CHAPTER 7: Breakthrough to the Level 2

After the incident at his home about the Spirit Pool token, Zhen Liang's life didn't change much. He simply continued his training and focused on improving himself.

Time passed quickly, and the matter of the Spirit Pool token was long forgotten.

Eight months of rigorous training went by, and today marked a special day.

Zhen Liang's small body floated at the center of the white lotus pond, breathing rhythmically with the breeze.

Today, he had finally completed the Nine Qi Seals.

Deep in his dantian, nine twinkling balls resembling stars floated aimlessly, glowing faintly.

Zhen Liang took out a jade bottle and retrieved a dark gold pill from within. It was a gift from his mother, refined using the Black Rock Turtle—a beast famed for its strong and durable body. The pill would strengthen his physique, a necessary step before the breakthrough.

He took a deep breath, swallowed the pill, and focused his spirit into his dantian.

As his mind entered the space within, the nine Qi Seals began to move.

According to the Nine Turn True Qi Cultivation Technique, this was the most crucial step—bursting the Qi Seals one by one to ascend to the next level. This process placed extreme strain on the body.

Guided by knowledge from his previous life, Zhen Liang orchestrated the movement of the seals like a planetary system—one seal in the center, with the remaining eight revolving around it.

This formation reduced the stress on his body significantly.

A few minutes later, Zhen Liang whispered, "First seal."

Within his dantian, the furthest Qi Seal trembled and shattered like glass. Golden qi surged outward, thick and vibrant. The other eight seals maintained their motion.

"Second seal."

Again, a seal shattered and released its energy. His brow furrowed, then relaxed.

One by one, from the third to the eighth, the seals broke and released golden clouds of qi into his dantian.

Outside, in the lotus pond, Zhen Liang's small body trembled. Sweat dripped from his chin, and veins surfaced on his forehead.

"Final one," he whispered. "Ninth seal."

The last seal shattered.

An enormous surge of qi rampaged through his meridians. His body glowed faintly in dark gold from the pill's effect, helping him endure the overwhelming force.

Minutes passed before the qi calmed. Zhen Liang checked his body inwardly and saw his enlarged dantian—ten times its former size. A pure golden cloud hovered at the center.

He had successfully broken through to the 2nd level of Qi Condensation.

Satisfied that no hidden dangers remained, Zhen Liang opened his eyes and immediately frowned at the sticky, black impurities covering his body.

He could barely stand the smell and leaped directly into the lotus pond.

Splash!

The cool water washed over him, and with laughter, Zhen Liang began playing with the koi fish swimming around him.

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out across the water.

"Zhen Liang! Get out of there right now!"

Lady Wen stood at the edge of the pond, hands on her hips, trying hard not to smile. Her son's entire body was soaked, his hair sticking to his face, but his eyes sparkled with joy.

Seeing him safe and successfully advanced, her scolding was filled more with warmth than anger.

"You silly boy. What if you caught a cold right after breaking through?!" she said, stepping into the shallows and dragging him out gently by the arm.

Zhen Liang laughed as he was pulled out, water dripping from his robe.

She took out a clean cloth from her sleeve and began drying his hair and face with practiced movements.

"You scared me, you know?" she whispered, smiling as she checked his condition.

Her spiritual sense swept over his body, and she sighed with relief.

"His meridians have widened and stabilized. The Black Gold Turtle Pill healed the strain. His qi… it's already as pure and dense as a mid-stage cultivator. Good. Very good."

Zhen Liang grinned up at her, teeth white against his dirt-smudged cheeks.

Before returning home, Lady Wen reached into her sleeve and pulled out two green jade charms.

"These will mask your presence," she said softly, attaching one to the back of each shoulder. The charms flashed a gentle jade green before vanishing.

"They'll hide your aura completely. No one below the Golden Core realm will be able to detect the truth of your breakthrough. To them, it will seem like a normal advancement."

Zhen Liang blinked, then nodded. His mother's careful nature never failed to amaze him.

When they returned home, Lady Wen had a long private conversation with his father, Zhen Mu. Zhen Mu nodded many times, and by the time she emerged, she wore a content smile.

"Zhen Liang," she said, kneeling beside him and brushing his wet bangs aside. "Tomorrow, you'll go to Blue Bamboo City with Uncle Shen. There's a rare Body Refinement Technique up for auction. I want you to try and obtain it."

Zhen Liang's eyes widened with joy.

He had realized during today's breakthrough that his small body, despite the strong qi, needed reinforcement for future cultivation stages.

He hugged his mother tightly. "Thank you, Mother."

That night, he slept soundly.

And when the morning sun peeked through his window, it gently pulled him from dreams of another world.