The new year, 2013, dawned with a brittle tension. The standoff at the party had drawn lines in the sand. Ye Xia knew Leng Feng's threat wasn't idle. Training was no longer a path to power; it was a race for survival.
She pushed her Body Refinement to its absolute limits. Using the system, she converted her entire daily quota of 20 million RMB into 20 units of Kai, pouring the energy into a relentless cycle of muscle forging, bone tempering, and meridian expansion. The pain was excruciating, a constant fire in her veins, but she welcomed it. Each moment of agony was a step away from being a victim.
The system acknowledged her progress.
[Ding! Host has reached the peak of the Body Refinement stage. A bottleneck has been encountered. To break through to the Qi Condensation stage, a profound comprehension of energy or a catalyst is required.]
A bottleneck. She was stuck. Her power had plateaued. Frustrated, she turned to the new [Spiritual Crafting] function. If she couldn't increase her internal power, she would enhance her external tools.
She focused on a simple, well-balanced dagger Silas had given her. Holding it, she channeled 50 units of Kai, visualizing the metal absorbing the energy, becoming sharper, harder, capable of channeling her own power. The dagger glowed with a faint blue light, and when it faded, the blade hummed with a new keenness. It was now a Low-Grade Spiritual Weapon.
Liam Kane became a regular presence. Their "research sessions" were a cover for deeper discussions on cultivation theory. His "Frostfire Pulse" affinity was a perfect balance of intense heat and controlled cold, ideal for the delicate art of alchemy.
"You're trying to force the breakthrough," he observed one afternoon, watching her meditate. "Your energy is turbulent, like a storm. Qi Condensation requires stillness, a turning inward to compress the storm into a single, dense drop."
"It's hard to be still when enemies are at the gate," Ye Xia replied, opening her eyes.
"Then let me help," Liam said, his expression earnest. "My research isn't just about cells. It's about stabilizing life force. I'm developing an elixir, a 'Serenity Draught,' designed to calm the spirit and facilitate condensation. It's not ready yet, but with your unique energy as a template… we could perfect it together."
It was a generous offer. A part of her wanted to accept, to lean on his warmth and expertise. But accepting his help felt like entering a debt she wasn't sure she could repay.
"I'll consider it," she said, the same non-committal answer she always gave.
Later that night, a secure message arrived from Mo. It contained no pleasantries, only raw data: shipping manifests, financial transfers, and personnel files.
[Leng Feng is mobilizing. He's importing 'specialized equipment' through shell companies and has hired a team of mercenary cultivators, not from the Hua clan, but from a more ruthless outfit called the 'Viper's Nest.' Their target is the Yun family's primary jade mine in Myanmar. The mine is a minor financial asset, but it's a source of high-purity spiritual jade. He's testing your family's defenses. And you.]
The message was a gift. A warning and a weapon. Mo was providing her with the intelligence she needed to not just defend, but to strike first.
Ye Xia didn't hesitate. She forwarded the data to Yun Ming and Silas with a single added instruction: "We don't wait for them to attack. We set a trap."
The war was no longer cold. It was about to turn hot.