I Can’t Cultivate

Chapter 1

'Where is it? Am I at the right place?'

Jiyu's heart pounded in his chest as he dashed through the dense emerald forest, the ancient trees a blur to his heightened senses. The young boy's feet barely touched the ground, propelling him forward with inhuman speed, his body twisting and turning with a grace that defied the laws of physics. He vaulted over fallen logs and bounded up the trunks of towering trees, flipping through the air to land lightly on his feet, always moving forward towards the fabled estate of the Jade Serenity Sect.

Jiyu is a striking figure exuding intensity and power. His spiky red hair matches the vibrant red and black theme of his attire and the fiery aura that surrounds him. His dark red eyes were concealed behind a white and red mask, adding a mysterious allure to his visage. He is clad in a dynamic, black outfit with red accents, featuring a long coat that flares out dramatically, echoing the flames that dance around him.

As he raced through the woods, Jiyu's keen eyes spotted the ethereal glow of a group of Moonshade Foxes, their silvery pelts shimmering under the moonlight that filtered through the canopy. They moved with a ghostly elegance, barely disturbing the underbrush as they hunted. Jiyu watched in awe, knowing that to witness such creatures was considered a harbinger of good fortune.

'The Heart of Heaven Mountains…none of the Jade Serenity sect, the only place left I can address my problems too.'

Further on, the forest opened up to reveal a clearing where the air shimmered with an otherworldly energy. Here, two humanoid cultivators engaged in a heated exchange, their voices carrying through the air like the melodious chimes of windbells.

'This place is lively. Has Eingun always been like this?'

"Have you heard about the Starfall Phenomenon?" one cultivator asked the other, his hands alight with a soft blue flame that danced between his fingertips.

"Yes, it's said that when the meteors showered down upon the Mystic Mirror Lake, the waters gained the power to reflect one's true destiny," the other replied, her eyes reflecting the stars above, a testament to her affinity with the celestial.

Jiyu listened intently as he continued his acrobatic journey, the conversation sparking his curiosity about the world that lay beyond the forest.

'Should I ask someone to be my guide? No. What if the sect thinks I'm a lost cause just because I can't find them? They'll kick me out before I can even join them.'

He then came across a vast expanse where the terrain shifted in an impossible manner – mountains rose and fell with the heartbeat of the earth, valleys deepened and shallows filled as if the landscape were breathing. Jiyu navigated this living terrain with astonishing agility, leaping from one shifting landmass to another as if he were part of the world's own rhythm.

At the edge of this ever-changing land, Jiyu overheard a cultivator seated on a floating stone, speaking to a companion who was scribbling furiously on a scroll.

"The Wandering Isles have reappeared," the seated cultivator said, his voice carrying a tone of reverence. "It is said that those who set foot on the isles gain insights into the lost arts of ancient cultivation."

"The archives must be informed," the scribe replied, her brush strokes meticulous as she recorded every word. "Such knowledge could elevate our understanding of the cultivation paths."

'It's way different here than where I'm from..'

As he progressed, the forest gave way to a series of rugged cliffs. Here, Jiyu encountered a pair of cultivators suspended in mid-air, locked in a friendly spar. Their laughter rang out as they exchanged lightning-fast blows, the air crackling with the energy of their strikes.

"Did you sense the tremor last night?" one cultivator chuckled, dodging a swift kick. "The Dragon Veins beneath the earth are restless once more."

"It's the third time this month," the other responded, parrying a punch with a flick of his wrist. "The elders say it could be a sign of the dragon's awakening."

'There's no dragons where I'm from. Perhaps this could definitely be what I'm looking for.'

He soon reached a serene valley, where a small group of cultivators gathered around a bubbling spring. They chanted in unison, their voices harmonizing with the natural sounds of the environment.

"The Spring of Echoing Souls is more active today," one of the cultivators remarked as Jiyu approached. "The spirits are whispering louder than ever."

"Do you think it's related to the celestial alignments this season?" another pondered, cupping her hands to collect the spring's water, which glowed with a faint spectral light.

'Okay this is getting creepy as hell now.'

