Chapter 140: Exploring Innate

Joe woke shortly after sunrise to the sounds of birds calling throughout the forest. He could distinguish their movements among distant branches and hear the stream flowing downhill from the abandoned forestry station. Through the open window, individual leaves stood out among the trees, including small insects moving along their surfaces. His senses had improved considerably, although the additional information demanded some adjustment before he could concentrate comfortably.

As Joe turned his attention inward, he discovered another ability. He could feel the position and condition of his organs, the connections between his nervous pathways, and the Innate Qi circulating through his transformed tissues. The awareness extended throughout his body without requiring him to direct energy toward individual structures.

During Acquired cultivation, Joe had investigated his internal condition by guiding Qi through selected regions and interpreting their responses through Medicine Perfection. His present perception required no such examination. He concentrated on his spine and felt the intricate connections extending toward his limbs and organs. When he shifted his attention toward his heart, the surrounding vessels and their circulation became equally apparent.

The unfamiliar sense fascinated him. He spent nearly an hour examining structures that had demanded extensive research during Innate Transformation, discovering that he could now perceive their coordination directly. Even the remaining Acquired Qi was distinguishable from the new energy developing within his completed body.

Joe eventually rose and prepared breakfast, only to discover that he had no appetite. His hunger had gradually diminished throughout Innate Transformation, but since entering the new realm, he had scarcely felt the need to eat. Despite consuming little food, his condition remained excellent.

The Greyspine inheritance had mentioned that Innate practitioners could survive for months without ordinary nourishment when their energy remained sufficient. Joe could now feel Innate Qi supporting the functions of his transformed tissues, substantially reducing their dependence on food. He ate a small portion of breakfast and stored the remainder before leaving the building.

Joe began his morning practice with Unbroken Step. His first movement carried him farther than intended, forcing him to correct his balance before completing the next transition. He repeated the sequence with less force, gradually adjusting to the strength his body now maintained without deliberate reinforcement.

His transformed nervous system responded almost immediately to each intention, making familiar movements unexpectedly sensitive to small adjustments. Joe continued until he could complete the sequence accurately, then collected his wooden spear and practiced Ninefold's fundamental forms. The increased force threatened to damage the shaft whenever he accelerated, so he concentrated on precision rather than power.

By the time he finished, Joe had regained reasonable control over his movements. Further adjustments would come through regular practice, but he wanted to examine his strength somewhere less confined than the courtyard.

He followed the western trail into the forest and reached a clearing containing several fallen trees. Joe approached a substantial trunk and lifted one end, gradually increasing his effort while observing his body's response. The timber rose with considerably less resistance than expected, even though he maintained only his ordinary Innate circulation.

He lowered the trunk and concentrated additional Innate Qi through his arms and supporting tissues. The increase in strength was immediate, forcing him to restrain his movements. He could feel the energy reinforcing his muscles and bones together, while the surrounding structures accommodated the additional force without difficulty.

Joe had measured his physical output repeatedly in Ashbourne, but the clearing offered no reliable means of determining his present strength. The temporary enhancement was nevertheless enormous, and maintaining it consumed his reserves considerably faster than ordinary exertion.

He withdrew the additional energy and turned toward another experiment.

During Acquired cultivation, Joe had learned to project force beyond his body, although the energy weakened considerably as the distance increased. He selected a nearby tree and released a narrow current of Innate Qi toward its trunk. The force struck precisely where he intended, leaving an indentation in the bark.

Joe repeated the experiment against progressively more distant targets, adjusting the amount of energy released during each attempt. The projections retained their concentration remarkably well, allowing him to direct force across much of the clearing without substantial dispersal.

Eventually, he selected a tree approximately eighty meters away. After estimating the distance through his measured steps, Joe released another current of Innate Qi. The energy reached the trunk and produced a clean impact.

The Greyspine inheritance described Innate Qi's effective projection range as approximately five times that of comparable Acquired techniques. Joe had previously confirmed sixteen meters in Ashbourne, although the testing room had prevented him from establishing his maximum distance. His present result demonstrated that he could deliver concentrated attacks far beyond the range he had tested before.

