Cultivation Quest - I: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/4483733/

Cultivation Quest - II: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/4526665

>>4563107

Like tiny arcs of lightning, crackles of blinding white light explode out when you grab hold of the ethereal blade, instantly enveloping your entire right arm. Furthermore, a blistering sharp pain engulfed your temples, causing you to kneel in pain. This was undoubtedly because of the sword intent of that now seemed to rush into your body through your palm. Before long, you had no choice but to let go, unconsciously opening your eyes as you returned to reality.

You were left panting, but quickly composed yourself. Popping a medicinal pill in your mouth to stabilise your condition, you sat motionless with a thoughtful look. More than likely, the wooden sword must have been the cause of all this. After all, where could such strong sword intent materialise without a sword? You were certainly not anywhere near that level yet. However, you were undeterred, on the contrary, this further piqued your interest in the Dao of the Sword.

Without wasting any time, you quickly unroll the Hundred Sword Forms bamboo scroll and immerse yourself in the first section.


In total, there were five sections, each with twenty Sword Forms each. Most were variants of a few main stances and movements presented in their respective chapter. The first dealt with the very basics, footwork and posture, and had a single but deeply profound line written at the beginning which you didn’t notice on your first skim through.

"Alive is the sword, with will and intent. Alive is the swordsman, with will and intent. So when the swordsman moves, there is no sword and there is no swordsman, only will and intent, action and inaction."

Of course! When two wills conflict, enmity and strife arise. When two intents conflict, disaster and tragedy manifest. These were the two rather obvious conclusions you immediately drew. The backlash you suffered earlier was due to a dissonance between you and the blade. This would take some time to correct.

>>4563118

--One month later--


This was your seventh month in Divine Autumn Sect. You made substantial progress in the first chapter of the Hundred Sword Forms, becoming intimate with many of the stances. There was still much to work on, but this was fine for now. In the past month, you didn’t leave your room and sustained yourself only the remaining rations from Lone Star Peak.

When you weren’t engaging in sword drills, you meditated with the wooden sword present as instructed by your Honoured Master Lin Wu Xie. Slowly but surely, as you made more progress in the Hundred Sword Forms, you could slowly begin to wield the ethereal sword in your mind. This was a sign that your will was attuning to that of the blade.

Suddenly, a knock wakes you from your current meditative trance. Opening the door, it was Senior Brother Chi! “Junior Brother Wen, the Hall Master has requested your presence in his study. Your sword is ready.”

“I see, thank you for informing me, Senior Brother Chi.” You reply.

In the Hall Master’s study, only two figures were present, sitting directly across each other. You and Lin Wu Xie. On the table was a mysterious sword in a jet black scabbard, decorated with streaks of silver. Its hilt was wrapped in fine white leather, its guard a similar pure silver colour etched with intricate engravings. Lastly, a small green talisman filled with esoteric golden writings hung from the pommel in sharp contrast with the jet black of the rest of the blade.

>>4563119

Lin Wu Xie was the first to break the silence. “This blade has been forged from the purest of Refined Yuan Meteorite, and has formed a powerful but dormant Sword Intent. Most of it locked away because of the sword’s grade. Given your low cultivation, obtaining a high-grade sword would do you no good. On the contrary, it might hinder your cultivation. Thus, I requested that this sword be born as an Earth Grade Mid-Rank artifact. As your cultivation increases, you can request for the sword to be upgraded accordingly.”

“Disciple understands, Master.”

“With such a great blade as this, you should give it a name, or not. Come, tell this old one of your progress.”

You conceal no information on your recent gains, of which Lin Wu Xie seemed pleased with under his cold visage. Even providing some small advice now and then on your technique.

“En, continue training diligently. There will be many opportunities in the future to clinch, but only if you have the capability.” Lin Wu Xie says with a trace of bitterness.

With that, you cup your fists and bow, handling your newly acquired weapon with great care as you leave.


>Name your weapon (write in; optional)

+

>Continue cultivating the Hundred Sword Forms, no point stopping now, might as well go ahead and master all five chapters!

>Switch back to cultivating the Four Seasons Tempering Art, it is important that you can break through to the Second Stage of the Body Tempering Realm to sustain your sword training.

>write in

>>4563121
>Continue sword forms until our wills are attuned, then switch to four seasons tempering.

>Sword name: Contemplation [Of the Stars and lake]

Contemplation is the short name, but the full is the name of that which birthed it.

>>4563128
This

>>4563128
+1

>>4563128
+1

>>4563128
+1

>>4563128
+1

>>4563128
Support

>>4563128
+1, it's bandwagon time.

>>4563107
You can just drop this if you don't want to link every thread by itself: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Fate%20QM
Also you just copy-pasted the description of the last thread lol, it looks better if you come up with something new that describes the specific thread even if it's a short sentence. Even just "Wen's training continues" or something similar. I don't wanna sound preachy, so I'm sorry if I come off that way.

>>4563128
>>4563138
>>4563151
>>4563194
>>4563205
>>4563229
>>4563393
>>4563619

Good name, Contemplation (Of the Stars and Lake) (星海之思). Writing now!

>>4563805

(星河之思*)

>>4563837
星湖之思 actually. 海 is ocean 河 is river

>>4563917
Thank you for correcting!

>>4563805
The image of the vision instantly surfaces in your mind, from which you draw inspiration. Contemplation (Of the Stars and Lakes)! That would be the name of your sword. You sling it with pride by your waist and return to your quarters to continue cultivating.

With your new sword in front of you, you close your eyes and slow your breathing. This was all now routine to you, even instinctual, so without any trouble, you enter a deep meditative state.

