Breath

From recorded tales, books, and journals, to see the flow of Ki one must require a mid or higher ranking in cultivation. The eight stages of cultivation I have read each have ten ranks and it goes as follows.

First stage is Ki Gathering. A cultivator gathers Ki to the extent of where it is an ease of letting Ki in and out of the body freely. Breathing is faster and more controlled, as well the body is slightly strengthened.

Second stage is Condensing. The flowing Ki within the body is then compressed and refined repeatedly to make condensed Ki. The condensing stage also enhances the natural senses.

Third stage is Foundation. After condensing Ki numerous times, it is then all gathered and focused at the lower dantian that is below the solar plexus. It is the center point of Ki gathering and by strengthening the lower dantian it increases Ki capacity and Ki gathering efficiency. The reinforcement of the lower dantian becomes the gateway to higher cultivation ranks that are beyond the third rank.

Fourth stage is Materialization. The enhanced lower dantian allows a cultivator to freely flow Ki outside of their bodies to create any shape or form the cultivator desires. It can be empowered by techniques and martial arts, especially with weapons.

Fifth stage is Heart Refinement. At this stage the cultivator has gathered enough condensed Ki to flow into the middle dantian located in the middle of the chest to establish a second foundation. Creating a second foundation at the middle dantian not only gives a similar and stronger effect from the Foundation stage but also allows the ability to refine condensed Ki into Ki essence. Ki essence is one of the second highest and purest forms of Ki yet takes a long time to be accumulated inside the body. Cultivators can also utilize Ki essence to have the ability to cover certain parts of the body for increased defense, agility, or strength.

Sixth stage is Golden Core. By connecting two of the set foundations that's established at the middle and lower dantian, it creates a golden core in between that gives even greater Ki essence capacity and Ki essence gathering efficiency.

Seventh stage is Ensoulment. Once the body has been filled to the brim with Ki essence, it can then be flowed into the upper dantian at the middle of the brows to experience nihility. The experience of nihility reinforces the soul, body, mind, and helps prepare the transition to the last stage of cultivation.

The eighth and last stage of cultivation, Ascension. At this stage, Ki essence within the body becomes true essence, the most richest and purest form of Ki. The Ki gathering rate is increased immensely and nearly all forms of techniques and martial arts are amplified by three fold. Cultivators then prepare themselves with enough true essence to ascend through the Heaven's Gates and enter into the Grand Empyrean.

As the rank of cultivation rises, so does the skill of controlling Ki. For me to have been able to analyze the wolf's breathing technique I needed to have been at least a rank five to ten Materialization stage cultivator.

Yet seeing the flow of Ki within the beasts was so excessively vivid, as if they were the details in a painting. Every stroke and every texture was the every movement and direction of Ki. It was all laid out bare to be seen before me.

I should have not been able to comprehend it this easily.

Whatever the yellow eyed man has gifted me is something I dare not try to understand. Who is he? What exactly did he give me? Is he my ally or perhaps enemy? Is he helping me or am I being used?

No matter how many questions I came up with I couldn't give myself a satisfactory answer. I should just be glad I have an advanced skill this extremely early on my journey.

No need to dwell any further on this matter.

I slowly walked to the corpse of the wolf and found its beast core right where I sliced it open. It was exposed but covered underneath its guts and blood. Afterwards I gathered the beast core from the fox and bear and then climbed back on the tree to sit on the branch I was previously on.

Upon inspection, the fox and wolf beast core has one ring around its core while the bear's beast core has two rings. I can take a guess that the more the rings a magical beast has, the stronger and dangerous it is. This means that murder crow was the weakest beast I have seen thus far.

By its lonesome, the murder crow is nothing more than a pesky bird. If I were to challenge a swarm of them on the other hand, I do not see myself living as a conclusion.

I grabbed the fox's beast core and placed it against my forehead where I last time dropped the murder crow's beast core. As I placed it against my forehead, it was slowly submerged in and I felt my sea of consciousness to have slightly expanded.

It seems I do not need to meditate to expand my sea of consciousness. I do not know whether I plan to use mental force in the future since I can now use Ki but I'll keep increasing it just in case.

I looked at the wolf's beast core and looked at it with pure concern and nervousness.

My previous attempt of meditation when absorbing a beast core ended in miserable failure. As well I remember taking it out and it was covered in some substance-like ectoplasm. I pray this time the results will be different.

I placed the wolf's beast core deep into the center of my chest and began my attempts of absorbing the core. Last time I did not have a breathing method of how to flow Ki but this time I do.

By using the breath of the wolf I felt a slight change from the beast core inside. It was slowly seeping out its Ki so this must mean I am succeeding in some way. I'll continue and see what will happen from here.

As I continued flowing Ki in and outside of my soul, my eyes slowly started to close as I became more focused.

Unknowingly, some time has passed and I opened my eyes to notice the wolf beast core is no longer inside me. I feel rejuvenated and feel my total Ki was replenished entirely.

To have passed time without my realization must mean I have done meditation. My mind felt clear and all I did was focus on my Ki circulation to absorb the beast core. The peace during all of this was astonishing.

I then grabbed the bear's beast core and contemplated whether I should use it to strengthen my cultivation stage or mental force.