Attempting Breakthrough, Encountering a Bottleneck

The ground was still shaking.

I stared at the bluestone, and another pinch of dust fell from the cracks. The spirit beast's ears perked up, its breathing low. It could feel it too; this tremor wasn't accidental.

But I had no energy to care about what was happening outside.

My spiritual power was full. My Dantian felt like a well filled to the brim; any more and it would overflow. I had waited a long time for this day. Fighting for my life, recovering from injuries, and cultivating all these past days were for this moment, to push myself higher.

I closed my eyes and adjusted my breathing.

Three inhales, one exhale. Nine Revolutions Returning to Origin. This was the most stable method from the Basic Guiding Technique - Refined Edition taught by the System. First, compress the spiritual power, then send it bit by bit to the acupoints. I had tried other methods, but they were too aggressive and could easily damage the meridians. In my current state, I couldn't afford even the slightest mistake.

The first round of circulation began.

Spiritual power flowed from all over my body into my Dantian, like rivers returning to a lake. I could feel it spinning and condensing. When that ball of heat reached its most solid state, I immediately guided it upwards, straight towards the bottleneck in my chest.

That was the bottleneck I had sensed recently.

But the moment my spiritual power hit it, it was like hitting an invisible membrane. There was no sound, no recoil, but all my power was blocked and bounced back the way it came.

I didn't stop, continuing to push with the second wave.

This time, I slowed down, trying to use a gentler force to penetrate. The result was the same. As soon as it reached the edge of the acupoint, the spiritual power dispersed, as if something had absorbed part of it, or as if a rule in the world was saying: you can't pass.

For the third time, I gritted my teeth and increased the force.

My spiritual power surged, and my meridians felt strained and painful. I ignored it, focusing all my attention on the surge. But just as I was about to touch the barrier, my head suddenly spun, my vision went black, and I almost lost my balance.

I abruptly pulled back.

Cold sweat trickled down my forehead.

The spirit beast shifted half a step closer, its warmth helping me to regain some clarity. I reached out and patted its back, signaling that I was okay.

It wasn't a physical problem. My meridians were clear, my spiritual power was abundant, and my foundation had no cracks. I had checked repeatedly these past few days, and there were no hidden dangers. But why couldn't I break through?

I leaned against the stone wall, catching my breath.

My mind began to recall every breakthrough I had experienced before. The very first one was when the System was activated; I answered a question correctly and received a Qi-Restoring Pill, which directly elevated me from a mortal to Qi Refining Level 1. Later, after obtaining the Demon-Slaying Thunder Talisman Seal, I leaped to Qi Refining Level 5 through combat experience and the artifact's feedback.

Every advancement had been propelled by external forces.

Either rewards or reactions forced out in life-or-death situations. But this time, there was nothing. I was standing here, fully prepared, yet felt stuck.

Could it be... that something was missing?

I suddenly remembered what the little demon had said before it died—Black Mist Valley, lunar eclipse, sacrifice. I hadn't investigated those matters yet, nor did I plan to now. But were they truly related to my current predicament?

Or was the problem with myself?

I looked up at the cave ceiling, where I had carved records of my cultivation. I drew a line for each level I advanced. Now, the last line stopped at Qi Refining Level 7, and the eighth line refused to be drawn.

I spoke, my voice a little hoarse, "System."

[Yes.]

"Where did I go wrong? Is the cultivation technique incorrect? Or is the circulation route flawed?"

[The cultivation technique the host is practicing is correct, and the spiritual power circulation path conforms to the standard model. Your current state has reached the theoretical peak for the Qi Refining stage.]

"Then why can't I break through?"

[Realm breakthroughs do not solely rely on spiritual power accumulation. One needs to align with the enlightenment of heavenly secrets and complement it with a perfected state of mind to knock on the door of a new realm. Currently, both are lacking. Forcing a breakthrough will damage your Dao Foundation.]

I was stunned.

It wasn't a technical issue, but a matter of comprehension?

