**Rain City, Holy Empire.**


    A solitary figure sat at a wooden desk, the soft glow of candlelight flickering against the yellowed pages of a thick tome. The youth, Seorong, traced a finger along the intricate characters of the book, his brow furrowed in concentration.


    "Such a fascinating subject to delve into," he muttered quietly, his voice a mix of awe and disbelief. "Who would have imagined that I, of all people, would come to experience something like this?"


    Seorong''s mind lingered on the strangeness of his situation. Born on Earth, he had once lived a simple life as a civil servant—until a landslide had claimed his life, casting him into the void. Now, he found himself in an entirely new world, one governed by strange forces and ancient practices.


    The book he was currently immersed in was a manual on crafting Talisman—an art revered in this world of cultivation, where the strong wielded unimaginable power, and the weak struggled to survive. The language was foreign to him, but the principles were clear enough: symbols of great potency, inscribed with precision, capable of turning the tides of fate itself.


    The body he inhabited belonged to someone else—a youth from a distant, larger city. This young man had come from a prestigious family, one known throughout the land. But despite his noble lineage, his mediocre talent in cultivation had marked him as a failure in the eyes of his kin. Cast out from the family, he had been left to fend for himself in the shadow of Rain City.


    But fate had been cruel to him. With little more than a handful of Talisman manuals and meager savings, he had ventured into the wilds in search of materials to craft his way to a better life. It was there, among the dense forests and treacherous mountains, that he met his untimely death—giving Seorong the rare and improbable chance to take his place.


    Sighing, Seorong placed the book down and scanned the small, dimly lit room. He could feel the weight of his new life pressing against him. This world was harsh, and it was clear that survival here would require more than just knowledge—it would demand strength, cunning, and an unyielding will.


    But for now, he was content to study the mysteries of the Talisman, savoring the novelty of it all. There was much to learn, and in a place where only the strong survived, knowledge could very well be his greatest weapon.


    ---


    The next morning, Ji Seorong woke up and went about his usual routine, opening his small shop as the city slowly stirred to life. The streets were quiet, and business was slow—only a few passersby glanced inside before moving along. With nothing better to do, he settled back into his seat, flipping through a worn manuscript on talismans.


    Talismans were divided into nine ranks, from the lowest, Rank One, to the highest, Rank Nine. Each increase in rank brought a considerable leap in power.


    A Rank One talisman contained a single pattern inscribed on the talisman paper, its energy rudimentary but stable. Rank Two talismans, however, bore two interwoven patterns, complementing and amplifying each other to produce a much greater effect. This pattern continued up to Rank Nine, where the talisman paper could hold nine intricate patterns, each reinforcing the others to harness an immense force in perfect harmony.


    Seorong, at present, was merely a Rank One Talisman Master. His cultivation was still at the Ninth Layer of the Body Refining Tier—the very foundation of a cultivator’s journey. Advancing further required stepping into the Qi Gathering Realm, the next crucial stage.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    He could feel himself nearing a breakthrough, his body gradually absorbing and refining Qi, but he remained cautious. A premature attempt could lead to failure, even regression, undoing his hard-earned progress.


    "Here in Rain City, being at this level at sixteen is still considered impressive," he mused, exhaling a quiet sigh. "But at this guys home city… this would be nothing more than mediocrity."


    Even after spending so much time here, he still struggled to fully accept his circumstances.


    As ten more days passed, Ji Seorong realized the time for his breakthrough had finally come.


    "If I keep selling only Rank One talismans, I''ll soon be begging on the streets," he muttered to himself, frustration flickering in his eyes. "I have the knowledge to create Rank Two talismans—I just need the cultivation to match."


    Determined, he prepared to cultivate through the night.


    Seated in meditation, he focused inward, assessing the state of his body with precision.


    The Body Refining Tier was the very foundation of cultivation—a realm where a cultivator strengthened their physical form by absorbing Origin Qi from the surroundings. With each breakthrough, the body became more resilient, gradually reaching its peak at the Ninth Layer.


    However, true Qi cultivation only began at the Qi Gathering Realm. This stage was more than just physical enhancement—it was the gateway to a deeper understanding of energy. Here, a cultivator would open their Dantian, the core of Qi storage within the body.


