10: Second Life: First Steps on the Immortal Path (Part 9)

Time flew like a shuttle, and days passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, fifteen years had passed since Xu Yuan decided to Cultivate the Spiritual Qi refinement method within the Nine Fire Condensation Flame.

Xu Yuan sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, having been in deep meditation for over half a month.

Within ten meters of him, the air twisted and steamed, with waves of scorching heat radiating from him as the center, baking the stone room like a furnace.

If an ordinary Mortal were here, their lungs would likely be scorched and their flesh withered by the high temperature in an instant.

However, Xu Yuan sat amidst it all, his expression as calm as a rippleless well.

"Break!"

Suddenly, Xu Yuan snapped his eyes open, and the refined Spiritual Qi within him surged like a fire Dragon, crashing against the Bottleneck.

Rumble!

It was as if a silent thunderclap echoed within the stone room.

A circular wave of scorching heat suddenly expanded, slamming into the stone walls and leaving behind streaks of scorch marks.

The prayer mat beneath Xu Yuan instantly turned to ash, and even the ground around him showed faint signs of melting.

"It's finally done."

Xu Yuan exhaled a long breath of turbid Qi; the breath was as sharp as an arrow and incredibly hot, striking a faint white trail in the air with a soft "hiss."

A look of joy appeared on Xu Yuan's face, and he immediately couldn't wait to feel the changes after his Breakthrough.

Inside his body, the originally violent fire-attribute Spiritual Qi flowed smoothly, and majestic, pure power filled his limbs and bones, making him several times stronger than when he was at the Sixth Level of Qi Refining!

His five senses became sharper than ever before, and the range of his Divine Sense expanded abruptly; he could even clearly hear the slight sound of the breeze brushing over sand outside the stone room.

"As expected, because of the Breakthrough to the 7th Layer of Qi Condensation, the Spiritual Qi that had already been refined six times has returned to the purity of five refinements."

"To perform the sixth refinement of Spiritual Qi again, it will take at least two more years."

"It seems there's no time left."

Xu Yuan thought it was a pity; if his Spiritual Qi were still at the state of six refinements, his strength would be at least ten percent higher than it was now!

Unfortunately, time had run out.

Over the past fifteen years, although Xu Yuan had used bits of the Nine Fire Condensation Flame to keep the Wu Family hooked, their patience had gradually worn thin as time passed.

Especially since the Xu Family Ancestor had not appeared for a long time, rumors that he had fallen began to circulate, making the Wu Family even more restless.

Within Thousand Cloud City, a scene of instability and impending crisis had already emerged.

Feeling the turbulent situation, Xu Yuan practiced even more diligently, finally succeeding in his Breakthrough to the 7th Layer of Qi Condensation today, becoming one of the few Late Qi Condensation Stage Cultivators in Thousand Cloud City.

After adjusting his state, Xu Yuan first changed into clean clothes and then strode out of the Quiet Room.

Xiao Qing, who was waiting outside the Quiet Room, saw Xu Yuan emerge. A glint flashed in her eyes as she stepped forward and asked, "Young Master, you have come out of seclusion today; did you successfully break through to the Late Qi Condensation Stage?"

"Indeed." Xu Yuan nodded with a smile. "Go and contact the Wu Family for me; tell them I will personally visit to propose marriage on a chosen day."

"Congratulations, Young Master. After many years of cultivation, you have finally achieved your wish. I will go and tell the Second Young Miss of the Wu Family the news right away." Xiao Qing hurriedly congratulated him and then ran off.

Watching Xiao Qing's departing back, Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly, and then he went alone to see Xu Longpeng.

"Hmm?" Seeing Xu Yuan, a flash of surprise first crossed Xu Longpeng's face, but then he felt the faint 7th Layer of Qi Condensation Spiritual Pressure radiating from Xu Yuan and couldn't help but rejoice. "Yuan'er, you've broken through?"

"I broke through by chance." Xu Yuan smiled and then lowered his voice. "Father, how are the preparations?"

Hearing this, Xu Longpeng's expression became more serious; after all, what came next concerned the very survival of the Xu Family.

