The dynamic in the Vermin's Nest shifted almost imperceptibly. Li Yao was no longer just another face in the filth. He was the "Strange Kid," the one Gor and his crew, the "Rust-Scale Miners," had taken under their protection. The news spread through the slum's silent, grimy grapevine: cross the kid, and you answer to Gor.
His new "workshop" was a slightly less dilapidated corner of a collapsed warehouse, shielded by a tattered canvas. Gor had provided a chipped but functional ceramic bowl to replace the broken mortar and pestle. It was a palace compared to his previous accommodations.
The spoiled Ironwood Sap was his first major project. The System analyzed it with clinical precision.
"Material: Degraded Ironwood Sap. Purity: 41%. Primary Impurities: Rotted bark particulate, ambient dust, low-grade leather residue. Suggestion: Utilize a dual-stage refinement process. First, physical filtration through layered cloth. Second, energetic purification via [Cyclonic Qi Filtration] to separate Earth and Wood attributes."
For two days, Li Yao worked. He painstakingly filtered the thick sap through scraps of clean cloth provided by the miners' families. Then came the hard part. The [Cyclonic Qi Filtration] was a complex technique that required him to spin his Qi into a vortex within the bowl, using the opposing forces of the Earth and Wood attributes to separate the pure energy from the dross.
He failed. Repeatedly. His control wasn't fine enough. He'd either lose the vortex, spilling precious sap, or apply too much force, causing a minor energy backlash that left his fingers numb.
"Focus, Host. The vortex is not a storm; it is a dancer. Your will is the music. Guide it."
On the seventh attempt, something clicked. The Qi in the bowl began to spin, a faint, visible shimmer in the air above the sap. A dark, gritty residue separated and settled at the bottom, while the sap itself seemed to brighten, taking on a richer, amber hue.
"Purification successful. Purity: 78%. Suitable for alchemical use."
The result was a new salve. Using the purified sap as a base and incorporating other, higher-quality scavenged herbs the miners now provided, Li Yao created the "Ironwood Balm." It was a thick, earthy-smelling paste.
Gor was the first test subject. A deep, persistent ache in his shoulder from an old mine collapse had plagued him for years. After applying the balm for three nights, the ache receded to a faint twinge. The look on his face was one of pure, unvarnished wonder.
"Kid... what are you?" he asked, his voice low.
"A guy who's very motivated to not die," Li Yao replied honestly.
The balm became their currency. Gor and his crew—a taciturn ex-hunter named Fen and a hulking, quiet man called Boulder—would venture into the fringes of the Whispering Fang Forest, avoiding the stronger demonic beasts, to gather the materials Li Yao specified. In return, Li Yao provided them with balms that healed their injuries, soothed their aches, and slowly, subtly, strengthened their bodies. They were still mortals, but they were becoming the healthiest, most resilient mortals in the slum.
Li Yao's own cultivation progressed. The purified materials provided a consistent, if still modest, stream of energy. His core grew from a pea to a marble. The ember of light in his dantian burned steadily.
"Breakthrough Imminent: Host has reached the absolute peak of the Early Sub-Realm. Condensation of scattered Qi is required to advance to the Mid Sub-Realm. Warning: This process carries a risk of energy overflow and internal damage."
He was ready. He had Gor stand guard outside his lean-to. He sat cross-legged on a worn mat, a small, purified chunk of Ironwood Resin held in his palm—the best resource he had ever possessed.
"Alright, System. Walk me through it."
"Initiating Mid Sub-Realm Breakthrough Protocol. The goal is to compress the diffuse Qi cloud surrounding your core into a denser, more stable form. Utilize the [Breath of the Primordial Awakening] at maximum sustainable output. Draw energy from the resin. Focus it into the core. When the pressure peaks, execute the [Condensation Seal] as detailed."
Li Yao took a deep breath and began. He drew the rich, earthy energy from the resin. It flooded his meridians, a warm, powerful river compared to the trickles he was used to. He guided it all towards his dantian, pouring it into the marble-sized core.
The pressure built. It was an intense, swelling sensation, like a balloon being over-inflated in his gut. Pain lanced through him. His meridians, though strengthened, groaned under the strain.
