Time passed swiftly, and before long, evening arrived.
Throughout the day, Xu Qingxian had spent every waking moment immersed in the cultivation manual, his gaze fixed and unblinking as he tried to absorb as much knowledge as possible. He was desperate to increase his strength, knowing that time was not on his side.
Lin Fan had stopped by during the day, bringing good news and ten more attribute points, which raised Xu Qingxian's total all the way to thirty-eight. The scholarly youth also spent some time discussing the latest developments in the royal palace.
Just then, a knock echoed on the door.
"Dinner is here," came the muffled voice from outside. Xu Qingxian sighed, closed the Basic Qi Gathering Technique, and shifted his attention toward the entrance.
The door creaked open, and Lin Fan stepped inside, his features calm and composed. With a graceful wave of his hand, he summoned a tray and placed a variety of dishes before Xu Qingxian.
Xu Qingxian picked up the chopsticks and began eating, the aroma of freshly steamed rice and seasoned meat wafting into his nostrils. He listened with growing amusement as Lin Fan began sharing more gossip.
"Young Master, you won't believe what happened today. The Third Prince bought the entire Blue Moon Pavilion. Can you imagine? His spendthrift behavior is becoming outrageous."
Lin Fan's eyes sparkled as he continued.
"It's also said that a rising cultivator is shaking up the martial world. At just eighteen years old, he's already reached the eighth layer of Qi Condensation."
Xu Qingxian raised an eyebrow but kept eating.
"Oh, and I heard that the Young Mistress should be returning soon. Are you excited? She might bring back some techniques for you."
Xu Qingxian gave a small nod as he chewed on a succulent piece of meat. Though Lin Fan was quite the talker, Xu Qingxian found comfort in the idle chatter. It was in rare moments like these that the weight of the world felt just a little lighter.
After finishing his meal, Xu Qingxian set the chopsticks down with a soft clink and let out a satisfied sigh.
Lin Fan quickly moved to clear the dishes and tidy the table. Once everything was clean, he gave Xu Qingxian a respectful bow before leaving the room.
Though the two had grown closer over time, Lin Fan still maintained the respect due to a young master.
Xu Qingxian watched the door close, then turned his attention once more to the Basic Qi Gathering Technique. After reviewing it for a while, he studied his surroundings with focused intensity. Not wanting to be caught off guard like the previous night, he scanned every shadow and corner in the room.
Though sleep tugged at him, he resisted. Unfortunately, he was still trapped in the body of a mortal, one that required food and rest like any other. With no choice, Xu Qingxian lay down, but kept his senses alert.
Let's hope I can comprehend the Basic Qi Gathering Technique by tomorrow, he thought grimly. If so, I might be able to recover my cultivation and my strength.
He slept with one eye half open, waking every hour to check his surroundings before drifting off again. It was the longest night he had experienced since transmigrating, but luckily, it passed without incident.
...
Morning arrived.
Xu Qingxian stretched slowly, letting out a yawn as he sat up.
Looks like the evil spirit from the other day was just a coincidence, he thought, brushing it off and returning his attention to the Basic Qi Gathering Technique.
Soon after, Lin Fan arrived with a bright expression on his face. In his hand, he carried a new batch of attribute points—ten in total—causing Xu Qingxian's total to pass fifty.
Xu Qingxian studied until noon, pouring over the technique again and again, though comprehension still eluded him. Eventually, he picked up his phone to complete the daily check-in.
It was now the third day since his transmigration.
He glanced at the chat group briefly, but nothing important seemed to be going on. Most of the members were chatting about cultivation and other mundane topics.
With a swipe, Xu Qingxian exited the messages and navigated to the check-in tab.
"Check in," he muttered mentally.
A moment later, a notification popped up on the screen.
[Congratulations on checking in for the third time in a row. You have received 4 low-grade spirit stones.]
Another doubling? Xu Qingxian's eyes lit up. If this trend continued, perhaps he could reach thousands of spirit stones in the future. The thought alone filled him with a strange sense of pleasure.
And when he eventually converted them into attributes, it would be an enormous gain. Could he really become invincible just by checking in every day?
The idea made him chuckle softly.
Still, relying solely on daily check-ins was foolish. He would become stronger even faster if he cultivated alongside gathering attribute points. Why waste time?
[Convert 4 low-grade spirit stones to attribute points?]
[Yes / No?]
Xu Qingxian selected "Yes" mentally.
[You have received 4 attribute points.]
He watched his total rise to sixty-two. Feeling pleased, he closed the system panel and tucked the phone back into his robes.
Now all I have to do is comprehend this technique. Dammit! My comprehension is truly awful.
Xu Qingxian frowned as frustration bubbled inside him. Despite how basic the technique was, he still couldn't fully understand it. What did that say about his chances with more advanced techniques?
Maybe they were impossible for him. The thought nearly made him want to cry.
With a tired sigh, he pushed aside the emotion and forced himself to keep reading, suppressing the rising sense of discomfort.
The afternoon dragged on uneventfully. Lin Fan dropped by again with more gossip and another ten attribute points, bringing Xu Qingxian's total to seventy-two.
He was inching closer to the hundred mark.
Just the thought of reaching it gave him a glimmer of hope. But his mood was dampened by the fact that he still hadn't comprehended the Basic Qi Gathering Technique.
He had read the text dozens of times. He understood the words. He knew the diagrams. Yet something was still missing.
Unlike the Basic Sword Technique, this one hadn't been recorded by the system. Which meant his comprehension hadn't reached the required level.
Once again, Xu Qingxian sighed.
Then he turned to the one place where answers might be found.
Carefree Immortal: Any tips on the deeper layers of the Basic Qi Gathering Technique?
For a while, there was silence in the group. It seemed even the chat had been startled by his sudden message.
Then, unexpectedly, a reply appeared.
Jade Beauty: What do you need to know?
Xu Qingxian raised an eyebrow, his expression turning strange. Was the demoness really offering to help?
After thinking it over, he decided it wasn't impossible.
It's only fair that I take a little interest from her, considering she tricked this body's previous owner, he thought.
Carefree Immortal: Is there anything hidden beneath the surface of this technique? I have a feeling that basic techniques aren't so basic. Haha...
He tried to sound casual, as if the answer didn't mean everything to him—though it absolutely did.
Jade Beauty: I don't know why you're bothering with basic techniques when there are more advanced ones, but I'll help anyway.
Xu Qingxian's lips twitched. He felt a little embarrassed. He didn't want to study low-tier techniques either, but his body's comprehension ability was practically garbage. He had no choice.
Jade Beauty: As the name suggests, the Basic Qi Gathering Technique is the most primitive method of gathering qi. Following its pathway allows you to absorb the surrounding energy, but the speed is extremely slow. Even snails are faster.
Jade Beauty: That's why no one uses this method. The rate at which it improves your strength is so slow that most cultivators won't even reach the initial stage of Qi Condensation within their lifetime.
Jade Beauty: Your transmigrated world seems very similar to mine...
She continued typing, but Xu Qingxian had already stopped paying attention.
In that moment, something clicked in his mind.
His eyes widened.
A sudden clarity washed over him, as if the world had shifted ever so slightly.
He had finally comprehended something profound.
Or perhaps... something basic.
At the same time, the system buzzed to life with a new line of words…