A fallen leaf near his feet suggested another application. Joe picked it up and directed Innate Qi through its surface, feeling the energy reinforce the fragile material. He released the leaf toward a section of fallen timber, guiding it through the wood before allowing the supporting energy to dissipate.

He retrieved the leaf from the grass beyond the target. It had returned to its ordinary condition, retaining none of the strength it possessed during the attack. Joe repeated the experiment with less energy and found that the second leaf penetrated only partway through the timber.

He practiced several more times, adjusting the reinforcement until he could control the force carried by the projectile. Ordinary materials could serve as weapons when supported by Innate Qi, considerably expanding his options in combat.

Joe returned to camp after recording the results. He had confirmed several capabilities described in the inheritance, but other changes remained unfamiliar.

One emerged during movement practice the following morning. While adjusting the distribution of Innate Qi through his lower body, he discovered that the pressure beneath his feet diminished. He increased the supporting circulation carefully until his heels lifted from the ground, followed by the rest of his feet.

Joe remained suspended a short distance above the soil for several breaths before descending. Through his internal perception, he could feel the energy maintaining his position and identify the adjustments necessary for balance. Subsequent attempts allowed him to remain airborne longer and move slightly, although the expenditure increased sharply whenever he attempted to accelerate.

He practiced until he could rise and descend without disturbing his stance. The ability offered possibilities for his movement techniques, but his limited reserves discouraged prolonged experimentation.

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During the following days, Joe also noticed changes that did not appear in the Greyspine inheritance. His thoughts remained unusually settled, allowing him to concentrate on demanding research without the restlessness that sometimes followed unsuccessful attempts. He could examine complicated relationships with greater patience, although his knowledge itself had not increased.

He became aware of another peculiarity while practicing calligraphy in the courtyard. Several birds approached the surrounding trees, and a small woodland animal searched for food near his table. They showed little concern for his presence, despite having generally avoided the courtyard during his earlier stay.

Joe continued writing and observed their behavior over subsequent mornings. The animals remained cautious when he moved abruptly or released substantial Innate Qi, but they approached more readily whenever he rested quietly.

His own condition offered a possible explanation. Innate Qi remained contained within his body without conscious suppression, while his breathing settled naturally during periods of concentration. He tested the containment during martial practice and found that deliberate energy releases produced noticeable disturbances, but his constitution returned to its quiet state as soon as he withdrew his control.

Joe could not determine how an experienced Innate practitioner would perceive him, but he no longer needed to maintain Breath Control merely to prevent his energy from escaping. Concealing his extraordinary strength would require greater attention than concealing his circulation.

He recorded the observations without attempting to classify his constitution. The inheritance provided no explanation for the animals' behavior or the unusual calm accompanying his breakthrough.

Once Joe had become accustomed to his new abilities, he turned toward advancing his cultivation.

The Greyspine inheritance divided Innate into three stages according to the amount of Innate Qi accumulated within the transformed body. The first third constituted Early Innate, the second Middle Innate, and the final portion Late Innate. Each stage gradually strengthened the practitioner's permanent physical foundation.

The inheritance recorded an initial improvement of approximately thirty percent upon entering Innate. Further accumulation incorporated increasing portions of the reinforcement previously supplied by Acquired Qi into the body's ordinary strength. At completion, the transformed body could maintain the full benefit of that former reinforcement without deliberate expenditure.

Increasing energy concentration also unlocked stronger temporary enhancements. Early Innate allowed a tenfold increase in physical output, while the resonance developed during Middle Innate raised that enhancement to fifteenfold. Late Innate strengthened the resonance further, allowing a twentyfold increase.

Joe's ninefold tempering had established an exceptional foundation for those improvements. However, the inheritance made another requirement equally clear: advancing through the realm depended upon filling the transformed body with Innate Qi.

He examined his panel.

Innate Qi — 0.04%

Joe studied the number. His completed Acquired reservoir had required extraordinary resources to develop, yet its conversion had contributed only a minute amount toward the new capacity.

He began cultivating according to the inheritance, directing his natural circulation toward generating additional Innate Qi. The method worked smoothly, and his understanding improved throughout the session. After several hours, he examined the panel again.

The percentage remained unchanged.

Joe continued the following morning, refining his circulation and reducing unnecessary expenditure. He could feel small amounts of energy accumulating, but the increase remained below the panel's displayed precision.

