4 Cultivation

The darkness envelopes all, preventing me from seeing anything.

Where am I? Besides, what had happened?

Wasn't there someone squashing me like an insect?

With that thought, I regained consciousness.

My name was Ruth, 20 years old, I was a magic swordsman in my previous life who died miserably in the hands of my fiancée.

I was single for my two lifetimes, even killed by my fiancée, looks like I really died a virgin.

I wonder what happened to my previous world?

Everyone should be happy now that the demon lord has been finally defeated, except for me.

I let out a sigh.

When I tried to look around, I finally noticed, I can't open my eyes.

That problem aside, when I attempted to touch my head… I noticed my arms don't respond. And even more perplexing is the fact that I cannot tell where my head is.

Alright, time to panic.

How am I gonna seek my revenge, when I can't even move my limbs?

Who was that arrogant fellow with the goddess, I promise I won't hit you.

Just a minute please, let me catch my breath.

Let me try to remember our last conversation.

He said that he will give me power, was that a sham.

No time for this foolishness. I mean, aren't I in trouble?

Hey, what the heck happened?

Maybe… I mean what if it is too late to even consider panicking?

Gathering my thoughts, I confirmed that I am in no way in pain.

No pain. Feeling pretty good.

Neither hot nor cold. Actually, a really comfortable atmosphere I've got here.

I can relax a bit thanks to that.

And still, I cannot open my eyes.

Without seeing anything, I am in utter darkness.

Dread and unease slowly creep their way into my heart.

Could this… be a prison for me?

I have attacked the goddess after all.

No, no, no, no! Please don't let that be true!

Having imagined the worst scenario, panic has quickly turned into despair.

I want to think it over.

They say that when people are confined in darkness, they quickly go mad. I happen to be in that state right now, and cannot even kill myself.

Rather than despairing, the only thing I can do is go insane, huh?

And then,

*Touch*

There was a sense of touch.

Hmm? What is…

All my senses were focused on feeling that sensation

With a horizontal stroke across my belly (?), I felt something akin to hard rock.

Focusing my entire consciousness on that area, I slowly began to make out the shape of my body.

what it is?

It prickly against my body.

It kind of made me happy.

Yet, I'm still in complete darkness. And although I regained only one of the five senses, I could finally feel again.

Amused, I decided to try to head towards that grass.

*Zururi*

I could feel my body move.

It… moved?!

Rather than moving, its more like swimming.

Looks like I am in a lake.

At that time, Under my belly (?) I could feel some soft, maybe it is aquatic grass.

Moreover, my eyes still can't see.

Can't hear anything either, but it could be just that I've gone deaf.

Although I don't know if i am facing it or not – I can't feel my head, after all – I'll head towards the grass. I'll learn about myself through contact.

No scent in the air either. Could it be? Did I also lose the sense of smell?

And seriously, I just can't understand the shape of my body.

I really don't want to accept it, but it seems sleek, jelly like–the kind that is really famous in the dungeons of my previous life.

I have been entertaining that possibility in the back of my head for a while now.

No, no… there's no way. I mean, no matter how… it just can't be.

For the time being, let's set those fears aside.

Thus, I decided to try the last of the five human senses that I've ignored up until now.

But… I don't even know where my mouth is. What to do…?

*------------------*

I don't remember how much time has passed while I was in the darkness.

Now, recalling my past two lives, I became more depressed.

At this rate I will become insane.

"Tsk Tsk, I was wondering what kind of creature dared to appear in my resting place, but to think that it was a mere, hmmm what are you?" the voice sounded puzzled.

The voice sounded directly inside my head, but having experienced more bizarre situations, I remained calm.

"Who are you" I asked.

"Y, you can talk" The voice was shocked.

"Why can't I talk?" I inquired.

"No, Its just that, in my entire life I never thought that even a sputum could gain consciousness ".

Black lines streak across Ruth's face

"Who are you calling a sputum?" I roared

"Obviously you, have you ever seen your reflection?" The voice asked

"I can't see". I answered

"you can't see" I voice was slightly taken aback before approving, "Well you are born not too long ago, You have to evolve before you might be able to see things".

"Evolve?" Hearing an unfamiliar term, I asked

"Oh, I guess I shall enlighten you as your senior". The voice said with a hint of arrogance.

Ruth knew that the other party could tell just from a single glance that he is a newly born creature with consciousness, this proves that he was anything but simple.

"Please Enlighten me senior".

"Not bad, despite just being born, you are humble and knows how to learn, you are unlike those arrogant bastards out there, I shall enlighten you then. Despite your shape, size or race as long as one is a spirit beast one has a core inside one's body, As long as you can accumulate enough spiritual energy inside that core, you shall evolve ". The voice said.

"Core?" I quickly dive my consciousness deep inside my body and began to feel each nook and cranny, trying to find the so called core.

Indeed, there is something like a red ruby, the size of a peanut inside my body.

This should be the core that he was talking about.

"Senior, I found the core, then how to accumulate spiritual energy into it"? I anxiously asked.

If this thing can help him see the world again, then he has to find a way to quickly fill it up.

"Its very simple, just sense the spiritual energy in the pond, this is the first step in cultivation, called the spirit awakening realm".

"Spirit Awakening?" I asked

"Indeed, a spirit awakening realm could be considered as the most fundamental step in cultivation. Several people wanted to cultivate in this world only to be unable to sense the spiritual energy in the atmosphere ".

I began sensing the spiritual energy in the air only to be left completely helpless.

It seems that unlike magical energy, this spiritual energy is rather difficult to sense.

Wait a minute!, why am I comparing the both of them, Each world has it own laws, in a sense my prior experience with magical energy is hampering my perception of spiritual energy.

I quickly enter a state of serenity, sensing my surroundings with my perception, soon red balls could be seen floating in the air randomly, some were small some were big. These must be the spiritual energy that the fellow is talking about.

He quickly asked, "Is the red balls, the spiritual energy you are talking about?"

"Hmm, red balls? Well everyone has a different comprehension. More importantly now concentrate and gather them inside your core ".

Thus, I began concentrating and the spiritual energy furiously began gathering inside my core.

Until,

"My blood!" A shocked voice jolted me out from my concentration.