The moment Luo Yun's breathing steadied, a faint vibration rippled through the cave. It wasn't loud. It wasn't bright. Yet the Qi around him shifted in a clear, undeniable rhythm—like mist gathering and dispersing in slow pulses.
He exhaled softly.
It was done.
A warm thread of spiritual energy pooled in his lower abdomen. His dantian pulsed with a softness that felt fragile and new, like a candle flame sheltered within cupped hands.
After three months of quiet work…
He had finally stepped into Qi Condensation, First Layer.
He remained seated for a moment longer, letting his body adjust to the new sensation. Qi didn't surge violently—it trickled, gentle and obedient, following the pathways he had refined painstakingly with the meditation cushion and the spirit-gathering core's help.
More surprising was the clarity in his mind.
At this stage, the effects of his spiritual-sense-based cultivation method were subtle. But he knew that with future breakthroughs, his spiritual senses would grow far stronger than others at the same level—just as the difficulty of breaking through would increase drastically.
His perception had sharpened. His awareness was a little better than before—not obvious, but enough to hint at how his future cultivation would unfold.
He breathed quietly. For a new cultivator, this sensation was intoxicating. Like seeing colors he hadn't known existed.
His reflection ended as another presence brushed the edge of his perception.
Not footsteps.Not sound.Just… presence.
The air pressure changed.The Qi in the cave straightened like frightened grass.
Luo Yun stood immediately and bowed deeply.
"Disciple greets Peak Master."
The Peak Master of Abyssal Mind Peak appeared at the cave entrance, his silhouette framed against the pale morning light. His expression remained unreadable, but his gaze swept the cave once—slowly enough to take in everything.
His voice was quiet.
"You broke through."
Luo Yun kept his head lowered. "Yes, Peak Master."
A soft hum flickered in the air. The elder looked toward Luo Yun, and although Luo Yun couldn't detect anything directly, he understood that the Peak Master was probing him with his spiritual sense.
The Peak Master nodded once.
"Good."
A simple evaluation—yet heavy in meaning.
His gaze shifted to the herb field: Moonlight Grass glowing faintly blue, Jadeleaf releasing a gentle fragrance, Blooddew vines crawling along moist stone, Spirit Bamboo stretching proudly.
He did not comment. But when his gaze fell upon the spirit-gathering core, his expression changed slightly—his eyes lingering a heartbeat longer than usual.
He retracted his gaze swiftly, choosing not to say anything. With his vast experience, small treasures like these meant little. Perhaps he was curious, but he decided not to pry.
He finally spoke again.
"You've adapted well. From today onward, you are formally my disciple. Address me as Master. I will guide you once a month in your main cultivation method—the Spirit-Refining Scripture."
Although surprised, Luo Yun bowed deeply. "Yes, Master."
Then, with a gesture, he instructed Luo Yun to sit in meditation. The Peak Master personally adjusted his posture and began guiding him. Unlike typical Qi cultivation, this method focused on spiritual sense and placed far more strain on the mind. A slight error could damage one's consciousness—at worst, reduce someone to a fool.
Slowly but steadily, Luo Yun adjusted to the flow, listening intently as his master corrected flaws in his breathing, Qi circulation, and mental focus.
After the time it takes to finish a meal, the Peak Master withdrew his hand.
"Enough."
He left just as quietly as he had arrived—vanishing into the morning light after informing Luo Yun he would return next month.
…
Luo Yun let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
He looked around the cave—the herbs swaying gently, the spirit-gathering core pulsing softly, the meditation cushion waiting where he had left it.
This space had grown comfortable. Given his introverted nature, that was more of a problem than a blessing.
After his initial visit at Azure Edge peak, he hadn't gone there. Instead he'd decided to enter Qi condensation stage first. As most practices needed qi.
He needed experience—combat, interaction, understanding people, and sensing danger. Such things came only from stepping outside.
Spirit sense could detect threats. But without skill, movement, and knowledge of how cultivators fought…
He was merely a perceptive target.
He walked to the herb field, running a hand along the soil. The Moonlight Grass shimmered faintly in response.
His spirit sense had awakened early—much earlier than anyone expected from someone with fake roots. But it was still fragile, not a solid foundation. To strengthen it, he needed pressure. Tempering. Experience.
He also needed guidance in areas he had barely touched:
Sword forms beyond simple movements, Combat footwork, Qi reinforcement, Basic defensive arts, or simple magical techniques and controlling a flying sword.
He glanced at the iron sword resting against the wall.
Flowing Cloud Edge felt different now. Incomplete. Shallow.
Without proper fundamentals, he couldn't use it correctly.
He exhaled again.
"I really don't know anything yet."
His time in the cave had given him stability. But stability without experience could become a weakness.
Tomorrow, he would go to Azure edge peak . He would learn with the outer disciples. He would train under sword aura pressure. He would temper his spirit sense. He would observe how others fought.
And he would finally understand what it meant to be a cultivator in this world.
He sat on the meditation cushion once more, calming his breathing. His breakthrough had shaken his meridians slightly—nothing serious, but he needed to settle the newly formed Qi.
His dantian pulsed faintly as energy circulated through his body.
He closed his eyes, sinking into gentle meditation until late afternoon.
When he opened them again, he felt steady—finally ready for his real cultivation journey.
He would leave at dawn.
Although Abyssal Mind Peak spanned large area, most of it was sealed and too dangerous to even approach. Only about four kilometers were usable by disciples. Luo Yun lived at the very outer edge; with his current level, this was the only safe area. When he grew stronger, he could live closer to the core region—dangerous, but rewarding.
Compared to this, Azure edge peak stretched very far. Since the two peaks were close neighbors, it would take him roughly an hour and a half on foot. He would need to wake early.
With that thought, he ended his cultivation and lay down to sleep. He no longer needed much rest, but it was good for mental recovery.
He slipped into deep slumber, anticipation stirring gently within him.
Tomorrow would be a new beginning.