First Glimpse of Magic

The next morning,Wu Xing rubbed his slightly sore eyes. The tranquility brought by last night's cultivation made him feel refreshed upon waking, as if he had been reborn. After washing up, he glanced at the messy pile of documents on his desk and couldn't help but chuckle to himself, "Work is indeed more complicated and tedious than cultivation." However, the motivation deep within drove him to step out with a sense of anticipation as he set off for work.

In the office, the familiar rhythm and busy atmosphere pulledWu Xing back into reality. The cold glow of the computer screen illuminated lines of numbers and text that made him lose focus. The breathing technique imparted by the old man and the warm feeling of the spiritual jade kept surfacing in his mind. He took a deep breath, slowly placing his hands on the keyboard, trying to concentrate on his work, but that peculiar sensation made it hard to stay focused.

At some point, he heard the chattering of his colleagues discussing work stress and life trivialities, but these words gradually faded into background noise. His thoughts flew back to last night's cultivation; the "spiritual energy" that the old man spoke of seemed to gradually take shape within him. He felt that perhaps he could accomplish something special.

"Why not give it a try?" a thought suddenly popped into his mind, his eyes lighting up. Recalling the warm flow he had successfully cultivated last night,Wu Xing remembered the basic spells the old man had mentioned. Although the old man only briefly touched on them, he recalled that the most fundamental spells required the combination of focused intent and spiritual energy. He had already grasped the breathing technique, so he should be able to give it a shot.

He closed his eyes, held his breath, recalled the flow of energy from last night, focused his mind, and gradually adjusted the flow of spiritual energy in his dantian. This energy connected with his intention, slowly moving towards his fingertips, warm and gentle. A hint of delight arose in his heart: "Maybe I can really cast spells!"

However, suddenly a light sound came from the desk, startlingWu Xing. He opened his eyes to see the coffee cup on his desk wobbling twice as if pulled by some unseen force. He felt the power of his inner energy gathering at his fingertips and gently pushed the cup, only to be astonished as it slid a few centimeters! "It really works!" he thought excitedly.

Yet, he had not fully controlled this power. A sudden wave of heat surged from his palm, and his fingertips trembled, causing his energy to spiral out of control. The coffee cup shook violently, and hot coffee spilled over, splattering across the desk. Just as he was about to clean it up, he heard a clear voice nearby: "Wu Di, are you in a hurry to take a coffee bath?" He looked up to see his colleague Li Ting giggling, her eyes sparkling with teasing. Several other colleagues were also drawn to her jibe, laughing and glancing atWu Xing. He smiled awkwardly, hurriedly grabbing paper towels to wipe the desk, secretly chiding himself: it seemed he still had a long way to go in mastering spiritual energy.

However, after the laughter died down, his colleagues didn't say much more.Wu Xing was known for being low-key yet diligent in the company, and everyone had a good impression of him. Although he wasn't the most outstanding employee, he tackled tasks earnestly and had no complaints. Consequently, the leaders and colleagues often assigned him challenging projects that showcased his sense of responsibility.Wu Xing knew he was seen as a "dependable" person by his colleagues, but he seldom paid attention to how others perceived him and didn't seek to draw attention to himself.

Wu Di was reserved and rarely spoke about his family matters. His colleagues probably knew he was a local, with parents living in the suburbs; his father had been a factory worker for a well-known company until he was laid off due to an incident, while his mother stayed home to take care of the family. They lived a stable but modest life, instilling in him a down-to-earth and steady approach to life. Because of this,Wu Xing had always been careful, avoided conflicts, and worked diligently to stand on his own two feet.

Although his family didn't have high expectations for him,Wu Xing understood he was their hope. He had a stable job and often sent financial support to his parents, who encouraged him not to overexert himself, yet were very pleased. This family environment and upbringing allowed him to maintain a calm demeanor under workplace pressure, seldom clashing with others, simply wishing to work diligently based on his capabilities.

