Breakthrough, At Last a Qi Practitioner!

Swordsmanship, cultivation technique—the overlap of two Water Flows made Zhong Ming's refinement of Spiritual Energy exceptionally smooth and natural, without the slightest obstruction.

This prolonged the time Zhong Ming could refine Spiritual Energy and restrained it, preventing it from dissipating so quickly.

With such an advantage, after several days, Zhong Ming had polished his Qi Sea Acupoint to perfection.

After closing his eyes and sensing that he only lacked a single opportunity, Zhong Ming, full of anticipation, immediately went to the place he knew best... beneath a small tree.

After taking a couple of sips of clear wine, he leaned against the small tree, cradled his Long Sword, and entered a state of cultivation.

"Breathe in, breathe out..."

"Whoosh..."

As Zhong Ming's breathing rhythm synchronized with nature, a great deal of Spiritual Energy was naturally drawn toward him like flowing water.

The next moment, under Zhong Ming's control, this Spiritual Energy began to flow through his body like a surging flood dragon.

Circle obstacles without charging through; follow the stream, and the meridians open on their own... Relying on Water Flow, the Spiritual Energy flowing within Zhong Ming never rammed into his meridians, but advanced along their bends.

And the water's flow was exceedingly swift.

Later on, Zhong Ming no longer needed to deliberately control it. So long as he kept breathing, Spiritual Energy continued circulating within him.

Although Spiritual Energy constantly escaped during this process due to Zhong Ming's mediocre Spiritual Root, more Spiritual Energy constantly entered his body through his mouth and nose.

This unique breathing and circulation brought Zhong Ming into a pseudo state of endless vitality.

"The insights left behind by my predecessors really are useful."

As Spiritual Energy circulated through Zhong Ming's meridians, it gradually became tainted with his aura and stamped with his mark. This was also the process by which the Spiritual Energy of nature gradually transformed into Zhong Ming's magical power.

And when this magical power flowed into the Qi Sea Acupoint, part of it would split off from the dragon of the Spiritual Energy stream and merge into the Qi Sea Acupoint.

The infusion of vast quantities of Spiritual Energy also transformed Zhong Ming's Qi Sea Acupoint from something illusory into a divine reservoir 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 slash a gap into his Qi Sea Acupoint from the outside.

That was not how the Dragon Creek Breathing Technique achieved a breakthrough.

The divine reservoirs within the human body could not be opened so crudely.

"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 an incense stick to burn, the influx of immense Spiritual Energy finally brought Zhong Ming's Qi Sea Acupoint to its critical point.

The next moment, with a "hum," Zhong Ming's body shuddered, and his consciousness abruptly emptied.

When Zhong Ming's soul awakened once more, he discovered that he had arrived in a place where the abyssal surface lay empty and ethereal.

An indescribably peculiar sensation also welled up in Zhong Ming's heart.

Yet this peculiar feeling came quickly and vanished just as fast. Before Zhong Ming could carefully experience it, 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—was standing upon a thin layer of water.

"Is this my dantian Qi Sea?"

Glancing around, Zhong Ming found that his newly opened Qi Sea was not particularly large, nor did it possess many unusual features.

His magical power was even more pitiful, merely a thin layer that barely covered the bottom of the Qi Sea.

But this did not disappoint Zhong Ming.

"I've only just entered the Qi Refining realm. My Spiritual Root grade isn't high, my cultivation technique isn't divine, so it's normal that there are no phenomena."

"But as long as I keep grinding away without fail, one day my Qi Sea will be as vast as a sea of mist, and all manner of phenomena will emerge."

After imagining the future for a while, Zhong Ming opened his eyes, filled with excitement.

"After seven days of bitter cultivation, I finally have a result... From this day onward, I can call myself a Qi Practitioner!"

After opening his Qi Sea Acupoint and advancing into a Qi Practitioner, countless emotions rose within Zhong Ming's heart.

At the same time, a sense of emptiness spread through Zhong Ming's body and mind.

