The knowledge needed for a good foundation

"I am going to teach you Bloodline Forging."

Upon saying those words, Old Herb stood up and walked to a door positioned a bit to the side. After opening the door, Aether looked inside and saw a collection of books. Apparently, it was Old Herb's study.

"But before that, you need to learn a lot of other knowledge."

"Can't you just create the bloodline I need, old Herb?" Aether asked a bit hesitantly.

"Yes, I could make one for you, one that would probably heal you in a few months at most." Aether looked at Old Herb expectantly, only to be disappointed the next second.

"But I won't do that."

"The reason I am going to teach you is so that you can still do it in the future whenever you need a new bloodline. Of course, the knowledge I am going to teach you will help with way more than only Bloodline Forging."

"I understand you are anxious, and I can see the desire and greed for power in your eyes… eye. So, let me give you some advice, young Aether."

"Make decisions decisively, but never ignorantly."

"Get as much knowledge about cultivation as you can. Soak it up like sponge and make it your own power."

"If you do that, you'll carve a magnificent Path. I am sure of it."

"Path, what does that mean?" this was the second time already Aether had heard that word.

"There is no need for you to know yet. It'll only hinder you and occupy your thoughts needlessly. You'll understand what it is when you get there."

"Come Aether, starting right now, I'll teach you everything you need to know to lay a good foundation for the future."

Aether placed down the empty cup of tea he was still holding and stood up. He wanted to place the chair back under the table but grabbed next to the back of the chair in empty air.

He blinked a bit confused while Old Herb started laughing.

"It seems you still need to get used to having only one eye."

Understanding downed on Aether while he tried again, this time with more success. After placing back the chair, he entered the study together with Old Herb.

"As you probably have guessed by now, I myself am a cultivator" old herb started his explanation.

"More specifically, I am a Body Cultivator and a Blood Cultivator. Because of this, I need to know about everything that can aid in both Body and Blood Cultivation as much as I can."

"I placed all the knowledge I have in this study. I want you to learn everything here before you start any cultivation whatsoever."

"Everything!? There are hundreds, if not thousands of books here. How am I supposed to learn all that." Aether wanted to run away. A normal person would need tens of years to learn all that. Actually, how much would they even remember from the beginning after finishing.

Luckily for Aether, the Blessing he received was more powerful than he thought. Well, he hadn't realized that yet, so his reaction was understandable.

"The faster you learn everything, the faster you can start cultivating." Old herb said with a slight smile on his face.

'Dammit, that old bastard is definitely enjoying this. Who tortures a crippled child like this? The world is a cruel place indeed.'

Naturally, Aether knew it was in his best interest to make all that knowledge his own. But, he couldn't help but be a bit suspicious. Why was this old man taking such good care of him?

Picking him up and treating his injuries could still be explained as the pity of an old and caring man. But sharing all the knowledge one has on Body and Blood Cultivation, or any other cultivation at that, went completely overboard. And then there was also the Bloodline Forging method.

Aether decided to stay cautious.

'Good, he doesn't trust me and stays wary. Necessary quality to have in this world.' Old Herb inwardly nodded in approval.

"The books on the left wall contain all the information about beasts I have collected throughout my life."

Beasts, or evolved animals as they sometimes get called, have powerful bodies and evenly powerful bloodlines with special properties. Body Cultivators take them as an example to follow and try to mimic their way of cultivation.

Studying beasts is the reason Body Cultivation was developed in the first place. Without them, humans would probably have taken a couple centuries more to discover the treasure troves their bodies are.

"If you learn everything here, you normally can form your own Body Cultivation technique. It is important you know everything about your own strength perfectly. Remember this, always understand your own power completely."

"The right side has everything on plants and flowers."

"Some plants stimulate your body or can give a created bloodline more characteristics."

"The last shelf in front of us is the most important. It's the knowledge about our human body, everything you can possibly think of in a mortal human body is explained to the smallest detail. Knowing your own body is the most important aspect of Body Cultivation. Unfortunately, a lot of idiots don't think like that."

"They blindly cultivate exactly like a beast and cripple their future prospects."

"The reason I am forcing you to learn everything here is so you don't make some stupid mistake and make yourself even more cripple than you already are."

Aether didn't know how to react to that line.

"You have a time limit of ten years to learn everything in this room. I'll provide you with lodging and all basic necessities during that period of time. Don't disappoint me, boy."

The gentle Old herb suddenly turned very stern and serious.

Old Herb turned around to leave the room and said, "come ask me if you don't understand something. Don't waste time trying to figure out everything by yourself."

Old Herb left and closed the door after him.

Letting out a soft sigh, he said to himself, "I'm sorry, young Aether, for using you like this. There is just not enough time to do it any other way. I myself, as well as those other old fogies, are just not powerful enough to change anything."

