Jintian resumed his cultivation within the Immortal Cave. The first day after returning from Anhe village, he consumed twenty more Beast Cores. The following day, he then consumed twenty five Cores. And the day after that, he consumed the rest.
The agony of subsuming these Cores did not lessen, and in fact, from the fiftieth Core onward the energy within them seemed to resist more violently, as if sensing the bestial energy already subsumed within him and rebelling against sharing a similar fate. He felt nearly half mad when he consumed his hundredth Core, but was filled with a grim determination that defied mere bodily pain.
However, after repeating the process time and again, his speed and efficiency in subjugating the bestial energy increased as well. What once took him nearly ten minutes shortened to five, and then shortened again to two.
And as Jintian crunched down on the last of the Cores, sending its energy flowing inward and ruthlessly crushing it underneath his will, he felt a small tremor flow through him.
One hundred Cores! The minor threshold!
While not nearly as pronounced as progressing from one Circle to the next, he still felt as if something inside of him was changing. He felt his muscles ripple, his blood accelerating in his body, his bones creaking. When the feeling subsided, he took a deep breath, and opened his eyes.
Jintian was not covered in filth like he would be during a cultivation breakthrough, but he did notice that there were small streaks of blood covering his arms and chest. He washed himself in the spring, and then pressed down lightly onto his skin.
Although it was still soft, when he applied pressure to it he felt a tactile resistance to it, like there was a layer of thin bone beneath his skin. According to the manual, it wouldn't be fully refined until he crossed the first major threshold, but even this much was a pronounced change.
Furthermore, his body felt like it was filled with vigor. His heart, while still pained, was beating strongly in his chest, and his muscles felt like they had been condensed with strength. He was still skinny, but finally he was beginning to see some definition within his chest and arms again.
And, finally, Jintian felt within himself a pocket of wild, savage energy. Inspecting inside of his dantian, he saw what looked like two small moons hovering over his First and Second Circles. Their light was bright, and bathed his Circles with a silver glow.
Jintian opened his eyes and consulted his manual, and smiled to himself. The appearance of the moons signified that he had reached the qualification to use Beast Transformation.
Diving back into his inner world, as he had taken to calling it, he inspected the two moons. According to the manual, by willing the moons to submerge themselves into his Circles, he would trigger the transformation. Each moon represented one minute of time he could spend in the transformation before rest was needed to replenish the bestial energy within them. Which meant that each Circle he achieved, would give him an additional minute!
Jintian's heart raced painfully with excitement, and he took a breath to calm himself. Eagerly, he willed the moons to sink into his Circles.
As they did, the normally clear waters of his Circles began to shine with a silver light, and he felt his body surge with power. He gasped as it filled him, his muscles trembling with the urge to unleash the might they were now filled with.
At the same time, though, he felt the connection between himself and the spiritual energy around him had been severed. He could still sense it, but it no longer listened to his will, remaining cold and distant from him. Furthermore, he could no longer send out his spiritual sense.
He opened his eyes, and was startled when he realized his senses were increased drastically as well while within this state. While not as encompassing as his spiritual sense had been, the sheer sensory stimulation he was receiving was almost as potent. He could even feel the air flow around him, and was able to perceive the way it passed around objects in the cave, allowing him to feel the vague outline of their shapes.
Jintian then looked down at his hands, and saw that his nails had formed sharp claws nearly two inches long. Startled, he then peered over the edge of the stone platform, looking at his reflection in the spring. His eyes had taken on a yellowish glow, his pupils turned into vertical slits. He ran his tongue inside of his mouth, and winced as he felt sharp fangs poking his tongue.
He delicately pulled his lips up with his claws, and sure enough, his four canines had become sharp and long.
After a minute passed, he willed the moons to rise from his Circles, and he watched his features return to normal once again. The spiritual energy around him welcomed him once more into its comforting embrace, and he breathed a sigh as his bodily strength ebbed.
Nodding to himself, he clenched his fists tightly. He was now officially stronger than he had been before his wound, and with Beast Transformation, his power would be almost double what it had been!
