Deep in the night, with everything silent, Zhang Tie sat quietly in a dilapidated Daoist temple, attempting to rest for a moment.
This Daoist temple was extremely dilapidated; aside from a relatively intact door barely holding up its facade, the roof was already riddled with holes, and the windows were shattered, almost non-existent.
Although the night was deep, Zhang Tie had no desire to sleep. The series of events from the day, like a nightmare, lingered in his mind, leaving him feeling as if he were still in a fog, unsure of where his future path lay.
He had thought about returning the way he came, back to the Iron Bear Gang. There, he could quietly Cultivate Spells, and if he was lucky, perhaps he could even become the Gang Leader in the future, establish a great Family, and bring glory to his ancestors.
However, how to explain all of this to the Gang upon his return was a tricky problem.
More importantly, he couldn't help but ask himself, now that he knew about Cultivation, was he truly willing to remain in the Iron Bear Gang and be a master who dominated the Martial Forest?
Since he now knew of the existence of Cultivators and even possessed a Spiritual Root, was he truly willing to give up this path of Cultivation, which pursued powerful Magic Power and Immortality?
The answer was clearly no.
But if he truly wanted to embark on this path of Cultivation, how should he proceed? He had no Sect or Gang, and he knew nothing about his own Aptitude.
For a time, Zhang Tie's thoughts were like scattered willow catkins, chaotic and disorganized.
The faint light of dawn gradually filtered through the broken roof, spilling into the dilapidated Daoist temple, adding a touch of vitality to the cold space.
Zhang Tie slowly opened his eyes, but his gaze no longer held the confusion and hesitation of last night; instead, it was filled with determination and resolve.
After a night of deep thought, Zhang Tie finally made up his mind to embark on this path of Cultivation, full of unknowns and challenges.
First, he decided to return to the scene of the incident.
According to Song Xingzhi's memory, his Storage Pouch contained the Cultivation Technique Spells he Cultivated, as well as seventy-odd precious Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
It was important to know that in the Cultivation World, Spirit Stones were a universal currency, not only used for purchasing various items but also an indispensable resource for Cultivating. Therefore, no matter what, Zhang Tie had to retrieve this Storage Pouch.
Afterward, Zhang Tie planned to travel to Qin Country, east of Black Phoenix Country.
There was a Wu Country between Qin Country and Black Phoenix Country; from his current location, crossing Wu Country to reach Qin Country would be a journey of over three thousand li.
Even traveling at full speed by carriage, it would take at least two months.
Moreover, this long journey would inevitably be full of unknown dangers and variables.
For this reason, Zhang Tie decided to first use the Spirit Stones he had to Cultivate, striving to raise his Cultivation to the fourth Realm.
Because once he reached the fourth Realm, he would be able to Cultivate a miraculous Spell called Royal Wind Technique.
Once this Spell was mastered, it would allow him to be as light as a swallow, leaping three or four zhang, becoming his life-saving means whether for traveling or escaping in critical moments.
Upon reaching Qin Country, he would then seek a suitable Sect to join, thus officially beginning his grand Cultivation endeavor.
Zhang Tie ate some of the dry rations he carried with him, then got up and set off, walking in the direction he had come from. Before long, he arrived near the collapsed cave. Looking from afar, the surroundings were silent, with no unusual movements.
Zhang Tie did not let his guard down; he stood at a distance, observing intently for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. After confirming there was no abnormality, he cautiously walked towards the cave and began to clear the mountain of rubble piled at the cave entrance.
This clearing took a full two days. Fortunately, Zhang Tie had Cultivated Elephant Armor Skill to the third Realm, possessing immense strength, and his astonishing power made the clearing work twice as efficient.
If it were an ordinary person, it would take at least ten days to half a month to complete this arduous task.
Zhang Tie quickly found the Storage Pouch he had been thinking about.
He found a safe corner, sat down cross-legged, and then, following the method in his memory, circulated the Spiritual Qi within his body and poured it into the Storage Pouch.
Instantly, the Storage Pouch flashed with light and was successfully opened.
Zhang Tie sent his consciousness into it and found it was a space half a zhang square.
Inside, there was a small pile of crystal-clear Spirit Stones; a small sword emitting a faint light; several books of Cultivation Techniques; several sets of clothes; a wad of silver notes; and a bottle labeled valley avoiding pill.
Besides these, there were no other items.
The wide street, like the spine of a giant Dragon, extended straight into the endless distance. The bluestone pavement, illuminated by the brilliant sunlight, shimmered with a warm and soft glow.
Along both sides of the street, shops were neatly arranged, and banners fluttered in the wind. In the streets and alleys, the hawkers' cries rose and fell, creating a lively atmosphere. The bustling crowds on the main street made the area seem very prosperous.
