58: Chapter 58 Qi Refining Level Two

During his morning run, Chen Zhen began challenging the "Ten Star Alignment."

Seven jade seed material Spirit Control objects, plus three ordinary jade stones.

Ten stones flew out from his Storage Space, lining up in a straight line beside him.

Ten-line operation.

The difficulty had increased another level compared to the nine-line operation.

The ten stones were independent yet interconnected, forming a complex dynamic System.

Any tiny deviation in one stone would affect the other nine through Spiritual Power conduction.

He was fully focused, his intent like silk, firmly "weaving" the ten stones together.

First kilometer, the Formation was stable.

Second kilometer, the Formation began to show tiny fluctuations.

He constantly made micro-adjustments, using the seven jade seed materials as the "skeleton" to stabilize the whole.

The three ordinary jade stones served as the "flesh," allowing for appropriate elasticity.

Third kilometer, the Ten Star Alignment finally hovered steadily.

From a distance, the ten points of light connected into a line, moving slowly in the morning light like a string of tamed stars.

[Morning Run Quality 'Transcendental']

[Health Dimension Experience + 128]

[Cultivation + 1.45]

[Spirit Control Major Achievement effect improved: Spiritual Power control precision + 20% (Current 143%)]

[Ten Star Alignment Formation proficiency + 30]

When he ran to the Riverside, the old man was not there.

Chen Zhen remembered the old man saying yesterday, "Don't come tomorrow, I have things to do."

He stood under the willow tree for a few minutes, confirmed the old man would not appear, and then turned to leave.

He was used to listening to the old man's guidance every morning; suddenly missing a day felt truly uncomfortable.

But he knew that when the old man had things to do, it wasn't something he could participate in.

He adjusted his mindset, deciding to add extra training for himself today.

...

On the way home, Chen Zhen began trying a new way to play:

While running, he used the ten Spirit Control objects to support his thermos, keeping it suspended horizontally.

The thermos was much heavier than the stones, and its center of gravity was high, making it easy to tilt.

The ten stones needed to exert force in coordination, like ten hands lifting a heavy object together to maintain absolute balance.

The difficulty was an order of magnitude higher than simple object control.

The first attempt, the thermos flipped just three inches off the ground.

The second time, it hovered for five seconds, the cup body shook violently, and a few drops of water spilled.

The third time, ten seconds, it stabilized but the cup mouth tilted.

The fourth time, twenty seconds, approaching stability.

The fifth time, thirty seconds, the thermos hovered steadily beside him, the water surface as calm as a mirror.

He maintained this state and finished the last kilometer.

[High-intensity object control training]

[Spirit Control Major Achievement effect improved: Spiritual Power control precision + 12% (Current 155%)]

[Unlocked hidden achievement: 'Lifting heavy as if light' (Combining object control abilities with daily application, efficiency greatly improved)]

Chen Zhen finished his practice, and the thermos landed gently back in his palm.

...

Arrived home at exactly seven o'clock.

His father was already up, looking at his phone in the living room.

Seeing Chen Zhen return, he looked up and said: "So early today?"

"Yeah, I ran fast." Chen Zhen changed his shoes, "Dad, are you off today?"

"Yeah, the competition is over, the factory gave us two days off." His father put down his phone, "Your mom went to buy groceries, said she'd make a good meal at noon."

Chen Zhen smiled: "Then I'll help in the kitchen at noon."

"Good."

Father and son sat in the living room, enjoying a rare moment of quiet together.

Chen Zhen noticed his father had been looking at the materials on his phone.

It was the training content for the provincial finals.

"Dad, are you going to the province for the competition next month?"

"Yeah." His father nodded, "I have to prepare well. All the experts from the province will be there, it's not easy to place."

"You'll definitely be fine." Chen Zhen said, "You said that last time, didn't you still take second place?"

His father smiled rarely: "It's different. Last time was municipal level, this time it's provincial."

"Then you have to prepare even better." Chen Zhen stood up, "I'll go make you a cup of tea."

He took a Spiritual Plant Mint leaf from his Storage Space and brewed it with warm water.

The tea was pale gold, the aroma clear and cold.

