《Cultivator in the Modern World》 Chapter 1: I really am a cultivator! Trust me! (Please read Synopsis before reading!!) It was a cold and rainy Wednesday night. Shen Long glanced at the time and realized it was already 11 o''clock. Looking at his pile of homework, he was debating whether to finish his assignments due tomorrow or continue reading his newly picked-up light novel. To do or not to do? That is the question. Per his usual self, he chose to continue reading. "Worst case scenario, I will just go to detention after-school and read my light novel there." Shen Long mused to himself. He crawled to his bed and turned off the light. A sudden ringing noise from the alarm interrupted his reading. He set it off and sat in a cross-legged position; one hand holding his phone, one scratching his head. Doing his daily routine, he was following the Qi manual in the new light novel he just read. His eyes flickered with determination, unlike his usual self. He was determined to be a cultivator and he firmly believed that he was destined to become one. "Today''s the 90th day and this is the 90th novel I have tried. It is definitely going to work this time. I have a premonition that this will be the one. I know for a fact that I, Shen Long, have great potential and was born to embark on the journey of cultivation! As the saying goes,"90th time''s a charm!" He consoled himself and followed the cultivation manual closely. "1.Step into a traditional narrow horse stance position, hands at sides. 2. Breath in and bring palms together and disperse after three breath''s worth of time. ... " Suddenly, a strand of Qi suddenly appeared in his upper abdomen. It was really faint, but it was actually there! He immediately continued to repeat the routine, hoping to strengthen the tiny strand of his Qi. After repeating the routine for a few times, he uncontrollably stopped his training. He was exhausted though there was no sweat on his forehead. His body, however, was not even able to move while he could feel his Qi more clearly than before. "It''s all worth it!! Hahahaha! It actually worked! I told you, I am born to become a cultivator!! 90th''s time is a charm!!" He said excitedly while making random noises. "Woo-hoo! Yeah!!! YESSSS!" was repeatedly heard in the house until Shen Long''s door was open. "It must be some supreme beings who are coming to congratulate me. He must be a patriarch from some well-known sects in the heaven. Wow! I, Shen Long, surely am capable and amazing!" He rushed towards the door despite his legs shivered violently, barely able to support him. "Long-er! What the f*** are you doing!? I have work tomorrow and how do you expect me to sleep when you scream like this at 2 am?" Shen Chun, his father, said angrily. "Eh? Where is the deva Patriarch who is coming to get me into their sect?" He asked innocently, like a child.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "Patriarch? I am your bloody father! Get out of your room right now!" Shen Long was shocked as he hesitantly walked out the room. "Whatever. I will just explain to him why I was screaming. After all, he must be really proud of me as I am a now cultivator." His eyes were filled with joy as he imagined his father''s reaction. "Father. Don''t feel too proud of your son despite I really am amazing. Today, I established my first strand of Qi inside my body. Your son, me, is now a cultivator! According to the light novel manual, I am now on the first stage of Qi Condensation!" He excitedly explained the whole process in his arrogant and confident tone. His father''s face was written with shock while Shen Long was feeling extremely proud. "I knew Father would be proud of me. I really am too amazing. Don''t tell me I have talent in becoming a master diviner as well?" He thought while chuckling to himself. "Qu-er! Come here! I think our son is ill! He is randomly laughing and just said that he is now a cultivator or something! He even thought I was a patriarch from the heavens!" Father exclaimed hurriedly and he continued to stare at Shen Long, feeling extremely worried. "I AM NOT ILL! I SAID, I AM NOW A CULTIVATOR! You know? Cultivators in the ancient times? The ones that fly and fight? I am now one of them! I can prove to you that I can actually utilize my Qi! Look carefully! I am going to lift up that chair with my Qi!" That being said, he immediately extended his right arm while his eyes stared at the chair. And nothing happened. "Mother! Hurry up! He really is ill! He just said he could lift up a chair and he started growling while staring at the object in a crazy manner!" Shen Long''s face was ashen and his agitation grew. He explained the entire incident again and again to his parents but their faces only grew more worried. "Why is this happening to me!?? I swear I used my inner Qi earlier on and I could lift up the pen effortlessly! This shouldn''t be happening!" Shen Long continued to persuade his parents for the next few hours but they did not believe a single word of his. Disappointed, he went back to his room and started packing up for school as it was almost 7am. "I can''t believe why my Qi isn''t working! Why aren''t they listening to me? I have explained the whole thing five times already and yet they looked even more confused than before!" He continued to ponder this issue as he rode his bike to his school, Hanwu Academy. Hanwu Academy was located in the middle of Beijing City, surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of tall skyscrapers. As one of the world''s most prestigious high schools, the campus of the academy was beautiful. The buildings are built with the best technology and material. The entire school is covered by a gigantic ball made of Titanium, almost like a domed city. Shen Long''s classroom is on the third floor and it resembled a normal classroom despite everything was made of some high-quality oakwood. Everything was put in order, and his classmates quietly talked among themselves as Shen Long walked in. "Zhang Hong!! Let me tell you some great news! Your brother, I, is now a cultivator!" He yelled and everyone stared at him. The initial quiet and peaceful atmosphere was completely destroyed by his high-pitched voice. The entire class fell out laughing while Shen Long, again, tried to explain the whole cultivation process and attempted to lift up objects again. And... Of course, it didn''t work. Shen Long was now utterly disappointed as no one trusted a single word of his. However, the tragedy didn''t end here for Shen Long. "Where is your homework!?" The teacher yelled in an extremely grave and angry tone. Shen Long, of course, explained to him how he was cultivating last night, and hence he didn''t have time to complete his homework. The teacher almost spat out his water and then joined in the laughter of his fellow classmates. "But I really am a cultivator... Trust me!" Chapter 2: I have unparalleled talents for cultivation!!! This news of Shen Long becoming a cultivator had spread to other classes as well. Shen Long became the laughing stock of the entire school, and his reputation was growing steadily though not in a good way. Shen Long received much more attention than he used to have; people would nod to Shen Long as they walked past him, and Shen Long would return a BIG smile back to them. He seemed to have no clue why people were behaving like this. "I never knew I am so popular in my school! It must have been my Qi. I can feel my elegant and noble aura. Being a cultivator surely is different!" Shen Long hummed a tune as he walked towards the school gate. "Big Bro Long! Where have you been the entire day? My friends said you made up a really good excuse for not doing your homework this morning by calling yourself a cultiva.. cultivator?" Song Wang''er said as she stared into Shen Long''s eyes. Shen Long blushed as his eyes looked away from Wang''er''s cute red-brown eyes. "Your Big Bro is not joking. I really am a cultivator now! It''s not an excuse for not completing my homework! Isn''t your big bro awesome?" "Haha! Big Bro Long, your sense of humour really is great! That''s why we are great friends! I am going home now! See you tomorrow ~" Wang''er chuckled and walked towards the bus station. Shen Long was dissatisfied and instantly heartbroken. "Little Sister... I don''t want to be just friends with you... I am lonely... How could you friendzone me just like this?" He seemed to have completely ignored the fact that even his Junior Sister didn''t believe that he was now a cultivator. "Whatever. A cultivator like me is destined to have lots of setbacks. Sucess doesn''t come through hard work... Eventually, she will fall for me. After all, I am now a cultivator!! Then when she confesses her love to me, I will act coldly before I say yes! My plan is too flawless. O Heavens... Why did you make me so intelligent and handsome?" Shen Long, by now, had completely forgotten about people not believing his identity as a cultivator. Shen Long was completely immersed in his own fantasy, and he paid no attention to the surroundings as he rode his bike back home. His lips are slightly curled, while his saliva started dripping onto his white shirt. The day passed quickly after he reached home. Shen Long lied on his bed, swiping on his phone and reading the new light novel chapters that came out. Ding-dong! "Long-er! I scheduled a doctor''s appointment for you. It''s time to go! Mum and I know that you have been under great stress recently because of the exams. I am really sorry for shouting at you last night as I forgot about your exams. Being a teenager these days surely is tough..."Father''s voice was gentle as he came through the door. