Cultivation: From Poor Peasant to Celestial Lord

Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Fate Chart Unlocked

Inside Calm Heart Hall, a gentle breeze swept through.

Chu Bai sat cross-legged, sensing the first wisp of Pure Qi in his Dantian. It was as faint as a thread of silk, yet remarkably resilient. His focus, however, was on the light blue panel that had appeared in his mind.

The moment he had succeeded in Qi Cutting just now, the panel had undergone a subtle change.

Beneath the Fate Chart column, which had originally displayed the single line "Non-stop Rushing, Unceasing Labor," a second line of text was now slowly materializing.

The characters were still somewhat blurry, flickering in and out of view like a candle in the wind, not yet stable.

[Acquired Fate Chart: Nourishing and Exquisite, Rapid Thinking (Unsettled)]

(Note: Increases comprehension and accelerates cultivation speed. Grants an exquisite aura, allowing for the efficient conversion of excess Essence Qi into one’s cultivation base.)

"This is..."

Chu Bai’s heart leaped, and an indescribable joy surged through him.

His previous guess had been correct!

The Fate Charts on this panel weren’t set in stone; they evolved in real-time based on his actions and condition.

To survive, he had toiled in the fields day and night while also studying diligently at the Daoist School. This was what had triggered the "Hardworking Life" Fate Chart, granting him "Unceasing Labor"—a failsafe Divine Skill that guaranteed progress as long as he put in the work.

And now, as a student, he was not only diligent but had also captured Spiritual Qi in a mere seven days, demonstrating talent far beyond that of an ordinary person.

In Astrology, "Food God" and "Injury Officer" symbolize the expression of talent. This process is called an "outpouring of brilliance."

In the Cultivation Realm, this corresponded to more efficiently converting consumed energy and acquired knowledge into one’s own cultivation base!

’Unceasing Labor guarantees no bottlenecks, ensuring a clear path as long as I practice. This Nourishing and Exquisite, on the other hand, is like adding an engine to that cart!’

Chu Bai calculated inwardly.

Once this Fate Chart fully settled and took effect, his cultivation efficiency would probably rise to another level.

Even with scarce resources, he could rely on this incredibly high conversion rate to catch up to those rich kids who relied on downing pills.

Looking at the flickering text, Chu Bai understood that it must still be in a probationary period.

’As long as I maintain this momentum of rapid progress, it’s only a matter of time before this Fate Chart settles.’

Suppressing his jumbled thoughts, Chu Bai slowly opened his eyes.

Just in time to hear Daoist Zhang’s voice by his ear.

"A wisp of Qi in seven days."

Daoist Zhang looked at Chu Bai, a hint of admiration appearing on his usually placid face. "Although you had the Inner Sect Heart Method to aid you, your family has no Spiritual Food and Materials to support you. To achieve this in seven days purely through your own arduous cultivation is truly remarkable."

"With this kind of progress, you would be considered a top-tier candidate, even in the Daoist School selections of previous years."

Gu Qinghe, who was beside them, also spoke up at the right moment, his tone tinged with emotion. "To be honest with everyone, although I had some meager talent myself, it took me nearly half a month to capture that first wisp of Qi. Brother Chu’s aptitude is indeed greater than mine."

Gu Qinghe’s frank admission of being inferior actually made Chu Bai see him in a higher light.

"Brother Gu, you flatter me. Without your earlier guidance on breathing, I’m afraid I would have struggled for a few more days," Chu Bai replied humbly, not letting his temporary lead go to his head.

Even so, the atmosphere in Calm Heart Hall quietly shifted.

Even Wang Xiaoliu, who had been making the slowest progress, now looked at Chu Bai with less casualness and more awe and envy.

In this world where strength was paramount, the moment one displayed potential, they were no longer just a fellow student, but a "Fellow Daoist" worthy of investment and friendship.

"Alright, that’s all for today."

Daoist Zhang waved his duster and dismissed the class. "Chu Bai, remember not to become complacent when you get back. This first wisp of Qi is the most delicate. You must nurture it well and not let it dissipate."

"I will bear it in mind."

...

...

