Tang Xichen

In the blink of an eye, another five years had passed.

Fire Room!

Before the Alchemy Furnace.

Chen Sheng stood at the center, his expression focused as his hands formed seals and activated the Xuanyang Flame Control Art.

A pale blue flame suddenly appeared at his fingertips.

Steady as a bean, it merely swayed slightly when the draft passed through the room, never going out.

"Flame Splitting!"

Chen Sheng's gaze sharpened.

The hand seals shifted rapidly.

The flame abruptly divided. First, two flames bloomed side by side; then, in an instant, they split into four, eight... until they finally became two hundred and fifty-six.

Sparks filled the air, scattering in every direction.

They were dazzling to behold.

"Flame Stacking!"

His hand seals changed again.

The scattered flames suddenly gathered like a school of fish returning to its nest, rushing together and layering atop one another until they formed several Li Fire Pillars five feet tall.

They shone brilliantly.

Casting Chen Sheng's figure in alternating light and shadow.

"Rotation!"

The fire pillars suddenly curved, their heads and tails joining together.

They twisted into a Li Fire Wheel over twelve feet wide in midair. As it spun with a roaring hum, the surrounding air became unbearably hot!

"Flame Convergence!"

At last.

Chen Sheng brought his palms together and lightly tapped with his fingertips.

The fire wheels filling the sky immediately drew in. Countless flames receded like the tide, gathering... until they condensed into a dazzling speck of golden radiance hovering above his fingertip.

Though the golden radiance appeared tiny, it sent ripples through the surrounding air.

The temperature contained within was clearly terrifying!

Not far away.

Huang Yueyang stroked his beard, watching the scene with great satisfaction.

"Your furnace control has reached perfection; your command of the flames is sufficient!"

His son-in-law's comprehension was merely average.

Yet his tremendous perseverance and day-after-day diligence were more moving than the talent of many geniuses.

Over the past five years.

Chen Sheng had studied tirelessly and advanced steadily.

Not only had he cultivated the Xuanyang Flame Control Art to the Fifth Layer, but his understanding of the secret art of medicine had also become exceptionally profound.

He could now offer many suggestions whenever Huang Yueyang improved a Pill Formula.

He had truly inherited all of Huang Yueyang's teachings!

With such a son-in-law.

How could Huang Yueyang not be satisfied?

Not far away.

Whenever this happened.

Li Huayao would hunch her neck, wishing she could bury her head inside the Alchemy Furnace.

Compared to Chen Sheng's rapid progress over the past few years.

Her own improvement was too embarrassing to mention—she had only barely mastered the first three layers.

That was only because Huang Yueyang had checked on her progress several times, flown into a rage, and personally stood beside her with a Ruler in hand to supervise and push her along.

Otherwise, even the first three layers would have been a struggle!

Huang Yueyang shot her a glance and said in exasperation, "Look at your junior disciple brother, then look at yourself."

"If you were willing to put in even thirty percent more effort normally, you would not be hiding by the furnace watching the excitement now."

Li Huayao had long cultivated a thick skin. She eagerly brought over a cup of hot tea.

She leaned close to Huang Yueyang and said with a cheeky grin, "Master, calm down. The first three layers are enough. Look, when I melt and purify the ingredients, don't I control the heat perfectly steadily?"

For the sake of the tea.

Huang Yueyang found it difficult to scold her further and could only sigh softly.

"Only a lazybones like you could make cutting corners sound so righteous."

He must have been blind back then to accept this disciple!

There had already been one lazy person in the household who did not enjoy cultivation.

And now, it had thoroughly become a nest of lazybones!

At this moment.

Chen Sheng withdrew his hand seal.

The golden radiance at his fingertip quietly extinguished.

He still had seventy percent of his spiritual power remaining.

His Flame Control Technique had clearly reached a high level; every thread of spiritual power had been used precisely, without wasting the slightest bit.

"Father-in-law."

Chen Sheng cupped his fists slightly toward Huang Yueyang.

Huang Yueyang nodded in satisfaction. Then he suddenly looked Chen Sheng over from head to toe and smiled.

"You have reached the peak of the fourth level?"

