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Chapter 3: Cultivating for the First Time

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Kyu Cao didn't really dare to believe this was Ice Qi.

His body was fire attuned, he was certain of that, having gone through the Elemental Divination when he was a kitten.

This meant his body attracted fire aligned energies, and repelled the cold ones.

But now, a cold Ice Qi entered his body as if greedily devoured, spreading to all his limbs and through his flesh.

How could this be possible?

While incredibly bewildered, Kyu Cao was still quite calm. He put the questions inside his heart aside for the moment and concentrated on observing his body.

The Ice Qi seeped into the muscles, deeper and deeper, increasingly becoming more concentrated. It caused his muscle fibers and tendons to drop in temperature and contract, causing involuntary shivers to run up his body. He was growing numb, and his limbs rigid.

"Hissss...!" Suddenly, an uncharacteristic violent and pained hiss escaped from Kyu Cao's maw.

The cold Ice Qi had finally touched his bones, beginning to permeate and causing him great pain.

It was as if cold steel needles were directly piercing into his bones, trying to bore holes on them.

Kyu Cao's eyes snapped open with realization.

Cold Qi, Ice Qi, this kind of energy had entered his body.

Qi was more than an invisible, ethereal existence. It could actually manifest itself, take shape.

Naturally, it could also cause physical changes in the environment. Great concentrations of Fire Qi would burn with real flames, and Ice Qi could freeze entire lakes.

With Ice Qi was entering his body, it was no wonder that his temperature had dropped to the point that a foggy breath was coming out of his maw.

However, he had a fire attuned body, the most unsuitable for Ice Qi.

Normally, cold energies would be repelled, less enter his body.

If such energies entered his body... this was not a good thing!

Akin to poison, they would bring harm to him. This was especially true for Qi, for such kind of energy was quite mystical and potent. It was said that even little amounts of Qi were enough to torn a weak person's vessels and rip apart his organs!

A shiver, not from the cold but from fright, ran down Kyu Cao's spine and up his tail.

He'd heard of "accidents" occurring during cultivation. Some were grave enough to cause the theriope's death. However, up until now he had thought such matters had nothing to do with him.

Even when he read this Seven Deep Hells Frozen Record, thinking that their elements quite didn't match, going as far as to be called opposites, he never foresaw such turn of events.

He only had read that introductory anecdote. Does this mean that it was this mysterious anecdote's fault that the Ice Qi had appeared inside his body?

Some panic finally surged in Kyu Cao's expression.

The chilling pain in his bones distracted his mind, but thanks to his temperament he still managed to think with rationality. There had something he could do.

Firstly, he tried to take control of the Qi.

He was no Cultivator, but he had learned some basic control of Qi as it was simply convenient. Unfortunately, he found his will slipping, as if he was lacking some understanding that enabled him to control the Ice Qi. He also found that his own Qi was lethargic, extremely difficult to manipulate.

Seeing this, Kyu Cao determined that he wouldn't be able to do something by himself. It seemed he would need someone else's help with this.

Yet, when he tried to think of someone he could try asking for assistance, Kyu Cao found that no one appeared in his mind.

There was simply nobody who was that close with him.

Even the mentors he often interacted with, he realized that he was not that comfortable confiding in them with this. Despite their relationship being quite amiable, if he were to go to them with this matter, surely it would be quickly reported to the main house and bring back troubles for him.

As for directly asking the clan... surprisingly, an intense feeling of unwillingness gushed out from Kyu Cao's heart.

He realized that, even thought he received some obligatory benefits and care from them, they had never given him anything too significant. And he as well, he had never asked for anything too important. Until now, he had taken care of himself pretty well, even managing to acquire some founds all by himself.

Family, yet not familiar at all.

He definitely didn't want to let them know of this matter, less ask for help and own them one.

He would rather run down to the city to look for a doctor if he had to!

This was the pride that lay hidden behind Kyu Cao's calm and impassive face.

Determination surged on Kyu Cao's eyes and cut through the panic.

Inspecting his body once more, more carefully, he found that despite the Ice Qi's coldness chilling his body and bones, causing him pain enough to clench his teeth, it also did not seem to be running wildly. It just flowed inside his body in a cyclical manner, pushed forward as more Ice Qi entered.

This, at least meant that it wouldn't start tearing down his insides immediately.

Of course, this was only a small relief.

If the concentration of Ice Qi grew too much, forget about internal injuries, he might be frozen to death first.

