Not Quite The Same

After finishing dinner, Xin Long straightaway moved towards his room immediately. In spite of the fact he didn't have foggiest idea why, he was quite anxious to cultivate. Tomorrow, Rin was going to provide him with guidance, therefore he decided to understand basics by tonight.

Taking 'Cultivation 101 Manual' out of inventory, he studied it. It was around five centimetres thick, secured by golden-black cover, an emanation of ancientness permeated from it. Flipping it open, he read the first page.

"Cultivation is the path that defies heavens; Qi is the central underlying principle that directs everything in this universe.

The stronger one's Qi, the stronger they are. Simple!

It is present everywhere, as heat and as light, as air and as gas, as matter and as spirit."

As he read through everything on the golden page, instantly he felt an imperceptible force in surroundings previously unavailable to him. Shutting his eyes in concentration unconsciously, he tried to get a vibe of it.

Shortly afterwards, a strand of golden Qi entered his skin. Though he didn't knew, it actually came out of golden page from the manual.

That Qi felt quite warm and comfortable, soothing him from inside. As he tried to guide it, regardless of his will, it moved in chaotic manner. He knew he required some time for actually being able to control his Qi movements.

Couple hours passed by quickly, he was gradually getting acclimated to this feeling, entering-exiting and ascending-descending, the Qi moved as he willed, albeit with little difficulty.

There was one unnatural discovery which he couldn't quite comprehend. The Qi he knew from recollection was usually white for human cultivators and black for demonic creatures but his was golden.

Noticing the bizarre disappearance of golden page from manual, he had an insight where his Qi came from.

Thinking it was enough advancement for one night, and since he was still tired, he called it quits for the night.

-Next Morning-

"Is this really necessary?" Xin Long grunted, two beautiful women were sitting on his back drinking tea while he was forced to stay in plank position.

"Shouldn't you be happy? Your beautiful sister is helping you in training." They were naturally Xin Ning and Rin.

"Don't get me wrong, I am happy that my 'beautiful' sister is riding me." His double meaning words earned him a pinch on his waist.

"Bad boy." Though his sister might look delicate, in-fact she was stupidly strong, her casual twist churned his insides. Gulping his saliva to clean his throat, he spoke out.

"You guys never explained it but why this training is necessary."

"Oh, it's because when one is exhausted, their senses enhances multiple folds letting them easily feel Qi, I remember you never cultivated. So, I assume you can't sense it."

Hearing this, his eyebrows jerked fiercely, rotating, he glanced at them casually sipping their tea for some time. Feeling a little weird why he was looking at them with cretinous eyes, Rin talked sternly.

"What happened Young Master? don't tell me you are already surrendering as of now!"

He feigned exacerbation, somewhat irritated.

"No. It's because I can already feel the existence of Qi."

"What? Don't lie to us. You never cultivated." Xin Ning suddenly pressed her fingers on top of his head. After a moment, she spoke, amazed.

"You really did have a remnant of Qi in your body. It means you can already perceive Qi."

"That's what I said."

Getting off from top of him, they contended while being embarrassed.

"You should have said that earlier then."

"That's why I was asking earlier- you know forget about it. Can we move on the next stage." While he spoke, he wondered why didn't Xin Ning pointed out his abnormal Qi. Can it be she can't see it? Or was there something else?

"Okay, the following step is to guide Qi in your Skin. The Qi will enhance your Skin slowly, It's a tedious procedure. Normally it takes couple months for normal cultivators, for geniuses, one month. Young Miss Xin passed through this stage in ten days while I took twenty." From his vision, he could see Xin Ning proudly lifting her head. Shaking his head for her whimsical conduct, even though he found it adorable, incredibly so, he attempted to imitate what Rin clarified.

Closing his eyes, he tried to again feel Qi from surrounding.

Since Body Refinement Realm cultivators didn't have Dantain or Meridian opened to store Qi, they had to continuously assimilate Qi from encompassing and enhance their body with it, this process was indeed long and repetitive.

