Even though Dahe was enjoying his new illusionary world, he still had things to do. He couldn’t just do things automatically. He actually had to consciously do things for a while to set a pattern, before he could switch to auto-pilot. Which meant he had to weave a pattern for a while before it could be turned over to his subconscious.

However, he also decided to use it for self-improvement. He had many recordings of Fusang’s movements, and studied them intently. Unfortunately, because Fusang moved faster than he could, he had to slow down the recordings. Even more unfortunate, because he wasn’t able to observe movement at such high speeds, the slowed down recordings had blurry moments where Fusang’s figure would jerk strangely. Dahe realized he simply wasn’t at the right level yet. It would take time before he could comprehend these things.

He decided not to spread himself too thin. He was already taking up time with learning to use the spear, weaving, studying and study guides, and of course, gathering energy. He had recently begun trying to see if he could sleep and gather energy at the same time. He didn’t think it was going well. It often left him tired. He would have to experiment, and see if there was a way to do so, it looked to be a long-term project.

Dahe no longer needed to go into the forest much for the next several years. He was a student of Master Fusang, and had created the incredible Study Guides. Fusang would later comment that he had selected Dahe based partially on the study guides. “I saw someone who understood the importance of the main thrust. And I knew that whoever it was, must be a spearman.” Dahe didn’t correct his misunderstanding. It would be quite difficult to admit to being from another world, and taking credit, even if only for bringing the idea from elsewhere.

He was finally able to finish improving his head. Next was his body. He had read stories of moving from step to step. Either starting from the skin and moving inwards, or from the bones and going outwards. However, his gathering method was different. It was a similar process to what he had done to his brain. A repeated basting of his body over and and over. It moved outwards, but slowly, like the tide. The energy would spread out through his body, then ebb back into his bones. He would first gather the energy through his brain, direct it down his spine, and then send it flooding outwards. In this way, bones would be affected first, then tendons and muscles, veins, nerves, organs, and skin. Not necessarily in that order.

He weaved as he bathed his body in energy. His hands didn’t stop passing the shuttle or adjusting the loom, his attention was on passing the energy throughout his body. He imbued the energy into his spine, and let it radiate from there. It would take a while, and the changes would be incremental, but it would be quite effective. And his foundation would be stronger for it.

By the time his five year anniversary of joining the sect arrived, he had begun to grow stronger. His spear made a whooshing sound when he thrust. He thrust a lot. Until he was smacked and reprimanded by Fusang for fooling around. He could leap not-so-tall buildings in a single bound. Alright, a few bounds. He was starting to feel heroic. He began to walk through the forest, slowly and deliberately, with his chest out and his chin held high.

He knew he was being ridiculous, but he was finally enjoying the benefits of this world. He had no access to the internet, and any entertainment was whatever was here or he had brought with him. So now that he was finally able to experience being a superhuman, he was treasuring every moment. He’d have to buy a tea set, so that he could lounge and sip tea slowly. He would go into town and go to a nice restaurant, sit at a second floor table near the window, and watch all the little people pass by below him. Was this how cats felt?

He tried to stay in touch with his few friends. They all understood that energy gathering was busy work. It could take you to many places. They might not see each other for months or years. So a little preoccupation was easy to adjust to, comparatively. It helped that he gave them some rolls of cloth he had woven, as an apology.

He had begun to experiment with weaving. He had encountered just about every type of material available nearby and was now waiting on an order he had placed with one of the merchants. However, he had a new idea. Tapestries. Why not? It was just more advanced weaving, and he was a good weaver. So he parsed through every memory of shows about tapestries. Looked through all of his books. And even created a system to help him convert an image into a tapestry. Now what to make? He quickly put aside making an image of himself, or of his friends. The closest thing to an action scene was Fusang shi, when he was having his daily one-against-all. Now the loom, it needed to be redone. However, there were carpenters and he had plans. It might take some finagling, but he should be able to assemble a loom for tapestries.

Once everything had been cleaned up and the carpenters left, he looked at his loom. Standing there gazing upwards, with his hands on his hip, he felt like a mountaineer about to start a difficult climb. His first decision needed to be what image he wanted to make a tapestry of. One of the action scenes, but perhaps one of the blurry ones. He found one where many people were being blasted away at once. He enhanced the image as much as possible but it still seemed a bit blurry. Well, he’d do the best he could.

Having been weaving for a while, he had a good selection of threads, of different colors and fibers. Using the program in his head he began organizing the threads and putting them where he’d need them. He lifted his hands in the air and paused. Then he giggled and simply got to work. He started slowly, trying to be as careful as possible. It didn’t matter if it took a bit longer. He had the time.

About seven Earth months later, he was finished. He mimed wiping the sweat off his brow. “Whew” he said. The tapestry portrayed Fusang using an attack that almost couldn’t be seen to blow away the students fighting him. Dahe had used his memory so he wasn’t in it. Which was a good thing. He didn’t want to make a tapestry of himself getting his ass kicked. Now came the question, ‘Who do I show this to?’ Dahe lightly scratched his head. ‘I’ll think of someone.’ He pushed it to the back of his mind.

Stretching his arms and back, he yawned greatly, mouth wide open. Scratching himself, he then walked out of his house. Enjoying the look of the setting sun he headed towards the dining area.