Onward he went, crossing a bridge woven from living vines that spanned a chasm teeming with swirling mists. Below, forms and shapes moved within the fog – elusive creatures that defied description, their presence felt more than seen.

At the bridge's end, he overheard a young cultivator speaking excitedly to an elder. "Elder, I've mastered the Art of Mistwalking! Now I can traverse the Fogbound Abyss without fear."

"Excellent, child. Remember that the path of cultivation is infinite, and there are always new horizons to explore," the elder replied, his voice a soothing balm to the soul.

'Cultivation. Fucking bingo.'

Inspired by their exchange, Jiyu quickened his pace, eager to reach his destination and begin hisown journey of discovery.

As he surged through a copse of Whispering Willows, their leaves singing in a language only the wind understood, Jiyu's ears caught the sound of a distant conversation.

"A new vein of Soul Crystals has been unearthed in the Northern Reaches," a voice said, tinged with excitement. "Imagine the power one could harness from such purity."

"But be wary, for the Northern Reaches are guarded by the Ice Wraiths," another voice cautioned, its tone heavy with the weight of experience. "Many have perished, ensnared by their frost-bound traps."

'Sounds like easy game.'

He then swept through a field of Starblossoms, their petals aglow with the light of a thousand suns. Nearby, a cultivator knelt, her hands weaving the light into intricate patterns.

"Have you heard of the Astral Tide?" she whispered to her companion. "It's a cosmic event that enhances the potency of these flowers tenfold."

"Yes, the Alchemists of the Duskfire Order are preparing for the Tide as we speak," her companion whispered back, eyes alight with the thought of such potent ingredients at their disposal.

His path took him next to a great ravine where lightning crackled in the depths. Here, a lone cultivator stood on the precipice, arms raised to the stormy skies above.

"The Thunderheart Eagles are nesting," he shouted over the roar of the storm. "Their feathers can hold the essence of the tempest itself!"

His companion, huddled beneath an enchanted parasol, nodded vigorously. "Securing even one feather could revolutionize elemental conjuration!"

Jiyu's gaze followed the majestic birds as they soared through the storm, their cries as piercing as the lightning they danced with.

Beyond the ravine, Jiyu sprinted across a meadow where the grass shimmered with a luminous hue. Cultivators here were engaged in the art of Dew Harvesting, collecting the radiant moisture into vials of purest crystal.

"The Elders say that this dew can nourish the soul, a single drop can extend one's meditation for hours," a harvester said, carefully sealing a vial.

"And in times of strife, it can heal wounds that would otherwise prove fatal," another harvester added, her eyes reflecting the meadow's glow.

Jiyu felt the power emanating from the dew-soaked grass beneath his feet, the vitality seeping into his very essence. Jiyu felt the rhythm beneath his feet, the heartbeat of the world calling to him.

He then passed a grove where a group of cultivators sat in silent meditation, their forms barely distinguishable from the ancient stone statues that surrounded them.

"They say that if you meditate here long enough, the Stone Sages will impart wisdom from ages past," a passerby remarked, her voice hushed in reverence.

"Indeed, but one must be willing to listen with more than just ears," another replied, a knowing smile on his lips.

Jiyu's curiosity was piqued, but the urgency of his journey pushed him onward.

'I must be getting close. This place stays busy doesn't it?'

Next, he traversed a series of hills where the wind sang with the voices of the ancients. Cultivators here were Windcallers, their arms raised as they directed the melodies to uncover hidden messages left in the air by those who had walked these paths before.

"The Wind speaks of a great confluence," one Windcaller said, eyes closed in concentration. "A gathering of sects that will decide the fate of the cultivation world."

"Then we must listen well, for the winds carry truth and deception alike," another cautioned, her face serene amidst the howling gales.

Jiyu's heart raced at the thought of such a gathering, knowing it would shape the future in ways he could only imagine.

Jiyu was on top of a hill now, seeing the house of the Jade Serenity sect.

"Haha..haha..HAHA! Finally, I made it. What could possibly go wrong?"

