Three days had passed.
By dawn, Tian Jue sat in silent meditation within his courtyard, qi swirling around him like gentle currents. He had reached the peak of the sixth Qi Refinement layer, and his foundation was more stable than ever.
He opened his eyes.
Reaching for a small jade flask, he uncorked it and took a measured sip of the Spirit Nourishment Milk. The liquid was warm, rich with primal essence—it flowed through his body like light itself.
Then—clarity struck.
His mind sharpened. The world shifted.
His five senses heightened to unnatural degrees: he could hear the ants crawling beneath the soil, smell the trace of dew on spirit grass, see the texture of dust suspended in morning light.
Then it happened.
A pulse. A new sixth sense.
Like an invisible limb stretching beyond the body, his spiritual sense unfurled—feeling everything around him: the sway of trees, the distant flutter of a sparrow's wings, even the quiet hum of energy beneath the sect grounds.
Tian Jue exhaled, a rare smile forming.
"I've awakened… my spiritual sense."
It was unprecedented. In this world, no cultivator had ever unlocked spiritual sense before breaking through to the Foundation Realm.
But the Spirit Nourishment Milk—a liquid so rare it could be exchanged for a Tier 6 herb—had helped him cross the threshold early. That realization alone made him frown.
I must be careful. Even a whisper of this treasure will draw greed like flies to blood.
Suddenly—
Ding!
The system rang, and a glowing panel appeared before him.
[System Notification]
✅ Level Up: Lv. 23
Attributes:
Constitution: 45
Strength: 21
Dexterity: 24
Intelligence: 22
Wisdom: 35
🔓 New Trait Unlocked:Spiritual Sense Activated
📡 System Notice: A new system module is available.
🕰️ Requesting permission to begin update process. You may select update time within the next 24 hours.
Tian Jue blinked.
"There's… more to the system?"
Until now, it had served as a passive status display, reflecting his strength, leveling through cultivation and battle. But this—modular expansion—was something new entirely.
Just what kind of existence created this system...?
The panel pulsed again, awaiting his decision.
Tian Jue closed his eyes briefly, calculating.
"Update in ten hours. I need to attend the lecture on hidden Qi Refinement stages first."
He stood slowly, the spiritual sense still fresh, wrapping around his perception like a second skin.
Tian Jue stepped out of his house into the soft morning light. The faint scent of spirit soil and dew still hung in the air.
He paused briefly.
With a calm breath, he extended his spiritual sense.
Like a transparent ripple expanding from his body, it reached out in all directions—five meters in diameter. The world lit up in subtle detail: the gentle rustle of leaves, the small tremors beneath the soil, the warmth of spiritual signatures drifting nearby.
Still small. Only five meters. Useless for long-range battle, but…
He exhaled softly.
For close combat? Deadly.
Spiritual power would increase with each breakthrough, and the earlier one unlocked it, the more refined their mastery could become. To possess it now, before even reaching the Foundation Realm, was unheard of. He wondered—
If I reach the Nascent Soul Realm… how much stronger could I be?
He resumed walking, thoughts quiet.
Just as he passed by a familiar courtyard, a flustered voice called out:
"W-wait! Let's go to the lecture hall together!"
It was Huan Tao—scrambling from her gate, her robe slightly uneven, a few peach blossom petals tangled in her tail.
Tian Jue didn't respond directly. He simply slowed his pace.
She caught up moments later, cheeks flushed, panting softly but smiling wide.
The two of them walked in silence toward the main lecture pavilion, a ten-minute path winding between sect residences, training platforms, and hanging gardens.
As they approached the lecture hall, whispers followed them.
Some disciples gave them a wide berth, unwilling to walk beside such an odd pair—a male disciple with silver robe pattern, unreadable expression, and a blushing, stammering female beastfolk with rare fur.
Some watched with amusement.
Others whispered.
"Isn't that the new disciple with the hammer?"
"Who's the girl? That tail… she's not white tiger clan, right?"
"Too small for Siberian… the fur's soft, patterned—maybe Malayan?"
A few beastfolk disciples frowned quietly, especially those with feline heritage. Their expressions weren't hostile, but there was caution, and even a faint trace of unease.
