Chapter 8: Breaking Through Six Levels in Succession

Outside the Pill Peak.

Facing the breeze, Lin Feng praised, “Senior Brother Nie Yu is so young, yet he’s already a fifth-grade alchemist. He’s a fine person too. We must come visit more often in the future.”

Qingxi nodded in agreement, feeling quite content. Today’s brief visit to the Pill Peak had yielded three Qi Condensing Pills and a fair amount of elemental essence—a stroke of fortune indeed.

It must be known that the Qi Refining Realm has thirty-three levels, and with each breakthrough, one’s internal vital energy increases by a quarter. A single first-grade Qi Condensing Pill contains spiritual power equivalent to all the vital energy of one level. Therefore, with three such pills, Qingxi could raise his cultivation to the seventh level of Qi Refining.

Tu Yongsheng had once said that as a registered disciple, one could only receive a single first-grade Qi Condensing Pill per month. Nie Yu had gifted three at once—truly a generous gift for Qingxi at his current stage. Without these pills and relying solely on the slow absorption of energy through his inferior spiritual root, reaching the seventh level of Qi Refining would require at least a month of sleepless cultivation.

Glancing around, Qingxi quickly discerned what Nie Yu had given Lin Feng—five second-grade Vitality Pills, which could enhance one’s life force, hasten cultivation, and consolidate one’s foundation. In terms of value, they surpassed Qi Condensing Pills of the same grade.

However, the most crucial gain today was increasing the total amount of fire elemental essence to a hundred strands, finally meeting the standard.

“Next, let’s go visit the Divine Arms Pavilion,” Lin Feng suggested, pulling Qingxi toward another main peak.

This was the Forging Peak, one of the nine great main peaks, home to the Divine Arms Pavilion, renowned for crafting weapons.

Here, Qingxi saw many weapon forgers. A disciple in charge of reception led them into the grand exhibition hall, offered a few words of instruction, and hurried off.

Weapons of all kinds were displayed on racks along both sides of the hall. As Qingxi brushed his hand over a massive axe, a celestial chime sounded in his mind.

“Ding! Gained a strand of metal essence.”

“Ding! Gained a strand of metal essence.”

...

Since the spiritual energy within each weapon was limited, Qingxi, to avoid causing damage, only converted a fifth of the energy from each weapon. Fortunately, there were plenty of weapons here, and before long, he had obtained dozens of strands of metal essence. Combined with his previous stores, he finally raised the total to a hundred strands.

“Now the metal, water, and fire elements have all reached a hundred strands. Only wood and earth remain,” Qingxi thought, the corners of his lips lifting as he sensed the cluster of metal essence in his system’s storage.

Soon after, the two watched a forger at work, crafting a divine weapon—a spectacle that greatly broadened their horizons. Before they left the pavilion, the forger smiled kindly and presented Lin Feng with a sword sharp enough to slice through iron as if it were mud.

With a sweeping glance, Qingxi immediately gleaned useful information:

[Type: Coldlight Sword]
[Grade: Superior]
[Note: The Coldlight Sword, forged by a master craftsman, contains three mature formation patterns. It is rich in spiritual energy and slices iron like mud. Within the Lingyuan Sect, only those above the thirtieth level of Qi Refining are qualified to wield it.]

“Tsk tsk, a superior-grade Coldlight Sword right off the bat. Such is the privilege of being a disciple of the sect leader,” Qingxi thought, gazing at the sword in Lin Feng’s hand, envious but not jealous. Lin Feng possessed a spiritual-grade root and received special cultivation; such treatment was only natural. With it, he could quickly grow to reach the Innate Realm and become a pillar of the Lingyuan Sect.

“This must be Lin Feng’s friend. You have quite the presence. Here, take this inferior-grade Coldlight Sword for your protection,” the forger said, handing Qingxi a sword whose sheen was slightly dimmer.

Delighted, Qingxi thanked him profusely and accepted the sword. Though inferior in grade, in the Lingyuan Sect, any graded weapon required sufficient contribution points to exchange, and only those who reached the tenth level of Qi Refining could accept tasks to earn such points. For Qingxi at present, this sword was already a fine treasure. Were it not for Lin Feng, he would never have received such a gift as a mere registered disciple.

“Heh, thank you, Master Li. I’ll be sure to speak well of you before the sect leader,” Lin Feng grinned.

Master Li stroked his long beard and laughed heartily. “Then I thank you, Junior Lin Feng!”

...

Outside the Divine Arms Pavilion.

Lin Feng suddenly wore a troubled expression. “I should head back now. My master is very strict—this time, I fear I won’t be let out for a whole month.”

Qingxi understood immediately. It seemed the sect leader required Lin Feng to seclude himself for a month, or even longer, for intensive cultivation.

“Very well, let’s meet again in a month.”

At the fork in the road, they waved and parted ways.

On his way back to his lodgings, Qingxi mused, “I’m curious to see what level Lin Feng will reach in a month.”

The system’s little assistant replied considerately, “With a spiritual-grade root and focused training, after a month of hard cultivation, Lin Feng will reach at least the thirteenth level of Qi Refining.”

“Above the thirteenth level?” Qingxi was inwardly astonished. “It seems I must redouble my efforts!”

By the time he returned to his room, dusk had fallen. Without hesitation, Qingxi locked the door, took out a first-grade Qi Condensing Pill, swallowed it, and communicated with the system, “Assistant, is there any side effect to refining the pill this way?”

“Please rest assured, esteemed host. The system’s conversion function will purify the pill, securely seal the spiritual energy, and ensure you absorb the full medicinal power.”

“Moreover, with all twelve meridians opened, no bottlenecks in the Qi Refining Realm, and aided by the system, your foundation will be solid.”

Reassured by the answer, Qingxi began to absorb the purified energy. Cool currents followed the meridians described in the Qi Condensing Art, circulating continuously until they were transformed into vital energy and gathered in his dantian. With no bottlenecks in his cultivation, the process was smooth.

After refining the first pill, he found his vital energy had doubled, and his cultivation soared three levels—now at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

“Again!”

Exhaling a breath of impure air, Qingxi swallowed a second pill. In the Qi Refining Realm, each level required a quarter more energy than the last, so the higher the level, the more vital energy needed.

Even after absorbing the second pill, he only reached the peak of the fifth level, just a step away from the sixth. But that step, if relying on his inferior spiritual root alone, would take at least two days of hard cultivation.

Without hesitation, Qingxi swallowed the last pill. The refreshing medicinal power spread, and soon his cultivation broke through to the sixth level, then kept rising.

At last, all the energy was absorbed, and his cultivation stabilized at the seventh level of Qi Refining.

“Congratulations, host, you’ve reached the seventh level of Qi Refining.”

“You’re getting closer and closer to becoming an outer disciple,” the assistant said in her sweet voice.