Could he really no expel it himself? Maybe he could try to counter the cold with some warm medicines, and hope that he wouldn't die before the Qi dissipated on its own.

While thinking of this, Kyu Cao, who was subconsciously clenching his paws, noticed a hardness on one of them and remembered the Icy Bear Pendant.

The Seven Deep Hells Frozen Record cultivation method!

A cultivation method was supposed to describe how to control and circulate the Qi to cultivate. If the first part, that mysterious anecdote, was actually some sort of chant that called for the Ice Qi, maybe the next one was how to manipulate it.

Seeing as he had nothing to lose, Kyu Cao quickly closed his eyes and gritted his teeth through the pain. With some effort he managed to will a strand of sluggish Qi into the Icy Bear Pendant.

He ignored the first section, the mysterious anecdote, and jumped directly to the next part.

There... a method to circulate the Qi was written down.

Success!

Elated, Kyu Cao first pushed down any impatience, then began to read word by word. He didn't want to complicate his situation any more by making some kind of mistake. Still, he tried to read as fast as he could, wary of what might happen if he took too much time.

A bit more than six hundredths of hour* passed and he was still not done.

The circulation method for the Qi described in the Frozen Record was truly detailed and quite mystical. It contained diagrams and descriptions which Kyu Cao committed to memory as he read.

He was certain he would only have time for one try, and that upon failure he would have no other choice but to swallow down his pride and go to the barracks to ask an expert.

It was at this moment that Kyu Cao suddenly let out a violent cough. From his maw some blood came out, spattering over the bed covers and his robe.

Finally, the untamed Qi had begun to cause wreck on his innards.

Unfaltering, Kyu Cao didn't lose time cleaning his maw and continued to read and memorize the circulation method. He felt that he was close to finishing.

At last, he read through the whole circulation method.

Not pausing, he took a breath of new air he didn't know he needed and immediately began to send his will towards the Ice Qi.

This time he comprehended the way to control it, so after a first few clumsy attempts he managed to get a firm grasp on it. Then he began to guide the Qi into his Spiritual Veins and circulate it according to the Frozen Record directions.

Opposite to before, the feeling of correctly circulating the Ice Qi through his Spiritual Veins was still chilly, but in a refreshing way, sending pleasurable shivers to the tips of his ears.

The process began slowly. There were traces of Natural Qi in his Spiritual Veins, and the Ice Qi was like a cold river that lost force due to the rocks hindering its course. However, it was also a mighty river, and the obstructions were being washed away, crushed to dust, and the Natural Qi was dissolved.

After one full cycle, a hard to describe feeling spread across his body and made Kyu Cao tremble.

The speed of the Qi's flow increased.

Also, like having taken a miraculous medicine, the pain and biting chill greatly abated, only leaving behind that refreshing coldness and some lingering soreness.

Kyu Cao continued to circulate the Ice Qi. Two cycles, three cycles, until it all was refined and integrated into his flesh and muscles. He had stopped absorbing Ice Qi at some unknown point.

It seemed he had overcome this danger.

Kyu Cao didn't relax yet, and carefully inspected his body.

His organs and vessels seemed to have received some harsh mistreatment from the Ice Qi, but it wouldn't constitute an issue. As a Personage Apothecary, he could treat this level of injury in no time.

As for the coldness, it had completely disappeared by now. His body actually felt quite warm and relaxed, akin to having taken a hot bath.

Not only that, it had actually grown considerably stronger.

There was now a hidden strength in his muscles, ready to explode at any movement. Kyu Cao ignored this though and focused on looking for any hidden threats that might've been left. Only when he was sure that there were none did his tense expression soften and his taunt tail relax.

He let go of a long and relieved sigh.

Curiously, a misty fog also came out with it.

Kyu Cao watched this little cloud quickly disappear until nothing remained. Then, his sight fell onto the blood stains on the bed covers. It was then that he remembered to wipe his maw.

Lifting his paw, he saw dark red staining his orange fur and soft pink pads.

His heart began to pound loudly, and his breath became a little ragged.

It was, however, not because he was looking back to his experience with dread.

No, it was excitement.

His heart was beating with excitement and his dirty paw clenched hard with a feeling of accomplishment. A clumsy smile grew on his maw like the first bloom of spring.

That was the closest to death that Kyu Cao had ever been.

It was also the most stimulating experience he'd ever had until now.

It'd been thrilling, tiptoeing the fine line between life and death.

Of course, this was actually a bit of an exaggeration.

