25: After years of accumulation, a breakthrough was finally achieved; the azure light flowed, and magical power arose.

Time flowed, and another two years passed.

In a stone chamber on the outskirts of the Green Cloud Mountain Spiritual Vein's Immortal Cave, ten-year-old Qi Xuanjin looked calmly at his fourth brother—Qi Xuantian, who was two years younger than him.

Qi Xuanjin's aura was stable. Although he was still at the Qi Refining First Layer, the spiritual power in his body was extremely pure and condensed, like green jade that had been repeatedly tempered.

Qi Yuan did not let him take Medicinal Pills to quickly increase his cultivation just because he was the eldest son of the first wife and had poor Aptitude.

Instead, he explicitly warned Qi Xuanjin that before encountering a Bottleneck at the Qi Refining Third Layer, he must not rely on any external force like Medicinal Pills.

This was not stinginess, but a profound lesson Qi Yuan had learned from his own experience.

Thinking back to his time in the Longquan Sect, as a Utility Disciple, he only began his cultivation at the age of sixteen, which was eight years later than most people.

To compete for those limited Outer Sect Disciple spots, one had to reach a specific cultivation level before a certain age. He had been forced to desperately draw Talismans to exchange for Spirit Crystals, then buy Medicinal Pills to aid his cultivation.

By stacking Medicinal Pills, he did indeed successfully advance to the outer sect, obtaining a more complete Talisman Master Legacy and dozens of spells, laying his current Foundation.

He did not regret his choice back then; without the resources and insights of an Outer Sect Disciple, it would have been impossible for him to have the depth to establish a cultivation Family.

However, cultivation pushed by Medicinal Pills was ultimately not as solid and stable as progressing step by step through self-cultivation.

There were gaps in both the purity of spiritual power and the control over one's own strength.

Taking too many Medicinal Pills would also produce Pill Poison. The reason why his Dantian injury had been difficult to recover from in the past was partly due to this factor.

He firmly believed that for the long-term development of the Family, a solid Foundation for the younger generation was far more important than a temporary rise in Realm.

At this moment, Qi Xuantian's eyes were tightly closed, his small face full of tension and focus.

After two full months of the "Qi Sensing" ordeal, he finally succeeded in capturing and guiding a sliver of earth-attribute Spiritual Qi into his body, completing a tiny circulation cycle according to the initial route of the Thick Earth Art.

A weak but tangible warmth slowly gathered in his Dantian.

Qi Refining First Layer!

He suddenly opened his eyes. Those eyes, which usually held a hint of cowardice, now burst with an irrepressible, bright radiance.

Immense joy rushed to his heart, making him almost want to cheer out loud.

However, this excitement lasted only for a moment.

From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of his elder brother Qi Xuanjin, who was solemn and as motionless as a mountain, and his heart tightened.

He quickly swallowed the cheer that was about to escape and retracted the overly exposed emotions on his face.

He lowered his head, his voice weak but clear, filled with caution:

"Big Brother, I... I have now successfully drawn Qi. I wonder... when can I go down the mountain?"

He truly missed the liveliness of the courtyard at the foot of the mountain and the other brothers he attended school with.

Although cultivating in these mountains was miraculous, it was also too cold and lonely.

Qi Xuanjin looked at his fourth brother's expression—wanting to smile but not daring to, full of expectation yet forced to suppress it—and his heart softened slightly, though his face remained calm and unruffled.

He shook his head gently, his tone gentle but beyond doubt:

"Fourth Brother, I'm afraid it will still take some time."

As he spoke, he took out a warm-textured Jade Slip from his robe and handed it to Qi Xuantian.

"You need to practice the 'Breath Exchange Chapter' of the Bone Changing Breath Exchange Art until you reach Minor Achievement.

Only when you can freely restrain your own spiritual power fluctuations and ensure that you aren't easily seen through by mundane people or low-level Cultivators can you go down the mountain.

This is the rule set by Father."

Qi Xuantian took the Jade Slip. Hearing the words "still take some time" and "Father's rule," his small body, which had straightened up due to the Breakthrough, instantly slumped, his face filled with disappointment.

