi: O yes I have spirit root 4th class.
Quan: A 4th class spirit root you started with a stronger spirit root than your father!
Qi: What do you mean started with a stronger root?
Quan: Yes your Father was born with a 5th class spirit root however through certain techniques, spirit treasures and medicines you can strengthen your root.
Qi: Really?
Quan: Yes I'll have to teach you the Green Qi Strengthens Roots Technique. It's a mid level cultivation technique I was able to get from the magistrates office for merit I accumulated from my younger days fighting the rat men off and aiding in the quelling of dungeon breaks. However it generates energy most suitable for spirit farming. The reason I got is because it has the most cycles of all the cultivation techniques I could get.
Qi: Ahh I read about this if it's a mid level technique it has to have at least 48 cycles in it right.
Quan: Yes it has exactly 48 cycles in it meaning it just makes the criteria for a mid level technique.
Qi: So this technique can strengthen my root? Doesn't it make this technique powerful?
Quan: It's strengthening effect isn't large also the Government wants to strengthen the nation and promote the growth of spirit crops across the kingdom. The Qi created by the technique isn't ideal for attack keeping the practitioners from being too dangerous.
Qi: So does that mean instead of going to the smithy tomorrow you will be teaching me the Green Qi Strengthens Roots Technique instead?
Quan: NO! You can learn the skills for both as learning the basics of forging will help you create puppets and golems a great skill for this County. Tonight I will show you how to begin feeling spirit Qi and how to use it to begin practicing the Green Qi Strengthens Roots Technique.
Qi: Alright (seems like I shouldn't have any skills yet as I shouldn't have known about Status my not so golden finger. Meaning I simply had a head start.)
Quan went to the bookshelf and grabbed a book on the Green Qi Strengthens Roots Technique . As he brought it back to Qi he opened it to a page with a diagram of the body and the placement of the meridians and said.
Quan: Have a look this book will help guide you through how to cultivate.
Qi took the book as his Father started guiding Qi to his room to instruct him trough the initial practices. Through his fathers instructions he was quickly placed in the lotus position.
Quan: Now close your eyes and empty your mind of distractions. Once done bring an image of yourself to mind and try to focus on what's inside. Once the image comes to mind attempt to locate your meridians.
Qi followed the instructions realizing this was similar to some meditative practices of the old world. This made it easy for him to capture the his image within his mind. Using this image and his knowledge of the meridians he was able to find them quickly.
Qi: I Found them!
Quan: (So Fast!) Good! now hear take this spirit stone and attempt to connect with the energy inside. Once you feel the energy, attempt to pull it into your body towards your meridians in the pathway described in the cultivation technique. You can use this stone till its empty then you will have to feel for the energy in the air around you and pull that into yourself.
Qi: Yes father.
Quan: Good if you feel as though you are struggling with anything reference the book and if it doesn't make sense ask me and ill try to enlighten you. Also here is a key for the chest by the book shelf it has the cultivation techniques I've collected inside. When you have extra time read through them and try to comprehend them it should make it easier to practice them once you enter the first layer of cultivation.
Qi: Thank you I'll do my best to study and practice the cultivation technique.
Quan: IF you can begin on the cultivation path before your eight birthday you will be ahead of many of your peers. Even those young masters of some of the smaller cultivation families have trouble getting on the path to cultivation before eight.
Qi: How about the great families in the inner city dad? When do they usually start on the path of cultivation?
Quan: Many of the greater families can help their kids open their status early so many can cultivate before eight. Along with them having many elixir medicines and greater techniques to practice they often get ahead of others quickly. So comparing yourself with them may be a bit unfair but I do hope you still try earnestly to cultivate to not allow them to get too far ahead. I'll also do what I can to help you gain a good start.
Qi: I understand.
Quan: Good now try to sense the energy in that spirit stone. Don't stay up too late though as I still expect you to head to the smithy tomorrow to aid in a future of crafting as the need for artifacts and puppets are always high.
Qi nodded his head in understanding as Quan left the room. Quan happy his son was obedient and hopping his son could make a name for himself as a artifact crafter in the future. As an artifact crafter was more prestigious and could make more money than a simple spirit farmer.
Qi got comfortable and started meditating again to try and sense the energy in the stone. With his strong spirit buffed by healthy portions of peas tempering him since a young age Qi didn't take long to sense the spirit qi in the stone. So Qi started to pull the energy into his first meridian and follow the cycle his father guided him through. After a couple hours Qi stopped and sensed that some spirit qi seemed to have remained in a new location in him.
( This Should be where my Dantian is i wonder how much spirit qi I will have to accumulate before I can break through the first layer of cultivation.)
With this in mind Qi hid the spirit stone in a loose floor board under his bed he found when he was younger. With a satisfied nod Qi turned into bed sad his golden finger was a bust but comforted he had a big head start on others for Skills. He thought about how his first day of learning at the smithy would go tomorrow as he fell asleep.