Level 7 Qi Condensation!

The morning light pierced the oilcloth-covered holes in the window paper, falling onto Qin Yuan's face.

He opened his eyes, his gaze as clear as a deep pool. A night had passed, and the spiritual energy within him had grown several points stronger.

The sky was already faintly bright.

He pushed the door open and stepped out.

The world had changed.

Not the scenery, but his perception. The veins of the old locust tree leaves ten feet away, the rustling of insects and ants crawling in the corner of the wall, and the faint burnt smell in the distant porridge from the mess hall.

Everything was crystal clear.

The spiritual energy flowed through his meridians like a mountain stream in spring, clear and full.

Level 7 Qi Condensation. Divine sense newly born, senses sharpened.

Qin Yuan stood in the morning breeze and took a deep breath. The sparse spiritual energy in the air actively drilled into his pores. Although the conversion efficiency of his Five Elements Mixed Spiritual Root was still low, the total amount was incomparable to yesterday.

"Brother Qin Yuan!"

A crisp female voice came from the mountain path. Two graceful figures walked over, one after the other.

In front was a young girl in a goose-yellow tunic, appearing to be sixteen or seventeen. She had almond-shaped eyes and a round face, and the silver bells in her hair jingled as she ran.

Lin Qing'er, a childhood friend from the same village, had joined the sect three years after him and was now Level 10 Qi Condensation—a talent with a single wood spiritual root.

Following behind her was a woman in white, about twenty years old. Her posture was as upright as a pine tree in the snow, her eyes clear and cold.

Liu Han, an elite disciple of the Seventh Peak Inner Sect, with Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation. A sheathless thin sword hung from her waist, its blade as thin as a cicada's wing.

"Qing'er, Senior Sister Liu." Qin Yuan cupped his hands.

Lin Qing'er ran up to him, looked him over, and suddenly her eyes widened. "Brother Qin Yuan, you broke through?!"

Liu Han's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, her gaze falling on Qin Yuan like she was inspecting a newly unsheathed sword.

"A fortunate moment of enlightenment." Qin Yuan didn't explain further.

Lin Qing'er, however, instantly thought of something. Her eyes reddened, and she gritted her teeth. "Those scoundrels from the Third Peak! Liu Feng dares to bully people like this just because he's the Enforcement Elder's disciple! Brother Qin Yuan, come to our Seventh Peak. I'll beg my master to take you as a registered disciple. We don't care about their Third Peak!"

She was so angry her cheeks puffed out, and her silver bells jingled wildly.

Liu Han sighed inwardly. This junior sister was good in every way, except she was too kind-hearted, her loyalty and righteousness reaching the point of disregarding consequences.

Although Qin Yuan's breakthrough was strange, his foundation as a Five Elements Mixed Spiritual Root was evident; Level 4 Qi Condensation was likely his limit.

Qing'er, on the other hand, had a heavenly spiritual root and was on the verge of Foundation Establishment. Golden Core was within reach in the future. The two were simply not from the same world.

"No need." Qin Yuan shook his head, his voice calm. "The Outer Sect Competition is in three days. I will challenge Liu Feng."

The air fell silent for a moment.

Lin Qing'er froze. "But Liu Feng is at Level 3 Foundation Establishment..."

"The rules of the Outer Sect Competition state that Outer Sect disciples can challenge any Inner Sect disciple, regardless of life or death." Qin Yuan looked in the direction of the Third Peak. "Since he publicly insulted me, I will return the insult publicly."

A hint of surprise flashed in Liu Han's eyes, which then turned into faint admiration.

A sword cultivator should possess such unyielding sharpness. She finally spoke, her voice like a cold spring striking a rock. "You have courage. But Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation are worlds apart."

"I know." Qin Yuan turned to look at her. "So, in these three days, I will seize the opportunity."

Seize what opportunity? He didn't say, and Liu Han didn't ask.

Lin Qing'er looked at Qin Yuan, then at Liu Han, and stomped her foot. "Forget it, forget it! Let's go eat first! Brother Qin Yuan, you definitely haven't had breakfast yet!"

She grabbed one of them with each hand and unceremoniously dragged them towards the mess hall.

Shortly after they left, a burly man like an iron tower stumbled to the front of the small hut.

This man had a face full of coarse flesh, and his Level 6 Qi Condensation aura was unrestrained, making the window frames hum.

"Where's that trash Qin Yuan?" he asked gruffly to an Outer Sect disciple who was hanging clothes next door.

The disciple flinched and whispered, "Senior Brother Zhao Hu, Qin Yuan just left with Senior Sister Lin and Senior Sister Liu from the Seventh Peak..."

"Seventh Peak?" Zhao Hu narrowed his eyes and spat. "Climbed onto some high branches? Humph! Mud will always be mud."

He turned and left, his footsteps echoing on the ground.

After he was long gone, the disciple hanging clothes whispered into the house, "Did you hear that? That jinx Zhao Hu came again. It must be Liu Feng's orders to come and cause trouble... He's Liu Feng's distant cousin and bullies us with his Level 6 Qi Condensation, ugh, what a disgrace."

Another person said, "Stop talking. Don't let him come back."

The Outer Sect mess hall was noisy.