Back in the room, Aether was looking at the door absentmindedly while softly commenting, "it seems Old Herb expects something from me. Otherwise, there is no way he would allow anyone to browse through all the knowledge he possesses."

"Well, no use overthinking it. Let's get this study session going."

"…actually, I've never tried to learn anything, how do you study?"

Aether simply decided to take a book… at least he wante to take one. He grabbed completely next to it and stared for a bit before trying again. After a couple tries he finally succeeded and started reading.

Unlike most village children, or rather villagers in general, Aether knew how to read and even write. His parents had taught him ever since he was five years old.

Right now he was glad his parents had forced the unwilling five year old him to learn it.

It didn't take long until the book completely absorbed him and time started to fly by.

...….

"There are a lot of travelers arriving in the city as of late."

"Don't you know? The entrance exams for the Royal Academy for Cultivation are about to start."

"Oh, that explains all the traffic. Still, do those country bumpkins really think they can pass?"

"You can't blame them for trying. It's a chance of a lifetime for them."

"If you put it like that, I guess."

Conversations like this could be heard all over Aurora City, the capital of Aurora Kingdom.

The capital was enormous. It looked like a lone mountain in an empty plane.

Glamorous buildings could be seen everywhere, but the most impressive one was undoubtedly the Royal Palace in the center of the city. Not only was it big, it also had two high towers looming over the city, as if they were giants looking down on everything below.

In front of the Royal Palace was the Royal Academy for Cultivation. It too looked rather impressive, but not so much as the palace.

The entrance exams of the Royal Academy for Cultivation was probably the most exciting event of the year in this small kingdom.

Every year thousands of young people got a chance to change their life for the better. Of course, this was not the exciting part.

You are only allowed to participate if you were between the ages of fifteen to twenty. The people at age twenty who failed would never again gain such an opportunity. Every year there were people who killed themselves amidst their despair.

"Are you sure those short six years were enough to learn everything?" An old man asked a young man.

"I easily could've left a year ago already, I just wanted to be sure I understood absolutely everything."

Those two were naturally Old herb and Aether.

Almost six years had passed since Aether started studying all the knowledge Old Herb had given him access to.

"Well, you did pass every test I could think of. Still, how did you learn all of that in such a short time?"

"I am a genius, old man."

"And you've gotten cocky." Old Herb scoffed, but he didn't deny it.

Aether's feat was nothing but a miracle. Of course, this was only possible thanks to the Blessing of the Ancient Stars. His memory had been enhanced so much that it looked like he could perfectly remember everything.

He also felt his soul had grown stronger the last six years, but because he doesn't know anything about Soul Cultivation, he couldn't say exactly what had changed.

His appearance hadn't changed much in the last six years. He looked more mature, yet still as girly as ever. Even the women were jealous of his appearance. Ever since he lived with Old herb he clothed himself in white robes. Probably to feel a little closer to the only person around his same age he had ever met, Violet.

"Am I even going to be allowed to participate in the exams?"

"Why wouldn't you be allowed? You're going to pas with flying colors and start your cultivation here. Aren't you excited? This is what you've been waiting for all this time."

"I guess so." Aether was a bit downcast.

"You brat, are you going to miss me?"

"Well, you taught me everything I know and cared for me these past six years. Of course I am going to miss you."

Not expecting to receive such an answer, Old herb was taken aback for a moment.

"You brat, your tongue has also gotten better."

"I got taught by the best."

"Tsk."

After bantering back and forth a while longer, the two arrived in front of an enormous gate. Two suns, one on each side, were pictured next to the gate.

The words 'Royal Academy for Cultivation' were boldly written in gold on top of the gate.

A long row of young men and women were passing through the gate towards some kind of counter. It appeared you needed to register in order to participate in the exams.

"Damn, they actually charge money, and a gold coin at that. Are they trying to rip people of?"

Back in Aether's birth village a single gold coin could sustain a family of four for an entire year. It was understandable he thought they were scammers.

"Honestly, it's a rather fair price."

Aether looked at Old Herb questioningly.

"Its common knowledge that poor villages don't produce a lot of talents. So in order to save themselves a lot of time, they charge everybody so the poor villagers don't even get the chance to participate."

"But, don't they miss some talents like that?"

"Of course they do, but why look for a few needles in the haystack if you can pick up a lot of needles and some gold to the side."

"I see, they simply don't care."

"Indeed. That aside, go register now."

Old herb gave Aether a pouch with a couple gold coins.

Aether looked at Old Herb and said genuinely, "thank you for everything."

Old herb was a bit taken aback before he said, "brat, when you reach the center of this world, come look for the Barret family."

"Now go and start your journey to the top."

When those words were spoken, Aether decisively turned around and went through the gate without looking back. Old Herb suddenly disappeared, but the smile on his face seemed to linger a bit longer.