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Father, I really am not ill... I can prove to you that I actually am a cultivator. My strand of Qi is too small and that''s why I couldn''t use it this morning. Let me show you now!" Shen Long said as he, again, pointed at the key on the table. The key was actually floating though it was vibrating unsteadily. Shen Long''s face was resolute as his Qi was constantly being drained. After roughly 3 breaths'' time, the key suddenly crashed onto the table. "O Heavens.. Did the key just float? That''s complete bullshit. I think I need to see an eye doctor today... Maybe I''m the one under great stress." Father gasped as his breathing became louder. "I have told you 5 times already this morning!! Your son, the number one cultivator under the Heavens, can now utilise Qi. Lifting up a key like that is way too easy for me. I was just... em... pretending this morning when I failed to lift a chair." Shen Long said in a confident manner while his legs shook intensely. Shen Long re-explained everything to his father and watched him, perplexed. After an hour, Shen Chun had moreorless understood the whole incident though he became even more worried. "Long-er, you can absolutely not reveal this to anyone else. Otherwise, the government may capture you to perform some experiments. Only when you are strong enough to evade these dangers, you can reveal your identity as a... cultivator." Father said in an extremely serious tone. Shen Long could feel his dad''s sincerity and hurriedly nodded. "I guess I will listen to Father... for now. After all, I am still too weak. I won''t tell anyone about my cultivation level until I reach the Third Level of Qi Condensation!" Shen Long was completely immersed in the light novel''s manual despite it was brief and short. There were about 5 lines at most and those were all simple Qi Breathing Exercise. After all, it was a light novel and the focus was on the MC, not the Qi manual. At Shen Long''s pace, he would completely master this Qi Exercise in 5 days. It would at most get him to the Second Level of Qi Condensation and by then, he would need to find a new manual. A laughter could be heard at 2 am! (again!! *Hi readers, say goodbye to Dad''s sleep!) "I am such a genius. I have unparalleled talents for cultivation!!! It has only been a single day and I am already in the Second Level of Qi Condensation! I haven''t experienced a single bottleneck!! People always say they need some medicinal pills for a breakthrough to the next Cultivation Level. It seems like I, Shen Long, really am just a genius at cultivation!" Shen Long shouted loudly, disregarding the time. "Long-errrrr... Please have mercy on your father. I barely had any sleep last night already... Please, almighty cultivator, spare your father..." Shen Chun whimpered like a ghost. Shen Long immediately shut up and apologized to his Father. Shen Long was not tired at all, despite his Qi was constantly drained. A cultivator at Early Stages of Qi Condensation could last for 3-5 days without sleep as their Qi can be replenished by the essence of the heavens. "I will not be able to cultivate this manual anymore. It seems like manuals from light novels really are too short and brief. Oh Heavens... Am I really going to be stuck on the Second Level of Qi Condensation?" Shen Long contemplated as the Sun began to rise. "This kid really has potential. As long as he breakthrough to a Saint, I will personally take him in as my disciple." An unknown being, watching him from far, far away, said. "Are you serious? You haven''t taken in a single disciple for almost 3000 years now! This guy really is not that talented. Reaching Second Level of Qi Condensation at the age of 16 is barely an achievement!" Another mysterious being sneered coldly. "After all, he is from Earth. I would have helped my descendants long ago if I could. The laws of the World really is a pain. I cannot project my image down to Earth despite I''m now a Celestial Immortal." This being was actually from Earth, who was once a mortal like Shen Long. "There isn''t even a single manual back in your homeland. He can either reach Sainthood through grasping a Dao or establishing his Qi Foundation. Wait. How did he cultivate Qi without a manual?" "That''s why I said this kid has potential. I can barely sense his Qi but he really cultivated Qi somehow. I only managed to become an immortal after witnessing my parents being murdered, which allowed me to grasp the Dao of Death." "Let''s wait until he becomes a Saint, Daoist Fireblade. Only then we would be able to use our divine sense to speak to him. No point worrying now. Let''s drink!" Daoist Darkflame said. "Let''s drink! Hopefully, he wouldn''t disappoint me. Earth. I really miss home!" Daoist Fireblade replied with nostalgia in his voice. Meanwhile, Shen Long was staring at his pile of homework again while muttering quietly. "I really don''t want to do it..." Luckily, the barrier of the World''s Laws blocked out what Shen Long said. Otherwise, Daoist Fireblade would have definitely coughed out blood. Chapter 3: Father, are you proud?

Midnight passed quickly and the birds'' chuckling noises could be heard. Golden rays of sunlight shone into Shen Long''s room, onto his white, messy desk. His pile of homework was left untouched whereas Shen Long was sitting in front of his computer, staring at his screen. This time, Shen Long actually was not reading light novel, but reading an article on Qi Breathing. "This article is such bullshit! Clasping your hands together and imagine yin and yang within the body? If this can strengthen my Qi, I will call you my grandfather! These stupid websites are such clickbaits. Who on Earth would pay 5 USD to read your fake manual!?" Shen Long said angrily. He gave his alarm clock a quick glance and then decided to get ready for school. "Mother, What''s for breakfast?" Shen Long lazily shouted as he stretched his arms. "Today''s breakfast is your favourite! Remember your favourite dish when you were five? Chocolate with rice?" Lin Qu-er said excitedly! Shen Long''s face turned white. "Not again... I am 16 now... Chocolate with rice? What was wrong with me when I was six??" He thought to himself while he unwillingly walked out to the dining room. His father was dressed in a dark-grey suit, sitting with his legs crossed, gave Shen Long a glance filled with murderous intent. "It''s ready! Eat up! You can''t go to work or school until you finish this!" Mother exclaimed. His Father walked up to Shen Long, and cursed at him. "It''s all your fault. Now I have to eat your chocolate rice with you. Why don''t you tell Qu-er that you don''t like it anymore so that I don''t have to suffer with you?" Shen Chun cursed quietly into Shen Long''s ear. "I have hinted it to Mum so many times already. She seems to still think I like eating this dish. I am sorry Father... Thank you!!" Shen Long whispered back, but shouted the last two words "Thank you" extremely loudly. Dad looked at him perplexedly as Shen Long said "Thank you" for no apparent reason. "Mum, I am sorry I didn''t tell you yesterday! I have a test today at 7am! I better get going or I will be late!! Dad said he''s really hungry just now, so he will finish my portion for me! I really want to eat with you but I really can''t!" Shen Long hurriedly said and immediately left the house. "You son of a b****... Do I... Do I owe you a debt from my previous life? You..." Tears almost fell out from Shen Chun''s face as he stared at the brown, liquidy food. Spots of brown could be seen on Shen Chun''s face. If others didn''t know what he had for breakfast, they would probably think he accidentally wiped some poo-poo on his face. ...If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. In Shen Long''s classroom, Hanwu Academy. Shen Long, as always, was brimming with a smile, especially after escaping from his mother''s homemade, delicious, poop-looking dish. "Hey cultivator!! Did you kill any monsters last night?" Wu Yehai teasingly shouted, and the whole class started laughing. "Yehai! Come with me! I have something to tell you!" Shen Long quietly whispered to Wu Yehai with a sincere face. "Yehai, don''t tell everyone I''m a cultivator! Please help me keep this secret! I don''t want everyone to know about this!" Shen Long spoke with excitement. Wu Yehai was completely shocked. He did not expect to hear anything like this. Yehai was even thinking of what to say if Shen Long got mad at him. He just nodded and continued to stare blankly. "Just what is wrong with him this week? How did he even manage to get top grades with that brain of his? He doesn''t even do his homework... Heaven really isn''t fair..." Wu Yehai continued to look at Shen Long