"..."

Inside the hall, Wang Xi and Shen Huai were uncharacteristically silent.

After an unknown period, Shen Huai finally spoke.

"The Pill’s shape is round and full."

Shen Huai murmured softly, "The Spiritual Qi is balanced and abundant, close to the standard of a High-Grade Pill."

"Whose work is this Inner Sect Disciple’s?"

"Within the Cave Abyss Sect, there’s an Inner Sect Disciple who can refine High Grade Medicinal Pills?"

Both of them, without prior discussion, ruled out the possibility of an Outer Sect Disciple.

Even so, Wang Xi was still somewhat incredulous.

He had Cultivated the Dao of Alchemy for several years, and even possessed secret treasures that could assist in Alchemy. He was very clear on how difficult it was to refine a High Grade Medicinal Pill with standard Materials and a standard Pill Furnace in just half a day, without any prior preparation.

The biggest problem was... while Qi Nourishing Pill was simple and easy to learn, no one would bother to study such a virtually worthless Medicinal Pill.

That meant that if this Disciple, who could casually refine a Qi Nourishing Pill close to High Grade, specialized in a particular Medicinal Pill, he would likely be able to refine a truly High Grade Medicinal Pill.

"..."

"Whose is this?" Wang Xi suddenly started searching through the pile of rubbish on the ground.

Disciple’s tag

Shen Huai reacted, and she also helped search.

Medicinal Pills submitted were usually contained in a small box, which also held a Medicinal Pill tag written by the Disciple, recording information.

"This one."

Shen Huai held it in her hand, looking at the Medicinal Pill tag, and the two exchanged glances.

As if by a ghost’s prompting, Shen Huai suddenly asked, "Has anyone been chosen for that person in the Cave Abyss Sect who is about to die?"

"..."

Wang Xi looked at the Medicinal Pill in his hand, his eyes flickering. He took a deep breath and said thoughtfully, "It will be him."

[Outer Sect Disciple, 039.]

[Song Yan, Song Yesheng.]

...

On the Outer Sect Disciple peak, Song Yan was currently seated cross-legged in the center of his Immortal Cave, his expression solemn.

Today, he was going to begin his Breakthrough.

He had remained at Qi Refining Fourth Realm for quite some time now. In another half year, he would have to participate in the Sect’s external missions. His current strength was low, and if he encountered danger, he might not even be able to protect himself.

This Immortal Sect doesn’t support idlers either.

On the stone bed, Song Yan finished adjusting his breathing and took out a bottle of Qi Nourishing Pill, a Small Spirit Gathering Array Formation Plate, and a small pile of Spirit Stones, about ten or so, from his Storage Pouch.

This was almost his entire fortune.

With a movement of Spiritual Qi, five Formation Beads flew out of the Storage Pouch and landed in the five corners of this simple Immortal Cave.

At this moment, the patterns on the Formation Plate had already lit up. He took out two Spirit Stones and placed them on the Formation Plate.

The five Formation Beads instantly hovered in the air.

The Formation activated.

Whoosh.

Inside the Immortal Cave, in the air imperceptible to the naked eye, wisps of dense Spiritual Qi surged from all directions.

Song Yan’s eyes lit up, and he quickly closed his eyes to meditate, slowly circulating the Qi Condensation Chapter.

This "Qi Condensation Chapter" was a fragmented portion of the Qi Condensation part of a Cultivation Technique called "Little Mystical Qi Scripture."

Its original scripture was widely circulated in the Cultivation World. Compared to other Elementary Cultivation Technique Dao Arts, its biggest characteristic was its neutrality and peacefulness, and the Spiritual Qi and Dao Essence Cultivated from it were extremely gentle.

Even if one were to switch to Five Elements Cultivation Techniques or other types of Cultivation Techniques in the future, the condensation and conversion would be quite convenient, making it the most suitable Cultivation Technique for Cultivators with ordinary or poor Aptitude to get started.

However, it also had a very obvious drawback, which was that the Qi Condensation Chapter Cultivated primordial Qi, so the Cultivation speed was naturally slow.

Spiritual Qi was like thin mist, and Song Yan’s body was like a small vortex.

The Spiritual Qi within the Immortal Cave began to be absorbed into his body at a steady rate, though it appeared relatively slow.

But Song Yan didn’t think so. In the past, without the Small Spirit Gathering Array, even holding Spirit Stones, his Cultivation speed was less than three or four tenths of what it was now.

Formations are truly good things.

He didn’t waste this excellent opportunity and quickly consumed a Qi Nourishing Pill.

Upon entering his mouth, the Medicinal Pill immediately transformed into a pure Spiritual Qi, flowing into his Dantian in his abdomen and spreading to his limbs and bones.