As expected, an outline of a blade materialised. But this time, it took after the form of Contemplation. Moreover, the Sword Intent emanating from it was much stronger than that of the wooden sword. Yet, you couldn’t help but feel that it was being restrained by something. Perhaps this was what Honoured Master meant by a powerful but dormant Sword Intent. Without even touching the blade, crackles of lightning surged through it, almost as if it was made of electricity. You don’t dare touch it with your current skill.


--Two months later--


Of the first twenty sword forms, you practiced them day and night in the serene courtyards of August Star Peak. They had now become ingrained deep in your mind, almost as much as the Ever-changing Step. However, it seemed like it would take much more effort to fully attune your will to Contemplation. In the past two months, you only managed to hold the blade in your mind for ten breaths at a time before the pain was too head-splitting to endure.

The only thing you could do was patiently meditate diligently and work on the remaining eighty sword forms.


--Three months later--


It has been a year since you joined the sect. In addition to mastering the first two chapters of the Hundred Sword Forms, you were able to form a stable connection with Contemplation. Now, you could wield it in your mind for at least a hundred breaths. This allowed you to carry out your sword drills mentally, something you realised could greatly speed up the training process.

Naturally, it would make sense to continue with the third chapter. The first form of it was a defensive posture that simultaneously primed one’s body to attack, not unlike a surrounded tiger prowling defensively as it prepared to strike. One had to execute a certain breathing technique as described by the bamboo scroll when carrying out this sword form, the purpose of which was to dramatically increase the speed of one’s blood flow. When you carried it out though, it left your body aching all over with intense searing pain rushing through your veins.

Your body couldn’t handle it! This would probably be no issue for a Qi Condensing cultivator, but you were still stuck at the First Stage of the Body Tempering Realm. It was time to continue cultivating the second of the Eight Paths of Rebirth. The Ever-changing Fist! After mastering it, you would enter the Second Stage of the Body Tempering Realm.

>>4565002

--Half a year later--


The Ever-changing Fist was a direct continuation of the Ever-changing Step and built upon the same foundation. Cultivating it was also similar. One had to begin ceaselessly drilling the motions until they became muscle memory, then the myriad changes would begin to manifest. Subtle changes in each repetition would appear, and this inevitably led to differences in the force and speed of each strike.

Every strike made your bones and joints burst with pain. You didn’t know how much force you were exerting on your body, but gradually, the pain subsided until there was no more, signalling that you reached the tipping point where your insight and physique qualified to enter the next minor realm.

With your gains in the Profound Autumnal Pools, there was no issue breaking through to the Second Stage of the Body Tempering Realm, except for the immense pain that followed for the following days.

Your body underwent staggering changes as a result. Your bones became as hard as steel. Your flesh was further tempered, becoming even more intrepid, and the walls of your blood vessels thickened while maintaining their elasticity. Still, you were unsure of whether this was enough to begin cultivating the third chapter of the Hundred Sword Forms.

During this time, you also made sure to meditate daily, and now you could wield Contemplation for at least an hour in your mind’s eye.

>Continue cultivating the Four Seasons Tempering Art till the next minor realm.

>Continue cultivating the Four Seasons Tempering Art until reaching the Qi Condensing Realm.

>Attempt to cultivate the third chapter of the Hundred Sword Forms.

>write in.

>>4565004
>Continue cultivating four seasons until Qi condensing realm

Finish off Body temperance so we can be done with the ever changing movements. I don't want to keep having to come back to deal with it whenever we reach a new technique.

>>4565004
>continue cultivating the FSTA till Qi Tempering
Might as well make sure we can handle it before moving back to Sword training. Moreover it should help us with our lifespan and vigor, considering we started that we were already an adult and it takes quite a while to reach break-throughs. I wonder if we still have the tan of a wanderer.
Still, make sure to keep the sword around even while cultivating other techniques, to help make it part of our nature.

Also it has been a year and a half sonce we got in here! Even if we kinda missed the anniversary, we can at least check in with our acquaintances and friends and maybe take a walk through the complex.

>>4565019
Qi Condensing*
Since*

I should really stop phoneposting.

>>4565019
Wait another six months of training, then we can take a day or two off to go see our acquaintances for some noodles or shit.

The Tempering will keep us busy until then.

>>4565004
>>Continue cultivating the Four Seasons Tempering Art until reaching the Qi Condensing Realm.

>>4565004
>Continue cultivating the Four Seasons Tempering Art until reaching the Qi Condensing Realm.

No point knowing how to sword if your body can't keep up. Besides, cultivation brings benefits like increased stamina which should help us out in the long term.

>>4565004
>Continue cultivating the Four Seasons Tempering Art until reaching the Qi Condensing Realm.

>>4565004
>Continue cultivating the Four Seasons Tempering Art until reaching the Qi Condensing Realm.

>>4565004
>ask Lin Wu Xie for advice
he is our master, he should give us some more advice than "here's a sword and a scroll now go study, lol"

>>4565004

>Continue cultivating the Four Seasons Tempering Art until reaching the Qi Condensing Realm.

>>4565086
Core disciples are expected to be able to cultivate by themselves. Deciding which training we want to finish doesn't need our master's imput at all.

>>4565004
>Continue cultivating the Four Seasons Tempering Art until reaching the Qi Condensing Realm.

>>4565086
Our mentor is just following the college professor's school of teaching.

>>4565004
>Continue cultivating the Four Seasons Tempering Art until reaching the Qi Condensing Realm.
Timeskips are kino.

>>4565086
We're a Core disciple anon, if we asked the master for advice on something so insignificant as this we would lose face.

>>4565004
>Continue cultivating the Four Seasons Tempering Art until reaching the Qi Condensing Realm.

