Patriarch of the Su Family

Su Yan pulled Su Yu along, weaving through the many courtyards of the Su family estate, heading straight for the residence of the Patriarch.

"Brother Yu, if Father finds out you've broken through, he'll be so happy!" Su Yan said excitedly, his steps light and quick. "He's worried about you so much over these past few years."

Su Yu nodded silently. In his memories, his uncle, Su Tianheng, had truly treated him very well. Even during the five years he had spent as a laughingstock, Su Tianheng had never given up on him. Not only did he personally check his cultivation progress every month, but he also spent vast resources searching for a solution to his condition.

Stepping into the pavilion, a faint scent of sandalwood greeted them.

In the main seat of the hall, a middle-aged man was resting with his eyes closed. His face was resolute, and his brows bore a thirty-percent resemblance to Su Yu's, though his aura was far deeper and more vast. Just sitting there, he exuded an invisible sense of pressure.

Su Tianheng, the current Patriarch of the Su family, an expert at the Eighth Layer of the Spirit Condensation Realm!

"Father!" Su Yan stepped forward quickly, his face full of joy. "Brother Yu, he—"

"He has broken through." Su Tianheng opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as lightning, landing directly on Su Yu. "Qi Refining Level 4. Furthermore, his spiritual energy is dense and his foundation is solid."

Su Yu stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Uncle."

Su Tianheng nodded slightly, a trace of relief flashing in his eyes. "Sit."

Once the two were seated, Su Tianheng personally poured a cup of tea for Su Yu. "Five years of stagnation, and now a breakthrough in a single day. Have you found a solution?"

Su Yu did not want to reveal the matter of the ancient sword in his soul just yet, so he replied, "I am not entirely sure, Uncle. While practicing this morning, I suddenly felt the shackles within my body loosen, so I took the opportunity to break through."

Hearing this, Su Tianheng nodded, then suddenly sighed. "It is a pity that Tianxing is not here. If he knew you had finally broken through, he would surely be gratified."

At the mention of his father, Su Yu clenched his fists. "Uncle, regarding my father's disappearance..."

"It has been five years." Su Tianheng's gaze turned distant. "The day he suddenly vanished, I mobilized the entire clan to search for him and even requested help from the City Lord's Mansion, yet we didn't find a single clue."

Su Yu fell silent. In his memories, his father, Su Tianxing, had a steady and calm personality; he would never have disappeared without a reason.

There must be a hidden motive behind this!

The atmosphere grew heavy for a moment.

Seeing this, Su Yan quickly changed the subject: "Father, Brother Yu's breakthrough is a good thing! Besides, he just defeated Su Hao in one move at the Training Ground!"

Su Tianheng's eyes flashed with a sharp light.

Su Yu said modestly: "It was just luck. Su Hao underestimated me, and I managed to seize an opening."

"There is no need to belittle yourself." Su Tianheng nodded with satisfaction.

"The fact that you were able to break through shows that your talent is still there. The cultivation you missed out on over these years can still be caught up with now."

As he spoke, he took a jade box from his sleeve and pushed it toward Su Yu: "Open it and see."

Su Yu opened the jade box in confusion, and a rich medicinal fragrance immediately wafted out.

Lying quietly inside the box was a pill the size of a dragon's eye, emerald green all over, with cloud patterns flowing across its surface.

"Qi Augmentation Pill!" Su Yan exclaimed.

"Father, this..."

Su Tianheng raised a hand to stop him and said to Su Yu: "The Qi Augmentation Pill. If taken by someone below Qi Refining Level 6, it can raise their cultivation by an entire level with no side effects. This pill is priceless and rare. I have treasured it for many years, originally intending to give it to you once you reached Qi Refining Level 4."

Su Yu's heart jolted.

He was well aware of the value of a Qi Augmentation Pill; it was worth at least ten thousand taels of gold! Moreover, it was often impossible to find even with money.

His uncle had actually saved such a precious pill for him.

"Uncle, this is too valuable." Su Yu declined.

"I have already broken through now; I can rely on my own cultivation..."

"Take it." Su Tianheng's tone left no room for refusal.

"Two months from now, Skywind City will hold a grand tournament. An Inner Sect Elder from the Yunlan Sect will come to observe the matches and select disciples. One month from now, the Su family will hold internal selections for the participants."

"The Yunlan Sect!" Su Yu's breath hitched.

That was one of the top sects in the Great Xia Kingdom. If he could enter it, his cultivation resources would far exceed what the family could provide!

Su Yan said excitedly: "Brother Yu, with your talent, if you can enter the Yunlan Sect, you might even be able to solve the mystery of why your cultivation stagnated!"

Su Tianheng waved his hand: "Do not put too much pressure on yourself. You have just broken through, and your foundation is not yet stable. Keep the Qi Augmentation Pill for now, and take it only after your realm has solidified."

Su Yu took a deep breath and solemnly accepted the jade box: "Your nephew will certainly not let you down, Uncle!"

The sun had already dipped below the horizon by the time they left Tianxing Pavilion.

Su Yan patted Su Yu on the shoulder and laughed, "Brother Yu, I knew you wouldn't stay down forever! Come on, let's go to my place. I just got a jar of Spirit Spring Brew; let's celebrate!"

Su Yu shook his head, "Another day. I want to go back and stabilize my cultivation realm first."

Su Yan did not insist, "Fair enough. If you need anything, come find me anytime!"

Returning to his small courtyard, Su Yu sat cross-legged and sank his consciousness into his Soul World.

Amidst the gray, misty haze, that ancient sword remained floating in place, the cracks along its blade clearly visible.

But what shocked Su Yu even more was that not far from the sword, a pale yellow orb of light the size of a fist was suspended in the air!

The surface of the orb rippled with a soft glow, expanding and contracting as if it were breathing.

What on earth is this...

Su Yu approached cautiously. The closer he got to the mysterious pale yellow orb, the clearer his thoughts became.

It felt as if a mirror covered in years of dust had suddenly been polished clean; cultivation techniques that had once been obscure and difficult to grasp were now as clear and transparent as a mountain stream.

Could it be... that the increase in my comprehension is related to this orb?

Su Yu's heart trembled slightly.

He recalled the scene at the Training Ground today, where those complex sword moves had suddenly become simple and straightforward in his eyes.

He carefully reached out a finger. The moment his fingertip touched the surface of the orb—

Hum!

An indescribable sense of comfort instantly flooded his entire body.

It felt like drinking a cup of warm wine in the dead of winter, or soaking in a hot spring when exhausted.