First Steps Into Cultivation

The Demonic Cave was truly a masterpiece of Mother Nature. Its deep caverns and winding pathways evoked the feel of an ancient labyrinth created by a higher being.

Seventeen days had passed since the trainees had entered the cave. While some trainees were exempt, the majority of the trainees were put through a brutal phase of physical training.

Hector was part of the group required to undergo the training. Every day had been a slog of torturous training, his body having been worn to the bone over and over again. Thankfully, those days of harsh training seemed to be coming to a close, and the instructors were satisfied with the trainees' growth.

Hector had thought himself to be in good shape; the body he had been reborn with was well above the average human's. Unfortunately, that had been insufficient to meet the Head instructor's standards.

During his time being run ragged by the Head Instructor, he learned that Cultivation required both physical and spiritual competence. If one's body were not adequately prepared, it would break down when one entered the first cultivation realm. The process of preparing to enter a cultivation realm was called refining your foundation.

After every breakthrough one experiences through development and growth, one needs to refine one's cultivation, bringing both one's body and spirit into harmony. Failure to do so could have disastrous effects and could even result in death.

Today was the day Hector had been waiting for since his rebirth and discovery of this strange new power. With his fully refined foundation, he was ready to enter the first cultivation realm.

For that reason, he and the other trainees gathered in a place they called the Demonic Cave Pavilion. The only building in the Cave, apart from the treasury hall, it was the instructor's living quarters and the most significant dedicated training ground.

The building was truly massive, towering all the way to the top of the gigantic Cave, easily reaching over thirty floors in height. Built in a traditional Eastern style, it's bright colors and wonderous construction make it a sight to behold.

The training grounds were based all around the massive building, each with a large wooden platform from which the instructors could oversee the group of trainees.

Hector stood at attention, shoulder to shoulder, with all the other trainees, as they faced the Head Instructor, who stood atop the wooden platform, flanked by two different instructors.

The head instructor was a vicious man. Talk and broad-shouldered, he enjoyed watching the trainees struggle and often went out of his way to brutalize specific trainees. Hector had yet to be a victim of the man's violent tendencies, but he had seen it happen to others.

Despite that, the man was a talented instructor. Compared to the many instructors that Hector had known in his previous life, the Head Instructor was excellent.

He was brutal, but his harsh methods forced the trainees to learn from their mistakes. Repeating them would bring about immense pain. The body seemed to know things much faster to avoid this.

The Head instructor began the training session with a boisterous roar. "Attention!" he shouted, and the trainees snapped into a firm stance with their backs straight and shoulders back.

"Today is the day that you all shall begin your journey as cultivators. However, not all of you will survive this. The path of the Demonic Warrior is not a simple one…

"Frankly, I don't give a dam if you all die. However, the Sect leader thinks differently. To respect the will of the Heavenly Demon, I will generously share with you what you will be going through—"

Hector sucked in his breath, his mind fully alert, not wanting to miss a word of what he knew would be a brief explanation. He had heard that Demonic Warriors cultivated by spiritually entering the Infernal Realm, but beyond that, he knew nothing.

Guessing was a dangerous prospect, as any false information could result in his death. Hence why, he was so focused on the Head instructor's words. In the days he had spent in this new world, he felt more alive than he ever had before. Now, he would finally begin his first steps to power.

"To cultivate power, you must enter a place we call, the Infernal Realm. As you may have guessed, this is a land where actual demons exist and rule. It is a violent and cruel place where one bad move can result in death…

"However, the dangers of the infernal realm are never unfair. The infernal realm is unique in this way. If you are facing a threat, it is because you have the capability to defeat said threat… The Infernal Realm is a place of trials, a land of growth.

"If you wish to break through into new realms of cultivation, you must find the goal of the infernal realm, and accomplish said goal, hence completing your trial. The most common goal is simply killing a powerful demon, but other goals do exist….

"That is all! Today, you have all been deemed capable of completing the First Trial. Unlike other Infernal Trials, the first one must be accomplished before you can leave the infernal realm. Failing to do so means death."

The Head Instructor paused and gazed down at the lines of trainees, watching their reactions to his words. Many were excited, others fearful, but one man caught his eye.

He recognized the man as one of the standouts among the trainees from the first test. He recalled the man's name as Hector. It was strange for him to remember a trainee's name, but after watching him rip out a man's throat with his teeth, he had taken an interest in him.

Hector stood, eyes blazing. Not simple excitement but a more powerful emotion of pure desire burned through him. 'He could be interesting.' The head instructor thought to himself.

It was not rare for stand-out talents to emerge from the riff-raff he put through basic training. However, it was rare for one to possess such a unique affinity. He had heard that the man was a transmigrator with a blood affinity; it seemed that it was true.

He smirked before barking out, "Meditation position! Today, we will draw the ritual circle for you; after today, you will receive a basic demonic cultivation tome. Be honored to accept my pity on you useless shitbags!"

"Thank you, sir!" The trainees roared in response, careful not to do anything that might set off their Head Instructor. No one wanted to suffer a beating before heading into their First Trial.

***

Hector sat cross-legged on the training ground in the middle of a complex magic circle drawn in chalk. The design was simple yet elegant, and it would soon be the channel to his entry into the Infernal Realm.

The moment he dove into a meditative trance, his conciousness would enter the First Infernal Trial. He did not know what to expect, but whatever it was, he would face the challenge head-on.

He could feel a soft voice in his head, trying to question if this was the right decision. It pulled him back from power, instead wishing to hide in the safety of mediocrity. Hector squashed those thoughts.

This was HIS life now. Those thoughts belonged to a man who had bowed to the abuse of his father. A lesser, worthless man who had only stood against the oppression he had experienced when he truly had been left with no other option. He was no longer that man.

Resolving his will, Hector closed his eyes and slowly allowed himself to drift off into a deep trance. His mind calmed, and the outside world grew dark and distant.

First came peace… Then, came fire.