>>4565937
>>4565478
>>4565463
>>4565350
>>4565157
>>4565086
>>4565047
>>4565044
>>4565037
>>4565031
>>4565022
>>4565021
>>4565019
>>4565018

Writing now!

>>4565987

Sorry for the lack of posts so far, the next one will be rather long so it'll be up within the next 24 hours or so.

>>4569233

(I've decided to split this into two posts, this is the first part)

“It’s not enough… I need to raise my cultivation base!” you thought. For your age, your cultivation was shockingly low. This was expected for a mortal, but after reaching the First Stage of the Qi Condensing Realm, you’d still be a few years behind your peers. This was a matter of utmost importance, even without the need to cultivate the Hundred Sword Forms.

You take out the Four Seasons Tempering Art manual, burning with the determination of getting stronger. The Third and Fourth Paths of Rebirth were titled Marrow Refinement Art and Blood Ignition Art respectively, and corresponded to Summer. Both parts required one to expose themselves the blazing Yang energy of the Sun. For the first, to purify one’s bone marrow. For the second, to purify their blood. Only then would one be able to break through to the Third Stage of the Body Tempering Realm.

At the highest point on August Star Peak, you sat with legs crossed and eyes shut high above the clouds, exposed to the radiant rays of the sun. It had just turned noon where the Yang energy of the sun was at its most potent. With a deep breath, you follow through with the special breathing technique described in the Marrow Refinement Art. Instantly, a strong heat pulsed through your bones, getting hotter and hotter with each breath.

Just after the time it took to burn an incense stick, you opened your eyes. This was your current limit. After consuming some medicinal pills and resting for an hour, you tried again. This time, you managed to last slightly longer.

Over the next three months, you meditated at the top of the peak from sunrise to sunset, taking occasional breaks in between. In your sessions, Contemplation was also in front of you. The Marrow Refinement Art didn’t actually require a lot of attention, one only needed to carry out the breathing technique. As such, you quickly committed it to muscle memory, allowing you to continue attuning your will to the blade as you refined your marrow.

Very soon, all the marrow in your body was bursting with vitality and the blood cells they produced also underwent a staggering change. Each and every one was burning with large amounts of vital energy.

Next, you cultivated the Blood Ignition Art. The breathing technique differed slightly from the Marrow Refinement Art but remained largely the same. The purpose, though, was vastly different. The Blood Ignition Art could expedite the rate at which these new blood cells were formed.

In another three months, virtually all your blood cells had been replaced, which had the effect of increasing your longevity. At this point, you could no longer be considered a mortal. Your lifespan was at least sixty years longer, and you would now begin to age significantly slower due to the new reserves of vitality stored in your blood.

(1/3)

>>4570692

To initiate the breakthrough required one to carry out one breath cycle of the Marrow Refinement Art, followed by two breath cycles of the Blood Ignition Art. A total of eighty-one full cycles were needed to successfully break through to the Third Stage. As a test, you carried out one cycle, only to find out that intense heat, more intense than when you first started cultivating the Marrow Refinement Art, began to course through your entire body.

The first day ended in failure. Just after the eighteenth full cycle, you passed out from the pain, only to awake in the middle of the following night drenched in sweat with a high fever that subsided shortly. In your daze, you fail to notice that someone had brought you back to your room. Embarrassed, you went to sleep.

The following day was much the same, except you lasted twenty-four full cycles this time and didn’t lose consciousness, thankfully.

More days passed. thirty-one cycles, thirty-seven cycles, forty-nine cycles, fifty-five cycles. Each day you edged ever closer to eighty-one cycles.

Finally, on the twentieth day, you managed to hold out until you completed eighty-one full cycles.

Third Stage Body Tempering Realm!

With the passing of spring and summer would come autumn, a time where the bright days of summer have gone by and the dark winter days draw near. Embodying this were the Fifth and Sixth Paths of Rebirth, the Twelve Falling Leaves and Withering Leaf Constitution. The latter struck you as odd, a body akin to that of a withering leaf? Did the author perhaps make a mistake in naming the technique?

The former was related to reconstructing the twelve major meridians of the body. This was an essential part of Body Tempering and laid the foundation for advancing to the Qi Condensing Realm. One’s existing Qi pathways would reform and open up, allowing for Qi to flow more smoothly within the body. It was encouraged to cultivate this technique during autumn, where an aura of death loomed over the myriad things. Thankfully, Autumn’s Rest was in a perpetual state of autumn, maintained by an ancient and profound Spirit Array, which made it extremely suitable to cultivate the Twelve Falling Leaves.

>>4570694

However, depending on where one cultivated this technique, the newly formed Qi pathways would vary in quality and be imbued with certain characteristics related to Qi flow and affinity. For example, if one cultivated the Twelve Falling Leaves near an area filled with Blood Qi, then they would develop a certain affinity for Blood Qi and techniques that were based on it. If one cultivated the Twelve Falling Leaves near a waterfall, then their Qi flow would take on the characteristics of crashing water.

In the grand scheme of things, as one progressed, these wouldn’t mean much, but were still important to consider. After all, the greatest talents of the realm all had high affinity with some type of Qi and/or possessed a unique Qi flow.

Seeing as this was a crucial choice, you decided to consult Lin Wu Xie. “Very interesting… This old one will not force you to choose a location. That is your own choice and destiny. I do, however, know of certain locations in and near the sect that would be very suitable to cultivate this technique. Naturally, each of them are rich in a certain type of Qi.”

“Many thanks, Master!”