His father took it, drank a sip, and his eyes brightened: "This tea... is it the same as the last one?"

"Yeah, I grew it myself."

"It's refreshing, drink it if you're tired from reviewing."

His father looked at the teacup, silent for a few seconds.

"The things you grow,"

"Are quite good."

Chen Zhen heard the meaning in his father's words.

His father didn't ask, but that didn't mean he didn't know.

He simply chose to believe in his son.

...

During his morning study, Chen Zhen began applying [Model Thinking] to build a college entrance examination review System.

He opened all his textbooks and notes from the three years of high school, concentrating his intent.

A few seconds later, a massive knowledge network automatically appeared in his mind:

Chinese: Basic knowledge, classical Chinese, modern literature, composition.

Four major modules, with several sub-modules below, each sub-module linked to core exam points and typical examples.

Mathematics: Algebra, geometry, probability and statistics.

Three major trunks, each trunk divided into several branches, each branch divided into several knowledge points.

Each knowledge point was marked with a mastery level (Proficient / Mastered / Weak).

English: Vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing.

Four major modules, vocabulary size tracked in real-time, weak points automatically highlighted.

Science comprehensive: Physics, chemistry, biology.

Each subject formed its own System, yet had cross-connections with mathematics, and even literature, history, and philosophy.

After this "College Entrance Exam Review Model" was built, all knowledge points were no longer scattered, but an organic whole.

Which module was weak was clear at a glance; which knowledge point needed key Breakthroughs was automatically sorted.

[College Entrance Exam Review Model construction complete]

[Learning Dimension Experience + 200]

[Cultivation + 1.02]

[Review efficiency permanently increased by 30%]

Chen Zhen nodded with satisfaction.

With this model, the next year of review had a clear direction.

No need to blindly drill questions anymore, but to precisely target weak points, maximizing efficiency.

He opened his physics error notebook and began reviewing according to the priority recommended by the model.

In one morning, he finished three error notebooks, conquering all weak knowledge points.

...

At noon, his mother returned with groceries, and Chen Zhen went to the kitchen to help.

Today's dishes were exceptionally rich: sweet and sour pork ribs, steamed sea bass, garlic broccoli, tomato scrambled eggs, winter melon pork rib soup.

Chen Zhen was the head chef, his mother helped.

[Heat Sensing] allowed him to master the cooking time of every dish down to the second.

The sugar color of the sweet and sour pork ribs was stir-fried just right, golden and translucent.

The steamed sea bass was taken out of the pot after eight minutes, the fish meat tender and smooth.

The garlic broccoli was emerald green and refreshing, with a rich garlic fragrance.

His mother watched from the side, her eyes becoming more and more surprised.

"Xiao Zhen, this skill of yours..." She paused, "Who did you learn it from?"

"Figured it out myself." Chen Zhen served the dishes, "Try it."

His mother picked up a piece of rib, chewed, and nodded: "Tastes better than what Mom makes."

Chen Zhen smiled: "Then I'll cook more often in the future."

His father sat at the table, tasted every dish, and gave the highest evaluation: "Same level as a restaurant chef."

The family of three sat around, eating the rich lunch, chatting about daily life.

The sun outside the window was just right, and the living room was warm.

...

Before going to the Bookstore in the afternoon, Chen Zhen went to the Secret Base first.

Nourishing the Mint.

The Spiritual Plant Mint was growing well, and today he harvested three more mature leaves, bringing the inventory to ten leaves.

Infusing Spiritual Qi into the black lump.

Spiritual Qi affinity: 12 / 100.

Then he took out the seven jade seed material Spirit Control objects and began new training:

Supporting the thermos, making the water in the cup form a miniature vortex.

The thermos was filled with half a cup of water, and he used his intent to control the seven jade pieces, making them form a weak Spiritual Qi field around the thermos to disturb the water surface.

At first it was very difficult.

The Spiritual Qi field was either too weak, and the water surface didn't move at all.

Or too strong, and water splashed everywhere.

After trying a dozen times, he finally found the equilibrium point.

The seven jade pieces rotated slowly, the Spiritual Qi field soft and stable.