Satisfied, he exited the cave, and was surprised to see Kang Shanxi was standing there, seemingly waiting for him.
"So you've broken through the minor threshold." Kang Shanxi said quietly, and Jintian nodded. The elderly man closed his eyes for a few moments, and when they opened, they too seemed steeled with resolve. "Come. I've put Xiyun down for her nap. I will explain things to you, and… I will train you in magical combat."
"Really!?" Jintian asked, almost giddy with excitement. His teacher had always said he was not ready for it yet, so to hear that it was happening, he almost couldn't believe his ears.
Kang Shanxi nodded, and flicked his sleeve, turning around to exit the house. Jintian followed hurriedly.
They walked further behind the house, opposite of the path to the village. After a short time, they arrived at a small clearing. It was an empty field, and in the crisp winter air most of the grass had browned and withered.
Kang Shanxi stood in the middle of the clearing, before reaching into his bag of holding and producing two swords, stabbing one into the ground and tossing the other towards Jintian.
The youth grabbed it out of the air, holding up its blade to inspect its edge. Even just looking at it, he could tell it was extremely sharp. He looked at his teacher, who grasped his sword with his single hand and pulled it from the earth.
Jintian had never given thought to how his teacher had fought three cultivators, killing two of them and severely wounding Wu Mingjie while only losing an arm. But now, looking at his teacher's serene expression while holding the blade, he felt the hair on his neck standing up.
"First, I have something to explain to you." Kang Shanxi said, and Jintian listened with rapt attention. "Our world is vast. So vast, that it would take me decades to travel from one end of it, to the next, and that would be if I even survived the journey, which would be highly unlikely. The Three States, as you know them, just barely constitute the southern tip of the peninsula that we reside on."
Jintian's mouth gaped open in shock. On a thoroughbred horse, it would take one at least a month to travel from one state to another. To hear that the world as he had known it did not even constitute as a fraction of the real world was something his mind struggled to comprehend.
Seeing his expression, Kang Shanxi smiled. "You might have guessed, but I do not hail from any of the Three States. The Three States make up what are known as one of the Mortal Realms of our world, remote places at the very edges of our continent that are bereft of spiritual energy." Kang Shanxi continued. "There are dozens of them, and each is wardened by vassals of the Great Clans to prevent Heaven's enemies from intruding upon them, so as to protect mortals from affairs they have no means to fight against.
"This mortal realm is wardened by the Wu Clan, a vassal of the Great Han Clan. The reason Wu Mingjie was able to meddle in the affairs of mortals is because his clan oversees entry and exit from this mortal realm. Otherwise, most cultivators would be denied entry into a mortal realm."
Jintian's expression turned grim, his hatred sharpening in his heart and his eyes flashing murderously. "The Wu clan…" He murmured, and Kang Shanxi sighed.
"I will tell you now, you cannot seek vengeance against the Wu Clan as a whole." The elder warned. "Their roots are deep, and their ties to the Great Han Clan are strong. While you might be able to slay Wu Mingjie, that is where your vengeance must end."
Jintian mulled over his teacher's words, before sheathing his rage. Finally, he nodded, and Kang Shanxi was satisfied.
"Now, besides the Great Clans, are the myriad of Sects that populate the world. The smaller Sects might be founded by someone at the peak of Foundation Establishment, while the Ancient Sects were once founded by… an Immortal!" He declared.
Jintian thought about this for a few moments, before scratching the back of his head. "So… what is the difference between a Sect and a Clan?" He asked, and Kang Shanxi smiled.
"The two are intertwined, but still separate. A Clan can train their own cultivators, while members of a Sect can belong to a Clan." He explained. "However, not every Clan member will be part of a Sect, and not every Sect member belongs to a Clan. Anyone can join a Sect, so long as they are qualified and accepted, but to join a Clan, you must be either born into it, or adopted.
"Furthermore, a Sect is founded by an individual, while a Clan is recognized by Heaven. Clans are typically blessed with a bloodline technique that is passed down through their descendants. As such, when Heaven calls to fight their enemies, members of a Clan are obligated to join, while members of a Sect may abstain. If a Clan refuses the call, Heaven may retract their blessing, and even order the extermination of their bloodline!"
