Record of a Demon's Cultivation Chapter 5: Gathering Qi into the Body

Translator: Cinder Translations

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"Did anyone succeed in sensing the existence of spiritual qi yesterday?"

Moments later, Ji Yin pulled his gaze back in disappointment.

"It's been three days, and still not a single person has successfully sensed the presence of spiritual qi."

Noticing no response from anyone, Song Wen held back from announcing his own sensing of spiritual qi.

"It seems my cultivation talent is pretty good, at least stronger than these hundred or so people before me!"

Song Wen pondered silently to himself.

That night, Song Wen managed to draw the first strand of heaven and earth's spiritual qi into his body.

He felt the glowing specks in the air rushing into him. Instantly, a subtle warmth emerged within his meridians, tracing the path of the 'Longevity Method' inside his body.

Song Wen's eyes lit up. Right as he prepared to push harder, a troubling notion flashed across his mind.

"What if Ji Yin can sense others' progress? If he finds out that I've successfully drawn qi into my body and deliberately conceal it, it might be disastrous for me."

Considering this, Song Wen promptly halted his cultivation.

The moment he stopped, the spiritual qi of heaven and earth that had been pulled toward him lost its direction and started floating randomly through the air once more.

That strand of spiritual qi which had entered his body, left unrefined in time, couldn't fully blend with Song Wen's personal spiritual power. Bereft of the 'Longevity Method''s direction, it gradually dispersed back into the atmosphere.

"That was close. It looks like I'll have to pause cultivation for the next few days. I just need to put on a show in front of others."

With his decision set, Song Wen lay down and fell asleep.

Four days passed in a flash, bringing them to the seventh day of cultivation.

This morning.

The instant Song Wen walked out of his room, he caught the sound of animated chatter.

A dark-skinned man, lean but robust, and quite reserved, stood encircled by youths whose eyes brimmed with envy.

"Er Niu, did you really manage to gather qi into your body?"

"Er Niu, please guide us and share your experience of gathering qi into the body!"

Er Niu's swarthy face reddened with bashfulness. Hailing from the countryside and unused to crowds, this marked his first time as the focus of attention, stirring excitement within him while leaving him at a loss for words.

His face flushed, he froze momentarily, unsure of how to reply.

"What are you all doing!"

A gruff, harsh voice abruptly cut off the conversation.

Ji Yin strode into the wing area, his face etched with fury.

"Early in the morning, instead of cultivating properly, why are you making so much noise?"

Faced with Ji Yin's sharp rebuke, the group fell utterly silent, heads bowed in trepidation.

Standing right in the middle of the crowd, Er Niu drew Ji Yin's gaze naturally.

A wave of unease washed over Er Niu. Ji Yin's piercing stare filled him with discomfort, evoking memories of being stalked by wolves or tigers during hunts in his village.

Er Niu stood stock-still, mustering only a quiet explanation.

"Report to Master, I successfully gathered qi into my body last night, so..."

"What? You've already gathered qi into your body!"

Ji Yin's furious demeanor shifted to pure joy in an instant. He hurried forward, seized Er Niu's wrist, probed it meticulously, and lavished praise upon him.

"Er Niu, you've done well. From today onwards, you are my personal disciple. After today's lessons, you will move into my small building, where I will personally instruct you."

Sensing Ji Yin's favor, Er Niu's heart swelled with thrill and thankfulness. A radiant future seemed to unfold before him, causing his words to trip over themselves.

"Th-thank you, Master Ji Yin."

"Why still call me 'Master'? From now on, address me as 'Master Zun'!" Ji Yin said warmly.

TL Note: The first use of the word 'Master' is like when a servant refers to his 'Master' while the second one is for 'a teacher or mentor'

After giving Er Niu more encouragement, Ji Yin addressed the rest.

"You all should strive as well. As long as you can successfully gather qi into your body, you can also become my disciples and Er Niu's younger brothers."

"Come, Er Niu, sit beside me. Let's begin today's lecture."

While Ji Yin's steady lecture continued up front, Song Wen's thoughts raced through the recent chain of events.

From Ji Yin's thrilled reaction when he discovered Er Niu had successfully gathered qi, it was clear he had no idea which youths possessed cultivation talent. His strategy of rounding up over a hundred young people to share his teachings resembled casting a vast net in hopes of striking it lucky.

Next, Ji Yin was unable to sense others' cultivation levels from a distance; he required physical touch.

Furthermore, Ji Yin had recently named Er Niu his 'Personal disciple'. Based on Elder Yan and Gou Hang's discussions and responses, these youths clearly weren't Ji Yin's initial group of disciples. Had no one from earlier batches managed to gather qi into their bodies? If that was true, what became of them? And what about those who failed?

Without answers to these puzzles, Song Wen's mind stayed restless, as if a sharp sword dangled overhead, poised to claim his life without warning.

Yet, having verified that Ji Yin couldn't detect cultivation remotely, Song Wen felt safe to continue his own cultivation boldly.

In the wink of an eye, twenty days elapsed, and a different youth called Zhang Cheng succeeded in gathering qi into his body.

Ji Yin was immensely thrilled by this. For two among over a hundred to reveal cultivation talent marked extraordinary luck, surpassing his wildest hopes.

Over this span, Song Wen cultivated discreetly. The warm current inside him intensified, and every cultivation breakthrough dramatically enhanced his physique, power, and mental clarity.

Testing his bodily condition and strength wasn't straightforward, yet he distinctly sensed his spirit growing more vibrant, his thoughts keener and intellect sharper.

Song Wen also monitored Er Niu's advancement closely. Er Niu's progress was obvious to anyone watching. With his straightforward nature, Er Niu made no effort to conceal his cultivation, frequently flaunting his enhanced strength before the group.

The day before, Song Wen saw Er Niu heave a stone heavier than fifty catties, sparking awe and jealousy among the spectators.

TL Note: 1 catty is equivalent to 1.32lb or 0.6kg

Song Wen inwardly judged that his own power likely exceeded Er Niu's. This implied his current lifting force surpassed fifty catties for sure.

Additionally, the fears he held—that Ji Yin might act against those able to cultivate—remained unrealized.

That evening after supper, Song Wen wandered beside the courtyard walls, a routine now overlooked by everyone else. No one gave him particular notice.

Far from merely settling his meal, Song Wen meticulously studied the courtyard's design, gearing up for a potential future breakout.

The courtyard walls rose more than a zhang tall, rendering a straight climb over them challenging. Sentries stood guard both within and beyond, slashing the odds of vaulting the wall undetected to near zero.

TL: A zhang is equal to 3.3 meters or about 10 feet

Nearly a full month of scrutiny hadn't left Song Wen without gains.

He located a dog hole roughly ten zhang from the sleeping quarters. It was spacious enough for a person to wriggle through. Dense low bushes and abundant tall weeds cloaked it perfectly. Absent his persistent probing over multiple days, he might have overlooked it entirely.

Guards lingered close to the dog hole, however. Even crawling out there would leave him inside Tian Sha Gang territory. Escaping via that route demanded flawless timing.

(End of the Chapter)