Act I: Beggining I

In the white nothingness, where time and space do not exist—a void existing beyond any hierarchy that ever could or would exist—one can observe a certain being.

A being sitting in this utterly white nothingness, devoid of anything.

A being that stands out completely from the surrounding emptiness—a figure resembling a child.

A being that looks like a boy no older than 12 years—a child with a face no one has ever seen or possessed. His face, though youthful, radiates a strange sense of harmony, a blend of childlike innocence and an indescribable calm that suggests something far older. His features are delicate yet defined, almost otherworldly in their perfection, as though sculpted by hands that transcended mortal understanding.

The most striking feature on his face, however, is his eyes. His crimson irises shine with an intensity that defies replication. They are sharp yet gentle, simultaneously burning like molten fire and soothing like the faint glow of a distant star. The brilliance of his gaze feels alive, almost as if the light within them holds a secret untold—a brilliance brighter than the surrounding nothingness.

His hair is no less astonishing. It is as black as the deepest void of night, yet it gleams as though woven with the essence of starlight. The short strands fall slightly over his forehead, framing his face in a way that accentuates his mysterious aura. Amongst the black, one can occasionally catch the glimmer of tiny, pulsating lights, like stars scattered across a night sky. These stars within his hair seem to shift and twinkle faintly, as if they follow some cosmic rhythm beyond comprehension. Their brilliance can blind anyone who dares to stare too long, a phenomenon that only enhances the enigma surrounding him.

His form is slender but balanced, the physique of someone untouched by the passage of time. His body seems fragile, yet there's an undeniable strength hidden within, as though the void itself molded him to perfection.

Suddenly, within the nothingness where the boy sat, he rose to his feet and smiled, saying something to himself.

"The energy of nothingness is very strange, but also very soothing," he said with a soft smile, praising the energy of the expanse—a force he seemed to be drawing into himself.

However, after a moment, his expression shifted to one of contemplation. Narrowing his eyes and tilting his head slightly to the side, he muttered:

"Hmm, I never really thought about it before, but... it's strange. Perhaps it's because it exists and doesn't exist at the same time?" he pondered aloud, his voice quiet and thoughtful.

Then, after another moment, he said, waving his right hand downward:

"Hmm, never mind. What matters is that it soothes me, and I feel better and better the more I absorb it," he declared before, after standing for a while, returning to a sitting position to continue absorbing the energy of the nothingness.

For a couple of hours, he sat there like that—his crimson eyes closed, his focus entirely on absorbing the energy of the nothingness. His mind was immersed in the soothing sensation it brought him, a sensation unlike anything else.

But then, suddenly, something began to happen. He stopped absorbing the energy, and his body began to transform. Cracks started forming across his skin, like the breaking of a delicate shell. From beneath the surface, a radiant light began to emerge—a light so blinding that it outshone the white nothingness surrounding him.

The cracks widened, and pieces of the "shell" began falling away, revealing more and more of the brilliant light hidden beneath. Finally, the shell broke apart entirely, and his body was engulfed in the glow—a light that gradually dimmed until it completely disappeared, revealing the changes that had occurred.

The boy's body looked different. He appeared older now, as though he had grown in those moments of transformation. His physique was slightly taller, and his features had become sharper and more refined, giving him the appearance of a boy closer to 14 years of age. Despite these changes, he still retained the otherworldly aura that made him unique.

His hair remained as it was—dark as the void yet shimmering with starlight. It had grown slightly longer, falling closer to his eyes but still short enough to frame his face.

As the transformation completed, he opened his crimson eyes once more. This time, they seemed to radiate something more—an aura of satisfaction and tranquility that emanated from him in waves.

A soft smile graced his lips, a smile of peace and contentment. But it vanished after a moment as he spoke, resting his chin on his hand.

"Hmm... I feel stronger and lighter... Is it because I've been absorbing this energy that soothes me?" he asked himself, sensing the changes within his body—changes he hadn't noticed earlier due to his deep relaxation.

"If so... then it's interesting... very interesting," he muttered, pondering further. "Maybe I should name this process of absorbing energy?" he mused, closing his eyes as he thought.

A moment later, his eyes shot open as an idea struck him. "I know! I'll call this energy absorption Cultivation," he declared proudly.

