Chapter 3: Nirvana

Jan 1,3038

Xenos sat in the basement, surrounded by glowing spiritual stones, his eyes closed as he circulated the Nirvana Cultivation Technique.

Cultivation was the process of absorbing spiritual energy from heaven and earth, refining the body, soul, and meridians to undergo true evolution.

Over time, practitioners discovered cultivation realms, each marking a new stage of transformation.

As one neared the limits of mortal evolution, higher levels of energy were required to progress, leading to the creation of major realms such as Immortal and Transcendent.

However, the Nirvana Cultivation Technique was different. Instead of evolution, it induced de-evolution—a backward refinement of the body to return to a mortal state.

As Xenos circulated the technique, his body began to change.

The Nirvana Technique worked by stripping energy from the body's cells, but if energy was removed too quickly, the cells would wither and die. This was where the Nirvana Fire came into play—it refined the body, ensuring a controlled regression to a mortal state.

The de-evolution process had three stages:

Mortal Shedding Stage – The skin, muscles, tendons, and bones were stripped of energy and reverted to a mortal state.

Earth Shedding Stage – The internal organs, from the brain to the heart to the smallest gland, underwent de-evolution.

Heaven Shedding Stage – The dantian, the core of cultivation, was stripped of all stored energy.

Each completed stage produced a lotus flower, representing the purified essence of Xenos' cultivation:

Bronze Lotus – Formed after the Mortal Shedding Stage.

Silver Lotus – Formed after the Earth Shedding Stage.

Golden Lotus – Formed after the Heaven Shedding Stage.

These three lotuses were stored in the dantian for future use.

As Xenos continued cultivating, he could feel his transcendent body reverting to its mortal form.

The first stage took four hours.The second stage took ten hours.The third stage took twenty hours.

After thirty-four hours, Xenos had fully transformed from a Transcendent Being into a mortal.

Breathing heavily, he inspected his body, his exhaustion evident.

"Strange…" he muttered. "Even though my body is mortal, my transcendent status remains. Not only that, but all the laws I comprehended still exist."

His eyes narrowed in thought.

"So the Nirvana Technique only affects the physical body… but my transcendent status is still intact."

"But right now, it doesn't help me in any way."

As Xenos pondered his next move, a sudden growl echoed through the silent basement.

His stomach.

A sensation he had long forgotten.

Hunger.

For the first time since becoming immortal, he needed food.

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Xenos stretched his arms and sighed.

"It's been so long since I last ate real food… The True Universe really lacks good spices."

A nostalgic smile appeared on his face as he thought about the flavors he had once enjoyed.

"Luckily, I brought all the ingredients I need. Let's have a proper homemade meal for the first time in ages."

His eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Rice and chicken curry… That should be perfect."

Deciding to refresh his memory, he quickly searched the internet for a recipe. After watching a tutorial, he nodded in understanding.

"Alright, let's get started."

Xenos moved with precision in the kitchen, his hands steady as he began preparing the meal.

He started with the rice. Taking a bowl, he rinsed the grains under cold water, watching the starch wash away until the water ran clear. Satisfied, he set a pot of water to boil, adding a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of ghee for extra flavor. Once the water bubbled furiously, he poured in the fragrant basmati rice, then lowered the heat to let it simmer. Covering the pot, he let the rice cook undisturbed, absorbing the water until each grain became soft and fluffy.

Next, he turned his attention to the chicken curry.

He heated oil in a deep pan, the sizzle filling the air as he tossed in cumin seeds, a bay leaf, a cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom. The kitchen was instantly filled with their deep, earthy aroma. As the spices crackled, he added finely chopped onions, stirring until they turned a rich, golden brown.

With a swift motion, he scooped a generous spoonful of ginger-garlic paste, the sharp fragrance mixing into the onions. Moments later, he poured in pureed tomatoes, their vibrant red hue darkening as they cooked down, releasing their rich tangy sweetness. Soon, oil began to separate from the mixture, a sign that the base was ready.

Sprinkling in a blend of turmeric, red chili powder, coriander, and black pepper, he stirred the mixture, watching as the spices deepened the color and aroma of the dish. Then, he added the chicken pieces, letting them soak up the rich masala, searing them to lock in the flavors.

For extra creaminess, he stirred in a spoonful of yogurt, letting it meld into the sauce before adding a cup of water to create a smooth, flavorful gravy. As the curry slowly simmered, its fragrance filling the kitchen, Xenos turned back to the rice.

Lifting the lid, he fluffed the perfectly cooked grains with a fork, inhaling the warm, buttery scent. A glance at the bubbling curry told him it was nearly done. He added a final touch—a dash of garam masala, deepening the warmth of the dish.

