The Other Side of A Cultivation Story

The Shu family is not particularly rich, but neither is it poor--but if it is about a skill scroll, Qai's father would never think twice.

Scrolls, which are a one-time use thing, can be bought from merchants--although what are available from them are mostly of common class. That is why, a rare or unique one is, at times, subject of a deathmatch, and oftenly prone to theft.

Scrolls are made by cultivators with Void affinity by using demonic beast cores by somehow stealing a beast's skill.

Basically a skill is taken from a beast as beasts develop skills innately. And the higher the skill is the more expensive it becomes.

So far, no cultivator with any other element is able to forge skill scrolls. Thus, a Void elemental affinity cultivators are, without a doubt, precious to the eyes of large sects.

Rare and unique skills can mostly be found in treasure pavillons or are distributed by sects and clans to their disciples.

But for Qai, learning a skill is not something done arbitrarily. It needs a patient decision. That is because once learned, it can never be changed. There is no room for regret.

One can never know when a cultivator meet his bottleneck, so there can only be limited skill for each cultivator--a careful choosing is necessary.

"I'm not in a hurry father," said Qai. "It's not easy to decide for an element like mine."

"Well, you can opt for a common one for a start. Your big sister has 'Cloud Steps' as her first one. You can have the same and join her in gathering the herbs in the inner region of the forest" his father replied.

"That way, you sister-in-law can have more herbs to concoct some pills for the family," his father went on.

His sister-in-law has a fire elemental affinity and is currently in the initial sky stage of expert realm. Her second skill learned is 'Basic Alchemy'--a rare element only learned by fire attribute.

With Basic Alchemy skill, her sister-in-law can only make basic Qi Gathering and Basic Rejuvinating Pills. These two pills are enough for the family to support their cultivation and hunting jobs.

"Father, let me think about it," Qai responded not knowing what actually to say. But he went on and said, "I want to intelligently choose the path of my cultivation," to which his father nodded in agreement.

'A smart son indeed,' his father thought.

After he left, he immediately went to his sister-in-law to request some basic Qi gathering pills to strengthen his cultivation.

He has yet to stabilize his Qi after all having just awaken his element.

So he went to his room to start cultivating somewhat dissapointed with the lack of response from his father although his heart is determined to help build a clan for his family.

As for the skills he needs to learn, he thought that he better choose skills that will be helpful in his bid to establish a cultivating clan.

After few days of closed-door cultivation, he finally achieved initial earth stage of expert realm. He has finally entered the world of immortals.

Once a person enters the expert realm, his lifespan is extended to 500 years.

Qai went back to his father and asked him to allow him to enter the outskirts of the Darkwood forest to temper his cultivation progress.

And unlike his father and older brother who chose sword as their preferred weapon, his physical constitution is far weaker. So for the weapon of his choice, he picked bow and arrows.

'I can't handle beasts in close combat with this body,' he thought.

He's not particularly weak, but he's not strong either. So the best approach is to attack the beasts with long range.

Without any learned skill, he can only infuse lightning in the arrows to strike a better blow. It will definitely have quick attack and stun effects.

"Alright, but don't immediately enter into the inner part of the forest," his father said.

"I advise you to never wander off within the inner region. Stay around the outskirts and hone your archery there... And by the way, we only got old bows and arrows in the storage. Are you fine with that?" asked his father.

"No problem," Qai replied.

'Besides there's no way I'll survive out there without any skill,' he thought.

Having prepared all the necessary rations and items for survival, he proceeded to the periphery of the Darkwood Forest without hesitation.