Chapter Five: The Shortcut to Cultivation (Part One)

The Basic Body-Strengthening Technique trained only the meridians of the Minor Circulation, known in traditional terms as the Ren and Du Meridians. Perhaps in ancient martial arts novels, unblocking these two meridians signaled the attainment of a peerless master, but in truth, clearing the Ren and Du Meridians was merely a necessary phase of the Minor Circulation, the very first challenge one faced in cultivation.

These meridians run down the center of the human body: the Ren Meridian in the front, the Du in the back, encompassing the most essential pathways along the torso. Theoretically, the three Dantian—upper, middle, and lower—are all situated along the Ren Meridian, while the Du Meridian includes the entire line of the spinal column. Even the mere existence of these three Dantian proves the significance of the Basic Body-Strengthening Technique.

Whether practicing the basic method or advancing to higher techniques, one must constantly guide the flow of foundational energy; a single misstep can lead to disastrous consequences, harming body and cultivation alike.

Zhao Li had no idea how he entered such a state. He simply awoke from his practice, startled to find he had no memory of the process. Or rather, he seemed to have entered an unconscious trance, and yet, in that state, had completed the circulation smoothly.

Clearly, after long repetitions, his body had developed an instinctual habit of controlling the internal flow of energy—so much so that even without conscious guidance, his practice proceeded as usual.

The first time this happened, Zhao Li was terribly alarmed. After all, he had never heard of anyone losing focus while cultivating. Fortunately, he was only practicing the basic technique, so no harm came to his body. Shaken, Zhao Li plunged into a frenzy of searching for answers.

He found no records of such incidents in cultivation manuals, but having studied Chinese classical culture since childhood, Zhao Li found a parallel in Buddhist meditation. Usually, only accomplished monks could enter such a unique state during meditation, a realm where all five aggregates were empty. To achieve such a meditative state during cultivation, with one’s mind tied to directing energy flow, seemed impossible.

Yet Zhao Li distinctly remembered the feeling. The uncertainty of it left him anxious, afraid something might be wrong with him. When he practiced again, focusing his mind, the phenomenon did not reoccur.

A careful examination of his body revealed nothing abnormal. But after this incident, Zhao Li no longer dared to practice endlessly as before, and even stepped out of his rare seclusion to spend time in the living room.

To ensure the needs of cultivation, nearly every suitable room in the house was soundproof and shock-resistant, in case an unexpected disturbance interrupted the process. It had been a long time since Zhao Li had left his room to observe the world he lived in.

To his surprise, when he reached out to several close classmates, not one was enjoying a normal holiday; each was absorbed in practicing the first-level technique. Even Johnny, who always bragged about taking things easy, was the same. Zhao Li could not help but feel astonished.

It seemed he was not alone in his thinking. Among these young people, who had just completed their foundational training and were newly permitted to advance, no one wished to be left behind.

He had considered seeking his parents’ advice, but the thought of his father’s serious approach to work made him anxious. Given the rarity of such an occurrence, Zhao Li was certain his father would insist on reproducing the event, recording it in detail, and conducting a series of studies—a terrifying prospect that immediately reminded Zhao Li of lab rats.

That evening, when his parents returned home, they found a somewhat lost Zhao Li waiting for them.

“What’s the matter?” his father asked, settling into the comfortable synthetic sofa. It was rare to see Zhao Li waiting for them at home, and they were both a little surprised.

“Sigh.” Zhao Li hesitated, unsure whether to confess. On one hand, there was his freedom; on the other, the possibility of becoming a test subject. He could only sigh.

“Oh?” Hearing the sigh, his father grew more interested. Glancing around, he immediately noticed the house phone was not in its usual place.

“Wavering?” His father gently restored the phone to its neat position. “Are you struggling to persist because your classmates are all working on the first-level technique?”

“That’s not it!” Though he felt a bit intimidated, that was not the cause of his uncertainty, and Zhao Li was unwilling to let his father misunderstand.

“It’s not? That’s good.” His father smiled as he sipped the rare tea Zhao Li had made for him. “My son is not someone who gives up halfway.”

“Dinner’s ready.” The meal was set, and the family of three, rarely together during the holidays, gathered for dinner—mainly because Zhao Li had been practicing day and night. Of course, his parents were attentive, but knowing he was only working on the basic technique, they were not too worried.

“Once you’ve made a decision, don’t keep wavering.” As they ate, his father lectured him, “Cultivation requires steadiness and sincerity. The rewards are proportional to your efforts; don’t waste time seeking shortcuts or crooked paths. If you want to join the military, you might have a chance to learn some successful techniques, but even so, you’d only be able to bypass the fourth-level bottleneck. Real strength still comes from diligent cultivation.”

Hearing this, Zhao Li suddenly recalled his own plan to join the army to achieve his goals. If the successful techniques in the military could break the fourth-level bottleneck, did that mean he could put aside the first, second, and third-level techniques for now?

The sudden idea left Zhao Li a little excited, though to his parents, it appeared differently. Their son, who moments before had seemed troubled, now looked transformed, his eyes bright with renewed spirit, as though he had already resolved his confusion.

His mother gave his father an approving look, as if praising his skillful guidance. His father accepted the silent compliment without reservation, gazing at Zhao Li with pride. No matter what, this was his son—whether a genius or not, he was someone to be proud of.

After a warm family dinner, Zhao Li happily chatted with his parents for a while before returning to his room. This small gesture only made his parents even happier.