Chen Sheng nodded.

"Father-in-law, your eyes are sharp. I reached this threshold last night. I was just planning to enter seclusion for a few days and attempt the Qi Condensation Fifth Level."

Huang Yueyang nodded.

"Not bad. Cultivation is the foundation. Focus on entering seclusion and advancing your realm; there is no need to worry about matters in the Fire Room."

Cultivation chamber.

Qi Condensation Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Levels all belonged to the Qi Condensation Mid-stage, with no bottlenecks between them.

It was simply a matter of letting nature take its course.

Chen Sheng swallowed a Grain Abstinence Pill.

He shut his eyes tightly and slowly circulated his hand seal, refining the spiritual energy around him.

It eventually gathered in his Dantian and transformed into spiritual power.

Seven days later.

A soft sound suddenly rang out from within the chamber.

Chen Sheng sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. The spiritual power in his body surged violently as he circulated his hand seal.

Before he knew it.

His spiritual power had actually washed away the obstructions in his meridians, opening up an entirely new circuit of meridians.

The spiritual power in his Dantian had grown several times richer, while the spiritual pressure around his body rose another level.

Chen Sheng slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

Then he slowly rose to his feet.

"Qi Condensation Fifth Level, achieved!"

The corners of his mouth curled upward.

His eyes were full of delight.

With his aptitude.

Without the aid of resources.

Each advancement in the Qi Condensation Mid-stage would take at least seven or eight years.

Yet he had risen another level in just over five years, saving two or three years of time.

Beneath the peach tree in the back courtyard.

A little girl with a short ponytail held a Peachwood Sword and danced through the courtyard, her gaze unusually serious.

Every stance and movement was well executed.

In the pavilion nearby, Huang Wangyou ate candied fruit as she watched her daughter practice her swordsmanship with a smile.

Just then.

A figure passed beneath the corridor.

Huang Wangyou's eyes immediately lit up, and she happily ran toward him.

"Husband, you came out of seclusion?"

Chen Sheng opened his arms and caught her, her hair's fragrance lingering at the tip of his nose.

"I broke through, so naturally I came out."

"While I was in seclusion, did you cultivate properly?"

Huang Wangyou nestled in his embrace. Her voice was soft and sweet as she blinked with a hint of guilt.

"Of course I did."

Chen Sheng saw through his wife's insincerity at once, knowing that her lazy nature had acted up again.

He gently pinched her cheek, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "It seems your husband will have to properly urge you on tonight."

"Bah, you have no decency!"

Huang Wangyou's ears immediately turned red. She shot him a look and thumped his chest with her delicate fist.

She was truly captivating, beautiful beyond compare.

After several days apart.

The husband and wife whispered to each other for a while, speaking of private matters from their room.

Beneath the peach tree.

Tang Xichen, who had been practicing her sword, had long noticed that her father had emerged from seclusion.

She still insisted on completing her entire Sword Skill, fine sweat beading across her forehead.

Only then did she reveal a smile, trot over, and tightly hug Chen Sheng's leg.

"Father, you came out of seclusion. Someone can finally practice swordsmanship with me."

Chen Sheng gently stroked his daughter's head and laughed heartily.

"Alright, alright. Father will practice with you!"

His daughter, Tang Xichen, was now four years old.

Her spiritual root had been tested not long ago.

They discovered that she possessed a Mid-grade Fire Spiritual Root. She had surpassed both her father and ancestors, and her future was boundless.

But she was still young, and her meridians had not fully developed.

Chen Sheng had only taught her a foundational Sword Skill to temper her physique, while also using Medicinal Baths to nourish her meridians and lay the groundwork for her future cultivation.

The first time she practiced swordsmanship.

Tang Xichen displayed astonishing talent.

Not only had she inherited her mother's intelligence and nimbleness, but she had also inherited Chen Sheng's diligence.

She had inherited the strengths of both her parents.

In only a few days.

She had mastered an entire Sword Skill with extraordinary proficiency.

Chen Sheng had no choice but to gather more mundane Sword Skills for her to practice.

He also looked forward to the day.

When a female Sword Immortal would emerge from their family.