From the locations listed, you choose to go to…

>The Heaven-spying Spirit Falls (Outside the sect, rich in Water Qi)

>Brightgrove Forest (Outside the sect, rich in Wood Qi)

>Base of Primordial Leaf Peak (In the sect, rich in Earth Qi)

>Top of Primordial Leaf Peak (In the sect, rich in Yang Qi in the day and Yin Qi at night)

>Firestone Tomb (Outside the sect, rich in Fire Qi)

>write in (request some Qi type, or even some crazy method of cultivating the technique)

(3/3)

>>4570698
>The Heaven-Spying Spirit Falls under the light of the moon [Moon Qi]

Right, so I may be being a bit of a munchkin here, but here's my thought. Water and the Sky are important to us for the revelations and representation of wisdom they present.
So what is both in the sky, and has an effect upon the Water. The Moon.

While it won't affect the water as strongly as pure water Qi, the push and pull of gravity as well as the motions and waves across the sea we can produce with a pebble should be more than enough recompense.
Or to stop babbling, "Moon Qi to trade the greater power over water for a reduced ability for greater bang for our buck/secondary affinity for the floating/weightless techniques"

>>4570698

>The Heaven-spying Spirit Falls (Outside the sect, rich in Water Qi)

>>4570709
Of a peculiar way to cultivate the technique, Do it by staying mobile around the falls and the light of luna shines down, representing the path of the moon around the realms, interspacing our 'full moon' position with kicking the water towards us, while the 'empty moon' we kick the water away from us.

>>4570698
>The Heaven-spying Spirit Falls (Outside the sect, rich in Water Qi)
All of our revelations been somewhat water related so far, might as well go all in.

I am un fortunately creatively bankrupt. But I recommend we search for an autumnal site with Sword Qi.

Falling Sword Forest?

>>4570698
>Top of Primordial Leaf Peak (In the sect, rich in Yang Qi in the day and Yin Qi at night)
>>4570709
moon is yin qi, so what you mean is this option. if we get some yang energy I don't think it'll be too bad as well, it wont hurt our boy Wen to man up a bit.

>>4570954
Right, thanks.

>>4570709
I'll change my vote to Top of primordial leaf Peak for the idea I had.

If my Sword Qi write in does not gain traction I will also through in behind Primordial leaf peak

>>4570698
>Top of Primordial Leaf Peak
Specializing in just one element is for chumps and losers, it's like they never played Rock Paper Scissors!

>>4570954
+1

>>4570698
>The Heaven-spying Spirit Falls (Outside the sect, rich in Water Qi)

>>4570698
>>Top of Primordial Leaf Peak (In the sect, rich in Yang Qi in the day and Yin Qi at night)
I really want Earth Qi though, since it's the balance of Yin and Yang. Plus it's associated with the four seasons

>>4570698
>The Heaven-spying Spirit Falls (Outside the sect, rich in Water Qi)
The mongols fear the min maxing water qi practitioner

>>4570698
>Top of Primordial Leaf Peak (In the sect, rich in Yang Qi in the day and Yin Qi at night)

Yin and yang (balance) suits us better than focusing on one element.

>>4571130
>>4570870
Eh, sword doesn't really represent our scholarly nature.

>>4571130
Water can cut through rock

>>4571852
>>4571837
>>4571781
>>4571463
>>4571371
>>4571270
>>4571248
>>4571130
>>4571122
>>4571084
>>4570954
>>4570870
>>4570743
>>4570710
>>4570709

Writing now!

File: tenor-1.gif (151 KB, 220x123)

151 KB GIF

>>4573320
>writing now

>>4575908
lol, don't rush OP. he's just built that way

>>4575908
>>4576686
>>4573320

Post will be up tomorrow. Sorry guys, been a busy week.

>>4576911
Don't worry about it m8, just do your thing.

>>4573320

After a moment of thought, you decided on where to go. "Disciple Wen wishes to go to the top of Primordial Leaf Peak."


Primordial Leaf Peak was the resting place of all Sect Masters of Divine Autumn Sect, making it the most sacred site in Autumn's Rest. Naturally, such significance meant that the area inside was a restricted area, but occasionally, disciples would pass by its perimeter to offer respects to the ancestors and attempt to gain enlightenment through immersing themselves in the sage-like aura of the mountain. In the long history of Divine Autumn Sect, many have tried, but only a few have succeeded. Yet, it wasn’t rare to see disciples coming here to mediate frequently.

Previously, it would’ve been hard to gain access to the mountain peak, but now that you were a core disciple, it was a different story. Lin Wu Xie could personally request for you to gain entrance temporarily.

Lin Wu Xie stopped to ponder for a moment, nodding after a while. “Very well, Disciple Wen. Give me a few days to ask the Sect Master. You are dismissed.”

With that you take your leave and return to your usual routine of meditation and practicing the Hundred Sword Forms. After a few days, Senior Brother Chi came to bring you to Lin Wu Xie’s study. At this point, he was basically your personal messenger which you couldn’t help feeling a little embarrassed for. He didn’t seem to mind, though, always putting on the same expression and melancholic air around him.

Inside the study there were three people. Lin Wu Xie, Sect Master Liu, and Elder Luo. It had been at least a year since you saw Elder Luo and even longer since you saw Sect Master Liu. You instantly break out a smile. “Disciple Wen greets fellow seniors!”

Sect Master Liu was the first to speak. “It is good to see you again young Wen. I’m sure you know why we’re all here today.”

You stare at Sect Master Liu with anticipation, waiting eagerly for his response. “The Sect can allow you to go to the peak of Primordial Leaf Mountain on one condition…”

Immediately, you cup your fists in attention upon hearing Sect Master Liu’s words, a bead of sweat dripping down your back. “Whatever it is, this Wen will not hesitate to carry out!”

“Pay your respects to the ancestors first!”