with envy and also disbelief. School bell rang and it was time for class again. "Good morning Mr. Zhou!" The entire class stood up. Zhou Laoshi (Laoshi means teacher) signalled them to sit down and warmly smiled. Suddenly, he saw Shen Long and his smile immediately disappeared. "Shen Long! Where were you yesterday when you were supposed to be in detention with me!?" Shen Long nervously looked back at Zhou Laoshi, not uttering a single sound as if he was dead. "Shen Long! Give me an answer! And also, hand in your homework now!" "Yesterday... I saw Junior Sister by the school gate and I completely forgot about the detention... She really is just too beautiful. I forgot everything as soon as I saw her charming smile. Her eyes are so pretty, and her hairstyle..." Shen Long continued to speak, and his saliva started dripping down to his shirt again. "Shut up! Just hand in your homework to me!" Zhou Laoshi angrily said despite he was almost speechless after listening to Shen Long''s explanation. "Eh... I will give it in tomorrow..." Shen Long suddenly realised he still didn''t do his homework last night as he was browsing through Qi Manuals. "You... See me after school today!" Zhou Laoshi''s eyes were extremely red, at the point where the vessels in his eyes were visible. Time passed quickly and it was already lunchtime. Shen Long immediately went to the school canteen as his stomach was growling. "Oh YES! It''s my favourite dish! Red Braised Pork Belly!? Now this is real food!" Shen Long bought two plates and his mood improved immediately. He feasted on the pork belly and finished it within 5 minutes. This was because a cultivator required much more food than normal mortals. Although Qi could be replenished through absorbing essences from Heavens and Earth, food was still necessary, especially for those in Qi Condensation. "How am I still so hungry? I already ate two plates!!" Shen Long thought as he walked up to the food counter again and got another two plates. "I didn''t bring enough money..." Shen Long realised as his wallet was empty besides some random receipts. "Hey Dafei! Can you lend me 50 yuan? I will pay you back tomorrow!" Shen Long said to Dafei who was talking to his friends. "Why? You usually bring 50 yuan to school every day! That''s enough for you to buy 2 Lunch! Bugger off!" Dafei aggressively shouted. "Dafei. Things are different now. Let me tell you a secret. I am now a cultivator and 2 meals cannot fill me up at all. Don''t tell anyone though! I will pay you back 60 tomorrow!" Shen Long replied in an honest tone. "HAHAHA. Cultivator? HAHAHAHAHAHA. If you can prove that you''re a cultivator, I will give you 50 bucks for free! Not even that, I will call you my grandpa! HAHHAHAHA" Dafei said in a mocking tone. "Sure sure! How about I lift up the your bottle without touching it? 50 bucks? Deal!?" Shen Long excitedly said. Dafei nodded while his friends and he laughed like some crazy maniacs. "Watch closely!" The water bottle slowly floated towards Shen Long''s hand. Lifting a light object for Shen Long now was very easy, as he was now in the Second Level of Qi Condensation. Dafei and his friends'' jaws dropped onto the ground. So did the people who saw the bottle floated in midair. "What kind of magic is this!? Here, here. Take your 50 bucks! Can you do more of this?? This is bloody wicked bro! Dafei said in his "gangster" tone. "Who else wants to see? 50 bucks and I will do the same thing!" Shen Long shouted loudly to make sure everyone heard him. ... Shen Long was laughing merrily as he earned almost a thousand yuan in an hour. "This is such a good way to earn money! Father, are you proud!?" Shen Long thought to himself while making strange noises again. "Woo-hoo! Yeah!!!! WAHAHAHAHAH!" Meanwhile in Shen Chun''s office... "Who the fuck used my credit card to buy a Qi Manual Guide!?" Chapter 4: Shen Long! Where is Shen Long!? In Zhou Laoshi''s classroom. "Shen Long! Now that we are alone, give me a proper explanation of why your homework isn''t completed! I know you are trying to get attention from your classmates as you are desperate in need of friends... But you went overboard." Zhou Laoshi started giving Shen Long a lecture as soon as he arrived. "Zhou Laoshi... I really wasn''t joking... but... You''re right... How do I get more attention and friends? You know... I am really lonely... All I do at home is read light novels and cultivate..." Shen Long stared sincerely, like an innocent child. "..." Zhou Laoshi was completely speechless while he was inwardly cursing. "No wonder why you have no friends. You can''t even tell that I am laughing at you? I would have expelled you long ago if I was allowed to. I have no idea how you''re getting top grades despite not completing your homework, being an absolute mess and have zero social skills. Just what is your brain made of??" Zhou Laoshi murmured to himself. Not showing his unprofessional thoughts, Zhou Laoshi quickly switched to his kind, heartwarming face and tone. "It''s okay Shen Long. Maybe you should stop with your cultivation joke. It really isn''t funny anymore. Also, maybe you should join the Literature Club to meet some new friends since you love reading anyway!" "I hate Literature. Light novels are so much better. Those "classic" Chinese Literature stories are so boring. Even my grandpa can write better than that... And Zhou Laoshi, do you not really believe that I am a cultivator? Shaking his head, Shen Long replied. "Your grandpa can write better than Li Bai (Famous Poet in China) and Luo Guanzhong (Writer of Romance of the Three Kingdoms)? Damn you really have got a big mouth. And... Who on Earth would believe your identity as a cultivator? No wonder why your Junior Sister Wang''er doesn''t like you..." Zhou Laoshi thought to himself. "Oh Shen Long. Your teacher, Zhou Xingjian, really doesn''t believe you as a cultivator. Please broaden my horizons and educate me!" Zhou Laoshi replied in a condescending tone. Shen Long suddenly thought of what his father said to him, and he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. "If I don''t show him my prowess as a cultivator, he would probably laugh at me. But if I do show him, then he may spread the news of me being a cultivator... I have to follow my father''s words as I am a good child!!" Shen Long debated against himself mentally. Shen Long had already completely forgotten about his 1000 yuan in his wallet and what happened in the cafeteria. "Shen Long? Come on! Show your teacher! How about this? If you really are a cultivator, you won''t have to complete any homework for the rest of the term! But if you are not, then what about you leave this school? Or you can just apologize to me and kowtow three times! I, Zhou Xingjian, am a magnanimous man..."Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Zhou Laoshi was still speaking but he was interpreted by Shen Long''s response! "Okay! Deal! No homework for the rest of the term yeah!? OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK. You, as a teacher, can absolutely not go back on your words!!" Shen Long excitedly said while immediately channelling his Qi to lift up the plant on Zhou Laoshi''s desk. Zhou Laoshi was at a loss of words as his eyes were fixed on the floating object. "This is bullshit..." "Thank you Zhou Laoshi! I am going to leave now! My Junior Sister is probably still waiting for me by the school gates!! See you tomorrow!" Shen Long politely bowed and started running towards the gate. "Junior Sister!!!!!! Are you waiting for me, your big bro?" Shen Long shouted as his face turned blushed red. "Hi~~ Big Bro! You''re so famous now!! Everyone has heard about what happened at lunch! Even my friends started believing you as a cultivator... How did you do it Big Bro?" Song Wang''er said in her cute voice while shaking her head like a child. "Does everyone know about it? Oh crap... I promised Father to not reveal this to anyone. Who else knows about this!?" Shen Long agitatedly questioned. "I think the entire school knows already!! After all, being a cultivator really is something! Why don''t you want everyone to know? I think, Big Bro, you look extremely cool when everyone praises you!" Wang''er answered in a cute way. "Do I really look cool? HAHAHA. Maybe I really am cool! Wang''er, tell me! How cool is Big Brother Long? Since you asked just now, I will tell you about me becoming a cultivator." Shen Long grinned as he paused to think of the best way to make himself seem "cool" in front of Wang''er. "Being a cultivator requires one to exist in harmony with nature. To become a cultivator like me, you would first have to establish your will. A strong will would allow you to observe the world in a totally different way. Essentially, the world is made of some natural universe laws. Mortals would be controlled by these laws; they would never be able to escape death. Sigh. The cultivation world really is too immense. Even your Big Brother, I, only understands a small part of it, and yet it allows me to wield tremendous combat strength." Shen Long attempted to utilise his language skills, learned from English and Chinese class in school - the art of bullshiting. "Wow!! I don''t understand it