The night wind whispered softly across the rooftop as Lin Tian sat cross-legged beneath the dark sky. The city lights stretched endlessly around him, glowing like scattered stars fallen upon the earth. Above, the real stars shimmered faintly behind thin drifting clouds.
His breathing was calm and steady.
Since his last breakthrough, the flow of energy within his body had changed dramatically. What had once been wild and unstable now felt smoother—like a river finally finding its natural course.
But it still wasn't perfect.
Lin Tian slowly opened his eyes.
A cultivator's strength is not measured only by how much energy he possesses… but by how well he controls it.
This was something he had learned long ago in his past life.
Back then, he had once commanded unimaginable cosmic power. Entire star systems trembled when he released his aura.
Now?
He could barely control a small thread of spiritual energy without strain.
Lin Tian looked at his hands.
"They're still too weak."
His fingers tightened slowly.
The power inside him responded instantly.
A faint stream of silver energy flowed through his meridians, gathering in his palm. It shimmered softly like mist illuminated by moonlight.
But the moment his concentration slipped slightly—
Buzz.
The energy trembled violently and dispersed.
Lin Tian sighed.
"As expected…"
Even though his cultivation had reached the First Stage of the Cosmic Path, controlling energy in this fragile Earth body was far more difficult than expected.
Earth's spiritual energy was thin compared to the vast cultivation worlds he once knew. Because of this, every single thread of energy he gathered had to be used with extreme precision.
Otherwise, it would simply dissipate.
He closed his eyes again.
"Let's begin."
The Quiet Practice
Lin Tian raised his right hand slowly.
A thin thread of energy appeared again.
This time he focused harder.
Instead of forcing the power outward, he guided it gently through the meridians of his arm.
His breathing slowed.
The world around him seemed to quiet.
Even the distant traffic noise faded into nothingness.
Inside his body, energy flowed like a faint current of light.
His mind observed every movement carefully.
The energy traveled from his dantian…
Through his chest…
Down his arm…
Into his fingertips.
Then—
He stopped it.
The energy hovered there.
Perfectly still.
Lin Tian's eyes opened slightly.
"Good."
This was progress.
Previously, the energy would explode outward the moment it reached his fingers.
Now he could stop it precisely where he wanted.
But he wasn't satisfied yet.
Control meant more than simply holding power still.
It meant shaping it.
Guiding it.
Transforming it.
He took a deeper breath.
"Let's try something harder."
The First Shape
Lin Tian extended his hand forward.
The thin stream of energy gathered above his palm again.
This time he didn't release it.
Instead, he compressed it.
The faint mist-like energy slowly condensed.
Bit by bit.
The process was difficult.
His forehead began to sweat.
Energy on Earth was weak, but it was also stubborn.
Compressing it required intense focus.
A few seconds passed.
Then—
The energy took form.
A small glowing sphere appeared above his palm.
It was no larger than a marble.
But it pulsed with faint cosmic light.
Lin Tian stared at it carefully.
"This is…"
His lips curved slightly.
"Success."
For the first time since arriving on Earth, he had successfully shaped spiritual energy into a stable form.
In his past life, this would have been the simplest beginner technique.
But here, on a world with such thin energy, it was a major step.
The small sphere floated above his hand, rotating slowly.
Lin Tian studied it like a scientist examining a new discovery.
"This amount of energy…"
He analyzed it carefully.
"If I release it… it could probably break a brick."
Not impressive by cultivation standards.
But on Earth?
It was already far beyond ordinary humans.
He gently closed his fingers.
The sphere disappeared instantly, dissolving into the air.
Lin Tian stood up slowly.
His muscles felt lighter.
His senses sharper.
Control over energy meant control over power.
And power meant survival.
Especially now.
Because things on Earth were beginning to change.
The Memory of the Monster
Lin Tian walked to the edge of the rooftop and looked toward the distant mountains.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
A few days ago, he had encountered the first monster on Earth.
A creature born from distorted spiritual energy.
Most likely the result of unstable dimensional fluctuations.
That event had confirmed something important.
Earth was no longer just a normal world.
Something was awakening.
Spiritual energy was slowly returning.