The Medicinal Pill’s effect of the Qi Nourishing Pill was extremely gentle. At this moment, he only felt his Meridians expanding and his whole body warming up.

The Medicinal Pill’s Spiritual Qi, carrying the absorbed Spiritual Qi, surged within his body. As Song Yan circulated it according to the guidance of the Qi Condensation Chapter, it was gradually and completely refined, eventually merging into his Qi Sea Dantian.

As the Medicinal Pill’s power dissipated, without hesitation, the second Qi Nourishing Pill entered his abdomen.

Qi Nourishing Pills were usually used by Cultivators who were just introducing Qi into their bodies, or those at Qi Refining First or Second Realm, to assist their Cultivation. By Qi Refining Third Realm, their effect was already relatively small, not to mention that Song Yan was consuming them now while attempting to Breakthrough to the Fifth Realm.

There was no other way; he was too poor, and other Medicinal Pills were simply unaffordable.

Fortunately, this batch of Medicinal Pills was refined by Song Yan recently, and their Spiritual Qi was very abundant, barely enough for his needs.

At this moment, the third Medicinal Pill entered his abdomen.

He had accumulated in the Qi Refining Fourth Realm for a long time, and the Spiritual Qi in his Qi Sea was already abundant. Under this Cultivation, the feeling of approaching the limit became increasingly clear.

Until a certain moment, as if a certain shackle or restraint had been broken, the Spiritual Qi, which had been stagnant in his Dantian Qi Sea, suddenly began to flow again, as if living water had been introduced.

Qi Refining Fifth Realm, a natural progression.

"Hoo."

Song Yan exhaled a turbid breath, his entire body covered in sweat. He wasn’t sure if it was from the mist rising during the Breakthrough or from the cleansing of his body after the Breakthrough.

Although he had already broken through, the Small Spirit Gathering Array couldn’t be wasted.

Song Yan continued to Cultivate for several days by utilizing the Formation’s operation before finally emerging from seclusion.

"Breaking through to Qi Refining Fifth Realm, my entire fortune is completely drained."

He smiled bitterly, facing scattered Medicinal Pill porcelain bottles and a ground covered with shattered, discolored Spirit Stones.

Cultivating Immortality, Cultivating Immortality without resources, what talk of eternal life and the Grand Dao?

"Water Screen Art."

Song Yan formed a hand seal, and Spiritual Qi rapidly gathered in the air, forming a water screen. Song Yan stepped through it, and the filth and dust on his body were left behind by the water screen.

"It’s convenient, but not as comfortable as a real bath."

He looked down and saw that the Formation Plate of the Small Spirit Gathering Array was already covered in cracks, and the Formation Stones were a dull grey.

This single use of the Formation Plate, which he had picked up from the Fire Worker Village’s rubbish heap, allowed Song Yan to clearly see the power of Formations.

It’s a pity that most Cultivators simply don’t have that much mental energy to delve into the four paths, and his Aptitude was mediocre, even more so.

Even if he had the mental energy to study it, he would need a sufficiently high Realm to support his Divine Sense.

"Divine Sense."

He suddenly had an epiphany and took out the strange stone bead from his Storage Pouch. However, Song Yan discovered that it had changed from pure white to a deep black.

"Hmm?"

Song Yan frowned and entered his Divine Sense into it.

There was no longer the process of a Divine Thought abyss; this time, he appeared directly in front of the black stone tablet.

The ancient characters on the tablet still glowed with white light.

Above his head, ink-like black clouds had already begun to gather, gradually forming the shape of a giant tablet.

"So fast."

Song Yan’s eyes narrowed, and he immediately began to release his Divine Sense. When the giant tablet crashed down, he easily shattered it.

From this, it seemed that his Divine Sense had indeed changed, and with prior mental preparation, he could now observe his surroundings in the interval between the two giant tablets falling.

The Senior who crafted this stone bead, if it was only for the Legacy of this nameless oral incantation, seemed to have taken an unnecessary step.

Combining the falling stone tablets, Song Yan speculated that this bead was likely made to test Divine Sense strength, meaning the number of giant tablets that could be shattered by Divine Sense would measure Divine Sense strength.

Very clever.

But if he had a bad memory and forgot the number, where should he see his "score"?

He released his Divine Sense and shattered the second falling giant tablet.

Looking around, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye. He saw a row of circular ink dots at the bottom of the monument that recorded the nameless oral incantation.

Previously, he had thought they were just decorations and hadn’t paid much attention.

"What is this?"

A quick glance revealed a total of seventeen circles. At this moment, two of them were filled and glowing with white light.

The third stone tablet fell, and Song Yan once again transformed his Divine Sense into a blade, shattering the tablet into ink.

At that very moment, the third circle lit up accordingly.

...

[Should I do a 50 Chapters mass release at the end of the week?]