I had never considered these things before. Whatever the System gave me, I learned. I answered questions correctly, received rewards, and my strength naturally increased. I always thought that as long as I worked hard enough and was smart enough, I could keep advancing.

But now it was telling me that strength alone wasn't enough. You also needed to understand.

Understand what?

Understand the world? Understand the rules? Or... understand myself?

I closed my eyes, trying not to think about breaking through, not to think about the acupoints. I simply sat quietly, listening to my own breathing, feeling the spiritual power circulate within me automatically. There was no deliberate guidance, nor any suppression.

Gradually, I noticed the speed of the spiritual power flow slowing down. It wasn't surging like before, but rather flowing gently like a stream. In this state, my meridians felt comfortable, and my divine sense relaxed.

The spirit beast lay at my feet, breathing steadily. It was no longer tense, indicating that I was no longer emitting that anxious aura.

I knew how dangerous it had been just now. Three consecutive attempts, the last one almost out of control. If I had tried again, I might have truly damaged my foundation. Then, let alone breaking through, I wouldn't even be able to maintain my current cultivation.

I opened my eyes.

Sunlight slanted in, falling on the bluestone with its cracks. The light moved slowly, as if also held back by something.

Perhaps I shouldn't have been so impatient.

The Primordial Wilderness is vast, and there are so many powerful beings. When Senior Hongyun spoke to me, he never mentioned how strong he was, only how many things he had seen and how many paths he had walked. Zhen Yuanzi cultivating the Ginseng Fruit Tree, which only bore fruit once every few decades, and he wasn't anxious.

And me? After only cultivating for a few months, I wanted to ascend to the heavens in one step?

I looked down at my hands. There was still a residual golden light on my fingertips, and I could clearly see the spiritual power flowing beneath my skin. This was already a level that many people couldn't reach in a lifetime. Yet, I was still not satisfied.

Is it precisely because of this that I can't break through?

I took a deep breath, suppressing all distracting thoughts.

No more trying.

At least not today.

I stood up and stretched my limbs. My body felt neither stiff nor sore, my strength was abundant, and my old injuries hadn't flared up. The spirit beast stood up with me, nuzzling my leg.

"You don't need to worry either," I said. "I just need to change my approach."

I walked to the cave entrance and lifted the vines to peek outside. The wind wasn't strong, and the leaves rustled gently. The distant mountain ranges were clearly outlined, showing no signs of abnormality.

But I knew the tremors from underground just now were real.

And the cracks on that bluestone weren't old injuries. They were new.

I crouched down and lightly touched the edge of a crack with my finger. The stone was cool, and tiny particles flaked off its surface. I rubbed them between my fingers; it felt like something had pushed it open from the inside.

The spirit beast walked over, nudged my shoulder with its horn, and then looked towards the depths of the valley.

I followed its gaze.

The woods over there were dense, perpetually shaded from the sun, with occasional wisps of mist drifting out. I'd lived here for so long, yet I'd never ventured into that area. It was too remote and unsafe.

But now I remembered.

The System had once given me a prompt, saying there was an "unmarked area" in the depths of the valley and recommending exploration. I had been too busy healing at the time and ignored it.

Perhaps...

I glanced back at the spirit gathering array inside the cave dwelling. The array patterns were still glowing, weak but steady. It was still usable here, so no need to rush to move.

I sat down again, crossing my legs, but I didn't enter meditation.

I was thinking about my next move.

The System had said that breakthroughs required opportunity, and also a state of mind.

Opportunity wouldn't come on its own; I had to seek it. And my state of mind... perhaps it wasn't in this cave.

I touched my storage bag; the Demon-Slaying Thunder Talisman Seal was still there. Two bolts of lightning remained unused. Enough for self-defense.

The spirit beast curled back up in the corner and closed its eyes to rest. It knew I wouldn't rush headlong into danger again.

I also quieted my mind.

I'll set out when dawn breaks.

To see what lies in the depths of the valley.

What that mist really is.