And where energy gathered…
Danger followed.
Monsters.
Cultivators.
Hidden forces.
And perhaps even beings from other realms.
Lin Tian's expression remained calm.
But inside, he knew the truth.
"If I don't grow stronger quickly…"
He clenched his fist.
"I won't survive what's coming."
Training the Flow
He returned to the center of the rooftop and sat down again.
This time his training became more advanced.
Instead of forming a simple sphere, he began guiding energy through different pathways in his body.
Energy flowed into his legs.
Then into his shoulders.
Then his spine.
Each movement strengthened his control.
He tested different techniques:
• Compressing energy
• Expanding energy
• Redirecting energy
• Circulating energy through multiple meridians
Each attempt sharpened his mastery.
Hours passed.
The moon slowly climbed higher into the sky.
At one point, Lin Tian placed his hand against the concrete rooftop.
Energy flowed from his palm into the surface.
Cracks spread across the concrete with a soft crack.
Not an explosion.
Just controlled pressure.
He nodded slightly.
"Better."
In the past, he would have shattered the entire rooftop by accident.
Now he could focus power into a single point.
This level of control was exactly what he needed.
A New Technique
After several hours of training, Lin Tian tried something new.
A memory surfaced from his past life.
A technique once used by high-level cultivators.
Energy Threads.
Instead of forming spheres, the cultivator condensed energy into thin strands.
Almost like invisible wires.
These threads could be used for many purposes:
• Attacking enemies
• Manipulating objects
• Detecting spiritual disturbances
Lin Tian raised both hands slowly.
Energy gathered again.
But instead of forming a sphere—
He stretched it.
The energy became thinner.
Longer.
Sharper.
At first, it broke apart instantly.
He tried again.
And again.
Each attempt lasted slightly longer.
Finally—
A thin silver thread appeared between his fingers.
It shimmered faintly in the moonlight.
Lin Tian moved his hand slowly.
The thread followed his movement.
Like silk floating in the air.
His eyes lit up slightly.
"Interesting."
He extended the thread further.
Two meters.
Three meters.
Five meters.
The farther it stretched, the harder it became to maintain.
But it worked.
He flicked his finger lightly.
The thread sliced through a small piece of loose stone nearby.
The rock split cleanly in half.
Lin Tian nodded in satisfaction.
"This technique will be useful."
With enough control, these energy threads could become deadly weapons.
Even stronger than swords.
But more importantly—
They allowed him to sense energy fluctuations over distance.
Which meant he could detect danger before it arrived.
And right now, that ability might save his life.
A Strange Feeling
Just as Lin Tian was about to continue training—
He suddenly froze.
His eyes narrowed.
"…What was that?"
A faint disturbance rippled through the air.
It was extremely weak.
Almost impossible to detect.
But Lin Tian's improved energy control allowed him to sense it.
He closed his eyes and extended his energy thread outward.
The thread stretched across the rooftop.
Then beyond.
Down the building.
Across the street.
Further…
Further…
Suddenly—
The thread trembled.
Lin Tian's eyes snapped open.
His gaze turned toward the northern mountains.
A strange energy pulse appeared there.
It was brief.
But powerful.
Much stronger than normal Earth energy.
Lin Tian stood slowly.
"That energy…"
His expression grew serious.
"…It's not natural."
For a moment, he considered ignoring it.
But his instincts told him otherwise.
Whatever had produced that energy…
It was important.
And possibly dangerous.
Lin Tian looked toward the mountains again.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Looks like Earth still holds many secrets."
He stepped away from the rooftop edge.
The wind blew gently across the city.
Above him, the stars shimmered silently.
His training tonight had given him better control over energy.
But it had also revealed something else.
The world around him was changing.
And somewhere in those distant mountains…
Something had just awakened.
Lin Tian's eyes gleamed faintly.
"Good."
"The stronger the challenges…"
"The faster I'll grow."
He looked toward the horizon one last time.
Then turned and disappeared into the darkness.
But deep within his body, the flow of energy had already become smoother… sharper… more precise.
His control had improved.
And that meant only one thing.
The next step of his cultivation journey had begun.