Morning arrived quietly at the Celestial Haven Sect.
Golden sunlight streamed through the windows of Gabriel's room, painting the floor with warm light. As outside, the singing of birds mixed with the distant sounds of disciples practicing.
Gabriel slowly opened his violet eyes. For a few moments, he simply stared at the unfamiliar ceiling.
Remembering where he was.
About The Celestial Haven Sect.
His new Master Alana.
His new life.
Gabriel sat up, today was the day his horizons would be broadened.
Before he could climb out of bed, there was a gentle knock on the door.
"Young Master Gabriel?"
It was Mei his master's attendant.
Gabriel quickly got out of bed.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Mei stepped inside carrying a neatly folded set of sect clothing.
"Good morning, Young Master. Elder Alana asked me to wake you and help you freshen up."
Gabriel looked at the clothes.
"Is today when I start learning cultivation?"
"Yes."
Gabriel's eyes immediately brightened.
Mei smiled.
"You seem excited."
"I am!"
Gabriel quickly changed into the blue-and-white robes. Seeing that he was having trouble Mei helped him look presentable before stepping back.
"There. You look like a proper disciple of the Celestial Haven Sect."
Gabriel looked down at himself.
"A disciple..."
The word still felt strange.
Yesterday, he had been a boy without a home.
Today, he was a disciple of one of the sect's most powerful cultivators.
Mei opened the door.
"Come. Elder Alana is waiting."
_______________________
Gabriel followed Mei through the sect.
The morning atmosphere was completely different from the previous day.
Hundreds of disciples were already awake.
Some practiced sword techniques.
Some meditated beneath ancient trees.
Others carried out various tasks throughout the sect.
Gabriel watched everything with fascination.
"Mei?"
"Yes?"
"Are all of these people cultivators?"
"Most of them."
Gabriel looked around.
"How strong are they?"
Mei laughed softly.
"That depends on their cultivation realm."
"Realm?"
"Your master will go over it with you."
They eventually reached a quiet mountain platform.
At the center was a large stone pavilion surrounded by ancient spiritual trees. Alana stood beneath one of them with her hands were behind her back as she gazed toward the mountains.
When she sensed Gabriel's arrival, she turned around.
"Good morning, Gabriel."
Gabriel hurried forward and bowed.
"Good morning, Master."
Alana nodded approvingly.
"You're punctual. That's a good beginning."
Gabriel stood straight.
"I'm ready to learn!"
Alana smiled.
"Then let's begin with the most fundamental knowledge every cultivator must understand."
She gestured toward the stone platform.
"Sit."
Gabriel sat cross-legged.
Alana sat opposite him.
"The path of cultivation is of going against the heavens and breaking your mortal shackles. We cultivators absorb spiritual energy from heaven and earth, refining it within our bodies, and can be used in things such as array formations also in the obvious battles."
Gabriel listened carefully.
"Spiritual energy is everywhere."
Alana continued.
"It exists within the mountains, rivers, plants, beasts, and even the air itself. Cultivators use special techniques to absorb this energy and transform it into their own cultivation power."
Gabriel looked curious.
"Can everyone in the world cultivate master?"
"Not everyone can."
Alana shook her head.
"Spirit roots determine whether a person can absorb and refine spiritual energy efficiently. The quality and attributes of one's spirit roots also influence their cultivation potential."
She paused.
"And you possess two heavenly spirit roots."
Gabriel's eyes widened.
"Does that mean I'm really talented?"
"You have extraordinary potential."
Alana smiled.
"But potential alone is meaningless."
Gabriel blinked.
"Why?"
"Because without Discipline, a strong will, and hardwork your talent would be meaningless to whether you can actually reach greater heights in cultivation."
Gabriel nodded seriously.
"I understand."
"Good."
Alana raised one finger.
"The cultivation path begins with the first major realm."
A faint ripple of spiritual energy surrounded her.
"Qi Condensation."
Gabriel repeated the name.
"Qi Condensation."
"This is the realm has 13 stages where a cultivator first learns to sense, absorb, and refine spiritual energy."
Alana continued explaining.
"A cultivator at Qi Condensation gathers spiritual energy from the atmosphere and draw it within their body and gradually refine it into spiritual qi. As their cultivation increases, their qi becomes denser and more powerful."
Gabriel looked fascinated.
"So this is where I start?"
"Yes."
Alana raised a second finger.
"After Qi Condensation comes the second realm."
A powerful aura briefly emerged from her body.
"Foundation Establishment."
Gabriel could feel the difference immediately.
Even though Alana had barely released any pressure, the spiritual energy around her seemed vastly more stable.
"Foundation Establishment is when the cultivator condenses their spiritual energy from mist state into liquid state."
Alana demonstrated what happens during the process, by controlling the energy in the surroundings.
"I won't go into more detail because that's a long ways away before you reach that level."
She looked at Gabriel seriously.
"A weak foundation can limit a cultivator's future. A strong foundation allows them to progress farther and withstand greater challenges."
Gabriel nodded.
"I want a strong foundation."
"I know."
Alana raised a third finger.
"The third realm is..."
She paused.
"Golden Core."
Gabriel's expression became curious.
"What's a Golden Core?"
"After a cultivator has accumulated enough spiritual energy and perfected their foundation, they can condense their spiritual power into a Golden Core."
A tiny golden sphere appeared above Alana's palm.
Gabriel stared at it.
"The Golden Core is the condensed essence of a cultivator's power. Once formed, a cultivator's strength increases dramatically."
Gabriel couldn't take his eyes off the golden sphere.
"So if I reach Golden Core..."
"You will become a powerful cultivator compared with those in the lower realms."
Alana allowed the golden sphere to disappear.
"But don't become obsessed with strength."
Gabriel looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because cultivation is a journey, not a race."
She pointed toward the mountains.
"The strongest cultivators aren't necessarily those who advance the fastest. They are those who understand themselves, cultivate a solid foundation, and survive long enough to continue walking their path."
Gabriel thought about her words.
Then he clenched his little fists.
"I'll remember."
Alana smiled.
"Good."
She stood.
"Now that you understand the first three realms, it's time for your first real lesson."
Gabriel immediately straightened.
"What do I do?"
"Close your eyes."
Gabriel obeyed.
"Relax your body."
He took a slow breath.
"Clear your mind."
Gabriel breathed again.
Alana's voice became calm and steady.
"Do not force the spiritual energy toward you. Feel for it."
Gabriel sat quietly beneath the ancient tree.
At first, there was nothing.
Only silence.
Then... something changed.
A faint warmth appeared within his lower abdomen. Gabriel's eyes remained closed. He could sense something floating around him, tiny motes of light. Like stars scattered throughout an endless darkness.
Alana's eyes narrowed slightly.
She could sense it too.
The spiritual energy in their surroundings had begun responding to Gabriel.
For an ordinary child, sensing spiritual energy for the first time could take weeks or even months. But Gabriel's heavenly spirit roots were already beginning to awaken.
Alana smiled.
"It seems my new disciple is going to surprise me."
Gabriel knew nothing about what his master had noticed.
He simply continued breathing.
Slowly.
Carefully.
For the first time in his life, Gabriel reached toward the vast ocean of spiritual energy surrounding him.
This began his career as a cultivator.