Unexpected Grace, the first investment

"Brother Li, your kindness is appreciated," Lu Changhe said solemnly, shifting his gaze from the jade box. "But the value of a Ling Yuan Pill is no small matter. It must have been sent by your clan to help you break through to the Primordial Qi Realm."

"I'm truly ashamed to accept it. It's better for you to take it and get promoted to the Inner Sect as soon as possible."

Regarding the Lingyuan Pill, if Lu Changhe claimed he didn't want it, that would be unthinkable—but he simply could not accept it, for doing so would delay Li Xun's breakthrough into the Primordial Qi Realm.

With Li Xun's talent, his future prospects are much brighter. If he breaks through to the Primordial Qi Realm sooner, he will come under the elders' attention earlier. For an ordinary person to cause a genius to fall even one step behind is a cost too great. Since Li Xun calls him Brother Lu, how could he, as a friend, possibly hinder him?

"Brother Lu, you worry too much," Li Xun said with a gentle smile, then continued, "This Medicine Pill is no longer useful to me."

Earlier, Li Xun had given Lu Changhe the Medicine Pill because of the system, but now he spoke with genuine sincerity. After all, when it comes to a Lingyuan Pill, few things can both restrain one's greed and persuade one's heart; if circumstances were different, he wouldn't hesitate to pocket it for myself.

"Brother Li, could it be..."Hearing Li Xun's words, a suspicious look flashed in Lu Changhe's eyes as he murmured, "Have you already broken through to the Primordial Qi Realm?"

Li Xun laughed silently, and his laughter undoubtedly confirmed Lu Changhe's suspicion.

"I see." Lu Changhe nodded, convinced that he had guessed everything correctly. After a pause, he lifted the jade box again and declared firmly, "But even so, this Lingyuan Pill is still too precious."

"Brother Lu, do you not consider me, Li Xun, your friend?" Li Xun suddenly asked.

"Brother Li, I—You misunderstood, I..."Lu Changhe opened his mouth, intending to defend himself, but before he could continue, Li Xun grabbed the jade box and threw it directly at him.

This jade box was nothing to Li Xun, but to Lu Changhe, it had a different meaning. Startled, Lu Changhe leaped up and caught the box with trembling hands, fearful it might fall to the ground.

Before he could set it back on the table, Li Xun spoke in a leisurely tone, "Since Brother Lu has accepted it, I won't keep you any longer. You'd better go back quickly and prepare to break through to the next realm."

With that, Li Xun got up to see him off. Before Lu Changhe could react, Li Xun had already pushed him out the door.

Outside, cold wind blew against Lu Changhe as he looked at the jade box containing the Lingyuan Pill, and suddenly he thought, I actually received the Lingyuan Pill?

This Medicine Pill is worth 100 mid-grade Spirit Stones. What virtue do I have, and what can I do, that would warrant Brother Li giving me such a precious Medicine Pill?

Lu Changhe stood in front of Li Xun's room, holding the jade box, caught in a dilemma for a long moment. This kindness was overwhelming for him! A small Medicine Pill might be insignificant to Li Xun, but to Lu Changhe it was nothing short of a life-changing destiny. He wanted to return it, yet a voice in his heart told him that the Medicine Pill must be kept.

After struggling for a long time, Lu Changhe's eyes gradually grew determined. He looked at the closed door, gripped the jade box tightly, and mustered all his strength as he vowed, "When I break through to the Primordial Qi Realm, I will repay today's grace!"He whispered these words softly—it seemed as though they were meant both for Li Xun and for himself. With that, Lu Changhe turned and left.

Inside the room, watching the back of Lu Changhe as he departed, Li Xun murmured, "Is this the surprise the system mentioned?"I gave Lu Changhe a Medicine Pill. On the surface, I received a 20-year Cultivation Base, but in the long run, I gained a reliable friend.

Li Xun never considered whether Lu Changhe might be ungrateful. After all, this is the fantasy world—kindness and revenge may have little effect in the early stages, but later they can cause significant issues. Minor matters might lead to confused thoughts, but major ones can breed a Heart Demon, and once a cultivator harbors a Heart Demon—if it turns malevolent—it can spell the end of the soul.

Therefore, cultivators tend to value commitment above all. Once a promise is made, even if it is life-threatening, it is never broken.