However, sitting at his desk now, gazing at the coffee stains he hadn't fully cleaned up, a sense of unease unexpectedly welled up within him. It seemed that the path of cultivation was destined to lead him away from his originally simple life trajectory, bringing about an unknown upheaval and breakthrough.

During lunch break,Wu Xing found a secluded corner, took out the spiritual jade, and gazed at it, feeling complex emotions...

The old man had given him the beginning of his cultivation journey but had not detailed how to utilize these spells. He realized that cultivation was not simply about controlling power; it likely contained deeper knowledge.

He recalled the old man's words: "The path of cultivation is not achieved in a day." These words inspired a sense of awe within him. His inner doubts gradually settled. The cultivation path had strict levels of progression; he had only understood them through novels before, and he was still unaware of the true distinctions. Thus, he focused on the spiritual jade, hoping to explore its secrets.

The jade felt warm as ever, and when he touched it, a gentle power seemed to flow into him, bringing a slight coolness that felt comforting. Suddenly, a vague message flashed through his mind: "The levels of cultivation are sequentially classified as Entry, Foundation Building, Spirit Movement, Dan Formation, Spirit Infant, Transformation Void, and Great Completion; each level is different, and beyond that, I do not know."

Wu Di's heart stirred, as if he had glimpsed the initial outline of cultivation. Each breakthrough in level required continuous practice and refinement, and he realized that he had only just stepped through the doorway of cultivation, still at the most elementary Entry stage. He hadn't even fully mastered the control of "Entry" level spiritual energy. It was precisely for this reason that he had experienced several failures when attempting spells.

He resolved in his heart: since he had received this opportunity, he should start with the most basic control of spiritual energy. First, he must learn to stabilize the energy, ensuring a solid foundation in every step of the Entry stage. He understood that cultivation required not only perseverance but also immense focus and restraint.

After last night's experience,Wu Xing began to realize that this world was not low in spiritual energy, but the opposite...

Wu Di stared at the spiritual jade in his hand, feeling a newfound determination within him. He knew he had just begun his cultivation journey, and if he wanted to go further, he had to solidify the fundamental control of spiritual energy. However, recalling the embarrassing incident earlier when he tried to manipulate energy in the office and failed,Wu Xing understood that passion alone was far from sufficient. To truly master this power, he needed to delve deeper into understanding the workings of spiritual energy and learn to control it rather than be led by it.

When he returned to the office in the afternoon,Wu Xing carefully placed the spiritual jade into his pocket, reminding himself to remain calm and handle work without rushing to achieve results. Yet, the desire to control spiritual energy still lurked deep within him, occasionally surfacing and prompting him to sense the energy within. He discovered that spiritual energy seemed to have its own "temperament": when he was anxious, the flow of energy became hurried and chaotic, but when he focused and relaxed, it flowed gently through him like a soft stream. This realization madeWu Xing understand that spiritual energy was closely related to his mental state, and the key to controlling it lay in maintaining a calm mind.

After work,Wu Xing didn't rush home but instead walked to the urban forest park. The park was breezy, with leaves rustling, and the air seemed to carry a hint of spiritual energy. He found a secluded bench, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, slowly adjusting his breathing according to the old man's technique, gradually excluding external distractions and entering a focused, tranquil state.

As his breathing stabilized,Wu Xing felt the spiritual energy within him gradually becoming more active, as if responding to his intention. This energy was not overwhelming but contained a gentle power, flowing like a stream throughout his body. He attempted to concentrate the energy around his dantian and focused his attention on the speed and direction of its flow, immersing himself in every subtle change.

After about an hour,Wu Xing slowly opened his eyes, exhaling deeply with a smile. He felt he had made slight progress in controlling spiritual energy; although he still wasn't completely adept, he certainly wasn't as out of control as before. He vaguely sensed that cultivation was not merely about accumulating power but also about refining the spirit. This kind of spiritual enhancement seemed to promote the progress of spiritual energy. With this realization,Wu Xing was more determined than ever to walk the path of cultivation. Each step into the future seemed filled with unknown challenges, but he was prepared to begin from the most basic control of spiritual energy and move forward steadily.