Breakthrough

Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye, and Ling Tian found himself once again immersed in his morning cultivation routine.

As the first light of sunrise filtered into his room, he opened his eyes, gazing intently at his hands. He could feel the potent energy coursing through his veins and whispered to himself.

'I am at the peak of the 1st level of the Qi Refining Realm. I have refined my foundation beyond perfection for the first level, and my qi is as powerful as someone at the 5th level of the Qi Refining Realm.'

He took a deep breath, savoring the sensation of his strength and contemplating his next move.

"I think it's about time I break through to the next level. My powers are already beyond imagination for my current cultivation level, even without any weapons, treasures, or external aids. With just my pure foundation and qi, I am equal to the 5th level of the Qi Refining Realm. With a good weapon or treasure, I could fight on equal footing with cultivators at the 6th level."

He then spoke with a hint of narcissism in his voice.

"If I include intents and other factors as well then even I don't know how strong I will be."

Ling Tian paused, reflecting on the heights of power he had once achieved in his previous life.

His thoughts drifted back to the divine physique and noble bloodline he once possessed.

He voiced his thoughts aloud as if reminding himself of his past glory.

"In my past life, with the divine physique and the Divine bloodline of the Yuan clan, I could fight two major realms above my level in the Immortal Realm. However, the gap in power diminished as I grew stronger."

Considering his current situation, Ling Tian's expression grew more serious. He continued to analyze his condition, recognizing the stark differences from his past life.

"And in this life, I don't have any special physique, and my spiritual root is merely of the common grade, as I discovered during cultivation. My only chance of obtaining a divine physique now is through a heaven-defying treasure or a high-level inheritance from another world. But such opportunities are nearly impossible to come by."

He then spoke about the spiritual root,

"As for the spiritual root, that's even harder to improve in the Astral plane."

His gaze then shifted to his dantian and meridians, which were brimming with qi. He spoke to himself with a hint of determination.

"It's not even the first level of the Eternal Transcendence Scripture, and from what I have comprehended, the technique truly starts to shine in the later stages of cultivation, not in the early ones."

Ling Tian pondered over his cultivation technique, realizing the immense potential it held for his future growth.

"I still need to reach the 4th level of the Qi Refining Realm to officially enter the first part of the technique. The true power of the Eternal Transcendence Scripture will reveal itself as I progress further. For now, I should focus on breaking through to the next level."

With resolve in his heart, Ling Tian closed his eyes to start the preparation for his imminent breakthrough.

The room grew silent as he focused inward, channeling his energy and aligning his mind with the task at hand. 

The air around him seemed to hum with anticipation as he gathered his qi, drawing it into his dantian and circulating it through his meridians.

He visualized the flow of energy within him, directing it with precision and control.

Hours passed as Ling Tian methodically guided the qi, breaking down the barriers within his body. 

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his muscles tensed with the effort, but he remained undeterred.

With a final surge of power, the barrier gave way, and Ling Tian felt a rush of energy flood his system.

His body glowed with a faint aura as he broke through to the 2nd level of the Qi Refining Realm. 

He took a deep breath, steadying himself and allowing the new energy to settle.

As the glow subsided, Ling Tian opened his eyes, feeling the difference immediately. His senses were sharper, his strength more potent.

He clenched his fists, marveling at the newfound power coursing through him.

"If only I had a higher level of spiritual root, I wouldn't be struggling this much just to break through to the 2nd level of qi refining realm. Sigh just my luck to be born with such shitty talent."

He then spoke with determination and a hint of suppressed anger towards the heavens.

"This is just the beginning," he murmured to himself. "I will continue to grow stronger, surpassing my previous self. No matter what comes in my path, be it the abyssal demons or the heavens themself, I will transcend all of them to achieve my goals in this life."

As Ling Tian began contemplating his next moves, he couldn't help but reflect on the stark contrasts between his past and present.

In his previous life, he was blessed with extraordinary advantages: a divine physique, a noble lineage, and unparalleled resources. 

Despite these gifts, he had struggled against formidable enemies and immense challenges, often fighting battles that seemed insurmountable when he explored the ruins sometimes.

In this life, he was starting from a much humbler position. His spiritual root was of common grade, and he lacked the divine physique that had once given him such an edge.

Yet, he felt a strange sense of freedom and possibility. 

This time, his progress would be entirely his own, forged through sheer effort and unwavering resolve.

'In my past life, my power was partly a product of my circumstances. This time, every bit of strength will come from my own hard work and determination. I will carve out my path with my own hands.'

Ling Tian's thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on his door.

It was Xinyi, his little sister, who had grown accustomed to visiting him after his morning training sessions. Her presence always brought him a sense of peace and joy.

"Big brother, are you done with your training?" 

She asked, peeking into the room with a curious look.

Ling Tian smiled warmly at her. 

"Yes, Xin'er. I'm done for now. Do you want to play?"

Her eyes lit up with excitement, and she nodded eagerly. Ling Tian rose from his meditation position, feeling the familiar warmth of sibling love wash over him. 

Despite the weight of his ambitions and the challenges ahead, moments like these reminded him of the simple joys in life.

As they played together, Ling Tian's thoughts continued to churn, formulating plans and strategies for his cultivation journey.

He knew that the path ahead would be fraught with difficulties, but he was ready to face them head-on. 

To transcend from the Astral Plane to the Divine Radiance Realm, the journey will not be short. It will be fraught with dangers at every turn. But Ling Tian will keep on pushing himself beyond the limits.