Chapter-4: Cultivating to Protect

"Grandpa..... Grandpa..." Ashmus rushes to his grandfather who was training in the backyard shouting.

Elder yoel who was training stopped immediately when he heard his shouts.

"What are you running for, my child? What do you need from this old bones?"

"Grandpa..... Mom said, you train so hard to protect the village and our family. So i also want to become a cultivator and protect our family like you and father." Ashmus said resolutely.

Elder yoel was surprised for a bit, the said," Are you sure you want to become a cultivator. You have to train very hard and forget about playing all the time. Also once you step on the path of cultivation, you can never back down and keep walking till you cannot walk anymore."

"Ehhh..... That means we cannot play together anymore." Before Ashmus could say anything, Eira came running and shouted.

Little girl was worried that if her big brother starts cultivating then they won't be abe to play together anymore.

She was a bit breathless from all those running but she didn't mind that and ran into her brother and started pleading him," Big brother..... You don't have to cultivate any more. I want to play with big brother."

"Eira, i haven't even started yet and you are talking about ending cultivation. I want to cultivate because when i become strong, I will beat up anyone who dares to bully you and protect mother. You don't have to worry, i am not going anywhere. I can play with you when my training ends, Okay." Ashmus explained to his little sister.

"Hmm..... Okay." Eira nodded, a bit dejected.

Elder yoel was amused by this farce between brother and sister. He had a smile on his face but he once again became serious and said," Eira, let your big brother cultivate and once he becomes powerful, you can ask him anything you want and he will do that for you."

"Really... Big brother will do whatever i ask."

"Yes. He will do it. Right, Ashmus?" Elder yoel asked Ashmus with a smile.

"Ofcourse, i will do anything you ask me to do." Ashmus said proudly.

"Then, if i want to marry him then will he marry me?" Eira asked excited.

Elder yoel's smile froze on his face when he heard this. "Eira, you want to marry your brother."

"Yes, i want to marry him."

"Do you know what marriage is?"

"Hmm? Is not it staying with him forever and play all kinds of games?"

Elder yoel had a helpless expression on his face and said to the girl," Uhh.... You are quite right but also not what you are thinking right now."

"Grandpa, what do you mean by that?" Eira was quite confused by elder's words and asked.

"Nothing. You wouldn't even understand what i say. Anyway you will know once you have grown up." Elder yoel sighed and didn't pay her any heed.

He then asked Ashmus,". So what do you think? Are you ready to step on the path of cultivation?"

"Grandpa, I'm ready." He said with a determined look on his face.

"Good." Elder was quite happy to see this determination. Then he said," let me bring the cultivation manual from inside. You, wait here."

He then went to fetch the cultivation manual from the secret place that no one apart from elder yoel knows.

Ten minutes later, he came back with a brown coloured scroll in his hand. On this scroll was written, 'Advanced crimsonfleck cultivation Manual'.

"This is the cultivation technique our ancestors have cultivated. It is also our most precious family hair loom, a mortal tier-3 cultivation manual." Elder showed him the manual and explained. " Before i give this to you, let me give you some guidance about the cultivation stages."

Body Transformation stage

Qi absorption stage

Qi assimilation stage

Qi control stage

Qi condensation stage

Core formation stage

Golden Core stage

"These are all the cultivation stages i know. There are also more cultivation stages above this but you don't need to know about that any time soon. Did you remember all the things i told you just now?" Elder explained in a serious tone.

"Yes. I remember."

"Good. You have a very good memory. Then take this and comprehend the technique. How long you take to comprehend this will show your cultivation talents. Now start."

"Grandpa, i want to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Of all the stages you have mentioned, what is the cultivation stage of yours and father's?"

"We? We are just low level cultivavators. Your father is in the 2nd level qi absorption stage and I'm in the 7th level qi absorption stage." Elder yoel said with a sigh.

"Our village is in a desolate place where there is a small quantity of spirit energy. And without talent and resources for cultivation, this is the stage as far as we can cultivate. But this strength is enough to let us fight with the low level beasts that come down from the mountains and protect the village."

"Then grandpa, what level of strength are the beast that you have fought."

"The mountains south of our village houses countless magical beasts from weak to super strong. All the beast that comes down the mountain are lowest level beast that have strength equivalent to late stage body transformation realm."

"There are also some beasts with strength equals to early qi absorption realm. Those beasts are a slightly different to handle. But your father and i can handle them."

"Remember to never go to the inner regions of the mountain. There lurks countless beasts that are more powerful than us. Any one of them is enough to destroy our entire village. So unless necessary, you will never go there.

You understand?"

"Yes, grandfather. I understand."

"Good." Elder said nodding.

"Yawn..... When the grandpa and grandson were discussing serious matters, there comes a sound of someone yawning heavily.

Both of them stopped their discussion midway and turned towards the source of the sound. What they saw almost made them laugh.

They saw, the little girl Eira was about to fall asleep while standing there on her two feets with her mouth open and drooling. Looks like she felt bored from all the serious talk between them. Not understanding anything, she was about to fall asleep while standing.

They looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Huh? What happened? Where am i?" Hearing their laugh, the little girl snapped out of ther sleep and looked around in confusion.

"Hey, sleepyhead. How bored were you that you fell asleep while standing? Ha, ha, ha, ha, that funny expression on your face was priceless." Ashmus pressed his stomach and laughed hard.

"Ahhhh.... Big brother, you are making fun of me again. I'm going to hit you... Hey, where are you going? Wait for me to beat you."