The random book he took wasn't any combat techniques or cultivation manual, but more of an information book about the cultivation world.
He didn't know who had slipped it into the Combat Martial Arts section, but since he'd already picked it up, he decided to read it. After all, he didn't know much about the cultivation world anyway.
He only knew the basics of the first three realms, and that was barely enough. It was about time his information was updated.
Cultivation Realms:
1. Root Vein Awakening
– The foundational stage of cultivation. At this level, the spiritual roots hidden within the body stir to life. The cultivator begins to sense the flow of Essence Qi in the environment, absorbing it into the body for the first time.
2. Essence Forging
– The body and meridians are tempered like steel. Essence Qi condenses and thickens,becoming visible around the cultivator. At this stage, Qi can be manifested outside the body in solid or semi-solid forms, allowing basic techniques or defenses.
3. Pulse Convergence
– The flow of Essence Qi within the body harmonizes. The cultivator gains complete control over their internal channels. At this stage, a unique Essence Core forms within the dantian, serving as both foundation and reflection of the cultivator's potential.
4. Soul Embers Realm
– The soul begins to awaken, igniting the first sparks of true spiritual awareness. Cultivators gain a unique Spirit Sense, allowing perception of energy and even the aura of life around them. With their eyes closed, they can sense the world as vividly as when sighted.
5. Spirit River Realm
– Essence Qi and Spirit Sense converge, opening up the Mind Realm. Thought and energy intertwine, shaping an inner world within the cultivator's consciousness.
6. Heavenmark Realm
– Marks of Dao comprehension appear on the body or spirit, signaling the cultivator's insight into the laws of nature. These Heavenmarks represent the cultivator's first step toward true resonance with the Dao.
7. Voidshatter Realm
– The boundaries between physical and spiritual laws begin to blur. The cultivator becomes increasingly detached from mortality. Even if the physical body perishes, the soul may persist, tethered to the world by sheer will or Essence Qi.
8. Celestial Ascension
– The culmination of mortal cultivation. The cultivator ascends to a higher plane of existence, leaving behind the mortal shell. The physical form becomes almost irrelevant; they may transform into a celestial being, a spirit of energy, or a transcendent entity.
Each realm, of course, was divided into nine minor stages.
"So many stages… and I'm just at the third stage of the first realm," he muttered, before shutting the book and sliding it back onto the shelf as if it had burned his soul.
There was still plenty of more information inside, notes about techniques ranks, bottlenecks, and breakthroughs—but he couldn't bring himself to keep reading.
It was the same feeling as staring at exam results and seeing your name all the way at the bottom of the list. That sharp, hollow kind of disappointment where you didn't even want to keep looking, because every word only reminded you of how far behind you really were.
"I should go and do what I came here for," Lin Chen thought, his mood slightly gloomy as he idlely browsed through the books.
Their titles jumped out at him one after another—Heavenly Fire Slash, Mountain-Splitting Slam, and countless others that sounded grand enough to shake the heavens.
But the more he skimmed, the more disappointed he felt. The techniques didn't live up to their outrageous names. Most were low-rank, basic forms dressed up with dramatic titles, like a cheap street vendor putting gold paint on rusty iron.
After browsing through the books for another ten minutes, he finally made up his mind—he would learn lightning-based techniques. Why lightning? Simple. Because it was versatile. Good for fighting, but just as useful for running away when things got dangerous.
"Aiva, read all lightning-based martial arts and optimize them," Lin Chen commanded quietly.
[Scanning all lightning-based techniques in range.]
The moment the words left his mouth, Aiva took control of his body. His hands moved on their own, flipping through pages with mechanical precision, eyes darting from one title to the next.
Meanwhile, Lin Chen just sulked in his mind, sinking deeper into the same gloomy mood he'd had since reading the cultivation realms list.
'No need to be depressed. I've only just started. In the future, I can also achieve that,' he told himself, forcing a bit of encouragement into his thoughts.
As he steadied his mood and pushed aside the heaviness in his chest, the list of cultivation realms flickered back into his mind again, each stage standing like a mountain far beyond his reach.
His brief spark of determination sputtered off almost immediately. The weight came crashing back, heavier than before, and his shoulders slumped.
"Why did I even read that stupid book…", regretting it deeply. If ignorance was bliss, then knowledge was a hammer smashing his confidence to pieces.
Like that, four hours passed. During that time, Aiva had scanned nearly one hundred and forty-six techniques, and then required another four hours to fully optimize them.
When the process was finally complete, Lin Chen left the Outer Techniques Hall. As he walked back toward his room, he happened to spot Ji Yan.
The other party visibly flinched the moment his eyes landed on him. Without a word, Ji Yan turned his head and hurried off, as if pretending Lin Chen didn't exist.
Lin Chen saw this and couldn't help but smile. The memory of Ji Yan's humiliating defeat resurfaced in his mind, and just like that, the gloom weighing on him earlier began to lift. For the first time, he found himself understanding why some people enjoy watching others suffer—it really did have a strangely satisfying taste to it.
***
After that, night arrived.
Lin Chen sat cross-legged in his room, eyes fixed on the floating screen before him. The analysis was finally complete—Aiva had finished optimizing the martial arts techniques.
[Azure Thunder Arts (Fighting Technique)]
[Lightning Phantom Step (Movement Technique)]
One was an offensive combat skill, the other a footwork technique—both carefully compiled and enhanced by Aiva after scanning dozens of lightning-based manuals.
"Nice," Lin Chen muttered. "Feels like getting a cheat code."
The naming had been done entirely by Aiva. If he had done it himself, it would probably have ended up as something generic like "Fighting 1" and "Movement 1"—practical, but nowhere near as elegant or imposing.
"Aiva, what rank do you think this compares to?" he finally asked in his mind. Like cultivation, all techniques had ranks, and he was curious where the cultivation manuals—and now these lightning techniques—would fall.
[Unknown. Insufficient data. There is currently no classification record for these techniques. Additional information may have been obtained if you had continued reading that book.]
"Okay… stop there. Don't you dare bring that up," Lin Chen said sharply.
[Why? There is no shame in acquiring information you currently lack.]
"There's a difference," he muttered. "That subject is depressing… so don't talk about it."
After that, he decided to take a closer look at Azure Thunder Arts. The technique had four distinct forms
First Form – Lightning Fist Flow: A hand-to-hand combat style that emphasized speed and precision. Each strike targeted weak points with explosive, lightning-infused power. Aiva had even blended in some modern martial arts moves he'd seen in action movies, making the form feel surprisingly dynamic.
Second Form – Thunderblade Qi Slash: A sword technique that infused lightning-attributed Qi into a blade to deliver swift, cutting strikes. It looked flashy and powerful—but it required more Qi than Lin Chen could spare at his current level.
Third Form – Storm Ring Technique: Another sword-based move, but this one worked as an area-of-effect attack. The blade released arcs of lightning in all directions, creating a spectacular storm of energy. Very cool. Very flashy. Very energy-hungry.
Fourth Form – Severing Slash: The final and most devastating move. Compressed lightning Qi was shaped into a pure arc of energy, capable of cutting through almost anything. It sounded incredible… and completely impossible for him to execute right now.
"For now… let's just stick to punching," Lin Chen sighed, glancing at his still-meager Qi reserves. "My Root Vein stage doesn't support these cool ultimate moves yet."
*****
A/N: Enjoying the story? Hit 'Add to Library' to follow Lin Chen's journey — your support means a lot!
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