Chapter 9:Cultivation Manual
After Xiao Chen felt himself being lifted into the air, he finally lost consciousness.
His vision turned dark.
The mountain peak disappeared.
The voices of the elders disappeared.
Even the pain in his body slowly faded.
Only one thing remained in his mind.
Elder Kong.
That cold expression.
That terrifying pressure.
That feeling of helplessness.
In his unconscious state, Xiao Chen felt as though he was trapped inside a nightmare.
He saw himself standing alone in endless darkness.
A huge figure stood in front of him.
It was Elder Kong.
But in the dream, Elder Kong seemed even larger.
Like a giant mountain.
Xiao Chen tried to move.
But he could not.
His body was frozen in place.
Then Elder Kong slowly raised his hand.
A terrible pressure crashed down once more.
Xiao Chen's knees trembled.
His body shook violently.
He felt as though his bones were about to shatter.
Then suddenly—
A pair of golden eyes appeared in the darkness.
The eyes were ancient.
They were cold.
They were terrifying.
A dragon roar echoed through the darkness.
Boom!
The nightmare instantly shattered.
Xiao Chen's eyes snapped open.
He sat up suddenly.
"Haah... haah..."
Sweat covered his forehead.
His breathing was rough.
Only after a few moments did he realize where he was.
He was lying on a bed.
A real bed.
Soft blankets covered his body.
The room was quiet.
A faint smell of herbs filled the air.
Sunlight entered through the wooden window.
For a moment, Xiao Chen was dazed.
How long had it been since he last slept on a proper bed?
Back in the village, he had either slept on the cold ground or on piles of dry grass.
Sometimes, when there was heavy rain, he had to sleep under broken roofs while the cold wind blew against his body.
Compared to that...
This room felt like heaven.
The bed was soft.
The blanket was warm.
Even the pillow beneath his head felt strange.
Xiao Chen slowly looked around.
The room was not large.
There was only a table, a chair, and a wooden shelf.
Several jars filled with herbs were placed in the corner.
A faint scent of medicine lingered in the air.
The walls were simple.
But everything was clean.
At that moment, the wooden door slowly opened.
Elder Liu walked inside.
He was carrying several bowls and bottles filled with herbal concoctions.
The old man looked tired.
His robe was slightly wrinkled.
There were dark circles under his eyes.
It was obvious he had not rested properly.
"Oh, you have already woken up," Elder Liu said.
He quickly walked over to Xiao Chen.
There was worry in his eyes.
But there was also guilt.
"If only I was stronger..." Elder Liu thought bitterly.
"If I was strong enough, who would dare touch even a single hair on my disciple?"
Xiao Chen slowly sat up.
The moment he moved, a sharp pain spread throughout his body.
His chest hurt.
His arms hurt.
Even his legs felt weak.
Still, he forced himself to remain calm.
"I am alright," he said.
"My body is just a little sore."
Elder Liu let out a sigh of relief.
"That is good."
He placed the bowls of herbal medicine beside the bed.
"These concoctions were specially prepared for you by the Heavenly Pills Peak."
"They will nourish your blood, strengthen your body, and help you recover faster."
Xiao Chen looked down at the bowls.
The dark green liquid inside looked terrible.
Just from the smell alone, he knew it would taste awful.
"Do I have to drink all of them?" Xiao Chen asked.
Elder Liu coughed lightly.
"Yes."
Xiao Chen's face instantly darkened.
But in the end, he still picked up the first bowl.
The bitter taste almost made him spit it out immediately.
It felt as though he had swallowed rotten leaves mixed with mud.
Elder Liu watched him from the side and almost laughed.
"Good medicine is always bitter," he said.
Xiao Chen could only grit his teeth and continue drinking.
After he finished all the bowls, he felt warmth spreading through his body.
The soreness in his muscles slightly weakened.
Even his breathing became easier.
Seeing this, Elder Liu nodded in satisfaction.
"You can stay here for now," he said.
"Once you recover, you can move into the disciples' quarters."
Xiao Chen nodded.
Then Elder Liu hesitated slightly.
"There is also a cultivation manual beside your bed," he said.
"It is the most common cultivation method used by outer disciples."
"You can take a look at it when you feel better."
"But do not force yourself too much."
"Your body still needs rest."
After saying that, Elder Liu slowly turned and walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he paused for a moment.
"Xiao Chen," he said quietly.
"Yes, Master?"
Elder Liu was silent for a few moments.
Then he said softly,
"I am sorry."
Xiao Chen froze.
But before he could say anything, Elder Liu had already left.
The room became quiet once again.
Xiao Chen sat there for a while.
Then he slowly clenched his fists.
"This little bit of soreness is nothing," he muttered.
Compared to hunger...
Compared to freezing nights...
Compared to being beaten by the village bullies...
This pain was nothing.
Then his expression changed.
"Hey, old man," Xiao Chen said in his mind.
"Where did you go?"
The ancient voice instantly exploded with anger.
"Who are you calling old man?!"
"Your entire generation is old!"
"Your father is old!"
"Your mother is old!"
Xiao Chen's lips twitched slightly.
"Stop whining," he said.
"Let us talk about serious matters."
"How can I start cultivating?"
"When can I start?"
"I want to become stronger as fast as possible."
The moment he remembered Elder Kong...
A dark light flashed through Xiao Chen's eyes.
The ancient voice quickly noticed it.
"We can start at any time," the voice replied.
"You were the one who never asked before."
"To cultivate, you need a cultivation manual."
"There should be one your master left beside those herbal concoctions."
Xiao Chen turned and looked beside the bed.
Sure enough, there was an old book resting there.
"Why didn't Elder Liu say anything about it?" Xiao Chen asked.
The strange voice snorted.
"Maybe he feels too guilty to face you."
"But even then, you do not need this trash."
"I will give you the greatest cultivation technique under the heavens."
"One so terrifying that even heaven itself fears it."
"Wait here."
"I will look for it."
The voice then went silent.
Xiao Chen rolled his eyes.
He already knew the old man had started boasting again.
Still, he reached out and picked up the manual Elder Liu had left behind.
On the cover were several large words:
Azure Sky Cultivation Manual
Xiao Chen slowly opened the first page.
The very first line read:
"How Qi Was Born..."