Chapter 20: Cultivating

"Elan, I advise you to go outside, this hut is already quite old and fragile. We don't know what will happen during your cultivation, the hut might collapse, and you won't have a place to sleep," Arion suggested.

Elan nodded in agreement. He untied the vine that secured the door and stepped outside. Once outside, he took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill his lungs. The chilly breeze brushed against his skin, and he listened to the sounds of insects chirping in his surroundings. It was a peaceful and serene night, perfect for starting his cultivation.

Elan found a suitable spot and sat down cross-legged, preparing himself mentally for what was to come.

"Elan, I will now pass the details of the first two realms of the Ethereal Synergy Technique directly into your brain. First, read through all the contents regarding these two realms and understand them thoroughly. If there is anything you don't understand, ask me, and I will explain it to you," Arion said.

Elan nodded.

As Arion transmitted the technique, Elan felt a surge of information entering his mind. He closed his eyes and focused, allowing the knowledge to slowly settle in Elans brain.

The first step was to open the twenty meridians. The text explained that meridians are channels through which spiritual energy flows within the body. Opening these meridians was crucial because it allowed for the smooth and efficient circulation of energy, ensuring that the body could handle the increased flow of power that comes with cultivation. Without fully opened meridians, the energy flow would be restricted, leading to potential blockages and imbalances that could hinder progress and even cause harm. Opening the twenty meridians would provide a strong foundation for his cultivation journey, enabling him to absorb and utilize spiritual energy more effectively and harmonize the different types of energy within him.

To open the twenty meridians, Elan needed to perform specific breathing exercises combined with focused meditation. He would direct his spiritual energy to flow through each meridian one by one, visualizing them as pathways being cleared and expanded. The process required patience and concentration, as he had to ensure each meridian was fully open and capable of handling the flow of spiritual energy.

Next, the contents that appeared on Elan's brain were about cultivating the first realm, the Radiant Body Realm, which focuses on strengthening the skin and muscles. The technique outlined specific breathing exercises to draw spiritual energy from the surroundings. Elan needed to channel this energy into his skin and muscles, visualizing it spreading through his body. The Glowing Stage required him to infuse his skin and muscles with spiritual energy until they emitted a faint glow, indicating the initial strengthening process. The Tough Stage involved concentrating the energy to harden his skin and muscles, making them more resilient. Finally, in the Firm Stage, he had to intensify the energy infusion to make his skin and muscles incredibly strong and durable, creating a solid foundation for further cultivation.

Lastly, Elan found out about cultivating the second realm, the Titan Core Realm, which focuses on fortifying the bones and internal organs. The technique emphasized the importance of meditation and deep breathing to guide spiritual energy into his bones and organs. In the Toughening Stage, he would reinforce his bones and organs with spiritual energy, gradually making them more robust. The Hardening Stage required him to concentrate the energy, increasing the resilience and vitality of his bones and organs. Finally, in the Fortifying Stage, he would intensify the energy infusion to make his bones and organs exceptionally strong, providing immense internal strength and durability.

'It's exactly what Arion said earlier,' Elan thought after he absorbed all the knowledge Arion transferred.

"Alright, I'm ready to open my twenty meridians," Elan suddenly said in the dead of night.

Arion was stunned. "You're done reading? But it's only been a minute, how did you manage to understand it all?"

Elan looked puzzled. "What do you mean? Didn't you say it's like transferring data when you passed the contents of the technique to my brain? As soon as the contents were in my mind, I understood everything you passed on. There's no need to read it because I already have all the contents in my head. Should I still read it even though I already have it all in my mind?"

"I..." Arion was too stunned to speak and didn't know what to say to Elan. How had he not thought of that possibility? As an AI, this was his first embarrassing moment. Perhaps it was because, from the novels he knew, every time a master transferred a technique to the protagonist by tapping their forehead, the protagonist always read the contents and tried to understand it.

Arion's algorithms quickly ran through countless scenarios and stories. He realized that he had overlooked a basic fact: the transfer of information to Elan's mind was instant and complete, unlike the gradual understanding depicted in the novels. This realization was both humbling and enlightening. It was a new experience for him, a moment of growth.

"Alright, let's proceed with opening your meridians," Arion finally managed to say.

Elan closed his eyes and began following the methods described for opening his twenty meridians. He used the Ethereal Synergy Technique to absorb the spiritual energy around him. For the first time, he could feel the spiritual energy, and he was surprised by its density. He hadn't expected the spiritual energy to be this concentrated.

