The room that Calvin called his meditation room was not the chamber that whoever had designed—or perhaps decorated—the Garden Villa had originally designated for that purpose. That was a small room off the main bedroom in the corner of the building, with two large windows opening out onto the field, a clear view of the small stream, and a skylight. The room was the center of the qi gathering formations and was perfectly adequate for a cultivator with a focus on growing spiritual herbs.

  Calvin had taken one look at the house’s small cellar—little more than a hole in the kitchen floor with a trapdoor, some shelves, and a ladder—and decided it was perfect. Though his qi was not aligned with any element—yet—he’d always found it more comfortable to cultivate in an enclosed space, preferably one with only a single entrance. The cool, dry air was a bonus, and the trap door made for an excellent boundary that, with a few simple formations, directed qi down into the cellar and slowed its rise back into the house.

  He opened the trapdoor in the kitchen and dropped inside, not bothering with the ladder. The trap door swung shut behind him with a heavy thud of wood on stone.

  Glowing crystals glinted on the walls and in a circle on the floor, illuminating the small chamber with soft, cool light. On the ground at the center of the room lay a small mat of woven reeds, just big enough for one man to sit on and much more comfortable than it looked. Both the crystals and the mat had come from random reward tokens and while the crystals were just Extremely Low quality light crystals, the mat was a much more impressive Low quality cultivation aid that slightly improved his cultivation rate and aided with cleansing spiritual impurities.

  He stretched, more out of habit than need, and settled onto the mat, legs crossed and back straight. The dried reeds were springy and slightly warm to the touch, as though they had just been lying in the sun, providing a welcome barrier between him and the brick floor. Before he’d acquired the mat he’d used a simple rug taken from the bedroom above, but if he forgot to air it out between sessions it would be just as cold as the ground when he came down to cultivate.

  Closing his eyes, he focused on his spirit, letting his awareness of his cultivation rise to the forefront of his thoughts. With nothing to distract him, the qi in the air rich and flowing in smooth spirals centered on his meditation mat, his perception of his spirit rapidly surpassed the surface-level vision he’d managed in the hall. Nine nodes shone brightly throughout his body, connected to each other and themselves by smooth channels like veins of crystal flowing through the earth.

  The brightest, deepest node glowed at his brow like a flawlessly cut light crystal set just beneath the surface of his skin. The next brightest sat at his chest like a spiritual heart, only a shade darker than the first but visibly smaller and less refined. The rest were dimmer and shallower still; one in his belly, two in his lungs, two in his hands, and two in his feet.

  Though physically scattered throughout his body, spiritually the nodes and channels formed the eight points of an octagon around the central node in his chest. A vertical column ran down the center of the octagon—head, heart, and belly, the channels connecting them deep and solid—separating the paired nodes into two sets of three. Six additional channels linked the outer node to the central like the spokes of a wheel, though these were visibly less developed than the central two. Each of the outer nodes was also linked to itself, like silver rings whose glittering diamonds were the nodes at their centers. Lastly, more channels ran along the outside of the octagon, defining its shape and connecting each node to its neighbors. Head to hands to lungs to feet to belly the channels ran, providing a clear circuit throughout his entire body and spirit for qi to flow.

  Or at least it should have.

  A single connection was missing, utterly conspicuous by its absence. While his right foot was connected to his right lung, heart, and belly, no matching channel existed between his left foot and lung, breaking the outer ring of channels. Qi could still flow, detouring through his heart to complete the circuit, but it left the entire system visibly unbalanced, a flawed arrangement utterly unsuitable for advancement.

  That was the flaw Calvin was only too eager to correct, the last step that stood between him and a stable nine-node foundation. Both neighboring nodes were practically overflowing with energy, so much that it took a constant sliver of focus to stop it from flowing back into the overarching system. The nodes strained to contain it, stretching slowly but surely but forming neigh-imperceptible cracks that he would need to repair later before he could further refine the form, depth, and quality of the two nodes.

