3 Chapter 3 - Oath to Oneself

Chapter 3 Oath to Oneself

After the bandits left, Xi carefully walked home and called out, "I am home." The family looked at him, shocked. Ling glanced at her husband's smug face and chuckled.

Shen said, "Well done, boy. You kept your promise. My tea's not cold yet, hahaha."

Ming Zhi smiled bitterly and said, "I'm sorry, little Xi. You have to take care of the village, even though you should be exploring the world at your age or joining some sect."

Xi laughed and said, "I have no plans of leaving this farm, but I am also your strength, Grandma. Without you, Mom would not have existed, and perhaps neither would I."

Ling tightly held her mother's hands, reassuring her.

Ming Zhi also looked at Shen and said, "I'm sorry for bothering Mr. Long."

Shen immediately responded, "What do you mean, Mother? This is no bother. I would even ask you to stay with us. Ling is always worried about you."

Ming Zhi was astonished. One of the covenants that all village heads would take was to absolutely respect the Long family. No one knew why, but the Chuilong Village had treated the Long family as true sovereigns of the place, not just settlers.

Shen worried that his mother-in-law, who always cared about his son and wife as her own, but was still too formal with him, would refuse. He changed his approach and said, "Actually, Mother, Ling works too hard. You being here would help all of us greatly."

Ming Zhi nodded and agreed, "If that's the case, then fine. I will remain and help out."

Shen sighed in relief. Ling showed him a grateful smile, and Xi gave him a goofy thumbs-up.

Ming Zhi then asked, "We are still going to have little Xi's 18th birthday celebration at the village square, right? We should prepare."

In this world, the 18th birthday holds great significance. Not only does it mark reaching adulthood, but it also signifies the moment when one can finally cultivate qi and embark on the long road of cultivation. It is customary to celebrate the moment when the mind and soul turn 18, which is when qi cultivation unlocks. The party usually starts at that time.

Xi thought that he would become much stronger tomorrow because there would be so much food.

The captain of the guard, standing at the side, unable to contain his curiosity, raised his voice and asked, "If I may, sirs and madams, umm, how did the young lord become so strong?"

Shen nodded and looked closer at the guard captain. "You're new, right?"

Hao Yu bowed and replied, "Yes, sir. Sorry for the late introduction. I am Hao Yu, a stage 5 cultivator at the Silver Body stage."

Xi recalled that body cultivations were ranked as Iron Body, Silver Body, Golden Body, Diamond Body, and Adamantium Body. There could be more, but that might have been the wine talking.

Shen acknowledged and confirmed, "No wonder you couldn't hold back your curiosity."

Hao confirmed, "Yes, sir. I have the Intermediate Body, and I heard that the young lord has a Novice Body. Excuse my rudeness, but I should be able to refine my body five times faster. So how is he so much stronger?"

Talent is usually the deciding factor in this world unless opportunity is found. The three seen qi talents are Common Root, Average Root (five times as fast as Common Root), and Divine Root (ten times as fast as Common Root).

The body cultivators have similar talent distinctions: Novice Body, Intermediate Body, and Advanced Body (which can become stronger 10 as fast as a Novice Body).

Shen nodded in agreement and turned to his son. He gestured for Xi to explain further.

Xi stared at the guard captain, his expression serious. Hao Yu swallowed nervously, unsure of what to expect. Slowly, Xi opened his mouth and uttered three simple words, "Eat, Sleep, and Shit."

The room fell into a heavy silence, where even the faintest sound would resonate like thunder. After what felt like an eternity, the guard captain dropped to his knees and spoke, "Thank you for your guidance, young lord."

Xi nodded in acknowledgment.

Everyone in the room, witnessing this scene, nodded with pride. Little did they know, their understanding of "eat, sleep, and shit: cultivation" was far from the truth. What Xi actually meant was to just "eat, sleep and shit".

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After the young parents finished shedding tears of joy, their attention turned back to the farm they had seen moments ago. Shen couldn't resist asking, "Xi, did you do all this?"

