Quantum Cultivation by Jace Kang (simple e reader TXT) 📕

too much Fire.  Just like I had Aya process a Fire Core to burn off her excess fluid, you will use this Water Core to cool your blazing Fire.” He guided Ken to the center of the circle Aya was walking. “Now, stand in the Zhan Zhuang stance.”

Ken dug his toes into the ground, bent his knees slightly, and tucked his tailbone forward.

“Put the Core in your navel.”

As soon as Ken did, the Core’s coolness surged through his abdomen, like a torrent of water welling up in him. He gasped.

“Quickly now, before its energy pools and douses your fire,” Master Ryusuke said. “Start the Microcosmic Orbit. Inhale through your nose and draw the energy up your spine; exhale through your mouth and feel the energy sink down to your Core.”

Considering they spent so much time practicing this, it came easily; not only that, the coolness raged through him like an angry river fueled by spring melt.

“You need to Cultivate it, to spread it through you before it overwhelms you.”

Ken continued with the breathing and visualization, and the flooding coolness eased.

“Good. Now, we are going to practice the counterflow.  As you inhale, bring the Qi up the front of your body. As it passes through your naval, feel how it transforms into a cool fluid.  Draw that up your stomach and through your chest. You’ll notice how the heat in your chest fizzles. Keep bringing the coolness up to your head. Your thoughts should become less scattered, more fluid.”

It was happening just as the master said, with the fire in his chest and head cooling down. To think, just a few days ago, he hadn’t ever noticed that heat.

“Now guide it down your back to the Gate of Life in your lower back. From there, draw it horizontally into your Kidneys.”

“Kidneys?”

Master Ryusuke set his palm on Ken’s lower back. “They are the primary organ of the Water Path, and also represent your overall vitality.”

The cool sensation flowed into Ken’s back. “What do I do with it now?”

“Store it there for now. You are Cultivating the cool, fluid, Yin aspect. It’s like the wax of a candle, which is needed to sustain the hot, energetic, Yang aspects. Now, while maintaining that visualization, we will do another section of the Eight Brocades Form: Touching Toes, Bending Backward.”

The master put both fists on his lower back and leaned backward, then leaned forward and drew his hands down the back of his legs. When he reached his toes, he slid his hands along the insides of his calves and thighs before bringing them to his lower back and repeating the process.

Ken followed along, with this particular movement straining him less than the Separating Heaven and Earth. But whereas Master Ryu could nearly fold himself in half both ways, Ken was less flexible. Each breath, combined with the motions, invigorated him to the bone.

“Keep practicing.”

The master went back over to Aya to guide her, and Ken continued through the exercise. While just standing in the Zhan Zhuang position had worn him out several days before, it was becoming easier and easier to do it now. Not only that, the Microcosmic Orbit had taken his full focus in the past; now he performed it while executing these new motions.

Master Ryu showed no sign of letting him rest. The more Ken practiced, the more he felt his quadriceps and hamstrings could stretch, even while his bone marrow energized. He might not be able to bend all the way backward, but he was nearly bending to ninety degrees, and could easily touch his toes.

After several hours, Aya joined him in Bending Backward and Touching Toes. As always, she mastered the motions after a couple of repetitions, and her flexibility allowed her to reach the same level of stretch as him.

As before, they continued until dawn, when Yin and Yang were again balanced and distinct. Now he realized an ache deep inside him, as if his bones were trying to press outward.

He collapsed, writhing as the pain intensified. Everything sounded so loud in his ears, his brain hurt.

“What’s wrong?” Aya came out of her stance, hurried over, and knelt beside him. Her voice boomed.

“He’s all right,” Master Ryu said, his words also feeling like a knife jabbed into Ken’s skull. “Ken-kun’s body is finishing its transformation as the Yin Water Aspects fortify in his bone marrow.”

“What does that mean?” Aya asked.

“He’s advanced to First Rank,” Teppin croaked.

First Rank! Ken’s heart would’ve leaped if he weren’t in so much pain.

“First Rank?” Aya’s eyes rounded. “What does it feel like?”

“Excruciating.” But beyond that, his bones felt energized. Even though he didn’t look any taller or broader, he felt twice his previous size. His mind felt settled, that constant jittery sensation had all but subsided.

He rolled over to find Master Ryu. “Why is everything so loud?”

“The physical changes of Advancing in Water include improved hearing.”

That would explain why…

The announcer’s voice screamed in his ears. “Seventeen people were murdered yesterday…”

Chapter 26:

The Cultivator

K entaro had done it, and Ryu couldn’t have been prouder.  He’d suspected the boy would advance with the Kappa leader’s Core, but hadn’t wanted to give him false hope. Now, he made Kentaro sit up and keep cycling Qi through the Microcosmic Orbit so that the pain would subside.

Ryu had been tempted to absorb the Core himself, in hopes of getting that much closer to Advancing to Fifth Rank in the Water Path… and Advancing would increase his chance of sealing the portals without his pills.  However, with the Core weakening from the crossover from the World of Rivers and Lakes, and further losing its potency after the Kappa’s death, it would’ve only been