The speck of his first world floated in the void like a fragile bubble. Gu An observed it silently, sensing the chaotic currents of energy swirling within. Each particle, each speck of dust, pulsed with potential — not yet life, not yet stars, only raw possibility.
He reached out with his awareness. Slowly, the chaotic currents began to respond, bending to his perception. He did not force them; he felt them, letting the energy tell him its nature.
A small flash of warmth blossomed within the speck — the faintest hint of a star forming. His body, mind, and soul tingled. Though it was tiny, it radiated pure energy, far more than anything he had felt before.
The First Trial — Balance and Observation
Gu An knew instinctively that he could not simply force creation. If he interfered too violently, the speck could collapse. Observation before action. Balance before creation.
He focused his mind. Every particle, every micro-current of energy, every dust fragment had its place. He let the speck teach him.
"Feel the energy. Let it speak," he whispered in his consciousness.
The speck answered. Tiny currents of force shifted and merged. Streams of energy spiraled together. A small, glowing orb emerged — a proto-star.
Gu An's pulse quickened. His first act of creation was not yet perfect, but the star did not collapse. The chaos inside the seed began to harmonize. He had passed his first trial: to feel the star, not dominate it.
A Universe in Miniature
The speck was no longer just dust and energy. It was a tiny solar system. One proto-star orbited the center; fragments of dust formed embryonic planets. Some shone with light, others swirled in shadow.
Gu An reached further into the speck, sensing patterns he did not yet understand. He realized that every star, every orbit, every planetary fragment had its own rhythm.
If one fell out of balance, the entire system could collapse.
The thought tightened his focus. He began to learn the first lesson of cosmic cultivation:
Stars are born not through willpower alone, but through perception, patience, and harmony.
The First Success — Inner Reflection
After countless cycles of observation — moments, centuries, or perhaps something beyond time — Gu An sat within the void, breathing energy into himself as he observed the tiny solar system he had nurtured.
The proto-star shone steadily now, radiating warmth into its embryonic planets. Dust and energy flowed in harmony. The first small spark of creation had survived because he understood it, not because he forced it.
Gu An smiled inwardly. This was only the beginning.
There were galaxies to form, civilizations to nurture, universes to stabilize — and one day, perhaps, the secrets of origin and nothingness itself.
But first… he had to master the stars.