    The Dantian was a peculiar existence, forming a vast, mysterious space within oneself. Some likened it to a miniature universe, a world hidden within the body, where Qi could be gathered, refined, and controlled.


    In the Body Refining Tier, Origin Qi could only be stored in the flesh and bones, limiting the amount a cultivator could harness. But upon stepping into the Qi Gathering Realm and unlocking the dantian, the volume of Qi a cultivator could retain would surge tremendously. This breakthrough was crucial—only after reaching the Qi Gathering realm could one begin to wield true Martial Arts Techniques.


    Seorong took a deep breath, steeling himself for the transformation ahead.


    Soon, the Origin Qi within Ji Seorong’s body began to converge, drawn toward the navel region like rivers flowing into a vast sea. Strike after strike, the energy compressed and collided, refining itself into something denser, more potent.


    Then, after what felt like an eternity, a subtle shift occurred—a faint rupture, almost imperceptible at first. But Seorong felt it.


    A hole had formed.


    Relief washed over him as he exhaled slowly. This was the most crucial moment of the process. The hardest part was over—now, all he had to do was nurture and expand this newfound void until it stabilized. Only then would it fully take shape as his dantian, officially marking his entry into the Qi Gathering Realm.


    Time passed as Seorong carefully refined the space within him, guiding the surging Qi to settle and solidify. At last, his dantian stabilized, forming a structured core within his body.


    In that instant, a flood of Origin Qi poured into him, rushing into the newly formed dantian like a tide breaking through a dam. He felt it swirling, condensing—until, at its center, a small cloud of Origin Qi took shape.


    This cloud was proof of his advancement—the First Layer of the Qi Gathering Realm. It held nearly ten times the amount of Origin Qi he had possessed at the peak of the Body Refining Tier.


    Opening his eyes, Seorong flexed his fingers, channeling his newfound power. A wave of strength coursed through him, far beyond anything he had felt before.


    "Incredible..." he murmured, marveling at the transformation. "Back on Earth, I would have never believed something like this was possible."


    A smile tugged at his lips as determination flared in his eyes.


    "But enough of that. It''s time to try crafting a Rank Two Talisman."


    Excitement burned within him. With this new power, a whole new world of possibilities had just opened.


    ---


    Over the past few days, crafting talismans had become a routine for Ji Seorong—almost a meditative ritual. Today was no different. Seated at his wooden table, he dipped his brush into ink infused with rare spiritual materials, the deep reddish liquid gleaming faintly under the light.


    Before him lay a small talisman paper, pristine and untouched. With steady hands, he began.


    His brush moved fluidly, each stroke deliberate, precise. A familiar pattern began to take shape on the paper—''the Earth Shield Talisman'', a Rank One defensive talisman capable of withstanding a full-force strike from a Ninth Layer Body Refining cultivator.


    But this time, he didn’t stop.


    Without lifting his brush, he guided the ink seamlessly into a second pattern, the strokes merging in perfect harmony. This was the point where he had failed countless times before—where the energy flow would destabilize, ruining the talisman.


    But not today.


    Seorong’s focus was razor-sharp, his Qi perfectly synchronized with his movements. The second pattern bloomed into existence, its structure reinforcing the first. His breath was steady, his hands unwavering. And then—


    It was done.


    Lifting the talisman, he studied his work, a deep sense of satisfaction washing over him. "Finally… I''ve done it. All those days of failure, of effort, weren’t in vain after all."


    In his hands was a Rank Two Strengthened ''Earth Shield Talisman''. By integrating a supplementary Plant Essence Pattern, he had successfully enhanced the Earth Shield’s defensive power. Now, instead of merely blocking strikes from Body Refining cultivators, this talisman could withstand attacks from mid-tier Qi Gathering Realm experts.


    Seorong couldn’t help but smile. He had struggled, endured losses, and pushed himself beyond his limits—but the reward was worth it.


    " But the spirit power drain is quite large compared to rank 1" He calculated but that was bound to be. He could finally sleep and start a new dawn from tomorrow.


    ---