Xiang Yu stood before the remains of what was his house just a few moments ago, surveying the destruction. Now that the immediate danger had passed, he realized just how poor his housing conditions had been. Since arriving in this world, his entire focus had been about gaining power and surviving. Now that he could somewhat protect himself, it seemed appropriate to improve his living situation.
"It's about time I built a house worthy of my senior brother position," he thought.
He summoned his void flame, the flame danced between his fingers before expanding outward. The flames consumed all remains of his previous home, leaving nothing but clean earth in their wake. He extended the cleansing process to encompass an even larger radius, preparing a pristine foundation for his new residence.
After clearing the location, Xiang Yu pondered what type of house to construct. Brick would require too much time and effort, so he opted for wood instead. The Mountain Heart Pavilion was surrounded by lush forests, providing abundant materials for his project.
He spent several minutes examining the surrounding area, extending his qi sense to locate suitable materials. As he did so, he was startled by how far his perception could reach. In theory, qi sense was a Golden Core ability, though it was available to others in limited form, only allowing people to detect the area around them. But because he had already unlocked his spiritual sea, his qi sense was almost no different from that of an actual golden core cultivator.
Xiang Yu recalled how the area in his spiritual sense had been expanding alongside his mind level increases. He wondered if the distance his qi sense could reach was proportional to this. Intrigued by this possibility, he decided to test his limits.
He extended his qi sense further and further, feeling it encompass more trees, spreading like an invisible tide across the landscape. To his amazement, his perception soon covered the entire Mountain Heart Pavilion. He sensed he could push even further but restrained himself—extending throughout the rest of the sect might alert others and cause unnecessary panic.
Still, he was very satisfied with this discovery. However, he knew that he couldn't maintain coverage over the entire pavilion continuously—once the master and martial aunt returned, they might detect his qi sense which could lead to problems.
Though his system seemed to conceal his cultivation level, it might not necessarily hide active techniques. Better to remain inconspicuous until he surpassed them in strength, at which point, they wouldn't be able to detect him.
Returning to his construction plans, Xiang Yu confirmed bamboo as his material of choice. Not only would it allow for quick assembly, permitting him to return to training sooner, but it would also provide aesthetic appeal and considerable durability. Later, when he gained knowledge of formation making, he could reinforce the structure with protective arrays.
Without further delay, he set to work. Cutting bamboo stalks was effortless with his strength, and though transporting them required several trips due to the density of the forest, his enhanced physical capabilities made the labor relatively light. Soon, a substantial pile of building materials stood ready at his construction site.
Xiang Yu had initially planned something modest—a bedroom and perhaps a large hall for indoor training; this would allow him to train privately since when he trained outdoors, others might see the progress he was making.
But as he worked, he suddenly had new ideas. He thought that a kitchen would be useful for preparing specialized foods just for himself. And considering that he might get new secondary professions in the future, he decided to add some more rooms.
By the time he finished, his "house" had grown considerably. The final structure included a bedroom, kitchen, martial arts hall, pill refining room, artifact refining room, and one expansive chamber dedicated to both formation and talisman making—these were all the secondary professions he could think of. If he acquired more later, he could always build more rooms.
When he finished building the new house, the sun was already setting. Stepping back to admire his creation, a proud smile spread across his face. What he had built was no mere house but nearly an estate. The master and his junior sister would certainly be surprised upon their return.
Suddenly remembering the approaching reset, Xiang Yu realized he hadn't yet trained with the new technique he'd acquired from Wang Wei. He hurried into his newly constructed martial arts hall, determined to gain at least a few experience points before reset.
...
Xiang Yu sat cross-legged on the bamboo floor of his new martial arts hall. Unlike the physical techniques he normally practiced that required repetitive swinging of weapons or rigorous body movements, the Fire Palm technique required a different approach. This was a qi-related technique that involved infusing his palm with fiery energy to deliver devastating attacks.
Typically, such elemental techniques required practitioners to possess the corresponding spiritual root. Only those with fire-element spiritual roots could naturally manipulate fire qi. However, Xiang Yu's situation was unique—his omni-element spiritual root granted him affinity with all elements, removing this limitation.
He closed his eyes and directed his attention inward, sensing the vast ocean of qi circulating through his meridians. Now came the challenging part: transforming this pure energy into the flame element. For most cultivators, their single-element spiritual roots automatically converted absorbed qi into their natural element without conscious effort. Xiang Yu's omni-element root, however, left the qi in its original, unadulterated form.
