The boy slowly opened his eyes, groggily taking in his surroundings. He found himself in a dark cave, the air thick with an otherworldly energy. As he sat up, he noticed that his wounds were all healed, and his eyes, which had been bloodshot and painful, now felt clear and refreshed. He could even see his own reflection staring back at him, which made him wonder, "How can I see in the dark?"
As soon as the question left his lips, a voice responded, "You have woken up, that was fast. I expected you to sleep for a few more years." The boy's head jerked to the side, his eyes scanning the darkness as he shouted, "Who is it? Who was that?"
The voice remained quiet, almost amused, as it replied, "You do not remember what happened." The boy's eyes widened as he recalled the events leading up to his current situation. He remembered the battle between the two gods, the crimson nightmare and the purple god, and how they had infused him with their divine energy.
A piercing pain shot through his head as he shook in fear, vividly recalling the agony he had endured. The voice spoke again, "I was the purple god there." The boy's confusion deepened as he shook his head, clutching his temples.
"How long was I sleeping?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The purple god, Jack Cameron, replied in a carefree tone, "A hundred and three years, give or take a few." The boy's eyes widened in shock as he stumbled to his feet.
"A hundred and three years? My parents, my school... have I been asleep for that long? What happened to me? Is that even possible?" He couldn't wrap his head around the idea that he had been asleep for over a century.
The purple god, Jack, chuckled and said, "Let me explain." He began to recount the events leading up to the boy's arrival in the spirit realm. "My name is Jack Cameron, and the other guy I was fighting against that day was Ronald Dale, my close friend and also my greatest rival."
The boy's eyes widened as Jack continued, "Where you are now is the doorstep to my living quarters in the spirit realm." Jack explained that the spirit realm was a dimensional world filled with rich spiritual qi, perfect for cultivation.
The boy's confusion deepened as Jack explained the concept of cultivation. "We cultivate the base forms of humans, which were locked by the Almighty Creator. His original plan was for humans to live eternally like immortals, but disobedience led to the crumbling of base forms and humans' lifespan shortened drastically."
Jack paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, "But in the spirit realm, the Creator made a special energy that, when we absorb, we break through to higher base forms. Once you've reached the highest form, you can ascend to the divine realm."
The boy's eyes glazed over as Jack listed the base forms: Qi condensation, Foundation building, Golden cores, Nascent souls, Spirit repository, Ruler realm, Emperor realm, Soul accumulation, Nihility, Heavenly palace, Divine palace, Divine source, Divine Domain, Divinity, and Divine tribulations.
The boy's mind reeled as he tried to process the information. "So, there are fifteen all together?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Jack replied, "Yeah."
The boy's thoughts swirled with questions, but one stood out above the rest: "What does that have to do with me?" Jack's expression turned serious, "Now that you are here, you must cultivate."
The boy's face contorted in confusion, "Why? I can just go home." Jack's expression turned stern, "You can't go back, it's a one-way trip. You have to cultivate before you can go back."
The boy's eyes widened in realization, and he felt a sense of trepidation wash over him. He was trapped in this strange new world, forced to cultivate in order to survive. The thought sent a shiver down his spine as he asked, "What happens if I don't cultivate?"
Jack's expression turned grim, "If you don't cultivate, you'll wither away and die. The spiritual qi here is too strong for your body to handle without cultivation. You'll need to learn to harness it, or you'll be consumed by it."
The boy's mind reeled as he tried to comprehend the enormity of his situation. He was a fish out of water, thrust into a world that was completely foreign to him. But as he looked at Jack, he saw a glimmer of determination in his eyes.
"Okay," the boy said, his voice firm. "I'll do it. I'll cultivate." Jack smiled, a hint of approval in his eyes. "Good. Let's begin."