The stars shimmered overhead, cloaking the estate in silver light. In the calm solitude of his private courtyard, Li Qingyun sat in silent meditation.
The soft hum of spiritual energy around him gradually receded as he opened his eyes. Today's second-round victory had been swift, efficient—just as he preferred. No drama, no unnecessary display. But something continued to tug at his mind.
I've never tried putting a perfected technique back into the slot...
His eyes narrowed slightly, thoughtful.
The system interface materialized before him.
[System Interface]
[Host: Li Qingyun]
[Realm: Qi Gathering (7th stage)]
[Physique: Primal Chaos Vessel Physique]
[Slots: 2 (in use)]
[Techniques:]
Jade Body Tempering Scripture (Perfect)
Ninefold Essence Sutra (Perfect)
Voidcleave Sword Manual (Perfect)
Phantom Step Art (Proficient)
[Energy: 20 points]
---
He took a deep breath.
He hovered his consciousness over the Jade Body Tempering Scripture—his very first cultivation technique. He had nearly forgotten about it after reaching the Perfect stage. It had served its purpose well, strengthening his bones, muscles, and inner organs in his earliest days, but by now, it should have lost its use.
He tapped it—and the system responded.
[Slotting Jade Body Tempering Scripture...] [Warning: Technique has reached Perfect Stage. Slotting will initiate advancement to next tier.] [Requirement: 100 Energy Points to evolve to Transcendent Stage]
"Transcendent Stage?" Li Qingyun murmured, eyes widening slightly. He had once believed that "Perfect" marked the ultimate mastery of a technique, a place where even seasoned cultivators often stopped. But now… another realm. One hidden, demanding, and entirely unknown.
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. The scripture had not changed in any tangible way. No waves of new power. No radiant transformation of his body.
It's still locked.
He brought up a system tooltip with another thought.
> [Note: Transcendent Stage effects will not activate until fully unlocked. Required Energy: 100 Points.]
So that was it. Until he reached 100 points, the technique would remain dormant at this level. Still perfect, but not yet something more.
"I suppose even the system respects proper thresholds," he muttered with a faint chuckle.
Still, he couldn't help but feel a sliver of excitement. If even a basic foundation manual like the Jade Body Tempering Scripture could be elevated… what about other techniques? What lay beyond the veil?
Setting the thought aside, he stood and moved into the center of the room. With a breath, he focused on the next task.
Phantom Step Art.
He tightened his robes, his eyes glinting with focus.
"Let's finish this."
His body blurred forward, then sideways, then vanished completely—only to reappear near the far wall. His feet barely touched the ground. No gust followed his movements. No sound betrayed his steps. He flowed like mist and shadow.
Again and again, he practiced. The Phantom Step Art wasn't just about speed—it was rhythm, momentum, spatial awareness, and flow.
With every pass, his body felt lighter. His sense of spatial control deepened. By midnight, beads of sweat clung to his brow, but he hadn't stopped.
And then it came.
[Technique: Phantom Step Art
Stage Advanced: Minor Completion
New Effect: Phantom Fade
Description: Afterimages are no longer just illusions—they carry a faint Qi resonance, enough to mislead spiritual perception and momentarily confuse opponents' senses.]
Li Qingyun paused and took a slow breath. He tried it again.
He dashed forward—and a shimmering afterimage remained in his place for half a breath.
His real body stood behind a wooden pillar.
If someone relied on spirit sense, they would still think he hadn't moved.
His lips curled slightly. "That's going to be very useful."
Satisfied, and with his spiritual energy running steadily, he finally allowed himself to rest. Cultivators of his level didn't need much sleep, and his stamina had increased tremendously since reaching the seventh stage of Qi Gathering.
---
He rose at dawn.
The sky outside had turned a soft amber, and faint morning mist clung to the tiles of the estate.
In the distance, the chirping of birds harmonized with the rustle of pine needles.
But Li Qingyun wasn't in his room anymore. He stood atop the tallest pavilion in the Li estate, balanced on one foot atop the curved roof ridge. Below, servants moved about like ants, and his mother was watering flowers in the garden.
He took a deep breath, stabilizing his energy.
"Now that I've reached Minor Completion with Phantom Step, I should adapt it into live use."
He moved across the rooftop silently, testing the new Phantom Fade effect, alternating speeds, turning mid-step, and even practicing sudden stops that left behind misleading trails.
After more than an hour of practice, he leapt down gracefully—and nearly bumped into his father, Li Tianyang, who stood with his arms crossed near the courtyard gate.
"You're up early," his father said.
"I have to practice diligently if I want to stay ahead of everyone", He replied.
Li Tianyang gave a slow nod of approval. "Practice is must but you also have to remember that cultivation and rest come hand in hand. Don't tire yourself for a momentarily advancement, it can hurt your foundation."
Li Qingyun acknowledged it.
After his practice he opened his system interface.
––––
[System interface]
[Host: Li Qingyun]
[Realm: Qi gathering realm ( 7th stage)]
[Physique: Primal chaos vessel physique]
[Slot:2 (2 in use) (3rd slot unlocking requirements 100 points)]
[Techniques: Jade body tempering scripture (Transcendent locked requires 100 points) ,
Ninefold essence sutra (perfect), Voidcleave sword manual (perfect), Phantom step art (minor completion)]
[Energy : 20 points]
–––
Later that day, the atmosphere at the Li estate softened.
Though the tournament had a day's break, the weight of the upcoming third round wasn't completely absent. But the family took the opportunity to enjoy peace.
In the central hall, Lin Meiyu brought out sweet lotus pastries, many exotic dishes and tea herself. She watched as Li Qingyun sampled each dish with quiet appreciation.
"You're eating more than usual," she noted.
"How can I not eat more when your cooking is this delicious? You're spoiling me!" Li Qingyun smiled and took another bite.
She looked very happy after receiving her son's praising her, but eventually laughed.
"I also placed more herbs and pills into your space ring," she added. "Use them wisely. Some are for energy recovery, others for healing. And the jade bottles with lotus seals are Qi enhancement pills I made last year."
"I know," he said warmly. "I've used them sparingly. Your craftsmanship is still the best."
Lin Meiyu looked pleased.
Li Tianyang, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke. "Qingyun, you've done well. But don't forget to enjoy the calm moments too. Strength isn't only built in battle."
"I understand, Father."
They shared a peaceful silence.
For Li Qingyun, these moments mattered. As much as cultivation, as much as talent—his roots, his family, grounded him.