Novel Full Chapter 2: Qi-Regulating Pill
Chen Yan joined the Kongshan Sect at age seven, achieved Body Forging at nine, reached Qi Circulation at forty-one, and it wasn’t until he was seventy-two that he finally broke through to the middle stage of the Qi Circulation Realm.
During the subsequent twenty-eight years, aside from his true energy becoming slightly more abundant, he made no further progress whatsoever.
It wasn’t that Chen Yan lacked dedication in his cultivation – his talent simply couldn’t take him any further.
But now, having reborn back to when he was fifteen years old, the cultivation bottleneck that had plagued him for so long was actually beginning to loosen!
Within the Scripture Hall, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth began surging toward Chen Yan’s direction.
However, Chen Yan, who hadn’t yet achieved the Martial Spring Realm, couldn’t rapidly absorb large amounts of heaven and earth spiritual energy, causing the spiritual energy around him to become increasingly dense.
This sudden change undoubtedly caught Lu Li’s attention, but this gentle and refined man merely cast a brief glance toward Chen Yan’s direction.
Then he continued his scripture lecture as if nothing had happened at all.
The heaven and earth spiritual energy washed through Chen Yan’s meridians, and he felt like he had never experienced such abundant true energy before in his life.
It seemed he was just one step away from breaking through to the late stage of the Qi Circulation Realm.
But that final step remained elusive – no matter what Chen Yan tried, he couldn’t cross it.
Another half hour passed.
“For today, we’ll conclude here. You may all depart at your leisure,” Lu Li said calmly from his seated position on the meditation cushion.
“Thank you, Instructor Lu!”
The outer court disciples in the Scripture Hall all rose and bowed in gratitude toward Lu Li.
Chen Yan also returned to his senses.
He already had one foot stepped into the late stage of the Qi Circulation Realm, but truly breaking through today seemed impossible.
He needed more time to consolidate his foundations.
So Chen Yan also stood up and bowed toward Lu Li.
“Young friend in the eastern corner by the Scripture Hall entrance,” Lu Li said softly.
“Please wait a moment. I have something I’d like to discuss with you.”
The gazes of all the outer court disciples in the Scripture Hall instantly focused on Chen Yan in the corner.
Chen Yan paused briefly, then continued his bow.
“Yes, Instructor Lu.”
After all the disciples had left the Scripture Hall, only Chen Yan and Lu Li remained in the vast hall.
Chen Yan had never been comfortable with being alone with others, especially those in higher positions.
However, Chen Yan could roughly guess why Lu Li had asked him to stay.
“Qi Circulation Realm?” Lu Li asked after a few more breaths of time.
Just as expected.
“Yes, middle stage of the Qi Circulation Realm,” Chen Yan answered truthfully.
He had no reason to conceal anything, since Lu Li was asking questions while already knowing the answers.
“What is your name?”
“Reporting to Instructor Lu, this disciple is named Chen Yan.”
“How old are you?”
“Fifteen years old.”
“Who is your master?”
“This disciple has no master.”
Having no master was the norm for outer court disciples.
Most outer court disciples relied on Scripture Hall lectures and self-study for their cultivation.
Of course, those disciples who showed some talent in the outer court naturally attracted instructors and deacons willing to take them as disciples.
“Next time someone asks your name, say everything you just said in one breath,” Lu Li said calmly.
“…Yes, Instructor Lu.”
Chen Yan paused briefly before responding.
In his previous life, even within the outer court, Chen Yan had been a complete peripheral figure.
He had almost no opportunities to interact with the sect’s elders.
Only occasionally would newly entered disciples, addressing him respectfully as “Martial Uncle” or “Senior,” come to seek his advice on cultivation matters.
After all, the white-haired Chen Yan certainly looked reliable within the sect.
This also meant Chen Yan didn’t know how to properly communicate with those in higher positions within the sect.
“Fifteen years old, middle stage of Qi Circulation Realm – not bad,” Lu Li nodded.
Indeed it was true.
A fifteen-year-old in the Qi Circulation Realm was absolutely a rare find in the outer court.
