After the funeral.
Chen Sheng patted the boy's shoulder:
"Starting tomorrow, move to the Pill Workshop. There's a vacant room in the backyard, more convenient."
Qin Yuan nodded: "Yes."
The boy quickly placed his belongings into a Storage Pouch and moved to the backyard of the Pill Workshop.
What surprised Chen Sheng was that the child did not remain immersed in grief.
He soon emerged from it.
He even became more diligent and serious than before.
...
In the yard at dawn.
Tang Xichen's sword light swept through like a rainbow.
Qin Yuan was already prepared, using an Ancient Mirror as a shield. His left foot silently shifted back half a step, and a Silver Needle suddenly left his right hand.
A soft swoosh sound.
Three silver coins shot toward Tang Xichen's face in the shape of a character.
Tang Xichen immediately flipped her wrist, her long sword drawing a circle in front of her, the Sword Qi forming a wall to block it.
"Take my sword!"
Tang Xichen shouted with a clear voice.
For a moment, sword light crisscrossed the arena.
Qin Yuan dodged or used a Magical Artifact to block, never meeting her attacks directly.
He had just reached the Qi Cultivation Third Layer, his Mana was limited, so he had to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses.
Only at critical moments would he counter with Magic like the Vine Technique and Mire Technique.
He was skilled in various types of Magic, countering techniques as they came, fighting and retreating without falling behind.
Under the grape arbor not far away.
Huang Wangyou watched the scene clearly, observing the magical combat between the two.
She suddenly turned to Chen Sheng with a smile:
"Yuan'Er's magical combat experience is quite rich, Chen'Er can't beat him."
Chen Sheng watched Qin Yuan's maneuvering figure amidst the sword light, a smile on his lips:
"My uncle did this all his life; naturally, the grandson he taught wouldn't be inferior."
"I didn't expect Yuan'Er's talent in Magic to be this high, mastering various techniques effortlessly."
"After all, he is Brother Shuang's son!"
The scene had reached a critical moment.
Qin Yuan had been pushed to the railing by Tang Xichen, with no room to retreat.
Tang Xichen's sword tip stopped an inch from his throat, the wind from the sword making his neck itch.
Admitting defeat.
Qin Yuan spoke: "I lost."
Tang Xichen withdrew her Sword, giving a bright smile:
"It's I who lost; we agreed to suppress our cultivation levels equally."
"Earlier, I used Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer's Mana in one of my strikes; otherwise, I wouldn't have broken through Junior Brother's defense."
As she spoke.
She tapped his shoulder with her Sword Scabbard, smiling with her eyes curved:
"Junior Brother, your skills are much better than those guys in the Martial Arts Arena!"
"From now on, practice sword with me every morning!"
When Qin Yuan looked up, he met her smiling face, simply responding: "Alright."
...
Another year passed.
Qin Yuan's learning progress was swift, gradually understanding pharmacology.
Now he had begun to learn the Fire Control Skill.
His relationship with Tang Xichen grew closer.
Every morning they practiced Magic and Flying Sword together, dueling every few days.
On this day, in the courtyard.
Chen Sheng and Huang Wangyou were playing chess, occasionally chatting.
Huang Wangyou suddenly placed a piece:
"Brother Yun, how is Yijing doing with martial arts and medicine studies?"
Chen Sheng nodded as he fiddled with the chess piece:
"Quite clever, making good progress."
Huang Wangyou nodded, feeling even more affectionate towards her youngest, who had No Spiritual Root.
"It's really tough for mortals in the Cultivation Realm."
"In the future, find a nearby mundane city and send Yijing there."
Chen Sheng nodded:
"I was worried you wouldn't bear to."
"My father-in-law and I had the same thought."
"Since there's no Spiritual Root, learn skills useful in the mundane world and enjoy a life of wealth."
"But we won't force it; let's wait until Yijing grows up and let him decide."
Huang Wangyou nodded.
She looked towards the Fire Room, where a boy was practicing the Fire Control Skill.
She suddenly laughed:
"I see Yuan'Er is very close to Chen'Er, and Chen'Er isn't averse."
Chen Sheng tapped the chessboard with his fingers, placed a piece down, and spoke softly:
"They're getting along quite well now, with good feelings; let them naturally develop."
"They're both young, and who knows how things will develop in the future."
"We'll just go with the flow; forcing it would be unwise."
Huang Wangyou agreed with this logic.
She changed the topic, running her fingers over the "Tengen" point on the chessboard:
"Brother Yun, are you soon reaching the Peak of Sixth Layer?"
Chen Sheng nodded gently:
"Yes, Mana hasn't moved for days, I've hit a Late-stage bottleneck."
"I'm planning to rest for a few days before taking a Pill to break through."
Huang Wangyou reminded him:
"Alright, be careful."
Seeing the concern in his wife's eyes.
Chen Sheng nodded gently:
"Rest assured, I have control."
...
Several days later.
Inside the Secluded Meditation Chamber.
Chen Sheng sat cross-legged on a mat, refining his Mana to its best state.
He slowly took out a pale yellow Elixir Pill from his Storage Pouch—a Cloud-Pushing Pill!
This is an essential Elixir Pill for breaking through the late-stage bottleneck.
One pill costs as much as 600 Spirit Stones, equivalent to a High Grade Magical Artifact.
After consuming the pill, he felt a surge of Mana charging towards the invisible barrier.
...
Two days later.
Chen Sheng slowly emerged from the Seclusion Room, his face somewhat pale, as he walked to the corridor.
Not far away.
"Master!"
Qin Yuan, who was practicing the Fire Control Skill in the Fire Room, heard the movement.
He rushed out and quickly went over to support him.
"Master, what happened?"
Chen Sheng smiled gently: "It's nothing, just failed to break through and got slightly injured."
Qin Yuan checked his pulse to confirm the situation:
"Your Dantian's Spiritual Power is disordered, and your meridians are shaken."
Without saying another word, he half-supported, half-carried Chen Sheng to the inner courtyard.
Soon.
Huang Wangyou also lent a hand, helping him lie on the bed.
Chen Sheng helplessly said: "It's not that serious."
Huang Wangyou put on a stern face: "Just rest well for a few days."
Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng nodded.
Unable to hold back, he complained to his wife:
"I really didn't expect this bottleneck to be so difficult to break through, and I didn't even use an Enhancing Technique Elixir!"
Usually.
If one takes an Elixir to enhance Mana, it's hard to eliminate the pill toxins, complicating the bottleneck breakthrough.
Therefore.
Many cultivators with ordinary qualifications endure it.
Only after breaking through to late-stage Qi Refining do they start taking Enhancing Pills, making a bold attempt at Foundation Establishment.
Huang Wangyou comforted him:
"It's perfectly normal; if late-stage Qi Refining were easy, could you be a captain in the Law Enforcement Team?"
"Didn't my father have to try twice?"
Chen Sheng shook his head:
"I just thought I could succeed in one attempt by learning from my father-in-law's lessons."
Huang Wangyou rolled her eyes:
"Forget it, a failure is a failure, but at least you loosened it a bit; it will be easier next time."
"Luckily, you had a backup plan this time and prepared a Yellow Flower Pill in advance; it stabilized your Dantian, only causing minor injuries."
Chen Sheng leaned against the bedhead, speaking softly:
"Even minor injuries require two months of recovery, and the Cloud-Pushing Pill is best taken annually."
"It seems it'll take two years before I can attempt another breakthrough."
He silently calculated the time in his mind.
He was only thirty-nine this year.
With twenty-one years left until the age of sixty.
"There's enough time, I should have a chance to attempt Foundation Establishment in this lifetime."