Shen Hui walked back to his shabby little hut along the bluestone path, only to find a neatly folded cotton quilt resting quietly outside the door.
The quilt cover was made of indigo coarse cloth, washed somewhat pale. Yet upon closer inspection, it was clean and thick, slightly bulging with a hint of warmth beneath the moonlight.
Shen Hui paused, then understood. Qing Shi must have finally remembered this matter.
He bent down, picked up the quilt, and pushed open the door.
He placed the quilt on the hard plank bed, then took the spirit fruits his senior brothers and sisters had stuffed into his arms and carefully set them on the lame wooden table.
He did not immediately go to sleep. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the bed and, following the method Senior Brother had taught him during the day, adjusted his breathing and focused his mind on his Dantian. Before long, he once more sank into that vast, empty meditative state.
Deep within his consciousness, the ancient Parchment Interface quietly appeared:
[Daoist Name]: Qingxuan [Bone Age]: Twenty-two [Realm]: Not Yet Entered the Dao (1/10) [Status]: Meditation [Dao Xing]: Six (Assignable) [Dao Arts]: None [Destined Path]: Not Revealed [Corpse Liberation Wheel]: Not Activated
Shen Hui's heart stirred. When he had left meditation that afternoon, he remembered that his [Dao Xing] had been "Five." Now, it had become "Six."
Had this one-point increase accumulated naturally over the past several hours, or had it been the effect of the spirit fruit he ate...?
He tried to maintain his meditative state and guide that faint thread of spiritual energy from heaven and earth.
Yet the number after [Dao Xing] seemed frozen in place, showing no further change.
"Looks like today's 'accumulation' or 'capacity' has already reached its limit."
Shen Hui pondered briefly, then stopped hesitating and allocated all six Dao Xing points to [Realm].
A faint gleam flashed across the [Realm] field, changing it to: (7/10), while [Dao Xing] instantly returned to zero.
Shen Hui continued meditating, but his absorption of spiritual energy became exceedingly slow. Even after a long while, there was no change.
At this rate, filling the remaining progress through ordinary meditation alone would likely take quite some time.
Shen Hui opened his eyes. The room was pitch-black, with only the faintest moonlight filtering through the window paper.
In the dark, he picked up a deep-purple spirit fruit from the table, wiped it clean, and ate it in several bites.
The flesh was soft and mushy, carrying a peculiar sweet fragrance of berries.
Not long after it entered his stomach, a cool breath more distinct than that from the earlier green-red fruit rose up. It swiftly spread through his limbs and bones, bringing a comfortable, lightly intoxicating sensation.
He immediately entered meditation again.
The Parchment Interface appeared. As expected, [Dao Xing] had changed as well: (One).
It had increased by another one point.
It seemed these spirit fruits truly were effective, but the number of "Dao Xing" points each fruit provided appeared limited and perhaps varied depending on the fruit's type and age.
After thinking it over, Shen Hui picked up two more small golden fruits and ate them together. After waiting a moment and entering meditation to check, [Dao Xing] had become: (Three).
He no longer hesitated and allocated all three "assignable" points directly into [Realm].
[Realm]: (10/10)!
The instant the progress bar filled, Shen Hui's entire body shuddered.
It was as if some invisible shackle had silently come undone, or as if a parched riverbed had finally received enough living water.
His Dantian abruptly turned hot. Then, a current far fuller and livelier than before surged forth, like a spring stream thawing in spring, racing joyfully through the meridians within his body.
The pores across his body seemed to open at that very moment, and even his connection to the heaven and earth beyond suddenly became much clearer.
He could hear the faint chirping of night insects farther away. His nose could distinguish subtler scents of grass, trees, and earth in the air. Even his skin had become more sensitive to the night's cool temperature.
The text on the Parchment Interface had already updated:
[Realm]: Qi Induction (0/10000) [Status]: Meditation [Dao Xing]: Zero (Not Assignable)
His realm had broken through!
"Not Yet Entered the Dao" had become "Qi Induction," and the progress following it had changed to "0/10000."
Shen Hui carefully "counted" that string of zeroes. Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousand...
The next realm required ten thousand points?
Shen Hui clicked his tongue. Based on his prior experience, his daily cultivation seemed capable of accumulating at most five or six points. Even with the occasional spirit fruit, would it not take several years to save up ten thousand points?
The path of cultivation was indeed long.
Suppressing his emotions, he continued meditating and carefully experienced the changes after his breakthrough.
Sure enough, the speed at which spiritual energy seeped in through the Baihui acupoint atop his head had noticeably increased. The current within his body had also become more solid, and even the rate at which his [Dao Xing] number increased seemed somewhat faster than before.
Time flowed within meditation.
By the time he felt his mind grow slightly weary and a pale blue tint had appeared in the sky beyond the window, he checked the interface:
[Dao Xing]: Five (Assignable)
From before dawn until now—roughly two or three hours—he had actually accumulated five points.
Moreover, he could feel that this rate of accumulation had not yet slowed, as though he still had strength to spare.
