Chapter 4: This Is Not How the Body Should Be Trained

The first rays of the morning sun had just begun to spill golden light across the earth, painting the clouds on the horizon a blazing red. On the athletic field of Yanhuang University, Li Fu found his heart unable to calm down for a long time.

The civilization seed from the supercivilization known as the Han Technology Empire filled Li Fu’s mind with limitless possibilities, each more thrilling than the last: becoming a super scientist, a world-class tycoon, a leader of technological progress, guiding China to rise, venturing beyond Earth, and embarking on a journey across the universe… Things he had never dared to dream of now flashed one by one before his eyes, each seeming almost within reach.

“Master, your emotional fluctuations are too frequent. Please refrain from indulging in wild fantasies,”

As if sensing the violent stirrings in his mind, the voice in his head offered a gentle reminder.

“Phew!”

Li Fu took a deep breath, the chill of the morning air instantly clearing his mind. He shook his head, tossing away the distracting thoughts. Anything was possible, but everything had to be built step by step. There was no point in letting his imagination run wild now.

“Thank you,” Li Fu sincerely addressed the civilization seed in his mind. “I still don’t know what to call you.”

“Master, you need not be so polite. This is my duty. I don’t have a name, only a serial number. You can give me a name,”

The voice in his mind replied with a hint of playful laughter, sounding almost mischievous.

“A name, huh? That’s something I should think about carefully. It needs to sound nice,”

Li Fu rubbed his chin, his thoughts racing.

“I’ve got it. How about ‘Shadow’? Unseen, untouchable, always by my side like a shadow. What do you think?”

After pondering for a moment, Li Fu glanced at his own shadow cast by the rising sun, his eyes lighting up.

“‘Shadow’? Hehe, I like the name. Thank you for the gift, Master,”

Shadow’s delighted voice echoed in his mind.

“As long as you like it. I just picked it at random. By the way, Shadow, if I want to contact you in the future, how should I do it?”

Li Fu smiled softly, gazing at the slowly ascending sun. His whole outlook suddenly felt transformed.

“I am within your body, Master. You only need to think of me in your mind and communicate with me using your brainwaves. There’s no need to speak aloud.”

Suddenly, in his mind’s eye, Shadow appeared as an image—a cute little girl with pigtails.

“Oh, so that’s possible too! Shadow, is this your image? It’s adorable!”

“Hehe, I synthesized it from information I found on your internet!”

Shadow giggled with pride.

Having just acquired the civilization seed, Li Fu was endlessly curious. His mind and Shadow’s began to converse rapidly, and because they communicated directly via brainwaves, the speed was astonishing.

“Oh no, I almost forgot about my morning run. Half an hour’s gone by already. I need to hurry up and get moving!”

Time slipped away as they chatted. Before long, other people arrived at the field to exercise, and only then did Li Fu realize he’d neglected his morning routine.

While still conversing with Shadow in his mind, Li Fu began jogging again. On this chilly morning with the sun just rising, he ran as he always had, as if nothing extraordinary had happened—except for Shadow’s constant reminders that he had stumbled upon the seed of a supercivilization.

Soon, Li Fu’s breathing grew rapid and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, even though the temperature was quite low. He didn’t feel cold at all; instead, his body radiated powerful heat.

“Master, this is not the optimal way to train your body,”

Shadow’s voice sounded in his mind, a little disdainful.

“Oh? Then how should I train? Running is one of the best recognized methods for exercise.”

Li Fu asked, puzzled.

“That may be true on Earth, but in the universe, every powerful civilization has its own methods of physical cultivation. Some call them Primordial Energy Techniques, some call them cultivation, others genetic development. There are many names, but the purpose is the same: to use special methods to develop the brain, extend lifespan, and acquire extraordinary abilities.”

“Running is a decent form of exercise, but it needs to be combined with special breathing techniques to be truly effective. Training the body is like tempering a material—one must also absorb powerful energies from the universe for it to be truly meaningful.”