Elder Luo let out a soft chuckle while Lin Wu Xie looked on indifferently. On the other hand, what Sect Master Liu said reverberated in your ears like a loud gong. This wasn’t something that you considered. How could you be allowed to enter the mountain without even paying respects to the great predecessors buried there?

“Disciple will follow Sect Master’s order!” You say with a voice filled with resolve. Elder Luo and Sect Master Liu were somewhat taken aback by this. However, they couldn’t but feel warmed by your show of filial piety. Even Lin Wu Xie nodded in approval.

(1/5)

>>4578195

After some catching up, you embark on a short pilgrimage to the mountain, arriving in just half an hour. Primordial Leaf Peak was massive, larger than all the three core disciple peaks combined, stretching above the clouds. A few groups of outer disciples could be seen gathering around the base of the mountain, some meditating while others were engaging in their own conversations.

When you arrived with Sect Master Liu, Elder Luo, and Lin Wu Xie, everyone present immediately cupped their fists in reverence.

“Greetings Sect Master.”

“Disciple greets fellow seniors.”

“Greetings Senior Brother Wen.”

Being addressed as senior brother felt extremely weird, especially when every disciple around you had a higher cultivation. Off to the side though, someone eyed you down, hatred stirring in his eyes. It was the disciple who brought you to Elder Luo’s residence when you first entered the sect, beside him was the man named Wu Xiang who you also met a few years back. Both didn’t dare act disrespectfully in front of the elders, and had no choice but to also offer greetings.

You return the courtesy, bowing to many cultivators present. Inwardly, you were quite nervous. The clear divide between those that supported and those that disdained you was currently on full display.

Whispers could be heard as you followed the elders up the mountain. Eventually, you reach a great stone door engraved with the words “Primordial Leaf Peak”, which opened when Sect Master Liu performed a series of handseals.

Elder Luo motioned you to enter first, simultaneously handing you a small bundle of incense. A single step in, a shocking aura immediately enveloped you. It was holy, sage-like, and archaic. Strangely enough, it appeared to be drawing you into the room, towards a certain spot. Small fluctuations of golden light could also be seen in the jade on your bracer.

Numerous portraits and tombs lined the sides of the great hall, but at the center was a particularly large portrait and extravagant tomb. You could tell that this specific tomb was the main source of the heavenly aura.

Sect Master Liu, hands clasped behind his back, sighed with a somber expression. "That is the ancestral founder of Divine Autumn Sect. Sect Master Qiu Xuan Ming (秋玄明), Daoist name; Sageleaf. He passed away peacefully in meditation… In his life, he reached an unfathomable height in his cultivation, along with his contemporaries. Though, the current generation cannot compare with the glorious years of yore,we must do what we can to reclaim our past glory!

Shan Yi, we have brought you here today not only for the sake of your cultivation, but also to remind you of your importance to the sect. You young ones are the future of Divine Autumn Sect, our very foundation. Go and pay your respects, cherish this opportunity well."

(2/5)

>>4578198

Awe and reverence welled up inside you. Greatly moved, you nod and approach the tomb of Sageleaf. From this close up, it looked like the huge portrait was staring down at you, eyeing your every move. Seemingly, able to pierce through your every thought and intention.

You make sure to carefully place the incense in the bowl, lighting it up and kowtowing with the elders. Silence filled the entire hall for the time it took nine incense sticks to burn.

When all was done, Sect Master Liu pointed in a certain direction. “The staircase over there leads to the very top of Primordial Leaf Peak. We seniors shall take our leave now, Disciple Wen.”

You bow gracefully. “Many thanks, Sect Master Liu, Elder Luo, Honoured Master.”

More steps to ascend… In roughly the time it took to brew a cup of tea, you reached the top while moving at a fairly quick pace. The sun hung high in the sky in full view, above the clouds that drifted below. This place was even higher than the top of August Star Peak!

The strange feeling from earlier grew stronger, warping between bouts of nostalgia and deja vu. For some reason your mind was unusually clear right now, this would be the perfect time to perform some meditation. After reviewing the section on the Twelve Falling Leaves in the Four Seasons Tempering Art manual, you sit down and close your eyes.

The technique described to reform the twelve major meridians was a set of movements called the Samsara of Autumn, and it was similar to the Tai Ji practiced by mortals. You recall in your village, that there would always be a few people ranging from small children to seniors as old as seventy practicing some form of Tai Ji in the village square. In truth, all those techniques paled in comparison to even the weakest secret arts of the Heavenly Domain, but provided mortals with a form of exercise needed to keep a healthy body.

In contrast, the set of movements in the Samsara of Autumn were many times more profound, able to draw on the mysterious powers of Heaven and Earth to smelt the meridians.

Time was an unknown concept to cultivators in deep meditative trances. At this moment, you were completely unaware of the passage of time. Almost immediately, you entered a state of unwavering focus, tuning out all outer and inner distractions. What lay in front of you, in your mind’s eye, was pure blackness, and within that blackness was you carrying out the Samsara of Autumn, or at least you were attempting to.

Each repetition was exceedingly difficult to visualise. You could memorise each movement by itself but visualising them together proved to be a great challenge.

Every failure took a huge toll on your mental energy, but you persevered. Hundreds if not thousands of failed attempts piled on top of each other before finally, you managed to perform a full set.

(3/5)

>>4578201

Suddenly, a figure emerged, draped in luminous golden light. It resembled an old man and upon closer inspection, his visage was identical to that of Sect Master Sageleaf. The golden figure carried out the Samara of Autumn perfectly, allowing you to marvel at every nuance in the motion, every precise action taken. There looked to be no effort in the motion at all.

At last, the figure completed 144 full sets and you open your eyes to find that it was still day. However, a fine layer of dust had gathered on your head and shoulders. You must have been in meditation for some time. Thoughts raced through your head. There was some sort of connection between the Four Seasons Tempering Art and Sageleaf.

