Chapter 60: What is Cultivation?

"What do you know about cultivation?"

That was literally the first question Liang Tianye asked Duncan when he met with him the next morning.

Duncan had stayed awake all night long unable to sleep, just staring blankly at the ceiling from his spot on the floor. When the servant had come in to fetch him the next morning, it was the position the servant found him in.

The food that had been delivered last night was still not eaten. Duncan literally didn't move the entire night. It was the summon from Liang Tianye that finally made him move.

When he had reached Liang Tianye's dwelling he understood what Liang Tainye said yesterday. The dwelling was far more spectacular and grander than Duncan's. It was filled with paintings, trophies, silk, luxurious chairs, and whatnot.

Duncan realized that in the world of cultivators power equaled wealth. It reaffirmed his decision to become powerful, not because he wanted live luxuriously like this, but because he wanted to have the option if he wanted to.

So, when Liang Tianye's servant had directed him to the backyard, Duncan shook his mind off the cobwebs that had been inhabiting his body since the last night and decided to focus on learning as much as he could from the man.

When he was brought in front of Liang Tianye, Duncan noticed that Liang Tianye's dresses were lavish and he could spy a few girls giggling in the background. He had to try very hard not to stare at them.

It was as if Liang Tianye knew his struggle, he motioned for the place to be empty of everyone apart from him and Liang Tianye. The yard emptied itself out pretty soon, leaving Duncan alone with Liang Tianye.

"Not much, to be honest. I have been trying to enquire about it for the last few months, but I only learned a few things. Cultivation is about cultivating the qi inside one's body and becoming stronger. And there are two kinds of cultivators in general. Righteous and Demonic. Also, there are different levels of cultivators. I only know about the Qi Gathering realm," Duncan answered honestly.

Liang Tianye frowned upon hearing such a vague answer. After a while, he sighed and spoke.

"You are both right and wrong. It is clear that you have no idea what cultivation is. It is a miracle that someone like you can attain such a state," Liang Tianye said shaking his head.

"What state?"

"The state you were in when you battled that demonic beast. But, we will get back to that later. Cultivation, in essence, is pursuing a higher realm or longer lifespan. To put it simply, cultivation is about cultivating the qi that is present in the world inside one's body in order to make oneself stronger, tougher, and live longer."

"Now comes the question of why cultivators are stronger, faster, tougher, and live longer than ordinary mortals. The answer lies in the qi. The qi is a form of energy that is present in the world. That is why it is called heaven and earth qi. There are many varieties of qi, as qi, in general, is nothing but energy."

"Think of it like this. Someone who eats meat will be stronger than someone who only eats vegetables. Likewise, someone who partakes in qi will be stronger than ordinary mortals."

"We will get back various kinds of qi later. I will tell you what this qi does in general first. The qi will purify your body, strengthen your muscles and unlock the hidden potential in your body. When your body is rid of impurities, it will be easier for it to function."

"Breathing will become easier, your blood will flow faster through your body, and some special qi will even help you activate your hidden bloodline powers. This will, in turn, make you stronger, faster, and tougher than ordinary mortals. This will also slow your aging."

"Cultivation is basically an act that defies heaven. By heaven, I mean the order set up by this very world. So, cultivators are particularly suspect to heavenly punishments. It is both a warning and a means employed by the world to destroy anything that might disrupt the balance."

"That is why when you cultivate to a certain level, you will always face the punishment of heavenly tribulations. It is a hurdle set by the world based on your strength to determine whether you are worthy enough to escape the constraints that were put on you as a mortal."

"Anyone who passes that hurdle will become immortal. Until then, we are all mortals who are more durable and strong than ordinary mortals. So, the word immortal is not just a word but a title for someone who has escaped the constraints put on them by the world."

"Cultivation is actually a process of a mortal trying to shed the constraints put on him by the world. In order to do that, we need to partake in the world's energy and purify ourselves and strengthen ourselves constantly."

"Am I being clear till now?"