at all! It''s so profound! Big Bro, what type of laws did you understand in order to become a cultivator? Can you teach me how?" Wang-er curiously asked. Shen Long''s face suddenly froze. "Eh... I grasped the laws of... Em... How could I tell you!? The journey of cultivation is arduous and hard, my path and yours would be completely different. My path may not fit yours, and it may even harm you. How could I be so irresponsible and tell you my insight of the laws? I don''t want to harm you! Sorry! I cannot tell you despite I would love to share you my experience in being one with the laws!" Shen Long''s forehead was filled with sweat as he bullshitted some lines from light novels he once read. "Luckily, I am smart! After all, I can''t tell her that my cultivation journey started from me copying the manual of a light novel..." Shen Long chuckled as he thought to himself. "Wow! Big Bro! I am sure your cultivation level will only improve from here onwards! When you''re famous, don''t forget about me!" Wang''er giggled. "I will never forget you!! I probably won''t reveal my identity as a cultivator though! After all, I am not strong enough... I meant... I would rather keep a low profile! As you know, I don''t really like bragging! After all, cultivation is all about constantly becoming the best version of yourself. I don''t really pay attention to what others think!" Shen Long replied. "Wow!! Big Bro!! You have changed so much after you became a cultivator!! But I don''t think you can stay low profile for long... I think some classmates of mine reported this news of you to a newspaper company for the 200 yuan!" Wang''er said. "How are they getting paid for reporting to a news company!??" Shen Long immediately got worried as his father urged him not to tell anyone about being a cultivator. "The Daily Newspaper firm always gives out money to those who report true, genuine news! That''s why they always receive first-hand information! Do you know? I was..." Song Wang''er was interrupted by the screaming of the people. "Shen Long!!! Where is Shen Long!?" A group of people, holding their cameras, were walking towards the school gate, while screaming loudly. "Shen Long is there by the schoolgirl! Hurry up! We must be the first to report this news!" Shen Long was speechless and his legs started shivering as he thought back to what his father said. (In Chapter 2) "I don''t want to be captured by the government... I don''t want scientists to cut up my body... I am only 16... Heaven!! Save me!!!" Chapter 5: "Oh Heaven... Why is this happening to me!?" "I am Chen Zhilong from Beijing Television Channel. Mr. Shen, I have heard from your fellow classmates that you are able to lift up a car, and you can break a 10-inch wood with one gaze of yours. Can you please show us your prowess as a cultivator and tell us how you became a cultivator?" Chen Zhilong politely asked. "WHAT? You are from a TV channel!? I thought my classmates only told the Newspaper Company!! Why are you here!? And who said I can lift up a car and break the 10-inch wood with my gaze??" Shen Long scowled angrily while shaking on the inside. "Your classmates didn''t inform us. A teacher from Hanwu Academy, I think he''s called Zhou Laoshi, told us about your almighty power! He even said you showed your cultivation base in front of him!" Report Chen respectfully answered, looking at Shen Long. "Zhou Laoshi... What have I done to offend you... Since when did I become that powerful?? All I did was lifting your f***ing cactus plant on your desk... If you didn''t want to bet with me, fine! You didn''t have to... If one whole term of skipping homework was too much, we could have negotiated... Why?????????? Heaven!!! Save me!!!" Shen Long was on the verge of a mental breakdown as he cursed inwardly. Shen Long hurriedly started structuring an excuse in his head, using all the knowledge he learnt from light novels and school. He uncontrollably started sweating, to the point where sweat started dripping from his head. "Mr. Shen?" Reporter Chen asked as his entire news reporting team patiently stood. "SHUT UP!" Shen Long shouted, mustering all his Qi and strength. Although the Second Level of Qi Condensation is fairly weak, his loudness was enough to make a mortal shiver. Shen Long was already scared shitless, the news reporter put him under even more pressure. Reporter Chen shook as he expeditiously covered his ears with his hands. This was the same for every other person who was near Shen Long. Reporter Chen, however, did not become scared. His eyes started brimming with light, and he became even more respectful towards Shen Long. "I must be the first to report this news! With this, I can probably get a shit ton of BONUS and can get myself the new GPhone X!" Reporter Chen secretly thought. (** I am trying to avoid any copyright problems ~ just in case!) After 5 minutes or so, Shen Long finally calmed down and he smiled with confidence again. "Sorry Reporter! I got a sudden enlightenment just now, and I couldn''t quite control my emotions as, you know, these chances rarely come! I will explain to you all how I embarked on the journey of cultivation." "I was once an ordinary mortal like you all. But I had always believed that I had talents for cultivation. Hence, I decided to, every day, meditate in the forest to absorb the spiritual energy of the World. Of course, it didn''t work immediately; but after years and years of attempts, the heaven was moved by my dedication, and hence bestowed me with an almost negligible cultivation base." Shen Long paused slightly as he remembered Zhou Laoshi taught him that pausing in a speech would add credibility to it. He felt proud as he finally, for once, used the skills he learnt in English Class.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "A spark of lightning suddenly descended from the sky that night, and it struck me. That apparently was the heavenly tribulation. I still remember the pain this very day. However, that granted me a spark of Qi, which allows me to manipulate objects. I always wanted to keep a low profile, and hence did not reveal this until this very day." Shen Long confidently said as he looked towards the sky as if he was telling the truth. "Big Bro Long! That''s not what you told me just now! Didn''t you say you grasped the Dao..." Song Wang''er suddenly said though she was quickly interrupted by Shen Long. "Shhhhhhh!!! I will tell you why I lied to you later!!!" Shen Long whispered quietly to Song Wang''er. Wang''er was about to continue speaking, but then seeing Shen Long''s scared shitless face, she nodded hesitantly. Meanwhile, everyone stared at the duo with curiosity as everyone heard what Song Wang''er said. Shen Long gave Song Wang''er a meaningful look, telling her to explain to the public. Song Wang''er sighed softly and spoke. "I was talking about how Big Bro actually told me that he is able to freeze the area around him. He said he had a "negligible" cultivation base and I just wanted to correct him and tell everyone the truth!" Song Wang''er exclaimed as she looked towards Shen Long. "Thank god! I almost got exposed!! WAIT?? FREEZING THE AREA AROUND ME? WHAT!?? I CAN AT MOST LIFT A CHAIR!! FREEZING THE AREA AROUND ME!???? NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!" Shen Long''s face flickered with two completely different emotions. For a moment, he was brimming with joy as Song Wang''er helped him cover up his lies. Now, he rather Song Wang''er didn''t speak at all... "So Zhou Laoshi said I can LIFT A CAR... And NOW YOU SAY I CAN FREEZE THE AREA... AND I SAID I CAN WITHSTAND THUNDER... They really are gonna dissect my body now... I am still 16..." Shen Long cried inwardly as if he really got struck by the thunder from the heaven tribulation. "Ah Mr. Shen! You really are amazing! I am going to properly interview you now! Camerman, prepare for LIVE interview in 5 minutes!" As the crew prepares for the interview, Shen Long started sweating even more. "As long as they don''t tell me to show them my cultivation, I should be fine..." Shen Long prayed to the heavens. "OK! Mr. Shen! Live in 5, 4, 3, 2,1! Today, I have got the pleasure to be with Mr. Shen Long. Believe it or not, he is actually a cultivator! Just now, he demonstrated us his powerful cultivation base with his shout. I, Chen Zhilong, first-hand experienced his prowess! Mr. Shen, can you please tell us how you became a cultivator?" "Thanks for your praise, Reporter Chen. I was once a mortal like all of you..." Shen Long recited the exact same thing he told to the reporter just now on the Television. This time, he seemed even more confident though he was seriously frightened on the inside. "As you all have heard, Mr. Shen Long, really does wield tremendous power. Mr. Shen, will you please demonstrate your ability to freeze the area around you, as your girlfriend said earlier?"Reporter Chen asked while smiling towards Shen Long, seeking his approval. "Hahaha... Haha... Haha... Freeze the area... Hahahaha... Hahaha..." Shen Long, by now, had gone completely crazy. He had lost it. Absolutely. Lost. It. "I, em..." Shen Long was about to make up some random excuses but he was interrupted by Song Wang''er. "Who