Wizard: I Have a Cultivation System

The next step after Foundation Establishment, naturally, is to improve the quality of the Dao Body, bringing it ever closer to unobservable matter.

The reason is very simple.

Observable matter, after all, has too many vulnerabilities. It can be harmed by the electromagnetic, strong, and weak forces.

So, what if a Cultivator could transform into unobservable matter?

Wouldn’t that greatly reduce the harm the material world could inflict on a Cultivator?

Aside from gravity and other unobservable matter, a Cultivator would no longer fear any harm.

Even a nuclear bomb, even a Star Destroyer Cannon—as long as it operated within the scope of the three fundamental forces—could not harm a Cultivator in the slightest.

It would be a step closer to true immortality.

And during this transformation process, there is another benefit.

Though the human body is said to be a microcosm, a vessel of flesh and blood ultimately has its limits.

One could temper their physical body to an incredible degree, where every punch and kick unleashes lossless electromagnetic force in a pure, lossless mass-energy conversion.

But due to the limitations of the body’s physical mass, the amount of Energy it can store is also finite.

Why were those three Elementalization Wizards able to draw upon a near-endless supply of the Withering Wind, Annihilation Lightning, and Endless Waters, creating a terrifying natural disaster that enveloped the entire city?

Of course, it wasn’t because they themselves possessed such vast Energy. It was because, through Elementalization, they had deeply integrated with a specific Dimensional Energy.

This union allowed them to tap into and leverage the outside world’s endless supply of Dimensional Energy from the same origin.

The deeper their Elementalization, the more stable and broader their connection to the Dimensional Origin, and the vaster the Power of Heaven and Earth they could leverage.

To put it simply, it is "borrowing the Power of Heaven and Earth" and "controlling the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi."

A Cultivator’s Dao Body, however, is a more comprehensive tool for controlling the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

Compared to the single-dimension nature of Elementalization, Murphy could undoubtedly control a far greater variety of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

Of course, this was not without its drawbacks.

And that drawback, naturally, was the Heart Demon.

Yes, the Heart Demon.

An Elementalization Wizard risks having their self-awareness eroded by the phenomenon they embody. Their thought patterns conform more and more to the very rules they represent until, finally, they completely lose their ’human’ form and way of thinking, becoming a true natural disaster.

So how could the Dao Body, which is also transforming into unobservable matter, remain unaffected?

In fact, the effects are even more severe.

The reason for this influence is also simple, and it’s certainly not because these rules possess thought patterns or human emotions.

It is because consciousness is a product of matter.

If the very matter that makes up the body changes, how could one’s consciousness remain unaffected?

To take the simplest example: without hormones, you wouldn’t even feel the urge to masturbate.

So, how does one overcome such a tribulation?

[Breathing and Guiding] contains this passage: "Refining the Form is easy, but Refining the Heart is hard. The form may change, but the heart must remain steadfast. Thus, a Cultivator must wield the Wisdom Sword to sever delusional thoughts and use their Willpower to anchor their true nature. Within the great furnace of creation, they must temper a single spark of unfading spiritual light. When both form and substance are fully transformed and the Primordial Spirit shines forth alone, this marks the formation of the Golden Core, and the True Master achieves immortality."

In layman’s terms, the key is to proceed gradually, using a powerful "spirit" as a rudder. Throughout the slow and steady growth of the Dao Body, one must constantly practice introspection, adjusting and adapting to the various emotional and cognitive shifts caused by the physical transformation.

Going even further, one must constantly question their own heart amidst these changes, recognize their true essence, grasp their core desires and convictions, and understand the meaning of their own Path and existence. This serves as the sturdiest "anchor," firmly mooring the shifting vessel of consciousness.

Only in this way, upon the completion of the Dao Body Transformation and the condensation of the Golden Core, can one fully overcome the Heart Demon Tribulation that arises from the body’s transformation.

This is how one becomes a True Master in the truest sense: by illuminating their mind, perceiving their true nature, and taking control of their own thoughts.

For example, Murphy’s previous actions—riding in carriages, walking, celebrating birthdays, even having a child and doting on his daughter like any ordinary person—were all part of this process of anchoring his self.

