The sword technique, the cultivation method, and the overlapping of two Water Flows made Zhong Ming's refinement of Spiritual Energy extraordinarily smooth and natural, without the slightest obstruction.
This prolonged the time Zhong Ming could refine Spiritual Energy and restrained it, keeping it from dissipating so quickly.
With such an advantage, after several days, Zhong Ming had tempered his Qi Sea Acupoint to perfection.
Closing his eyes to sense it, he found that he lacked only a single opportunity. Filled with anticipation, Zhong Ming immediately went to the place he knew best... beneath a small tree.
After taking two small sips of clear wine, he leaned against the little tree, held his Long Sword in his arms, and entered a state of cultivation.
"Breathe in, breathe out..."
"Rustle..."
As Zhong Ming's breathing rhythm synchronized with nature, vast amounts of Spiritual Energy were naturally drawn toward him like flowing water.
The next moment, under Zhong Ming's control, that Spiritual Energy began to flow through his body like a surging flood dragon.
Rather than forcing its way through obstacles, it followed the stream to open the channels... Relying on Water Flow, the Spiritual Energy moving within Zhong Ming's body never crashed against his meridians, but traveled along their bends.
And the current flowed extremely fast.
Later on, Zhong Ming no longer needed to deliberately control it. As long as he did not stop breathing, Spiritual Energy would continue circulating through his body.
Although Spiritual Energy constantly leaked away in the process due to Zhong Ming's mediocre Spiritual Root, more Spiritual Energy continuously entered his body through his nose and mouth.
This unique breathing and circulation brought Zhong Ming into a pseudo-state of endless vitality.
"The insights left by my predecessors really are useful."
As Spiritual Energy circulated through Zhong Ming's meridians, it gradually became tainted with his aura and marked by his imprint. This was also the process by which Spiritual Energy from nature gradually transformed into Zhong Ming's magical power.
When that magical power flowed into the Qi Sea Acupoint, part of it would also split from the dragon-like stream of Spiritual Energy and merge into the acupoint.
The infusion of vast amounts of Spiritual Energy caused Zhong Ming's Qi Sea Acupoint to change from something illusory into a Divine Treasury that was both real and unreal.
"Just a little more."
After noticing this, Zhong Ming did not turn his magical power into a sword and carve a gap into his Qi Sea Acupoint from the outside.
That was not how the Dragon Creek Breathing Technique achieved a breakthrough.
Nor could the Divine Treasury within the human body be opened with such brute force.
"Breathe in, breathe out..."
With Zhong Ming's breaths, more and more Spiritual Energy surged into his Qi Sea Acupoint.
After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the influx of immense Spiritual Energy finally pushed Zhong Ming's Qi Sea Acupoint to its critical point.
The next instant, with a "buzz," Zhong Ming's body trembled, and his consciousness abruptly emptied.
When Zhong Ming's soul regained clarity, he found himself in a place as vast and empty as an abyssal sky.
An indescribably strange sensation also rose from within his heart.
Yet that peculiar sensation came swiftly and vanished swiftly. Before Zhong Ming could savor it carefully, it rapidly faded away, along with the abyssal darkness around him.
In less than a breath, Zhong Ming discovered that his consciousness—or rather, his spirit—stood atop a thin layer of water.
"Is this my dantian Qi Sea?"
Looking around, Zhong Ming found that his newly opened Qi Sea was not particularly large, nor was there much unusual about it.
His magical power was even more pitiful, only a thin layer that barely covered the bottom of the Qi Sea.
But this did not disappoint Zhong Ming.
"I've only just entered Qi Refinement. My Spiritual Root grade is not high, and the cultivation method I practice is not some divine-level art. It is normal for there to be no phenomenon."
"But as long as I keep grinding away without cease, one day my Qi Sea will be as vast as a sea of clouds, with all manner of phenomena appearing within it."
After imagining the future for a while, Zhong Ming opened his eyes with excitement filling his heart.
"After seven days of bitter cultivation, I finally have a result... From today onward, I can finally call myself a Qi Practitioner!"
After opening his Qi Sea Acupoint and advancing into a Qi Practitioner, countless emotions welled up in Zhong Ming's heart.
At the same time, a feeling of emptiness spread through Zhong Ming's body and mind.
Along with it came a sense of lightness, as though he had shattered through a barrier and restriction, and his body had suddenly relaxed.
