Transmigrating Into a novel as a Rich Second-Generation.-Chapter 25: Cultivation Manual [1]

Sebastian sat at his desk and pulled up the system interface.

[Low-Tier Cultivation Manual]

He selected it, and immediately a translucent book materialized in front of his eyes, pages glowing with faint text.

Sebastian opened to the first page.

"Cultivation is the ancient art of refining one’s body and spirit through the absorption and manipulation of spiritual energy from the heavens and earth..."

’Yeah, yeah,’ Sebastian thought, skimming past the introduction. ’Cultivation is the best thing known to man, mystical energy, transcending mortal limits, becoming one with qi, blah blah blah.’

He’d read this exact preamble in about three hundred web novels in his previous life. It was always the same flowery nonsense.

"Through diligent practice and unwavering dedication, one can refine their dantian—the spiritual core located three inches below the navel—and channel qi throughout the meridians..."

Sebastian scrolled faster. ’Refining dantian, opening meridians, circulating qi through the twelve channels, yes yes, I get it. Get me to the juicy parts already.’

Finally, he reached something useful.

"The Path of Cultivation is divided into distinct realms, each representing a fundamental transformation of the practitioner’s capabilities. This manual will guide you through the first two realms: Spirit Apprentice and Spirit Warrior.

The Spirit Apprentice Realm consists of nine levels. Upon stepping into the first level of Spirit Apprentice, your physical capabilities will surpass those of ordinary humans. Strength, speed, reflexes, and durability will all increase beyond natural human limits."

Sebastian’s eyes lit up. This was exactly what he needed, his body was still weaker than average despite his consumption of that trash-tier serum.

"By the ninth level of Spirit Apprentice—upon completion of this realm—your power will be comparable to the most exceptional non-cultivator humans. Peak athletes, elite soldiers, and powerful fighters would be your equals at this stage."

’So basically,’ Sebastian thought, ’I’d go from getting manhandled by protagonist-buffed Ethan to being able to actually hold my own. Good start.’

He continued reading.

"The Spirit Warrior Realm, also consisting of nine levels, represents a qualitative leap in capability. Stepping into the first level of Spirit Warrior places you among the world’s most powerful martial artists—those who compete in organizations such as the Mixed Martial Arts Association and similar elite combat leagues and becoming undisputed champions."

Sebastian paused. The Mixed Martial Arts Association—that was this world’s equivalent of the UFC from his previous life. The absolute peak of human fighting ability.

And a first-level Spirit Warrior would be comparable to those monsters.

"By the ninth level of Spirit Warrior, you will have surpassed all conventional human martial artists. Your strikes will carry devastating force, your movements will be nearly impossible for ordinary eyes to follow, and your body will possess resilience far beyond mortal flesh."

’Okay, now that’s more like it,’ Sebastian thought with growing excitement.

He skipped ahead to the limitations section—always important to know what you were working with.

"This Low-Tier Cultivation Manual can guide practitioners through Spirit Apprentice and Spirit Warrior realms only. Beyond the ninth level of Spirit Warrior, you will require higher-grade manuals to continue your advancement. However, for those just beginning their cultivation journey, mastering these two realms will place you far above ordinary mortals."

So this manual capped out at Spirit Warrior level nine. That was fine—Sebastian wasn’t trying to become an immortal emperor or whatever ridiculous endpoint these cultivation systems usually had, at least not at the moment. He just needed to be strong enough that Ethan couldn’t physically dominate him anymore.

And if reaching Spirit Warrior made him comparable to world-class MMA fighters? That was more than enough.

Sebastian flipped to the actual cultivation method section.

"To begin cultivation, one must first sense the spiritual energy in the atmosphere. Sit in a quiet place, clear your mind of distractions, and focus on the space three inches below your navel—your dantian..."

’Here we go with the meditation instructions,’ Sebastian thought, but he read carefully this time. Unlike the flowery introduction, these were actual practical steps.

"Breathe deeply and evenly. With each breath, visualize drawing in threads of energy from the surrounding air. These threads—barely perceptible at first, will gradually become clearer as your sensitivity increases. Guide them down into your dantian, allowing them to accumulate and condense..."

The instructions continued with detailed breathing patterns, visualization techniques, and warnings about common mistakes beginners made.

Sebastian read through it all twice, committing it to memory.

The manual also included a set of physical exercises—something called the "Step Foundation Exercises"—that were meant to condition the body while cultivating. They looked brutal, involving stance training, dynamic movements, and endurance drills that would probably leave him sore for days.

But if it meant going from combat power 82 to something actually respectable? It was worth it.

Sebastian checked the time. Still two hours before he needed to leave for the restaurant.

’Might as well try it now,’ he thought.

He moved to the center of his room, sitting cross-legged on the plush carpet. He straightened his spine, placed his hands on his knees, and closed his eyes.

Three inches below the navel. Focus there.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Sebastian tried to clear his mind—which was surprisingly difficult when part of his brain kept thinking about Ethan’s upcoming humiliation at the restaurant.

’Focus,’ he told himself. ’Spiritual energy. Threads in the air. Sense them.’

For the first few minutes, nothing happened. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Then... something.

It was incredibly faint, almost imperceptible, but Sebastian could swear he felt something in the air around him. Not quite physical, not quite mental, just somewhere in between. Like tiny currents of warmth drifting through the atmosphere.

He focused harder, trying to "grab" one of those currents with his breath.

Breathe in.

For just a split second, he felt something move—a minuscule thread of energy flowing down toward his core.

Then it dispersed, slipping away before he could properly grasp it.

Damn it.

Sebastian tried again and again.

By the time an hour had passed, he’d managed to successfully draw in maybe three or four tiny threads of spiritual energy. They weren’t doing much—certainly not enough to level up or anything dramatic—but he could feel them settling into his dantian like drops of water in an empty well.

It was working. Slowly, painfully slowly, but working.

[Cultivation Detected: Low-Tier Cultivation Manual - Spirit Apprentice Realm]

[Current Progress: 1/100 to Level 1]

Sebastian opened his eyes and checked the system notification.

1 percent.

’Yeah, this is going to take a while,’ he thought wryly.

But that was fine. Cultivation was meant to be a long-term investment. Even if it took weeks or months to reach Spirit Apprentice Level 1.

Sebastian stood up, stretching his stiff muscles. He felt... different. Not stronger, not yet, but there was a subtle energy humming in his core now. Like a tiny ember that would eventually grow into a flame.

[Cultivation Manual: Low-Tier]

[Aptitude: Low]

[Cultivation Realm: Mortal]

[Experience: 1/100]

Reading through his talent assessment, Sebastian sighed heavily.

He had a low aptitude, with a low-tier manual.

In his mind, it was no wonder this was going to take long.

In all those cultivation novels he’d read, the protagonist always had "heaven-defying talent" or discovered some "ancient supreme manual" that let them advance at ridiculous speeds. Meanwhile, Sebastian was stuck with the cultivation equivalent of a Honda Civic and below-average driving skills.

’Of course I got the worst possible starting conditions,’ Sebastian thought, rubbing his temples. ’Why would the villain get anything good?’

Still, low didn’t mean impossible. It just meant he’d have to work harder than someone with better aptitude would.

And Sebastian had never been afraid of hard work—at least not when the payoff was worthwhile.

He sat back down, assuming the cross-legged position again.