Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Successive Breakthroughs

Tribulation Cultivators were known for their cruelty, earning the condemnation of all.

The Qiu Family, in the name of their alliance, righteously condemned the act and swore to avenge the Chen Family.

And just as expected, they executed a group of Tribulation Cultivators and used their heads to build an altar at the Chen family estate, holding a three-month-long memorial.

Afterward, they conveniently settled in at Purple Maple Bay, showing no signs of leaving.

The Xu Family had already gathered their forces to occupy the territory, but this incident occurred before they could act.

Moreover, rumors spread throughout the outer world, claiming the Xu Family had annihilated the Chen Family, not even sparing the old and the weak.

The Xu Family’s upper echelons couldn’t help but gnash their teeth and curse the Qiu Family.

It was most likely the Qiu Family deliberately guiding public opinion to slander them. After all, the two clans had long been in conflict. They would claim the Xu Family had disguised themselves as Tribulation Cultivators, while the Qiu Family was simply enforcing justice.

After some deduction, the Xu Family concluded that this group of Tribulation Cultivators was very likely the Qiu Family in disguise—a thief crying "thief!"—using the pretext of revenge to usurp the Chen Family’s territory.

Allies one day, enemies the next. This was the cruel reality of cultivation.

In fact, this was precisely the case.

The reason the Qiu Family had been moved by the Chen Family was because the Chen Family had promised to give them seventy percent of the valley’s Spiritual Land.

But when the Qiu Family had rushed out to help, they ran into the Liu Family—a clan with two Foundation Establishment cultivators. After a brief standoff, the Qiu Family simply turned and left.

They only ever fought battles they were sure to win, steamrolling weaker opponents. Faced with a family with a deeper foundation than their own, they didn’t even entertain the thought of making a move.

They immediately abandoned their promise and watched as the Chen Family fell to ruin.

But within the Qiu Family, there was extreme displeasure. All their preparations and efforts had yielded nothing.

So they set their sights on Purple Maple Bay and orchestrated this whole affair.

...

The overall situation was settled. Despite a few surprises, it didn’t stop the Xu Family from being filled with the joy of victory.

Although they had fought the hard battle entirely on their own, in the end, they had to give up half the profits for nothing.

The feeling was terrible, but they could only grit their teeth and accept it.

A Qi Cultivation Clan, in the end, just didn’t have a deep enough foundation.

Next came the major development phase for the valley. But according to the Upper Sect’s rules, the Xu Family still had to send out Cultivators to continue their pioneering and exploration.

However, the Xu Family’s focus remained on the valley, and their exploration efforts adopted a more cautious approach.

Lin Changheng couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. The tense, stormy atmosphere had finally calmed.

Just then, he felt a sudden impulse and hurried back to his room. He activated the [Spirit Gathering Array], and wisps of Spiritual Qi gathered in the center of the array, forming a smoke-like mist.

He then sat down cross-legged. He could feel the opportunity for a breakthrough!

At the same time, he clutched two Spirit Stones in his hands.

He immediately activated the *Night Illuminating Fire*, which had already advanced from the Skilled Realm to [Mastery]. The dense Spiritual Qi in the array was drawn into his meridians like a whale inhaling water.

Then, under the guidance of this incomplete Upper Grade Technique, his Spiritual Power surged like a mighty river, circulating through his body and being refined wisp by wisp.

This continued until the sun began to set.

Lin Changheng squeezed his hands. The Spirit Stones shattered, their Spiritual Power rapidly extracted and transformed into two streams of light that bored into his body.

Suddenly, a crisp "CRACK" sounded from within him, as if some shackle had been broken.

The Spiritual Qi in the Spirit Gathering Array also boiled violently, forming a small vortex that enveloped him.

Lin Changheng felt his mind become crystal clear. The Magical Power stored in his Dantian surged, and his five senses became exceptionally sharp; he could even clearly perceive the trajectory of a single leaf falling outside his house.

"I did it!"

Fifth Layer of Qi Cultivation!

Lin Changheng was overjoyed but still continued to absorb the energy from the Spirit Stones in his hands until they were completely drained before slowly retracting his power and standing up.

’I’m thirty-six, almost thirty-seven, and I’ve only just broken through to the Fifth Layer of Qi Cultivation.’

