Chapter 2: Martial Cultivation

What are Martial Arts? In short: everything, that matters at least. A way to get strong, a hard way, tedious, but passable, but not by everyone.

Talent matters much on that road, an effort no less, and time even more. We train hard to train harder for strength, as for the good of strength - it is a complex subject. And that was quite confusing for Xin. Strength is good; strong are right, laws of this world, what else is there? But anyway, he kept on reading and was excited when it was mentioned that matters of Heavens aside, Martial Arts are respected.

Even reverend

They are for everything, for everyone!

Bravely fight injustice, be above the mundane, overlook the whole world from beyond the clouds, just like Heaven itself! And be as rare as Heaven itself, for Masters who could fit the description above, aren't heroes of decades, but generations.

A normal person, of course, could train, but even after many years of cultivation he will be able at most to defend himself from a couple of thugs; or to be a fearful thug for a couple of peasants, depends on his character.

Therefore, most commoners prefer to remain in their fields rather than waste time practicing.

A lot more could be and was said about the nature of cultivation, but to be frank, Wei Xin was getting somehow tired of it. Impatiently he flipped pages until the beginning of a more interesting part:

…But in itself, Martial Cultivation is clear enough. Cultivation process is divided into several Major Realms and corresponding Minor Stages.

They are…

"Young Master! I'll be departing soon!"

Wei Xin awoke from the claws of imagination. He breathed in some real air, threw the book on the bed and ran out of the room, then to the left, left again and through the door and stairs into the Outer Courtyard. Sunny place, the ground covered in yellow sand.

Xin stood there for a few seconds, adapting to the brightness. He looked at still dark forest-line and then headed around the Mansion.

Shan was standing at the beginning of the road heading down the mountain. He had a big bag on his shoulder.

"Young Master, I'll be back in about five hours. Do you remember the rules?"

"Yeah, don't enter the armory, stay away from the forest, cliff, and so on." Said the kid while rolling his eyes.

"Good." The servant smiled. "I'll try to be as fast as I can, rest well, Young Master." After he said that, a black smoke enveloped Shan's legs.

He sprinted down the road and it took him no more than a few seconds to disappear in the forest twenty meters away.

A mischievous smile appeared on Wei Xin's face. Shan was an obedient servant, but in a sense, he resembled a pillow with an iron plate inside. Some things were strictly forbidden, but now he was left alone, all on his own. Well, almost, but that was a secret.

He waited for a few minutes to get sure that Shan is far enough. At least he thought it was few minutes; actually, his endurance lasted only thirty seconds, after which he rushed back, into the Outer Courtyard.

Amides the yellow sand and little stone pillars, once used for training, an old well was located, a wooden plate sealing it.

Xin immediately jumped on this plate and kicked it several times.

No response.

"Too early…"

The kid shook his head and with a bit more calm expression on his face slowly walked back into his room. There he picked up the book again and continued from where he had left.

Yes, Realms…

The first is Awakening Realm. There is a hidden organ in human's body, named Spirit Root. At birth and until ten years of age it remains in a sleeping state, after which the Awakening Ceremony is required to make it work and enter the Realm.

Cultivators of Awakening Realm are not any stronger than a normal human; they simply have a foundation for later improvements. What's more, even if you are completely talentless, you won't stay in that Realm for more than a month. Because of that many argue that it should not be treated as a separate Real, but no reforms in that regard have been made as of yet.

The second is Qi Gathering Realm.

Spirit Root is used to open Acupuncture Points, guide Qi through meridians, and fill them to the brim. Meridians are special channels for Qi, everyone has them, but the amount does vary, and somehow always by three. So most only have Three, which considered as a pitiful number. It isn't even enough to advance to the following realm. An actual warrior should have at least Six, but even that isn't optimal. True geniuses begin from Nine.

Such was the legendary trio of Wei Family: three brothers, Twenty Seven Meridians in total. They were greatest geniuses among almost thirty million population of New Lands, if only they had more time…

There are also some legends about people with Twelve meridians, mainly about Great Emperor Tian Long being that kind of godly being, but it hasn't been proven yet.

Each Stage in this realm – one fully filled Meridian.

After Qi Gathering there's Inner Sea Realm.

Qi from Meridians is concentrated and then used to open The Inner Sea, a vast place around the belly, capable of holding massive amounts of Qi. First, in a form of a gas, the Stage called Air, then as a liquid, the Stage of Liquidation, and finally as a condensed crystal, the Crystallization Stage.

Warriors in that realm are respected and admired; they are high-ranks of society, leading troops and lording over middle-sized cities. Or just wandering around, and that isn't even uncommon. The higher you look on the power ladder, the more peculiar people you will find.