said I''m his girlfriend? That''s really impolite! He is my Big Brother! He is my best friend, not his girlfriend!! Please don''t be mistaken!" Wang''er shouted loudly as the camera pointed towards her beautiful face. Shen Long started laughing in an even more bizarre and crazy manner. "Best friend... Best friend..." Shen Long started muttering these two words over and over again. Today was definitely not a good day for Shen Long. Not only was he about to be exposed by the news reporter, not only was he worried about being dissected by the scientists, he was even friendzoned by Song Wang''er... "Oh Heaven... Why is this happening to me!?" Meanwhile, Shen Long was still LIVE on TV, and he was laughing in a... very special way. Chapter 6: Saint Being under extreme pressure, he was sweating crazily. Every brain cell of his started functioning at their maximum rate. Despite Shen Long studied in a prestigious school, he never worked hard to fully exploit his potential. And after all... He rarely uses his brain. Shen Long could afford to lose his entire wealth, he wouldn''t even mind if he lost his cultivation, but he absolutely cannot afford to lose face, especially in front of Song Wang''er. He had always prioritized his pride and his image more than anything else. Surely, he loved being a cultivator; but losing his pride for this? For him, it is a big no. He was on the verge of explosion, at the point where even his head started to hurt. "COME ON!! There has to be a way out to this! BRAIN!" Shen Long, nearing his limit, was forcing his brain to continue functioning at its quickest. His eyes were bloodshot, his face flushing with redness. His heart was beating faster than ever, but still, nothing came to his mind. "Is there really no way around this matter? Am I, Shen Long, going to embarrass myself in front of everyone in the country?" A sense of hopelessness overwhelmed him; his mind was filled with despair. His vision was blurred as he gradually lost control of his mind and body. A black, swirling vortex suddenly formed in the sky, directly above Shen Long. The spiritual energy of the world, usually invisible, gathered - forming a purple, glittering streak shooting towards Shen Long. Everyone was stunned by the scene they were witnessing. It all happened way too quickly. First, the disruption by Song Wang''er; then comes Shen Long''s ridiculous laugh; then this rapid change of the weather left everyone flabbergasted. Shen Long, himself, was blinded by the pitch black darkness. Losing complete control of his body, his consciousness travelled into an unknown chasm. Slowly, his vision started to become clearer again. Shen Long could see his own body, floating in a cross-legged position. The body was directly above the crashing waves in an ocean, but it sat there untouched and unharmed. His consciousness suddenly became much clearer; his understanding towards the World grew. "Everything is like the sea. It is boundariless and endless. Everything that starts must end. Even a seemingly indestructible wave would grow weak. Every living being would die and reform, and there is no way to break free." Shen Long seemed to understand a portion of the World''s Laws.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. In other words, he had understood the Dao of Water. Although he only understood the surface of the Dao, his cultivation had improved by leaps and bounds. The spiritual energy was his physical prowess; the Dao strengthens his attack. Spiritual power, strands of Qi, are like tiny droplets of water. A water droplet is almost negligible, and that was like Shen Long''s power before. The Dao, however, allows him to merge these water droplets into one. A river, full of water, is a thousand time stronger than a water droplet. His spiritual energy did not improve as he watched the waves again and again, but his understanding towards the Dao of Water and the natural laws of the world do. His usage of his Qi became much more refined, and Shen Long had stepped on the journey of a Daoist. Anyone who could grasp a small portion of the Dao would receive a soul transformation. The cultivator was now one with the world; their identity had been approved by the Heavens. A cultivator, without understanding any Daos, would still be a mortal. No matter their levels of cultivation, if they were not one with the world, their battle prowess would be severely limited. A Daoist''s Qi might be weak, but he would be able to borrow power from the world itself. Only a Daoist would be able to extend their lifespans. Typically, a Daoist who merely grasped an extremely small portion of a Dao, like Shen Long, would gain 500 years of longevity. Whereas a Daoist who had completely grasped one Dao, they would basically be immortal, as long as the Dao remained. Shen Long¡¯s understanding of the Dao and the World matched up to a Saint, after Shen Long received his Baptism by the universe.. His consciousness seemed to be much stronger, and Shen Long''s brain was able to process much quicker. His reaction time, senses, karmic luck had all improved, and this is all because of the Water Dao. But this was not the end of his transformation. The streak of light carried immense power and its power was enough to completely finish Shen Long''s life. Its spiritual energy was so concentrated to a point that it became visible to everyone. The streak of light, however, created an orb around Shen Long, and Shen Long''s body was brimming with light. His shirt was all ripped, but his body was left unscathed. The spiritual energy was rapidly entering Shen Long, and his spiritual Qi absorbed it all. Shen Long who was now conscious could feel clearly that his spiritual energy was accumulating. This phenomenon was rather rare, even in other worlds in Zanghu Universe. The spiritual energy was controlled by the essence of the entire universe, and the universe would rarely help a cultivator to absorb it. It, of course, had happened countless times in the past, but Shen Long was the first one in the past ten centuries. This had attracted a lot of attention by different beings in the universe who witnessed the scene. Daoist Fireblade, of course, noticed this and he was brimming with joy. "Good! Good! Another talent is going to arise! Shen Long! You haven''t made me disappointed! Seems like I''m really going to be able to return to Earth! It has been way too long..." Daoist Fireblade laughed merrily as he began to move closer to Earth. "He is my disciple! He is definitely going to Westpool Academy!!" "No! He is going to Woodland Academy!" "Are you guys stupid? He is obviously suited to the "Darknorth Academy!" A group of cultivators, arguing continuously, also began to move in the direction of Earth. Shen Long, of course, was not aware of these beings coming to receive him. Shen Long''s strand of Qi now stood at the apex of Qi Condensation. He was only a step away from Foundation Establishment. His body also became much tougher and stronger. Most importantly, his face seemed to have changed as well, becoming more refined and handsome. Shen Long''s enlightenment ends as Shen Long stands up and speaks. "Hello, Reporter Chen! Sorry, I had a sudden enlightenment. Why did you just ask? Let''s restart the interview!" Shen Long politely asked. "Mr... Mr... Shen... I think you should find some clothes to wear first..." Shen Long was utterly embarrassed. After all, he could not escape the fate of him being a laughing stock of the entire country. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Chapter 7: SHEN LONG! Searching around, there really isn''t a single piece of clothing suitable for him to wear. After all, clothes won''t descend from the heaven just because he is favoured by the essence of the World and grasped a portion of a Dao. He quickly dashed towards his locker, utilizing his full cultivation base as well as the power of the Dao, to wear his PE kit that he left in school. His speed was greatly improved after reaching half-step Foundation Establishment, and this left everyone stunned again. "Holy hell! This guy!! Seems like even 10 Usain Bolts can''t beat him in a sprint!" One of Shen Long''s classmate said. "Hmph! Of course! He is, after all, a friend of MINE! Me, Luo Dafei, had always been his brother, and I had always known his potential. Don''t compare an Olympian to my big brother!! He is a CULTIVATOR MAN~~~. A mere mortal? Hmph. You''re looking down to my brother YO." Dafei said in his usual gangster tone. Dafei who was laughing at Shen Long a while ago completely changed his attitude. He even started bragging to his friends about how they had been best friends since a long time ago. This society had always respected the strong and Dafei was no exception. Dafei was now Shen Long''s Number 1 Fan as Dafei, secretly, was also a light novel fan who loves cultivator. Shen Long got dressed and sprinted back in less than 20 seconds. Shen Long did not feel any tiredness, nor he felt his heart pumping faster. But he definitely felt the embarrassment from the news reporter. He, however, did not start shaking, neither was he scared shitless like he always was. His mind was actually clear despite facing the camera that was live on TV. This is all due to the soul transformation, which improved his consciousness drastically. Quickly organized his thoughts, he started smiling at the news reporter. All he could do now was to act normal about being completely naked on LIVE. Ultimately, he couldn''t do anything about it. "Hello, Reporter Chen. I believe just now you witnessed the sudden change of weather and my clothes being burnt. Please do not take offence. I didn''t do it on purpose, but I had a sudden enlightenment." Shen Long said with sincerity as he truly did feel sorry for Reporter Chen. "No problem. I am sure you have all witnessed the phenomenon just now, and the news that there is now a cultivator in our country is definitely genuine. I would like to ask you, Mr. Shen, why you chose to embark on the journey of cultivation?" Reporter Chen reported in a professional manner, showing no signs of panic.