Whatever the case, you begin the Samsara of Autumn with your new-found enlightenment. Seeing as it was your first time physically carrying out the movements, you performed them at a snail’s pace, not wanting to make the slightest mistake. In what took about five minutes for the golden figure, you took more than an hour to complete an entire set coupled with mysterious energy slowly funnelling into your body, concentrating on a single point - the lung meridian!

After a few more attempts, you managed to get the time down to an hour, then fifty minutes and so on.

Night fell as you completed the tenth set, with more than a hundred left to go, this would be a multi-day affair.

On completing the twelfth set, a shocking amount of vitality burst from your lung meridian as it was shattered and reformed, momentarily surging with Yin Qi from the moon which dispersed just as fast as it entered.

From this, you obtained greater understanding on how the Samsara of Autumn functioned. Each repetition was designed to concentrate the power of Heaven and Earth onto one of the major meridians of the body. At every twelfth set, enough energy would be channeled to completely shatter one of the meridians and reform it. If it was night time, that meridian would be more attuned to Yin Qi and if it was day time, it would be more attuned to Yang Qi. Since each of the major meridians was associated with either Yin or Yang, why not complete each cycle such that you could obtain an affinity with both types of Qi, you thought.

Over the next few days, your mastery over the motions increased greatly. Now you could time the completion of each repetition, allowing you to carry out your idea. When the energy of Heaven and Earth was concentrated on a Yang meridian, you completed the twelfth set during the day. When it was concentrated on a Yin meridian, you did the same during the night. Sleepless and hungry, you were teetering on the verge of collapse.

(4/5)

>>4578203

One week later, the 144th set was complete, accompanied by the reformation of the twelfth major meridian. More vital energy surged through your body and each breath you took caused a sliver of energy to flow through your meridians before being ejected out through the pores on your skin. Qi flow!

Furthermore, you could sense a dualistic nature presiding in the Qi, existing in harmony and disharmony all at the same time. A contradiction that perplexed you.

You pondered the matter of Sect Master Sageleaf once more before your focus returned to cultivation. Your next step was to cultivate the Withering Leaf Constitution. It was much like a prolonged fast. One had to meditate for at least three months with total concentration, completely awake and without any sustenance. Preferably, half a year was optimal, but exceptionally difficult to accomplish without putting one’s life in grave danger.

The breathing technique described was also rather unique, one had to carry out a series of long breaths interlaced with short breaths in between. As for what effect this would have, the manual didn’t say, only that at the end, one would lose his desire for food and sleep.

Beside this instruction was a quote. “Withered leaves die in autumn and return to the earth in winter, forming the foundation for future life. Wither the body like a leaf, rebuild the foundation of oneself.”

You…

>Return to August Star Peak to seek advice from Lin Wu Xie.

>Continue cultivating on the mountain.

>Cultivate the Withered Leaf Constitution elsewhere (write in)

>Write in

(5/5)

>>4578206

>Return to August Star Peak to seek advice from Lin Wu Xie.

>>4578206
>Continue cultivating on the mountain.
Ghost grandpa will help us.

>>4578206
>>Continue cultivating on the mountain.

>>4578206
>Go get some food and meditate on the strange energy contradiction that we feel [if we are allowed back in after we leave, if not then don't.]
>Then Continue cultivation on the mountain.

Whooooooo!

>>4578633
This. Insights are rare.

>>4578206
Supporting >>4578633

>>4578633
Yes. I support this action

>>4578206
>Continue cultivating on the mountain.
Do not leave this mountain until we're finished here

>>4578633
I feel the need to clarify that we meditate anyway, just get food if we can leave the mountain and come back.

>>4579103
Food is for suckers, we are transcending here!

>>4579435
Never meditate on an empty stomach.

And it says that it is Ideal to wither for 6 months, but you can make it for 3. Well bitch I want 4 months and the best way to strech it out is to start on a full stomach.

>>4579563
>>4579435
>>4579103
>>4579008
>>4578994
>>4578986
>>4578690
>>4578633
>>4578444
>>4578328
>>4578230

Writing now!

>>4578203
Hmm, You know a thought occurs to me. Sageleaf could possibly have been a mortal man who created the autumn tempering style or perhaps was simply a notable practiioner.

>>4580227

Eager to immediately continue cultivating, you sit down, but right as you do so, your grumbling stomach reminds you of your ravenous hunger. This was your longest period without food so far. Even if entering that state of deep enlightenment slowed down your body’s metabolism and reduced energy consumption, it was still a significant time without any sustenance. Coupled with the fact that you spent another week cultivating the Samsara of Autumn, you were much thinner, visibly so.

As your stomach wailed in craving, a small gust of wind shot out behind you, followed by a fragrant scent which made drool drip from your mouth. Turning around in shock, you were greeted by the full figure of Sect Master Liu holding a small basket. Inside, you could see an assortment of dumplings and two bowls of rice.

“I’ve been using my Divine Sense to check on you. It seems like you’ve made huge gains over the past few months.” Sect Master Liu says with a grin.

“A few months?” You ask.

“En. You were in that meditative trance for five months or so. In those five months, dark clouds gathered above Primordial Leaf Peak.” Sect Master Liu continues while taking the food out of the basket. “Many of the disciples were quite anxious about what was happening. Especially at the occasional golden flashes that would occur.”

Boisterous laughter filled your ears while you stared ahead in disbelief. Five months without food and water was no joke for a semi-mortal like yourself. No wonder you were now traversing the tight line between consciousness and death.

“Eat up Disciple Wen, tell this old one about your cultivation so far.”

