Blossoming Path

My heart thudded wildly, bracing for some sort of impact or great flash of light.

But nothing happened. I warily opened my eyes, seeing that the ancient pedestal was inert. I felt disappointed. Damn my overactive imagination! I had such high hopes.

I glanced at it again, hoping to find some sort of clue to the artifact's purpose. The Azure Moonlight Flutter stood still on my hand, a great contrast to when it recoiled and ran away from me. It seemed content to stay where it was, but I wouldn't be able to figure out the artifact with only one hand. I ushered it towards my shoulder, letting it crawl onto my right side while I inspected the pedestal.

I had no clue what the hell I was doing. I perused my memories for any instance in cultivator stories where they came across an ancient relic. What did they do?

I gave the artifact a hug. Nothing. My naked body touched the entire pedestal and I shivered, cheek pressed onto the cold, dusty surface. I sighed. If there was an ancient spirit contained in this, it was likely cursing me with every spell under the sun for letting my privates touch the hallowed artifact. But seeing lightning didn't smite me on the spot, I supposed it was okay.

"A sacrifice of blood, perhaps?"

I withdrew my plant-cutting knife and winced, letting out a few drops of blood spill from the tip of my finger. With bated breath, I watched as the life-giving liquid fell onto the runic engravings. Once again, the artifact was dormant.

"What do you think, little butterfly?"

The Azure Moonlight Flutter had nothing to contribute apart from silence, so I decided to close my eyes and think. Bare-assed with my legs crossed, I brainstormed ways the artifact could be activated. An idea popped into my head, one so clear that I didn't know why I thought of it sooner.

"Qi! I should put my qi into the artifact! It's probably been starved of energy being stuck in the Tranquil Breeze Coast!"

There was only one problem with that method.

How did one use qi?

Inner energy? It was easy to talk about it. But trying to use it as a mortal was a whole other matter. There was a reason why solo cultivators like the Wind Sage were so rare. Unlocking one's qi reserves required guidance, talent, luck, and skill. I've heard that even the weakest mortal had a speck of qi, but they would never learn to access or use it without supreme effort, and properly guided by a manual or some sort of instructor.

Okay, let me see...I just feel it right? Visualize it as a ball of dormant energy within myself. I took a deep breath and calmed my mind. My eyes snapped open and I extended my hand forward, shouting out at the top of my lungs.

"HA!!!"

Nothing. Not even a twitch. I tensed up and tried to force it out of my palm. Gritting my teeth and squeezing as hard as I could, for a moment I thought I was going to lose control of my bowels.

"Grrgh..! Ha...! Just a little bit...!"

These weren't noises that a good boy would make.

With every attempt being a miserable failure, I gave up and set my hand down on the pedestal. I panted lightly and decided to rest my weight on the support for a brief moment. The Azure Moonlight Flutter floated onto my hand, and I watched as it rested perfectly atop my knuckle. The intricate pattern on its wings glowed a deep blue.

Before I could react, a rush of energy flowed from my hand and into the rest of my body. Just as soon as it came, a feeling of being drained occurred and the artifact hummed in response.

The little butterfly had given me it's energy! This truly was a fated encounter. My dreams of being a cultivator weren't so ridiculous, after all. I would ascend past my mortal vessel, and then-

DING

A loud noise similar to a bell rung across the cavern formation, and I looked around in bewilderment, expecting something to happen. The sound echoed for several seconds until it was just a faint whisper.

But nothing came to pass. The pedestal went back to being dormant, and the dust around the artifact hadn't even been disturbed. What exactly was that noise?

WE ILLUMINATE THE PATH TO ASCENSION.

A NEW ERA.

HIDDEN PATHS AWAIT.

I flinched violently upon seeing the blue box of text appear before my eyes. Path to Ascension? I've never heard of anything like this happening before. Was this the guidance of an ancestor? Ancient knowledge from millennia past that would unlock my full potential?

The Azure Moonlight Flutter seemed tired, resting on my hand upside-down and laying still.

Was it some manner of a reincarnated cultivator, trapped in the form of a butterfly? As I observed it for a few moments, a screen popped up once again.

You have discovered a hidden ability possessed by the Azure Moonlight Flutter - Qi Transfer

Name: Azure Moonlight Flutter

Race: Mystical Butterfly

Affinity: Wood

Cultivation Rank: Qi Initiation Stage - Rank 1

Special Abilities:

Moonlight Empowerment: Gains increased power and vitality under the moonlight.

Qi Siphon: Can absorb small amounts of qi from its surroundings to sustain itself.

Qi Transfer: Can imbue living beings with energy by transferring its qi, providing a small boost to those who receive it.

Bond Level: 1 (Acquaintance) - The Azure Moonlight Flutter is familiar with you but does not yet possess a deep connection.

"What type of sorcery is this?"

It was not a heaven-defying ability that enabled me to advance my cultivation at unparalleled speeds, nor was it a divine blessing that bestowed upon me the physique of a martial expert.

Another screen popped up before me.

HEAVENLY INTERFACE: KAI LIU

PERK(S):

Interface Manipulator - Allows manipulation of the Heavenly Interface and access to special features.

Race: Human

Vitality: Sufficient

PRIMARY

Affinity - Wood

Cultivation Rank: Mortal Realm - Rank 1 (Beginner)

QI: Mortal Realm (Advancement to next rank requires completing specific quests or increasing cultivation base through special means)

MIND: Mortal Realm

BODY: Mortal Realm

SKILLS

Herbalism - 8 (...)

Gardening - 9 (...)

Cultivation Techniques: N/A

"Little butterfly, I've received the greatest boon from you! I'll be able to accomplish my dream of being a cultivator!"

