Harry Potter and the Cataclysm

Carnie gazed at the moon, lost in thought. Where did moonlight come from? The moon itself wasn't a star; it couldn't emit light. It merely reflected sunlight that struck its surface.

Sunlight was warm, filled with energy, and contained ultraviolet rays. But what about moonlight? People often described it as cold—could moonlight truly be cool to the touch?

The moon could trigger a werewolf's transformation, which suggested that it carried some form of energy. Legends spoke of cultivators and mystical beings absorbing the essence of the sun and moon—perhaps this meant that both solar and lunar energy were tangible and absorbable forces.

With a new theory forming in his mind, Carnie shifted his position, moving out of the moonlight's reach.

"Huh? It's not as cold anymore." He sat for another ten minutes, and sure enough, he could feel the difference.

The sun and the moon were celestial bodies, their only perceivable forces being light and temperature. The sun's heat was obvious, but if the moon influenced the transformation of werewolves, then its energy might also be present in its light.

Carnie shifted back into the moonlight, allowing the cool glow to bathe his skin once more. He let his body relax, releasing the tension he had unknowingly built up while concentrating.

Human physiology was a simple truth—when exposed to heat, pores opened, releasing sweat to regulate body temperature. Conversely, cold caused pores to contract in an attempt to retain warmth.

As he relaxed, he could feel the cool air seeping into his pores. His breathing steadied, drawing in the crisp night air, which sent a slight chill through his lungs. It stimulated his nerves, and his entire body gradually relaxed.

He could sense the cold air that entered his body beginning to converge, slowly circulating. Unlike what Harry had described, it wasn't a rush of energy sweeping through his entire body in an instant.

The sensation was incredibly soothing, as if all his muscles were unwinding. Over time, the initial coldness of the air dissipated within him, leaving only a refreshing clarity.

He had no idea how long had passed, but he eventually noticed that the influx of cold energy had dwindled significantly. When he opened his eyes, the moon was no longer as bright and full—dawn was approaching.

Despite being awake all night, he felt no exhaustion. Instead, he was brimming with energy.

No wonder cultivators in stories loved to go into seclusion for long periods of time—this was exhilarating!

However, despite absorbing moonlight for an entire night, the energy he gathered was still minimal. Most of it seemed to disappear into his body, leaving behind only a faint wisp that slowly circulated through his system. As the moon set, the presence of this energy became even clearer.

By the time the moon was nearly gone, only a small thread of energy remained, barely perceptible but undeniably present, flowing through his body like a hidden current.

Carnie decided to remain seated. There was an old saying about "Purple Qi from the East," which suggested that dawn carried unique energy. If there was any truth to it, he wasn't about to waste the opportunity.

The Gryffindor dormitory had an excellent orientation—facing south, allowing a perfect view of both the rising and setting celestial bodies.

Carnie relaxed completely, keeping his body open to the environment as he waited for the sun to rise.

Before long, a golden light peeked over the horizon, signaling the arrival of a new day.

The gentle morning light washed over him, carrying neither harsh glare nor searing heat. He felt a faint energy surrounding him, lightly swirling. Strangely, despite the shifting air, his hair remained completely still.

Since this practice resembled cultivation techniques from stories, he decided to temporarily call this energy "spiritual energy."

Carnie kept his eyes locked on the rising sun, vaguely noticing a hint of purple within its glow. Was this the legendary "Purple Qi"?

The entire sun eventually emerged, yet he continued to stare, mesmerized. The blinding brightness had diminished, revealing a steady, fiery sphere. Occasionally, he could see its surface roiling, like a ball of molten energy.

Back in his previous life, he had occasionally stared at the sun during school. During afternoon classes, the sunlight would shine directly onto his desk. Bored with the lesson, he had attempted to train himself to endure the brightness, gradually getting used to it.

At first, it was unbearably intense—just a blinding mass of golden light that made him squint. But over time, as his eyes adjusted, he could make out the sun as a red sphere, shedding its blinding corona. If he stared long enough, he would sometimes see afterimages—dark silhouettes of the sun that lingered in his vision.

At the time, he had entertained the childish fantasy of developing heat vision or some other superpower. In reality, the only effect was temporary blindness, making everything appear dark with faint traces of purple. It was an amusing but useless experiment.

Now, however, he wasn't expecting superpowers—he was simply observing his body's reaction to the process.

To his surprise, he felt a significant difference.

The energy within him had noticeably increased—not by much, but still about one and a half times what it had been before.

Perhaps there was merit to the idea of absorbing morning energy.

Carnie finally stood up, concluding his meditation. Strangely, despite sitting in the same position all night, his legs didn't feel stiff or numb.

Ah, so this was why cultivators in stories could meditate for days and still move as if nothing had happened.

If he had been sitting cross-legged in the past, his legs would have gone completely numb within half an hour.

Carnie couldn't help but grin. The night had been incredibly productive. He stretched lazily—only to be met with an unpleasant stench.

Wait… Was that… him?

He moved around a little, doing a few push-ups to test his body. Strangely, he felt lighter, stronger—more energetic.

Was this the effect of absorbing spiritual energy? No… he hadn't yet reached a point where that tiny wisp of energy could enhance his body.

Instead, it must have been the other energy—the invisible, ambient energy he had unknowingly absorbed throughout the night.

It seemed to have subtly merged into his body, improving his physical condition.

Now that he thought about it, maybe this was why cultivators in stories always looked slim and strong, despite barely eating or training.

First came the strengthening of the body. Then came the refinement of energy. Beyond that? He had no idea yet.

But for now, he did know one thing—his body was changing.

Though, at the moment, the most obvious change was the stench.

Even though he hadn't sweat at all during the night, his body smelled… off. Like something had been expelled from within.

This had to be some sort of purification process, right? If the process continued, would he eventually stop producing body odor altogether?

That would be nice.

Carnie smirked, feeling incredibly pleased with himself. With newfound excitement, he grabbed his toiletries and headed for the showers.

After all, if he was going to become a legendary cultivator-wizard hybrid, he should at least smell decent while doing it.