Companion Jade Pendant

Days passed, and Shen Hao's cultivation steadily improved.

He had already broken through to Perfection of Qi Refining Layer One, with only a step remaining to reach Qi Refining Second Layer. His practice of the sword art also advanced daily; the three forms—slash, thrust, and flick—had been honed to perfection.

That day, after finishing his tasks in the Medicine Garden, Shen Hao received a Low-grade Spirit Stone. Instead of returning directly to his quarters, he walked into a dense forest on the Back Mountain. This place was rarely visited, rich in Spiritual Energy, and ideal for cultivation.

He sat cross-legged beneath a large tree, took out the spirit stone, and began to cultivate. Spiritual Energy flowed through his Meridians, surging endlessly into his Sea of Qi. Shen Hao could clearly sense that the Spiritual Energy in his Sea of Qi had reached a state of saturation.

"It's time to break through to Qi Refining Second Layer." A thought stirred in Shen Hao's mind, and he began to channel the Spiritual Energy within his Sea of Qi, assaulting the barrier to Qi Refining Second Layer.

The Spiritual Energy rushed like a tidal wave, battering the walls of his Meridians. The Meridian barriers were far more solid than before. Shen Hao clenched his teeth, mobilizing all his Spiritual Energy to strike with full force.

Once, twice, three times...

He lost count of how many times he struck, but the Meridian barriers remained utterly unmoved. Fine beads of sweat seeped out on Shen Hao's forehead, and the Spiritual Energy within him had been drained by more than half.

"It seems, with my current Spiritual Energy density, I'm still a bit short of the mark to break through to Qi Refining Second Layer." Shen Hao sighed and slowly opened his eyes.

He put away the spirit stone, stood up, and prepared to head back to his quarters. Just then, he suddenly felt a warm sensation at his chest.

Shen Hao paused, reaching a hand to his chest. Hanging there was a jade pendant. His mother had given it to him, saying it was a family heirloom meant to be worn close to the body for protection. He had always kept it on him without giving it much thought.

Now, the pendant was radiating a faint warmth, and a weak yet pure stream of Spiritual Energy was flowing from it into his body without pause.

Startled, Shen Hao quickly took the pendant off. It was a pale green, about the size of a palm, etched with intricate patterns that resembled some ancient runes. The pendant felt smooth and warm to the touch, glowing with a faint spiritual light.

"This pendant... could it be a Magic Treasure?" Shen Hao murmured to himself, his face full of shock.

He tried channeling a thread of Spiritual Energy into the pendant. Instantly, the pendant emitted a dazzling green light, and the runes on it became clearly visible. A surge of Spiritual Energy, far purer than that of a spirit stone, gushed out from the pendant, flowing through his Meridians and into his Sea of Qi.

Shen Hao felt his whole body jolt. The Spiritual Energy in his Sea of Qi instantly became abundant. The energy he had expended earlier was restored in the blink of an eye.

"Excellent!" Shen Hao was overjoyed.

He quickly sat back down cross-legged and once again mobilized the Spiritual Energy in his Sea of Qi to assault the barrier to Qi Refining Second Layer. This time, with the pendant's Spiritual Energy boosting him, the density of his energy was several times greater than before.

Boom!

A muffled sound rang out inside his body. The barrier to Qi Refining Second Layer, fragile as paper, was easily shattered by the Spiritual Energy. The energy poured through the breach into the deeper reaches of his Meridians.

A wave of refreshing comfort swept through Shen Hao's limbs and bones. He looked inward at his Sea of Qi and saw that the Spiritual Energy there had condensed into a clear lake, its density more than ten times greater than before.

"Qi Refining Second Layer, finally broken through!" Shen Hao opened his eyes, his gaze brimming with joy.

He clutched the pendant in his hand, his heart filled with excitement. He had never imagined that this seemingly ordinary family heirloom pendant would turn out to be such a miraculous Magic Treasure. With this pendant aiding him, his cultivation speed would increase several times over.

Shen Hao studied the pendant closely, finding the runes on it profound and hard to decipher. He tried probing it with his Spiritual Sense, but a gentle force pushed him back.

"It seems, with my current cultivation level, I still can't fully unlock the pendant's secrets," Shen Hao murmured to himself.

He put the pendant back on, wearing it close to his body, and carefully tucked it away. He knew this pendant was both his opportunity and his secret. He could not tell anyone about it, or it would invite deadly trouble.

The setting sun cast its golden glow over the forest, coating the earth in a halo of light. Shen Hao stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and walked toward his quarters. His steps were much lighter.

He knew that with the aid of this Companion Jade Pendant, his path of cultivation would become much smoother. But he also understood that the road of cultivation was not all smooth sailing. He would need to train even more diligently to stand firm in this perilous Cultivation World.