Shadow pursed her lips, resigned to her master’s ignorance—after all, he was only a citizen of a level-one cosmic civilization. There was only so much he could possibly know.

“Special breathing techniques? That sounds just like the internal arts or cultivation in novels!”

Li Fu instantly perked up with interest.

“Training the body is a form of cultivation. People who exercise regularly are energetic, have strong immunity, and live longer. If one masters a powerful cultivation technique and uses the mysterious life-energies of the universe to strengthen the body, then to traverse the cosmos in the flesh, possess endless lifespan, and wield all manner of incredible powers is entirely normal.”

“Think about it: if the average lifespan in one country is a hundred years and in another it’s two hundred, the gap in strength between these nations would be vast. Cultivation techniques in the universe originally evolved as people sought to extend their lives.”

“In the universe, the level of a civilization can be measured by the size of its territory, its technological advancement, or even the average lifespan of its citizens.”

Shadow patiently explained to Li Fu the power and importance of cosmic cultivation.

“That makes sense. On Earth, human development indices used to measure national progress include lifespan as a key factor. In some African countries, the average lifespan is only a little over forty, while in others, it exceeds eighty. The disparity is indeed enormous.”

Li Fu nodded, understanding some of this already. If even Earthlings recognized that average lifespan was an indicator of national development, it must be even more common in the universe. Still, he remained skeptical about the feats Shadow described—traversing the stars in one’s own body, living forever, wielding unbelievable powers.

“Shadow, can you teach me how to cultivate?”

Though still doubtful, Li Fu believed that any cultivation method from a supercivilization was bound to be extraordinary, so he asked with anticipation.

“Of course! This is something you must learn, Master. If you want to become a citizen of a supercivilization, cultivation is essential. In fact, you must reach a certain level.”

Shadow responded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, pouting slightly.

“Then hurry and teach me. I’m eager to see how civilizations in the universe cultivate.”

“Hehe, don’t be impatient, Master. Let me first explain some basic knowledge. Across the universe, every method of physical cultivation, no matter what it’s called, follows a similar progression. From lowest to highest, the ranks are: Primordial Energy Apprentice, Energy Warrior, Warrior Master, Energy Grandmaster, Energy Adept, Prime, Immortal, Sage, and Divine Spirit—nine realms in total. Each realm grants corresponding powers.”

“Let’s just talk about lifespan: an Energy Apprentice can live about two hundred years; an Energy Warrior, about five hundred; a Warrior Master, around a thousand; an Energy Grandmaster, about ten thousand. An Energy Adept enjoys a lifespan of a hundred thousand years, a Prime can live a million years, and from Immortal onwards, there’s no need to worry about lifespan at all.”

Shadow’s words left Li Fu utterly shaken.

“Heavens! A hundred thousand years, a million, immortality…”

Li Fu could scarcely imagine how one would even begin to fill such endless years.

“Master, what’s so surprising about that? Without a long lifespan, how could one explore the universe or research advanced technology? Even at your current level-one civilization on Earth, knowledge has already exploded. With a human lifespan, it’s nearly impossible to master everything. How much more so at higher levels?”

“Without powerful cultivation methods to strengthen the body, develop the brain, and gain longer life, a civilization can never advance. The higher the stage of development, the more crucial these techniques become. Imagine: a scientist who can only live to a hundred spends almost thirty years growing and learning. After another ten or so years accumulating experience, only by forty or fifty do they reach their peak.”

“But soon after, the body begins to decline. Once past seventy, the brain’s activity drops sharply and further achievements become difficult. By eighty, neither body nor mind can sustain intense research—the most valuable period is between thirty and fifty.”

“That’s why most great scientists achieve their biggest breakthroughs during that age. Once they grow old, it’s hard to remain productive because their bodies and minds have aged and can’t keep up with high-level work.”

“But if scientists cultivate—even if only to the level of Primordial Energy Apprentice—they could live two hundred years. Their prime could last over a century, and the contribution to science would be immeasurable!”

PS: This new story is delicate and in need of your care—please collect, click, and recommend it as much as you can!