Over the next several days, he experimented with longer sessions and different circulation patterns. His talents rewarded the effort, allowing him to develop greater control and improve the efficiency of the method. However, the amount of Innate Qi produced remained disappointingly small.

Joe turned toward his medicines. The concentrated preparations that had supported his Acquired cultivation still helped maintain his condition, but their contribution to the new reservoir was negligible. He examined several combinations before concluding that the ingredients lacked sufficient energy density to support meaningful advancement.

After another week, he examined his panel.

Innate Qi — 0.04%

Joe remained seated, studying the result. He had devoted considerable effort to cultivation, improved his control, and consumed resources that would once have supported substantial progress. Yet the accumulated energy had not increased enough to change the displayed percentage.

His talents had never guaranteed advancement without the necessary conditions. During Acquired, he had encountered a similar shortage, but his pharmaceutical research had eventually provided sufficient nourishment. The resulting cultivation speed had been extraordinary.

Innate required vastly more energy.

Joe examined the amount gathered through his recent efforts. His body generated Innate Qi naturally, but ordinary circulation supplied little beyond what it needed to maintain his condition and replenish energy consumed during training. The surrounding environment offered insufficient nourishment to develop his enormous reservoir.

He continued cultivating for another three days, unwilling to abandon the possibility of improving the method. By the final evening, his circulation had become considerably more efficient, but the additional energy remained insignificant.

Joe closed his eyes and allowed the technique to end. For years, he had watched his efforts produce measurable improvement, often advancing through stages that would have demanded far longer from other practitioners. He had accepted the difficulties of Innate Transformation because every successful attempt brought him closer to completion.

Now he could cultivate correctly for days without seeing any meaningful advancement.

The realization left him deeply frustrated. His foundation was complete, his technique worked, and his talents continued improving his execution. None of those advantages could compensate for the lack of energy.

Joe remained seated until evening, considering the resources available to him. The medicines stored at the forestry station could support his present condition but offered little toward future cultivation. Obtaining larger quantities would consume considerable money without substantially changing the result.

He eventually turned his attention toward the six mid-grade spirit stones recovered from Greyspine.

They remained secured at Edwin's house in Ashbourne, where Joe had left them after confirming their grade. He had postponed experimenting with the stones because their concentrated spiritual energy was difficult to handle, and his earlier alchemical knowledge had been insufficient to justify risking such valuable resources.

His circumstances had changed. Joe now possessed true Innate Qi and a completed body capable of interacting with energy in ways unavailable during Acquired cultivation.

However, the spiritual energy contained within the stones remained distinct from martial energy. Absorbing it directly could produce consequences he did not understand, and nothing in the Greyspine inheritance established that such absorption was possible.

Joe retrieved his previous alchemical notes and reviewed the experiments involving damaged spiritual herbs. His earlier methods had relied on controlling heat, pressure, and other external conditions to break down spiritual structures while preserving whatever nourishment remained.

Those experiments had produced limited results because he could not directly influence the spiritual component. Most of the energy escaped during processing, leaving only a small residue that his mortal body might tolerate.

Innate Qi offered a possible means of improving the process. Joe could now examine whether the new energy allowed him to control the decomposition more precisely and preserve a greater portion of the released nourishment.

He began outlining experiments using damaged spiritual materials rather than the stones themselves. The initial work would establish how Innate Qi interacted with those substances and whether his transformed body could safely assimilate anything recovered from them.

Joe spent the evening organizing the required equipment, materials, and procedures. He had already developed considerable pharmaceutical and alchemical knowledge, but the new research would demand careful testing before he attempted to process the concentrated contents of a mid-grade spirit stone.

By the time he finished, Joe had established the direction of his next project. The six stones represented a potential source of the energy his cultivation desperately required, but converting that potential into Innate Qi remained an unsolved problem.

He packed his research records the following morning, secured the unused medicines, and inspected the forestry station before leaving. Further cultivation in the surrounding environment would accomplish little until he obtained a more concentrated source of nourishment.

Joe collected his spear and followed the western trail toward Blackwood. After visiting his family, he would return to Ashbourne and resume the alchemical research he had postponed for months.