The water in the thermos began to rotate slowly, forming a miniature vortex, two centimeters in diameter and half a centimeter deep.

It stabilized for thirty seconds.

[Object control training Breakthrough]

[Spirit Control Major Achievement effect improved: Spiritual Power control precision + 8% (Current 163%)]

[Unlocked new skill: 'Spiritual Qi field control' (Can finely control the form of the Spiritual Qi field)]

Chen Zhen stopped, watching the vortex in the cup gradually subside.

Spiritual Qi field control.

This ability was more valuable than simple object control.

Object control only moves objects, while the Spiritual Qi field can change the state of objects.

For example, making water rotate, making air flow, or even...

He thought of the "Geological Nodes" in Engineer Gu's notes.

If the Spiritual Qi field was strong enough, could it affect the earth's veins? Guide the flow of Spiritual Qi?

This idea was too bold, so he temporarily suppressed it in his heart.

...

When he arrived at the Bookstore, Old Wu was talking to an old man behind the counter.

The person had his back to the door, hair gray, build thin.

When Chen Zhen approached, he happened to see him turn his head.

It was the old man who was talking to the old man at the Riverside yesterday, Engineer Zhou.

Old Wu saw Chen Zhen and waved: "You came just in time, this is Engineer Zhou, Old Gu's colleague."

Engineer Zhou looked at Chen Zhen, his eyes sharp, but his tone gentle: "You are that little Chen that Old Wu mentioned?"

"Hello, Grandpa Zhou." Chen Zhen greeted.

"Good." Engineer Zhou nodded, "I heard you are interested in Old Gu's research?"

Chen Zhen looked at Old Wu.

Old Wu nodded slightly.

"Yes." He said, "I am reading the materials Engineer Gu left behind."

Engineer Zhou was silent for a few seconds, took out a kraft paper bag from the old briefcase he was carrying, and placed it on the counter.

"These, for you."

Chen Zhen was stunned: "This is..."

"Copies of Old Gu's research notes from his later years."

"The originals are in the hands of his family, I made a copy back then. It's useless keeping them now, giving them to someone who can understand."

Chen Zhen took the paper bag, it was heavy.

"Thank you, Grandpa Zhou."

"Don't thank me." Engineer Zhou waved his hand, "Old Gu said before he died, these things, either burn them or give them to the right person. I think you... are somewhat right."

He stood up and walked out with his cane.

When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped, turned back and said: "Have you heard of Old Gu's 'Resonance Hypothesis'?"

"Heard a little bit."

"The Earth has its own frequency, and some places will produce resonance."

Engineer Zhou's eyes brightened.

"Understood it well."

"But Old Gu's hypothesis is deeper than that. He believed that the Earth's frequency is not static. It is changing, accelerating."

Accelerating?

Chen Zhen's heart shook.

"Forty years ago, the cycle we measured was thirty years."

"But Old Gu re-analyzed historical data in his later years and found that the cycle was shortening. From sixty years, to thirty years, then to..."

He paused, didn't finish.

"Then to what?" Chen Zhen asked.

Engineer Zhou looked at him, silent for a few seconds.

"He said, the next cycle might only be fifteen years."

After speaking, he pushed the door open and walked away slowly.

Chen Zhen stood in place, holding the bag of notes in his hands, his head buzzing.

The cycle shortened to fifteen years?

Then after 2013, the next time is 2028?

If the cycle is still accelerating and shortening, what about the next one? Ten years? Five years?

He remembered the record in that historical observation notebook: between 1864 and 1943, the cycle shortened from sixty years to thirty years.

If following this trend...

[System prompt: Major clue discovered]

[exploration dimension Experience + 80]

[exploration dimension upgraded to Lv.3 (360 / 600)]

[Unlocked new function: [Trend Deduction] Can deduce future trends based on historical data]

[Upgrade reward: Cultivation + 25]

Chen Zhen took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.

Now is not the time to delve deep.

He has to digest these materials first.

...

When leaving the Bookstore in the evening, Old Wu didn't ask anything, just gave him an extra twenty yuan in wages.

Chen Zhen didn't decline.

He hugged the bag of notes and walked home slowly.

