Chapter 60: Return from the Trial

In cultivation, time ceases to exist.

A year later.

Little Spirit Void Peak, within a courtyard, inside a quiet meditation chamber.

Han Yi quietly opened his eyes, spirit light shimmering within them. Around him lay shattered fragments of spirit stones, both mid-grade and low-grade.

A helpless expression crossed Han Yi's face.

"I miscalculated," he muttered. "A whole year, and I've exhausted all my mid-grade spirit stones, plus every last low-grade one, yet I've only reached the peak of the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining."

"With my pathetic aptitude, if I'd followed the traditional path, scrimping and saving with low-grade spirit stones, I'd never reach the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining in this lifetime."

"This path I'm on should be called the 'Pay-to-Win Path'."

Before entering seclusion, Han Yi had planned that 150 mid-grade spirit stones would be more than enough to reach the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining.

However, as he progressed through the late stages of the Sixth Layer, the rate at which his mana increased slowed dramatically, and the proportion of spirit energy wasted from the stones grew higher. He hadn't anticipated this setback.

As a result, he exhausted all his mid-grade spirit stones while still only 97% of the way to his next cultivation milestone. Forced to resort to low-grade spirit stones, his progress stalled even further. Finally, just moments ago, he had drained the last of his low-grade reserves.

Moreover, at the crucial moment of his breakthrough, Han Yi realized he was completely out of Spirit Stones. He hesitated to proceed, knowing that he would need them to stabilize his cultivation realm after advancing.

Han Yi glanced at the faint crimson panel floating before his eyes. Despite his mental grumbling, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. He was now just one step away from reaching the Late-Stage Qi Refining realm.

Cultivation Realm: Qi Refining Sixth Layer (99/100)

"Advancing to the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining is imminent."

"But with not a single Spirit Stone left, I need to find a way to make money."

"Once I break through to the Seventh Layer, I'll immediately remove the divine sense restrictions from those four Storage Pouches. They must contain a fortune in Spirit Stones—enough to sustain my cultivation for a long time."

Han Yi hadn't forgotten the four Storage Pouches he had confiscated in Heavenfall City. Among them, the one belonging to the Cold Youth, owner of the Golden Light Shuttle, promised to be a particularly delightful surprise.

As for how to acquire more Spirit Stones, Han Yi already had a preliminary plan.

The most straightforward approach was to sell his Magic Artifacts and Spirit Talismans.

Han Yi possessed two valuable Magic Artifacts: a Shadowless Sword and a set of Wind Demon Daggers. Selling either would easily provide enough Spirit Stones to support his breakthrough to the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining.

Yet he hesitated.

He had nearly completed refining these artifacts, making them perfectly attuned to his skills and capable of unleashing devastating power.

Moreover, he held a substantial collection of Spirit Talismans, purchased in bulk after acquiring the artifacts from the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild. Among them was even a First-Tier High-Grade Yin Thunder Talisman. Selling it would effortlessly provide ample Spirit Stones for his cultivation.

After careful consideration, Han Yi decided against selling the talismans.

Firstly, he wasn't in a desperate hurry. The closer he got to the crucial moment, the more important it was to remain calm.

Secondly, his control over his rapidly surging mana was currently at its weakest. Before attempting the breakthrough, he needed to stabilize it.

The most direct method for stabilizing his mana was Pill Refinement.

The process inherently required continuously channeling mana into the Pill Furnace, meticulously controlling the slightest fluctuations. This method was both the most direct and effective way to consolidate one's mana.

Therefore, Han Yi chose this third option.

Pill Refinement.

Han Yi still had some unused medicinal pills he could sell to acquire raw materials for pill refinement and then fire up his furnace once more.

This approach would allow him to earn Spirit Stones to support his crucial breakthrough while also honing his mastery over Mana through the refinement process—a win-win scenario.

A year later, Han Yi stepped out of his courtyard. Little Spirit Void Peak was enveloped in a Formation that maintained perpetual spring. Cultivators seeking seasonal variety could purchase Formations to adorn their own courtyards, creating personalized seasonal landscapes.

Han Yi had no such needs. Focused solely on cultivation, he harbored no particular desire for worldly comforts.

He first visited the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild in Red Sun Market, selling some pills to acquire raw materials for Gold-Silver Pills.

Wearing a mask that concealed his aura, he masked his somewhat unstable peak Sixth Layer Qi Refining aura, preventing He Fangwei from detecting any anomalies.

A week later, Han Yi refined ten batches of Gold-Silver Pills, succeeding with three. Each successful batch yielded a single pill, giving him a 30% success rate. This improvement over his initial attempts reflected his growing experience and significantly stabilized his success rate.

Han Yi returned to Red Sun Market to sell his Gold-Silver Pills. This time, He Fangwei offered him a discounted price of 180 Spirit Stones per pill, totaling 540. As familiar acquaintances with a proven history of trade, their trust was more firmly established, and He Fangwei offered him a slightly better deal.

These 540 Spirit Stones represented all the wealth Han Yi currently possessed.

Upon returning to Little Spirit Void Peak, Han Yi encountered Peak Lord Li Heng before reaching his courtyard.

Li Heng observed Han Yi, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes and a hint of a smile on his face.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Han," Li Heng said. "You've reached the peak of the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining and are about to take that crucial step into the Late-Stage Qi Refining—a truly joyous occasion!"

