ienergy!”Myheartleapt.Iheldmybreath,carefullyguidingthefaintqitowardmydantian.

    Afterhoursofeffort,Ifinallygatheredmyfirststrandofqi.ToreachEarlyQiRefi,I’dneedhundredsmorestrandstransformedintotrueenergy.

    Asthefirstraysunlightshhthewindow,afaintvortexhadformedinmydantian—proofoftrueqi’sbirth.

    Iopenedmyeyesandsmiledfaintly.

    “EarlyQiRefi...Ifinallydidit.”

    Fiveyearsflewby.I’myearsold,havingbarelyreachedtheEarlyFoundatioablishmentstage.Thepathwasn’tsmooth.Everybottleneckrequiredmetogritmyteethandperseverethroughtlessdaysandnights.Thougheldersinmyfamilycoulduidance,breakthroughsultimatelydependedonmyownpersistendexperimentation.

    AfterswitgfromQiRefiManualtotheFoundatioablishmentManual,qibecameevenhardertotrol.Eachadvafeltliketemperingmyselfthroughpain.

    Today,forthesakeofmygtalent,FatherbroughtmetotheAsuraTempletoprayforhelp.Wekbeforethegod’sstatue,andhesincerelyprayed:

    “GreatAsuraGod,I,yourhumblebelieverTianlong,begyoutohelpmysonTianyan.Granthimsuccessohofcultivation.Ihope...youwouldaccepthimasyourdisciple.”

    Themomenthefinishedspeaking,agoldenlightdesdedbeforeus.Acalm,emotionlessvoiceechoedfromwithin.

    “IamtheAsuraDeity.Yoursonpleasesme.

    Boy...ewithme.”

    Withageure,thegodtransportedmetenewpce.

    Hisvoicesoundedagain.

    “ThisistheAsuraRealm.Youmustpletethreeentrytrialsbeforeyouqualifytobemydisciple.”

    Inoddeddumbly.Heledmetoatrainingchamberpreparedjustforme.Therewasevenapersonalstewardtocook,servetea,aasks—butIhadtopletethethreetrialsfirst.

    MyfirstmissionwastofightaTyrannosaurusRex.AsIacceptedthechalleheserybehmyfeetgedfromasquareroomtoarockywilderness.

    Fagabeastwhoseteethalonewerergerthanmybody,Ifeltfear—evenwithmyEarlyFoundatioablishmentcultivatioecouldendme.

    Atfirst,weremaiill—herattag.

    ThenIcharged.

    Thebeastroaredandrushedtowardme.Ileapedintotheair.AcultivatoratPeakQiRefijumpfivemeters,PeakFoundatioablishmey-fivemeters.AsanEarlyStageFoundatioablishmentcultivator,Icouldjumpaboutseveers—justenoughtoreachitsbelly.

    Ithreunchatitsstomach...andbouncedoff.

    Icrashedtotheground.Itstailswepttowardme,butIjumpedandgrabbedanearbybranch,leapingontoitstail.Thebeastthrashedleftandright,butIgtightly,refusingtoletgo.

    Slowly,Iclimbedforward—handsagrippinghard.Ireachedthefrontandaimedatitsbackside.

    “HYAAAH!”

    Witharoar,Idrovethebrantoitsrear,creatingasmallhole.

    “GRUUUHHH!!”

    Thebeasthowledinpainasbloodtrickleddown.Iturnedandran—Thirty-SixStratagems:runningisthebestpn.

    Butitwasfaster.

    Withinthreemicaughtuptome.Isighed.

    “Lookslike...I’tkeeppyingaround.”

    Then“I”gotserious.

    Weonceagainfacedoffinstillhealowgrowndstruckthebeast’sleg—ablowtwiceasstrongasbefore.Itslegwentnumbinstantly.

    Itstaggered.Ileaptagain—thistimereagtwelvemeters—strikingitsshortfrontlimbuntilitfractured.

    Injustthreeminutes,Idefeatedtheferociousbeastwithease.

    “I”exhaledlightly.