Along the way, he kept thinking about Engineer Zhou's words in his head: The cycle is accelerating, the next one might only be fifteen years.

If that really were the case, then the 2013 observation would be even more important.

That might have been the last time the strange light appeared on a "thirty-year cycle."

Afterwards, it would enter a new phase.

He did not know what this new phase meant.

But he knew he had to be prepared.

...

In the evening, Father received a call from the factory saying the provincial finals training had been moved up to next Monday, asking him to report tomorrow.

"So soon?" Mother was a bit surprised.

"Yeah, there are over thirty contestants from across the province, and we need to undergo centralized training for two weeks," Father said. "I need to pack."

Mother started bustling about: finding clothes to change into, preparing toiletries, and stuffing snacks into the suitcase.

Chen Zhen watched from the side and suddenly said, "Dad, wait for me a moment."

He returned to his room, took five spiritual plant Mint leaves from his Storage Space, and wrapped them in a tissue.

Then he took out that thermos.

The one used to deliver tea in the morning.

He put the five leaves inside and poured in some warm water to let the leaves steep slightly.

He walked back to the living room and handed the thermos to Father.

"Dad, take this with you."

Father took it: "What is this?"

"Mint leaves I grew myself," Chen Zhen said. "They're refreshing. If you get tired from studying, steep one leaf and drink it. One leaf can be steeped three times, so five leaves will be enough for half a month."

Father opened the thermos and smelled the crisp fragrance.

He looked up at Chen Zhen, his expression complex.

After a few seconds of silence, he said, "Alright."

Then he carefully placed the thermos into his travel bag.

...

At ten o'clock at night, Chen Zhen began today's Cultivation.

First, he stood in the stance for five minutes, then ran the Simplified Microcosmic Orbit ten times.

In the [Internal Vision] state, the pulsation of his Dantian was already perfectly synchronized with his heartbeat.

Sixty-eight times per minute; with every contraction and expansion, his Spiritual Qi became a fraction more solid.

Then, he took out seven jade seed material object-control beads and began training the Big Dipper Formation.

Today's goal: have the Big Dipper Formation hold the thermos while simultaneously forming a stable vortex in the water inside the cup.

Multitasking: the seven jade beads rotating individually while simultaneously coordinating to lift the object.

The Spiritual Qi field regulated the water temperature and disturbed the water surface.

Internal Vision monitored Spiritual Qi consumption.

The difficulty was off the charts.

The first time, the thermos had just been suspended when half the water spilled.

The second time, he achieved stable lifting, but the vortex didn't form.

The third time, the vortex barely formed, but it dissipated after sustaining for three seconds.

Fourth time, fifth time, sixth time...

On the eighteenth time, he finally succeeded.

The Big Dipper Formation stably suspended the thermos, and the water inside formed a three-centimeter diameter vortex that rotated steadily for one minute.

Chen Zhen finished the technique, sweat visible on his forehead, but he felt satisfied.

[High-Intensity Object-Control Training]

[Spirit Control Major Achievement effect improved: Spiritual Qi control precision + 10% (Current 173%)]

[Big Dipper Formation proficiency + 40]

[Mental Energy increased significantly]

He wiped away his sweat and sat on the chair to rest.

At his Dantian, that pulsation suddenly grew stronger.

Chen Zhen focused his mind, his consciousness sinking into Internal Vision.

Inside the Dantian, that "core" was contracting violently; the frequency quickened, and the force increased.

With every contraction, his Spiritual Qi became a fraction more solid.

With every expansion, the Spiritual Qi diffused throughout the meridians of his entire body, then flowed back.

He adjusted his breathing, kept his mind calm, and did not interfere, just watched quietly.

Ten minutes later, the pulsation reached its peak—

Then, a soft sound that only he could "hear" exploded deep within his Dantian.

The "core" expanded violently, then contracted sharply, and finally stabilized into a brand-new state.

The total amount of Spiritual Qi doubled, its texture became more solid, and its flow became smoother.