Xi looked at their faces and thought now it was time to brag. But he had to use big words here. He thought, "The teachers at school would use big words to sound cool, so I should too."

Xi gazed at their expectant faces, ready to boast about his accomplishments.

Raising his head high, almost reaching the clouds, Xi began, "Yes indeed, Father, I have cultivated the..."

His words were abruptly cut short as his father pulled him into a tight embrace. His mother hugged him from the back, their tears flowing once again.

Xi thought, "I wanted to brag that I cultivated the farm but he didn't let me, and why are they crying so much today. Maybe they can't poop, I cry too when I can't poop.

With a reassuring voice, Xi said, "There, there, Mother and Father. I will support you, don't worry. I will always be here to help."

Recalling how his mother would rub his stomach and offer warm water when he struggled with bowel movements, Xi thought he could do the same for them.

Shen, overwhelmed with happiness and pride, realized that his son had cultivated his body. It was likely the reason why Xi had slept for three days straight. Ling shared the same realization.

However, Ling couldn't help but express her concern, saying, "Son, please don't push yourself too hard. Mother can't bare to see you in pain."

Xi felt an immense sense of joy knowing that his mother loved him deeply. Despite enduring excruciating pain, she still prioritized his well-being.

Xi reassured her, "Don't worry, Mother. I won't push myself."

Their heartfelt embrace came to an end, accompanied by gurgling sounds from Xi's stomach. Laughter sounded. Shen remarked, "Hard work makes you hungry."

Xi nodded in agreement. Shen then suggested, "Let's bring the wheelbarrow to the remaining crops and head inside. You must have worked hard. I want you to rest."

As Shen made his way toward the wheelbarrow, he discovered it filled to the brim, with the top barely visible. He attempted to lift it but failed, growing frustrated. "You ingrate! How am I supposed to lift it? You've loaded it with too much corn!"

Feeling unjustly accused, Xi defended himself, saying, "Father, let me do it."

Shen was about to question how his son, who had only cultivated his body once, could possess such strength. However, the words stuck in his throat. He and Ling watched their 10-year-old son effortlessly lift the entire wheelbarrow, as if it weighed as much as an empty basket. Xi didn't even need the wheels; he simply picked it up and walked to where the remaining crops were, turning the wheelbarrow upside down.

Witnessing this awe-inspiring display, Shen and Ling were left dumbfounded. They now understood what it meant to be a cultivator..

Shen beamed with pride and said, "What you did before has made you much stronger. You are even stronger than me at such a young age. Well done."

Ling joined in, complimenting their son, "Really good job."

In Xi's mind, he realized that he had indeed grown stronger. No wonder his father couldn't lift the wheelbarrow. But what did I do to become stronger?

The young child then reflected on his day, he recalled eating corn, sleeping, and pooping. In that moment, he had an epiphany—this was what cultivation was all about.

Unbeknownst to them, all three of them arrived at the same conclusion through entirely different thought processes.The small family gathered in the kitchen and enjoyed a hearty breakfast. Xi devoured his meal as if he hadn't eaten in days.

After finishing their meal, they sat around, sipping tea. Shen then turned to his son and asked, "Xi, it's the weekend, so there's no school. Are you planning to visit grandma again today?"

Xi would visit his grandma's house every weekend, captivated by the stories she shared about her adventures across the continent. Her tales seemed endless. However, Xi now had a new goal: he wanted to become stronger.

He replied, "No, Father. I wish to train and refine my body."

Shen nodded his head proudly. His son understood his priorities,what more could he ask for?

Once breakfast was over, Xi walked out of the house. He decided to head to the cave where he had found the skulls, hoping to find something he could proudly show his parents. As he walked, he thought that he might as well turn this into a training opportunity. Taking a running stride, he stumbled and fell into the same hole as before. Now that it was daytime, he could see more of the cave's interior.

The cave appeared to have been formed by a rock slide many years ago, partially breaking through what should have been solid ground. It was perhaps a small mountain, but the ten-year-old didn't care about its geological history. All he wanted was to find his treasure.

