45: Chapter 45 Foundation Establishment Completed

For the rest of the afternoon, Chen Zhen taught Zhou Shu a few simple stretching exercises to help relieve the stiffness in her shoulders and neck caused by long hours of studying at her desk.

Zhou Shu learned very earnestly, practicing each movement repeatedly until she got it right.

Past four o'clock, Mother returned home, carrying groceries. Zhou Shu took the initiative to go to the kitchen and help, washing and cutting vegetables with nimble movements.

"Shushu is so capable," Mother praised her.

"I often cook for myself at home," Zhou Shu said. "When Mom and Dad aren't around, I have to take care of myself."

Chen Zhen listened from the side, feeling a bit emotional.

Zhou Shu was only in her second year of middle school, yet she was already this independent.

By comparison, he was quite fortunate; at least his parents were by his side.

At dinner time, Father returned home.

As soon as he stepped through the door and saw Zhou Shu, he paused for a moment: "Shushu is here?"

"Hello, Uncle," Zhou Shu stood up.

"Sit, sit, sit," Father waved his hand. "How was the assessment today?"

"I passed, the results were good." For once, there was a rare smile on Father's face. "The team leader said to prepare well for next month's skills competition."

"Uncle will definitely take first place!" Zhou Shu said.

"Doing my best is enough." Father sat down and looked at the dishes on the table. "The meal is quite rich today."

"Shushu is here, so I added two dishes." Mother served the rice. "Eat up."

The family, along with Zhou Shu as an "honorary member," sat around the dining table.

Chicken soup, braised fish, stir-fried greens, and smashed cucumber salad—all simple home-cooked dishes, but they were steaming hot and smelled delicious.

Chen Zhen picked up a piece of fish belly for Zhou Shu: "Eat more."

"Thank you, Brother."

"Zhenzhen, you eat too." Mother picked up a piece of chicken for him.

Father watched this scene without speaking, but his gaze was gentle.

The meal was eaten slowly.

Zhou Shu talked about interesting things at school, Mother talked about what she saw at the Library, and Father occasionally interjected with something from the factory. Chen Zhen listened most of the time, smiling occasionally.

... After dinner, Zhou Shu took the initiative to wash the dishes.

Mother wanted to help, but she refused: "Aunt, you rest. I'll handle it."

Chen Zhen and Father sat in the living room. Father took out his notebook and started reviewing again.

Chen Zhen sat nearby, closing his eyes to rest, feeling the flow of Qi within his body.

Cultivation: 99.87 / 100.

Only 0.13 points left. It would be tonight.

He opened his eyes, a decision made in his heart. Let's go to the small garden downstairs; it feels like the place where his heart can be calmer.

The moonlight was lovely, spilling onto the ground after the rain, glowing with a silver light.

The flowers and plants in the garden were still carrying water droplets, shining brightly under the moonlight.

He walked to the stone bench in the center of the garden, sat down, and closed his eyes. It was time.

Cultivation: 99.94 / 100. Only the final 0.06 points left.

He took a deep breath, adjusted his posture, relaxed his body, and sank his consciousness into his Dantian.

The shouzhong token on his chest was slightly hot, as if it had sensed something.

That mass of Qi in his Dantian was rotating slowly, becoming steadier and more solid with each rotation.

He recalled the old man's words: Let things take their natural course, do not resist.

So he did not "push," did not "guide," but just quietly "watched."

Watching that mass of Qi rotate on its own, grow on its own, and find its own Breakthrough point.

Time passed second by second. It was very quiet all around, with only the rustling of the night wind through the leaves, the occasional sound of a dog barking in the distance, and... the sound of his own steady breathing.

Then, he felt it.

The speed of the Qi rotating in his Dantian began to increase, and the temperature began to rise.

It wasn't a dry heat, but a warm, moist heat, like the warmth accumulated in the spring soil after a whole winter, finally about to break through the surface.

The warmth of the shouzhong token also began to intensify, spreading from his chest to his whole body.

That warmth and the heat from the Dantian echoed each other, forming a complete cycle within his body.