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. "I had always loved cultivators in the past. You can call me stubborn and naive, but I had always believed that we, humans, were once cultivators. I had always questioned the purpose of our lives as everyone would age and die in this modern society. I believe that Heaven would not do that as that is pointless. There must be a way to overcome this shackle of immortality and here I am today, proudly announcing that I will be the first in this modern world - to become the first cultivator!" Shen Long spoke with confidence and royalty as what he spoke was genuinely true. Now that Shen Long no longer had to make up random excuses, he could finally speak from his heart. His cultivation now was indeed strong enough to lift a car, to freeze the area around him, and even control (to an extent) some water. "I may not be the strongest cultivator, nor I may be strong enough to change the world. But I would definitely share my experience with the country and with the entire world. If anyone is willing to become a cultivator like me, please tell me and I will unhesitantly guide you to become one." He continued to speak while brimming with joy. Suddenly, his brain thought of an excellent idea to showcase his talent and prowess in front of Song Wan''er. He suddenly said... "I don''t have many requests for you, but you must promise that you will use your cultivation to benefit the whole mankind. Justice and Equality, we must all strive to achieve these! No one should be discriminated against - and this is because we are all equal. I am just the same as you all, I won''t abuse my power and I will try my best to make this world a better place!" Shen Long said while inwardly chuckling. "I really got much smarter... Didn''t I??? Now, how could Song Wang''er reject me after seeing my heroic side!?" "Thank you Mr. Shen. I believe everyone heard Mr. Shen Long''s words. This is the end of the LIVE interview. I am Chen Zhilong, from Beijing TV and thank you for watching." Reporter Chen signalled the cameraman to end the LIVE broadcast as he said to the camera. The camera team started packing up busily, and people watching the LIVE interview started leaving. Shen Long stood there, staring around. "The f***? That''s it? What???? I am a cultivator man!!?? That''s all I get!? What do I do now!? Do I leave?? F*** it. I will just sit down and meditate, and act like a cultivator." Shen Long inwardly cursed. In Shen Chun''s office... "Guys! GUYS! That''s my son!! Look, isn''t he cool!? He really inherited all my genes!! Come LOOK! Doesn''t he have great morals? Listen to his speech at the end. Seeking equality!! You hear that? This is all because of me. I taught him all these morals. Ain''t I awesome!?" Shen Chun started bragging towards his co-workers. (Isn''t this scene a bit similar? Shen Chun behaved in the exact same way as Dafei did. Meanwhile, he was the one who told Shen Long to keep a low profile. But of course, he completely forgot that. After all, he also enjoyed being praised by others. Just like Shen Long.) "Oh really!? He''s your son!? On the television?" The Boss asked as he walked out of the room. "Yeah!! BOSS! Isn''t he awesome! You are watching as well!? I can get you a signature from him if you want!!" Shen Chun grasped this opportunity to show-off again. However, he said with modesty and respect as it''s his boss after all. "Yeah! Maybe you should stop watching the TV while you are at work!" Boss suddenly changed face, and shut the door. "Arrr shit... I forgot... I was too excited..." Shen Chun said while he looked down. He was embarrassed, and he had lost face in front of all his colleagues... "SHEN LONG!! YOU MADE ME LOSE FACE AGAIN! I HATE BEING EMBARRASSED!! YOU''RE GONNA DIE TONIGHT!" Shen Chun cursed while he thought. "Oh wait. He''s a cultivator now... There''s no way I can whip him..." Shen Chun grew more disappointed as he recalled Shen Long''s strength. "BUT I CAN TELL QUE-ER TO COOK THE CHOCOLATE WITH RICE TONIGHT!!! HA! HA! HA! YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW!! MY DEAR SON!" He said while laughing wryly, like an old fox. Chapter 8: SHEN LONG... SHEN LONG After the interview, Shen Long started making his way back home. As usual, he rode on his blue-black bike, staring at his phone. Paying absolutely zero attention to the road condition, he somehow managed to survive for the past few years. (Fellow readers, please don''t be like Shen Long! Pay attention to the road!!) Shen Long wasn''t aware that his dad had carefully planned a "delicious" dinner for him to celebrate. Shen Long didn''t even know if his parents saw him on the TV or not, nor he really cared. All he wanted to do right now was to lie on his bed as way too many things had happened today. His behaviour really wasn''t like a cultivator. A cultivator should be hardworking, diligently practising and Shen Long was just lying on his bed lazily. "Damn I really looked cool today didn''t I? That was so close. I almost got exposed in front of everyone. That sudden enlightenment stage though. I wonder when will I ever encounter it again!? I improved by leaps and bounds but I can''t even sense what level my Qi Condensation is at anymore..." Shen Long contemplated deeply about that sudden spark of energy as well as the strange "dream" that he entered. "I seemed to have understood the world more though. That''s a guarantee. Don''t tell me there actually is Daos and all that shit in the world as well. That''s too bullshit. That''s too good to be true! If I really grasped a Dao... a water one at least... won''t I be able to walk on top of water!? SHIT!!" Shen Long was ecstatic about the different laws about water that he grasped earlier in the day. He continued on his fantasy in his brain as time passed quickly. Despite his consciousness had improved as his soul received a transformation, his personality didn''t really change at all. Thankfully, his brain was now just above average compared to normal humans. However, his talents for cultivation and his ability to comprehend profound laws were crazily high. Just how on Earth was Shen Long created!? Ding-dong!! "Shen Long!! Your father and I had seen you on TV when we were at work! Dad immediately called me afterwards saying that you wanted to celebrate. I just bought some chocolate from the supermarket downstairs and I will make your favourite food tonight!! It''s a shame that you didn''t have it last time!!" Mother excitedly shouted as she walked through the door. "What!?? WHO SAID I WANTED TO CELEBRATE!? I... I..." Shen Long jumped out of bed and shouted back while inwardly trembling. Even with Shen Long''s cultivation base, he was still terrified by the taste and smell of Lin Qu-er''s famous dish - Chocolate with rice. "You don''t want to eat it?" Mother asked with a slightly angry tone. "Of course not, Mother. I would eat anything you cook. I was just surprised that you and Dad already found out that I was on TV. And... did Dad tell you that I wanted to celebrate this great news!?" Shen Long politely answered. Despite Shen Long''s brain functioned in a weird way, he still had respect for both his parents. Well, maybe not so much for his dad right now.