Chapter 3 – The Birth of Cultivation Chickens
I held my breath.
The bamboo rustled again. My muscles tensed, mind racing through all the worst possibilities--a beast? An assassin? A rogue cultivator?!
Then, out of the shadows…
A chicken.
I blinked.
The chicken blinked back.
Oh.
For fuck's sake… I almost died of a heart attack because of a chicken?!
I exhaled, rubbing my temples.
Alright, false alarm.
The chicken clucked, pecking at the dirt, completely unaware of my inner crisis.
I crouched down. Should I pet it?
It didn't seem too aggressive. Slowly, I reached out--
Idea.
A wild, ridiculous, stupid idea.
What if… I refine Qi while holding a chicken?
A manic grin spread across my face. Oh, this is happening.
Before the chicken could escape, I grabbed it, tucked it under my arm, and marched straight back to my room.
---
The Great Qi Chicken Experiment
The chicken sat in front of me, staring in mild confusion.
I sat cross-legged, focusing.
Step one: Feel Qi.
Step two: Guide Qi.
Step three: Flow Qi… into the chicken.
Slowly, I pushed a strand of Qi into its tiny feathery body.
…Nothing.
I frowned and tried again.
Still nothing.
"Come on, dude, you gotta have some kinda meridian or something."
I sent more Qi in. This time, something changed.
The chicken twitched.
My heart pounded. Wait… is it working?
I pushed more Qi in, watching as a faint warmth spread through its body.
Then--
BOK BOK BOK!!!!
The chicken EXPLODED out of my grip, flapping violently.
"SHIT--!"
Feathers everywhere. The candle on my desk almost tipped over. The chicken flew straight into my shelf, knocking down my books.
I barely managed to catch it before it trashed my whole damn room.
"Okay, okay, calm down!" I gasped, holding the struggling bird.
After a few moments, it finally stopped freaking out.
I sighed in relief.
Alright. New discovery: You CAN inject Qi into a chicken… but the chicken WILL panic.
---
Mad Scientist Mode Activated
I placed the chicken down carefully. It wobbled a little but seemed fine.
Now, my mind was racing.
Why can't it cultivate?
Are monsters different? Do they have meridians?
If beasts can cultivate, then did someone teach them? Or did they learn by themselves?
Can Qi transmission be reversed?
Could I… make the chicken refine Qi in my stead?!
I sucked in a sharp breath.
This. This was it.
I was onto something huge.
If I could channel Qi into the chicken long enough… would its body develop a habit? Would it start absorbing Qi naturally?
And if I refined Qi while in contact with it… could I create a technique that refined Qi passively?
Holy shit.
I felt like a goddamn scientist.
And if this worked?
I was about to domesticate chickens into Qi refining powerhouses.
"AYOOO," I whispered to myself, barely holding back my excitement.
I stared at the chicken, determination burning in my eyes.
"Buddy… you're about to become the first Cultivation Chicken."
--
It had been a few days since my brilliant discovery.
And I had to admit--this was some next-level shit.
---
Rise of the Cultivation Farm
The chicken? It could refine Qi now.
And not only that--it GAVE me raw Qi in the process.
Turns out, when a creature refines Qi, a small portion of it leaks out, and since I was guiding its cultivation, that Qi naturally flowed into me.
It was like an automatic Qi generator.
So, obviously, I expanded the operation.
I found a pig and a dog. Trained them.
Now, all three of them refined Qi for me.
I didn't have to do shit. I was literally farming Qi.
A living, breathing cultivation farm.
A god-tier technique had been born.
I just didn't have a name yet.
Farm Me Qi Technique?
Farming Qi Technique?
Domesticate Qi Technique?
Give Me Qi Technique?
…Shit, this is hard.
I rubbed my temples. Eh, I'll name it later.
Right now, I had something way bigger to focus on.
---
Breaking Past Limits – The 108 Meridian Mystery
I sat beneath the tree, eyes closed, breathing in the surrounding Qi.
Next step--opening my 108 meridians.
But… there was a problem.
As far as I knew, no one in the entire Magadh Kingdom had gone past 40 meridians.
Why?
Was it impossible?
Or had no one figured it out?
If I wanted to go further, I needed answers.
And there was only one person I could ask.
My master.
…Also, I wouldn't mind seeing her again. Ahem.
---
A Lesson in the Dao of Meridians
I walked through the sect, finally reaching her courtyard.
Standing before the door, I knocked gently.
"Master?"
No response.
Is she not here?
I knocked again--
"Come in."
Her voice was calm and steady, yet powerful.
I stepped inside.
She was sitting cross-legged on a mat, eyes closed, meditating.
A wave of Qi pulsed around her. The air felt heavy, charged, alive.
I hesitated for a moment.
Then I cleared my throat and asked, "Master, how do I open my meridians?"
She opened her eyes. Sharp. Piercing. Deep.
"You wish to go beyond the limit?" she asked, her tone unreadable.
I nodded. "Yes."
She studied me for a moment before speaking.
"Opening meridians is not simply about forcing them open. It is about understanding them. Each meridian is a pathway, a channel through which Qi flows. If you force it, you will break yourself."
I listened carefully.
She continued, "Most cultivators only open 30 to 40 meridians because their bodies cannot handle more. Their Qi is too impure. Their foundation is weak. Their understanding is shallow."
I frowned. "So it's possible?"
Her lips curled slightly. "It is not impossible. But whether you can do it or not… depends on your resolve."
She then handed me a scroll.
"This is the technique to open your meridians."
I took it carefully, feeling the weight of knowledge within it.
Her gaze met mine. "Comprehend it well. And remember… the body is the vessel. The mind is the key."
I bowed. "Thank you, Master."
Turning around, I walked back to my room, gripping the scroll tightly.
This was it.
The
next step.
---
Comprehension Begins
Sitting cross-legged in my room, I unrolled the scroll.
The ancient symbols glowed faintly, the words whispering secrets of the Dao.
I took a deep breath.
Time to comprehend.
Time to break past limits.
--
I stared at the ancient scroll.
This technique is garbage.
I read it again. And again.
Still garbage.
I couldn't even comprehend it properly.
I facepalmed. Bruh…
---
Rethinking the Dao of Meridians
But then, something clicked.
Back when Master told me…
"Each meridian is a pathway, a channel through which Qi flows."
Wait… doesn't that mean a meridian is just like a vein?
So, do I already have 108 locked meridians from birth, and I just need to unlock them?
Who the hell decided 108 was the number?
No idea.
I shrugged. Whatever, let's just roll with it.
I glanced at the scroll again, this time paying attention to the core principle.
It was talking about guiding Qi through a specific path to "form" a meridian.
Wait… Doesn't that mean I can use specialized exercises to physically manipulate Qi?
Wouldn't that accelerate the process?!
I clenched my fists.
---
The Genius Revelation
Let's break this down logically:
1. Meridians are pathways → They transport Qi through the body.
2. Qi needs to reach specific organs → That means each organ needs a dedicated meridian.
3. If meridians supply Qi to organs, then enhancing Qi flow should enhance the organs themselves.
Holy shit.
Either I'm onto some next-level genius shit… or I'm on imaginary cultivation drugs.
But if this works…
Bow down, lil bros.
I shall bless you with wisdom.
But wait--what if I create an artificial heart that works as a Qi pump?
It could forcefully circulate Qi through my meridians… pumping it like blood.
Would that work?
Nahhh… I'll figure it out later.
Right now, let's test if exercise-based meridian opening is actually faster.
---
Trial Begins – The Exercise Method
I stood up, took a deep breath, and began my first experiment.
If this works…
I might just be onto something revolutionary.
---
End of Chapter 3