Qin Yuan got a bowl of plain porridge, two coarse steamed buns, and a plate of pickles. It cost him three low-grade Spirit Crystals—that was his food money for three days.

Lin Qing'er wanted to pay for him, but he shook his head and refused.

The three found a table in the corner and sat down.

Lin Qing'er chattered incessantly, talking about the spirit herb garden on the Seventh Peak, the new magic sword bestowed by their master, and her recent cultivation troubles.

She kept looking at Qin Yuan as she spoke, her eyes sparkling.

If you find this book to your liking, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.

Liu Han slowly sipped a cup of spiritual tea, her gaze occasionally sweeping over Qin Yuan. Seeing that he was merely listening quietly, responding only occasionally and with an open demeanor, devoid of any attempt to curry favor or fawn, she felt a slight frown.

However, her junior sister's undisguised closeness still made her furrow her brows.

Talent, future prospects, social circles... the cultivation world was as harsh and realistic as iron.

Qing'er didn't understand now, but she would understand later. And it was better to draw a line in the sand sooner rather than later.

Midway through the meal, Lin Qing'er was called away by an acquaintance from the dining hall, who said their master had sent a message.

Only two people were left at the table.

Liu Han put down her teacup, her voice calm, "Junior Brother Qin."

Qin Yuan looked up.

"Qing'er is simple-hearted and values loyalty," Liu Han said, looking him straight in the eye. "But with her Heavenly Spirit Root potential and being on the verge of Foundation Establishment, her future in alchemy is promising. Some things, when they need to be cut off, must be cut off."

Qin Yuan's chopsticks paused. "What do you mean, Senior Sister Liu?"

"You are not people of the same world," Liu Han stated bluntly. "Today, she offended the Third Peak for you. Tomorrow, she might delay her cultivation path because of you. Maintaining distance is better for both of you."

The clamor of the dining hall seemed to recede instantly.

Qin Yuan slowly put down his chopsticks. He actually understood – when Lin Qing'er joined the sect at sixteen, she was still a crying little girl, and he had carried her on his back up the old locust tree by the village entrance.

Ten years had passed. She had become a genius the sect focused on, while he was a Labor Disciple who had almost been sent back to the mines.

He cherished that friendship, but it was limited to that of old acquaintances.

Yet, hearing these words from Liu Han's mouth felt like a cold file, scraping away the last shred of warmth that had been covering his heart.

"Senior Sister Liu," he began, his voice very level. "How I interact with Qing'er is our business."

Liu Han's eyebrows rose slightly.

"You say we are not people of the same world," Qin Yuan looked up, his gaze devoid of much emotion, yet it made Liu Han's skin prickle slightly. "May I ask, Senior Sister Liu, what constitutes the same world? Is it divided by aptitude? By cultivation level? Or by your condescending gaze?"

Liu Han's fingers tightened around her cup.

"I respect you as a senior sister, and I thank you for accompanying Qing'er here today," Qin Yuan stood up. "But my path is my own to walk. Qing'er's path is her own to choose. You don't need to trouble yourself with it."

He picked up his bowls and plates and turned towards the collection area. His back was straight, his grey robe old but not tattered.

Liu Han sat in her spot, and after a long while, she let out a soft sigh. The tea had gone cold.

Ungrateful? Interesting.

When Lin Qing'er returned, she found the atmosphere somewhat subtle. Qin Yuan's expression was normal, and Liu Han remained as cool and detached as ever, but she just felt something was off.

"Let's go, Brother Qin Yuan, I'll walk you back," she decided not to dwell on it, saying with a grin, "I brought you something."

Back in his small room, Lin Qing'er took two bottles of pills and three talismans from her storage bag and thrust them into Qin Yuan's hands without further ado. "Qi Gathering Pills, I refined them myself. The quality is average, so don't mind. The Protective Talismans were given to me by Senior Sister Liu before; take them for self-defense."

Qin Yuan looked at the still-warm medicine bottles in his hand, remained silent for a moment, and then accepted them. "Thank you."

"Don't be so polite!" Lin Qing'er waved her hand, then lowered her voice. "Zhao Hu might cause you trouble, so be careful these next couple of days. If things get too difficult, come find me at the Seventh Peak, I'll protect you!"

Liu Han listened quietly outside the door, not entering.

As she was leaving, Lin Qing'er turned back at the doorway, unusually serious. "Brother Qin Yuan, in three days... if you can't win, it's not shameful to concede. Staying alive is the most important thing."

Qin Yuan nodded. "I know."

Watching the two figures disappear at the end of the mountain path, Qin Yuan closed the door.

Silence returned to the room.

He poured out a Qi Gathering Pill. It was pale green, with rough pill patterns, indeed refined by a novice. He held it in his hand for a while before putting it back.

Liu Han's words echoed in his ears.

Not people of the same world?

He sat cross-legged on the bed and closed his eyes.

The System panel quietly appeared:

[Host: Qin Yuan]
[Cultivation: Level 7 Qi Condensation (Stable)]
[Extractable Cultivation: 0 Years (Converted Today)]
[Next Refresh: Tomorrow Midnight]

Two more days.

He opened his eyes. Deep within his pupils, the darkness of ten years in the mines and the clear light of this morning's sun intertwined to form a vast, calm sea.

Then let's see who can reach which world.