At this moment, a sturdy young man was sitting at a window seat on the second floor of a restaurant, eating heartily.
The table was laden with rich meat dishes; chicken, duck, fish, and meat were all available, but by now, most of it had been eaten, and the young man's appetite was truly astonishing.
This person was none other than Zhang Tie, who had been in Phoenix Crown City for over ten days.
Ever since obtaining the Storage Pouch, Zhang Tie dared not delay in the slightest, rushing straight to Phoenix Crown City without stopping. After all, as a person from Black Phoenix Country, having the opportunity to visit the capital city, he naturally wanted to experience it thoroughly.
Upon entering the capital, Zhang Tie rented a courtyard in a secluded area and then began closed-door Cultivation.
Initially, he didn't plan to eat, as a single valley avoiding pill could sustain him for seven days without hunger. However, the taste of the valley avoiding pill was truly unappealing, and he found it hard to get used to. So, when his cravings acted up, he would come to this restaurant to satisfy them.
During these ten days, Zhang Tie continuously Cultivated with the help of Low-Grade Spirit Stones, and his Cultivation speed could be described as advancing by leaps and bounds.
Seven days ago, he easily Broke Through to Qi Refining third Realm. For a moment, Zhang Tie couldn't help but wonder if he was a born Cultivation genius.
When not Cultivating, Zhang Tie was also busy studying some newly acquired small Spells. There were not many Spells that could be Cultivated at Qi Refining third Realm, and among them was the Heavenly Eye Spell. The name sounded quite intimidating, but upon closer examination of its effects, it was merely capable of checking the Cultivation Realm of those whose Realm was lower than his own.
If the opponent's Cultivation was higher than his, or if they had a Magic Treasure blocking it, it would be difficult to discern anything. Additionally, this Spell could be used to check the Spiritual Qi density of treasures containing Spiritual Qi; the better the treasure, the brighter it appeared.
As the saying goes, beating a child on a rainy day, he might as well do something if he's idle. Zhang Tie simply Cultivated this small Spell.
Zhang Tie's daily life was monotonous yet fulfilling: Cultivating, Cultivating, and more Cultivating. He immersed himself in Cultivation during the day and also at night. When hungry, he would take a valley avoiding pill, and when he craved something, he would occasionally visit the restaurant for a meal.
Spring turned to autumn, and time flew by; a year passed in the blink of an eye.
Zhang Tie was now nine years old, and his Cultivation had successfully reached Qi Refining fourth Realm two months ago.
He had thought that once he learned the Object Control Spell, Fireball Technique, and Royal Wind Technique, he could continue his journey, but he had ultimately overestimated himself. Two months had passed, and he had only just mastered the Object Control Spell and Fireball Technique; he was only preparing to begin Cultivating the Royal Wind Technique today.
In a tranquil grove on the outskirts, sunlight filtered through the dense branches, casting fragmented light spots.
A young man stood in this serene place; it was Zhang Tie.
Early in the morning, Zhang Tie had come to this forest on the outskirts of the capital city, preparing to Cultivate the Royal Wind Technique here.
Zhang Tie found a good spot, his expression solemn, his eyes tightly closed, quietly sensing the fluctuations of the surrounding airflow. He took a deep breath, slowly opened his eyes, and saw his body slightly squat, his hands forming a peculiar hand seal, and his mouth muttering incantations.
In an instant, the surrounding breeze seemed to be drawn in, beginning to slowly circulate around him.
Zhang Tie let out a soft shout, attempting to control this airflow and condense it beneath his feet.
However, being his first attempt, he clearly had not yet mastered the trick, and the airflow became chaotic, causing him to fall headfirst to the ground.
But he did not get discouraged; he adjusted his breath again and reformed the seal. This time, he was more focused, fully dedicating himself to controlling the Spell.
The breeze gradually became orderly, slowly lifting his feet. Zhang Tie's heart filled with joy, and just as he was about to step forward, he lost control and fell heavily to the ground again.
"Again," Zhang Tie gritted his teeth, quickly got up, and continued to try. His clothes fluttered in the wind, and his forehead was covered in sweat.
After a day, it was fortunate that Zhang Tie had tough skin and thick flesh, otherwise he would have been covered in injuries. The inauspicious start made Zhang Tie even more determined.
One day, two days, three days... At noon on this day, the sun hung high, and a sturdy young man was seen leaping up and down in the forest, but astonishingly, he could cover three or four zhang in a single stride.
This person was none other than Zhang Tie, who had practiced for a month and finally gained flexible mastery of the Royal Wind Technique.