But for Kyu Cao, who until now had leaded an extremely safe life, almost to the point of dull, this thrill was like a sudden flash of light that cut through the growing darkness.

"So this is... Cultivation!"

He looked down to his other paw, where the Blue Icy Bear Pendant lay.

The feeling in his flesh and muscles was quite distinct, more vigorous.

Kyu Cao had done some mundane training before, allowing his Qi to circulate naturally and only controlling it directly occasionally. That was how he'd reached the second level as an Earthly Warrior.

Such strength was quite ordinary though, and could be found among the masses. Even a level one well trained warrior would be able to wipe the floor with him.

Yet, the strength obtained through proper Cultivation with a real Cultivation Method, the difference was simply like heaven and earth.

"No wonder everyone strives that hard to enter even the most lowly halls at the city."

Kyu Cao had witnessed it, swarms of theriopes gathering at the doors of halls and sects, waiting to take the entrance test. The faces of these theriopes were some solemn, some fervent, some desperate to be accepted as disciples. Some even went as far as begging to be accepted as mere servants.

Talent was something you could only wish for, though, but not obtain. He would see afterwards how most of these entrants could only walk back home with dropped ears and hanging tails, leaving behind only a few acceptable talents.

Of course, in such a city like Bloodbath City said lowly halls would be considered superpowers in any of region of lower level. Meaning, Kyu Cao view was a little high-class. But the idea behind was technically the same.

As his emotions settled, Kyu Cao began to ponder something, his thumb playing with the pendant.

The energy in his muscles felt hot and ready to explode with destructive power, just as expected of Fire Qi.

Yet, what he had used to cultivate was Ice Qi.

Just what was this supposed to mean?

While his knowledge when it came to Cultivation was quite lacking, as far as Kyu Cao knew it was not possible to practice martial arts and cultivation methods not aligned with one's attuned element. At least, not without only harming oneself.

Each and every theriope was limited to be attuned to one single element, according to the laws of Heaven.

Yet he had practiced, successfully it seemed, an ice cultivation method with a fire attuned body, with strange results.

Kyu Cao simply couldn't find an explanation for that.

He sure wasn't in possession of an Element Bestowing Treasure. The Blue Icy Bear Pendant certainly didn't seem to be one either.

As for the Seven Deep Hells Frozen Record, Kyu Cao knew it was a pure ice Cultivation Method. It was written down in the circulation method's explanation.

The Frozen Record was without doubt an extraordinary method, but such a heaven-defying thing...

No matter what he hypothesized Kyu Cao couldn't find an explanation. And once he began to feel ridiculous with his own theories, he decided to stop.

At the end the most likely reason for this had to be the Seven Deep Hells Frozen Record, so he left it at that.

What Kyu Cao began to muse next instead was what to do next.

He now owned a true and complete cultivation method, and a no low-grade at that, a truly expensive treasure.

He was clear that if he let others know, the amount of troubles that he would attract would not be small.

Even his clan, if they knew that he was in possession of such a thing, they most likely would demand of him to paw it over. Such was the attraction of high-grade cultivation methods.

But even if they were to promise him great rewards in exchange, Kyu Cao was not willing to part with it.

Despite a rocky first taste, he had experienced what true Cultivation was.

And Kyu Cao wouldn't lie; it the most interesting and exhilarating experience he'd even had.

He had just been looking for some sort of change in his life, and wasn't said that a fortuitous encounter could change someone's life and fate?

What Kyu Cao was still a little hesitant about was how queer the situation was.

An ice method for a fire body.

He didn't find negative aftereffects from the cultivation method itself, nor did his body seem to reject the Ice Qi earlier. Quite the contrary, he'd absorbed the cold Qi as if his attuned element had always been ice.

With these points, it was already enough to say that there was a good probability that it could work, yet...

Kyu Cao tail lashed in annoyance at himself.

"I might be overly cautious, but when did I turn cowardly?" he admonished himself.

Right, without some risks and hard work, it was wishful thinking to expect good rewards.

This was not only said in the Cultivation World, but for life in the Constellation Lookout Continent itself.

Anyways, if it really turned to be life-threatening, he could just stop. He had nothing to lose.

Kyu Cao slit pupils shone with a new brilliance of determination, and his impassive expression showed traces of excitement.

He'd decided. He would start to practice Cultivation from now onwards.

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*There are only eight hours in the Constellation Lookout Continent, each equivalent to three hours from us.