  That would come later though. Calvin had quickly learned that it was much easier to refine nodes when you possessed a stable arrangement, whether that foundation included one node, three nodes, four nodes, or nine nodes. It was why breaking through to the Foundation realm with insufficient preparation was so crippling—a two node foundation was inherently unsuitable for refinement so if you managed to reach the Foundation stage without having prepared yourself well enough to form an additional node and two additional channels, it was easy to hit a bottleneck.

  With the reflexive ease of long experience his breathing changed, shifting to the meditative rhythm outlined in the early stages of the Nine Rotating Gates Method. He breathed in deeply on a count of three, held for a count of six, then exhaled on a count of nine. His qi moved to the same rhythm, gathering, filtering, and flowing in time with his breathing.

  Though he was still eager to get on with things, Calvin began by inspecting his qi system as he always did, meticulously examining each node and channel for flaws, damage, and impurities. Though the Scroll’s wondrous properties could direct him towards issues in his foundation, such guidance did him no service if he could not perceive the issues in question and thus address them. When he had broken through to the Foundation realm his first node had only been of Above Average quality and the Scroll had pointed out myriad flaws in the node’s form and construction, but they had been too subtle for his limited qi control and internal perception to address no matter how he strained himself.

  Thus he trained himself, determined to not let such a deficiency hold him back. It was thankful that node quality could still be improved just as readily in the Foundation realm as during Gathering, though it had greatly slowed his initial growth compared to what it could have been. Once he broke through to the Core realm however, his Foundation would be locked in, nearly impossible to continue improving without priceless treasures.

  He found numerous flaws of course, especially as he moved down from his earliest nodes and channels to the ones he’d only formed in the past handful of months. The channel between his heart and belly wasn’t too bad, nor was the latter node itself—though he’d formed both only recently, they were sufficiently critical that he’d spent the time, qi, and resources to refine them to a respectable degree—but the node in his feet and the channels leading to them were practically raw, refined just far enough to permit this final breakthrough.

  Perhaps pursuing his minor breakthrough in such a way wasn’t wise and Calvin should have taken more time to prepare, but he didn’t think so. He was confident in his ability to form a stable qi channel under such circumstances, and the payoff was well worth the additional time and effort he would need to repair the connecting nodes and channel. Based on his experience, refining his foundation would become as much as ten times more efficient once he’d re-stabilized it, and that wasn’t even mentioning the Scroll’s reward.

  At the moment, Calvin’s qi was nearly entirely unaligned. In some ways this was a benefit—he could in theory cultivate with nearly any source of qi as long as he was willing to take the time to filter it before feeding it into his nodes and neutral qi was useful in certain formations, alchemical processes, and for growing many spiritual herbs. However these were minor things, easily replicable with qi-filtering treasures or formations. Neutral qi offered few true advantages. Most cultivators attuned their foundation to one or more elements, forming either a uniform elemental foundation or a cyclical one.

  There were a few ways of doing so, but most cultivators used one of two. Either they cultivated in a place closely aligned with an element, feeding the qi into their nodes until they became aligned with it in turn, or for more exotic elements they might use an attunement treasure. When Calvin had seen that the reward for forming a high-ranked foundation was a Random Attunement Treasure Token of Average quality, he’d immediately decided to delay any sort of attunement until he saw what the token would give him.

  Even among cultivators attuned to the same element, there was myriad difference between a fire cultivator who had become attuned by simply cultivating before a bonfire compared to one who had used the earthly flame of a volcanic caldera or the profound inferno of a phoenix’s feather. The Sect did have a vast variety of treasures and special chambers to choose from (for a price), but no matter what the Token gave him, it was surely superior to anything that he, an Outer Sect disciple could find on his own or purchase from the Sect.

  The only issue was that by waiting for so long, he would need to painstakingly attune each part of his spirit. If he’d done so when he only had a handful of nodes created, each new node would have formed already aspected. However this process was very similar to the process of refining his foundation which he had to do regardless, so it would only add a small amount of time to his cultivation. It still meant however that he wanted that Token as soon as possible.

