Level 10 Qi Condensation!

When the morning mist had yet to dissipate, Lin Qing'er arrived again.

This time, she was alone. The hem of her goose-yellow skirt was damp with dew, and the silver bells in her hair chimed softly with her steps.

She stood outside Qin Yuan's small house, hesitated for a moment, then raised her hand to knock.

The door opened.

Qin Yuan stood within, wearing a faded gray robe, but his aura was entirely different from yesterday—condensed, calm, like a sheathed blade. He was at the Qi Cultivation Level 7 Peak, just a sliver away from Level 8.

"Brother Qin Yuan," Lin Qing'er looked at him earnestly. "Come with me to Third Peak."

Qin Yuan didn't speak.

"Seventh Peak doesn't want you, but we do," she said, her voice quickening as if afraid of being interrupted. "I know you refused yesterday, but that was out of pride. Now that you've crippled Zhao Hu, Liu Feng won't let this go. You're too dangerous in the Outer Sect. Third Peak can at least protect you."

The mountain path was quiet, with the distant sound of early-rising disciples heading to the mess hall.

Qin Yuan looked in the direction of Third Peak, one of the three most majestic peaks in the Xuan Yuan Sect. Its halls gleamed with a cold, metallic light in the morning sun.

"The Outer Sect Grand Competition is in three days," he said. "I want to settle things with Liu Feng myself."

"And after that?" Lin Qing'er asked urgently. "Even if you win—I mean, if—will Third Peak let you go? Liu Feng is the personal disciple of the Enforcement Elder!"

Qin Yuan withdrew his gaze and looked at her. "That's why I have to go."

Lin Qing'er blinked in surprise.

"Some things can't be avoided," Qin Yuan said calmly. "Since they can't be avoided, let them come."

He paused, his tone softening slightly. "Qing'er, I appreciate your concern. But I'm not going to Third Peak."

Lin Qing'er bit her lower lip, her eyes reddening slightly. She suddenly remembered ten years ago, under the old locust tree by the village entrance. A young boy was carrying her on his back, climbing the tree to pick locust flowers. She was afraid of heights and clung tightly to his neck. He had said from the tree, "What are you afraid of? I'm here."

Now he said some things couldn't be avoided.

"Then... just help me out this once, okay?" Her voice dropped, tinged with pleading. "Third Peak and Seventh Peak have a ten-person competition every year. The winning peak gets an extra thirty percent of resource allocation. Several of our senior brothers from Third Peak are out on training missions and haven't returned, so we can't gather ten people..."

She looked up, her eyes glistening. "You can be a nominal member temporarily. After the Grand Competition in three days, you can leave whenever you want. Just... just consider it repayment for that basket of locust flowers ten years ago."

Qin Yuan looked at her.

After a long moment, he asked, "Does Senior Sister Liu agree?"

"Senior Sister she..." Lin Qing'er's eyes flickered. "She said it's up to me."

In reality, Liu Han's exact words were: "If he's willing to come, let him. But Qing'er, you need to think carefully. Dragging him into a conflict between two peaks might not be helping him."

But she couldn't worry about that anymore. All she knew was that Brother Qin Yuan, alone in the Outer Sect, facing Liu Feng and the entire Third Peak, would die.

Qin Yuan remained silent.

At the end of the mountain path, a white figure stood quietly in the thin mist. Liu Han had arrived at some point, holding her sword, like a sculpture of ice.

Qin Yuan looked at her.

Liu Han spoke faintly, "Third Peak doesn't lack fighters." The implication was, what could he possibly help with?

Qin Yuan suddenly smiled. "Then I'll just go watch the fun."

He looked at Lin Qing'er. "I agree."

After everyone had dispersed, Qin Yuan closed the door and sat down cross-legged.

The system panel appeared on time:

[Host: Qin Yuan]
[Cultivation: Qi Cultivation Level 7 (Peak)]
[Extractable Cultivation: 10 Years (Convertible Today)]
[Extract?]

"Extract."

Boom--!

The familiar torrent of heat surged from his dantian again, even more powerful than yesterday.

Qin Yuan circulated the Qi Guiding Art, guiding the spiritual energy to cleanse his meridians.

The barrier of Level 7 shattered instantly, spiritual energy surging into Qi Cultivation Level 8, its momentum unabated, rushing towards Level 9!

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

This time, he clearly felt a certain constraint within his body loosening.

