His arrival at his Residence faded into a slow procession of tired steps, stretched shadows, and the distant chirping of nocturnal insects. Jin closed the door behind him and, without bothering to light the lamp, let out a deep sigh. The silence of the room welcomed him like an old friend.
He extended his hand to the small pouch hanging from his waist and took out one of the minor restoration pills Elder Wei had given him. It was of a faint, almost dull red, releasing a subtle herbal scent—warm and familiar.
"I suppose… a quiet night won't hurt," he murmured to himself, before letting the pill dissolve in his mouth.
The effect was gentle, like a warm current starting in his chest and flowing toward his limbs, easing the accumulated tension in his muscles and meridians. Jin lay down on his thin bed and, the moment his head touched the fabric, sleep fell upon him like a heavy cloak.
Darkness advanced As the hours dissolved into the song of insects.
And so, without disturbances or dreams, the night passed.
...…
A month later.
Inside that same Residence, the unlit lamp rested in the corner, covered by a thin veil of dust.
Jin Yuchen sat cross-legged on the same mattress, though now in meditation posture. The moon had ceded its place to dawn, whose light filtered weakly through the crack of the window.
The young man breathed deeply and evenly, his chest rising and falling with the cadence of a cultivator on the rise. Qi moved within him like a tempered river, following a careful cycle through his meridians. At times, a faint glow flickered beneath his skin—barely noticeable, but a clear sign of a month of rigorous practice.
His expression was serene… yet his eyes, still closed, hid the determination he had forged day after day, night after night.
The room's silence accompanied every breath, every turn of Qi, every small advance that brought him one step closer to the next level.
The Residence had witnessed his exhaustion, his effort… and now watched him in full growth.
A month had passed.
Jin slowly opened his eyes, still feeling the faint tingling of the Qi that had been circulating for hours. He exhaled, letting the warm air slip past his lips.
"They're gone…" he murmured, staring at the empty bottle beside his mat.
—Elder Wei wasn't exaggerating. Without these pills, I'd still be bedridden, unable to move without pain—
The last of the minor restoration pills had fulfilled their purpose: his body no longer hurt, nor burned, nor felt heavy. After an entire month of disciplined rest, every fiber of muscle was as firm and flexible as before—perhaps even more so.
"Finally back to a hundred percent," he said to himself, with a small, tired smile. "I can resume Jade Dragon Body."
He passed a hand over his abdomen, feeling the warm flow beneath his skin. He had no master to guide him, but the internal sensation was clear: Qi swirled with force, thick as mist in a closed valley.
That saturation, that inner heaviness…
In the stories he had read in his past life, it was always the sign of imminent advancement.
"If this were a novel, this would be the perfect moment to level up," he whispered, letting out a brief laugh.
But even so… something didn't quite fit.
The Qi was dense, yes, but there was something deeper—a sense that his body still held an empty space unfilled. Not a barrier, not a limit… rather, an invitation to keep pushing.
"I'm not at my peak yet," he concluded, opening his eyes fully.
He stood up slowly. After a month of semi-seclusion—only leaving for food—the morning light coming through the window made him blink. His hair fell messy over his shoulders, and the scent of dried herbs lingered in the air.
"First, I should wash."
He stretched his arms, joints cracking with pleasant relief. Then he opened the door to his dwelling. Outside, the day was just beginning: birdsong echoed across the sect's courtyards, and the cool breeze brushed his skin as if celebrating his return to the outside world.
With determined steps, Jin walked out to greet the day. Training awaited him.
The forest stretching before the dwellings welcomed him with the faint freshness of morning. Jin advanced among the trees, letting the murmur of leaves brush against his thoughts. The still-pale sunlight filtered through the canopy, painting the ground with irregular patches of gold.
He walked for quite a while, following a path only he seemed to recognize. His steps were calm, almost meditative, until the familiar whisper of water appeared among the trunks. A moment later, the small lake emerged before him—clear as a freshly polished mirror.
Jin gave a tired smile.
During that month of semi-reclusion he had sometimes gone out to explore the forest and had discovered this place by accident. A lake hidden deep in the woods, silent, with no human presence nor hostile beasts—only the constant murmur of water and the damp fragrance of vegetation.
A simple place, nothing special… and perhaps because of that, it had felt perfect to him. His own refuge, even if temporary.
Without further thought, he removed his clothes and dove into the lake with a splash that broke the surface like a living heartbeat. The cold water embraced his body, immediately clearing away any trace of sleep or fatigue. Jin resurfaced with a deep exhalation, letting the water run down his skin and carry away the heaviness of nightly cultivation.
He stayed there a moment, floating, watching as the sky slowly brightened above him.
"I guess… for now, this is my place," he murmured to himself, letting the lake's murmur be his only answer.
Jin spread his damp robe over a low branch, letting it drip under the golden morning light. The lake's fresh scent blended with the smell of wet earth and the whisper of leaves. The gentle wind swept away the residual warmth of his skin as he walked toward the large flat rock dominating the lake's edge.
With a faint sigh, he settled on it. The cold surface slid along his back, awakening a pleasant, almost purifying tingle. He crossed his legs in lotus position and closed his eyes, letting the forest's silence settle into his breath.
Qi began to flow almost instinctively, as if an entire month of silent practice had embedded a natural routine in him. Every inhalation made his meridians tremble slightly; every exhalation cleansed one more fraction of invisible impurities.
Behind him, the lake swayed gently, returning liquid echoes. Morning birds sang among the branches, indifferent to anything but simple existence. Jin felt the serenity of the place claim his mind.
"It will be a good day for cultivation…" he thought, focusing on the cycle of his breath as he allowed Qi to gather, compress, and refine itself patiently.
Jin exhaled slowly, letting the last threads of concentration disperse as he opened his eyes. The forest remained silent around him, and the soft murmur of the lake beat a calm rhythm against the shore. His mind felt clear, his breathing steady… it was the ideal state.
He rose from the rock with a fluid motion and walked toward where his robe was drying under the gentle morning light. He reached into the garment and pulled out a small bluish porcelain bottle, cool to the touch. Inside, the minor inner protection pills Elder Wei had given him tinkled softly.
Jin contemplated the bottle for a moment. He disliked the idea of relying too much on external aids, but if he was going to resume the Jade Dragon Body Technique… he'd better protect himself. This wasn't a game.
He uncorked the bottle and poured one pill into his palm. It was pale blue.
Without further hesitation, he brought it to his mouth.
The moment the pill touched his tongue, a soft coolness slid down his throat. Not an aggressive cold, but a delicate breeze descending slowly to his stomach before expanding in every direction. Jin held his breath: the sensation was peculiar, as if silky currents were making their way through his meridians.
Then came the true effect.
A tempered warmth bloomed from the center of his chest, spreading like a protective mantle. It didn't burn or compress; instead it seemed to wrap every organ, every internal muscle, like invisible hands adjusting everything with precision. His meridians vibrated faintly, strengthened by that bluish energy.
Jin closed his eyes for a moment, letting the sensation settle. It was like feeling his insides coated in a thin layer of warm jade—solid and yet flexible.
"Perfect…" he murmured, barely audible, moving his fingers as he tested the subtle changes in his body.
Still with that inner coolness pulsing in soft waves, he stepped back toward the clearing and positioned himself at its center. The air was clean, the lake reflected the sky, and his body… his body was ready.
The moment to resume the Jade Dragon Body Technique had finally come