  Having verified that everything was in order, Calvin could finally prepare for his breakthrough. He focused on the Nine Gates method. Though primarily a Martial Art, the method was profound beyond such simple categorization, with guidance applicable to all parts of cultivation. That was the reason that he had ultimately decided to construct a nine-node foundation rather than one with thirteen nodes and many more channels to maximize his repeatable rewards from the Scroll—the techniques and guidance detailed in the Nine Rotating Gates method worked best with a corresponding foundation and were far beyond anything else he had access too or could design himself with his current knowledge.

  He began as he always did in his first and most developed Node, the one that he had formed by accident the day he discovered the Scroll that had changed his life. He imagined the node as a deep well, a cylindrical, vertical shaft extending down deep into the earth with only a small portion of its structure extending out onto that surface. He imagined that surface structure as a further cylinder, formed of the clearest glass and with a flat roof, like a tall glass set on its rim.

  Then he went a step further. His nodes were meant to store qi, but they were not wholly isolated. They were connected to a network of qi channels. Thus, he formed gaps in the glass cap over the well, five evenly spaced vertical slits through which qi could flow. One led to his heart, two to his hands, and the last two formed a closed circle, flowing both from and to his first node.

  However, while qi was meant to flow, it was not meant to flow freely. It had to be guided, directed, controlled. Reaching into the well, he drew qi to the surface and began to form the structure that gave this method its name: the Rotating Gate. This was not a simple trick of the mind nor a matter of perception, but a true construct of qi and will. Once he broke through to the Core realm and condensed his foundation the gates would crystallize, becoming a true part of his qi system, but until then they required constant focus to maintain and needed to be rebuilt or repaired frequently.

  Fresh as he was, the first gate formed swiftly. It looked like no gate Calvin had ever seen, more like a mill wheel set on its side or a regular, elongated wheel with only the spokes attached. It filled the well’s cap from the ceiling down and extended some distance down into the depths of the well itself, dividing the space into nine sections with its eight wings. The gate was forged of pure qi and will and glowed softly like one enormous light crystal, though the entire construct was nearly completely transparent like glass.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  With a thought qi flowed up from one of his channels and into the node through one of the gaps in its side. Smoothly the gate began to turn as though pushed into motion by the arriving qi. As it did, it pushed more qi out through the slits in the well cap, but did not interfere with the flow of qi into the node, instead directing it down into the depths of the well.

  Even with only a single gate turning, the difference in the flow of his qi was significant. Where once it had been slow and smooth like a lazy river, now beneath the surface moved a powerful current that began to spread throughout the entire system. The qi did not circulate faster, but rather more intensely, more qi compressing down within the same amount of space.

  He watched the gate for a moment, ensuring it was constructed properly, then moved onto the next node. The second gate formed nearly as fast as the first, and the third only a fraction slower, but then his progress slowed. He moved in the order he’d constructed his nodes—head, heart, right hand, left hand, right lung, left lung, belly, right foot, left foot—and each gate required more effort than the last as he was forced to split his focus and work with lower quality qi than what could be stored in his most refined nodes. Rather than glass, the final gates seemed to be formed from ethereal sheets of qi held in place by a frame of will, still present but threatening to collapse the moment his attention lapsed.

  By the time he finished, he could already feel the strain of holding the gates in place. Typically when he cultivated he only formed a handful of gates, but for a proper breakthrough this was necessary. Sweat beaded on his physical body and he could feel the first stirrings of a headache in the back of his mind, but he persevered.

  He focused on his breathing, on the flow of his qi, and on the rotation of the gates, harmonizing them into one continuous system. Qi cycled through his body and spirit, moving with slow, deliberate force through his channels as its flow was carefully regulated by the gates. Though it was not his focus, as the gates turned he could feel them refining his foundation. Each rotation drove qi down and out, reinforcing the structure of the node even as it bore deeper and deeper into the fertile earth that was his spirit. It was a slow process, but the improvement was cumulative and profound.

  And then, once he was absolutely certain that everything was moving as it should be, he formed two new openings in two of his qi nodes, ones not connected directly to a qi channel. Immediately, richly concentrated qi flooded into his spirit like ice water into a bubbling lake of lava. It expanded rapidly, dense liquid qi losing its form and trying to spread out to fill his spirit, but Calvin’s focus was absolute.