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Shen Long believed in filial piety (an attitude where you basically show care and respect to your parents or elderly) where he would always respect his parents. He understood how hard they worked and hence he would try to please his parents as much as possible. "Yeah!! Father said you missed this dish a lot! He even told me to prepare twice the normal portion for you as you are starving!!" Mother said as she put the chocolate into the microwave, to melt it. Shen Long cursed and he was agitated. "Why DAD!?? What have I done to you? I have always respected you..." Shen Long sat down on the sofa and calmed himself. Turning on the TV, he heard his dad''s footstep outside the house. Immediately, he walked to the door and opened it. He gave Shen Chun a meaningful gaze: full of hatred yet respect, and lazily jumped back onto the coach. He was actually on TV! Despite the interview ended hours ago, this interview was repeatedly played on the television, and everyone in the country had already heard of this news! Shen Long showed his smile as he watched himself on the camera. "I was once an ordinary mortal like you..." Shen Long was very happy with his performance as he thought his speech was excellent. Meanwhile, dinner time drew near. "It''s time to eat!!" Mother shouted from the kitchen. Sitting down on the table, he stared at the food in front of him. Rice could be seen in the bottom of the bowl while the top was filled with five different types of chocolate - from the supermarket. It was decorated with more chocolate sprinkles on top, making it very "appealing". Shen Long started eating the dish, hesitantly putting the spoon, filled with some shit-like food, into his mouth. Although the combination was "slightly" odd, the taste was not too bad. It was just sweet after all. However, the texture and colour reminded Shen Long about the "metabolic waste" of his body, which made him gagged a little. Shen Long rapidly finished his meal and chugged the entire bottle of water immediately afterwards. Despite that, the taste of chocolate remained in his mouth, and his teeth were still filled with some brown colour stuff. Shen Long respectfully said "thank you" to his mother and put his finished plate into the kitchen. As he walked out, he gave Shen Chun the smile again. This time, however, had more hatred than respect. After the "Sugar-rush", Shen Long sat down in front of his desk. Having nothing to do, he decided, finally, to cultivate a little - to fully condense his Qi. Despite not knowing anything as Qi Manual was now completely useless, he sat down and guided his Qi through his body. Shen Long''s instinct was quite good. The random movement of his Qi actually was a decent breathing exercise as it went through different acupoints and vessels. Yet, he did it through complete luck. He didn''t even know his current cultivation level and he could only feel that he was close to establishing his Qi. After the breathing exercise, he continued to ponder about the different properties of water. He examined the water tap, and how water flowed. He just silently watched and stayed still. He got even more confused. In the enlightenment, the sea of water moved in a completely different way. Each water droplet seemed to merge while each droplet had its own movement. The sea was like a formation where the droplets were like soldiers. While the water from the tap, it just flowed like normal water. There was no "formation" nor energy, but just a pool of water. Shen Long got even more confused as he started questioning himself. "Did I really grasp the laws of water? Or was that all a dream!? But I can really feel my connections towards the World are much deeper now... Water... Water... Water..." Shen Long continued to think. Shen Long searched online for different versions of water. Ultimately, he stumbled across a website where it is called "Water Qi Manual". This website looked very familiar and it also cost five USD to access. "Fuck it. I''m gonna buy it." Shen Long bought it after some thoughts. "THE FUCK? WHAT IS THIS? THIS IS A SCAM! SCAM! WHO WILL BUY YOUR SHITTY GUIDES!?" Shen Long slammed his laptop as he grew angry. His dad, meanwhile, received a notification on his phone. "A transaction of 5.00 USD was made on your visa card ending with 5325. Please call our bank if you have any inquiries." "SHEN LONG!!!!" Daoist Fireblade also just arrived near Earth as he started channelling his divine sense. "Shen Long..." Shen Long was suddenly shaken as he heard two different voices shouting his name... "Am I hallucinating!??" Chapter 9: How do I leave Earth!? "Shen Long, don''t be so shocked. Let me introduce myself. I am Daoist Fireblade who was once a cultivator like you on Earth. Stop looking around! Listen to my words clearly as I will only say it once." Daoist Fireblade said commandingly as he was a celestial immortal after all. "The laws of the world have barred my entry to Earth and I am barely using my divine sense to speak to you. It drains my spiritual energy to speak for long, so I will just be short and clear. I, Daoist Fireblade, am willing to take you as a disciple as we are both from Earth." His tone was serious yet Shen Long could feel his sincerity. "If you are determined to walk a different path from other mortals, then follow me and I shall guide you to breakthrough the shackles of mortality. You don''t have to decide right now, I will remain near Earth; you just need to send me a spiritual message and I will instruct you on how to leave Earth." The voice transmission was over and Shen Long was dumbfounded. "What the fuck was that!?? There is actually other cultivators in this universe!? If he is willing to take me as disciple, doesn''t that mean I am still extremely weak? I thought I was the only cultivator and I''m unparalleled in this world..." Shen Long thought after hearing Daoist Fireblade''s message. Shen Long actually was not wrong. He was the only cultivator on Earth and he''s basically unparalleled in this world. However, the Zanghu universe consisted of millions and millions of planets, and cultivators were not rare at all. Theoretically, Shen Long was not the first cultivator as Daoist Fireblade was. However, his entry was declined by the laws of the world as his cultivation was too high. Even though he was born from the essence of Earth, his presence was too strong for Earth to support it. However, Shen Long could help Daoist Fireblade to re-enter Earth once the essence of Earth was strengthened. The process was relatively simple. Either Shen Long bound the world- Earth - to himself, or he could breakthrough to Demigod in Earth, using the essence of Earth. However, Shen Long, of course, was not aware of any of this. (To clarify: The essence of the world, the essence of the universe are two different things. -The essence of the world is for individual worlds, like Earth; the essence of the universe is like karmic luck and the Daos. Understanding the laws of the world is equal to grasping the Dao; Daoist Fireblade cannot enter the world because the essence of the world bans him from entering.) Shen Long had always dreamt of becoming a cultivator. Fighting? Slaughtering? Being above everyone else? Shen Long loved all this. He, however, was still debating as he did not want to leave everything behind and start his cultivation journey. A cultivator could live for an extremely long time, but his parents and friends couldn''t. However, becoming a cultivator was always his dream. He also understood that these chances rarely would come, and thus he decided to speak with his parents beforehand.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Father... Would you support me if I dedicate my life to become a cultivator?" Shen Long politely asked his father as well as explained what Daoist Fireblade told him earlier. Shen Chun repeatedly nodded and he was inwardly extremely impressed. "My son... It''s up to you. Your mother and I will always support your decision. It''s your LIFE, not ours. Of course, we will miss you, but you can always return to visit right? Why don''t you ask your master if you''d be able to come back and visit?" Shen Chun suggested in a sincere tone. "Thank you, Father. I will definitely return if I have the opportunity to. For the sake of chasing my dream, I will definitely go out and cultivate. I will become the universe''s number 1 cultivator and make you proud! I will go ask Master now!" Shen Long said, his eyes flickered with determination. At this moment, he suddenly realized... he didn''t know how to use his spiritual energy to channel divine messages... "Wait... HOW DO I USE MY SPIRITUAL ENERGY??? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO REPLY TO DAOIST FIREBLADE!??? WAIT WAIT!?? HE TOLD ME TO REPLY IN 10 DAYS!??? IS THIS A TEST FOR ME!??" Shen Long was agitated as he was clueless. Using spiritual energy to send a message? That''s an impossible task for the current Shen Long. Meanwhile... "Did I sound too harsh and serious?? What if Shen Long thinks that I''m not sincere enough... I just wanted to show him my prowess as a celestial immortal... I really want him as a disciple... His talent for cultivation is really unparalleled... I could have been instantly famous as well as helping my hometown to produce a talent... Why is he not replying!?!?? Daoist Fireblade also began to grow agitated. Yet he was not willing to lower his head to transmit more message to Shen Long. He would lose too much face, and he, just like Shen Long, treasures his face a lot. Shen Long immediately started cultivating, to attempt to stabilize his Qi. He also attempted to use his spiritual energy, guiding the energy through his abdomen then to his mouth. It didn''t really work though his Qi was slowly being refined. "What the hell... How can one use their spiritual power to communicate spiritually!???? I am NOT gonna buy the manual online again! Maybe I will read some light novels... Hopefully some talk about how to use your spiritual energy..." Shen Long went through multiple novels, all about cultivation but they never describe how to use their spiritual power, nor did he find any more manuals. Shen Long was almost crazy by now... "Am I really doomed to stay on Earth? I guess it''s not that bad... After all... I