After the Skyfall

“Once an ordinary person steps into cultivation, their body will gradually transform under the nourishment of cosmic energy. The speed of this transformation depends on each student’s daily practice. During this period, you may experience hunger, auditory hallucinations, hyperactivity, and insomnia.”

“Don’t worry, these are normal and temporary. You’ll adjust in a few days. If possible, I recommend buying nutrient solutions to maintain your body’s nutrition—this will also save time on meals.”

“Teacher Lin, how long do we need to cultivate before reaching the first stage, the ‘Spirit Medium’?” A student in the meditation room asked.

Lin Yue replied, “Before answering that, let me ask you all a question. Our body perceives the world through different senses. Which one do you think receives the most information? The nose, mouth, ears, eyes, or skin?”

“The eyes! The eyes process the most information.” A student quickly responded.

Lin Yue nodded. “That’s right. Our eyes take in about 80% of all external information. That’s why, during cultivation, the first noticeable change will be in your vision—you’ll start seeing things that were previously invisible.”

“Many new cultivators mistake this for hallucinations, but that’s not the case. These things have always existed in our world; it’s just that ordinary people can’t perceive them. Our usual vision is limited, making us unaware of what lies beyond.”

“For example—ghosts. Normal human eyes can’t see spirits, but once you’ve cultivated to a certain level and your vision evolves, you’ll be able to see them.”

“Sealed-off danger zones also contain eerie and terrifying creatures that ordinary people can’t see.”

“Since our eyes are the medium connecting us to the outside world, the first stage of cultivation is called ‘Spirit Medium.’ In ancient times, this process was also known as ‘Opening the Heavenly Eye.'”

Hearing this, many students had a look of realization on their faces. Even Li Yi, who had been eavesdropping outside, suddenly understood a lot more.

‘So cultivation isn’t that simple. It involves a lot of special knowledge.’

Lin Yue suddenly lowered her voice, her tone turning serious. “There’s something that only those who have awakened as Spirit Mediums know—our world is far more terrifying than you can imagine. That’s why you must take cultivation seriously. Never slack off.”

“Alright, that’s all for today’s lesson. You can now start meditating. If you have any questions, come find me in my office outside the meditation room.”

As Lin Yue stepped out of the meditation room, she spotted Li Yi standing outside. She paused for a moment before smiling. “Li Yi, if you want to listen to the lesson, you can come in. No need to stand outside.”

“I’m fine listening from here. Besides, I’ve already started cultivating, so there’s no need to sit in the meditation room. I might just disturb the other students.” Li Yi shook his head. He was already grateful he could attend these lessons for free.

A membership here cost 10,000 yuan.

No way he was spending that kind of money.

Lin Yue didn’t say anything. Instead, she suddenly stepped forward, her clean and beautiful face quickly closing the distance.

Li Yi was startled and instinctively tried to step back, but Lin Yue firmly grabbed his shoulder. Her grip was strong—he couldn’t break free.

“Don’t move. Let me see your eyes.”

A hint of disbelief appeared on Lin Yue’s face. “Haven’t you noticed? There’s a faint glow in your eyes. Unbelievable… truly unbelievable. This is a clear sign that your body is evolving.”

“The students in the meditation room can train for a whole month and still not reach this stage. But you… how long have you been cultivating? A day? Two days?” She narrowed her eyes. “Be honest, Li Yi. The first time we met, did you hear a ‘ding’ in your head and awaken some kind of cheat ability?”

Li Yi’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t expected Lin Yue to notice his transformation so easily.

‘Is the cultivation speed of possessing an artifact really this insane? One day of training is equivalent to someone else’s whole month?’

“I don’t know… I just meditated all night when I got back yesterday. When I woke up, I was like this. Doesn’t feel any different to me.” He feigned ignorance, unwilling to reveal his secret.

Right now, he was too weak. Owning a broken artifact would only bring trouble.