"At this pace, if I invest frequently, won't I have friends in every realm?" Li Xun mused.In the future, there will be more friends; as long as I give the order, no enemy will be able to stand in my way...Thinking of this, Li Xun couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow for them.

"That might be a bit too far."Li Xun dismissed the thought and silently asked, "System, where is my 20-year Cultivation Base?"

[Ding! It has been detected that you have made a successful investment. Would you like to receive your 20-year Cultivation Base?]

"Receive!" Li Xun replied in his mind.

Without a pause, a tremendous roar filled the room. In Li Xun's dantian, a brilliant light suddenly flared forth as endless divine radiance burst out, accompanied by sounds like crashing tsunamis. His dantian appeared boundless, its true essence continuously gushing out and transforming into a radiant glow that illuminated the entire room. His majestic true essence flowed through every limb and bone, and his body underwent earth-shaking transformations.

"Boom!"Out of nowhere, a loud bang echoed, as if some internal shackles had been shattered; Li Xun felt as though the entire world had been cleared away, and he floated like an immortal. He was utterly intoxicated by the sensation.

He knew that he had achieved a breakthrough. If the Body Refining realm is about strengthening and refining the body, then the Primordial Qi Realm is about Qi Refining. Stepping into the Primordial Qi Realm means that one has set foot on the path to immortality. Even in its early stage, a cultivator can enjoy a lifespan of up to 150 years. For ordinary people, their lifespan is effectively doubled—and that is no exaggeration.

At that moment, after Li Xun broke through to the early stage of Primordial Qi Realm, his Cultivation Base did not stagnate. In just a quarter of an hour, another roar erupted, and the pressure in the room more than doubled.

"Primordial Qi Realm, middle stage!"At this stage, the power of the Primordial Qi Realm had nearly condensed into substance. Anyone from the Body Refining Realm standing here would undoubtedly be crushed by the immense pressure—the boundless force would make them bow down.

Another quarter of an hour passed, and yet another roar erupted. The shackles of the late stage of the Primordial Qi Realm were also shattered! In less than half an hour, Li Xun had completed a triple jump—from the Tenth Stage of the Body Refining Realm to the late stage of the Primordial Qi Realm—and his breakthrough did not stop there!

If this news were to spread, countless people would be utterly shocked beyond belief.

Another half an hour passed, and Li Xun's Cultivation Base finally stabilized at the peak of Primordial Qi Realm. His strength ceased growing; the tsunami-like roar in his dantian gradually subsided until it finally disappeared, leaving the room in silence.

Soon, Li Xun awoke and turned around, his eyes shining brightly. As he stood, his entire being seemed to shift, exuding an aura of immortality. At his slightest gesture, a dazzling brilliance burst forth, flew out the window, and struck a boulder several dozen meters away.

"Boom!"A loud bang resounded as the boulder shattered, and smoke and dust billowed out, covering the entire yard.

"Is this the power of the peak of the Primordial Qi Realm?" Li Xun's heart trembled.That single finger gesture earlier might not have used all three layers of strength, but even so, with that power it could have destroyed his former self!

"One finger can crush a cultivator at the Tenth Stage of the Body Refining Realm—the gap between these two realms is truly enormous."Li Xun withdrew his fingers and surveyed his current state. He had already reached the peak of the Primordial Qi Realm, and his dantian had expanded to an awe-inspiring size, filled with true energy like a vast, thick, and solid sea—his power was unfathomable.

Li Xun thought to himself that, at this moment, he likely had few opponents at his level. "Twenty years' worth of Cultivation Base have not been used at all—there are still seven or eight years' worth remaining, already transformed into a solid foundation."

He retracted his Divine Sense and muttered, "Twenty years of Cultivation Base will indeed allow me to break through to the Spiritual Cloud Realm. The only reason I have not advanced is that my cultivation technique is limited."He was currently practicing the Qi Refining sutra learnt by the Outer Sect disciples of the Xuanyang Sect—a method that only allows cultivation up to the Primordial Qi Realm.

To continue progressing, one must first become an Inner Sect disciple, then enter the Tibetan Scripture Pavilion to choose a cultivation technique, and only then can one officially break through to the Spiritual Cloud Realm.

"The assessment for Inner Sect disciples takes place on the same mountain where I receive my sect's salary. If there is still time, perhaps I can become an Inner Sect disciple today—and then claim the Inner Sect's salary."

Li Xun looked up at the sky outside. Now, the sun was about to set. There was still time, he hurried over.