Spirit Cultivation

Lin felt his legs nearly give out. He had come so far—dealt with bullies, sprinted through half the sect, and endured humiliation—only to arrive just a little too late.

He rubbed his face while muttering under his breath. "Of course. Why wouldn't he leave? It's not like I have the worst timing ever."

The servant looked at him sympathetically. "He did say, however, that if you missed him, you should take this." The servant handed Lin a small, sealed letter.

Lin took it hesitantly and opened it. Inside, in elegant yet firm handwriting, were the words:

"Opportunities are fleeting, but fate is persistent. Come find me when you are ready. – Xu Tian"

Lin exhaled slowly as he sat on a stone bench near the pavilion's grand entrance.

The feeling of disappointment was evident on his face. The sun was beginning its descent, casting long shadows across the pathways of the Clear Heavens Sect.

He held the letter Lord Xu Tian had left for him, reading its words over and over again.

"Opportunities are fleeting, but fate is persistent. Come find me when you are ready."

Lin groaned before crumpling the letter in frustration and smoothing it out again. "Fate, huh? I must have the worst relationship with fate ever." He leaned back and stared up at the sky while sighing for the umpteenth time today. "I had one job. One job. And I still managed to screw it up."

A group of disciples passed by, sparing him amused glances before continuing their way. He was used to it by now—the whispers, the side-eyes, the quiet chuckles at his expense. But this time, it stung a little more than usual. This wasn't just another failed day of sweeping floors. This was an opportunity of a lifetime, and he'd missed it.

Lin sat there for a while, brooding, kicking at a loose pebble on the ground. "Maybe I'm just meant to be a cleaner forever. Who was I kidding thinking I could rise above it all?"

With a resigned sigh, he pushed himself to his feet and stretched his arms. "Alright, pity party's over. Back to the broom, I guess."

Just as he turned around, his heart nearly leapt out of his chest.

Standing silently behind him, as if he had materialized from the very air itself, was Lord Xu Tian.

Lin's jaw dropped, and his broom nearly slipped from his grasp. "Wha—How—You—" he stammered while blinking rapidly. "You were gone! I saw you leave! Did you teleport back just to mess with me?"

Lord Xu Tian, clad in his immaculate white and gold robes, gazed at Lin with an almost amused expression. "I forgot something," he said simply.

Lin gawked for a moment before breaking into a relieved laugh. "Heavens above, I thought I'd lost my chance forever." He wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead. "Alright, Lord Xu Tian, before you disappear again, please, take me with you. I'll even ride in the baggage cart!"

Xu Tian's lips twitched in the faintest smile. "Come," he turned and gestured for Lin to follow.

Lin barely needed to be told twice. He quickly caught up, trailing behind the immortal as they approached a grand cart stationed at the sect's outer courtyard. It was an luxurious carriage, glowing with faint spiritual inscriptions and drawn by two enormous, majestic spirit beasts resembling golden qilins.

Disciples watching from afar murmured in awe, and Lin could feel their jealous stares burning into his back.

Once they reached the cart, Xu Tian sat opposite Lin; "Tell me, young one... do you know what you truly are?"

Lin scratched his head awkwardly. "Uh… a very talented cleaner? A cultivator of dust?"

Xu Tian didn't laugh. Instead, he leaned back slightly. "You are a spirit cultivator."

Lin blinked. "Spirit cultivator? That sounds… fancy." He hesitated. "But I've never cultivated anything in my life except maybe excuses."

Xu Tian regarded him for a moment before speaking again. "Spirit cultivation is an ancient and forbidden path. One that has not been seen for millennia. It is why you can see and communicate with spirits while others cannot."

Lin whistled. "I always thought it was just a weird quirk. You're telling me it's actually something powerful?"

Xu Tian nodded. "Yes. However, it is also dangerous. Spirit cultivators were once revered for their abilities to bond with spirits, draw power from them, and even influence the spiritual plane itself. But they were feared as well. Qi cultivators saw them as a threat, an unknown power that could not be controlled by conventional means."

Lin frowned. "So… what happened to them?"

"They were wiped out," Xu Tian voiced like one who had truly lived many lifetimes. "Hunted to extinction by powerful sects who feared what they did not understand. The techniques, the knowledge... all but lost."

Lin swallowed hard. "And now you're telling me I have that power?"

"Indeed." Xu Tian studied him carefully. "That is why you must never reveal it carelessly. If certain sects or individuals were to discover what you are, they would seek to eliminate you before you could grow strong."

Lin shuddered. "Right. So… no going around telling people I see dead people."

"Exactly." Xu Tian reached into his robes and retrieved three ancient-looking scrolls, bound in black and gold silk. He handed them to Lin one by one. "These scrolls contain the foundational knowledge of spirit cultivation. Study them well. They will guide you."

Lin took them with shaky hands while staring at the worn edges. "And what exactly do they teach?"

"The first scroll details how to form contracts with spirits," Xu Tian explained. "It will be the first step in your cultivation journey."

Lin nodded eagerly. "Contracts, got it."

"The second," Xu Tian continued, "explains how to nurture your contracted spirits and grow stronger alongside them."

"Teamwork makes the dream work," Lin muttered.

"And the third," Xu Tian's gaze darkened slightly, "contains techniques that will allow you to utilize your spirits in battle. It will be the most difficult to master."

Lin gulped. "I'll try not to blow myself up."

Xu Tian then produced a small jade artifact, inscribed with complex spiritual runes. "This artifact contains a single-use portion of my power. Use it only when absolutely necessary. It will protect you from a threat beyond your capabilities."

Lin's eyes widened as he accepted it. "Wow. So it's like an emergency life-saver?"

Xu Tian nodded. "Precisely."

Finally, the immortal handed Lin a token, similar to the one he had received earlier but with a more intricate design. "When you have reached the third stage of spirit cultivation, come to my sect in the Grand Sun City. This token will grant you access."

Lin's heart pounded in his chest as he accepted it. "So, I really have a future beyond sweeping floors, huh?"

Xu Tian's gaze softened. "You do. But the road ahead will be perilous. Tread carefully, Lin Raosheng."

Lin smiled before pocketing the token and scrolls carefully. "Perilous is just another word for exciting, right?"

Xu Tian said nothing, but there was an approving glint in his eyes. He tapped the side of the cart slightly and the qilin beasts stirred as the energy around them shifted.

It looked like he was about to leave.

Lin stepped out of the cart and offered a small bow. "Thank you, Lord Xu Tian. I won't let you down."

As the cart began to rise into the air, Xu Tian's voice carried back to him. "Remember—do not trust easily, and never reveal your gift."

Lin watched until the cart disappeared into the horizon and gripped the token tightly.

"Well," he stared at the fading sky. "Looks like I've got some studying to do."