am the only cultivator right now and I basically wield enough power to control this world. I can probably be the next president if I want to... It''s not like guns and bullets can harm my physical body..." Shen Long thought about the pros and cons of staying on Earth. "After all... I don''t really have a choice, do I... I will just try my best to transmit messages, using my spiritual power - but if I can''t... then I guess it''s fate that Earth is now under MY control!!! I GUESS THAT IS NOT BAD AS WELL!!" Shen Long smiled as he sat in his cross-legged position. Despite Shen Long didn''t mind staying on Earth, he still tried his best to decipher the "Magic" behind spiritual communication. He researched about sound waves, using his knowledge from school and conducted a few, minor experiments. "So if wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency... and our audible range is 20Hz to 20,000Hz... What if spiritual energy is just like gamma rays!?? If the sound waves are travelling as energy matter instead of waves, then that basically is "spiritual communication"!" Shen Long continued to prove his theory. Despite Shen Long couldn''t socialize and act normally, his brain actually worked perfectly fine though it may seem unbelievable. Shen Long, after all, was from Hanwu Academy - one of the top schools in China. His knowledge and creativity were top notch. "I GET IT NOW! So I just need to produce super high-frequency waves, that are almost like pure energy. Easy! I am such a genius!!!" Shen Long continued to brag as he attempted to produce super low wavelength sounds from his throat. "Ahem. Ahem. Ahem..." Repeated noises of him trying to produce a super low-sound could be heard around the house. "I know how it works... but I still can''t do it..." Shen Long was slightly disappointed... "Do you need any medicine son?? Is your throat okay??" Mother said caringly. Chapter 10: A brand new SHEN LONG!? After repeated experiments and research, he figured out how to spiritually communicate. He had to compress his message into high-frequency waves, then channel his spiritual energy towards a direction. Only cultivators would be able to receive divine messages as the frequency is too high, like ultrasounds on Earth. "I. AM A GENIUS!!! Now I just have to practise compressing my messages into sound waves... I still have 9 more days..." Shen Long thought as it was almost daytime again. Quickly packed his bag and wore his school uniform, he grabbed the bread on the table and started eating it as he left the house. As usual, he rode his bike to school; but this time, he caught sight of people walking past staring at him. "Isn''t that guy the cultivator on TV yesterday!?? He''s wearing the uniform of Hanwu Academy as well!! Yeah!! It''s definitely him!! His hair is exactly the same!! The guy yesterday also had long hair like a homeless!!!" Luckily, Shen Long didn''t hear what the crowd said. If he heard them comparing his K-pop hairstyle to a homeless, he would have coughed blood and beat the sh** out of them. He had always been proud of his hair despite his parents kept telling him to cut it. Whispering of the crowd could be heard, but Shen Long ignored them and continued to swipe his phone. However, the noises had gradually gone louder and even more people started joining in the crowd. "Are you the mighty cultivator, Shen Long!? Aiyo, I can''t believe the country''s number 1 cultivator lives in our neighbourhood!! Could you give me a signature? My 6 years old son really respected you and said your speech was so inspiring!! Please!?" A middle-aged auntie approached Shen Long as he stopped due to the traffic light. Wasn''t sure how to respond, he hesitantly nodded and signed on the woman''s notebook. The women stared at the signature, shock was written onto her face. Shen Long was caught off guard after seeing her facial expression. Trying to console her, Shen Long hurriedly said. "You don''t need to be that shocked! Signing for you is effortless! If you want more, I can sign for you!!" "No¡­ what kind of signature is that? That looks like a random scribble¡­ did you really go to Hanwu Academy?? How can you handwriting be so¡­ so¡­ unique?" The auntie said in fragmented sentences as she did not want to offend Shen Long.. "Yeah! My teacher also says my signature is very unique! It''s really cool right? I have always thought that it looks like a master calligraphy piece! Since you appreciate my signature, I will take a selfie with you!" Shen Long exclaimed while feeling extremely impressed.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The women was completely speechless, but them taking a selfie together attracted a lot of attention. People started rushing out onto the road, holding their phones to take a picture with Shen Long. Shen Long was dumbfounded by the sudden changes of events but happiness overtook him. After all, he enjoyed being in the spotlight and acting heroically in front of the public. Some requested a selfie, and their face was filled with admiration and happiness; some requested a signature, and they were completely speechless. Some were growling furiously as Shen Long''s bike and the crowd blocked the entire road. (Just to clarify, in some places, there are no bicycle lanes, and bikes ride on the road and they follow standard traffic rules applied for cars.) After the crowd left, Shen Long started riding his bike to school again. The drivers of the cars behind him gave him a threatening stare as they drove past him. Shen Long was slightly afraid, but then he realised there was nothing they could do to him. It wasn''t long until Shen Long arrived at school. As usual, Shen Long parked his bike and walked up to his classroom. Normally, no one actually cared about him arriving school, but today was different. Dafei enthusiastically shouted "Our Cultivator - Shen Long is here!! YOOOO!!!!" in his usual tone and cheers could be heard in the room. All his classmates rushed towards Shen Long and greeted him, and started showering him with praises. Even the class goddess, Ye Yunqing, who was usually cold and distant walked up to Shen Long and smiled. This made Shen Long extremely proud and happy as he had never gotten that much attention before. "Wow!! Even Yunqing is like this!! Seems like power really is everything! I guess the light novels are not wrong after all. This world only respects the strong. With power, everything is possible!!! Yunqing''s smile is so beautiful!! If Wan''er and Yunqing both like me, who should I choose!? After all... I can only have one wife and one lover...." Shen Long was laughing and smiling towards his group of classmates. Zhou Laoshi entered the room as lesson was about to start. Even his attitude changed as he smiled immediately towards Shen Long. Shen Long nodded continuously as he recalled everything that happened today. From a random student to a famous, well-respected person, nothing had changed besides his strength. Shen Long understood the importance of strength, and he was determined to climb to greater heights. He had also completely made up his mind that he would follow Daoist Fireblade to cultivate. Now, he just needed to learn to communicate spiritually, and he was basically guaranteed to wield greater strength in the future. Besides cultivating diligently, he had also decided to treasure the upcoming 9 days remaining. Once he left Earth, no one knew when he would return. He just wished to spend more time with his friends and classmates, and mainly his family. Shen Long, after all, had an excellent relationship with his parents. Despite they always had small quarrels, no hatred was built up as they were just bantering. Shen Chun and Shen Long were more like friends even though he was Shen Long''s father. The school day quickly ended, and he saw Song Wan''er and chatted for a while before heading home again. Song Wan''er did not ask why Shen Chun he lied neither which saved a lot of effort. After he got home, he practised compressing his soundwaves into pure energy waves. Although it was very tiring, he did not stop until his parents came home from work. Shen Long greeted them and spoke with them for the entire night. His parents were both worried but were happy that Shen Long finally grew up. After sending his parents to bed, Shen Long continued to cultivate and practise. This repeated for the entire week and Shen Long was now on the verge of succeeding though failing at the last, crucial stage. Even his improvement stopped, and he was confident that it would work as long as he figured out the problem and solution. 2 more days until he had to give Daoist Fireblade a response. Time was tickling but Shen Long did not feel pressurized. He was instead motivated to work hard, unlike the usual Shen Long. He spent the daytime with his family and friends; night time for cultivation and practise. Shen Long didn''t even need to sleep anymore as he was able to replenish his energy through the essence of the World. Daoist Fireblade, however, was super worried. "8 days had passed already... Shen Long.... Shen Long... You better not make me lose face... I really can''t afford to speak to you again... Please just respond and save me some face...."