Duncan nodded mutely as he tried to wrap this idea around his head. He didn't essentially understand it at that moment, but he memorized the words so that he can think back on it at a later time.

"Usually, there are three types of cultivation in general. The first is the path of body refining. Body refiners are cultivators who cultivate their physical bodies. This path is both arduous and dangerous. However, in return, they are provided with tremendous strength and recovery ability. They can be quite hard to put down in a battle."

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"Next, there is the path of soul cultivation. Soul cultivators cultivate mental energy as opposed to physical energy like body cultivators. While not many cultivators tread this path, a soul cultivator is always a difficult opponent to deal with as they mostly use soul attacks from distance instead of engaging directly. However, this path is not suitable for someone like you."

"Only those who have tremendous soul energy since they were born can even embark on this path. And soul cultivators are physically weaker than other types of cultivators since they don't focus much on their physical bodies. But, make no mistake, it is better to take on ten body refiners compared to battling one soul cultivator."

"Last, and most important, path of cultivation is the path of qi cultivation. This is the most commonly used path by cultivators. The reason for this is that qi cultivation can be considered the foundation of the cultivation world. Hence, the resources and techniques available for those who tread this path are abundant."

"So, which one am I suitable for?" Duncan asked curiously.

"You are suitable for both qi cultivation and the path of body refinement. However, I advise you to choose the qi cultivation path. While your physical body is stronger compared to a normal mortal, you are already too old to begin cultivation. If you choose the body refinement path, it will take decades for you to reach a decent level."

Duncan mulled over those words and found them agreeable. His main motivation to cultivate was to become strong and have the power to decide his own life and death. If he chose body refinement now, then it will take decades for him to have that kind of power.

"So, if I chose qi cultivation, will I be able to become powerful soon?"

"It depends, both on your dedication and the other factors that are beyond your control as well. Take the demonic path for example, why most people chose the demonic path is that it is easy to cultivate in the earlier stages. However, when you reach a certain level, the progress will be much harder than choosing the righteous path."

"So, only the most desperate and stubborn people are able to stay on this path for a long time. Unlike the righteous path, the demonic path focuses on becoming powerful more than cultivating your mind. Hence, for individuals who seek power at all costs like you, it is the most ideal path of cultivation."

"I don't think I seek power that badly," Duncan said in confusion.

"As if," Liang Tianye snorted. "Tell me, why do you think you were able to kill the demonic beast despite being a mortal?"

"I don't know. I don't exactly remember how I did it. My mind is foggy regarding the finer details of that night," Duncan admitted readily.

"Good, at least you are not trying to create an explanation out of thin air. Remember this, being true to your heart is the most important thing when it comes to cultivation. Most people start to forget it once they start cultivating and gaining some power."

"Most people will try to convince themselves that they are really a good person. In fact, no one is really entirely good. Humans are selfish beings at their core. The very fact that they cultivate and seek a higher realm is for their thirst for power and to live a long life. That notion in itself is born of selfishness."

"However, most righteous cultivators will never acknowledge this. They will weave brilliant rhetoric and convince themselves that they are good at heart. That is the reason that despite being the predominant force of the cultivation world, they are always weaker than individuals who walk the demonic path."

"I am glad that you didn't try to weave some story out of thin air to justify your actions that night. What you exhibited that night was a rare phenomenon in the cultivation world. For that to occur, one must reach a certain state in the mind, body, and soul. Unless they achieve that state, they will never be able to exhibit that phenomenon."

"For now, you don't need to know much about it. You will learn about it in due time. However, I will tell you the reason you achieved such a state. You hungered for power deep down in your heart. The reasons for it may vary, but such hunger and yearning will remain the same. Only because of that you were able to kill that demonic beast that night."

"Never forget this. A cultivator's journey is filled with temptations and detours all around. As long as you remain staunch in your goal and don't fool your heart, you will be able to become powerful no matter what."

Duncan nodded gratefully towards that pearl of wisdom. He can see that Liang Tianye wasn't leading him astray. He was telling him solid advice that could be used for a long time. Such things are rare to come by.

*****

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