Beginning of Cultivation
Chapter 43: Ascend to the Sky

Chapter 43: Ascend to the Sky

The seven of them were now wandering the streets, obviously wearing masks, but Jun Wu Xiao had switched to a less conspicuous one. The mask that Chu Wu initially gave him also served to intimidate others, so there was no need to wear it out on the streets.

While walking, Jun Wu Xiao noticed something unusual in the sky and asked:

"Hey, what is that round thing up there? I don’t think it’s natural, it must be human-made."

Chu Wu also looked up and immediately recognized it as a hot air balloon. However, this was an opportunity for him to show off his knowledge. He said:

"It’s not your fault; secluded cultivation leads to a severe lack of knowledge. But I do appreciate an eager-to-learn person, so listen carefully."

"Huh, just spit it out. Stop being pretentious. If you won’t tell, I will find a way to bring it down and check it myself." Jun Wu Xiao retorted with a snort.

It wasn’t that he could jump up to the balloon, but he figured if humans could make it fly, there must be a way to bring it down, so he just needed to wait for it to land to examine it.

"Ah, that sphere in the sky is a pocket of hot air or gases. It uses hot air and is called a hot air balloon. It usually has a lower density than the surrounding air and thanks to its buoyant force can rise high in the atmosphere." Chu Wu said

Jun Wu Xiao, confused by the explanation and unfamiliar with terms like ’hot air’ and ’buoyant force,’ he asked:

"Hold on, what exactly is hot air? And what is this buoyant force you’re talking about?"

The other five in the group shared his confusion. Although three of them lived with Chu Wu, they too had been cultivated in seclusion. Chu Wu, on the other hand, occasionally went to the royal court to manage affairs and thus had more updated information.

Chu Wu wasn’t surprised by their questions. Firstly, his starting point was more remote compared to them, so naturally, their education was not as extensive. Secondly, they had long stopped their formal education to focus on their cultivation, so they naturally lacked new knowledge.

"Hot air used in hot air balloons is created by burning a fuel source, typically propane, in a burner located beneath the balloon’s envelope or basket. The burner heats the air inside the envelope, causing it to become less dense than the surrounding air. This temperature differential creates buoyancy, generating lift and allowing the balloon to ascend.

Buoyant force refers to a fundamental principle in moving objects through air or water. When an object moves through a fluid, it generates a buoyant force in the opposite direction of its movement. For a hot air balloon, the buoyant force generates lift as it moves through the air. When the weight of the balloon is overcome by this lifting force, it begins to ascend.

The mechanism of a hot air balloon is based on the difference in density between the hot air inside the balloon and the surrounding air. Hot air being lighter than air, when filled into the balloon’s envelope, creates an upward buoyant force due to the pressure difference inside and outside the balloon envelope. When this lift exceeds the weight of the balloon along with the payload of passengers and other equipment, the balloon begins to ascend and travel through the air." Chu Wu explained.

Despite hearing a barrage of strange terms, the group of six quickly grasped the operating principle of the hot air balloon. This was not unusual as, after many breakthroughs, their brains now functioned more like computers than human minds.

"You must have understood by now. Such minor issues surely can’t trouble you." Chu Wu said.

"Indeed, it’s not that hard to understand. It seems there are many interesting toys in the world that I have yet to discover. By the way, can I go up in the hot air balloon?" Jun Wu Xiao inquired.

Hearing this, Chu Wu also expressed his interest. He had seen it but had never tried it. He said:

"Sure, although I’m not sure if they allow passengers, I do have some influence, so they might let us try."

Then, they ran in the direction of the moving hot air balloon, believing since there were people aboard, carrying passengers was not an impossibility. Moreover, even in case of an accident, they were robust enough to likely survive.

After a long chase, the hot air balloon finally landed. The group immediately sped up to reach the landing spot.

On the hot air balloon, a few people were jotting down something, likely researchers.

Seeing a group of strangers approaching, they were initially surprised, but recognizing Chu Wu, they were even more astonished.

At this time in the capital, Chu Wu could be described as "a man everyone knows." One of the researchers said:

"May I know why you are here?"

"Apologies for the intrusion, but I actually have a favor to ask. My friends and I have never flown in a hot air balloon and are quite curious about it. Would it be possible for us to join you?" Chu Wu asked straightforwardly.

Hearing this, the researchers were quite surprised, but such a request wasn’t too difficult to accommodate. One of them said:

"This is simple. Once we’ve refueled, you can join us. But refueling does take some time."

"Ha ha, thank you all. Don’t worry about the wait, we can wait even until tomorrow. By the way, if there’s anything you need help with in the future, feel free to come to me." Chu Wu said with a laugh.

The researchers were quite taken aback by Chu Wu’s remark. Although they hadn’t planned to ask for any favors, they appreciated the goodwill and responded:

"Then, if we need assistance in the future, we will surely seek your help."

After a few hours, the hot air balloon was finally refueled and ready to depart. Jun Wu Xiao and his group approached the air balloon and asked:

"Do we just climb on like this, or is there something else we need to do?"

"Oh, just climb on." a researcher replied.

Following that, their flight began, and the hot air balloon slowly lifted off the ground. Jun Wu Xiao and the others found the sensation quite intriguing, likely because it was their first time experiencing it.

"This is really strange, I never imagined that humans could fly in the sky." Jun Wu Xiao marveled.

Indeed, since he began his cultivation, the world had changed a lot, yet he had changed little. The life of a cultivator was repetitive, accumulating power only to use it at specific moments.

"Ha ha, who says humans can’t fly? Humans are not like other animals on Earth who live purely by instinct, we are different. Humans possess creativity and madness for invention, and it is these insane ideas that allow us to exceed ordinary limits and establish a dominant civilization unmatched by any other species." a researcher explained with a proud laugh.

Proud to be a human, a researcher, and also one of those unconventional people who seek to transcend conventional boundaries to improve human life.

Listening to this, the seven of them began to reflect on the life of a human. Human life is brief but truly spectacular.

Humans might be selfish in their own way, but is it really selfishness? After decades or a century, humans will die, and their efforts and achievements will not be for their own use but will be passed on to future generations.

This is well known. They all know that everything they possess will eventually not belong to them but to humanity in future generations, yet why do they still strive? In their hearts, even if they didn’t realize it, there is humanity. Living for humanity, how can that be called selfish? It is this unceasing succession that allows humans to evolve as they have today.

In some cases, selfish behavior may reflect a natural reaction or consequence of survival mechanisms. In nature, survival can be extremely challenging, so these self-preservation mechanisms are ingrained in the consciousness of beings. But humans inherently break the norms to develop, and though this mechanism cannot be eliminated in the short term, it is not impossible in the distant future.

Jun Wu Xiao looked down at the sprawling capital, with its numerous well-organized buildings. He then gazed at a distant range of majestic mountains, nature’s own masterpiece. He thought:

"Nature has its own beauty, and humanity has its own. The two cannot be divided between high and low. Haiz, the life of humanity seems quite great, but unfortunately, that’s not the path that belongs to me."