Time, like water, quietly slipped through the cracks, unnoticed.
The summer heat had been swept away by the cool autumn air, and the green leaves were beginning to show numerous yellowing spots.
It was still the same small room as before, sunlight streaming in and dappling the space.
Inside the room, in a wooden basin, the youth sat with his eyes closed, hands forming a seal, his breathing steady, just like any other day.
Over half a year of arduous cultivation had added a resolute quality to the youth's handsome face. His lips were tightly pressed together, revealing a hint of stubbornness. His skin, once as fair as a woman's, had taken on a slight yellowish tint after months of grueling training. Though his body did not appear robust, it harbored a fierce, explosive power.
From any perspective, the youth seemed to be undergoing a terrifyingly rapid transformation. Once this transformation was complete, it would undoubtedly astound anyone who witnessed it!
As the youth's breathing became extremely steady, a wisp of green energy slowly emanated from the wooden basin, eventually entering his body with each breath.
…..
"Today, I will definitely break through to the seventh Dou Qi stage!"
As he cultivated, a thought filled with absolute certainty suddenly bloomed in Xiao Yan's mind. It had no apparent origin, yet it felt as natural and inevitable as water flowing into a ditch.
A month prior, Xiao Yan had attempted to break through to the seventh Dou Qi stage several times, but each attempt had ended in failure.
Perhaps it was because he had added the last drop of spiritual liquid to the water basin today, but the long-awaited feeling suddenly surged into Xiao Yan's mind.
This sudden thought made Xiao Yan's hand seal tremble, almost causing him to lose his cultivation state. Fortunately, his strong mental fortitude allowed him to forcefully suppress the excitement in his heart. He calmed his breath, focused his mind, and strove to quiet his inner state.
His breathing slowly stabilized, and Xiao Yan began to greedily absorb external energy, initiating his breakthrough attempt to the seventh stage.
Inside the wooden basin, the green liquid gently rippled, emitting a faint glow. A wisp of gentle energy diffused from the liquid, flowing into Xiao Yan's body.
The pale green energy flow grew increasingly dense. In just a moment, it not only enveloped Xiao Yan but also made the large wooden basin appear to flicker in and out of sight. From a distance, it was an extremely peculiar sight.
As Xiao Yan continued, the green liquid in the basin visibly began to lose its color.
As a large amount of energy flowed in, Xiao Yan's face flushed slightly, and a faint green glow subtly appeared around him.
Xiao Yan's attempt to break through to the seventh Dou Qi stage had undoubtedly turned him into a powerful magnet. Not only was the surrounding Dou Qi rapidly drawn to him, but even the green liquid began to be absorbed in small streams.
The nine stages of elementary Dou Qi were categorized as follows: stages one to three were elementary level, four to six were intermediate, and seven to nine were advanced.
The seventh Dou Qi stage was arguably the most crucial gateway in elementary Dou Qi. Simply by reaching the seventh stage, one would enter the advanced elementary level. At that point, the Dou Qi contained within the body would be several times that of the sixth stage. Therefore, the seventh Dou Qi stage was generally considered the first key to becoming a true Dou Master; its importance went without saying.
As the green energy stream rapidly manifested, the green liquid in the wooden basin grew increasingly pale. Eventually, at one point, the green liquid transformed into a basin of clear water, its bottom visible.
Without the sustaining energy of the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid, the pale green energy stream also slowly dimmed. He could now only absorb the faint Dou Qi from his surroundings to continue his breakthrough.
Although absorbing Dou Qi from the air could sustain Xiao Yan through his breakthrough, the time required would not only be longer, but even if he succeeded, the Dou Qi in his body would need a month of nurturing to fully recover its strength.
What Xiao Yan lacked most right now was time!
Just as the spiritual liquid's medicinal power vanished, the black ring on Xiao Yan's finger flashed with light. A drop of supreme-grade, emerald-green Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid shot into the wooden basin. Instantly, the clear water turned deep green once more.
Sustained by the fresh drop of spiritual liquid, Xiao Yan's spirit was invigorated. He silently thanked Yao Lao in his heart, his hands maintaining their seals as his mind controlled his breathing, frantically absorbing the dense energy that had just arrived.
The process continued for about half an hour before finally beginning to slow down. By this time, the deep green water had already faded somewhat.
As the last gentle surge of energy entered his body with his breath, Xiao Yan's body became slightly still, then immediately trembled violently. His abdomen contracted slightly, and Xiao Yan's eyes snapped open, his black pupils flashing rapidly with green and white light. His mouth opened slightly, and a mouthful of gas was expelled…
As soon as the gas was exhaled, Xiao Yan's face instantly brightened with renewed vigor.
Closing his eyes halfway, he calmly sensed the abundant Dou Qi filling his body. Xiao Yan chuckled softly, muttering.
"Finally, I've reached the seventh segment…"
Opening his eyes wide, he stared blankly for a moment before Xiao Yan finally stretched, letting out a series of crisp cracking sounds. He lightly clenched his hand, and a surge of abundant power caused a joyful smile to appear at the corner of his mouth.