Filling the Starved Dantian

Mana stones were crystals condensed from mana found in nature or secret realms. They weren't as pure as the mana in a spirit sensor. Normally, without even learning a cultivation method, it was impossible to extract mana from a mana stone no matter how much you fondled it.

Even after learning a cultivation method, it wasn't particularly recommended. If you wanted to quickly increase the mana in your body, it was better to consume spirit medicines—mana from mana stones had poor efficiency. Mana stones were mainly used for magic that drew on external mana or for magical tools.

But. There wasn't a shred of hesitation in Kyle's hand as it reached for the mana stone. Efficiency might be low, but even non-mages could utilize mana from mana stones.

It had been that way 500 years ago. By the common sense of this era, it could be called an age of barbarism, a dark period. Spirit roots, circuits, and cultivation methods didn't exist. Magic tools were one thing, but even mages were rare, and in that era, mana stones served as a kind of doping agent.

Kyle's current body had awakened its spirit root, opened its circuits, and even unlocked the heart-middle dantian. In other words, this young body was similar to when the Sword Ghost of his past life had received mana’s blessing.

'The core is small, though.'

Still, the conditions were roughly met. Kyle closed his eyes gently, caressed the mana stone, and focused on the core in his middle dantian.

Immediately, the mana from the mana stone began to be sucked into Kyle's palm. It was mana as rough as could be. Without the process of developing it himself, mana flowed into circuits that had opened simultaneously with the spirit root's awakening.

It must have felt like tiny, sharp blade fragments flowing through his veins. Any ordinary child would have screamed and fainted, but Kyle merely twitched the corner of his mouth into a grin. This pain vividly revived memories from his past life.

'Hmm...'

In the midst of guiding the mana to his middle dantian as per his experience, a squeezing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pain clenched his lower dantian. The damn lower dantian was complaining of hunger. Kyle ignored it for now and guided the mana stone's mana to his middle dantian.

"Kuhk."

Then, his breath caught. Pain far beyond mere hunger. Kyle ended up opening his mouth and exhaling.

The pain of pioneering his body with mana and growing his core was something he'd experienced to the point of nausea in his past life, so it was familiar. But this pain was different from any he'd ever felt. It wasn't his dantian being wrung out—it was as if his entire circuits—no, his soul—was gripped by an invisible hand and twisted. Paang! The mana heading to the middle dantian backlashed, bursting out from Kyle's entire body as faint particles.

'What the hell is this?'

Kyle panted as he caressed his lower abdomen.

'Mana backlash? From me?'

Absurd. Flabbergasted, Kyle closed his eyes and examined his body. The pain had stopped now that the backlashed mana had been expelled. Frowning, Kyle thought.

'I get the gist.'

His lower dantian was empty, and trying to grow the middle dantian first had caused his body to rebel. Crossing his arms, Kyle continued pondering.

'In my past life, lower dantians didn't exist, but this body has one open...'

By this era's common sense, it was nonsense. Kyle's body had defied the natural order. At the moment the spirit sensor shattered, the pure mana that burst forth had been guided to the middle dantian by his past life's instincts and experience. Thus, the middle dantian had opened first.

'I see. My body sees this as an imbalance.'

Of course, it was just a hypothesis, and with no precedent, he couldn't seek advice from anyone. Ending his deliberation, Kyle sprang to his feet and opened the door.

Arian was nowhere to be seen. Asking a mansion servant, he learned she was communing with spirits in the back garden. Even so, he figured he should at least tell her before leaving, so Kyle headed to the back garden.

"Son?"

Arian, who had been stroking the beak of the massive spirit he'd seen earlier, turned to Kyle with a startled face.

"What is it? You said you were thinking in your room. Finished already?"

"I'm heading to the Great Library."

Saying that, Kyle hesitated a moment before adding,

"I might not come back tonight."

"What?! Why?!"

"To look at some books in the library."

"You mean you'll pull an all-nighter there?!"