The ancient bloodlines don't always coexist peacefully, Tian Jue thought, hearing it all through his sharpened spiritual sense.
But he didn't react.
He simply kept walking, his pace smooth, eyes fixed on the towering silhouette of the lecture hall ahead—its green-tiled roof gleaming in the rising sun, flags fluttering with the sect's sigil.
Let them talk.
After stepping into the grand lecture hall, Tian Jue chose the most secluded seat he could find—at the far back, where the light was dimmer and the windows slightly open to let in the morning breeze.
Within minutes, the seats began to fill.
By the time the last disciple arrived, nearly three hundred new outer disciples sat in quiet anticipation, their murmurs fading into silence as heavy footsteps echoed from the front.
A single figure entered the hall.
The pressure changed.
Wearing the distinct black and crimson robe of an inner sect elder, the man exuded authority. His aura rolled over the hall like a silent tide. Every disciple straightened in instinctive respect—even Tian Jue's spiritual sense trembled slightly under the force of it.
When the elder spoke, his voice was calm but carried immense weight.
"Welcome, outer disciples of Shenxian Sect."
He walked slowly across the stage as he began.
"Today's lesson is on Qi Refinement. Most of what you think you know… is only the surface."
The Foundation of Qi Refinement
"Qi Refinement is the first major realm of a cultivator's path. It is the process of purifying and strengthening one's spiritual energy—Qi—into a refined, usable force.
This is where you transform your mortal body into one that can store, manipulate, and release energy."
A few disciples nodded. The elder continued, expression still unreadable.
"At the basic level, Qi Refinement is about absorbing, filtering, and internalizing ambient spiritual energy. Each stage—from First to Ninth—enhances your meridians, expands your Qi Sea, and prepares your spiritual roots."
"But beyond this… there is more."
He waved a sleeve.
Golden script appeared midair, glowing softly:
Further Refinement Concepts:
🔸 Revolutions:
Qi refinement can be measured in "revolutions"—cycles of circulation that purify and condense Qi to higher purity. A cultivator who completes one revolution at the ninth stage may have inferior Qi to one who completes nine.
🔸 Elemental Conjuring:
Those aligned with elemental paths may begin elemental affinity merging during later Qi Refinement—fire, water, wind, etc.—allowing them to conjure elements within their attacks.
🔸 Qi Prowess:
This is the art of precise Qi manipulation—controlling its flow like a blade, thread, or breath. At higher levels, it becomes the foundation for spell-casting, domain creation, and signature techniques.
Tian Jue narrowed his eyes slightly. He had heard of revolutions in his past life, but elemental conjuring this early in cultivation… that was rare.
The elder continued:
Key Objectives of Qi Refinement:
Power & Longevity – Refined Qi increases strength, endurance, agility, and lifespan.
Transformation – Advanced refinement allows one to transform Qi into spiritual power, then later into divine essence.
Mastery – The goal is full control over internal and external Qi—refined will equals refined power.
The Hidden Stage
The elder's tone shifted slightly—lower, more serious.
"You all know Qi Refinement ends at the ninth stage… but that is merely where common understanding ends."
Every disciple leaned forward.
"There exist paths beyond—what we call the Hidden Stages of Qi Refinement. These are not stages you step into… but paths you unlock."
Tian Jue's breath stilled.
"Each cultivator's Hidden Stage is different. It is shaped by your soul, your cultivation path, your choices. It may be a test, a vision, a rebirth… or a trial of death."
"When you reach the peak of the ninth stage, remember this lecture. Remember this moment."
He let the silence stretch. The air was heavy with awe and confusion.
"The Tenth Stage… is not taught.
It is found."
Tian Jue's heart stirred.
A stage not recorded in manuals… one only a few ever discover.
Is this why Huan Tao said those who reach the Tenth are destined for Nascent Soul?
The elder waved his sleeve, and the golden script vanished.
"That is all for today."
"Return to your cultivation. One day, if you reach the precipice of your path, this knowledge may be the difference between ascension and death."
As the disciples slowly filtered out—some stunned, some skeptical—Tian Jue remained seated a moment longer.
Hidden paths. Unique to each soul…
He clenched his fist slightly.
Then I will find mine.
And tonight, when the system updates—perhaps the next piece of the puzzle will reveal itself.