Chapter 27: Cultivating Qi in Three Layers

  The true energy inside the body is rolling and circulating along the meridians, as if a long red flow is surging and growing stronger bit by bit.

  It just so happens that at this root of the earth fire, which is thousands of feet deep, we are faced with a breakthrough opportunity.

  Although the timing is not very suitable, Ling Xiao did not dare to hesitate. Breaking through the bottleneck, on the one hand, it requires the continuous accumulation of true energy, and on the other hand, it also needs to wait for various opportunities to break through. Therefore, if he misses this opportunity now, he will have to delay at least ten or twenty days before he can find another chance to break through.

  This was something Ling Xiao did not want to see at all.

  So he made a prompt decision, hastily saying a sentence, "Disciple is about to break through, Master Uncle please protect the disciple!" Then immediately sat down cross-legged, gathered his mind, closed his eyes and adjusted his breath.

  Fu Ling was taken aback for a moment.

  If it were at a different time, she would be overjoyed to see Ling Xiao break through. It's just that now really isn't the right time or place...

  In the depths of the earth fire, under the scorching heat, her own true yuan was also rapidly depleting. Although after entering the foundation building period, the innate true energy within her body would gradually condense into true yuan, whether in terms of quantity or quality, it was far superior to that during the Qi Refining stage. However, this place was still too close to the earth fire, and even with her current cultivation level, she could at most hold on for about an hour.

  If it goes on for too long, it is very likely that the true yuan will be over-consumed and damage the foundation!

  She also understands that the opportunity for a breakthrough is hard to come by, and it's not easy for Ling Xiao to have such an opportunity. If she startles him, it may very likely cause this attempt at a breakthrough to fail.

  So she had no choice but to grit her teeth and persevere.

  The high-quality law enforcement equipment, Flame Day Ribbon, was moving around Zhou Shen's body without stopping. The bright red color band at the source of the earth fire was completely inconspicuous. The halo surrounding Zhou Shen's body was rapidly darkening at a visible speed under the scorching heat of the earth fire.

  Feng Ling's heart was also slightly anxious, and the finger gestures changed. One after another, the spell seals were continuously released, hitting the Flame Silk that surrounded her body, and the light just barely brightened.

  She also understood that this was just barely holding on. At this rate of consumption, it could last for at most half a time unit. If after half a time unit, Ling Xiao still couldn't break through, then there would be no choice but to give up this opportunity...

  Her gaze turned to Ling Xiao, and her normally calm face also revealed a few hints of worry.

  The time to break through the bottleneck is long or short, and the short one may be done in a moment; the long one may take several days and nights. Although practitioners in the Qi Gong stage rarely delay for so long, it's not uncommon for them to take several hours to break through.

  The difference in time spent is most crucial during the Master's stage, and how it accumulates at this stage.

  After all, this kind of small bottle neck breakthrough is essentially breaking through a certain unclear and inexplicable barrier, allowing the accumulation of true energy to have greater potential.

  Ling Xiao's breakthrough, how long will it last? Fuling also has no grasp of it.

  Time is slowly passing away...

  A stream of spiritual energy shot out, growing more urgent by the second. However, the light emanating from the Flame Emperor's cloak wrapped around her body was growing dimmer and dimmer, almost being engulfed by the raging flames surrounding them. The temperature around her was also rising, and the Flame Emperor's cloak was gradually losing its ability to ward off the scorching heat waves.

  Her arms also started to feel sore and stiff, and the spells she cast began to lose their luster.

  Feng Ling understood that this symbolized her true yuan's consumption, and it had also reached an extreme point. If she persisted any further, she feared that it would damage her foundation.

  Take a look at Ling Xiao beside him, although he is still closing his eyes and breathing, but his eyebrows are tightly furrowed, and his whole body is slightly trembling; it's clear that he has not yet crossed this pass, but he obviously feels the changes around him, and his mood starts to get anxious.

  If it goes on like this, even if she can persist, Ling Xiao will find it hard to make a breakthrough.

  "Feng Lingji shouted: 'Conceal your breath and concentrate your spirit, don't worry about gains or losses!'"

  The spell in her hand was cast more urgently, like a sudden storm, and her hands danced with changes, almost invisible to the naked eye. Under the stimulation of her spell, the light of Flame Silk also gradually increased by several degrees, and the surrounding heat retreated slightly.

  A loud shout from Fowling finally calmed Ling Xiao down slowly.

  It was at this moment that Ling Xiao only heard a sound, as if the sound of an empty valley, suddenly resonating in his mind. The true energy within his body was getting faster and faster, and even Fowling beside him could faintly feel the surging true energy within his body.

  This was the moment when he finally broke through the barrier with one vigorous effort! He just needed to hold on for a little while longer, letting the almost out-of-control true energy gather back into the meridians, and his cultivation would be stabilized, which would mean that he had successfully broken through.

  Of course, this is also the most critical moment.

  If Fuling can't hold on at this time, Ling Xiao will be startled and the true energy in his body will lose control, and he may end up hurting himself.