As Jiyu neared the precipice of the sect estate, the air around him suddenly crackled with a dangerous energy. Without warning, two hooded figures emerged from the shadows of the twilight forest, their cloaks billowing as if woven from the darkness itself. In their hands gleamed weapons that seemed to be forged from condensed starlight, their edges humming with a lethal vibrancy that split the evening air.

"Seriously?!"

'Dammit. I jinxed myself.'

The first figure lunged at Jiyu with a spear that traced arcs of luminescence, aiming to pin the boy to the earth. Jiyu reacted with the instinct of a cornered animal, his body contorting in a spectacular display of evasion. He twisted in mid-air, somersaulting over the spear's tip, and landed on a nearby boulder, his feet barely causing a whisper against the stone.

The second assailant swept forward, a pair of curved daggers in hand, slashing in a deadly dance meant to entrap and ensnare. Jiyu, however, was like water, flowing around the attacks with an agility that defied belief. He backflipped off the boulder, using the momentum to evade a dagger that sought to taste his blood.

The hooded figures continued their assault with relentless intent, their weapons a blur of motion designed to overwhelm. Jiyu, however, anticipated each strike, his body bending and weaving with supernatural finesse. He was a shadow, a whisper of movement that rendered the attackers' efforts fruitless.

With each dodge, Jiyu felt the rush of air from near-misses, the ground beneath him erupting in showers of dirt and stone as the weapons struck with the force of a tempest. His acrobatics became more daring, a ballet of survival that showcased his mastery of his own body.

The hooded figures seemed to move in tandem now, their attacks synchronizing in a lethal rhythm that could fell the mightiest of beasts. Yet, Jiyu's parkour was like artistry, his form a fleeting specter that danced just beyond the reach of death.

He cartwheeled across the forest floor, hands springing off the earth to propel his body over a sweep of the glowing spear. Jiyu transitioned seamlessly into a handspring, narrowly avoiding the crossed daggers that sought to decapitate him where he stood.

The ground around them bore the scars of the battle, trees splintered and rocks shattered by the might of the hooded figures' strikes. Jiyu, in contrast, remained unscathed, his every movement calculated and precise, leaving no opportunity for his assailants to claim victory.

One of the hooded figures executed a series of thrusts, the spear's glow illuminating the dark forest like flashes of lightning. Jiyu ducked and spun, his movements a blur as he evaded each deadly strike, his body arching in impossible angles.

The other attacker, with a roar of frustration, unleashed a flurry of slashes, the daggers creating a web of death meant to ensnare and cut. Jiyu, however, leaped vertically, twisting his body to slip through the narrowest of gaps in the onslaught, his silhouette framed against the moon.

One of the attackers thought, 'This kid…he's using pure strength and speed to do all of this without using abilities.'

As the battle raged, Jiyu found an opening. He lunged forward, closing the distance between himself and the hooded figures with the speed of a falling star. His hands shot out, grasping the masked faces of his assailants before they could react.

With a roar of exertion, Jiyu channeled his cultivation into his arms, the strength of his spirit infusing his muscles. He slammed the hooded figures into the ground with a force that caused the very earth to cry out, a spiderweb of cracks radiating from the point of impact.

The hooded figures lay dazed, their weapons skittering away into the underbrush. Slowly, they reached up and removed their hoods, revealing themselves to be masters of the Jade Serenity Sect, their faces etched with a mix of surprise and respect.

"We are masters of the sect," the first said, spitting out a mouthful of dirt as he rose to his feet, the dust of his humility swirling around him.

"This was your final test before reaching the estate," the second added, her eyes twinkling with mischief and admiration. "And you, Jiyu, have passed with a prowess that exceeds even our expectations."

Jiyu stood tall, his chest heaving from exertion, his eyes wide with the realization of what had transpired. Before him were the legendary masters he had heard of in whispered tales, their skills now a tangible memory in his muscles and bones.

The masters brushed themselves off and extended their hands to Jiyu, their gesture one of welcome and acknowledgment. "Come, Jiyu," they said in unison. "Your journey with the Jade Serenity Sect truly begins now."