He pursed his lips and ultimately did not dare to ask more or plead.

He clearly remembered that six months ago, the second brother Qi Xuanfeng also couldn't stand the loneliness in the mountains and missed Father, so he tried to sneak into the Inner Mountain area without permission.

As a result, he was discovered by Concubine Ye, given a sound corporal punishment, and was stuck lying on his bed for several days.

Father's rules in this house were absolutely not to be challenged.

"Yes, Big Brother. I understand."

Qi Xuantian replied in a low voice, gripping the Jade Slip in his hand again, burying his longing for the foot of the mountain deep in his heart.

Meanwhile, inside Qi Yuan's Immortal Cave.

At this moment, Qi Yuan's aura was rising steadily.

Within his Dantian, the spiritual power that was originally somewhat loose had been compressed and condensed to the limit.

Like thick green mist, it churned violently, constantly crashing against that invisible yet resilient barrier.

The Green Wood Sword Qi at his fingertips had already grown to five inches and was incredibly solid, like a piece of living jasper, wandering through his Meridians and emitting a pure vitality.

"The time has come!"

Qi Yuan thought to himself, his gaze suddenly becoming sharp.

He no longer suppressed the surging spiritual power and the eager Sword Qi within him.

"Break!"

With a thought, the Green Wood Sword Qi let out an imperceptible soft hum.

Like a bolt of green lightning, it boldly crashed into the Late Stage Qi Refining Bottleneck that had troubled him for over ten years!

"Boom—!"

It wasn't a real sound, but a roar exploded in his Sea of Consciousness and Dantian simultaneously!

Under the impact of the Green Wood Sword Qi, that solid barrier shattered!

With the obstacle gone, the massive spiritual power that had been accumulating for a long time surged like a river bursting its banks, rushing into a much broader set of Meridians.

However, this was only the beginning.

Qi Yuan held his mind steady and operated the seventh layer of the Wood Spirit Art with all his might.

Under the guidance of the Cultivation Technique, the rushing spiritual power began to undergo a miraculous qualitative change as it flowed through the newly opened Meridians.

The spiritual power, which was originally somewhat ethereal and loose, was further purified and condensed under the compression and tempering of the higher-level cultivation route.

It was like being tempered a thousand times, removing impurities and extracting the essence.

The process was slow and painful; the Meridians were washed and expanded by a more powerful force, and his Spiritual Sense also felt waves of fatigue from high concentration.

But Qi Yuan's will was like iron, unwavering.

After an unknown amount of time, when the last trace of loose spiritual power in his Dantian was completely converted, and all the spiritual power had turned into Mana shimmering with a deep green radiance—

A qualitative leap had been completed!

The condensation level of this new Mana was far beyond that of the previous spiritual power!

It was as if fluffy cotton had been compressed into a block of wood; the quantity had not increased greatly, but the quality had undergone a world-shaking change!

An unprecedented sense of power and control filled Qi Yuan's entire body.

He slowly opened his eyes, a green light flashing and vanishing within them, and the room seemed to brighten for a moment.

He gently raised his hand. Without using any spells, with just a slight thought, a wisp of gaseous Mana with a deep green radiance emerged from his fingertips, moving as easily as his own limbs. The power contained within was like heaven and earth compared to his previous spiritual power!

"Qi Refining Seventh Layer... Mana has been formed!"

Qi Yuan exhaled a long breath of turbid Qi. This breath was long and deep, carrying a faint fragrance of plants and trees.

He looked inside himself; the gaseous Mana with a deep green radiance rotated slowly in his Dantian like a nebula, nourishing his Physical Body and Divine Soul.

In his Sea of Consciousness, the information next to the "Evergreen Soul Tracing Seal" was also updated—[Lifespan: 135]!

Breaking through to Late Stage Qi Refining, his life Origin grew, and with the life-extending effect of the Wood Spirit Art, his Lifespan had actually increased to one hundred and thirty-five years!

Feeling the powerful Mana after the qualitative change in his body, a hearty smile finally appeared on Qi Yuan's face.

Nearly ten years of silence and struggle, and nearly three years of painstaking searching and repair—today, he had finally reached Late Stage Qi Refining!