    “Soweak...”

ienergy!”Myheartleapt.Iheldmybreath,carefullyguidingthefaintqitowardmydantian.

    Afterhoursofeffort,Ifinallygatheredmyfirststrandofqi.ToreachEarlyQiRefi,I’dneedhundredsmorestrandstransformedintotrueenergy.

    Asthefirstraysunlightshhthewindow,afaintvortexhadformedinmydantian—proofoftrueqi’sbirth.

    Iopenedmyeyesandsmiledfaintly.

    “EarlyQiRefi...Ifinallydidit.”

    Fiveyearsflewby.I’myearsold,havingbarelyreachedtheEarlyFoundatioablishmentstage.Thepathwasn’tsmooth.Everybottleneckrequiredmetogritmyteethandperseverethroughtlessdaysandnights.Thougheldersinmyfamilycoulduidance,breakthroughsultimatelydependedonmyownpersistendexperimentation.

    AfterswitgfromQiRefiManualtotheFoundatioablishmentManual,qibecameevenhardertotrol.Eachadvafeltliketemperingmyselfthroughpain.

    Today,forthesakeofmygtalent,FatherbroughtmetotheAsuraTempletoprayforhelp.Wekbeforethegod’sstatue,andhesincerelyprayed:

    “GreatAsuraGod,I,yourhumblebelieverTianlong,begyoutohelpmysonTianyan.Granthimsuccessohofcultivation.Ihope...youwouldaccepthimasyourdisciple.”

    Themomenthefinishedspeaking,agoldenlightdesdedbeforeus.Acalm,emotionlessvoiceechoedfromwithin.

    “IamtheAsuraDeity.Yoursonpleasesme.

    Boy...ewithme.”

    Withageure,thegodtransportedmetenewpce.

    Hisvoicesoundedagain.

    “ThisistheAsuraRealm.Youmustpletethreeentrytrialsbeforeyouqualifytobemydisciple.”

    Inoddeddumbly.Heledmetoatrainingchamberpreparedjustforme.Therewasevenapersonalstewardtocook,servetea,aasks—butIhadtopletethethreetrialsfirst.

    MyfirstmissionwastofightaTyrannosaurusRex.AsIacceptedthechalleheserybehmyfeetgedfromasquareroomtoarockywilderness.

    Fagabeastwhoseteethalonewerergerthanmybody,Ifeltfear—evenwithmyEarlyFoundatioablishmentcultivatioecouldendme.

    Atfirst,weremaiill—herattag.

    ThenIcharged.

    Thebeastroaredandrushedtowardme.Ileapedintotheair.AcultivatoratPeakQiRefijumpfivemeters,PeakFoundatioablishmey-fivemeters.AsanEarlyStageFoundatioablishmentcultivator,Icouldjumpaboutseveers—justenoughtoreachitsbelly.

    Ithreunchatitsstomach...andbouncedoff.

    Icrashedtotheground.Itstailswepttowardme,butIjumpedandgrabbedanearbybranch,leapingontoitstail.Thebeastthrashedleftandright,butIgtightly,refusingtoletgo.

    Slowly,Iclimbedforward—handsagrippinghard.Ireachedthefrontandaimedatitsbackside.

    “HYAAAH!”

    Witharoar,Idrovethebrantoitsrear,creatingasmallhole.

    “GRUUUHHH!!”

    Thebeasthowledinpainasbloodtrickleddown.Iturnedandran—Thirty-SixStratagems:runningisthebestpn.

    Butitwasfaster.

    Withinthreemicaughtuptome.Isighed.

    “Lookslike...I’tkeeppyingaround.”

    Then“I”gotserious.

    Weonceagainfacedoffinstillhealowgrowndstruckthebeast’sleg—ablowtwiceasstrongasbefore.Itslegwentnumbinstantly.

    Itstaggered.Ileaptagain—thistimereagtwelvemeters—strikingitsshortfrontlimbuntilitfractured.

    Injustthreeminutes,Idefeatedtheferociousbeastwithease.

    “I”exhaledlightly.

    “Soweak...”