"Yeah."

Arian's lips flapped at Kyle's firm reply. Her son, who had never once stayed out, was suddenly declaring an overnight stay now that he was ten. Technically, the Great Library was still inside the Sword Tower, so it wasn't really "staying out," but.

"O... okay."

She wanted to say no and stop him, but his expression was so resolute she couldn't. Besides, she lacked the confidence to persuade the son who had stood firm before the revered Julius and boldly voiced his opinion—and she didn't really want to anyway.

From today, her son was unmistakably becoming an Alastor warrior. She couldn't keep him hemmed in her skirts forever. Feeling a twinge of sorrow, Arian let out a short sigh.

"Don't worry too much. If I finish early, I'll come home."

"O-okay."

Arian could enter the Great Library too, but she didn't want to disturb her son. From his expression, he seemed eager to search for something in the books.

"Oh, wait a sec, Kyle. Zeph has something to say to you."

"Zeph? Who's that?"

"The spirit I contracted with. Its real name is Zephyrus, but... that's not as cute, so I call it Zeph."

Arian smiled awkwardly and turned to the spirit.

A massive bird with six wings. Its expression was hard to read, but its voice was incredibly gentle.

"The wind..."

Kyle nodded slightly before heading to the Great Library on the second floor.

Librarian Nelia was already back. As if she'd known he'd come, she smiled warmly and rose from her seat.

"What book are you here for?"

"Mana cultivation methods."

Just like his first visit, Nelia took Kyle's hand and led him to the shelves.

"All the books here are third-grade mana cultivation ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠methods. And over there are the swordsmanship manuals."

She didn't explain further, but the shelves she hadn't pointed to likely held martial arts and magic books beyond swordsmanship. Surveying the vast shelves, Kyle asked.

"Any cultivation methods you'd recommend?"

"Oh my. I didn't expect you'd ask for my recommendation."

"Not planning to learn one right away. Just browsing for reference."

Nelia's hand stroked Kyle's head.

"The family head said he'd leave your possibilities open, but deep down, he hopes you'll prioritize the lightning spirit root. Is it okay if I recommend from that direction?"

"Sure, no problem."

"What level of cultivation method are you looking for?"

Children who had just awakened their spirit roots started with basic cultivation methods to get used to it. But without hesitation, Kyle replied.

"Third-grade."

"That might be hard for you to understand yet...?"

"I'll read it and see."

He had few childlike traits, but his current expression was stubbornly childish.

Nelia raised a finger, and a thick book floated out from the shelf.

"This cultivation method is called the Self-Rotating Thunder Heaven Technique. It's an excellent one that utilizes the lightning spirit root."

"Sword manuals had multiple kinds with the same name, but is it the same for cultivation methods?"

"Cultivation methods differ from swordsmanship. Circuits open differently based on spirit root grade, but there are basic circuits that open regardless. Excellent cultivation methods like the Self-Rotating Thunder Heaven Technique aim to pioneer the necessary circuits while filling the lower dantian."

Once you'd pioneered all the circuits intended by the author and completed the lower dantian, you could say you'd achieved great success in the cultivation method.

"You already have your middle dantian open, but... normally, you complete the lower dantian first, then learn ascending cultivation methods to open the middle dantian. Kiddo, your case is so unique and unprecedented that even I can't advise you properly."

"I'll read the books first, and if I have questions, I'll ask."

"If I can answer them..."

Nelia made an apologetic face and stepped back. Kyle took the Self-Rotating Thunder Heaven Technique and plopped down in a nearby chair.

'Hmm...'

He'd felt it while reading fifth-grade sword manuals for five years, but swordsmanship in this era was often paired with cultivation methods. Even if you perfected the sword forms, without circulating mana through circuits, you couldn't achieve proper power. If you didn't want to learn the paired cultivation method, you'd have to consider compatibility with your spirit root and circuits.

'My body already has many complex circuits open. Even if a swordsmanship or cultivation method doesn't match, I have the confidence to force it through like in my past life.'