Only when he became strong enough could he openly reveal its existence.

Lin Yue stared into his eyes for a long moment before finally letting him go. Still puzzled, she muttered, “That doesn’t make sense. Your cultivation stats are just average. There’s no way you could’ve progressed this much in just one or two days… Could it be that there’s something special about your home?”

“My home? What’s so special about it? It’s just an old district like any other.” Li Yi shrugged.

“You don’t get it,” Lin Yue explained. “The world is huge, and the activity of spatial rifts isn’t the same everywhere. Some areas have rifts that open more frequently, absorbing more cosmic energy, while others have almost none. There are even rumors of special locations where rifts open at fixed times, releasing massive amounts of cosmic energy. Cultivating in such places is almost as good as having an artifact.”

She continued, “You’ve heard of Golden Academy, right?”

“I’ve seen it online. It’s the most prestigious and authoritative cultivation school in the country.” Li Yi nodded.

Lin Yue said, “A few years ago, Golden Academy conducted an experiment and successfully opened a rift to another world. They managed to tap into that world’s cosmic energy. Because of that, within the academy’s grounds, pure cosmic energy is incredibly abundant, making cultivation there far faster than in other places.”

“Something like that actually exists?” Li Yi was shocked.

“Of course! Why else do you think every cultivator wants to get into Golden Academy? No, that settles it—I’m going to your house in a few days to check things out. If it turns out your home’s location is special, then I’ll be coming over to train every day. You better not refuse!”

Lin Yue was genuinely curious and eager to investigate. At the same time, she wouldn’t mind finding a better place to cultivate.

Li Yi didn’t know how to refuse, so he had no choice but to force a smile and nod. “Uh… alright.”

“By the way, can you tell just by looking at someone’s eyes whether they’re a cultivator? How are a cultivator’s eyes different from a normal person’s?”

He used the question as a way to change the subject, but it was also something he had been wondering about.

Lin Yue answered, “Since you asked, I’ll explain based on what I’ve learned. Cultivators are on the path of evolution, so of course, their eyes undergo changes. The most obvious one is that their eyes start glowing—this happens because cosmic energy gathers in them. The stronger the cultivator, the brighter their eyes become. Eventually, even their pupils will transform.”

“So that’s how it works.” Li Yi finally understood.

No wonder the first time he saw that Crow, his eyes had a faint glow even in the dim room. He looked like a beast lurking in the dark, sending chills down Li Yi’s spine.

“You came here so early today—not just for cultivation, right?” Lin Yue, being observant, sensed that something was on Li Yi’s mind.

Li Yi hesitated for a moment before awkwardly admitting, “Actually, I wanted to ask… what kind of jobs can cultivators do to make money? You know my family’s situation, Lin Jie. One of my biggest reasons for cultivating is to find a good job.”

“Oh, so you want me to introduce you to work?”

Lin Yue chuckled. “There are a lot of special jobs for cultivators. You can join a studio, take on commissions from the Investigation Bureau, clear out dangerous entities in certain areas, capture fugitives or rescue people in the abandoned districts, or even hunt special creatures invading from other worlds. But you’ve only been cultivating for two days—you’re not qualified for any of those. At the very least, if you had awakened your Spirit Medium ability, you could make some money doing feng shui readings.”

Li Yi laughed awkwardly. He knew she was right.

A rookie like him wasn’t ready for any of that.

“But,” Lin Yue’s smile faded as she got serious, “there is one job you can try.”

“What job?” Li Yi asked immediately.

“Guide.”

“Guide? I know about that. It’s when you channel cosmic energy into someone else’s body to help them cultivate, right?” Li Yi responded immediately.

Lin Yue nodded. “That’s right. I’m actually studying to get a guide certification myself.”

“You need a certificate?” Li Yi’s face instantly fell.

