“Do I really have to tear a hole in the heavens before they’ll replace me?”

  Yun Che sat in the cold corner of the storage room, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the rough surface of the stone bead hidden in his robes. Nearly two months of deliberate misconduct had turned the menial district into utter chaos. Among the registered disciples, his nickname had quickly evolved—from “the cliff-jumper” and “the cripple” to “Blackhearted Yun” and “Yun the Skinner,” far surpassing even the infamy of the former overseer, “Centipede Liu.”

  Yet the sect’s upper echelons remained silent.

  That silence was like a thick wall of ice, sealing all resentment and disorder beneath it—unyielding, unmoved.

  It unsettled Yun Che… and stirred the stubbornness deep in his bones.

  “Then let’s see just where your bottom line lies.”

  A glint of resolve flashed through his eyes. If breaking free required pushing things further, he would not hesitate. But before that, he needed more strength—to deal with whatever consequences might come from going too far.

  Fortunately, his efforts had not been in vain.

  With the help of the stone bead, he had stolen nearly twenty times the normal span of time—two months in reality, almost a full year within the milky-white void. Fueled by cold Nether Pool water and the faintly spiritual wild herbs he had gathered, his cultivation had reached a critical juncture.

  He could clearly feel it now.

  The strange power interwoven with his flesh—scattered throughout his limbs and bones—had reached its limit. No matter how he breathed, guided, or absorbed the void’s light-specks, the total amount would not increase. It was as if his body, as a vessel, had been filled to the brim in its current form.

  To contain more, the vessel itself had to change.

  That night, after the wind and snow subsided, the moonlight was cold and clear. Yun Che entered the stone bead’s space once more. He did not cultivate as usual, nor practice Minor Pull. Instead, he calmed his entire mind and began deliberately striking at the invisible yet resilient barrier surrounding his dantian.

  Once—failure. His internal energy surged chaotically, his meridians aching.

  Twice—failure. The barrier did not budge, its rebound force shaking his breath.

  Three times. Four times.

  After countless failed attempts in the void, just as his spirit neared exhaustion, Yun Che gathered all the power he had accumulated. Gambling everything on one final attempt, he slammed it toward the point he sensed was both the thickest and the most fragile.

  Humm—

  A faint vibration echoed—not in his ears, but deep within his soul.

  The barrier shattered.

  It did not vanish completely but cracked open with a narrow fissure. In that instant, the power scattered throughout his body seemed to find a single outlet, a shared destination. Like rivers returning to the sea, they flowed—slowly, yet irresistibly—toward that opening in his dantian.

  Though most of the energy still lingered in flesh and blood, a small portion finally passed through, forming a faint yet tangible proto-vortex within the dantian.

  This vortex was not traditional spiritual energy. It bore the traits of void-light and the imprint of his own blood and essence, rotating gently—drawing in, refining, and stabilizing kindred power from his body.

  A sensation of unprecedented wholeness and control flooded him.

  His body felt lighter. His five senses sharpened dramatically; even the paths of drifting dust seemed visible. His spirit surged, fatigue swept away in an instant.

  He knew he had broken through.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Though it was not a conventional “Second Layer of Qi Condensation,” it was undeniably a new stage—one that expanded both the capacity and quality of his body and power.

  When he returned to reality, Yun Che immediately noticed a thin layer of dark, oily residue seeping from his skin. It was far less than before, but the stench remained unpleasant. He cleaned himself quickly, then glanced at his reflection in a frozen puddle.

  The youth staring back at him had lost much of his former timidity. His gaze was clearer, sharper—his presence quietly restrained, yet undeniably different.

  “Another step forward… at last.”

  He clenched his fist, feeling the denser power circulating within. But joy was quickly followed by concern.

  “My cultivation path is abnormal. There’s no follow-up technique. When I need to break through again… what then?”

  He frowned.

  Seek guidance? From whom? He could not explain the source of his power without exposing the stone bead. Continue alone? The road ahead was uncertain—and dangerous.

  With a quiet sigh, he set the worry aside for now and focused on consolidating his gains.

  With a thought, the dantian vortex accelerated slightly. A thin strand of refined power flowed outward. His gaze fell upon a footstool stone slab in the corner—dozens of pounds heavy.

  Focus. Lock on.

  The stone trembled… then slowly lifted half an inch off the ground.

  It lasted less than three breaths before crashing down—but Yun Che’s eyes shone with delight. His control and output had undergone a qualitative leap.

  Encouraged, he began practicing Minor Pull in reality as well.