It wasn't what I expected, but perhaps that was a blessing in disguise. Heavenly Interface...It tracked my general information and presented it in a comprehensive manner. The heavens were smiling down upon me. There was no question of what I was. A mortal. But with this, I could achieve so many things. I eagerly glanced over my information and noted down everything I had.

"Herbalism and Gardening. Fair, I am not sure what the eight represents. But that Interface Manipulator skill...Does it mean I am able to interact with this?"

I tried to touch the screen but my hand passed through it like a mirage. Perhaps it was mentally controlled? Those special features it told of weren't specified.

Herbalism.

Herbalism (Level 8): A skill that grants knowledge and understanding of various plants, their properties, and uses in medicine and alchemy. Herbalism enables the user to identify, harvest, and process plants effectively.

Next Stage: Spiritual Herbalism

Requirements:

Qi Initiation Stage - Rank 1

Herbalism Proficiency - Level 10

Infuse Qi into a plant successfully.

Find a plant that inherently possesses Qi.

Interesting! I can enhance my current skills with existing ones. I see the potential here. Let me see the other skill. Gardening.

Gardening (Level 9): A skill that imparts knowledge and expertise in cultivating, nurturing, and managing various plants and gardens. Gardening allows the user to optimize the growth of plants, increasing their quality and yield.

Next Stage: Nature's Attunement

Requirements:

Qi Initiation Stage - Rank 1

Gardening Proficiency - Level 10

Acquire the Wood Affinity.

Successfully grow a plant with Qi.

Most curious! Excitement bubbled in my chest. It wasn't the rise to power I imagined my debut as a cultivator would be, but it gave me the path to strengthen myself. If I did things correctly, I could take both skills to the next stage in one fell swoop. I already completed a few requirements. My interface said I already had a Wood Affinity. I'm assuming it's because of my background in gardening, but alas, the Heavenly Interface didn't seem keen on answering that question.

I glanced around the cavern I was in for anything of interest, but everything remained the same. Compared to the artifact in the center, everything else didn't hold that aura of mystique. They were just remnants of a long-lost civilization.

But they were the ones that had given me this power. The least I could do was pay my respects. I would return again,

I bowed my head to the pedestal in silence, mentally apologizing for putting my privates on the surface in the midst of figuring out how to activate the artifact.

"Come on, little butterfly. Let's go back up and polish these skills of mine!"

I sneezed and shivered, feeling the cold creep into my bones after being naked for so long.

"...And grab my clothes as well."

I spent a few hours roaming around. Retracing my steps was easy, evidenced by the trail I had left chasing the Azure Moonlight Flutter. But I wasn't going to just go home so easily.

First, I had to do what the Heavenly Interface said! Off in the less-explored parts of the Tranquil Breeze Coast, I had a much higher chance of finding some sort of qi plant lying around somewhere. They were incredibly rare, especially considering the nature of the province. There was a reason why I coveted Azure Moonlight Flutter.

Speaking of the Spirit Beast, I had laid it comfortably on a nearby leaf. It willingly left my arm and crawled underneath a plant, seemingly tired by the transfer of energy it had given me. I had developed some sort of obligation towards it. Let it be known that this young master repays all his debts twofold, and grievances by a hundredfold!

But returning to the qi plants, I knew there were only two native to the province. The Breezesong Fruit and the Moonlit Grace Lily. The problem with the first was that it had no recorded instances of existing in the Whispering Leaves Forest. Last I recall, it was found by a villager and harvested about three decades ago, closer to where the Whispering Wind Sect lived. They used it to get their son initiated into the sect or some other thing like that, but the point of the matter was that I had no business finding the plant in the vicinity.

The Moonlit Grace Lily, however, I knew very well. Not only was found in here, I have a special attachment to that particular species. Memorized the entry in my botanical encyclopedia, that I did!

"A perennial plant with long, slender, and slightly curved leaves that grow in a radial pattern from its base. The leaves have a dark green hue with a faint silvery sheen, making them appear as if they are glowing under the moonlight." I recited dutifully, harvesting any plants of interest in the area by the waterfall. Even if they weren't a qi plant, most of them were hard to find in my usual foraging spots.

In addition to being one of the most potent medicinal plants in the province, the Moonlit Grace Lily held the power to calm emotional turmoil. Memories of my childhood illness came flooding back to me. A fever so severe, it made me believe that death was near. My body was cold and clammy, despite being wrapped in layers, and the pain shooting up my legs kept me awake at night. Our usual medicines offered no relief.

Under the full moon's gentle glow, my mother prepared a concoction using the last Moonlit Grace Lily in our possession, harnessing the flower's peak potency. I can still recall the taste of the elixir: a delicate, floral sweetness, accompanied by a cooling sensation that spread through my entire body, bringing relief in mere moments. Though I felt rejuvenated, my mother insisted I rest and let my body heal. She sat by my side, her voice like a gentle breeze, as she sang an ancient lullaby to lull me into a peaceful slumber.

"Sleep, my dear, and worry not, For Moonlit Grace will soothe your thought. Wrapped in lily's tender hold, You'll awaken strong and bold."

That sparked my appreciation for gardening. Who knew that measly plants could bring upon such a powerful effect?

The memory of my mother and her gentle lullaby made me smile fondly. It would be simpler to arrange a carriage to the Whispering Winds sect and pay a high sum to fulfill the Herbalism requirement. However, I wanted to honor the cherished memory of my mother's care by taking my first step towards becoming a cultivator with the Moonlit Grace Lily.

I would ascend on my own terms, forging a story that would be uniquely mine, one that future generations would remember with awe!

Today is the day I, Kai Liu, begin my quest to defy the heavens!