  He directed the qi, compressing it down further and further until it formed into two crystalline cables which he drew with purpose through his spirit and flesh. While typically the flow of qi through his body felt warm and comfortable, this was incomparable to regular cultivation or technique. It was as though he had carved himself open and pressed molten wire through his veins, burning up from the inside out.

  He directed the two cables, one from each leaking node, with absolute precision, guiding them down the path he’d spent weeks mapping and preparing. The pain was intense, urging him to rush forward, but it was only pain. As long as he succeeded, the damage he did to his own spirit would heal quickly and completely.

  Each cable of qi moved in a tight spiral, like a corkscrew drilling through his spirit. When they met, they moved smoothly past each other, joining to become a single strand like two wires wrapped tightly together. The precision needed made Calvin’s head throb, the two cables threatening constantly to become one. That would not be disastrous—most of his channels had been formed from only a single connection—but it would add extra weeks to the eventual work needed to refine this channel. If he did it this way, qi would be able to simultaneously flow in both directions down this channel, without requiring any additional effort to make it so in the future.

  After what felt like an eternity but could not have been more than a handful of hours, the two ends of the coiled cables of qi reached their destination, forming a channel that connected his left foot to his left lung. Qi continued to flow, but now it did not attempt to escape into his spirit but followed the path formed by the cable.

  The difference was immediate and unmistakable. Calvin’s foundation, which had been powerful but unstable before, settled into place, releasing a flare of strength that rippled through his body and spirit. Gates, which had begun to waver and become ethereal, resolidified and the pain in his head, body, and spirit retreated a step, becoming no worse than the ache after a great day of exercise.

  Still, Calvin did not allow himself to relax. This was a critical moment. The channel had formed, but it was only a shadow, as immaterial as mist. The moment he stopped focusing on the strands of qi, they would dissolve and begin to run wild. This was only the first—if most unpleasant—part of constructing a new channel. He hadn’t expected his foundation to react so beneficially before the channel was fully formed but welcomed it with open arms. Perhaps now when he truly finished the channel, it would already be of Very Low or even Low quality rather than the Extremely Low or Wretched quality he had typically managed in the past!

  Now that he had laid out the path for his new channel, the second step was to solidify it within his spirit. Just as one could not create a water system simply by boring a hole through dirt and stone, a qi channel needed structure in order to persist within the spirit and channel qi. Thus, Calvin carefully began to wrap the outside of the entwined cables with a long, flat strand of his qi like a great ribbon. He moved even slower than he had when forming the channel in the first place, ensuring there were neither gaps nor overlaps. Gaps would form weak points in the channel through which qi could escape during cycling or might even rupture during a battle or breakthrough, while overlaps would disrupt the outer structure and make the channel inflexible or even create disruptive turbulence in the flow of qi within.

  As he worked, Calvin spent qi like water, rapidly burning through his reserves. While the inside of the channel could be formed of the same qi that flowed regularly through his channels, the outer layer had to be much stronger and more permanent. Such qi took a great deal of time and effort to refine, but doing so was not only critical for advancement within the Foundation realm but also to transcend it and reach the Core realm. For him it had even further benefit, as it could also be used to forge the Rotating Gates.

  As such, Calvin had spent long hours honing his ability to produce and store such qi and had advanced by leaps and bounds. Though the Scroll did not judge such things directly, Calvin estimated that if the boundary qi he had used to advance to the Foundation realm was of Very Low quality, what he used now was bordering on Average or even Above Average!

  By the time he finished wrapping, Calvin was near utterly spent. Five gates had collapsed back into the wells from which he’d shaped them, unable to hold up under the strain of directing as much qi as his minor breakthrough demanded, and he had not had the focus or energy to repair or reform them. His reserves, qi he had accumulated and refined over the month since his last breakthrough, were fully expended and he’d even been forced to briefly pause his wrapping to convert qi drawn from the air and produced within his channels into boundary qi.

  With the last of his strength he flared his qi, a ripple of power passing through his spirit. In its wake the outer wrapping of the new channel and the coiled Qi within transformed, crystallizing into a permanent structure within his spirit.