Lin Yue chuckled. “You can do the job without one, but the pay will be lower. Still, it should be enough for you. But before that, you’ll need to advance in your cultivation until you can sense the people around you while meditating. Otherwise, you won’t be able to channel cosmic energy into others.”

“If you can reach that level, call this number. It belongs to someone I know at the Cultivator Association. We’re not particularly close, but if you mention my name, he should give you a chance.”

As she spoke, Lin Yue handed him a phone number.

“Got it. Thanks a lot, Lin Jie.” Li Yi memorized the number and sincerely expressed his gratitude.

“No need to thank me, it’s just a small favor. Anyway, I have things to do, so if you have any questions, give me a call. Oh, right—you don’t have my number yet. Here, save it.”

“Lin Jie, go ahead with your work. I need to buy some nutrient solutions. I really appreciate everything you’ve done. When I’m capable enough, I’ll definitely repay you.” Li Yi said seriously.

Lin Yue rolled her eyes playfully. “Then you better work hard.”

With that, she turned and walked back into the meditation room.

Li Yi didn’t bother her any further. Lin Yue had already spent two days guiding him onto the path of cultivation, which was more than enough help. The rest was up to him.

With that thought, he left Biao Shu’s meditation center.

“First, I need to buy nutrient solutions.”

He headed to a large pharmacy nearby.

The store was packed with customers, with many people lining up to buy nutrient solutions. As expected, cultivation was becoming more popular again.

“I’d like six bottles of Type-1 nutrient solution.”

When it was his turn, Li Yi didn’t hesitate—he bought a month’s supply for his parents. Fortunately, he had made 10,000 yuan from Crow that morning. Otherwise, he’d be broke by now.

After paying 6,000 yuan, he hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and spent another 2,000 yuan on a single bottle of Type-2 nutrient solution.

Type-2 was meant for cultivators, even though it was the lowest grade. Li Yi wanted to see if it made a difference.

With only about 3,000 yuan left, he didn’t dare to spend any more. His next stop was to buy food to stock up at home.

After that, he planned to focus entirely on cultivation for the next few days—his goal was to reach the required level as soon as possible so he could start working as a guide.

As he was about to leave—

Suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure in the line outside the pharmacy.

It was a woman in a spaghetti-strap dress, her figure slender and graceful.

“That’s… Liu Yan?”

For a moment, Li Yi thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. His entire body tensed.

But Liu Yan was dead.

She had died as a witness—blood streaming from her seven orifices, her corpse lying outside that abandoned high-rise in the ruins district.

In the crowd, Liu Yan—waiting in line—seemed to sense Li Yi’s gaze. Slowly, with an unnatural stiffness, she turned her head.

Her face was deathly pale, completely devoid of color.

A wave of sheer terror surged through Li Yi. He immediately averted his eyes, turned on his heel, and rushed out of the pharmacy as if his life depended on it.

Every instinct in his body screamed at him—don’t let her notice you!

He ran for several kilometers before finally stopping, panting heavily.

Not from exhaustion.

But from pure, overwhelming fear.

“Did I… awaken my medium abilities and start seeing things I shouldn’t? Or… was that really Liu Yan?”

A chill ran down his spine, his mind in turmoil.

He glanced back—no sign of Liu Yan following him. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

After calming himself, he was certain—he hadn’t unlocked his medium abilities yet.

Which meant what he had just seen was real.

“Then… what is she now?”

“And if something like that can just live among us in the city… how has no one noticed? Even the cultivators in that line didn’t seem to find anything wrong.”

Li Yi finally understood what Lin Yue had meant.

The world is far more terrifying than we can see.

He no longer dared to linger outside.

Because now, he wasn’t sure—was Liu Yan the only one? Or were there more… just like her?

Once he awakened his medium abilities, how many horrifying things would he see?

No wonder people kept dying mysteriously in the old district.

Maybe… none of those deaths were accidents.

Maybe they had all encountered something unknown.

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Li Yi hurried home, fear pressing against his back like unseen eyes.