Finally, there is Heavenly Synchronization Realm. Warrior uses his Crystal Core and reforms entire body, synchronizing with Qi of Heavens and Earth. They are true overlords of this world, worthy of worship and worshiped by some. Leaders of Great Clans and Great Generals. Our dear Emperor is also one of such.

It was the last realm mentioned in Part I of Blade Manual of Wei Family, real at least. On the very last page of "Principles of Martial Arts" chapter, there was a tiny note about one more, though only legendary Realm.

Immortal Realm, the name is all know of it. But the name is enough to drive countless across many generations crazy with longing, speculations, and dreams.

Certainly, for Immortality is the greatest dream since the dawn of man.

However, no one has achieved it yet; but maybe he, Wei Xi, will!

It will be like that: he will beat that bastard Tian Long in his own Jade Dragon Palace, get his revenge and become Immortal!

So Wei Xin was imagining while reading the book, but suddenly, he heard a faint melody. It startled him at first, but then he smiled.

A strange tune it was, a strange song, coming as if from your own mind, echoing there, again and again; then the echoes merge and grow, and soon they're louder than your thoughts.

Somehow, he was standing just before the well; with a little effort he pushed off the seal, then leaned forward and gazed inside, into the darkness; there he saw a light.

Soft, blue pulsating radiance. Its pulse was following the tune.

"Ruo, Shan is away!" Xin shouted, his voice echoed into the water.

"Good, that is good, Wei Xin." The song in his head slowly shaped into words.

"Your servant is dangerous, strong, I afraid of him…"

Wei Xin made a bitter smile; a red pulp emerged before his eyes. Was it when he was six, or five? He and Shan had been strolling in a forest, as suddenly a thin Green Monkey emerged from the woods. Cute, completely harmless little creature, it immediately attracted Xin's attention. But as he was about to play with the newfound friend, his vision grew red. Never before he saw Shan so ruthless, one move and only red mush remained.

He started crying then, and it took a lot of effort for Shan to calm him down. Now, thinking about it, Xin could feel redness spread across his cheeks. He was such an immature brat…

But no more! And anyway, Shan's actions could be explained. Anyone who live in New Lands has a very bad disposition toward Spirit Beasts; it's a cultural thing that came to be as a result of the long, bitter and bloody Colonization War.

On the mainland, spirit beasts are the stuff of legends. Almost none of them has remained after five thousand years of mankind's domination.

But there, beyond the Distant Heavens Mountain Range, they were rulers. At least once. Eventually, Government Army, Clans and mercenary Martial Artists drove most intelligent and dangerous away, to the unknown regions, but memories and pain still remain even after several generations. Green Monkeys, for example, once acted as scouts.

Still, it would be wrong to claim all of them bad. Ruo is a harmless Water Elemental.

"Don't worry, he's away. So, can I go now? Is the way clean?" Asked Xin.

"Yes, yes, nothing will bother you. But please, be hurry, I do not know how long I will be able to endure more…"

At last, her voice became wavy, thin and very, very pitiful. Wei Xin felt a heroic urge: he will "redeem" his ancestors!

Long ago, when the mansion had just built the people of Wei Family found a lake, which was a home for several Water Elementals. It was a rare source of Qi, so to utilize it they have sealed the lake, as a result, Qi was only coming out, not in, and the elementals also were locked. They were slowly starving to death.

After many years, only Rou was left; all her family gone. At last, she managed to contract Wei Xin, her last hope, this little Hero.

"Just to be sure, I only need a drop of blood, right? To unlock the seal?"

"Yes, no more, just a drop, it will not hurt you, I promise." Rou's voice was growing weaker and weaker. "I am tired, please, Wei Xin, hurry…"

At last, everything went silent. Darkness covered insides of the well, silence covered insides of his head. Wei Xin stepped back. There was a resolute expression on his face.

"I will!"

First, he took a knife, then a second knife (can't be too prepared) and that's about it. He slowly walked to the dark edge of the forest. The sun was somewhere there, behind tall trees, but it was hidden well and the forest seemed dark and unwelcome. Still bare, without even a drop of the green.

That was a forbidden place, full of dangerous animals lurking around, the kind that can eat you in a gulp, but won't because there's "nothing more enjoyable to them than slowly grinding little kids…"

…Shan's tales were scary.

Ruo said that she had asked her friends to clean the path, but…

Wei Xin gulped.

Then he shook his head trying to calm down. He is a hero, future but a grown up already, how can he be so timed before a mere forest? Clenching his teeth, Wei Xin made the first step, then a second, then a third and then he started to run with his eyes closed.

His little silhouette slowly vanished in the woods.

What he didn't notice was the little sabre-like mark on one of the trees. After he had passed by it, it shined with a strange greyish light.