But after saying this, his expression shifted once more into one of deep thought. He began reflecting on the process he had gone through, analyzing it carefully.

"Wait..." he said, rubbing his chin with his fingers and tilting his head to the side. "Every time I cultivated, after some undefined but increasing amount of time... I felt more relaxed," he noted, his tone thoughtful.

"But I only felt it ten times, and the first and last one the most," he continued, still analyzing the phenomenon. He lay down, staring into the endless void as his mind worked through the mystery.

"Does that mean cultivation has stages and sub-stages?..." he wondered aloud.

He closed his eyes, as though to test his theory. After a long pause, he suddenly shouted to himself, determination etched across his face:

"If I don't feel it again, I won't understand it!"

With that, he adjusted his position, raised his hand upward, and sat upright once more. He resumed cultivating, his focus sharper than ever.

Over time, his appearance continued to change as he advanced further. One day passed, and the boy experienced six additional breakthroughs. By now, his body had matured again, looking closer to 17 years old. His features had become even more striking, with a sharpness and allure that made him undeniably captivating. His crimson eyes seemed deeper and more profound, as though they now held the weight of countless mysteries.

"Hmm... Calculating what I've figured out, I should now be at the 16th level..." he said, a slight dissatisfaction in his tone.

"I guess I need to come up with a better way to name these levels," he muttered, pondering how to improve upon his initial terms.

"Maybe I'll call the first nine Energy Gradering," he suggested, reasoning aloud. "Perhaps because, during the first nine breakthroughs, I was only absorbing energy and felt nothing else?"

"Yes! That's why!" he exclaimed, a spark of excitement lighting up his face.

But as he lay back to think, his mind wandered to the next set of levels.

"When I broke through after Energy Grading... my body compressed and strengthened. It also seemed to grow larger, but I don't know why..." he mused. "Maybe I'll call it Foundation Establishment?"

With that, he smiled and returned to cultivating once again, ready to explore the void further and uncover the secrets it held.

Believing that this stage, too, might have nine sub-stages, he smiles confidently. His sharp crimson eyes gleam with excitement, their brilliance contrasting starkly with the endless white around him. His black hair, faintly scattered with glimmers like distant stars, frames his youthful yet strikingly mature face.

"Alright then… back to it!" he declares, his voice steady but filled with determination. Without hesitation, he resumes his cultivation, closing his eyes as the flow of energy in the nothingness responds to his intent.

Time slips by, unmeasured in the emptiness, as he focuses on absorbing the energy around him. The transformation comes suddenly yet naturally. He feels it—a subtle yet profound shift within himself.

"This is it… I can feel it!" he whispers to himself, his tone both calm and exhilarated. His focus sharpens as the energy in his body begins to condense.

The gaseous energy circulating within him transforms, drop by drop, into a dense, liquid form. Each droplet pulses with power, carrying a purity and intensity unlike anything he has felt before.

His body changes subtly yet unmistakably. His already striking appearance matures further, his features growing sharper and more refined. The faint glow in his crimson eyes deepens, exuding a magnetic allure and an intensity that suggests he sees far more than the surface of things. His black hair, scattered with tiny star-like flecks, seems to shine even more brilliantly, as though the transformation has amplified every aspect of him.

"Hmmm…" he murmurs, his voice deeper and more resonant. He raises his hand, flexing it slowly as though testing the changes in himself. "The gaseous energy has started to liquefy, but only partially," he observes thoughtfully.

Pondering the shift, he tilts his head slightly, a contemplative look crossing his face. "Since the energy is condensing into a liquid form, I'll call this stage… Energy Liquidation," he declares confidently. After a moment's pause, he adds, "And like the others, it probably has nine sub-levels."

He stands tall, straightening his posture as he examines himself. Lifting his hand once again, he focuses inward, directing the energy deliberately. The faintest smirk appears on his lips as black, flame-like energy suddenly flickers into existence in his palm.

The energy is mesmerizing—dark yet gleaming, moving with an almost chaotic grace that seems to defy the nothingness stillness. The black flames shift and crackle softly, their presence vivid and undeniable.

"Of course it worked. It's me we're talking about," he says with a quiet laugh, his crimson eyes glowing with self-assurance as he gazes at the energy in his hand. His figure stands as a stark contrast to the endless void around him, his very presence radiating power and certainty.