[Congratulations to the host for the Breakthrough to the second level of Qi Refining]

[Cultivation: 500 / 500 → 0 / 800]

[Spiritual Qi value limit increased: 11.5 → 15, daily recovery 6 points]

[New Spell unlocked: [Spiritual Qi Shield] consumes 2 Spiritual Qi/minute, forms a Spiritual Qi barrier, can resist light physical impact]

[All-dimension growth speed + 15% (Qi Refining second level bonus)]

[Special reward: Cultivation + 30 (Breakthrough reward)]

Chen Zhen opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

Qi Refining second level.

Even he found this speed a bit incredible.

But feeling the doubled Spiritual Qi in his body and that faint, almost imperceptible Spiritual Qi Shield, he knew all of this was real.

He summoned the system panel:

[Day 29 Summary]

[Cultivation gains: + 30.32 (Morning run + 1.45, Learning + 1.02, exploration dimension upgrade + 25, Breakthrough reward + 30, other + 2.85)]

[Current Cultivation: 30 / 800 (Qi Refining second level)]

[Spiritual Qi value: 15 / 15 (Will recover to 15 / 15 tomorrow)]

[Health Dimension: Lv.4 ( 509 / 500 ) Can upgrade]

[Learning Dimension: Lv.6 ( 380.7 / 1500 )]

[Social Dimension: Lv.1 ( 118 / 200 )]

[Skill Dimension: Cooking Lv.2 ( 28 / 300 ), Planting Beginner ( 12 / 100 ), Organizing 72 / 100, Hand-drawing Lv.2 ( 150 / 300 ), Structural Drafting Beginner ( 60 / 100 ), Formation Beginner ( 1 / 100 )]

[exploration dimension: Lv.3 ( 360 / 600 )]

[Spell proficiency: Cleaning Spell ( 19 / 100 ), Water Condensation Spell ( 16 / 100 ), Eye-Brightening Spell ( 29 / 100 ), Spiritual Qi Shield ( 1 / 100 )]

[Special Status: Qi Refining second level; Spirit Control Major Achievement ( 173% ); Hexagonal Warrior ( 22 hours remaining ); Big Dipper Fate Controller ( 26 hours remaining ); Burst Minor Achievement; Gardener's Heart; Runners Heart; Integrated Power Initial Success; Physical Optimization; Anomaly Perception; Literary Perception; Internal Vision; Knowledge Fusion; Heat Sensing; Model Thinking; Trend Deduction]

[Storage Space: 1 cubic meter (Black lump × 1, spiritual plant Mint leaves × 10, Jade × 23, Object-control beads × 7, Engineer Gu's notes copy × 1 bag)]

[Main Quest: Qi Refining second level ( 30 / 800 )]

Health Dimension was full, it could be upgraded.

Chen Zhen clicked upgrade.

[Health Dimension upgraded to Lv.5 ( 9 / 600 )]

[Ability unlocked: [Spiritual Nourishment] can actively consume Spiritual Qi to nourish oneself or others, accelerating recovery, relieving fatigue, and minor healing]

[Upgrade reward: Cultivation + 15]

Spiritual Nourishment.

Chen Zhen focused his mind, directing a wisp of Spiritual Qi to flow into the palm of his right hand.

The slight soreness left over from practicing Burst yesterday was quickly relieved under the nourishment of the Spiritual Qi.

It worked.

He thought that in the future, he could use this ability to help Mother relieve fatigue and help Father recover from training injuries.

Spiritual Nourishment was not just a combat skill, but even more so a life skill.

The thirtieth day.

When Chen Zhen opened his eyes, the world had changed.

It wasn't a change in vision, but in the dimension of perception.

The spiritual bead in his Dantian rotated slowly; with every rotation, a wisp of pure Spiritual Qi flowed into his entire body's meridians.

Like a heart pumping blood, natural, stable, and without hesitation.

Qi Refining second level.

He lay there without moving, his consciousness sinking into Internal Vision.

The spiritual bead was a fraction more solid than last night, with a faint jade-colored luster flowing on its surface.

The Spiritual Qi in the meridians flowed more smoothly; those tiny branches that once required deliberate guidance could now complete the circulation on their own.

This was the qualitative change brought about by a Realm Breakthrough.

He sat up and checked the time.

4:35 AM.