You kowtow in gratitude, greatly moved with tears almost streaming down your pale skeletal face. “This Wen will forever be grateful, Sect Master.”

Picking up the two bowls, you could tell that this was no ordinary spirit rice, the fragrance that wafted from it calmed the mind, and soothed the soul. Under the evening sun, there was even a slight white glow surrounding each tiny grain. This must have been some form of spirit food, similar to the spirit tea you savoured a few years back during the opening of the Profound Autumnal Pools.

Though only a short moment passed, the two bowls of rice disappeared, down to the last grain. Each grain exploded with energy when they entered your mouth, similarly bursting with a myriad of flavours you never knew you could experience with white rice. With every bite, colour returned to your skin and you regained your lost weight.

Time passed as you informed Sect Master Liu of your progress while chowing down on the dumplings filled with various fillings. Eventually, all the food was finished, leaving you with a healthy flush on your face, brimming with energy.

>>4585736

Sect Master Liu stood up and brushed the dust off his clothes. “Well then, this old one will leave you to your cultivation. Be careful on this next step, Disciple Wen. From the look of it, you won’t be able to reduce your energy consumption.”

“Disciple knows.” You say, bowing respectfully.

In the blink of an eye, Sect Master Liu’s figure flickered, leaving only a gust of wind in his wake which swept up some dust. It was now time to cultivate the Withering Leaf Constitution, probably the hardest obstacle to overcome yet.

Once again, you sit down facing the setting sun and take a deep breath. At this point, there was no turning back. You embarked on the path of cultivation two and a half years ago. Memories from back then flood into your mind at this very moment, accompanied by a sense of longing and nostalgia. Another breath caused these thoughts to dissipate, and then the next transitioned you into the breathing technique for the Withering Leaf Constitution.

Short breaths interlaced with long drawn out breaths, filling and emptying your lungs in an endless rhythmic loop. After the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, all your attention was spent on maintaining the breathing cycles. Now, it was clear that this specific breathing technique was designed to keep the cultivator fully conscious and awake. Any deviation from the set pattern would lead to momentary breathlessness. At the beginning, this wouldn’t be too much of an issue, but after weeks of constant meditation, fatigue would naturally set in, making the ramifications exponentially more significant.

Two weeks, which felt like an eternity, passed. All was quiet atop Primordial Leaf Peak, aside from the usual rain and thunderstorms, but they were only minor disturbances compared to the exhaustion you were feeling. To think that you’d have to do this for at least three months was almost soul-crushing.

Another week later, the gnawing pain in your stomach roared viciously, spreading weakness through all your limbs and organs. When the pain began to mount, there had not been a single second of calm. Beads of sweat constantly formed on your forehead, worsening the already dire lack of water.

The other Paths of Rebirth paled in comparison to this final tribulation.

Soon, it reached a month, by which you were dangerously close to passing out. Time passed gruesomely slow. The pain had long become so intense that it numbed your five senses. Everything now felt like a formless grey blob. Every experience, both physical and mental, all melded into a single blank sensation.

You…

>Embrace the blank sensation, dive further into it. There’s no turning back at this point.

>Fight against the numbing of your senses. Attempt to regain your full consciousness.

>Write in

>>4585738
>Embrace the blank sensation, dive further into it. There’s no turning back at this point
The withering

>Embrace the blank sensation, dive further into it. There’s no turning back at this point.
seems there isnt much of a poit to finghing against the blakness, hell we did kinda the same with the pools

>>4585738
>Embrace the blank, dive further In.

Embrace the pain, wither. Your every focus must be on the breathing rituals, let no other stimulus take our senses.

>>4585738
>Embrace the blank sensation, dive further into it. There’s no turning back at this point.
Let the water move us.

>Embrace the blank sensation, dive further into it. There’s no turning back at this point.
This is what we came here for

>>4585738
>Embrace the blank sensation, dive further into it. There’s no turning back at this point.

>>4585738
>Fight against the numbing of your senses. Attempt to regain your full consciousness.

>>4585738
>Embrace the blank sensation, dive further into it. There’s no turning back at this point.
Either we die or we succeed, let's go.

>>4585738

>Embrace the blank sensation, dive further into it. There’s no turning back at this point.

>>4586715
>>4586290
>>4585869
>>4585827
>>4585810
>>4585804
>>4585769
>>4585767
>>4585746

Writing now!

>>4589132
back from IP ban, here to remind you QM

>>4590903
>>4589132

Post will be up tomorrow.

>>4593864
see you then QM

>>4589132

At this critical juncture, there were two choices now presented to you. Fight against the numbing of your senses or embrace the blank sensation. Common sense dictated that one fight to stay awake, to stay aware of one’s own conscious experience, but deep inside, you know it would be futile. The only real path forward was to let go.

With all resistance quickly fading away, your five numbed senses shut off one by one. First to go was your sense of touch. No longer could you feel the ground upon which you sat, nor the wind blowing at your face, nor the pain spreading from your stomach. Next was your sense of smell, together with the pleasant scent of nature that permeated Primordial Leaf Peak. Then your sense of taste, hearing, and lastly, your sense of sight. Even if your eyes were closed, you could tell that if they opened right now, you wouldn’t be able to see a thing.

You and your thoughts. That was all that was left. It felt as if a void was consuming your existence, starting with the fleshly body, then the mind. Everything other than the breathing technique dissolved into nothingness, leaving your mind a blank grey slate.

Eventually, confusion began to set in.

“Who am I?”

“What am I?”

“Where am I?”