Jiyu, still grappling with the shock of the revelation, turned to the masters, his voice a blend of gratitude and incredulous anger. "Thank you… but… WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?! I COULD'VE KILLED YOU BOTH!" His eyes bore into them, searching for an answer to the madness that had just transpired.

"It was a part of the test!"

"Test?! I almost killed you both!"

"Is that so?!"

"Yes! You can't just sneak up on people!"

"How old are you anyway?!"

"16."

"Of course. The exams are going to start, what's your purpose for taking them? Where are you from? And are you from another sect?"

"Absolutely not. I'm not from here. And I came here because I have an issue. And I think joining the Jade Serenity sect is going to help me. I—."

Suddenly, the earth beneath their feet shuddered with a primal ferocity. The air became heavy, laden with a sense of impending doom. From the dense thicket of the surrounding forest, a terrifying roar shattered the calm, and the foliage burst apart as a mythic beast charged into the clearing.

The creature was a monstrous tapestry of nightmares, its massive form growing larger with each thunderous stride. Scales like obsidian armor glistened with a sinister sheen, and spikes protruded from its back, carving into the sky. Its maw was a cavern of razor-sharp fangs, and its eyes burned with a malevolent crimson light. A red aura, pulsing with the same ominous hue, enveloped the beast, an outward sign of the dark curse that plagued it.

As the ground quaked beneath the weight of the approaching behemoth, the masters readied themselves for combat, their expressions hardening with resolve. They knew the beast was not acting on its own accord, but rather driven by the Bloodthorn curse, a malevolent enchantment that could turn the most docile creature into a raging engine of destruction.

Jiyu looked over towards it, thinking, 'Ew, what the hell is that thing?'

Before the sect masters could unleash their cultivated weapons upon the cursed beast, Jiyu, with a burst of clarity and determination, dashed forward. The earth cracked and heaved in his wake, his speed so great that it seemed to defy the very laws of nature. His body was a blur, a comet streaking towards the heart of the conflict.

"Kid!" One of the masters exclaimed.

Jiyu appeared beneath the behemoth in the blink of an eye, a twisting vortex of energy surrounding him. A red aura, mirroring that of the beast's, leaked from his body, signaling his own inner strength and fury. With a roar that matched the creature's own, Jiyu unleashed his power in a singular, devastating motion.

His legs coiled like springs and then released, propelling him upward in a spiraling ascent. As he spun, his foot connected with the underbelly of the beast, the impact resonating with the force of a thunderclap. The red aura around Jiyu flared brilliantly, a crimson storm that sought to purge the Bloodthorn's rage.

The beast was lifted off the ground, its massive form contorting as if in slow motion. For a moment, it hung suspended, a leviathan silhouetted against the darkening sky. Then, as if reality itself could not contain the fury of Jiyu's attack, the beast exploded into a rain of bloody pieces, its cursed life extinguished in a gruesome spectacle.

The red aura that had enveloped the beast dissipated with its destruction, the remnants of the Bloodthorn curse fading away like a bad dream vanquished by the morning sun. The forest fell silent, save for the gentle rustle of leaves in the soft, post-carnage breeze.

The masters, their hands still raised in preparation for their own attack, slowly lowered their arms, turning to Jiyu with a mixture of awe and reverence. "The Bloodthorn curse," the first master began, his voice steady but laced with a deep-seated weariness, "it's a blight that forces the afflicted into mindless fury. It can take hold of any living being, twisting their nature into something monstrous."

"The curse is ancient and always seen," the second master continued, her gaze fixed on the carnage before them. "To dispel it requires immense power and purity of spirit. Jiyu, your actions have saved not only us but potentially many others. The beast would have ravaged until the curse consumed it entirely."

Jiyu stood amidst the destruction, his chest heaving with exertion, the red aura that had surrounded him now fading into the air. He looked at his hands, the instruments of salvation for the creature that had been lost to the Bloodthorn's rage.

One of the masters asked, "What EXACTLY could YOU need help with?"

Jiyu turned around them, saying, "Yeahhh about that…I uh…I can't cultivate."