He got out of bed and his gaze swept across the room.

Cleaning Spell.

1 point of Spiritual Qi consumed, an invisible ripple swept past.

The leaves of the money plant on the windowsill unfurled, and the faint golden patterns on the edges became a fraction clearer.

In [Internal Vision], he could clearly "see" the simple Spiritual Qi circulation System inside the money plant.

This ordinary plant already possessed its own "meridians."

[Money plant quasi-spiritual plant transformation]

[Status: Weak Spiritual Qi circulation stable, growth speed + 120%, calm mind + weak, refreshing + weak]

[Hint: Continued nourishment can promote it to a spiritual plant]

Chen Zhen focused his mind, separating a wisp of Spiritual Qi to inject into the money plant, slowly guiding it along the "meridians" inside it.

The leaves of the money plant trembled slightly; that layer of faint golden halo brightened for an instant, then slowly hid deep into the leaf veins.

The entire plant emitted a warm, lively aura of life.

[Spiritual Qi guidance successful]

[Money plant spiritual plant transformation progress: 35 / 100]

He nodded in satisfaction.

At this speed, in about twenty more days, this money plant would be able to officially promote to a spiritual plant.

By then, placing it in the room would boost his Cultivation effects a little more.

During his morning run, Chen Zhen began to challenge the "Twelve Star Alignment."

Seven jade seed material object-control beads, plus five ordinary jade stones.

Twelve stones flew out from his Storage Space, lining up in a straight line beside him.

Twelve-line operation.

The difficulty was another level higher than yesterday.

But he was now at the second level of Qi Refining, his total Spiritual Qi had doubled, his Spirit Control Major Achievement precision was 173%, and his Mental Energy was also a big chunk stronger than yesterday.

First kilometer, the Formation was as stable as a nail.

Second kilometer, the Formation showed slight fluctuations.

He adjusted his mind slightly, and the twelve stones instantly returned to their positions.

Third kilometer, the Twelve Star Alignment was stably suspended, looking like a string of tamed stars in the morning light, moving steadily with his footsteps.

[Morning run quality 'Transcendental']

[Health Dimension experience + 145]

[Cultivation + 1.68]

[Spirit Control Major Achievement effect improved: Spiritual Qi control precision + 15% (Current 188%)]

[Twelve Star Alignment Formation proficiency + 35]

When he ran to the Riverside, the old man had already returned.

He stood under a willow tree, hands behind his back, watching the river.

Hearing footsteps, he didn't even turn his head: "Breakthrough?"

"Yeah," Chen Zhen stopped. "Last night."

The old man turned around and sized him up for a few seconds.

"Good complexion," he said. "Considered entry-level."

Entry-level?

Chen Zhen was stunned for a moment.

Qi Refining second level is only considered entry-level?

The old man saw his confusion and smiled faintly: "There are nine levels of Qi Refining; the first three are all about laying the foundation. You've only just tamped down the foundation now; the building hasn't even been built yet."

He paused: "However, reaching the second level in thirty days, the speed is alright."

The words "is alright," coming from the old man's mouth, were already a very high evaluation.

"I'll teach you something new today." The old man fished a small cloth bag out of his pocket. "Use this to practice."

Chen Zhen took it and opened it.

Inside were nine jade seed material object-control beads.

They were exactly the same as his seven, only the color was slightly deeper.

"Make it sixteen."

"Big Dipper Formation plus Nine Star Alignment, figure it out yourself."

Sixteen.

Chen Zhen gasped.

He was already near his limit using twelve; sixteen... was still far off.

"No rush."

"Practice slowly. When you can arrange sixteen into two sets of Formations that don't interfere with each other, your control will be considered Major Achievement."

"Yes."

"That's it for today." The old man waved his hand. "Go back and consolidate, don't be greedy for more."

On the way home, Chen Zhen tried to use sixteen object-control beads to arrange the simplest straight-line Formation.

He had just released five from his hand when the remaining eleven went into chaos.

He finished the technique and smiled bitterly.

Sixteen, indeed still too early.

But he wasn't in a rush.

The old man was right, practice slowly.

Add one every day, and one day he would reach it.