At this point, Zhong Ming could go to Senior Disciple Sister Mo Shuying and receive a Class A rating.
But because he had already succeeded, Zhong Ming was no longer in a hurry.
Closing his eyes once more, he began to sense the changes in his strength after becoming a Qi Practitioner.
"Breathe in, breathe out..."
As his magical power circulated, Zhong Ming vividly felt the difference between a Qi Practitioner and an ordinary person in less than a few breaths.
Even with only a thin layer of magical power, I am several times stronger than before.
Zhong Ming could now use magical power to bolster his body.
This enhancement would make his body lighter and his strength soar. Even his defenses would become far tougher under the reinforcement of magical power.
Beyond that, Zhong Ming could attach magical power to his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, strengthening his five senses.
"Cultivators truly are the world's most elite profession. My magical power is almost omnipotent and can bolster me in every aspect."
And such enhancement was merely the most basic use.
Now that he possessed magical power, the greatest change for Zhong Ming was that his third-realm Dragon Stream - Sword Drawing Technique could finally display its full might.
"Buzz..."
As magical power rapidly circulated through his body, realization dawned upon Zhong Ming.
"When it circulates to the extreme, if I draw my sword, that strike will no longer be an ordinary attack. With magical power added to it, my sword will be able to cut through steel and even unleash... Sword Qi!"
"In the mortal world, this would already make me a Sword Master, wouldn't it... Cultivators truly are different. Just entering Qi Refinement is equivalent to being a Sword Master among mortals."
As he thought this, Zhong Ming had clearly forgotten that his Dragon Stream - Sword Drawing Technique had also reached the third realm. In the mortal world, that alone was enough to call him a swordsman.
Opening his Qi Sea Acupoint had also caused his strength to soar, leaving Zhong Ming unable to conceal his excitement and exhilaration.
Yet while some rejoiced, others worried.
On the final day of the Class A evaluation, all Lineage disciples with Second-Class Spiritual Roots who still had a sliver of hope were going all out.
But when noon arrived, a group from the Dragon Creek Daoist Academy could not help but stop their Qi Refinement cultivation.
Even if some Lineage disciples were unwilling to accept it, they had no choice but to stop—their meridians could no longer endure such prolonged cultivation.
After opening their eyes, many cultivators with Second-Class Spiritual Roots wore bitter expressions.
Jiang Yue and Liu Wanyu were no exception.
Liu Wanyu said, "Young Master Jiang, did you break through?"
That made Jiang Yue sigh and shake his head. "I'm still a little short... There are only seven days, and the amount of time we can cultivate each day is limited. The Daoist Academy has given us too little cultivation time."
Liu Wanyu also sighed at those words, though she did not complain much. "For the various peaks of the Seven Mysteries Sect, a Class A rating is not merely passing—it marks someone as a pillar worthy of devoted cultivation. Because of its high status, resources are supplied without restraint. It is only natural for the peaks to set higher requirements."
As she spoke, Liu Wanyu looked at the other Second-Class Spiritual Roots and the Lineage disciples.
When she found that none of them had broken through either, she quietly let out a breath of relief.
As an individual, seeing that she was not the furthest behind allowed Liu Wanyu to finally put down the heart she had been holding in her throat.
But Mo Shuying could not do the same. As Dragon Stream Peak's current Senior Disciple Sister, she held a certain amount of authority and had to consider Dragon Stream Peak's overall strength.
Only three Class A ratings could not meet her expectations.
Especially when she thought of Dragon Stream Peak's current circumstances, her expression turned icy.
"Three Class A ratings are far too few. If this continues, we will likely rank among the bottom once again in this year's Seven Peaks competition... That absolutely cannot happen."
With her gaze tightly fixed, she unwillingly swept her eyes over the disciples with Second-Class Spiritual Roots, hoping to find one or two more Class A ratings.
But not one of those she looked at dared meet her eyes. They all lowered their heads instead.
This sight made Mo Shuying's expression grow even uglier.
Just as Mo Shuying was about to give up, as if possessed by ghosts and driven by gods, she looked toward Zhong Ming beside Xue Yao.
But the moment she looked over, she shook her head.
"I really have lost my mind. Even Lineage disciples with Second-Class Spiritual Roots cannot break through. Zhong Ming only has a Third-grade Spiritual Root, so opening his Qi Sea Acupoint is even harder for him. No matter what, seven days cannot possibly be enough for him... Hm?!"
Before you continue