Returning to the Sect Early

Elsewhere.

The tremendous roar from the courtyard formation during the day had been caused by Han Yi's Spirit Void Finger.

His Spirit Void Finger had advanced again.

But before he could revel in his ecstasy, the Spirit Void Finger that shot downward directly shook the foundation of the formation, setting off a massive tremor.

The disturbance was so great that it kicked up dust that filled the sky, leaving him in a sorry state and giving him quite a fright.

Moreover, the bedroom that had somehow remained standing before him had its rear half collapse entirely.

Only, because of the formation and the angle, those squatting guard outside the door could not see this change.

Han Yi paid no heed to his disheveled state and instead burst into laughter. After laughing, he let out a long breath. His breath stretched like a bolt of silk, sweeping up the lingering spiritual energy within the bedroom and sending it rolling endlessly through the air, filling the entire room.

It took a long while before it finally settled.

After four months, his Spirit Void Finger had reached another new height. The power of this newly elevated Spirit Void Finger finally made Han Yi feel that he possessed a means of preserving his life.

"This power has definitely reached the might of Qi Refining Layer 6—perhaps even the peak of Layer 6."

Han Yi looked at his current proficiency panel, his heart growing hot.

Name: Han Yi

Lifespan: 21/89

Realm: Qi Refining Layer 3 (78/100)

Cultivation Art: Fire Pill Profound Art (Proficient 17/100)

Skills:

Alchemy (Intermediate 63/100)

Spirit Void Finger (Comprehensive Mastery 1/100)

Four months of bitter cultivation had given the entire panel a completely new look.

Thanks to his regardless-of-cost consumption of spirit stones, he had pushed Qi Refining Layer 3 to 78/100.

His foundational cultivation art, the Fire Pill Profound Art, had also crossed from Beginner into a new tier: Proficient.

As for his skills—

Alchemy was still at Intermediate.

The Spirit Void Finger, meanwhile, had already surpassed alchemy and entered a new realm: Comprehensive Mastery.

The sheer power of the Spirit Void Finger at Comprehensive Mastery left even Han Yi overjoyed.

"There's still one month left."

"I need to make preparations on two fronts."

"First, use spirit stones—no, not just spirit stones. I'll directly use Qi Nourishing Pills for cultivation as well, and strive to reach Qi Refining Layer 4."

"Second, combine that set of three Low-grade Magic Artifact daggers with the Sword Control Technique, making it my second move besides the Spirit Void Finger."

Han Yi's plan was clear. He had not become swollen with confidence after a single breakthrough, but remained as steady as ever.

He also decided to begin using Qi Nourishing Pills to assist his cultivation.

Compared with spirit stones, the effects of Qi Nourishing Pills were more easily converted into the magical power within his body, and they were gentler as well.

A single Qi Nourishing Pill improved one's cultivation far less than a spirit stone, but it was clearly more effective for breaking through to the Qi Refining Middle Stage. That was why one Qi Nourishing Pill sold for roughly one and a half spirit stones on the market—it was due to this very characteristic.

"And there is one more important decision, one that goes beyond these two preparations."

"That is, whether or not I can break through, and regardless of how far I cultivate the Sword Control Technique, I must leave Mengshan City ahead of time."

Based on the situation he currently understood, he had no idea who else in Mengshan City might bear him ill will.

Yet in the depths of his heart, he felt that this was not a place where he could remain.

And if he was leaving, then naturally, a sudden departure would be best.

Even if someone intended him harm, his unexpected early departure from the city would catch them off guard.

Having thought it through, Han Yi decided to set out for the sect half a month early.

In other words, he still had one month.

After that—

Han Yi continued his bitter cultivation.

Spirit stones and Qi Nourishing Pills—he used them without restraint.

Yet only three days later, he stopped, his brows tightly furrowed.

"No, this won't do. My previous idea was far too naive."

"The progress is too slow. If I cultivate like this, not only will I be unable to break through to Qi Refining Layer 4, but the Sword Control Technique will not make much progress either."

"I can't rush. I absolutely can't rush."

"Want this, want that, want even more—clearly, that's too idealistic."

"And even if I can break through to Qi Refining Layer 4, I have no way to stabilize my cultivation. On the contrary, having just broken through, my control over spiritual power would be too crude, making my strongest Spirit Void Finger unstable. I might even injure myself by mistake."

Han Yi pondered for a while, then decisively gave up on breaking through his cultivation and turned instead to practicing the Sword Control Technique.

Back in that alley, he had crushed Jiang De, whose cultivation had been higher than his own despite Han Yi only being at Qi Refining Layer 3, by relying on spells.

Cultivation was certainly important, but spells were the key to defeating the strong while weak.

He first took out the incomplete Sword Control Technique he had bought at Lei Family Market, then pressed the Transmission Jade Disk against his forehead.

At once, an incantation flooded into his mind, accompanied by a voice explaining it.

This was the Transmission Jade Disk.

Of course, this sort of jade disk was the lowest-grade disposable kind. After being used once, it would turn into a worthless stone.

Higher-grade Transmission Jade Disks could even exist permanently and be used without limit. They were one of the foundations of a great sect's inheritance.

A moment later, he set down the jade disk, now stripped of its function. Then he placed a Dagger Artifact on his knees and rested his arm over it.

The spiritual power within his body began to flow into the dagger according to the method described by the incantation.

At first, he sensed a feeling of rejection and heaviness.

This was the artifact resisting him.

Han Yi was not impatient. He simply continued channeling spiritual power into the dagger, merging it with the weapon.

Three days later.

The dagger on his knees began to move.

Seven days later.

The dagger rose into the air, swaying unsteadily.

Eighteen days later.

The dagger darted through the Meditation Chamber, trailing streak after streak of spiritual light.

One morning, a month later.

With a crisp creak, the long-unopened courtyard gate swung open. A figure stepped over the threshold, manipulated the Array Disk to reactivate the formation, then put the disk away and headed straight in a certain direction—the direction of the city gate.

That person was, naturally, Han Yi.

It was not that he had not considered leaving under cover of night, but Mengshan City had rules: even cultivators were forbidden from entering or leaving the city at night. Anyone attempting to force their way through could be killed on the spot if discovered.

Today was the day he had planned to return to the sect ahead of schedule. As for where to go after returning, he had already made up his mind.

Both the Outer Peak and Inner Peak of the Mystic Pill Sect had cultivation chambers for rent. These chambers were built upon the nodes of the mountains' spiritual veins, where spiritual energy was far more abundant than elsewhere.

The benefits of cultivation chambers were obvious, but so were their drawbacks: they were expensive—outrageously so.

For example, renting a cultivation chamber on Little Spirit Void Peak for a single day required one spirit stone. To ordinary low-level Qi Refining disciples, that was an astronomical price.

Thus, the cultivation chambers of the Outer Peak were generally only rented by those at Qi Refining Layer 5 or Layer 6 when they wanted to break through to the next realm and were willing to pay a steep price.

The journey back to the sect would take around five days, which meant he would still need to rent a cultivation chamber for ten days, for a total of ten spirit stones.

To the current Han Yi, this expense was nowhere near as important as his own safety. He knew which mattered more, so naturally, he was willing to pay it.