  Her face was tense, her hair fell down and covered her eyes, she had no time to tidy it up. Sweat dripped from her forehead, although it evaporated quickly, but it made her look quite disheveled.

  Although utterly exhausted, the incantation in his hands didn't dare to slow down. His hands spun faster and faster, struggling to maintain the temperature around him.

  The true Qi circulates and travels through the meridians of Ling Xiao, one cycle of heaven, two cycles of heaven...

  It took him a full quarter of an hour to finally gather his true energy, and he opened his eyes. Feeling the surging true energy in his body, it was like the fierce flames around him, the temperature had dropped by several degrees, and the color was no longer so dazzling.

  Her gaze turned to Fuling, just about to thank him, but suddenly stared wide-eyed.

  Originally, Fuling was drenched in sweat all over his body due to excessive consumption of true yuan, and his clothes were completely wet. Although they were quickly dried by the earth fire, his clothes still clung to his body in a crumpled manner, looking extremely disheveled.

  The originally loose white robe, after being stuck to the body, although somewhat wrinkled, can still barely see the beautiful figure underneath. With a hint of mystery and subtlety, the curves are exquisite and extremely seductive.

  Ling Xiao was after all a man with a strong and straightforward personality, how could he withstand this temptation? Usually when he was with Fengyi, it was fine, after all, he had always regarded her as his own sister, never having any improper thoughts. But now facing Fuling, he couldn't help but breathe rapidly, his heartbeat also quickening...

  But then Fuling saw him break through smoothly, and he couldn't help but let out a breath of relief. Just as he was about to speak, he saw that his expression was unusual, and following his gaze, he looked down at himself, only to suddenly realize something was off.

  Her face felt a slight warmth, and she hastily waved her sleeve to block his line of sight.

  "Hmmph!"

  He let out a cold snort, his sleeve fluttering as he beckoned to Yan Ri, who swiftly bound Ling Xiao and dragged him straight out of the cave.

  She didn't say a word, but scared Ling Xiao half to death.

  Fú Líng was a senior elder of the sect, the daughter of Fú Huáng, who had just taken over as the new Sect Master. More importantly, she herself was a cultivator at the second layer of Foundation Establishment! If she were to get angry... he really would have no power to fight back.

  In my heart, I couldn't help but secretly regret it. I shouldn't have been so blinded by infatuation that I stared at him so brazenly... Moreover, wasn't the reason why Fuling was made to look so disheveled precisely because of me? If I didn't think about repaying kindness and instead stared at him so rudely, how could it not make people feel annoyed?

  Thinking of this, I couldn't help but feel more and more regretful and ashamed.

  It was just that at the time, I couldn't help myself. Even now, my mind still occasionally flashes with Fuling's enchanting figure.

  Nor did she know how she would dispose of herself, and yet she had bound herself up with the Flame Rope...

  It turned out that Ling Xiao had wrongly accused Fu Ling.

  Although Fú Líng was annoyed, she also knew it was an accident and hadn't intended to harm him. The reason she used Huǒ Rì Jiāo to bind Líng Xiāo was because her true yuan had been depleted too much, and she was afraid that when they escaped outward, she would accidentally drop Líng Xiāo.

  It flashed out from the entrance of the cave.

  She really didn't want to show her disheveled self to others.

  But it startled the Seasonal Elder who was guarding the cave, and it wasn't until he made out that the person fleeing was Fuling Hou that he calmed down. In his heart, however, he couldn't help but secretly admire, Fuling indeed had exceptional talent, this speed of escape, was actually several times faster than before...

  Feng Ling brought Ling Xiao back to the cave mansion directly.

  Her complexion had returned to normal, and she let Ling Xiao down, saying lightly: "Today is as far as we go. You can return on your own, consolidate your cultivation well, don't be lazy. Breaking through to the third layer of Qi Refining is just taking a small step forward."

  Ling Xiao also saw that she had no intention of pursuing the matter, and her heart was naturally delighted. Not daring to speak more, he hastily paid his respects to Fu Ling and then left her cave mansion.

  Returning to his residence, Ling Xiao finally began to feel a surge of excitement.

  Cultivate Qi in three layers!

  Although it may seem insignificant to others, for Ling Xiao himself, it was another step forward.

  Moreover, from the initial entry, starting to practice, to breaking through to the second layer of Qi Refining, he spent a full four years. But from the second layer of Qi Refining, breaking through to the third layer of Qi Refining, he only took half a year!

  Four years and half a year, what a huge difference?

  Ling Xiao sat cross-legged on the bamboo bed, silently circulating his true energy and consolidating his own cultivation. As for the prospects of his practice, he couldn't help but become filled with confidence.

  It wasn't until the sky turned dark that he finally stopped practicing.

  Just as I was about to go out, I suddenly heard the bamboo door being knocked on. When I opened the bamboo door, I saw the person who came from outside and couldn't help but feel both surprised and delighted.