The meditation chamber was a sanctuary for the Trial Disciples of Thousand Peaks Cultivation Academy, simple in structure but profound in essence.
The stone walls bore witness to countless transformative journeys, a fading mat rested beneath the weight of wisdom that had come and gone, and a single flickering spirit lamp cast shadows like echoes of forgotten dreams.
Tonight, however, it pulsed with an energy that felt almost limitless.
Cultivating the Source was a new experience for Sun Mo, and anyone in his position would find this type of cultivation far harder than ascending to heaven. To cultivate the Source, one must find the core of their being and feel the resonance that aligns with their very existence. It's about understanding—who you truly are.
What kind of energy or Source is needed for this type of cultivation? Spirit Qi is typically used to advance through the many realms of cultivation while seeking a higher comprehension or level through the Dao. However, in Source cultivation, one must cultivate their entire being, which requires a process known as "Feeling."
Source cultivation does not rely on a medium for progress, although external environments and spiritual treasures that help the mind and body can influence the cultivation process. This feeling of one's true self is exceptionally challenging to achieve because people rarely connect with their authentic selves.
Sun Mo had rushed back to this space as soon as the system awakened within him, a surge of pure energy flooding his being, bubbling excitement rising like an unstoppable tide. He settled in the center of the chamber, adopting a relaxed yet resolute posture, his heart steady and his mind open.
As he closed his eyes, he was taken aback, not by the explosive chaos often associated with a breakthrough in Dao cultivation, but by a profound sense of understanding.
[You have entered a meditative state aligned with Source Cultivation.]
[Progress toward Stage 1: Awakening of Self – 12%]
[The System has detected that the host has a extremely high aptitude for Source Cultivation]
[The System praises you for having such a high affinity towards your new cultivation path. ]
This was different.
The Source felt less like a daunting force of power, and more like a gentle whisper of recognition, a soft illumination in the recesses of his heart.
The chamber around him, already humble, transformed into a vast expanse of introspection.
He focused inward, allowing the noise of the outside world to fade into the background. No longer did he hear the rustling of fellow disciples or the distant murmur of faculty discussions. Instead, he became acutely aware of his own heartbeat, the rhythm of his breath, and the subtleties of life within his very bones. He no longer avoided his thoughts; he embraced them.
Memories began to surface, vivid yet haunting.
He recalled the stinging disappointment of failing his Dao Foundation test, the fleeting pride in his father's face as it crumbled into despair.
It was as if he could feel the weight of self-judgment accumulating within him, a heaviness he had spent years concealing.
The Source called to him once more, resonating within the depths of his consciousness.
Warmth blossomed in his chest, not as energy, but as an awakening of feeling. It was as if his heart had cracked open just enough to allow long-buried emotions to rise to the surface, emotions he had been afraid to confront.
[Source Cultivation Progress: 23%]
[You have identified a deep-rooted emotional barrier.]
Sun Mo's hands trembled, but it wasn't weakness that caused this reaction; it was clarity washing over him. This was Source cultivation—it wasn't about forcing a breakthrough, conquering external challenges, or mastering some ancient technique. It was about confronting oneself and refining the essence of who he truly was, not who he sought to be.
He exhaled deeply, sinking further into this state of awakening, deeper still.
In the Core Hall of Thousand Peaks Cultivation Academy, two Elders that were at the Soul Formation Realm convened, their drawn faces illuminated by flickering lights from crystalline formations.
Elder Wu stared intently at a crystal tablet, noting a peculiar spiritual fluctuation that rippled through the surveillance formation.
"This anomaly…" he murmured, tapping the crystal with deliberate fingers. "What we sensed—it's not spirit qi, nor is it demonic in nature."
Elder Mei leaned closer, brow furrowed in contemplation. "It's harmonic. It carries a resonance… like a frequency from the void itself."
"Indeed," Wu replied, concern etching deeper lines in his face.
The elders exchanged glances, their unease rippling through the air like an unspoken agreement.
Sun Mo continued his journey of self-discovery.
Back in the meditation chamber, when Sun Mo finally opened his eyes, he experienced no tumult of transformations, no cataclysmic surge sweeping through him.
It took almost 5 hours but he finally gotten used to the feeling of cultivating the source.
Just a profound peace, a quiet calm that settled within him like the stillness after a storm.
[Source Cultivation Stage 1: Awakening of Self – Complete.]
[System has detected the host's first breakthrough in Source Cultivation]
[System gives the host the opportunity to choose a path:
1. Choose to be high-profile and shake the world every time you have a chance to show your might. You will receive rewards based on the following missions you complete. The other path you that you do not choose will receive less rewards when you select which choice you want to make.
2. Choose to be low-profile and cultivate in silence - Only show the world your might when you see fit. You will receive rewards based on the following missions you complete. The other path you do not choose will receive less rewards when you select the choice you want to make.]
Sun Mo silently chose the second option in his heart: "I just want to be a background character who protects everyone."
[You have chosen to cultivate in a low-profile manner]
[The path you chose will determine your future choices by the system]
Sun Mo aspired to be a background character while also becoming the strongest.
He dreamed of reaching for the stars and hoped to one day cultivate to the point of living forever.
Tomorrow, he would don the academy's gray robes once more. He would traverse the same grounds, but with the weight of isolation lifted for the first time in five years.
He was no longer lost; he was embarking on a path unseen by others, a journey forged by his own hands. This was his way, a discovery that he alone could explore.
With renewed resolve, he stood, every step a testament to his awakening, a profound moment in which he had not only begun to cultivate but to truly understand himself.