Chapter 7. Cultivation (Kinda)

The next day they did not panhandle like usual, but his grandpa woke them up early to sit in the sun. "Boy do you know what I was before I begged on the streets like a rat. I was a warrior, a skilled one at that. The nobles in this land were nothing to me at my peak. Now, I am weak and have to eat scraps; I bow my head and eat my pride. Remember my earlier lessons on humans?" Shawn was quiet but reached back in his memory before repeating, "1. Never trust anyone, 2. Always pay your debt, 3. Kill those who must be killed, 4. Underestimate no one, 5. Only the strong are respected…. Etc."

Shawn continued to repeat what he had learned until the old man raised his hand to silence him. "Good work boy, now you must know discipline of yourself. How can you be king of your destiny unless you have the grit to back it up? I will start training you today on meditation and building your body. You cannot do too much as a child but we can lay a good foundation. The effects of which will help smoothen your awakening." Shawn was slightly confused, why tell all of this to him now, why start training him when he could have before? Nevertheless, he did not disobey but sat cross-legged like his gramps.

"Today I want you to read the scroll your parents found. Inside is a wonderful technique, I would have practiced it had I not been crippled." Shawn was tossed a half-torn scroll, to which he opened it up. Inside was just a picture of a large man staring at the sun, stars, and moon in the sky. It was a strange sight-seeing all three at once.

He looked at it and as he did, he felt sucked into it. When he felt the world not swirling, he was then before a giant of a man sitting on the ground. The man said nothing but looked at the sun and moon held in the sky. He started to breath to a rhythm. Shawn sat down and followed his example not knowing what else to do. Soon he breathed the same as the man and felt a type of energy enter his body. He continued on until the world shook. He felt a sharp pain in his mind and was taken out of the landscape. When he awoke, he was sitting next his grandpa like nothing happened.

"Umm grandpa, something weird happened when I touched the scroll." The old man laughed and told him, "You have been unconscious for two days. All you did was breath and attract qi during that time. First focus on your mind and then check your body." Shocked and confused, the boy did what he was told. As he focused on his mind, he saw something, [Star's Domain]. It was some sort of technique that helped energize him after breathing.

After he stopped focusing on the depths of his mind, he looked at his body and noticed a black slime coming out of him. He had been so taken with what he experienced he almost did not notice the nasty smelling substance on him. He sniffed himself and almost fell out," Come on boy, let's get you cleaned up and a good meal in you." Shawn felt energized but he also felt deeply hungry, he followed along with his grandpa and returned to the cottage.