MyfirstmissionwastofightaTyrannosaurusRex.AsIacceptedthechalleheserybehmyfeetgedfromasquareroomtoarockywilderness.
Withageure,thegodtransportedmetenewpce.
Asthefirstraysunlightshhthewindow,afaintvortexhadformedinmydantian—proofoftrueqi’sbirth.
“HYAAAH!”
“I”exhaledlightly.
Iopenedmyeyesandsmiledfaintly.
Inoddeddumbly.Heledmetoatrainingchamberpreparedjustforme.Therewasevenapersonalstewardtocook,servetea,aasks—butIhadtopletethethreetrialsfirst.
Fiveyearsflewby.I’myearsold,havingbarelyreachedtheEarlyFoundatioablishmentstage.Thepathwasn’tsmooth.Everybottleneckrequiredmetogritmyteethandperseverethroughtlessdaysandnights.Thougheldersinmyfamilycoulduidance,breakthroughsultimatelydependedonmyownpersistendexperimentation.
Atfirst,weremaiill—herattag.
AfterswitgfromQiRefiManualtotheFoundatioablishmentManual,qibecameevenhardertotrol.Eachadvafeltliketemperingmyselfthroughpain.
Hisvoicesoundedagain.
“IamtheAsuraDeity.Yoursonpleasesme.
Fagabeastwhoseteethalonewerergerthanmybody,Ifeltfear—evenwithmyEarlyFoundatioablishmentcultivatioecouldendme.
Weonceagainfacedoffinstillhealowgrowndstruckthebeast’sleg—ablowtwiceasstrongasbefore.Itslegwentnumbinstantly.
Thebeastroaredandrushedtowardme.Ileapedintotheair.AcultivatoratPeakQiRefijumpfivemeters,PeakFoundatioablishmey-fivemeters.AsanEarlyStageFoundatioablishmentcultivator,Icouldjumpaboutseveers—justenoughtoreachitsbelly.
Boy...ewithme.”
“GreatAsuraGod,I,yourhumblebelieverTianlong,begyoutohelpmysonTianyan.Granthimsuccessohofcultivation.Ihope...youwouldaccepthimasyourdisciple.”
“Soweak...”
Thebeasthowledinpainasbloodtrickleddown.Iturnedandran—Thirty-SixStratagems:runningisthebestpn.
Themomenthefinishedspeaking,agoldenlightdesdedbeforeus.Acalm,emotionlessvoiceechoedfromwithin.
Withinthreemicaughtuptome.Isighed.
Then“I”gotserious.
“Lookslike...I’tkeeppyingaround.”
“ThisistheAsuraRealm.Youmustpletethreeentrytrialsbeforeyouqualifytobemydisciple.”
Itstaggered.Ileaptagain—thistimereagtwelvemeters—strikingitsshortfrontlimbuntilitfractured.
ThenIcharged.
Injustthreeminutes,Idefeatedtheferociousbeastwithease.
Today,forthesakeofmygtalent,FatherbroughtmetotheAsuraTempletoprayforhelp.Wekbeforethegod’sstatue,andhesincerelyprayed:
Witharoar,Idrovethebrantoitsrear,creatingasmallhole.
Butitwasfaster.
Afterhoursofeffort,Ifinallygatheredmyfirststrandofqi.ToreachEarlyQiRefi,I’dneedhundredsmorestrandstransformedintotrueenergy.
Icrashedtotheground.Itstailswepttowardme,butIjumpedandgrabbedanearbybranch,leapingontoitstail.Thebeastthrashedleftandright,butIgtightly,refusingtoletgo.
Ithreunchatitsstomach...andbouncedoff.
ienergy!”Myheartleapt.Iheldmybreath,carefullyguidingthefaintqitowardmydantian.
Slowly,Iclimbedforward—handsagrippinghard.Ireachedthefrontandaimedatitsbackside.
“GRUUUHHH!!”
“EarlyQiRefi...Ifinallydidit.”