But that only applied to the outer court.
Among the inner sect, disciples who broke through to the Qi Circulation Realm before fifteen were common.
There were even monstrous talents like Qingchan Peak’s head disciple Chu Xiyao, or Yuanhua Mountain’s head disciple Li Haowen, who broke through to the Martial Spring Realm before even reaching fifteen.
“Encountering difficulties?” Lu Li’s tone remained even.
Chen Yan hesitated briefly, then nodded.
“Yes, this foolish disciple has encountered some bottlenecks at the final stage of breaking through to the late stage of Qi Circulation Realm.”
Lu Li didn’t respond, simply taking out a small bottle from his robe and tossing it gently.
Chen Yan hurriedly caught it.
“Qi Regulation Pill – it can help regulate the scattered, uncontrolled true energy in your meridians. It might be of assistance to you,” Lu Li said.
“If you encounter any difficulties in your cultivation in the future, you can come find me at the Scripture Hall anytime.”
Chen Yan felt both honored and astonished, then bowed toward the lecture platform.
“Thank you, Instructor Lu.”
Although he maintained as much outward composure as possible, internally his heart was already raging with stormy waves.
Qi Regulation Pill!
Having spent most of his life in the Qi Circulation Realm, Chen Yan certainly knew how precious this pill was for Qi Circulation Realm cultivators.
Within the sect, most of these pills were consumed by inner sect disciples, with very few making their way to the outer court.
His breakthrough from early to middle stage of Qi Circulation Realm at age seventy-two had also been thanks to the help of Qi Regulation Pills.
In his previous life, Chen Yan had only consumed three Qi Regulation Pills in his entire lifetime.
And this porcelain bottle likely contained twelve Qi Regulation Pills.
Truly befitting a Martial Spring Realm cultivator – the sect resources they enjoyed were simply worlds apart from marginal disciples like himself who remained trapped in the Qi Circulation Realm their entire lives.
Then, Lu Li slightly raised his chin, indicating Chen Yan could leave.
Although Lu Li appeared quite young, looking only in his early twenties, he was actually approaching fifty.
His current cultivation level was probably at the peak of Martial Spring Realm. Based on Chen Yan’s memories, Lu Li would advance to the Qi Sea Realm about two years after being transferred to Qingchan Peak.
The Kongshan Sect was one of the top five sects in Chenping Continent. Besides the outer court, it also had “Three Mountains” and “Four Peaks.”
The Three Mountains were: Kongyuan Mountain, Linwu Mountain, and Yuanhua Mountain.
The Four Peaks were: Qingchan Peak, Yibai Peak, Mingxiao Peak, and Yunyin Peak.
After leaving the Scripture Hall, Chen Yan stared at the small bottle of pills in his hand.
Since Instructor Lu had gifted him these pills, that meant he must have left a fairly good impression, right?
If he could become Instructor Lu’s disciple, then two years later when Lu Li received his transfer order to Qingchan Peak, as his disciple, Chen Yan would naturally be transferred along to Qingchan Peak, becoming an inner sect disciple.
And when Lu Li eventually became an elder, he could then transform into an envied personal disciple within the sect.
With the inner sect’s cultivation resources, he might have a real chance of breaking through to the Martial Spring Realm in this life.
“Tch.” Chen Yan clicked his tongue.
Better stop dreaming for now.
As he walked along the street, Chen Yan focused on the true energy flowing through his meridians.
It had grown more than twice as abundant compared to before.
The progress he’d made during those few incense sticks of time was even greater than what he’d achieved during the entire twenty-eight years he’d remained stuck in the middle stage of Qi Circulation Realm.
But this wasn’t because the Qi Regulation Pill was particularly effective.
It was simply because Chen Yan’s talent was truly abysmal – after entering the Qi Circulation Realm, he’d mostly remained stagnant.
Perhaps he really could break through to the late stage of Qi Circulation Realm in this life.
Maybe, if he could seize the right opportunities, he might even have a chance to touch the threshold of the Martial Spring Realm?
Chen Yan contemplated this possibility.