cultivating

So based on the information I have, a qi practitioner is like a mage, and a ki practitioner is like a warrior. Qi and ki are, in the end, the same thing but produced through two different methods. Qi comes from the outside, and ki comes from within. So If I want to get started, I have to pick one.

Choices, choices. Humm.

I guess I'll start with qi; based on my information, it doesn't require me to do much but sit still and breathe. So with that out of the way, which cultivation technique should I use.

Abyssal devouring technique, no, it's too dark and ostentatious. What about the golden crow thousand sun technique? I mean, I am sun wukong, but do I really need a sun technique. I'll leave it for later. Asura's reign, nope, pass. Nine divine dragon transformation technique, blah why so many dragon techniques, sheesh. Divine buddha heavenly samsara sutra, no, I refuse to become a Buddha.

Wait, wasn't I known for some transformation technique ahh, that's right, where is it. Humm, ahh there it is, huh? Why does it say modified? The wukong original 72 revolutions and transformation technique. That's a mouth full. So I have to absorb qi and revolve a single strand around my body 72 times in 9 different pathways. I will unlock a few shapeshifting abilities in every minor realm.

This would so be useful.

I immediately sit and begin breathing in a strange rhythmic way according to the introduction and immediately feel this energy enter my body. I focus as hard as possible to sense the routes in my body and begin following the process. Bit by bit, moment by moment, I draw in the qi, slowly condense it into a strand, and move it along the routes. After what felt like an eternity, I completed the first 72 revolutions and deposited the qi into my dantian.

With a crack, the invisible shell isolating the dantian from my body shatters as the new qi begins spiraling inside my dantian automatically. I can feel the gaseous qi rapidly entering my body through every pore. It flows from skin to muscle, muscle to blood, blood to bone, and organ before finding its way into my meridians. My whole body seems to crack and creak, realigning itself as a refreshing feeling floods my body. At this moment, I come to Feeling mentally exhausted but physically energized. I take a break and open my eyes to find myself covered in a black sticky liquid.

BLEH.

I started throwing up even more of this black liquid mixed with blood heaving multiple times. This is way worse than anything I dealt with while being an experimental subject. Thank me I'm so tired I don't care anymore.

Rolling over in the sand with it sticking to me everywhere, I start looking like a sand monster. Wait, when did I develop a god complex in my own internal monologue. Is my ADHD acting up again? Can I even still have ADHD as a cultivating monkey queen and future diety. And how does that even work? Isn't this a completely different body like my third body?

And with that last thought, I finally passed out. I mean, that's a hell of a day. Die, reincarnate, change genders, become a god, cultivate, and turn my body inside out, caked with sand before passing out. New universal record, if I do say so myself.

…

"Altina set the camels to rest. We must repair the wagon. It hit something and broke the axle." A man wrapped head to toe says, signaling the caravan to stop.

"Aziz be quick. The sandstorm passed only an hour ago. If we don't get to the oasis soon, the monsters will come out." An amazon dressed in standard amazon attire, not much different than a bikini and a little wrapping to cover her sun-kissed skin, shouts back.

Altina begins ordering the other adventurers around, setting their breaks, and having them look out for ambushes. While Aziz and several other merchants start breaking down the rear end of the transport wagon. After getting some boards set up to keep the sand from shifting too much. A level 2 amazon makes her way over and hoists the wagon off the ground.

While they are making quick work of it, the ground starts rumbling. First, distant and deep before getting closer. All the adventurers form up while gaining a solemn expressions. Whatever is coming sounds big and is deep under the sand. Every sandstorm buries and dislodges large numbers of desert monsters that, after a few hours, suddenly burst out to ambush anything close by. When they finish, they find a new resting place before the next one hits.

"Everyone steady, keep your footing, and dodge the first strikes," Altina yells while rallying the 4 level 2 adventurers to be ready to strike.

SKREEEEEEEEEE

Boom

The sand erupts around the group as venom scorpions burst out to attack. All four sides are surrounded by 12 venom scorpions which under normal circumstances are not an issue. However, they are ambushing from below and in an enraged state after the storm.

Immediately 2, the rookie adventurers get pulled down. At the same time, 2 of the scorpions die to a single blow from the higher rank adventures. Altina dodges the first strike and immediately counters with her massive heavy sword slicing the stingers off 4 scorpions simultaneously, causing green blood to spray like fountains over the sand. Those behind her regain their footing before delivering the finishing blows. On the side, with the downed adventurers, one scorpion jumps past the rest. It starts rapidly stinging and striking a bare spot in the sand repeatedly.

The momentary gap on the weak side allows the higher-level adventurers to clear their own side before finishing the rest of the venom scorpions off.

"move the copses, harvest what's valuable, and get that wagon moving. Either it is fixed in the next 15 mins, or we leave it behind. No excuses," Altina shouts, getting everyone moving. Shortly after the wagons are fixed, everyone is loaded up, and they are clearing the last scorpion corpse.

Right after the last scorpion was moved, the spot it died in started rumbling again. A deep roar sounds as the ground explodes upward. Surprisingly no attack follows. As the dust clears, a humanoid monster appears.

"It looks like a mutated monster. Step back and prepare to abandon the cargo. What the hell kinda luck is this!" Altina yells out as she draws her sword, ready to delay the monster if it's too strong.