The inherited memories of Tai Bing Chi swirled within Bai Xing's mind, painting a vivid picture
of the cultivation world. Nine grand major realms stood as towering peaks on the path to
ultimate power: Body Refining, Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul,
Transformation, Divine Lord, Celestial, and Nirvana. Each held its own mysteries and trials.
Within these major realms lay intricate minor realms. Body Refining, the very first step,
consisted of five such stages. Qi Refining, the next, stretched through fourteen. And after that,
every subsequent major realm had four distinct minor stages: Early, Middle, Late, and Peak.
With each breakthrough, a cultivator's lifespan would lengthen, their existence extending far
beyond the limits of an ordinary mortal.
Yet, the world Bai Xing found himself in was merely the Mortal World, a humble beginning.
Beyond it lay the Spiritual World, then the Immortal World, and finally, the ethereal Heavenly
World. Tai Bing Chi, despite his formidable power, had only reached the Nirvana Realm. The
Heavenly World, and the cultivation beyond Nirvana, remained a mystery even to his vast
knowledge.
"Well, it doesn't matter," Bai Xing mused, a determined glint in his eyes as he checked his
physical body. "As long as I can get help from Tai Bing Chi to achieve the Nirvana Realm, I'll be
much closer to immortality than cultivating alone."
His path was clear. "To become a cultivator, I first have to complete the Body Refining Realm
to store qi and begin cultivating," he thought, settling into a meditative posture and beginning the
prescribed breathing exercises.
Soon, his body began to transform. Cracks appeared across his skin, an intense, searing pain
lashing out at Bai Xing. Yet, he remained perfectly still, enduring the agony. One hour bled into
four, then ten, until, at the sixteenth hour, Bai Xing's eyes snapped open.
"Finally! I've completed Body Refining Stage 1!" A rush of excitement surged through him. "Four
more to go, then I can start with Qi Refining!"
Bai Xing cultivated without a single movement for two whole days, his focus unwavering.
"I have completed the Body Refining Realm," he declared, a sense of accomplishment filling
him. "Now I can gather qi and become a true cultivator!"
He focused, drawing in the essence of the world. With his Five Spiritual Roots Body, gathering
qi was remarkably easy, far simpler than for most. Bai Xing resumed his cultivation.
Day 1: Qi Refining Stage 1... Day 3: Qi Refining Stage 2...
Days melted into weeks. Ten days… twenty days… thirty-five days… forty-eight days…
On the fiftieth day, Bai Xing finally achieved Qi Refining Stage 14!
"Should I try to explore the Mortal World?" he pondered, weighing his options. "Or should I just
achieve Foundation Establishment? If I try to explore the Mortal World with my current speed, it
will take at least fifty years, and I've already used eighty-eight years of my lifespan. But if I
achieve Foundation Establishment, I can fly with a sword, and it will be much easier to explore
the world." The decision was clear: Bai Xing decided to achieve Foundation Establishment first,
gain that extra hundred years of lifespan, and then explore the Mortal World.
To achieve Foundation Establishment, one had to gather qi and condense it into a liquid form.
This process was critical, shaping the very foundation of future cultivation. Failure here meant
forgetting about the Golden Core entirely.
Early Foundation Establishment required 512 drops of condensed qi, Middle needed 1024, Late
2048, and finally, Peak required 3048. This was the limit for qi storage in the Foundation
Establishment stage. To cultivate further, a breakthrough into the Golden Core was necessary.
Bai Xing began to condense his qi into liquid form. With his Five Spiritual Roots Body, he could
produce an astonishing five drops per day!
Ten days… forty days… seventy days… ninety days…
Finally, on the hundredth day, Bai Xing successfully condensed 512 drops of liquid qi.
Foundation Establishment: Early Stage!
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind. "Kid, after five months, you've achieved Foundation
Establishment. Good, good. Even I took two years. You really are dedicated to achieving
immortality," Tai Bing Chi remarked.
"Hey, old man, where were you all this time?" Bai Xing retorted, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"You said you'd help me, but you were just sleeping!"
"You think I'm alive?" Tai Bing Chi's voice held a trace of irritation. "This is only a will; it needs
rest. And if you can't get past early stages with my knowledge, how could you dream of
becoming an immortal?"
"Okay, okay, it's my fault for asking," Bai Xing quickly conceded. "Now, I want to travel the Mortal
World, but I don't have any flying sword. Can you teach me how to make one?"
"Alright, I will make one for you, but you have to collect fifteen types of different metals," Tai Bing
Chi stated.
"Okay, but I don't have any experience with mining," Bai Xing said, a frown creasing his brow.
"Who said we are going to mine?" Tai Bing Chi's voice carried an angry tone. "We will buy
the materials from a village."
"Okay, let's go!" Bai Xing exclaimed, a new adventure beckoning.