Chapter 6 - First Layer of Qi condensing Realm

The next day.

In the secluded room of the Chen family villa, a potent medicinal aura permeated the air.

Chen Shenghlei sat cross-legged in a lotus position, his upper body bare, revealing an elephant-like physique sculpted by relentless training in eating food.

His eyes were wide, mirroring a fusion of determination and trepidation.

"Father, will it hurt?" Chen Shenghlei's voice was steady, though it carried a hint of anxiety. "I've heard that forced advancement can cause future complications."

"Are you scared, boy?" his father, Chen Tianglong, scoffed. "At most, it will sting a little."

Forced advancement was a way to increase one's cultivation level through external means such as medicinal herbs, spiritual objects, or other opportunities.

However, it came with significant side effects, such as lowering one's talent level and causing future cultivation problems.

But for Chen Shenghlei, this wasn't much of a concern. His spiritual root was only of the eighth grade, so he didn't have many chances in cultivation.

With his current qualification, he would at most reach the peak of the Qi Condensing realm at the end of his life.

Moreover, while forced advancement was dangerous, it had little effect on lower realm cultivators.

Chen Shenghlei was currently at the 8th layer of the Body Tempering realm, so it wouldn't cause major problems for him.

Besides, no one could steal talent from a talentless person.

"Let's begin," Tianglong said, placing his palm on Shenghlei's back.

Soon, the room filled with a blue Qi that was both soothing and dangerous.

Chen Shenghlei didn't feel any pain at first, but soon his body sensed a foreign Qi running through his meridians and merging with his whole body.

"Shenghlei, gather all the energy in your dantian and form a Qi sea. It's time you feel a little pain," Tianglong instructed with a chuckle.

"Yes, Father." As if everything around him had turned pitch black, Shenghlei saw fluctuations of mana enveloping him.

His mind focused on gathering this energy at the center of his body.

"Ahhhhh!" An intense pain coursed through his veins. It felt as if his body was tearing apart and merging with the essence of Qi.

A vortex formed at the center of his belly, ink-colored at first but soon turning pitch black.

Boom!

He reached the ninth layer of the Body Tempering realm! Then, in no time, he crossed into the peak of the Body Tempering realm.

The Qi coursing through his body surged, nearly spiraling out of control.

Were it not for his father's steadying influence, preventing it from veering astray, Chen Shenghlei's form would have fragmented into countless particles, scattered by the force within.

"Shenghlei, focus on forming the Qi sea. Now condense the mana. I'll also increase the flow of Qi, furthering your advancement. Don't lose focus, or your body will suffer even if you succeed."

"Alright, Father."

The reason why Chen Shenghlei agreed to this dangerous ritual was to become stronger and claim some inheritance hidden in the city.

Though he hadn't read the entire novel completely and had dropped it at an early stage, the knowledge from even those seventeen chapters was enough to pave a strong cultivation path for him.

He just needed to reach a certain level to claim this inheritance and make his own.

Anyway, the protagonist of the world hasn't even been born yet, so there was no psychological pressure either, and to begin with, he was a scammer in his last life, so he doesn't care about stealing someone else's destiny.

Soon...

His mind went black, focusing entirely on the energy swirling inside him. He channeled it forcefully towards the center of his body, emptying all other places. A large, round, black sea of Qi was slowly forming.

Six Hours passed...

Chen Shenghlei didn't lose focus. The black Qi became thicker and more vibrant. Soon, it covered his whole body in a black aura. After a while, it minimized its size again and disappeared inside his body. Chen Shenghlei slumped on the ground, successfully advancing.

----Qi Condensing Realm, First Layer----

He had successfully reached this milestone. In just eight or nine months, he had gone from the innate realm to the Qi Condensing realm, a miraculous speed given his low aptitude.

Although cultivation in lower stages tended to be faster, it was still abnormal for someone with an eighth-grade spiritual root and inferior talent to advance so quickly.

"Hahahaha! Son, how are you feeling? It's done now."

"Pain... nothing but pain."

"Hahah! That's good. You need to toughen up."

Chen Tianglong felt more relaxed.

He knew, many people dies during such forced advancements, so he was naturally concerned about his son.

But the fact that Shenghlei couldn't learn the 'Yin Yang Mountain Crushing Dragon Art' in the Body Tempering realm was disheartening.

This is why he agreed to Shenghlei's request for advancement. He also does not expect great triumphs in cultivation for his son.

Also...

He has already decided that once Shenghlei reached sixteen, he planned to marry him to a girl and let him live a happy life, as not everyone was destined to walk the path of the Dao.

If it weren't for Shenghlei's doubts about his body and abilities, Tianglong wouldn't have allowed this dangerous rite. As a father, his sole wish was for Shenghlei to become capable of protecting himself.

Perhaps due to this, the success of the ritual filled Tianglong with immense joy, compelling him to rush and share the news with his wife to ease her worries.

Tianglong reached out and handed Shenghlei a golden box.

"Here, take these ten-year-old ginseng and moonlight berries," said Chen Tianglong, handing a golden box to Shenghlei. "Your cultivation has advanced, but it's still shaky. Practice diligently and use these herbs to stabilize your realm first."

"Hmm" Shenghlei nodded gratefully, accepting the pouch. "Thank you, Father. I'll make good use of them and work hard to strengthen my cultivation."

Chen Shenghlei knew his body better than anyone else. He was in intense pain and needed to stabilize his realm. But he also felt much stronger.

In the past, breaking a small boulder required constant effort. Now, one fearless punch would be enough to shatter it into pieces.

"I've indeed become stronger, but it's far from what I need to protect myself in this world. It's still a long journey," he thought.

Without hesitation, he swallowed the ten-year-old ginseng and moonlight berry. This time, the storm of energy inside him was soothing. He once again sat in a lotus position and started cultivating.

Seeing this, Tianglong left the room with a delightful smile.

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(End of this Chapter)

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