Everyone packed their belongings and filed out of the Daoist School’s main gate.

By now, night had fallen. The streets were nearly empty, with only the distant sound of the night watchman’s clapper echoing through the air.

Chu Bai tightened his thin robes and was about to head out of the city when a gentle voice suddenly called out from behind him.

"Brother Chu, please wait."

Chu Bai turned to see Li Jinyuan hurrying over.

This young master of the Li Family, who was usually accompanied by a carriage, had dismissed his servants, leaving only a young page with a lantern trailing far behind.

"Brother Li, is something the matter?" Chu Bai stopped, a little puzzled.

Li Jinyuan wore a smile as pleasant as a spring breeze. He cupped his hands and said, "I was filled with admiration when I heard that Brother Chu had attained his Qi just now. I see it’s getting late, and I’ve heard you have a long way to go to get back to your village. It just so happens our paths align for a while. Why don’t we walk together? It would also give me a chance to ask for some pointers on cultivation."

’Our paths align?’

Chu Bai saw through it as clearly as if looking in a mirror.

The Li Mansion was located in the most prosperous residential area in the west of the city, while his own home was in a run-down village ten li away. The two locations were in completely opposite directions. How could their paths possibly align?

This talk of their paths aligning was just an excuse. The rich young master wanted to lower himself to befriend him but didn’t want to seem too obvious about it.

If it were a naive young man in his place, he might have felt flattered and overwhelmed, or perhaps shrunk away in self-consciousness.

But Chu Bai’s expression was composed. He neither exposed the other’s lie nor showed any excessive fawning. He simply smiled and returned the courtesy:

"Since our paths align, I’d be glad for Brother Li’s company. The night is long, and having someone to talk to will help pass the time."

A flicker of surprise crossed Li Jinyuan’s eyes, and then his smile deepened.

Though this person came from a poor background, his calm demeanor, unfazed by favor or disgrace, was in no way inferior to that of the young masters from the city.

The two walked side-by-side, treading on the moonlit flagstone path.

Along the way, Li Jinyuan never once mentioned his family, nor did he speak of wealth or other mundane matters. Instead, with great tact, he chatted about some interesting tidbits from the Cultivation Realm.

"Brother Chu, did you know that the Chief Examiner for this year’s Daoist School selection is the notoriously strict ’Iron Face’ Magistrate Zhao?"

"I’ve heard Lord Zhao places the most importance on practical combat and temperament. Those embroidered pillows from past years—the ones who rely on pills to build their cultivation but lack the strength to even truss a chicken—won’t get any favors from him."

"Also, Hundred Herbs Hall in the south of the city recently got a new shipment of Spirit Rice. I heard the quality is excellent. If Brother Chu... has any need for it in the future, just mention my name, and the Shopkeeper will surely give you a twenty percent discount."

Li Jinyuan spoke casually, but every sentence was packed with valuable information.

This was information that was extremely difficult for someone like Chu Bai, who was isolated at the bottom of society, to obtain.

Chu Bai didn’t say much, but whenever he spoke, he hit right on the key points, neither appearing ignorant nor prying too deeply.

Before they knew it, the two had reached the fork in the road at the city gate.

To the left was the road to the wealthy and bustling west district of the Inner City; to the right was the dirt path leading to the wilderness outside the city.

"Brother Li, even if you escort a friend a thousand li, you must part ways eventually. I suppose this is where our ’aligned paths’ end." Chu Bai stopped and gave Li Jinyuan a knowing half-smile.

Li Jinyuan laughed, not in the least bit embarrassed at being found out. In fact, he seemed even more frank. "I enjoyed our conversation so much, Brother Chu, that I didn’t realize we’d walked so far. Let’s part ways here, then. I’ll see you at the Daoist School tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

...

Meanwhile, as Chu Bai walked along the dirt road back to his village, he was in a rather good mood.

This was the benefit of strength.

It could break down the barriers of social class, allowing people from two different worlds to connect.

He felt the flickering of the new Fate Chart in his mind, which seemed to have stabilized somewhat, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

’Nourishing and Exquisite...’

’I need to solidify this new Fate Chart as soon as possible.’