Not that he needed to, with so many circuits already. Kyle read the Self-Rotating Thunder Heaven Technique and continued thinking.

'Mana exists everywhere in the world.'

There were two kinds of mana: attribute-less mana that formed the world, and elemental mana influenced by the environment. Owners of high-grade spirit roots could alter the environment themselves, changing surrounding mana to suit their spirit root.

Of course, there was no need for that. If you'd awakened an ice spirit root, cultivating in a place where snow fell year-round would be overwhelmingly more efficient.

'The lower dantian... it's like a field. If the field lacks sufficient nutrients, nothing grows properly. It's the foundation.'

You planted the seeds of a cultivation method in that field, filling it with mana and cultivating it.

'My field is parched. Mana from the lower dantian should rise to the middle dantian, but in my case, it's the opposite. Mana drips from the middle dantian's core, circulates upward against the flow, and loops back.'

This era's martial arts were unfamiliar, but not incomprehensible. No matter how you approached it, the endpoint was the same; the slight differences in fundamentals weren't a big issue for Kyle. He'd already stood at the pinnacle 500 years ago, so he could grasp these principles with a glance from on high. Scenery from a high vantage always came into view at once.

'In the end, the pain I felt earlier was due to the body's imbalance. Trying to develop the middle dantian without filling the lower one—my body couldn't handle it.'

So, ultimately, he needed to fully fill the lower dantian. Kyle tapped the table—tok, tok—then stood, slotting the Self-Rotating Thunder Heaven Technique back onto the shelf.

"Kiddo. Where are you going?"

Returning to the Great Library's entrance, Nelia, who had been reading a thick book, looked at Kyle in surprise.

"To cultivate mana."

"Cul... tivate?"

"Yeah. Is there a place to do it?"

"Wait, wait a minute, kiddo. Are you saying you've already understood the Self-Rotating Thunder Heaven Technique?"

Nelia's voice trembled. It had been barely three hours since Kyle had come alone to the Great Library and started reading it. For him to now say he was off to cultivate—Nelia couldn't comprehend it.

"I've grasped it to the point of initiation."

"Wha...?"

Nelia's body swayed.

Awakening a spirit root was like suddenly gaining a new sense overnight. Opening circuits was easy to say, but who in the world could consciously sense every vein and nerve bundle in their body?

That was why pre-learning about mana, circuits, and cultivation methods was restricted for children without awakened spirit roots. It was meaningless anyway, and could even ingrain bad habits.

"Initiation into a cultivation method... starts with clearly sensing mana and consciously feeling each circuit in the body..."

"Done that."

A nonchalant reply. Nelia swallowed hard. Even the genius Julius, hailed as such, had taken four days to attempt initiation into a mana cultivation method. And what Kyle had read was a difficult third-grade one.

"Kiddo. What do you see next to me?"

She already knew about her grandnephew's monstrous genius. But still, she couldn't send him off without verification. Nelia subtly stirred her mana, writing letters in the air beside her shoulder.

"If you see nothing, come back when you do..."

"Kyle Alastor."

Kyle grinned as he answered.

"My name's written there."

"..."

"How do I prove I'm conscious of my circuits?"

"No need for that. You wouldn't stubbornly push something foolish."

Nelia let out a hollow laugh and stood.

"Initiation into a cultivation method... can be done anywhere. Gladiheim concentrates mana from the Blade Mountains, and the Sword Tower is the densest spot."

Nelia, staggering over, patted Kyle's head. Soon, a platform floated up, carrying Kyle and Nelia beyond the shelves.

"I'll show you the Great Library's cultivation chamber first, but you don't have to cultivate only here. You live in the Sword Tower, after all."

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"The family head only permitted you fifth-grade sword manuals."

Fair enough. Kyle nodded.

Passing the shelves, they reached a wall. Nelia pointed to several doors.