  Time flowed quietly between cultivation and controlled chaos. Soon, deep winter arrived. The Frost Condensation Mountains were buried beneath silver snow.

  On this day, heavy flakes drifted down, the world cloaked in silent white.

  Yun Che stood quietly in the remote back courtyard. Snow filled the sky—but as the faint vortex within him rotated, an invisible field spread naturally around his body.

  A strange sight unfolded.

  Every snowflake drifting toward him was gently pushed aside inches from his skin, curving away before falling elsewhere. In moments, snow blanketed the ground—except for the clean, bare circle beneath his feet.

  He gazed toward the distant mountains, beyond which lay Xitou Village.

  This time of year, home would look different. His father would have stored firewood early; his mother would be sewing thick cotton clothes. A brazier would warm the house, chasing away the damp mountain cold. Perhaps he would be reading by the firelight—or helping dry medicinal herbs, the air filled with their faint fragrance.

  A quiet warmth—and ache—rose in his chest.

  Cultivators spoke of severing mortal ties, freeing the heart of attachments.

  He knew he could not do that.

  His parents’ hopes and the village’s dawns and dusks—these were not burdens. They were his roots. He would not sever them. He would only bury them deep within, turning them into a lamp that warmed his heart and guided his steps forward.

  Lost in thought, Yun Che’s brows twitched.

  His heightened perception caught the sound of someone approaching through the snow—footsteps hurried, far steadier than those of a typical registered disciple.

  Moments later, the courtyard gate creaked open.

  A figure bundled in a thick cotton coat stepped inside, breath fogging the air. He removed his felt hat, revealing a round-faced, lively youth.

  It was Yun Feng.

  “Stone Brother? It really is you!” Yun Feng exclaimed, brushing snow from himself. “I thought I recognized you from afar. It’s freezing—aren’t you cold standing out here dressed like that?”

  Yun Che’s eyes flickered with surprise before settling. A faint smile tugged at his lips.

  “I calculated with my fingers and knew you’d come today. Naturally, I came out to greet you.”

  He truly did not feel cold anymore.

  Yun Feng laughed and circled him, then scratched his head.

  “Huh… Stone Brother, you seem… different from a few months ago. More spirited? Don’t tell me you’ve been skimming so much oil from this lousy overseer job that you’re overnourished now.”

  He wiggled his brows teasingly.

  Yun Che felt a flicker of alertness but played along, smiling half-seriously.

  “Of course. Your brother is no longer who he once was—cultivation soaring, flying through the skies just around the corner.”

  “Oh, come on,” Yun Feng scoffed. “I get roasted by furnace fire every day in the Artifact Hall, soaked in spiritual energy, and I still haven’t even managed Qi Induction. And you—stuck here with these poor souls—suddenly advancing? Who are you fooling?”

  He waved dismissively and walked toward Yun Che’s shabby side room.

  Yun Che followed, offering no explanation. Sometimes the truth invited more suspicion than a joke ever would.

  “What brings you here? Isn’t the Artifact Hall busy?” Yun Che asked, handing him a bowl of hot water.

  “Busy? You kidding?” Yun Feng gulped it gratefully. “I’m practically blind from the heat.”

  He placed a small cloth bag on the table.

  “You haven’t been collecting your monthly rations, right? I passed by the Logistics Hall and picked them up for you. There are some Fire Crystal scraps—junk, really, but they’re warm in winter. And two basic fasting pills. Taste awful, but they keep you full.”

  Yun Che glanced at the bag but didn’t reach for it. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, smiling faintly.

  “That all? You braved a snowstorm just for this?”

  Yun Feng chuckled awkwardly and rubbed his hands.

  “Stone Brother… You’re as sharp as ever.”

  He leaned closer, lowering his voice.

  “I heard… You’ve had pretty good ‘harvests’ these past months?”

  Yun Che understood immediately.

  “Speak plainly. If I can help, I won’t refuse.”

  Yun Feng hesitated, then whispered urgently.

  “I know you have… quite a few immortal tokens now.”

  He stressed the words carefully.

  “Could you lend me some? Just temporarily. I swear—three months max, principal and interest repaid!”

  His eyes brimmed with expectation—and a trace of anxiety he tried hard to hide.

  turning point.

  Yun Che achieves his first real breakthrough—and faces head-on:

  ?? Mortal ties he refuses to sever

  ?? And the complications brought by an old acquaintance

  1?? Has Yun Che finally stepped onto a true cultivation path?

  2?? Are his attachments a weakness—or his foundation?

  3?? Is Yun Feng’s request truly simple… or the start of something deeper?