With a content nod, he plated the steaming chicken curry alongside the fragrant basmati rice, garnishing it with fresh coriander leaves.

As he took his first bite, a wave of satisfaction and nostalgia washed over him. The warmth of the spices, the tender chicken, the perfectly cooked rice—it all blended into a comforting sensation he hadn't felt in a long time.

He leaned back in his chair, savoring the moment.

"This… This is what I missed."

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Xenos had a heartfelt, homemade meal—a simple pleasure he never thought he'd long for.

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"Man... That was the best meal I've had in years of cultivation!" Xenos exclaimed, rubbing his satisfied stomach.

After cleaning up his room and washing the dishes, he returned to the basement. Locking the door behind him, he reached into his spatial ring, pulling out a small brown pill with nine intricate engravings etched onto its surface.

This was a Fasting Pill—a rare alchemical creation that allowed a person to go without food for an entire week with just a single dose.

"Since I don't know how long it'll take to create a new cultivation technique, it's best to take this now," Xenos thought.

As he swallowed the pill, he immediately felt a steady flow of energy spreading through his body, subtly sustaining his bodily functions without the need for food.

Sitting cross-legged on the ground, he took a deep breath, preparing to focus. But suddenly, a troubling thought surfaced in his mind.

"Wait… There's a major problem I forgot about."

His eyes narrowed as he recalled the grim truth.

"After humanity's near extinction, all humans were cursed. Only those inside the Tower managed to escape its effects. Now, no human is born with a spiritual root... They can't cultivate at all."

A heavy silence filled the room as Xenos processed the implications.

"If I want to restore humanity's strength, I need to create a method to break the first curse—the 'Heaven Spirit Curse.'"

He closed his eyes, recalling the three essential elements needed to lift the curse:

The Five Elemental Origins

A powerful formation

Tribulation Transcendence

Even he had barely survived when attempting to break the curse in the past. If every human were forced to endure the same method...

"Not many will survive."

Xenos exhaled sharply.

"I'll have to figure out an alternative… But for now, I'll focus on developing a new cultivation technique."

With that thought, he pushed aside the heavy concerns for the moment and prepared to dive into his research.

Sitting cross-legged, Xenos placed several ancient scrolls before him—twelve martial cultivation techniques obtained from the hidden families.

Each technique had its own unique approach, yet they all revolved around a common principle: Mortal Qi cultivation.

Mortal Qi was fundamentally different from Spiritual Qi.

Mortal Qi was heavy, grounded, and brownish, closely tied to the earthly realm.Spiritual Qi, on the other hand, was light, pure, and whitish, resonating with the heavens.

Xenos pondered aloud:

"Hmm… So Mortal Qi represents the earthly force, while Spiritual Qi embodies the heavenly force."

"One belongs below, the other above… together, they form a Yin-Yang cycle."

"But their properties are completely opposite—mixing them will be harder than I thought."

According to the cultivation techniques, martial artists absorbed Mortal Qi into the Lower Dantian, the same space where Spiritual Qi was cultivated.

Xenos frowned.

"If these opposing energies exist in the same dantian, they might clash… causing a backlash."

He thought deeper.

"What if I separate them into different dantians?"

Humans possessed three dantians:

Lower Dantian – typically used for Spiritual Qi cultivation.

Middle Dantian – generally associated with internal energy and life force.

Upper Dantian – linked to consciousness and the soul.

A new idea formed in his mind.

"I'll cultivate Spiritual Qi in the Lower Dantian, store Mortal Qi in the Middle Dantian, and use Soul Qi in the Upper Dantian to act as a bridge between them."

But then another issue arose.

"Even if I separate them… using both Mortal Qi and Spiritual Qi at the same time could overload my meridians."

His fingers tapped lightly on the scrolls as he considered the solution.

"No… I'm thinking about this the wrong way."

"There's no need to create a perfect balance in the first realm. Cultivation is a step-by-step process."

"First, I need to build a proper foundation for the body."

Mortal Qi was best suited for body strengthening rather than energy refinement. With that in mind, Xenos devised a new cultivation path:

Martial Body Refining Realm

Skin Refinement – Toughening the outer body.

Muscle & Tendon Strengthening – Enhancing flexibility and endurance.

Bone Tempering – Strengthening the skeletal structure.

Organ Fortification – Improving internal resilience.

Meridian Expansion – Preparing energy pathways for future breakthroughs.

Dantian Strengthening – Enhancing energy storage capacity.

Nervous System Refinement – Increasing reflexes and perception.

Xenos nodded in satisfaction.

"This will be the foundation of my cultivation system. Now… it's time to put it into practice."

With a deep breath, he began circulating Mortal Qi, laying the groundwork for his new path.