C3 The New World(1)

In the center of the Hall of Judgement, atop a jade table, lay a dozen treasure bags. These were the essential items for the new initiates. At that moment, the senior brother who had led them there opened one of the bags. Zhang Heng peered inside to find a set of bravery robes, two golden tomes, a long weapon case, and a jade bottle.

The senior brother first pointed to the bravery robes and explained, "This is a low-grade yellow-level protective Origin Weapon, woven with fire spider silk, water-repelling beast hair, and silver swallow gold feathers. It's impervious to water and fire, and ordinary blades and spears cannot penetrate it. Wearing it will make you as agile as a swallow and as swift as the wind." The new initiates' eyes gleamed with excitement as they gazed at the bravery robes.

Next, the senior brother opened the long weapon case and retrieved a nondescript short stick, causing a ripple of disappointment among the group. However, with a flick of his wrist, the stick transformed into a gleaming three-foot sword. Another flick, and the sword became a nine-ringed broadsword. Yet another flick, and the broadsword shifted into a formidable iron spear. The initiates watched in amazement as the weapons changed before their eyes. With one final flick, the spear reverted back to the simple short stick.

"This is the Wishful Blade, an Origin Weapon infused with Wishful Gold. By channeling your Origin Energy into it, it can morph into eighteen different types of weapons, suitable for mastering various weapon techniques," the senior brother announced.

After the demonstration, he instructed each initiate to take a treasure bag. He then led them to their new accommodations and left them to settle in. The living quarters were a series of small wooden huts perched atop a mound of yellow soil, the setting stark and unadorned. Regardless of whether they were exempt from the entrance exam or had passed the standard test, all new initiates, now serving as disciples, were to reside in these humble dwellings. Zhang Heng was among them.

Once settled in his modest wooden hut, Zhang Heng wasted no time in opening the jade tome that contained the cultivation techniques. The efficacy of the Demon Devouring Soup coursing through him would last less than five days. If he failed to harness human Origin Energy and establish his Qi sea within that time, demonic energy would begin to emerge within him.

Once Zhang Heng was detected harboring demonic Qi, death would be his only fate.

Hence, over the next five days, every moment was critical.

The technique he practiced was known as the Qi Refining Technique, a low-tier technique within the yellow grade.

In the world of the brave, cultivation techniques are ranked from highest to lowest as heaven, earth, black, and yellow, each with three tiers: upper, middle, and lower.

Seated on his meditation mat, Zhang Heng immersed himself in mastering the Qi Refining Technique.

The first milestone in the Qi Refining Realm was to condense the Qi Sea. Only by forming the Qi Sea could one truly ascend to the Qi Refining Realm and become a brave.

After a brief reflection, Zhang Heng grasped the concept of condensing the Qi Sea.

"The first step is to attune to the primordial Qi of heaven and earth."

"The second step is to 'draw the Qi into the body'."

"Once the primordial Qi fills the body, the final step is to coalesce the Qi into a sea."

The critical technique for sensing the primordial Qi involved 'emptying oneself' to reach a state of 'no desires, no thoughts'.

"Why does this state feel just like zoning out during a lecture?"

Muttering to himself, Zhang Heng allowed his body and mind to relax, entering a state of profound tranquility.

In this moment of deep immersion.

Though his eyes were shut, he perceived as if his 'gaze' could penetrate walls, revealing an entirely new world.

In this realm, everything appeared animated, from birds to beasts, insects to fish, and even the grass, bamboo, and rocks, each infused with an enigmatic essence.

Unbeknownst to Zhang Heng, this essence was the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi.

As he surrendered to complete relaxation, he accomplished the first step: sensing the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi.

Curiously, Zhang Heng continued to observe his surroundings and the indescribable Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi.

The Yuan Qi varied from fiery to icy, refreshing to somber, sharp to robust...

Each possessed its own distinct trait and was unfathomably profound.

While Zhang Heng was engrossed in his observations.

A soft stream of Yuan Qi began to tentatively draw near him.

Guided by the Qi Refining Technique, Zhang Heng remained in a state of desirelessness and thoughtlessness, and therefore, he reacted not at all.

The Yuan Qi, noticing that Zhang Heng wasn't as desperate as the others to consume it, began to orbit around him and lingered.

It then entered through the Baihui Acupoint at the top of Zhang Heng's head, meandered through his body, and eventually settled in his dantian.

This marked Zhang Heng's distinction from the rest.

Unaware of the Yuan Qi's value, he didn't realize that ingesting even a single wisp would advance him to the second step of the Qi Refining process, drawing the Qi into his body.

Thus, he felt no urgency to absorb the strands of Yuan Qi that drifted nearby.

This very detachment allowed him to achieve the state described in the Qi Refining Technique—free from desire and thought.

Gradually, Zhang Heng's unique presence drew more Yuan Qi to joyfully enter his body.

Initially, seven or eight strands of Yuan Qi entered.

Then the number grew to over ten... dozens... hundreds...

An increasing amount of Yuan Qi eagerly entered Zhang Heng's body, circulating and exploring.

Eventually, they settled in his dantian, where they began to merge and condense.

Inside Zhang Heng's dantian, the Yuan Qi started as mere wisps the size of a little finger.

They grew to the size of a walnut...

Then to the size of a teacup...

A fist...

A bowl...

And finally, as large as a bamboo hat...

Zhang Heng was oblivious to the fact that he had unwittingly reached the second step of Qi Refining, drawing the Qi into his body.

He was equally unaware that, as he was fully engrossed, the outside world had erupted into chaos.

Many senior disciples, still in servitude, had reached the First Steps of Qi Refining and could sense the Yuan Qi.

They congregated outside Zhang Heng's modest wooden hut, marked with his name, marveling at the spectacle above it.

While it was common for those who reached the second step of Qi Gathering to manifest a Yuan Qi vortex overhead, none had ever witnessed one as immense as that above Zhang Heng's head.

Among the crowd, a sense of awe was palpable as a massive Yuan Qi vortex formed above Zhang Heng's head. It resembled a colossal tornado, voraciously consuming all the nearby Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi with an intimidating force.

"Has he managed to achieve Qi Gathering into the Body so quickly?"

"And the affinity for Yuan Qi is simply remarkable!"

"The Yuan Qi vortex above his head must be over thirty feet high, right?"

"Ten years have gone by. Has Lanta Academy been graced with another prodigy?"

Meanwhile, the other newcomers' cabins remained undisturbed, with not a single one reaching the second step of Qi Gathering into the Body.

It took another six hours before a new student finally made it to that step.

Yet, the Yuan Qi flow above this student's head was merely as thick as a wrist. In previous years, this would have been considered exceptional among the newcomers, but with Zhang Heng's impressive display, this student's achievement was largely overlooked by everyone.

Subsequently, more new students reached the second step of Qi Gathering.

Due to the dominance of Zhang Heng's Yuan Qi vortex, they all encountered the same issue.

Zhang Heng had drawn away most of the Yuan Qi, leaving them with a scant amount to absorb. Thankfully, Zhang Heng wasn't completely ruthless.

The following morning, Zhang Heng's Yuan Qi reached full saturation, and the thirty-foot vortex finally dissipated.

Zhang Heng emerged from his extraordinary state and introspected his dantian.