While this gave him higher quality energy—pure and unpolluted by elemental transformation—it also meant he needed to manually convert his qi into specific elements when employing techniques like the Fire Palm. This additional step would require concentration and practice to master.
Hours passed as Xiang Yu remained motionless, his consciousness immersed in the internal landscape of his qi pathways. Gradually, he began to sense the subtle differences in his qi as he attempted to shift its properties toward the fire element. At first, the transformations were fleeting and unstable, but with persistent effort, the changes became more consistent.
After nearly three hours of meditation, Xiang Yu finally grasped the method. He could now seamlessly transform his pure qi into fire-natured energy. He realized that after a few attempts, it became almost second nature. He made a mental note to practice converting his qi into other elements later to build versatility and prevent future difficulties.
With the transformation aspect mastered, Xiang Yu proceeded to the technique itself. He guided the newly converted fire qi along his meridians and concentrated it into his arm. Responding to his will, his arm began to glow with a subtle red hue. The effect wasn't as dramatic as he had anticipated—he had imagined spectacular visual effects like those from movies, but the reality was more subdued, resembling a modest glow stick rather than an inferno.
Despite the underwhelming visual display, he was satisfied with the result. He had successfully learned a high-grade technique on his first attempt. Such rapid mastery would be extraordinary for most cultivators, but with his comprehension ability long since reaching the high stage, perhaps it was to be expected.
Throughout the night, Xiang Yu continued practicing the Fire Palm technique, refining his control over the fire qi and increasing the stability of his transformations. The soft red glow illuminated the otherwise dark martial arts hall as he repeatedly channeled and dispersed the energy, each cycle growing smoother than the last until finally...
[Calculating Settlement]
Xiang Yu sat in his meditative position as the familiar system screen materialized before him:
[Body Refining: 11th Layer (20/11,000) (+20/11,000)]
[Qi Gathering: 1st Layer (20/100) (+20/100)]
[Mind: Level 4 (1/4000)]
[Transcendent Dao Body: Level 1 (1/1,000,000)]
[Enlightenment: High (62/3000) (+2/3000)]
[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 6th Grade (630/40,000)]
[High-grade Fire Palm: Beginner (10/100) (+10/100)]
[Cook: 5th Grade (90/500) (+20/500)]
[Experience Points Doubled]
[Cook: 5th Grade (90/500) → 5th Grade (180/500)]
[High-grade Fire Palm: Beginner (10/100) → Beginner (20/100)]
[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 6th Grade (630/40,000) → 6th Grade (1260/40,000)]
[Enlightenment: High (62/3000) → High (124/3000)]
[Transcendent Dao Body: Level 1 (1/1,000,000) → Level 1 (2/1,000,000)]
[Mind: Level 4 (1/4000) → Level 4 (2/4000)]
[Qi Gathering: 1st Layer (20/100) → 1st Layer (40/100)]
[Body Refining: 11th Layer (20/11,000) → 11th Layer (40/11,000)]
His eyes scanned through the information. The first detail that caught his attention was the twenty points gained in body refining. He had a thoughtful expression as he wondered when he had gained the points, he then realized that he had exerted his body quite a bit when building the house so it was probably from there. The act of cutting, carrying, and assembling materials had served as a form of body training.
The qi gathering progression surprised him even more. He had actually gained twenty whole points. When he practiced before, he hadn't gained that many points. He attributed this unexpected boost to his extensive practice in transforming pure qi into fire element for the new technique. After the system's doubling, his qi gathering now stood at forty points. If he gained just ten more points during the day, he would break through to the second layer after the next reset. This rate of progress wasn't bad at all.
As for the Fire Palm technique itself, he had managed to accumulate only ten points. Despite the modest number, Xiang Yu wasn't disappointed. He had only practiced for a limited time, and it was a high-grade technique that naturally required more effort to master. The doubled points brought it to twenty, which was still commendable progress for a single day.
His cooking skill had also increased by twenty points, likely due to the meals he had prepared for his junior sister. He had indeed outdone himself with those dishes, even preparing a 5th grade meal. This observation triggered another realization—he hadn't eaten anything since morning. With his Transcendent Dao Physique, he didn't need to eat to sustain himself so he had completely forgotten about food.
He suddenly had a bold idea. Now that he was alone on the mountain, he had the perfect opportunity to leverage his fifth-grade cooking skills. Not only could he advance his culinary abilities, but with his spiritual roots, he could also fully absorb the benefits of spiritually enhanced food to accelerate his cultivation.