Jintian shivered at that. To be part of a Clan sounded like it was a great boon, but also… like they wore collars around their necks, eternally at the beck and call of Heaven.
Kang Shanxi noticed his expression, and smiled. "The call of Heaven is rare. It is possible that there will be generations within a Clan that will pass without being pulled into war. Still, it is certainly both a blessing, and a burden."
Jintian's grip tightened around his sword, and he looked at his teacher thoughtfully. "What about you, teacher? Were you part of a Sect, or a Clan?" He asked, and his teacher smiled sadly. He turned his gaze far into the horizon, and Jintian noticed that there seemed to be a bitterness to his expression similar to what he felt when he thought of his family.
"I was a part of a Sect, young Jin." He eventually answered, his voice quiet. "The Frostheart Sect. However, it was destroyed nearly sixty years ago. Our Sect leader had great ambitions, and after a millennia of preparation, challenged one of the Great Sects. We… lost, of course, after decades of war and struggle. He was brilliant and mighty, but we were all just too weak to truly stand with him. However, before we survivors were all slain for our transgression, our Sect leader dissolved the Sect, and took all of the punishment onto himself. Before he passed, he left behind a legacy, but only those who form a Heaven Sea Foundation are qualified to inherit it."
Jintian listened to his teacher's words in silence, his heart saddened by the sorrow in Kang Shanxi's voice. He remembered what he had said, once, when he had first explained the Qi Condensation stage to him. That he had failed to reach Foundation Establishment, because he had attempted to reach Heaven Sea foundation.
Smiling bitterly, Kang Shanxi shook his head. "Ai, listen to this old man talk for so long about nonsense. Alright, now I will explain why this all was important." He said, and Jintian nodded. "Regardless of whether your fellow cultivators are part of a Sect or Clan, the point is that they will all practice magical techniques, unique to them or to what they belong to. These magical techniques can vary widely. Some are strange and wondrous, some are seemingly simple but shockingly powerful. Some are slow and insidious, others are swift and deadly. But most of them require the use of Qi. And the most common technique, and what you will be facing the most often, is Sword Qi."
Hearing this, Jintian's grip tightened on his sword. Kang Shanxi then raised his own sword, and took a deep breath. "I will now demonstrate Sword Qi. The process involves bolstering your weapon with your Qi, sharpening and focusing it with the will to cut through what is in front of you. Watch closely, Jintian." He said, before settling into what was clearly a well practiced stance.
Jintian did so, staring intently at his teacher. He did not blink, as if afraid of missing even a moment.
Kang Shanxi slowly let out a breath. As he did, Jintian felt a shiver tingle down his spine, as energy slowly began to emanate from his teacher. He intuited that this energy was Sword Qi, and it was unlike what he usually felt from Kang Shanxi, which was a profoundly deep, surprisingly cold, but ultimately benevolent energy. This Qi was sharp, incisive, and imperious. It felt like if he dared to move errantly, he would be cleaved in two, without hesitation.
Jintian then felt that energy wrap itself around Kang Shanxi's sword. When it had settled there, it hummed with power, and Kang Shanxi's eyes flashed as he suddenly sliced outward.
The air whistled as an arc of silver light flew forward, so fast that it was gone before Jintian could even register it had left the sword. In its wake, he heard a great crashing sound, and he turned to see dozens of trees beginning to topple sideways, cut so cleanly that he was sure if they were righted, they could be healed again.
Jintian turned to look at his teacher in wonder, his eyes sparkling with admiration and almost fanaticism. Seeing his expression, Kang Shanxi covered an embarrassed cough with his sleeve, before approaching Jintian.
"Teacher! That was… that was…" Jintian sputtered, at a loss for words but his hands moving wildly at his sides. Kang Shanxi snorted, though clearly looked pleased with himself.
"Settle down now, little rascal. From now on, we will add Sword Qi and martial arts training to your afternoon schedule, in addition to regular Qi manipulation." He said, and Jintian was practically vibrating with excitement.
Kang Shanxi sighed, as he felt like he had perhaps put on too spectacular of a display.