"Was it because efficiency improved after the breakthrough, or because... a new day had begun and the 'limit' had refreshed?" Shen Hui guessed, feeling somewhat reassured.
At this rate, if he cultivated diligently without interruption and supplemented it with spirit fruits, perhaps the time required could be greatly shortened.
He withdrew from meditation feeling refreshed and clear-headed, without the slightest fatigue from staying up through the night. Instead, he was brimming with energy.
Outside the window, the faint sounds of the temple stirring awake drifted over from afar.
It was nearly time for morning lessons.
Shen Hui rose, washed up with cold water, and changed into his Daoist robe.
He decided that after morning lessons today, he would certainly ask his senior brothers and sisters in detail about the division of cultivation realms and... how to acquire cultivation resources more efficiently.
Pushing open the door, he was met by the biting morning air. At the eastern horizon, a streak of golden red was struggling to break free from the mountains' embrace.
"The sun rises awfully early here..."
Shen Hui sighed, straightened his collar, and walked steadily toward Chengxin Studio.
Before the morning bell had rung, he had already stepped into Chengxin Studio.
The charcoal fire's residual warmth still lingered indoors, while the meditation cushions were cold. He found the spot where he had sat yesterday, took his seat, closed his eyes, and waited quietly.
Before long, his senior brothers and sisters arrived one after another. Seeing that Shen Hui was already there, they were all somewhat surprised.
Jinghui even leaned over and asked softly, "Junior Brother Qingxuan, you got up so early. Did you sleep well last night?"
Shen Hui smiled and nodded. "Thank you for asking, Senior Sister. I slept quite well."
So Fourth Senior Sister had been the one to bring him that quilt. Though it had not come in handy last night, it had indeed eased his urgent need.
Old Taoist Ji Chen entered right on time. His gaze swept across everyone, lingering briefly on Shen Hui. Without saying much, he began the morning lesson.
Today, they were still reciting the Pure and Tranquil Scripture.
Shen Hui listened intently and recited in a low voice along with everyone else.
Compared to yesterday's muddled imitation, today felt entirely different.
The pronunciations and forms of many characters matched one by one with what Senior Sister Jingming had taught him the night before. Those syllables that had once been awkward and obscure now seemed endowed with concrete images and meanings, etching themselves far more deeply into his memory.
"If one can remain ever pure and tranquil, heaven and earth shall all return..."
Shen Hui silently recited the line. Comparing it with what he had learned last night, he understood the forms and meanings of characters like "pure," "tranquil," "heaven," "earth," and "return" perfectly. His recitation now held three parts understanding and seven parts less bewilderment.
The hour-long morning lesson felt much shorter than yesterday amid Shen Hui's rapt concentration and contemplation.
After the lesson, everyone paid their respects and, as usual, headed to the Dining Hall for breakfast.
Shen Hui noticed that Master Ji Chen was not going with them, so he casually asked one of his fellow disciples, "Does Master not eat breakfast?"
Upon hearing this, Jinghui immediately lifted her little face, looking somewhat proud. "Master's cultivation is profound. He gave up grain long ago! Do you know what giving up grain means? It means dining on wind and drinking dew, eating none of the smoke and fire of the mortal world!"
Giving up grain? Shen Hui's heart stirred.
That fit quite well with his past-life image of an "immortal."
Remembering how effortlessly the Old Daoist had acted by the stream that day, as well as Master's longing expression when he mentioned that Patriarch Cloud Deer True Man's "flying sword stood alone beneath the heavens," Shen Hui became even more curious about the precise divisions of cultivation realms.
Once inside the Dining Hall, several of them gathered around an old wooden table, eating plain porridge and pickled vegetables.
Shen Hui took the opportunity to ask, "Senior brothers and sisters, this junior brother has only just arrived and truly knows little. How exactly is the path of cultivation divided?"
"I know this!"
Jinghui was the first to rush in. "After Qi Induction comes Foundation Establishment! It's just like building a house—you need to lay the foundation first. The more solid your Dao foundation, the greater your future achievements will be!"
Third Senior Brother Qingyi smiled and nodded, adding unhurriedly, "Establishing a Dao foundation means continuously refining the spiritual energy drawn into the body and building the roots of cultivation within the Dantian. This stage places the greatest emphasis on slow, grinding effort and tempering one's disposition."
"And what comes after that?" Shen Hui pressed.
Li Changxing swallowed his porridge, wiped his mouth, and grew serious. "Since Junior Brother Qingxuan asks, I shall explain. The path of cultivation is vast and long. Each school and sect may differ slightly in its descriptions, but broadly speaking, there are four major realms. From lowest to highest, they are Qi Induction, Foundation Establishment, Refining Gang and Sha, and Dragon-Tiger Union. They correspond to the Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul realms often mentioned in mortal storybooks."
Shen Hui silently committed this to memory, then asked, "And after the Nascent Soul realm? Is there nothing beyond it?"
