Half a Day to Begin, Qi Gathering First Level

Hong Ye entered the Martial Arts Hall and headed straight for where Lin Changkong had been earlier.

"It's already been most of the day. I wonder how far Lin Changkong has gotten. If he's finished reading the Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique, perhaps I can give him some pointers on cultivation.

"Although miscellaneous disciples might not have much talent, they should be able to sense the existence of spiritual qi within two or three months. Within a year, they ought to be able to condense a spiritual qi vortex and truly enter the Qi Gathering Realm, right?"

Thinking this, Hong Ye quickly found Lin Changkong.

Yet she discovered that Lin Changkong had already put down the Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique and was sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"No way, he's already started cultivating? He really is impatient. Understandable, but the Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique isn't something that can be mastered so easily."

Hong Ye chuckled, though there was no mockery in it. She understood that everyone was the same—after obtaining a cultivation technique, they could not wait to give it a try.

She had been the same back then, only to be taught a lesson by reality afterward. It had taken her more than a month to sense spiritual qi and condense a vortex.

"Still, failing now isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, you need to fail once before you can become more resolute and keep your feet on the ground."

"Hm? No, this is..."

Hong Ye's expression suddenly changed, surprise appearing on her face.

"Spiritual qi!"

She clearly sensed wisps of spiritual qi appearing around Lin Changkong. There was not much of it, but it truly existed.

"No way, he sensed spiritual qi so quickly? It took me nearly a month back then!"

Hong Ye cried out softly, and the way she looked at Lin Changkong changed completely.

At that moment, Lin Changkong was focusing intently on the simulation displayed on the panel.

[Fifth year, through unwavering comprehension, you finally sensed the existence of spiritual qi and successfully guided it into your body]

[Sixth year, you absorbed more and more spiritual qi...]

Hong Ye could visibly see the spiritual qi around Lin Changkong growing increasingly dense as it continuously burrowed into his body.

"This density of spiritual qi is already comparable to when I had cultivated for half a year. This guy... he's a genius!"

"No, it isn't just that he sensed spiritual qi. He's even started condensing a spiritual qi vortex!"

Hong Ye's eyes widened as she sucked in a breath of cold air.

There were three steps to entering the Qi Gathering Realm. First, sense the spiritual qi of heaven and earth. Second, draw qi into the body. Third, condense a spiritual qi vortex.

None of the steps were easy. Even those above average among the Outer Sect Disciples needed half a month to a month to complete the first two steps.

To condense a spiritual qi vortex within a month was already impressive. She ranked twelfth among the Outer Sect Disciples, yet it had still taken her over a month in total.

But Lin Changkong had only spent half a day—and that included the time he had taken to finish reading the Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique. His actual cultivation time was likely less than half a day.

Yet he had already completed the first two steps and begun charging at the third.

What kind of terrifying speed was this?

[Seventh year, you have absorbed enough spiritual qi and begin attempting to condense a spiritual qi vortex... but fail]

[Eighth year, you continue condensing the spiritual qi vortex. Though you still fail, you discover that you seem to have gained some insight]

[Ninth year, you discover you gained fuck-all insight. You were just getting desperate]

Lin Changkong looked at the simulation on the panel, and his heart twitched.

Outside, Hong Ye's eyes grew wider and wider, and even her chest began heaving violently.

"This aura... he really is condensing a spiritual qi vortex. It looks like he might succeed."

Just as her heart thudded wildly, the invisible aura around Lin Changkong suddenly dissipated again.

Hong Ye froze for a moment, then let out a breath of relief.

"He failed? That's normal. Who succeeds on their very first cultivation attempt? If he had succeeded, that would have been far too unbelievable."

But before that thought had even settled, Lin Changkong's aura gathered once more as he began condensing a spiritual qi vortex for the second time.

Soon afterward, he failed again.

Yet before she had time to think further, Lin Changkong began condensing a spiritual qi vortex for the third time.

[Tenth year, you cultivate bitterly day and night. On a night of howling wind and driving snow, you truly gain enlightenment and successfully condense a spiritual qi vortex. In an instant, the spiritual qi of heaven and earth floods madly into your body]

Boom—

With Lin Changkong at the center, wisps of spiritual qi gathered from all directions and surged into his body.

Hong Ye's eyes went wide, and even the delicate jade hand holding her sword trembled.

"My heavens, he... he really succeeded! He truly condensed a spiritual qi vortex and entered the Qi Gathering Realm!"

Hong Ye cried out, scarcely believing her own eyes.

It had taken her more than a month back then, and even so, she had been praised for her good talent and called a genius.

But Lin Changkong? Including the time spent reading the cultivation technique, it had only taken half a day for him to succeed.

"What's going on?"

A figure rushed over. It was a middle-aged man, an elder guarding the Martial Arts Hall, named Ye Wuchen.

Seeing Lin Changkong sitting cross-legged and the spiritual qi spiraling and gathering around him, Ye Wuchen's eyes widened. "Didn't this kid only arrive today?"

Hong Ye nodded blankly. "Yes, he only arrived today. And from the time he found the Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique until now, it has only been half a day."

"Half a day?"

Ye Wuchen's eyes widened as he cried out softly, fiercely rubbing a hand over his forehead.

"Fuck!"

"He condensed a spiritual qi vortex and entered the Qi Gathering Realm in half a day? It took me a full two months back then, and I still became an elder of the Heavenly Fire Sect.

"You little bastard, you're something else!"

Ye Wuchen was so shocked that he directly cursed. Entering the Qi Gathering Realm in half a day—what kind of speed was that?

He had never even heard of it!

The two simply stared at Lin Changkong, their hearts twitching as they felt both shock and delight.

Finally, after a frenzied wave of gathering, the spiritual qi came to a halt, and Lin Changkong's aura slowly returned to calm.

[Name: Lin Changkong]

[Realm: Qi Gathering First Level]

[Technique: Vajra Body Refining Technique (Second Tier, Transcendent); Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique (Third Tier, Beginner)]

[Martial Arts: Eight Extremes Collapse Fist (First Tier, Transcendent); Wind Breaking Saber Technique (Second Tier, Mastery)]

[The host has successfully broken through a major realm and entered the Qi Gathering Realm. The next extraction can grant a hundred years of cultivation]

As the panel changed, Lin Changkong was thoroughly satisfied. Although it had taken ten years to barely enter the Qi Gathering First Level—a gap as vast as heaven and earth compared to Hong Ye's one month—

Fortunately, he was a cheat user. He did not rely on hard work.

And what delighted him most was that, in the Qi Gathering Realm, he could claim a hundred years of cultivation every day. No matter how poor his aptitude was, he could make up for the gap brought by his talent.

The life of a cheat user really was this plain and unadorned!