"They're all the same cultivation chambers. Normally you'd enter alone, but... initiation can be risky, so I'll observe today. That's okay?"

"Yeah, fine."

"Just in case: the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Great Library's librarians have ironclad lips. Whatever you read or learn here won't reach your relatives."

"Not even Grandpa?"

"Heh heh... the family head's an exception. He must know everything about the family."

Nelia opened the door straight ahead. The cultivation chamber was a spacious private room large enough for sword dances. Feeling the mana filling the room, Kyle spoke.

"This place has especially dense mana. The Great Library's was pretty thin."

"Well... yeah."

How many more times would she be shocked by this little kid? Shaking her head slightly, Nelia entered with Kyle.

"Kiddo, start your initiation. If there's a problem, I'll step in."

"Got it."

No such thing would happen. Kyle sat in the center of the cultivation chamber and began initiating the Self-Rotating Thunder Heaven Technique.

Mana cultivation methods began with focusing on the spirit root. Sending strong intent to the spirit root created a craving for breath, like after holding it for too long.

Breathing deeply in response to that craving, mana resonated with the spirit root and seeped in through respiration. Then, continuing to focus on the spirit root, you circulated the mana through the circuits as the cultivation method required.

The incoming mana circulated through the body's circuits toward the lower dantian.

Kyle thought of his still-unfamiliar lower dantian as a "hole." A huge hole pierced through his soul. But while the entrance was wide, the inside wasn't spacious.

'Similar to a core.'

500 years ago, core training was like muscle training. The more pain repeated, the larger and stronger the core grew. Once enlarged, even if mana was depleted, recovery was fast because it had been big before.

The lower dantian was the same. Pour mana into the hole to gradually expand it. Once expanded, recovery was quick even after depletion.

'My lower dantian's... entrance is huge, but the inside is shallow.'

But with a large entrance, mana inflow was fast.

Fast and fierce. That was the mana flow through his circuits.

Kyle controlled the flow amid the tearing pain in his body. The Self-Rotating Thunder Heaven Technique was an ascending method, so its circuits were complex, but it posed no problem for Kyle.

Wooong...!

Mana settled into the lower dantian.

The cultivation chamber's dense mana was attribute-less and unrefined wild mana. Kyle's spirit root, resonating with the currently operated Self-Rotating Thunder Heaven ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Technique, began refining the mana that reached the dantian. Impurities vanished under the spirit root, purified into pure thunder qi.

'That's why spirit root grade matters.'

If the spirit root was mediocre, refining would take time, with significant mana loss in the process. But Kyle's spirit root—refined mana at a speed with no frustration.

Mana cultivated solely through the Self-Rotating Thunder Heaven Technique—not descended from the middle dantian—took root in the lower dantian.

The seed was planted. Pazik! Violet currents sparked around Kyle. Nelia gasped at the sight.

'He really initiated it...!'

Even talented children usually received adult guidance for their first initiation. Kyle's was flawlessly clean, leaving no room for intervention.

"Hm..."

Kyle opened his closed eyes and blinked a few more times. At first, the lower dantian felt foreign, but that sensation vanished quickly.

'Pour mana into the hole to expand the dantian...'

Focusing on his spirit root and lower dantian, he drew in mana. Mana surging from the lower dantian circulated through the circuits and headed to the middle dantian per Kyle's will.

There was no pain like before in the process. The imbalance had somewhat aligned. With lower and middle dantians as poles, Kyle continued circulating mana. The flow accelerated, stimulating the spirit root.

Only then could Kyle fully grasp this body and spirit root to his satisfaction.

'Too much performance for a kid's body to handle.'

As circulation sped up, his head throbbed and vision shook. He'd eaten spirit medicines, but it was still a ten-year-old body. Not fully grown or tempered, it struggled with the intense internal flow.

'A little disruption and the body breaks. Similar to demon race mana addiction.'

A minor flaw compared to the advantages. Kyle grinned and stood.

'I can sleep at home, then.'