Moreover, this process is extremely long.

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator might spend their entire life and still be unable to succeed.

Or, it could be like Murphy’s breakthrough to Foundation Establishment ten years ago, where a mental surge born from intense emotion allows one to illuminate their mind, perceive their true nature, and condense the Golden Core all at once.

But regardless, as long as the Dao Body’s quality reaches 2, one can attempt to break through to the Golden Core stage.

The higher the quality of the Dao Body and the closer it is to unobservable matter, the greater one’s control over their own mind, and the higher the probability of a breakthrough.

Haaa!

As Murphy finished his daily adjustments of form and spirit, the Mana swirling around him receded into his body. He opened his eyes, a divine light held deep within them. Just then, Mo Ling, who had been waiting quietly for a long time, immediately trotted up to him.

Today, she wore a light-blue cotton dress practical for activity, with a small, cream-colored cardigan over it. Her hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and she hugged several books to her chest, her eyes sparkling brightly.

"Father!" She ran up to him and stopped, tilting her face upward. "You promised you would take me to use the central computer today!"

Her voice was clear and carried an irrepressible excitement.

To Mo Ling, that massive computer—designed by her father and built with the collective wisdom of the top artisans and scholars from across the Continent—held an endless fascination.

Murphy stood up, looked at his daughter’s eager face, and nodded with a smile. "Alright. But before that, you need to say goodbye to your mother."

"Okay!" Mo Ling nodded emphatically, then immediately turned and skipped over to the door of the stone house like a nimble fawn.

The door to the stone house was ajar.

Instead of pushing the door right open, Mo Ling first knocked politely. "Mother, Father and I are heading down the mountain now."

The door was pulled open from the inside, and Aurora appeared in the doorway.

She wore a simple, light-gray long dress with a plain apron tied around her waist. Her hands seemed to be smudged with a bit of oil from the kitchen. Morning light spilled onto her golden hair and serene face as her gentle, sapphire-blue eyes gazed at her daughter.

"Go on, Mo Ling." Aurora’s voice was gentle. "Remember to listen to your father. Don’t run around in the workshop district, and be safe. Also, if you run into any difficult problems with your calculations, don’t get frustrated. Think it over, and if you really don’t understand, then you can ask your father."

"I know, Mother," Mo Ling answered obediently, taking a step forward and standing on her tiptoes.

Aurora bent down slightly, allowing her daughter to plant a goodbye kiss on her cheek.

"What would you like for lunch? I’ll get it ready for you two," Aurora said as she straightened up, wiping her hands on her apron with a knowing smile in her eyes.

Mo Ling’s eyes darted about. "I want your braised pork ribs! The kind with lots and lots of meat! And that warm winter melon and meatball soup we had last time!"

"You little glutton, I knew you’d ask for that." Aurora’s smile deepened as she reached out to gently tap her daughter’s forehead. "Alright. I’ll go get some fresh pork ribs and winter melon this morning. I’ll even put some extra meatballs in your soup to give you some brain food."

Mo Ling immediately nodded happily.

Aurora’s gaze then traveled past her gleeful daughter to land on Murphy, who was standing quietly and waiting not far away.

Their gazes met in mid-air.

No words were needed.

Murphy gave Aurora a slight nod, and Aurora nodded back.

"Let’s go, Father!" Mo Ling returned to her father’s side and proactively slipped her small hand into his broad one.

Murphy squeezed his daughter’s small hand, gave Aurora one last look, and then flicked his sleeve.

The next moment, a streak of Dark Gold sword light shot up from in front of the stone house on the peak, cutting through the morning mist as it swept swiftly and smoothly toward the Holy City below.

Enveloped within the sword light, Mo Ling heard the wind whistle past her ears as the mountain forest rapidly receded below.

She first let out a small gasp of surprise, which was quickly followed by excited laughter that scattered across the clear sky.

"We’re flying! Father, this is so fast!"

Like a streaking meteor, the sword light plunged into the vast, awakening city at the foot of the mountain in the blink of an eye.