Li Changxing laughed. "At the Nascent Soul realm, the Primordial Spirit manifests. It is like being remade anew. Such a cultivator is already a founding patriarch of a sect, roaming freely through the world. Junior Brother, do not aim too high. The proper path is to walk every step beneath your feet steadily."
Shen Hui hurriedly agreed, then asked curiously, "Then... what realm is Master in now?"
At the mention of their master, Li Changxing's face immediately filled with respect. "Master possesses heaven-gifted talent and has cultivated for more than two sixty-year cycles. His Dao foundation has already reached great completion. Once the right opportunity arrives, he can condense Gang and Sha and achieve the Golden Core."
Shen Hui was immediately dumbfounded.
He had thought that a master capable of casually exterminating a Water Wraith and seeing at a glance that his "fate was mysterious" would at least be some Golden Core or even Nascent Soul powerhouse. Yet... he was only at the great completion of Foundation Establishment?
Li Changxing keenly caught Shen Hui's expression and said sternly, "Junior Brother Qingxuan, you must never underestimate Master's cultivation. Cultivation is as difficult as climbing to heaven. Qi Induction opens the gate to the Dao Path, yet nearly half of every hundred people will spend their entire lives circling before that gate. The Foundation Establishment stage has blocked countless gifted talents. I..."
He paused, and amid his calm tone was a trace of emotion. "I encountered Master at the age of thirty and was fortunate enough to be accepted by him. I have cultivated for more than fifty years now, day and night without pause, yet I have only just reached the late stage of Qi Refining. I do not even know whether I have any hope of Foundation Establishment."
"More than fifty years?"
This time, Shen Hui was truly shocked. He looked at Senior Brother's upright, resolute face, which appeared no older than thirty-something, and could not help asking, "Senior Brother, may I ask... how old are you this year?"
Li Changxing answered frankly, "I have idled away eighty-six years."
Eighty-six! He looked thirty-six!
Shen Hui clicked his tongue, secretly thinking that the youth-preserving effects of Daoist cultivation were far too exaggerated.
He then looked toward Second Senior Sister Jingming, whose temperament was cool and detached.
Following his gaze, Li Changxing continued, "Your Second Senior Sister possesses extraordinary talent, and her disposition surpasses all her peers. She has cultivated for merely twenty years, yet has already touched the threshold of Foundation Establishment. She is the foremost talent Clear Wind Temple has seen in a hundred years."
His tone brimmed with gratification and pride.
Hearing this, Shen Hui looked at Second Senior Sister Jingming. She merely lifted her eyes slightly, her clear gaze resting on Shen Hui's face for a moment. Her lips seemed to move, but she said nothing. She only lowered her head and gently stirred the grains of porridge in her bowl with her chopsticks.
Shen Hui looked next at Third Senior Brother Qingyi.
When Third Senior Brother saw Shen Hui turn his gaze toward him, he set down his chopsticks and smiled gently. "I entered the temple fifteen years ago. My aptitude is ordinary, and I am still wandering about in the middle stage of Qi Refining. I have let Junior Brother see something laughable."
Fourth Senior Sister Jinghui hurriedly swallowed the pickled vegetables in her mouth and rushed to say, "I-I entered the temple with Senior Brother Qingyi fifteen years ago too! I'm also in the middle stage of Qi Refining! I'm twenty-eight this year!"
After saying so, she blinked as though saying, See? I'm young, aren't I?
"Swallow everything in your mouth before speaking." Jingming gave Jinghui a cool glance.
Jinghui immediately shrank her neck and obediently drank her porridge.
Fifth Senior Brother Qing Shi scratched his head somewhat awkwardly. "I... I entered the temple last. Senior Brother picked me up outside the mountains twelve years ago. My aptitude is dull. It was only last year that I finally sensed the qi movement and formally entered the realm. Now... now I'm still feeling my way through the early stage of Qi Refining."
His voice grew softer and softer, and he seemed rather ashamed.
Li Changxing patted his shoulder and comforted him. "Do not belittle yourself. Cultivation is difficult by nature. How many people in this world can never touch the threshold throughout their entire lives? The fact that you entered the realm already puts you ahead of countless others."
As Shen Hui listened, thoughts raced through his mind.
So cultivation was this difficult. Senior Brother was eighty-six and only in the late stage of Qi Refining. Second Senior Sister had touched the threshold of Foundation Establishment after twenty years and was already considered a genius. Fifth Senior Brother had only barely entered the realm after eleven years... Then what about him?
Over a single night, he had broken through from "Not Yet Entered the Dao" to "Qi Induction." Was that speed fast or slow?
He suppressed the impulse to confess and obediently lowered his head to drink porridge.
The origins of his "interface" were unknown, and its effects were so astonishing. It was better to keep it secret for now.
Yet his brief moment of hesitation had not escaped Jingming's eyes.
She lifted her lashes and gave Shen Hui a faint look, her gaze carrying several traces of contemplation. In the end, however, she said nothing. She merely lifted her bowl and took small sips of porridge.