With this in mind, Xiang Yu formulated a structured daily routine. After midnight, he would focus on mind cultivation. From morning until noon, he would dedicate himself to cooking various spiritual foods, using them to enhance his qi practice. The afternoon to midnight would be reserved for technique practice, particularly the new Fire Palm and other combat skills.
This schedule felt perfect—a balanced approach that would maximize the development of all his abilities. For body refining, he determined to wear weighted clothes throughout his daily activities, providing constant resistance training without requiring dedicated time.
With his new routine established, Xiang Yu decided to put it to practice instantly. It was already past midnight, time to begin cultivating his mind as planned...
...
Xiang Yu quickly settled into his meditative position, his consciousness instantly pulled into his spiritual sea. Upon arrival, he froze in astonishment. The familiar landscape had transformed completely. Before, the area was filled with an endless dark void with a gentle radius of illumination. But now, the area was a vibrant, dynamic expanse filled with flowing colors and dazzling light. Streams of multicolored qi floated through the space.
The dark void had given way to this colorful manifestation as his spiritual power grew and refined itself.
Time passed without notice as he immersed himself in this practice, until finally, sensing the changing energy in the world outside his body, he slowly opened his eyes. The first rays of dawn were breaking through his window, painting the bamboo walls with soft golden light. It was morning—time to transition to the next phase of his new routine.
With the sun rising, Xiang Yu prepared for his cooking and qi cultivation session. Since he had already constructed his own kitchen, he made a quick trip to the common kitchen area, selecting various utensils to stock his personal cooking space.
Next came the ingredients. Since his junior sister wasn't around, Xiang Yu ventured into the forest surrounding the Mountain Heart Pavilion to look for prey. He caught a wild boar and also gathered various herbs.
As he gathered the herbs, he thought to himself that he should also plant his own herbs just like his master did. They might even be useful when he finally gained the pill refining profession.
As he returned from hunting, he encountered a small herd of vicuñas grazing in a clearing. With swift movements, he managed to catch several of the animals alive. These would serve multiple purposes—not just as potential food, but their fine wool could be used to create a proper bed. After days of sleeping on hard floors, the prospect of comfortable rest appealed greatly to him.
Back at his bamboo dwelling, Xiang Yu set about preparing the wild boar for cooking. As for the vicuñas, he placed them in a hastily constructed pen behind his house. As he worked, a concerning thought occurred to him—during his hunt, he had noticed a scarcity of wild boars in the forest. It seemed their hunting had begun to affect the local ecosystem.
"We might run out of food if this continues," he realized. With this in mind, he decided not to cook the vicuñas but keep them instead.
Before returning to cooking, Xiang Yu took time to shear the vicuñas. Using his qi to refine the collected wool, he stuffed it into cloth casings and sewed them shut, creating a surprisingly luxurious mattress. He placed this atop the bamboo bed frame he had constructed, testing it with a satisfied smile. The comfort was immediate and welcome. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶
Realizing he had become distracted by the bed-making project, Xiang Yu hurried back to the kitchen. He needed to adhere to his planned routine. He began preparing the wild boar, employing his fifth-grade cooking techniques to infuse the meat with spiritual energy.
Though this was his second time preparing fifth-grade meals, it would be his first time actually consuming them himself. When the dishes were finally ready, their aroma filled the kitchen with tantalizing scents.
He took his first bite, and a wave of heavenly flavor washed over his palate. But although the taste was remarkable, it paled in comparison to the effects that followed. As he continued eating, he could feel his qi rising steadily within him, the energy accumulating and strengthening with each mouthful.
After finishing the meal, Xiang Yu immediately sat in meditative posture. The overwhelming qi circulating inside him needed guidance and refinement. He directed the energy through his meridians, feeling it strengthen and expand his qi pathways.
The circulation continued, the energy growing more and more condensed until suddenly...
[Qi Gathering: 2nd Layer (1/200)]
...
Author's Corner
Is he improving too fast lol
7th grade cooking was able to heal a golden core so I thought that I would be nerfing him if 5th grade wouldn't be able to trigger a breakthrough.
Xiang Yu was late in cultivation but so many of his other stats have increased a lot so the cultivation speed might be quite fast and I don't want to nerf him.
Also, it's my time hearing about vicuñas. I was looking for a source of wool for mc's bed and I found it. (they're also a protected species so he probably shouldn't be eating them but oh well)