"Including you, our Xu Family now has a total of 9 Late Qi Condensation Stage Cultivators, 84 Mid-Stage of Qi Refining Cultivators, and 482 Early Qi Condensation Stage Cultivators," Xu Longpeng said.

Xu Yuan thought for a moment after hearing this, then spoke firmly: "Father, let's take action!"

"The Old Ancestor is about to fall, and the Wu Family is already restless. Using my Breakthrough to the Late Qi Condensation Stage as an excuse to propose marriage is the perfect way to catch the Wu Family off guard!"

"Good, let's go and invite the Old Ancestor now!"

Hearing this, Xu Longpeng also understood that Xu Yuan's words were reasonable and that now was the best time. He nodded in agreement without hesitation and then took Xu Yuan to a small courtyard deep within the Xu Family estate.

"Your unfilial descendant, Xu Longpeng, requests an audience with Third Grandfather. Please come out of seclusion, Third Grandfather."

Xu Longpeng pulled Xu Yuan to kneel at the entrance of the courtyard and spoke in a low voice.

"Sigh..."

After a long time, accompanied by a sigh, the courtyard gate opened on its own without any wind, and a withered-looking old man slowly stepped out.

Looking at his Old Ancestor, who appeared like an ordinary person, a hint of surprise flashed in Xu Yuan's eyes. Even though the Old Ancestor was standing right in front of him, under his Divine Sense perception, there were only himself and his father; he couldn't detect the Old Ancestor's presence at all.

"Little Longpeng, I haven't seen you in thirty years; you've grown old too." The Xu Family Ancestor looked at the two kneeling on the ground, a look of reminiscence flashing across his face.

"Third Grandfather..." Xu Longpeng's voice carried a hint of sorrow.

"Enough. Don't forget that you are now the head of the Xu Family. What's with all the crying?"

The Xu Family Ancestor waved his hand, and Xu Yuan felt an irresistible force lift him and his father off the ground.

"Get straight to the point. Don't dally, or I won't be able to help you once I'm dead."

The Xu Family Ancestor chuckled, showing none of the fear of death typical of someone about to pass away.

"Third Grandfather, we need you to secretly go to the Sun Family..."

Xu Longpeng suppressed his emotions and laid out the Xu Family's current plan in its entirety.

"This scheme is ruthless! Dragging that old ghost of the Sun Family down with us... is this a plan you could have come up with?"

Upon hearing the Xu Family's upcoming arrangements, the Xu Family Ancestor's eyes lit up, and he then looked at Xu Longpeng somewhat suspiciously.

"Third Grandfather, this was my son Xu Yuan's idea." Xu Longpeng scratched his head.

Hearing this, the Xu Family Ancestor's gaze turned toward Xu Yuan, who had been standing beside Xu Longpeng, and he smiled kindly.

"You are Little Yuan? I held you thirty years ago, and in the blink of an eye, you've grown so big. Not bad; breaking through to the 7th Layer of Qi Condensation at such a young age, you have some of my style from when I was young."

"The Old Ancestor overpraises me; I am unworthy." Xu Yuan bowed respectfully with cupped hands.

"With you to inherit the position of family head from Little Longpeng, our Xu Family can be said to have a successor." The Xu Family Ancestor smiled gratifiedly, then sighed softly, "Unfortunately, I won't be around to see it."

Having finished speaking, the Xu Family Ancestor didn't wait for the two to react; his figure vanished from the spot, and he left the Xu Family.

"Respectfully seeing off the Old Ancestor."

Seeing this, Xu Longpeng and Xu Yuan bowed deeply toward where the Old Ancestor had just been, only rising after a long time.

"Father, the Old Ancestor has gone to the Sun Family, so the Wu Family spies we kept around can now be put to use," Xu Yuan said in a deep voice.

"Yes, I will spread the news immediately, withdrawing the Xu Family's businesses and pretending that the Old Ancestor has fallen." Xu Longpeng composed his sorrowful emotions and spoke in a low voice.

Over the past fifteen years, Xu Longpeng had also identified most of the spies the Wu Family had planted in the Xu Family but had never dealt with them.

He was waiting for a critical moment to use these spies to deliver false information to the Wu Family!