’Overall, my progress is far too slow. But in terms of the speed of breaking through a single realm, it’s not considered slow at all.’

’It’s just that the first thirty years of my life were wasted due to various reasons like poor comprehension, my Spirit Root, and the loss of my Essence Blood.’

’But it’s not too late now!’

Although he wouldn’t be able to break through to the Late Stage Qi Cultivation by the optimal age of forty, Lin Changheng wasn’t panicking.

For one, panicking was useless.

For another, once he mastered the [Longevity Talent] of a certain Turtle-shaped Demon Beast, his lifespan would increase to some extent...

’Extending one’s life, in a sense, also represents a reversal of age.’

’Is middle age at one hundred years old the same as middle age at two hundred?’

’Theoretically, yes, but this still needs to be verified in practice.’

Lin Changheng had always been a very steady person.

...

In truth, the reason *Night Illuminating Fire* was able to break past the long-stuck Skilled Realm and enter the Mastery Realm was thanks to the comprehension boost from the [Origin Treasure Seed·Second Layer].

About three months ago, Lin Changheng’s long-awaited [Origin Treasure Seed] had finally succeeded in Spirit Stealing again.

[Origin Treasure Seed·Second Layer]

[Spirit Stealing: 6/100]

It had also accumulated six new progress points.

Its Utility had transformed as a result.

[Refined: Enhanced Enlightenment Celestial Gift: Spiritual Light]

[Utility: Occasionally enter a state of epiphany, granting insight into Basic Magical Techniques.]

He didn’t even need to test it; the effects were already apparent.

The difficult hurdles in *Night Illuminating Fire* that had been blocking him from reaching [Mastery] were all overcome with ease as he simply thought through the original technique from the beginning, sorting out the concepts. It was a marvelous feeling of understanding without needing to be taught.

’Indeed, the gap in comprehension between people is greater than the gap between a person and a Tamed Beast.’

’No wonder some can study until their hair turns white and still not grasp the basics, while others have a flash of insight and achieve mastery.’

He sighed with emotion.

As he removed the Jade Scroll from his forehead, the withered leaves of the old tree in the courtyard rustled in the night wind, sounding like a clear melody played to celebrate his ascent.

Not only that, but during another attempt at refining the Middle Grade Elixir, the [Water Ganoderma Pill], Lin Changheng suddenly entered a wondrous state. He only came to his senses when a strange fragrance wafted from the furnace...

The pill he had struggled with for so long was now complete.

’Could this be the "epiphany" mentioned in the Utility description?’

Lin Changheng quickly understood.

He immediately focused his mind, trying to capture the feeling and state he had just experienced, committing it to memory. Then he began to analyze, understand, and attempt to reproduce it.

「Five days later.」

He successfully refined the pill again.

This meant that Lin Changheng had completely mastered the refining method for the [Water Ganoderma Pill], stepping into the realm of a Tier One Middle Grade Alchemist.

’A shame I wasted over twenty sets of medicinal materials for refining the [Water Ganoderma Pill]...’

The most crucial part was that the Pill Formula for this [Water Ganoderma Pill] did not involve any Demon Beast Essence Blood, which put him in this situation.

’Otherwise, I could have added a new type of Treasure Seed.’

Moreover, the *Taihe Pill Scroll Secret Manual* only recorded this single Pill Formula.

"Looks like I really have to make a trip outside."

Lin Changheng sighed.

He really didn’t want to go out, but he had to. His Middle Grade Alchemy skills needed to be utilized, but he also had to avoid exposing them.

On top of that, he needed to sell the Elixirs he had accumulated, acquire new Middle Grade Pill Formulas, and find new Demon Beast Essence Blood...

All in all, there was much to be done.

Fortunately, his Cultivation had now reached the Fifth Layer. He had many Masterpiece Talismans and a Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact for defense. For offense, he had his Fire Bomb Skill, enhanced by the [Fire Control Technique - Transformation], and two Lower Grade Attack Spiritual Artifacts. And for escape, he had the [Earth Escape Technique: Peeping Path].

The Outer World had also stabilized somewhat; there were no longer powerful enemies like the Chen Family lurking about.

He could try following one of the Xu Family’s merchant caravans.

The risk was manageable.