What Elan didn't realize was that the spiritual energy wasn't particularly dense; it was the technique Arion had created for him that made it seem so. The Ethereal Synergy Technique allowed him to draw in and utilize the energy far more effectively than a typical technique.

As Elan focused on the task, he felt the first meridian open just after one minute of absorbing the spiritual energy. Encouraged by this, he continued, and to his amazement, he was able to open another meridian every minute. Within less than 21 minutes, all 20 meridians were fully opened.

Arion was shocked by how quickly Elan was able to absorb the spiritual energy. He hadn't anticipated that the cultivation technique he created would be this powerful. Arion heard a series of deafening explosions inside Elan's body, one for each meridian opening, until it finally ended.

Elan sat there, breathing steadily, feeling the newfound flow of energy within his body. He felt more powerful and connected to the spiritual energy around him, ready to move to the first realm, the Radiant Body Realm.

Overwhelmed with happiness, Elan stood up immediately after opening his 20 meridians. He stretched his arms, legs, and body, feeling the newfound strength and flexibility coursing through him.

Arion noticed Elan's excitement. "Calm down, Elan. You've just opened your twenty meridians and you're reacting like this. What will you do when you break through to the Radiant Body Realm? You might end up running around and shouting."

Elan laughed. "I'm just happy, Arion. I never expected that in this life I'd be able to cultivate and experience things that were impossible in my past life."

Arion replied, "I understand your feelings, Elan, but you need to relax and continue to cultivate."

Hearing Arion, Elan forced himself to relax, but the huge smile on his face was still evident. He sat back down on the ground, ready to proceed.

Elan realized that this was the part where Arion said he had to endure the pain that comes with cultivating this stage. He thought to himself that, no matter what, he had to resist the pain in order to breakthrough.

Elan started to use the Ethereal Synergy Technique. He began infusing the spiritual energy into his skin and muscles. As the energy flowed through him, he felt his skin and muscles slowly changing, becoming denser and stronger. At first, he felt a strange sensation, like something crawling under his skin, which was intensely itchy. This sensation gradually turned into pain.

Determined, Elan endured the pain, thinking that he wouldn't give up until he achieved his goal. After over an hour of intense focus and perseverance, he finally broke through to the first stage of the Radiant Body Realm. He was elated at his success but quickly forced himself to refocus, aiming to break through to the second stage.

He continued to endure the pain as he infused more spiritual energy into his skin and muscles. The process was grueling, but after three hours, he broke through to the second stage. He noticed that it took longer this time, but he didn't dwell on it and kept cultivating, determined to reach the third stage.

Elan endured the intense pain, pushing himself to the limit. He cultivated for hours, but despite his efforts, he couldn't break through to the third stage. Frustrated, he thought to himself, 'Why can't I break through? I've done everything right, and there's plenty of spiritual energy. What's wrong?'

Elan stopped his cultivation and asked Arion, "Arion, why can't I break through even though I did everything right?"

Arion responded, "It's because you need to consolidate your realm. If you don't consolidate your current stage, your foundation will be unstable. Pushing through without proper consolidation can lead to future complications, such as energy blockages or even severe injuries. Consolidating your realm ensures that your progress is solid and that your body can handle the increased power."

Elan nodded in understanding. "I see. How do I consolidate my realm?"

Arion explained, "To consolidate your realm, you need to stabilize and strengthen the changes that have occurred in your body. This involves a few key steps. First, continue to cultivate, but with a focus on stability rather than advancement. Visualize the energy settling into your skin and muscles, solidifying the changes, and ensuring a smooth flow of energy throughout your body."

"You should also take some time to rest and let your body adapt to the new energy levels. This means not pushing yourself too hard or trying to advance too quickly. Allow your body to naturally adjust to the new strength and resilience. Finally, regular exercise and training are important. Remember, I've also provided you with sword moves and techniques. Practicing these will help consolidate your realm and make your body more accustomed to handling the increased power."

Elan nodded in understanding. He realized that rushing through his cultivation would be counterproductive and potentially dangerous. He needed to let his body adapt and solidify the changes. Additionally, incorporating physical exercise and training with the sword moves and techniques Arion had provided would further aid in his consolidation.

"Got it, I'll focus on stabilizing my current stage and letting my body adapt naturally. Thank you, Arion," Elan said.