Qi Condensation First Layer!

With a plan in motion, Xu Chunniang got dressed and began to climb.

As she ascended, she noticed that her body, transformed by spiritual qi, felt much more agile and lighter than before.

However, the entrance to the mountain crevice was too steep, making it difficult to climb. She tried more than ten times without success.

After failing to climb again and falling into the pool, Xu Chunniang couldn't hide her disappointment. She hadn't expected that even after achieving Qi Introduction, she still couldn't leave this place.

"Forget it. Since I can't get out, I'll just continue cultivating."

Xu Chunniang pondered. Although she couldn't climb out now, if her cultivation reached the first level of Qi Condensation, perhaps she would have a chance.

She had ten Grain Abstinence Pills left, enough for twenty days.

But twenty days was a short time, even for a genius with a Dual-Element Spiritual Root, to cultivate to the first level of Qi Condensation.

Although the spiritual qi concentration here was far superior to that in the Lecture Room, the speed of cultivation wasn't solely related to the surrounding spiritual qi density.

After all, no matter how dense the spiritual qi in the world was, it still took time to absorb it into one's body…

Wait, speaking of absorbing spiritual qi?

Xu Chunniang slapped her forehead. How could she forget that she had Spirit Stones!

Spirit Stones contained a large amount of spiritual qi, and this spiritual qi was different from the scattered and wandering spiritual qi in the world; it could be directly used for cultivation!

Normally, she would never be willing to use Spirit Stones directly for cultivation. After all, Spirit Stones were very useful; they could be used to buy Cultivation Techniques, Spiritual Artifacts, elixirs, formation plates, and so on.

But now she was trapped in the mountain's belly. If she couldn't get out soon, she would starve to death here, and no amount of Spirit Stones would be useful.

Xu Chunniang took out her Storage Bag. Now, she didn't need to place the Storage Bag close to her forehead to retrieve items.

She took out two gleaming Spirit Stones, touched them reluctantly, and then held the Spirit Stones, beginning to cultivate directly.

Time seemed to stand still in the mountains. Once Xu Chunniang started cultivating, she lost all track of time.

After achieving Qi Introduction, her spirit was better than before, and her daily sleep time, which was set at three hours, was compressed to two.

The priority now was to improve her cultivation and leave this cave as soon as possible.

In the blink of an eye, eighteen days passed.

On this day, Xu Chunniang was still absorbing spiritual qi, holding a Spirit Stone in each hand. However, the once-abundant Spirit Stones were now dull and gray, looking no different from ordinary roadside stones.

As the last wisp of spiritual qi was absorbed from the Spirit Stones, they seemed unable to bear it any longer and turned into dust.

Xu Chunniang opened her eyes, a hint of excitement flashing in them. She had finally reached the first level of Qi Condensation!

Absorbing the spiritual qi from the Spirit Stones was indeed much faster than cultivating alone. But looking at the Spirit Stones that had completely turned to dust, Xu Chunniang felt a pang of heartache.

These were two large Spirit Stones! Each Spirit Stone was worth more than a thousand pieces of gold. She had only cultivated for a little over ten days, and her expenses had exceeded two thousand gold!

Xu Chunniang felt a wave of dizziness, continuously patting her chest. It took a long time for her to suppress that feeling of heartache.

"Oh well, it's already used. Let's see what's different at the first level of Qi Condensation."

Xu Chunniang clenched her small fists, a happy smile appearing on her face. Only at this moment did she seem like an eight-year-old child.

Reaching the first level of Qi Condensation meant she was a cultivator who had embarked on the path of immortality. Xu Chunniang found that her body was even more agile. With a single leap, she could jump from one side of the pool to the other, and she hadn't even exerted much effort.

Not only had her body become lighter, but her five senses seemed to have been enhanced as well.

Even during the day, the cave was always dim, and many places were unclear. However, after breaking through to the first level of Qi Condensation, she could see everything clearly.

Xu Chunniang looked upwards with full confidence. She had a ninety percent chance of leaving the cave!

She leaped up and began to climb the steep mountain wall. Before long, she reached the crevice and with a gentle hook of her hand, she pulled herself out of the cave.

Finally, she was out!

Basking in the long-lost sunlight, Xu Chunniang pouted, feeling an urge to cry. Recalling the days she was trapped, she truly persevered by sheer willpower.

After greedily soaking up the sun for an hour, Xu Chunniang jumped down, returning to the cave.

Now that she could leave the cave, she wasn't in a hurry anymore.

Martial Uncle Gu had said that after a breakthrough in cultivation, the most important thing was to consolidate one's cultivation.

If one didn't consolidate their cultivation, a weak foundation was a minor issue, but in the future, unexpected events might even cause a regression in their realm!

The cultivation she had improved with two Spirit Stones couldn't be lost carelessly, or she would have suffered a huge loss.

A full three days later, feeling that her cultivation had completely stabilized, Xu Chunniang stopped cultivating with satisfaction, left the cave, and headed straight for the Dining Hall.

This time, Xu Chunniang only took two hours to reach the Dining Hall, almost doubling her previous speed.

Steward Zhao of the Dining Hall was unusually busy. He was skillfully processing a dead wolf.

"This is a Gale Wolf, a demonic beast at the late stage of Qi Condensation," Steward Zhao pursed his lips. "Someone hunted it and asked me to help clean it up."

Although Steward Zhao was the steward of the Dining Hall and held a transcendent position, he was naturally gluttonous and loved food.

Therefore, disciples, regardless of their cultivation level, could bring any demonic beasts they hunted to him for processing. He would charge a certain amount of beast meat as remuneration.

Xu Chunniang looked in the direction Steward Zhao pointed. Three men with extraordinary auras were seated in the Dining Hall. Being able to hunt a demonic beast at the late stage of Qi Condensation meant their cultivation was definitely no lower than the seventh level of Qi Condensation.

Since Steward Zhao was occupied, Xu Chunniang didn't say much. She collected her Grain Abstinence Pills for the next month in advance, took two bottles of them, and left the Dining Hall, heading towards the Merit Pavilion.

After achieving Qi Introduction, new disciples could enter the Merit Pavilion once to choose two low-level Sorcery techniques for free.

Upon entering the Merit Pavilion, Xu Chunniang unexpectedly encountered an acquaintance, Qi Haozhi.

Qi Haozhi was the person accompanying the young lady in fine clothes. However, after that overbearing young lady entered the Inner Sect, he remained in the Outer Sect.

Xu Chunniang remembered that outside the Lecture Hall, Qi Haozhi was among the first group to go to the second floor for lessons.

He had already achieved Qi Introduction when she was still learning to read. She hadn't expected him to only come to the Lecture Hall to select sorcery techniques today.

"It's you!"

Qi Haozhi was also quite surprised to see Xu Chunniang. He had a very deep impression of her.

Not to mention that someone had helped her when she was targeted by Huangfu Yao on the Flying Ship, her performance later with Steward Zhang Donglai had also been quite eye-catching.

Furthermore, the hideous and prominent red birthmark below Xu Chunniang's right eye was absolutely unforgettable.

Although her complexion appeared much better now than before, in his eyes, she was still unsightly.

Xu Chunniang saw Qi Haozhi but treated him as if he were air, walking on her own to the low-level sorcery section to select techniques.

Qi Haozhi, however, frowned and followed her to the sorcery selection area. "You've achieved Qi Introduction too? No!"

He sensed her aura, his expression changed, and he said incredulously, "You're actually already at the first level of Qi Condensation!"