Along with it came a feeling of relief, as though he had shattered a barrier and limitation and his body had suddenly relaxed.

At this point, Zhong Ming could go to Senior Disciple Sister Mo Shuying and receive a Class A evaluation.

Yet now that he had succeeded, Zhong Ming was no longer in a hurry.

Closing his eyes once more, he sensed the changes in his strength after becoming a Qi Practitioner.

"Breathe in, breathe out..."

As his magical power circulated, Zhong Ming clearly 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.

At this point, Zhong Ming could use magical power to enhance his body.

Such enhancement made Zhong Ming's body lighter and his strength surge. Even his defenses became 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 most elite profession in the world. My magical power is nearly omnipotent and can enhance me in every aspect."

And this kind of enhancement was merely the most basic application.

For the current Zhong Ming, the greatest change brought by possessing magical power was that his realm three Dragon Stream - Sword Drawing Technique could finally unleash its full might.

"Hum..."

As magical power circulated rapidly within his body, Zhong Ming came to a realization.

"When it circulates to the utmost limit, if I draw my sword, this strike will no longer be an ordinary attack. With magical power added to it, this sword of mine will be able to cleave 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 the Qi Refining realm is already equivalent to a mortal Sword Master."

Mm, thinking this, Zhong Ming had clearly forgotten that his Dragon Stream - Sword Drawing Technique had also reached realm three. In the mortal world, that alone was enough for him to be called a swordsman.

Opening his Qi Sea Acupoint had also caused his strength to soar, leaving Zhong Ming unable to conceal his exhilaration and excitement.

Yet while some rejoiced, others grieved.

On this final day of the Class A evaluation, all the family disciples with Second-Class Spiritual Roots who still held a sliver of hope were giving it their all.

But as noon arrived, the group from Dragon Creek Daoist Academy could not help but stop their Qi Refining cultivation.

Even if some family disciples were unwilling to accept it, they had no choice but to stop—their meridians could not endure 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?"

This made Jiang Yue sigh and shake his head. "Just a little short... There are only seven days, and the time we can cultivate each day is very limited. The Daoist Academy has given us too little cultivation time."

Liu Wanyu sighed as well, though she did not complain much. "For the various peaks of the Seven Mysteries Sect, a Class A evaluation is not merely passing—it means becoming a pillar they will devote themselves to nurturing. Because of their high status, resources are supplied without restriction. It is only natural for the peaks to have higher requirements."

As she spoke, Liu Wanyu also looked over the other disciples with Second-Class Spiritual Roots and the family disciples.

When she found that none of them had broken through either, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

As an individual, seeing that she was not the furthest behind allowed Liu Wanyu to finally set down the heart she had been holding in her throat.

But Mo Shuying could not do the same. As the current Senior Disciple Sister of Dragon Stream Peak, with authority in her hands, she had to consider Dragon Stream Peak's overall strength.

Only three Class A evaluations—this was far from enough to meet her expectations.

Especially when she thought of Dragon Stream Peak's current situation, her expression turned icy.

"Three Class A evaluations are too few. If this continues, we will very likely rank among the bottom again in this year's assessment of the Seven Peaks... That absolutely cannot happen."

With her gaze locked tight, she unwillingly swept her eyes across the disciples with Second-Class Spiritual Roots, hoping to find one or two who had earned a Class A evaluation.

Yet not a single person she looked at dared meet her eyes. They all lowered their heads instead.

This scene only made Mo Shuying's expression grow uglier.

Just as Mo Shuying was about to give up, as if guided by some unseen force, she looked toward Zhong Ming beside Xue Yao.

But the moment she looked over, she shook her head.

"I've truly lost my mind. Even family disciples with Second-Class Spiritual Roots cannot break through. Zhong Ming only has a Third-grade Spiritual Root—opening his Qi Sea Acupoint is even harder for him. No matter what, seven days cannot possibly be enough for him... Hm?!"