  Calvin sagged, head drooping and the image of his spirit fading into a faint constellation mirage. It had been more than a day since he had begun, perhaps as long as three or four, and though a Foundation realm cultivator could go longer than that without food, water, or rest by relying on their qi for strength, he had nearly drained that dry too.

  In hindsight, perhaps he had been slightly too ambitious with his breakthrough. Though he’d known from experience that forming the final channel of a balanced formation would take much more effort than any other channel, he had not expected the difference to be so severe—it never had been before. In that light, it was perhaps silly of him to have not just created a bidirectional channel right away but also used a much more refined, qi-dense form of boundary than for his previous breakthrough.

  It would take a while to recover from this breakthrough. A Foundation realm cultivator recovered qi by cycling, circulating their reserves through their nodes and channels such that qi attracted qi. Thus the more qi they could circulate, the faster their nodes would refill. He would need to spend some time manually absorbing and refining ambient qi to start or else it would take weeks until he was back to full strength.

  On the other hand, it had turned out alright in the end. Even as tired as he was, Calvin could feel an immense, qualitative difference in his Foundation that already radiated out to stabilize his spirit and strengthen his body. He estimated he wasn’t too far off from what was considered the Peak of the Foundation realm in the Outer Sect, though he was nowhere near ready to advance to the Core realm. That would require at least an order of magnitude more boundary qi to construct a full shell around his spirit, and much higher quality boundary qi besides. The higher the quality of the initial boundary, the better his eventual Core would be.

  After a moment’s rest, Calvin gathered himself and with a whispered word summoned the Scroll.

  He ignored the opening section, immediately moving to the quests. Though he’d known it was coming, his heart still soared when he saw what had long become some of his favorite words.

  With a moment of focus, two wooden disks tumbled into his lap from thin air, one after the other. He let his awareness of the Scroll fade away and opened his eyes, his weariness briefly forgotten as he eagerly scooped them up and gleefully raised them up over his head with a wordless exclamation of glee.

  Though it was dark in the room by mortal standards, Calvin had no trouble seeing by the faint light of the light crystals. The first of the two disks he looked at was very familiar. It was roughly the size of his palm and as thin as a coin, made from some pale wood he couldn’t name and extremely smooth to the touch. Its surface was covered in barely visible symbols in the same mysterious script as the Scroll—though unlike when he read them on the Scroll he could discern no additional meaning from them—that seemed to have formed naturally, outlined by the grain of the wood and slight changes in color, and spelled out the token’s type.

  This was the Random Minor Reward token.

  The second token was slightly smaller than the first and much darker, its wood a deep honey brown with red undertones. It was the same color as the previous Average quality token he’d received, and Calvin suspected that the color of the wood reflected the token’s quality. The darker the wood, the higher the quality.

  Calvin turned it over in his hands, tracing the faint lettering with his thumb. He couldn’t truly read the language of the Scroll without the Scroll’s power pressing the information into his mind, but he recognized these symbols well. He’d spent a long, long time staring at them in idle moments and before he slept.

  Random Qi Attunement Treasure.

  Calvin looked between the two tokens, wavering with indecision. This was not the first time he’d held two tokens in his hands at the same time, but it was always a struggle to decide which one to use first, even if they were the same kind of token!

  He thought back to the day he joined the sect, sitting on the floor in the first home he’d ever had that was all his, holding two tokens much like these in his hands and staring at them in wonder. That had been his first time ever seeing an Average quality token, though the second token had actually been of Modest quality, far superior to the second token he held now. That day he’d used the Average quality token first, unable to hold back his excitement, and it had turned out pretty well all things considered. Though he’d only just begun to explore the mysteries of the Nine Rotating Gates method, it was impossible to deny it was far superior to anything he’d received from the Sect.

  He carefully stowed the other token away, then lifted the Qi Attunement Treasure token into the air in front of him, holding it between his thumb and index finger. “Please be something good,” he whispered, leaning forward to kiss the token for luck as he had that day.

  Then, he took a deep breath, took the other end of the token with his free hand, and snapped it in half with one sharp movement.

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