I’ve been practicing my one whole cultivation technique every morning before breakfast. Progress in growing my attention span is slow, but it’s still progress.


    Even though I don’t need a sitter anymore, each of Jun’s squad takes a turn watching me in the morning. Unsurprisingly, Luan is the first under the guise of a checkup.


    He sneaks up and sits down next to me without me noticing. When I open my eyes, I jump and only scream a little bit because he’s leaning in really close with one of those stones.


    He says, “You have actually improved. To be clear, you’re still at the level of a small child but at least you can focus.”


    “I’m almost able to make it circulate the whole way around.”


    He sighs like I don’t already understand how pathetic my cultivation abilities are. “And then you’ll have reached the first level. I found that it was easier to circulate my chi after I understood more about anatomy. Perhaps it will help you.”


    This suggestion is surprising. Since when does Luan offer help for free? But I accept his offer.


    He explains the parts of the body complete with a little diagram. It’s nothing I didn’t learn in grade school, but I don’t interrupt him.


    The only thing I didn’t know about was my mana network. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a completely new system that my original Ellen body didn’t possess, and I think I would have had an easier time understanding how to use a tail or a third eye.


    I ask, “So it’s like my nervous system and my circulatory system had a weird incestuous child system in my body, that doesn’t work well for me since it atrophied like a forgotten muscle?”


    “It’s nothing like that.” The hair fluff grows but is still well below critical height. I should have another one to two outbursts of frustration, before I really need to be careful.


    He continues, “Imagine that your body is composed of very tiny bits. These bits are different for different jobs, but they are all connected. Your bone bits connect to your muscle bits that connect to your blood bits.”


    I nod at the weirdest explanation of a cell I’ve ever heard.


    He accepts that as understanding and says, “The chi transfers through all bits. When circulation is done properly, you will intentionally pass your chi through every bit using your mana network.


    “I’ve marked your meridians, which you can think of as the focus points for this network, on this paper and you can treat it like a map. Just follow the plotted course and you’ll be able to circulate your chi.”


    That almost makes sense. Checking my understanding, I say, “I use this map to pass my chi through every cell of my body and once I accomplish that I will successfully reach level 1.”This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    He gives me a triumphant smile. “Yes, exactly.” Then his brow furrows, “Wait, what do you know about cells?”


    Surely, with all this mystical power running around someone has discovered super microscope vision or something. So, I don’t hesitate to tell him the not much I know, “Nothing to in depth. There’s like a membrane and a nucleus and the mitochondria is the powerhouse of a cell. I don’t remember the other parts off the top of my head though.”


    I’m sure my sixth grade biology teacher would be upset that that’s all I remember, despite it being my favorite class that year. I have a vague recollection of DNA and RNA, but I don’t have a clue where those go, so I don’t bring it up. Hopefully there won’t be a test.


    He looks at me quizzically. I must have said something wrong, but it’s not like this information is even in Jun’s annotated notes. I really don’t remember much else.


    He packs up his little bag and says, “Keep working on it. You’ll get there soon.”


    The next morning, I open my eyes after my meditation to find Ming of all people watching me. This is a man who I don’t think dislikes me but is indifferent to me in the way most people don’t have strong opinions about other people’s furniture.


    Noticing I’m paying attention to him, he says, “Good morning, you are almost there. If you like I can give you a few pointers to help you around the points where you are currently getting stuck. The first time is the hardest, and then it will get easier as each cycle cleanses your meridians.”


    I agree. He sits behind me and tells me, “Now start to circulate your chi from your center.”


    As I circulate it up and around, he gently pokes my back and helps me redirect around all the clogged parts and gives me a path through the messy section around my neck.


    With his help, I complete the first loop, and I feel something change. Like my body is a bit to warm.


    I smile and jump up in a most unladylike way shouting, “I did it! Thank you!”


    Then I smell myself and try not to gag. He stands and gives me a polite nod. “Glad I could help. Know that the smell is going to get a lot worse until you complete your foundation.”


    He walks away and I rush to bathe before breakfast.


    A day later, I’m able to successfully circulate my chi on my own. Each pass through, more gunk is cleared out of my system and I am now paranoid about BO.


    I hear loud footsteps approach me and open my eyes to find Zhen standing there smiling like an idiot. He says, “I hear congratulations are in order. You have finally taken your first true step on the path of cultivation.”


    “Thank you, but I still have much to learn.”


    Being not much for humility, Zhen laughs and says, “Be proud of your success. Most people your age could never start circulating their chi no matter how hard they tried, too stuck in their ways.”


    That is totally not what he said before. He said I had plenty of time, jerk.


    He laughs again at the face I make and sits down in front of me. “Now watch what I do. You can learn much by watching those further along in cultivation.”


    He closes his eyes and takes a long deep breath. His chi immediately starts building and flooding the area. I can feel how he keeps moving his chi in time with his slow steady breaths.


    The whole process feels big and robust just like Zhen.


    Before I can actually learn anything, Jun walks over and gives Zhen a light shove in the head, toppling him over on to his side. Despite the rotation, Zhen holds his position like nothing happened: legs still crossed, eyes closed, and not so much as a hitch in his breathing.


    Jun says, “Don’t watch the oaf. He cultivates like a barbarian. Strong, but I don’t think you want to go around tearing your clothes off and punching everything in sight.”


    I smile at that. “So far your notes and Ming’s advice has been the most helpful. Though I do appreciate Zhen’s support.”


    He offers a hand to help me stand up and I take it hoping I don’t get any gross on him. He says, “How about you join me for breakfast in the garden?”