"The vortex is not a storm; it is a dancer..."
He didn't fight the energy. He guided it. He visualized his will as a gentle, implacable force, coaxing the swirling cloud of Qi to collapse inward.
The pressure became excruciating. He felt a tearing sensation deep within. A warning from the System flashed in his mind, but he ignored it. He was at the precipice.
"NOW."
He formed the [Condensation Seal] with his spirit, a complex pattern the System had drilled into him. It was like throwing a switch.
There was a silent, internal POP.
The swelling pressure vanished. The chaotic cloud of Qi was gone. In its place, his core now shone with a clear, steady light, smaller in volume but infinitely denser and more stable. A powerful, smooth flow of energy circulated through him, washing away the pain and fatigue.
He had done it.
"Breakthrough Successful. Host has reached the Mid Sub-Realm of the Essence Gathering Realm. All parameters have increased. Regeneration efficiency amplified. Senses heightened. Lifespan stability confirmed."
---
HOST STATUS: Li Yao
REALM: Essence Gathering Realm (Mid Sub-Realm)
CONDITION: Minor Injuries (Healing). Well-Nourished.
LIFESPAN: 400 Years (Stable)
ABILITIES: Enhanced Strength/Endurance, Rapid Healing, Sharpened Senses, Minor Energy Perception.
---
He opened his eyes. The world was different. The dim light of the alley was as bright as day. He could hear the scuttling of a beetle fifty feet away. He felt strong. Truly strong. He could probably take on both of Wang Jin's lackeys now without needing a trick.
But the feeling of triumph was tempered by a new, chilling clarity. With his heightened senses, he could now feel the faint, oppressive weight of the city itself. He could sense the auras of powerful cultivators scattered throughout Flowing Wind—pulses of contained energy like distant bonfires. Captain Wang Zhong's aura felt like a dormant volcano. And further away, from the direction of the Hong family compound, he felt a new, familiar, and venomous aura searching, probing.
Wang Jin. He had broken through as well. He was now in the Late Sub-Realm of Essence Gathering. The gap between them had just widened.
The race was accelerating.
---
Interlude: The Prodigal Son's Progress
In a room filled with the scent of incense and spiritual herbs, Wang Jin exhaled a plume of silvery vapor. The energy in the room settled around him. He opened his eyes, a triumphant smirk on his face.
Late Sub-Realm. Finally. The Spirit-Gathering Pill his father had procured had done its job. His core pulsed with power, and he could feel energy tingling at his fingertips, ready to be directed externally.
His father stood by the door, a rare look of approval on his face. "Good. You have stabilized your foundation. The Soaring Cloud Sect will take notice."
"The servant, Li Yao," Wang Jin said, the name a poison on his tongue. "Any news?"
Wang Zhong's expression tightened. "The miners in the Vermin's Nest are suddenly healthier. They're moving with a vigor they shouldn't have. There are rumors of a healer among them. A strange boy."
Wang Jin's smirk returned, colder now. "So he's hiding there. Playing doctor to the filth." He stood up, flexing his hand. A faint crackle of energy sparked between his fingers. "He thinks he can build a little empire in the gutter. How amusing."
"Patience, Jin. The sect selection—"
"Patience has its limits, Father," Wang Jin interrupted, a new, dangerous confidence in his voice. "I will not have a piece of trash thinking he can rise above his station. I will not crush him with the Guard. That would be acknowledging he is a threat. I will handle this... personally. A lesson needs to be taught about the natural order of things."
Wang Zhong studied his son. He saw the arrogance, but he also saw the calculated cruelty that was necessary in this world. Perhaps it was time to let the wolf pup hunt. A controlled exercise.
"Very well. But be discreet. And do not kill him. I still want to know what he knows."
Wang Jin bowed. "Of course, Father. I will be the soul of discretion."
His motive was now refined. It was no longer just about pride or a potential treasure. It was about ideology. He was a defender of the cosmic hierarchy, and Li Yao was a blasphemous anomaly that needed to be corrected. He would enjoy this.
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