More thoughts and questions arose amidst the endless grey. These too vanished as an unknown amount of time passed. But still, you were awake…

Practically an arrow at the end of its flight, to anyone looking outside, you were pretty much a bag of bones sitting peacefully atop the mountain. If one got close enough, they would be able to hear the faint sounds of rhythmic breathing. To be conscious yet devoid of sensation, devoid of feeling, devoid of desire, devoid of craving, felt completely natural, as contradictory as it all seemed. Like a leaf, you had withered, soon to return to the proverbial earth…

Even more time passed, though to you, there was no difference between seconds, days, and weeks. Out of the blue, you sensed a peculiar change occurring within you, starting at your lungs. A faint trace of refreshing warmth spread out from your lungs, first reaching shoulders and stomach, then slowly spreading out to cover more of your body. Interestingly, the rate at which this warmth spread appeared to be directly related to the rate at which you were breathing!

Soon, the warmth rose to an intense level. It rushed through every corner of your body, nourishing every bone, every ligament, every muscle. Finally, your eyes open at long last, accompanied by a refreshing sensation coursing through your body. No longer do you feel the need to sleep, no longer do you feel the need to eat. It’s as if you’ve been reborn. Even your physical features, right down to misalignments in your bone structure, have been newly repaired.

First Stage Qi Condensing Realm!

(1/3)

>>4595320

Accompanying this were violent fluctuations that rolled off from the peak of the mountain, catching the attention of all the disciples below. Above you, a circle of dark clouds gathered that roared with vicious thunder. As for you, every breath felt like a surge of energy, revitalising your very soul.

Sword on your back, you descend the mountain. At the summit, groups of disciples clasped their hands in reverence at your arrival, clearly awed by your display just now.


--


Back at August Star Peak, you went to greet Lin Wu Xie before returning to your quarters, informing him of your recent breakthrough. Half a year had passed since you sat down to meditate, according to him. Many important events had taken place while you were gone. The most notable of which being the expeditions that peak Qi Condensing disciples would embark on to reach Foundation Establishment. Of the roughly 400 disciples that went, only around 150 returned successfully, and of those 150, only about half made it to Foundation Establishment. The reason for this, of course, was that the holy sites that disciples went too would see stiff competition from the other sects, mainly the other three great sects. The exact details weren’t explained to you, but you could imagine the sheer brutality of such expeditions.

In the future, you would have to set out on such a trial to advance to the next cultivation realm. When the time comes, you would need to be at the very peak of Qi Condensing to have the highest chance of making it out alive. Unfortunately, cultivation was a dangerous endeavour no matter how one looked at it. Cultivating was akin to opposing the will of the heavens, to lengthen one’s lifespan and resist death, to seek the powers of Heaven and Earth for one’s use. But ultimately, this was necessary to further your goal of studying the natural Dao. Only through raising your cultivation, gaining more experience, could you gain more understanding.

After resting for a few days, you resumed your training with newfound motivation, starting with the third chapter of the Hundred Sword Forms. Now that your body has been properly tempered, it was almost a breeze to begin practice. The previously gruesome breathing technique was presently just a minor discomfort which you quickly got used to.

Only a month later, you had the third chapter under your belt and started with the fourth. The fourth chapter focused on speed and movements to close distance quickly between oneself and his opponent. This was quickly taken care of in another month.

(2/3)

>>4595322

The last chapter was particularly vicious, focusing on pure offense. Slashes, thrusts, jabs, a myriad of attacks were illustrated with shocking precision. One was required to synchronise their breathing with each swing of the sword, thereby giving one’s attacks significantly more power. Yet again, a single month was what it took to master the entire Hundred Sword Form, without the need to eat or sleep, you could work with much greater efficiency.

The next day, a knocking sound awoke you from your meditation. To your surprise, standing on the other side of the door was Lin Wu Xie. He had personally come to see you this time. With hands clasped together, you bow. “Disciple greets Honoured Master.”

“Come with me. We’re going to the Scripture Sanctum to get you a new secret art.” said Lin Wu Xie.

You are absolutely filled with excitement as you walk to the Scripture Sanctum located within the mountain. The entrance wasn’t far from the main building, only taking about an incense stick worth of time to walk to. Inside, shelves of scrolls, tomes, and tablets filled the room. Each and every one of them emanating an ancient and profound air.

“When you find a secret art that interests you, report back to my study.”

With that, Lin Wu Xie’s figure flickers and disappears from sight, leaving you at a loss as to how to choose an appropriate secret art.

You…

>Pick a random secret art, let fate dictate what you’ll get.

>Focus on offensive secret arts.

>Focus on defensive secret arts.

>Look through a good mix of both offensive and defensive secret arts.

>write in

(3/3)

>>4595329
>Look through a good mix of both offensive and defensive secret arts.
Yin and Yang.

>>4595329
>Look for counter-attack focused Secret arts

"As the waves roll back, so to do they crash back upon the beach."
But psudo-philosophical shit aside, learning an art which works best when we are attacked fits well with our scholar nature. We don't seek to cause harm or make trouble but if others do, then their attacks are redirected and they find themselves sprawled on the floor with several grevious wounds.

>>4595391
+1 have to bother QM with coming up with a bunch on the fly

>>4595411
i support this option, it feels to me as the most in character choice, as the anon explained, we are not a warrior constantly seeking battle, we are a scholar, and we seek knowledge and undersatnding, we are not violent, but we are capable of violence when needed, to protect ourselves or others

>>4595329
>>4595391 and >> 4595816 have good points so supporting

>>4595411
+1

>>4595329
>Look through a good mix of both offensive and defensive secret arts.

Let's learn both hard (force vs force) and soft (redirection) techniques for that yin yang theme.

>>4595411
Support

>>4595329
>>4595411
This

After we've gotten our new technique I think we should go back to the ever-changing step and see if we either have new insight to it or can combine it with our swordsmanship