The cycle became faster and stronger. Chen Zhen could feel that something in his body was being washed, cleared, and reshaped.

Muscles, bones, meridians, and even every single cell were trembling slightly in that warm cycle, as if receiving a gentle baptism.

He kept his breathing steady and his mind tranquil. At that very moment—

A faint "hum" came from his Dantian, one that only he could hear.

It was like a string being plucked gently, like a drop of water falling into a deep pool, like a seed finally breaking through the soil.

Immediately after, a warm but majestic flow of Qi erupted from his Dantian, instantly rushing through his entire body, all his limbs and bones!

It didn't hurt, it didn't feel bloated; instead, there was an extreme sense of comfort.

It was like a riverbed blocked for many years finally opening up, like a dusty mirror finally being polished, like... some long-dormant part of his body finally waking up.

The system panel flickered wildly:

[Hundred-Day Foundation Building Complete!]

[Cultivation reached 100 / 100]

[Officially entered the Qi Refinement Stage!]

[System is undergoing a comprehensive upgrade...]

[Spiritual Power System unlocked!]

[Initial Spiritual Power: 10 / 10, recovers 5 points daily]

[Unlocked basic Spells: Cleaning Spell (consumes 1 point of Spiritual Power), Water Condensation Spell (consumes 2 points of Spiritual Power), Eye-Brightening Spell (consumes 3 points of Spiritual Power)]

[Storage Space expanded to 1 cubic meter]

[Obtained Qi Refinement Stage main quest: Qi Refining Stage 1 (0 / 500)]

[Obtained title: Qi Cultivator (All-dimensional growth rate +10%)]

[Special reward: Cultivation + 50 (Reward for completing Foundation Establishment)]

A series of notifications dazzled Chen Zhen.

But he didn't rush to look at them in detail; instead, he first felt the changes in his body.

The most obvious change was that the "Qi" had turned into "Spiritual Power." The warm mass of Qi in his Dantian had now become something more refined, more agile, and... more substantial.

Like mercury, heavy yet fluid. Like light, bright yet gentle.

With a thought, that Spiritual Power flowed along his intention to his right palm.

His palm heated up slightly, and a faint, almost invisible white light appeared at the center of his palm.

This was the manifestation of Spiritual Power.

He tried to cast the [Cleaning Spell]—the first Spell unlocked by the System.

With another thought, 1 point of Spiritual Power was consumed, and the white light on his palm flickered gently.

Immediately after, he felt an invisible force spread from his palm as the center, sweeping over his entire body.

Then, he smelled a faint, refreshing scent.

Like the smell of freshly washed clothes drying in the sun.

Looking down, the fine dust that had originally been on his body was all gone.

His clothes were as clean as if they had just been washed, and his skin felt as refreshed as if he had just taken a bath.

This was a Spell.

Although it was only the most basic Cleaning Spell, that feeling of "getting what one wishes for," that convenience which transcended mundane means, made an indescribable sense of accomplishment surge in his heart.

Twenty-one days, from Mortal to Qi Refining.

He had done it.

He took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and continued to feel the other changes.

The [Sharp Senses] state seemed to have become permanent.

Now, without needing to intentionally activate it, he could clearly hear sounds from afar and see details in the dark.

The effect of [Physical Optimization] had also been enhanced.

His body was lighter, his strength more unified, and his recovery faster.

Most importantly, he could clearly "feel" the "Qi" in the surrounding environment.

It wasn't the vague perception from before, but a clear, layered perception:

Plants had the Life Qi of plants, soil had the thick Qi of soil, moonlight had the clear Qi of moonlight...

In his eyes, the world had gained an extra dimension.

He sat on the stone bench, closed his eyes, and quietly felt all of this.

The moonlight spilled onto him, as gentle as a mother's hand.

In the distance, in the direction of home, the lights were warm.

He had completed Foundation Establishment and stepped onto the path of Cultivation.

But this path had only just begun.

He opened his eyes, stood up, and brushed the dust from the stone bench off his body.

Although it was already very clean.

Then, stepping through the moonlight, step by step, he walked in the direction of home.