Qi Refining, Third Layer

However, after another circulation, his cultivation still had not increased.

Zhou Changwang had long expected this.

After all, an increase in cultivation required spiritual energy as support.

Especially when a cultivator was at the stage of advancement, the spiritual energy required was often far greater than usual.

Relying solely on the spiritual power converted through naturally circulating his cultivation method while meditating was clearly insufficient to break through the bottleneck and advance from the Second Layer of the Qi Refining Realm to Qi Refining, Third Layer.

Without corresponding auxiliary methods, he could only rely on water-dripping-stone-piercing effort, continuously accumulating spiritual power until it reached a certain point and broke through naturally.

As things stood now.

"Continue cultivating. Today, I'll strike while the iron is hot and break through my cultivation."

Zhou Changwang's emotions surged. He wanted to break through as soon as possible and reach Qi Refining, Third Layer. With a low shout and a thought, he circulated the Five Elements Formula once more.

As he circulated the cultivation method, he grabbed a Low-Grade Spirit Stone resting nearby.

Then, as the cultivation method within his body operated, the spiritual energy inside the Spirit Stone was swiftly drawn out, transforming into surging river waves that poured endlessly into his body.

If spiritual energy was not enough, Spirit Stones would make up the difference!

He was only at the outskirts of a spirit vein, where spiritual energy was far from abundant. If he absorbed and converted it step by step, it would take far too long.

A breakthrough required striking while the iron was hot.

Though doing so would cause tremendous waste.

When it concerned his cultivation, however, he naturally did not begrudge a little extravagance.

A vast sea of spiritual energy surged forth, transforming into mighty rivers that continuously flooded into his body.

Although more than half of that spiritual energy scattered away during the absorption and conversion process, returning to heaven and earth.

A great quantity of it was still transformed into spiritual power under the operation of his cultivation method, flowing into his dantian before being swiftly compressed and tempered.

Suddenly, Zhou Changwang's hand went empty. The spiritual energy within one Low-Grade Spirit Stone had already been exhausted, reducing it to powder. He hurriedly grabbed another Spirit Stone and held it in his hand.

He consumed three Low-Grade Spirit Stones in succession.

Only when it could be compressed no further, at the instant it reached a certain limit, did Zhou Changwang hurriedly control the spiritual power and turn it into a sharp blade, charging toward a particular meridian.

Boom!

That blocked meridian was directly pierced through by the surge of spiritual power.

There was not the slightest delay.

It went smoothly beyond imagination.

Zhou Changwang's body trembled, and joy rose in his heart.

He had broken through.

At this moment, he had finally broken through.

He had advanced from the Second Layer of the Qi Refining Realm to Qi Refining, Third Layer.

At that very moment, his Five Elements Formula happened to complete one circulation and return to his dantian.

Five Elements Formula +1

Then, in an instant, a great deal of cultivation experience concerning the Five Elements Formula arose in his mind.

It was as though he had circulated the cultivation method hundreds or thousands of times in that instant, gaining countless insights and realizations about the Five Elements Formula.

"The Five Elements Formula's cultivation level has also broken through to Minor Mastery?"

Zhou Changwang froze, and a smile could not help appearing on his face.

Double happiness had arrived at his door.

Then he looked toward the Attribute Panel.

Name: Zhou Changwang

Lifespan: 17/78

Cultivation: Qi Refining, Third Layer (1/100)

Cultivation Method: Five Elements Formula (Minor Mastery 1/400)

Skills: Spirit Rain Art (Minor Mastery 42/400), Cleansing Art (Beginner 69/100), Growth Technique (Minor Mastery 23/400), Geng Metal Finger (Minor Mastery 125/400), Soothing Art (Beginner 57/100), Fireball Art (Beginner 25/100)

...

"Sure enough.

Not only had my cultivation broken through, reaching Qi Refining, Third Layer.

Even the Five Elements Formula had officially risen to Minor Mastery."

Seeing this, Zhou Changwang was delighted.

Just as he was about to close the Attribute Panel, his body suddenly shook.

He could not help widening his eyes.

Lifespan!

He discovered that his lifespan had increased as well.

It had risen from the original seventy-five to seventy-eight.

A full three years.

"Cultivating immortality, cultivating immortality.

Whether it truly leads to immortality remains unknown, but extending one's years and increasing one's lifespan is certain."

Zhou Changwang was filled with joy, his heart brimming with satisfaction.

Then he began to feel out the differences after breaking through to Qi Refining, Third Layer.

First, his dantian had grown much larger. His meridians, after being squeezed and battered by spiritual power earlier, had also become several degrees tougher.

Then there was the spiritual power inside his body. It was clearly more condensed than before. When casting the same spells with such spiritual power, their might could increase by another thirty percent.

It was obvious.

Zhou Changwang's overall strength had undergone an enormous increase.

Perhaps the only thing holding him back was his offensive and defensive methods.

In terms of offense, he only mastered two attack-type spells: Geng Metal Finger and Fireball Art. But Geng Metal Finger was, after all, an insect-removal spell. Even at Minor Mastery, its casting range was only three zhang, and its direction was singular, lacking variation.

As for Fireball Art, its level was currently too low. It was only at the Beginner stage, and its power was limited.

As for defensive methods, he did not possess a single one.

"This won't do.

If I want to be hard to kill, I must first know how to preserve my life."

A cultivator without a certain degree of self-protection was extremely vulnerable.

Before this, he had no way around it.

Spirit Stones were scarce, so no matter how much he thought about it, it was useless.

But now, he decided to arm himself first.

One or two defensive spells were a necessary choice.

Early the next morning.

Zhou Changwang naturally opened his eyes, only to feel that the world around him seemed slightly different from before.

The air was sweeter. With a slight movement of his eyes, he could vaguely see wisps of heaven-and-earth spiritual energy drifting around him, then slowly gathering into his body under the pull of some special force.

Then Zhou Changwang suddenly came back to his senses.

The Five Elements Formula within his body was naturally circulating.

It was operating entirely beyond his control, turning of its own accord.

He sank his awareness into his body and confirmed it once more.

"So this is the trait of the Five Elements Formula at Minor Mastery.

There's no need for deliberate control. It can automatically circulate the cultivation method and automatically restore the spiritual power consumed within my body..."

Zhou Changwang truly felt both surprised and delighted.

He had long known that the Five Elements Formula would certainly undergo changes after reaching Minor Mastery.

But he had never expected that change to be so great—it could drive his Five Elements Formula to circulate automatically.

Although such uncontrolled automatic circulation was incomparably slow, and after one hour, it could probably only barely complete one circulation.

It was accomplished unconsciously, however. It required no effort from him and consumed none of his mental energy.

It was equivalent to cultivating at every moment.

Over a single night, his cultivation method had automatically circulated five times.

Not only had it increased his cultivation method proficiency by five points, but it had also replenished the spiritual power in his body, which had been somewhat depleted due to his recent breakthrough. It had become full once more, and he did not need to meditate separately to recover.

Knock, knock, knock!

Just then, a series of knocks sounded at the door.

Zhou Changwang was startled.

Who could it be this early?

After thinking for a moment, he still quickly got up and walked to the door.