Xi searched and searched, but he couldn't locate the skulls. The cave was quiet and serene, as if offering a place of rest. However, the restless child felt disappointed, finding nothing but rocks of various sizes. Nevertheless, he thought to himself, "Well, at least I can start training. I'll pick up that boulder outside and take it home."

The boulder was much heavier than the wheelbarrow he had carried before, but determination was embedded in his very soul. Just like his hardworking parents, who never took days off or left tasks unfinished, he was determined to make them proud.

Once he arrived home, Xi's body gave out, and he experienced immense pain. He splashed water from the well on himself, changed clothes, and went to bed.

When he woke up, he still felt intense pain but didn't feel any stronger. Xithought, that when he slept, ate, and pooped, he felt stronger afterward. But, training made him feel terrible and he did not feel any stronger after.He thought he should wait until his muscles were no longer sore.

The different talents of body cultivators determined the speed of their training progress, this is based on their recovery time. The Novice Body would recover from wounds and sore muscles slowly, while the Intermediate Body would heal the same wounds and soreness five times faster.

A month had passed since Xi moved the boulder the size of a building, but he didn't feel any stronger once his muscles had healed. He decided to test if doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and relieving himself for another month would make him stronger. Then, after 10 days, it happened.

Just after finishing his dinner and walking to his room, his mother began adding more meat to his plate, saying, "Your body will need more meat since you've started cultivating."

Her words convinced him completely. Suddenly, he felt cracks inside his body, as if he were made of glass. He also felt an itchiness all over his body. Hastily, he rushed to the bath, scratching himself. Wherever he scratched, his skin appeared clearer and softer. But at the same time, he sensed a surge of power within his young body.

Emerging from the bath, he felt much more comfortable. It was as if his previous body had been encased in a shell, burdened by shackles, and now he was finally liberated.

Xi stood before the boulder that had been his burden a few weeks ago. With a light kick, it shattered as if made of clay.

In complete seriousness, he looked at the rubble and made a vow to himself, "I will not deviate from this path again. I will eat mother's meals, sleep more, and poop as much as possible. For myself, for the village, and for my family, I will become the strongest. I swear!!!"

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Xi was currently laying on his bed, just waking up from his afternoon nap. Proud of his accomplishments, he had kept his promise. After that day, he never trained, yet his power never ceased to increase.

Xi stood up and began to prepare himself. His birthday celebration would be starting soon. He recalled his mother's words, "I was born around dusk." He took a quick look outside and noticed that the sunset was approaching.

After getting ready, Xi hurried over to the village square. The villagers were like an extended family to him. Whenever anyone saw him, they warmly greeted him. Some of the aunties seemed to forget that it was his 18th birthday, not his 8th, and would playfully pinch his cheeks until he promised to visit them.

Upon arrival, he saw his father and mother setting up tables adorned with flowers. He admired everything they did, idolizing his parents. He believed that if they possessed any talent, it would be unmatched.

Shen spotted his son and waved him over. Xi approached and was pulled to sit on a chair.

Xi said, slightly embarrassed, "Father, this seat is a bit embarrassing. It looks like I'm about to get married, not celebrating my birthday."

Shen laughed and replied, "What if someone takes a liking to you? I could arrange a marriage and celebrate your birthday at the same time. Hahaha."

Ling playfully pinched Shen's stomach and defended her son. She then said, "It's a special day, son. Our village doesn't have many cultivators, so it's not just special for us, but also for them. Your grandma has been tirelessly preparing for this for a month. So please bear with it."

Xi always thought his mother's words were unfair; she knew exactly what to say. He felt defeated as soon as she started speaking. The chair he didn't want to sit on had been placed on a stage, adorned with red cloth all around. It resembled a grand throne in the middle of the square. Xi imagined the villagers would have a lot of explaining to do if anyone from the imperial capital were present. Thankfully, no one ever came to the village, except for traders passing through on their way to the city.

Ming walked out from the side and announced, "Alright, everyone! Little Xi was born at dusk, so right after sunset, we will begin the celebration."

Upon hearing her words, everyone turned their attention to the setting sun.

Xi thought to himself how beautiful it was, and that was his last thought.