Chapter - 2; Breakthrough

"Father, I swear to you, before the clan tournament, I will be at least a ninth-level Qi Gatherer." Chen Yuan said this with calmness. even nonchalance, while looking at his gloomy father.

Beneath that calmness, however, was a rock-solid confidence that was indeed a promise made with the trust.

"Really…?"Chen Xin watched his son's expression closely. For the first time in months, something stirred in his heart hope.

"Without doubt, Father. Two months is definitely enough for me." Chen Yuan nodded.

Chen Xin leaned back, his austere gaze boring into from his son's visage under the pretense of innocence.

For what seemed like an eternity, silence lingered between the two.

 At last, a breath escaped Chen Xin; it exhaled as a breath of skepticism and slightly exuding expectation.

"You're still young, Yuan'er." He spoke in a measured tone.

"In the cultivation world, unchecked arrogance is the inwardly pointed knife of a wok. However…" he trailed off while tapping his fingers, "if you really think it then show me! The clan tournament is in two months. You, before the elders and all kin will have your opportunity."

Chen Yuan acknowledged his father without an ounce of expression. "Thank you, father."

A twitch from Chen Xin's lips flickered, just enough to be described as a somewhat redeemed smile, would you judge debuted approval or matched up amusement?

 "You are welcome to go. Old Wu will escort you to the Treasure Pavilion and chose the fighting technique." Chen Xin Spoke.

"Thank you, Father."Chen Yuan performed an elegantly bowed that was astonishing for someone of his age, turned, and then walked out of the grand hall.

 The rich wooden doors creaked shut behind him, once again navigating the two generations apart.

In the hall.

 A brief silence lingered like morning mist.

Old Wu, who always liked to remain in the background, looked ahead to the close doors for another moment longer before serenely turning to Chen Xin.

 "Patriarch," he said slowly, with a respectful disposition. "Do you really think the young master can advance in realms ... four whole realms in two months?"

Chen Xin remained seated, his eyes locked on the spot where Chen Yuan had occupied just moments previously. His fingers resumed the habit of tapping on the armrest , but slugged down now with thought. He sighed calmly.

 "I don't know what's gone into Yuan'er," he said, barely to himself.

 "For two years he was quieter, softer, always in the back of the pack behind his elder sister.

And now ... I don't even know if there is something wrong, his eyes ... they do not look upon this world as a child."

 Old Wu nodded, a frown of curiosity and concern on his aged face.

"Looking at that confidence..." Chen Xin continued, voice tinged with hope that warred against the realism of a cultivator's harsh path, "perhaps he really can do it."

Then, after a pause, he added, almost whispering.

"Or perhaps... we've all underestimated him."

"Hope so." Old Wu also sighed.

Chen Yuan's Courtyard.

The early morning light was beginning to spill across the sky, dipping the clouds in freckled orange and gold.

A light breeze flowed between the stalks of bamboo surrounding the inner courtyard, as if it were an old friend, whispering.

Chen Yuan was seated on a stone chair underneath a flowering plum tree, looking calm in simple cultivation robes.

He appeared relaxed, but his eyes held deeper truths, hidden caverns of memory, memory of pain, triumph, and never ending war.

He looked into the rising sun, with kindness there, but for him, it was comparably, a metaphor for something else entirely.

"Ah... now it has been two years since I recalled my past life's memories." he said under his breath, only louder than the sound of the leaves.

His gaze was distant, likely far beyond Fengling City, or even the walled grounds of Chen Clan.

Eyes that had witnessed the death of ancient sects, Gods so far betrayed, and Heaven itself traversed.

The fragrance of plum blossoms swept across the courtyard, accompanied by a gentle breeze, while Chen Yuan stood with a statuesque and unwavering stance.

However, what slipped from his mouth in gentle tones was heavy with the burdens of a thousand lifetimes.

 "Two years…"

"For two years, I've polished my foundation for the true path, the path of immortality. And nothing will stop me now." His voice was neither self-important nor boastful.

 It was a matter of the fact, spoken for sure, as if announcing as the law of heaven.

"Four levels in two months? What a joke."

"You call that anything compared to the divine tribulations faced, compared to ripping open the limits of the Divine Emperor realm and immortality Realm in a previous life….that is rolling on flat ground."

He took a deep breath, and each breath formed into a golden mist that dispersed into nothing before meeting the surface of the ground.

By rank, he stated he was at the fifth level of Qi Gathering, but his combat power was no less than the ninth, or even surpassing that.

However, the guidelines of the clan were unyielding.

To enter the Clan Tournament, it was necessary to achieve at least the ninth level of Qi Gathering in cultivation. No alterations. Not even for the young master.

 Chen Yuan chuckled quietly to himself as he shook his head. "It's not like I never reached the ninth level," he said, "I touched that level two years ago."

"But when I awoke to my memories, I willingly destroyed that cultivation base. I shattered it…to create a new upon. To create a base that could accommodate a future Emperor again even immortal realm"

His fingers lightly graced over the jade pendant at his waist, a comforting mannerism, one born of countless inner evenings of contemplation.

"And now… there's no more delay."

 "Time to ascend once again."

As he said this last line, the air surrounding Chen Yuan abruptly transformed.

The quiet courtyard seemed to freeze in place, as though the very essence of nature felt the shift. The Qi in the air around him began to subconsciously draw toward him, swirling moderately around his body.

A slight hum emerged from the depths of his core, a resonance he alone could feel.

 The golden lotus in his dantian pulsed, and the air around him began to cascade with resonance. Chen Yuan closed his eyes. It was time. He was no longer in preparation.

He was advancing.

Boom….!

"Sixth stage of Qi gathering…!"

He looked at himself for a while and then finally sat back on the stone chair.

After that for some time, he stablised his cultivation and thought again after analyzing the condition of himself.

"Look like I can no longer breakthrough without the cultivation resources. I need to go clan resource store get the resource of this months." With that he stood up and went toward the resource house of the clan.