His Five Elements Mixed Spiritual Root was like five leaky, broken buckets, but the cultivation poured in by the system was a torrential flood. Even if some leaked away, the remainder was still enough to overwhelm everything.

At midnight, the second refresh occurred.

Another ten years of cultivation poured in.

Qi Cultivation Level 9, broken!

Level 9 Peak!

On the morning of the third day, as the first ray of sunlight pierced the window paper, Qin Yuan opened his eyes.

His eyes held a hidden brilliance, spiritual energy flowing around him like a tangible stream, his breaths carrying faint echoes of wind and thunder.

He raised his hand, fingers forming a loose fist, and the air crackled with the sound of compression.

Level 10 Qi Condensation.

Two days, from level three to level ten.

If this were to get out, it would be enough to shake the entire Xuan Yuan Sect—no, the entire Qingzhou cultivation world. Even a genius with a Heavenly Spiritual Root would need at least five years of arduous cultivation to reach level ten from level three.

Qin Yuan stood up, his bones cracking audibly. He walked to the worn bronze mirror. The person in the mirror had the same features, but their aura was completely different.

Like a rough piece of ore, forcibly hammered into sharpness.

He pushed open the door.

Lin Qing'er was already waiting outside. Seeing him, her almond eyes widened, "Brother Qin Yuan, you broke through again?!"

"Mm," Qin Yuan offered no further explanation.

Lin Qing'er opened her mouth, wanting to ask something, but ultimately didn't. She just blinked hard and smiled, "That's great! We're sure to win now!"

On the way to Third Peak, Lin Qing'er chattered about the grievances between the two peaks.

"Third Peak and Seventh Peak are the strongest two peaks in Xuan Yuan Sect, and they compete every year. The Sect Master doesn't interfere, saying competition leads to progress. The challenge matches are held annually, with each peak sending ten disciples below the Foundation Establishment Stage. They draw lots for battles, and the peak with more wins takes the prize."

She paused and lowered her voice, "Actually, Seventh Peak won last year, and the extra thirty percent of resources allowed several senior brothers and sisters to break through their bottlenecks. Our Third Peak is holding onto a grudge."

Qin Yuan asked, "Can an outer disciple like me participate?"

"Normally, no," Lin Qing'er smiled slyly. "But you agreed to temporarily join Third Peak, right? Just being a registered disciple is enough. Anyway, the challenge matches only look at identity, not cultivation—of course, if your cultivation is too low, it's just embarrassing."

As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Qin Yuan. Level 10 Qi Condensation wasn't much for an inner disciple, but in a challenge match below Foundation Establishment, it was already considered mid-to-high tier.

As they spoke, they arrived at a training ground on the mountainside of Third Peak.

Nine people were already waiting on the field. Seven men and two women, all dressed in the inner disciples' blue robes. The lowest cultivation was Qi Cultivation Level 9, and the tallest young man, the highest, was at Great Perfection of the Twelfth Layer of Qi Condensation, just one step away from Foundation Establishment.

Seeing Lin Qing'er bring an outer disciple in gray robes, their expressions turned somewhat strange.

"Junior Sister Qing'er," the young man at Great Perfection of the Twelfth Layer of Qi Condensation frowned, "Is this the helper you mentioned?"

Lin Qing'er pulled Qin Yuan forward, "Senior Brother Chen, this is Qin Yuan. He's temporarily registered under our peak to participate in today's challenge match."

"Nonsense!" a tall, thin disciple next to him scoffed, "An outer disciple? What Qi Condensation level? Don't tell me he's only level seven or eight and here to make up the numbers?"

Qin Yuan remained silent.

Lin Qing'er became anxious, "Senior Brother Wang, Brother Qin Yuan he..."

"Level ten," Qin Yuan suddenly said.

The field fell silent.

Several gazes fell upon him simultaneously, filled with scrutiny, doubt, and undisguised contempt.

"Level ten?" Senior Brother Wang, the tall, thin disciple, sized him up. "I underestimated you. But what's level ten? The lowest here is level nine, and Senior Brother Chen is at Great Perfection of the Twelfth Layer. Is your level ten enough?"

Senior Brother Chen raised his hand to stop them and looked at Qin Yuan, "Since Junior Sister Qing'er recommended you, you must have something special about you. However, the challenge match concerns the reputation of Third Peak. If you are not strong enough, you can still withdraw now."

His words were polite, but the meaning was clear—don't be a burden.

Qin Yuan looked up, his gaze sweeping across the nine people in the field, finally resting on Senior Brother Chen.

"We'll know after a match," he said.