One and a half months passed in steady rhythm.
With the Spirit Sense Reinforcement Stone, Luo Yun's nights had become far more efficient. His cultivation method, already suited for mental sharpening, responded naturally to the stone's resonance. The stone did not increase his Qi circulation directly, but his heightened spiritual clarity allowed him to control his breathing, meridians, and Qi flow with far greater precision- helping in spirit nourishment and by extension Qi cultivation as well.
Add to that the spirit-gathering core, the meditation cushion, and the faint ambient nourishment from the maturing herbs in his field—his progression rose noticeably.
By the end of the sixth week, the Qi in his dantian grew dense and warm. One evening, as he drew in a slow breath, a ripple of energy shook through his meridians. The barrier that had resisted him for days finally softened.
He stepped into the Third Layer of Qi Refining.
It was a smooth breakthrough, almost tranquil.
This was another benefit of this cultivation method. It practiced control over spirit sense. And restraining his aura was also one of the basic principal listed. And hence his brekthroughs became quite and those at same realm couldn't discern it.
When his master arrived for the monthly guidance session, the elder halted in front of him for a moment longer than usual. His expression remained calm, but the faint surprise in his eyes did not escape Luo Yun.
"Third Layer already," the Peak Master said, voice quiet. "Your cultivation speed is faster than I expected, considering your roots."
"Yes, Master."
For someone like him, who rarely expressed emotions, those words were almost high praise.
His master had instructed from previous breakthrough- to come near his cave entrance for monthly sessions. It made the session more fruitful due to abundant devilish qi. But he could only endure for small time before being overwhelmed- then his master would help by withstanding pressure- until session ended and he leaves.
Because of this his other treasures- Spirit Sense Reinforcement Stone, and his mature herbs were still hidden, for now.
Their guidance session began soon after. The pressure outside the Peak Master's residence was intense, and although several formations diluted the corrupting aura, Luo Yun still felt his mind tighten as soon as he sat down.
The Peak Master adjusted his posture and corrected several small errors in his mental circulation technique. Luo Yun absorbed every word carefully, committing each detail to memory.
When the lesson ended, he left with a clearer path forward—and more certainty about his method's depth.
His days resumed their quiet pace, though with a deeper intensity now that his cultivation had reached the third layer. He could feel the difference even in his sword training; his sword carried sharper intent, and Elder Jian's corrections became less frequent.
But the greatest change occurred in his herb field.
The five Qi Condensation–level herbs, planted months ago and nourished by Azure Dew Essence and the spirit-gathering core, finally reached maturity—fifty years of age.
Their appearance had grown striking.
Clearwater Vein Grass: Slender blue-green leaves with glowing vein lines.
Moon-dew Sprout: Soft silver leaves always coated in fresh dew that never evaporated.
Ironroot Bud: Sturdy stem with red-gold root fibers visible beneath the soil.
Soft Jade Stem: Pale jade-colored stalk, smooth to the touch, emitting faint fragrance.
Flowing Spirit Herb: Thin leaves that sway gently without wind; faint mist rising from the soil.
Luo Yun examined each herb carefully.
Even without consuming them or refining them into pills, their presence enriched his cultivation environment. The fragrance they emitted made meditation calmer. The Qi they released naturally blended with the cave, increasing his absorption speed slightly.
Anything refined from them—if he ever learned pill refinement—would become precious resources. But that path was for later. For now, he intended to use them directly in their natural form. Although it was far less efficient- he had no choice.
Crushing Clearwater Vein Grass into powder and consuming a small dose would gently boost Qi circulation.
Moon-dew Sprout could be ground into paste and applied to the temples for spirit-sense enhancement.
Iron-root Bud could be boiled into body-strengthening tonic water.
Soft Jade Stem could be used as a stabilizer during breakthrough attempts.
Flowing Spirit Herb, when steeped in warm water, made a calming cultivation tea.
No pills needed. No complex furnaces. Just careful, methodical use.
With these resources, his cultivation efficiency would grow further without drawing attention.
...
As his cultivation reached the Third Layer and his herb field matured, Luo Yun decided it was finally time to begin something he had been preparing for since he first entered the sect:
talisman crafting.
The system had gifted him a beginner's talisman scripture and a simple crafting kit months ago, but until now, he hadn't possessed enough Qi control to attempt it. With his spiritual sense stabilizing and his cultivation growing firmer, he added talisman practice into his daily routine.
It was exhausting work.
Drawing talisman lines required an extremely fine degree of control—one slip of the brush, one fluctuation in Qi, and the entire structure collapsed, dragging his spirit with it. At worst, the rebound could injure his consciousness. Even with the Spirit Sense Reinforcement Stone supporting him, two attempts per day left him mentally drained.
But each attempt also refined his Qi uniquely.
The depletion forced his meridians to cycle faster. His Qi would empty, refill, and empty again—tempering his reserves little by little. It was far from a formal Qi-forging method, yet it strengthened him steadily.
Besides talismans, another long-awaited dream finally came true.
Using sword without touching it.
His master had gifted him a beginner flying sword—a thin silver weapon with faint inscription lines—when Luo Yun reached the Second Layer. At the time, he had barely been able to lift it with his Qi. But now, at the Third Layer, he could finally make it hover and move around him with limited control.
Azure Edge Peak held regular beginner sword-control lessons for outer disciples, and Luo Yun began attending them quietly. The sessions focused on basic control—lifting, stabilizing, turning, and landing. Nothing fast. Nothing flashy. But to someone who had long admired sword flight in his past life, even these small steps filled him with quiet satisfaction.
Despite expanding his daily routine, he never neglected his core cultivation. His newly matured herbs made sure of that.
Using the Five Herbs, He adopted a simple but disciplined approach in using them directly:
Clearwater Vein Grass-He crushed it into powder and consumed a tiny amount at the end of his cultivation sessions. It gently boosted Qi circulation when his mind was fatigued. He used it once every two or three days, improving absorption without relying too heavily on it.
Moon-dew Sprout-Ground into a thin paste, it was applied lightly to his temples. Its cooling effect sharpened his spiritual perception, helping him maintain focus during spirit-sense training. The improvement was clear—his meditation grew deeper, smoother.
Iron-root Bud-After sword practice, he boiled a piece of the bud into tonic water. Although not a dedicated body-refinement method, the tonic worked gently on his muscles and meridians. The soreness from training faded faster, and a faint toughness began developing in his body. His endurance increased, letting him practice longer each day.
Soft Jade Stem-
This herb stabilized meridians during breakthroughs. He stored it carefully for future stages—something he would use only when attempting the Fourth Layer.
Flowing Spirit Herb-When steeped in warm water, it made a calming tea. After taxing talisman practice, he drank a cup to relax his mind and restore a small amount of Qi. It cleared internal tension and helped him settle into meditation smoothly.
The effects were subtle but continuous. Not overwhelming, not flashy. Exactly the sort of steady, reliable resources he preferred.
His cave grew richer with spiritual fragrance. His cultivation path became clearer. And though no one outside Abyssal Mind Peak knew the reason, his progress continued rising at a surprising pace.
All these elements—talisman refinement, body tempering, sword training, spirit-sense practice, and herb supplements—wove together into a strong, stable foundation.
And just like that, the time for his next sign-in drew near.