Every time Qi entered inside his body, it consequently changed to gold shading. Even now he didn't understand it's character but since it wasn't harming him, he didn't want to voice it out to his sister or Rin.

Seeing him enter in deep concentration, Xin Ning and Rin engaged into discussion.

"What is it, Young Miss Xin?" Sensing an odd look on Xin Ning face, Rin inquired.

"Rin, yesterday when he was unconscious, I checked his body. He didn't have a smidgen of Qi in his body, but suddenly overnight, he did. Sensing Qi is the starting point of being a cultivator, it take years of concentration for others to perceive it, it's also one of biggest factor that isolates a genius from crowd." Xin Ning rattled while examining Xin Long with her charming eyes.

"Does this mean Young Master is a prodigy." Rin couldn't believe her own rhetoric words, her Young Master was a genius?

-

Sun sank lower in sky, light of day depleting ceaselessly, offering approach to silvery-red illumination because of two somewhat noticeable moons. The sun slowly dipped lower in the sky until the trees that lines the lane stood as black statues silhouetted against the obscuring sky. Cold breezes flew by serenly, hitting against a stoned figure's face, making him open his eyes.

"It's already evening. Huh! I must say though, the air here is incomparably fresh in contrast with Earth" Looking around, Xin Long didn't find anyone in vicinity. Raising up from ground, he stretched a bit feeling his sore legs. As he did so, a power like never before transmitted from his body, filling him with harmony.

Even though Rin previously stated, it take months for someone to get through this stage, he was already halfway in Early stage of Body Refinement Realm. He had a feeling it was because of his unconventional Qi.

Moving inside the huge estate, where the only relative was his sister, he wondered if he is late for social gathering.

Xin Ning study room was a story underneath his stay, getting before the door, he thumped.

"Ning, it's me."

"Long'er? Come in." Entering, he saw Xin Ning sitting in her chair doing some paperwork. Pulling her attention out of papers, she glanced at him. Subsequently, her eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"Your progress is much faster that I thought. Only one day in and you have effectively advanced a considerable amount." This ability to gauge a person's strength just after looking at someone was somewhat annoying Xin Long, fortunately only someone with cultivation two realm above yours can do it.

"Yeah, even I don't know why." He cooly excused her astonishment.

"Hmm. Well, other than that, you are still going to gathering right? I have ordered to prepare a ride for you." She asked stretching her shoulders, providing him a shapely outline of her full bosom.

"Yeah." Walking behind her chair in steady pace, he put his hands on her shoulder, slowly massaging them.

"You really have changed, you were never this caring." While feeling surprised at this, she enjoyed his rough hands massaging her. Tilting a little on her chair, her head now rested on Xin Long's chest.

From his point of view, he could see little of her snow white bare chest peeking out of her blouse. His eyes couldn't help but sway along with it's movement because of the jerk he provided every time he pressed her shoulders. Seeing her light smirk, he understood she was teasing him but to her fault there was one thing she overlooked..he was not, at this point a defetist.

Bending down slightly till his lips scraped her adorable pink ears, he whispered down.

"Who knows...I may not be him at all." Xin Ning captivating body noticeably shuddered, her ears began turning red at rapid pace reaching down to the swan-like neck.

"What do you mean?" Without turning around, she asked him, warily.

His hands like snake began slithering her neck, he could see her tense body ready to attack. Laughing lightly, his hands which were tightening around her neck, like lightning bolt proceeded onwards her smooth cheeks, squeezing it firmly.

"Haha if you could tease me, so can I." His laughter lighted the atmosphere.

"Sigh! You actually scared me. Don't joke around like that, saying you are not him." Her tensed body relaxed all of a sudden, she again closed her eyes, simply enjoying his massage.

"Sure, my beautiful sister." As the light from moons projected on Xin Long back, illuminating him, his smiling handsome face looked particularly charming and...dark.