Practicing in Solitude

Chapter 41: Practicing in Solitude

I returned to my residence just as the blanket of darkness was about to descend upon the world. Entering my new home, I was met with complete darkness. Since I lived alone, there was no one to light the lanterns at night. Thanks to my cultivation at the second level of Qi Condensation, I easily navigated the house by spreading my Qi. Spiritual energy had already gathered inside the residence, but it had mixed with the air and become too thin to be useful.

I stimulated the spiritual energy with my own Qi and slowly began gathering it to form my very own Qi-lantern. For others, this might seem impossible, but for me, it was achievable. I searched around for a matchstick to light the lantern and finally found one in a drawer. Returning to the center of the house, I lit the lantern. The light from the matchstick reflected on my face and clothes.

After lighting all the other lanterns and seeing that the room had become much brighter, I put the matchbox away. I sighed, reflecting on the day's events. It had been truly strange. Pushing aside my thoughts, I placed a meditation cushion on the floor and sat on it in the lotus position, crossing my legs.

Inhale~

A breath of Qi entered my body, but it didn't get absorbed in the usual way. According to the records in the Mortal Primers on Cultivation, when a cultivator begins absorbing Qi, it creates an invisible disturbance that others can sense. However, as a practitioner of the Dao of Silence, every action I took was governed by the principle of silence. Even my Qi absorption was influenced by it. The Qi flowed toward me like an ocean, but its quantity diminished without disturbing the surrounding spiritual energy.

Others might notice that the Qi had lessened, but they wouldn't be able to pinpoint the cause. I felt that the third level of Qi Condensation was within reach. I decided to increase my strength quickly. After what had happened today, I needed to ensure I had the power to defend myself, even if I wasn't planning to flaunt my strength. Having this silent assurance in the back of my mind helped me stay composed.

Exhale~

The Qi inside me flowed back out, and I continued this push-and-pull action, akin to kneading dough. Unlike others, I could absorb Qi even while walking or sleeping. I had already accumulated enough Qi to attempt a breakthrough to the next realm.

Let's not bring shame to the name of the Dao of Silence.

I willed the Qi and intensified the circulation of the Drifting Dragon Breathing Method. As the circulation increased, the Qi, which had been moving sluggishly toward me, suddenly rushed forward like a dragon. Metaphorically, the dragon opened its mouth and devoured me, though in reality, it felt like stepping into an extremely hot bath. The Qi forced my meridians to expand, and my body began to swell. I didn't back down. Soon, the imaginary membrane of the third level of Qi Condensation broke. The first and second levels had become completely filled, like a tub of water that could no longer hold any more, causing the Qi to climb up and open a new, larger reservoir.

Boom!

An explosive sound echoed from within me, but it didn't spread outward. The excess Qi didn't escape my body; instead, the lustrous gray liquid of loneliness took action and devoured the surplus energy, which was enough to break through to the next realm. My body, which had turned red like a tomato, began to cool down as I felt the comfort of the breakthrough.

Aahhh~

I moaned in satisfaction and released the Qi circulation method I had been using to draw in Qi. Breaking through one realm a day was impressive, but I needed to consolidate this realm and adjust to my new strength. I didn't have time to practice skills weaker than those found in the inner sect. I reached for my locket but then remembered I couldn't speak as I used to. I let go of the locket, though not before infusing it with an extra amount of Qi to alert the Elder. If he could come and meet me face-to-face, it wouldn't be a bad outcome.

I looked at my shadow cast on the wooden floor and turned to gaze at the bright light filtering through the large glass window. Unknowingly, I had spent the entire night cultivating. The silence of the night was soothing, and no one had disturbed me. I truly didn't like too much noise. It felt like fate had led me to the Dao of Silence.

I stood up, and the sun's rays didn't make me flinch. Even my eyes, the weakest part of the human body, had been strengthened by the soaking of Qi. I stretched my waist to relieve the stress that had built up from sitting in the same position for so long.

After taking a bath and dressing, I felt refreshed and walked to my courtyard. There, I began practicing a set of basic exercises, punching at the air. If someone had climbed over the courtyard wall and seen me, they might have thought I was an eccentric person. I recalled tidbits from the memories of my trial, but this set of punching techniques was the lowest-grade skill I had acquired during that time.

Due to my recent increase in strength, my power was unstable. The punches created swooshing sounds, like arrows flying past one's ears. I shifted my Qi through different parts of my body but felt like I was missing something. Without the actual skill book in front of me, I couldn't perform the technique correctly.

Should the right hand punch first, or the left?