Han Yi had removed his mask after leaving the market. Any Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivator could now easily discern his peak Sixth Layer Qi Refining realm.

Before Han Yi could respond, Li Heng continued, "Oh, by the way, Han Yi, the disciples who participated in the Cave Heaven Trial will return from Qian Prefecture in three days. The sect has organized for both Inner and Outer Peak disciples to observe their achievements. An Illusory Immortal Mirror will be set up in the Peak Lord's Hall for viewing."

"Remember to attend," Li Heng said as he brushed past Han Yi. "It's a great opportunity to witness the brilliance of the Inner Peak prodigies. Once you join them, you'll have a clear goal to strive for."

Han Yi remained rooted to the spot, frowning in contemplation. After a moment, he resolved to attend the observation session in three days. The Sect's initiative aimed to showcase the results of the Cave Heaven Trial to its tens of thousands of disciples from both the Inner and Outer Peaks, fostering motivation and setting exemplary standards for all to aspire to. By publicly recognizing these achievements, the Sect hoped to cultivate a culture of aspiration and excellence—a practice familiar to Han Yi from his corporate experience in his previous life.

Standing there, Han Yi considered his next steps. While the pill refinement process had modestly enhanced his control over Mana, the improvement was not substantial enough. He decided to proceed cautiously, giving himself half a month to adjust his mindset and prepare for his final breakthrough. He believed that taking the time to stabilize his mental state would be the wisest course.

Moreover, he was genuinely curious about the outcomes of the Cave Heaven Trial, eager to witness the culmination of a year's worth of rigorous training.

Upon returning to his courtyard, Han Yi began refining his Mana. His method involved wielding the Shadowless Sword and Wind Demon Dagger, honing his control through constant practice.

Throughout the year, Han Yi devoted most of his time to cultivating his techniques and absorbing Spirit Qi. Understanding the principle of moderation, he switched to practicing his Sword Control Technique whenever his mana felt saturated, wielding the Shadowless Sword or the Wind Demon Daggers to expend the excess.

After over a year of nurturing and practice, Han Yi could now simultaneously control two Wind Demon Daggers.

Yes, two.

This set of Wind Demon Daggers was a Mid-Grade Magic Artifact, crafted by a Golden Core Artifact Refinement Master from the Wild Artifact Sect, a sect renowned for its mastery of artifact refinement. Even among Mid-Grade Magic Artifacts, they were exceptional, far superior to the dagger set he had obtained from Jiang De in Mengshan City.

Powerful Magic Artifacts demanded greater mana reserves and more precise control to wield effectively.

Being able to control two Wind Demon Daggers had already exceeded Han Yi's initial expectations.

Three days later, when he arrived at the Peak Lord's residence as scheduled, he found numerous disciples scattered about in small groups, chattering excitedly.

Han Yi stood with two junior brothers who had approached him to strike up a conversation.

He glanced toward Peak Lord Li Heng, noticing several stewards from the Late-Stage Qi Refining realm standing beside him—individuals rarely seen in such close proximity to the Peak Lord.

Within the Profound Pill Sect, each Outer Peak was governed by a Peak Lord. However, only the top thirty Peak Lords were Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators. The rest, like Li Heng, were at the peak of the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement, with some ranked below one hundred possessing only ordinary Ninth Layer cultivation.

Beneath the Peak Lords were the Stewards, most of whom were Inner Peak Disciples who had applied for transfer. These Inner Peak Disciples might have ordinary aptitude, advanced age, or injuries that had severed their chances for further advancement. They transitioned into managing the Sect's administrative affairs on the Outer Peaks.

The number of Stewards varied across the Outer Peaks. A minor peak like Little Spirit Void Peak had fewer than ten Stewards, while Little Golden Crow Peak, the top-ranked Outer Peak, boasted numerous Stewards and several Vice Peak Lords.

The Inner Peak operated under an entirely different administrative structure.

The Stewards beside Li Heng noticed Han Yi's gaze and nodded in acknowledgment. They treated this disciple, who was on the verge of entering the Late-Stage Qi Refinement and ascending to the Inner Peak, with extra courtesy.

Han Yi returned the greeting, then tilted his head slightly to gaze at the sea of clouds stretching before him.

At that moment, the sea of clouds beyond Little Spirit Void Peak had been replaced by an illusory mirror. This was a projection from the Mid-Grade Magic Artifact, the Illusory Immortal Mirror, displaying the scene on Profound Pill Peak, the main peak of the Profound Pill Sect.

Profound Pill Peak was the heart of the Sect, housing the Sect Secret Treasury and core inheritances. Under normal circumstances, only the Sect Leader, the Golden Core Stage Supreme Elders, and Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators were permitted entry. Han Yi had never visited it since joining the Sect.

Today, he had hoped to catch a glimpse of the main peak through the Illusory Immortal Mirror. But the projection only showed a celestial peak shrouded in mist, revealing none of its divine wonders, leaving him disappointed.

He lowered his gaze, about to close his eyes and rest his mind, when suddenly, a junior brother standing beside him said in a low voice, "They've arrived."

Han Yi looked up again. In the mirrored projection, an Immortal Boat sliced through the sea of clouds like a meteor, descending upon Profound Pill Peak.