109: Chapter 109 Steady Improvement

In the following days, Lin Tian's life became regular and monotonous. The secluded small courtyard became his personal training ground.

Most of his time each day was immersed in the Cultivation of the Illustration of Purple Qi Coming from the East.

Running the complete Purple Qi Diagram meant using Divine Thought to guide his Qi and blood along the specific Meridian route taught by Junior Sister Zheng Xiaoyun—a route far more complex and refined than the Five Elements Stance—to complete one full cycle and finally condense an extremely faint wisp of "Purple Qi Internal Energy" to integrate into his muscles and bones.

This process required extremely high levels of concentration of Divine Thought, precise control of Qi and blood, and a calm mind.

Any slight carelessness would result in failure, or even cause his Qi and blood to become slightly chaotic, requiring a moment of meditation to recover before continuing.

Initially, it took Lin Tian nearly two hours to complete a single full cycle, and the failure rate was not low.

In a single day, even after giving it his all, he could only complete the cycle three times at most.

Each success was accompanied by extreme mental exhaustion and intense consumption of Qi and blood, requiring meditation to slowly recover.

Three times. For Lin Tian, who was used to practicing the Five Elements Stance dozens of times and his fist techniques and blade techniques a hundred times a day, this number was maddeningly slow. But he felt no impatience in his heart.

With the Proficiency System in hand, he knew clearly that with every successful cycle, the proficiency of the "Purple Qi Diagram" on his panel would steadily increase by 1 point.

Slow? He wasn't afraid. As long as the direction was correct and he kept taking steps, reaching a hundred times was merely a matter of time.

It was merely... the work of grinding a pestle.

His heart was like an ancient well, without a ripple.

Every morning, he would first stand in the Five Elements Stance for an hour to activate his Qi and blood and stabilize his Foundation.

Afterward, it was the unwavering Cultivation of the Purple Qi Diagram until his mental energy was exhausted.

In the afternoon, he would meditate to recover and study the superficial notes on Meridians, acupoints, and visualization techniques left by Junior Sister Zheng Xiaoyun.

In the evening, he would begin practicing the final missing link of the Five Elements Fist—the Earth Fist.

He had already practiced the Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire fist techniques to "Perfection" and could advance no further, so he only needed to practice them slightly each day to maintain his Fist Intent.

This Earth Fist, with its qualities of heaviness, bearing, nurturing, and defense, had a fist momentum as steady as a mountain. It seemed quite different from the sharp and swift Dao of the Purple Qi sword that he was currently cultivating, but Lin Tian did not want to give it up.

Unifying the Five Elements was a goal he had set long ago. He vaguely felt that if he could master all Five Elements and integrate them, their power would not be limited to the Realm of Bright Energy, and it might even have immeasurable benefits for his future comprehension of deeper martial arts.

Moreover, practicing the Earth Fist was also a way to temper his muscles and bones, complementing the way the Purple Qi Diagram nourished his Foundation.

Three days passed in monotonous repetition.

His mind sank in:

Martial Arts: Purple Qi Diagram (Entry-level 9/100)

Nine times.

The progress was slow, but it was real.

Lin Tian could feel the subtle warm current and sense of strengthening, like spring rain moistening everything, that came each time a faint wisp of Internal Energy was integrated into his muscles and bones after a successful cycle.

Although it was extremely faint, it accumulated over time. His control and strength over his own body were undergoing subtle, yet incredibly firm, changes.

Just as Lin Tian was immersed in his own Cultivation, almost ignoring everything outside, the entire Qixia Sect, especially Zixia Peak, became unprecedentedly lively because the once-every-three-years grand ceremony for opening the mountain to accept Disciples had completely ended.

Hundreds of newly promoted Disciples who had passed the layers of assessments were assigned to various branches.

As one of the top three branches known for sword Dao, Zixia Peak naturally received dozens of talented new blood.

These new Disciples were mostly between fifteen and twenty years old, all high-spirited, their eyes filled with infinite longing for the future and excitement about entering a major sect, bringing vitality and popularity to the quiet Zixia Peak.

Upon arrival, newcomers naturally spent time inquiring about others, making friends with fellow Disciples, and familiarizing themselves with the environment.

Lin Tian, the original owner of "Cuiwei Residence" who had later "mysteriously" disappeared, the "Genius with a Recommendation Letter," soon fell into the sights of the new Disciples.

"Did you hear? This year, our Zixia Peak has a Senior Brother who entered directly with a recommendation letter!"

"Really? A recommendation letter? How big of a background must that be? How strong is his talent?"

"He seems to be called Lin Tian. It is said he was recommended by a Jinyiwei Centurion from a border city. He is not yet twenty, is already a Rank 3 Martial Artist, and has even killed experts of the same rank!"

"My god! That powerful? Doesn't that make him stronger than those of us who passed the entrance exam?"

"Let's go, let's go, let's go pay a visit to this Senior Brother! If we can make friends, it will be good to have support in the Peak later."

For a time, Lin Tian's secluded small courtyard rarely welcomed several waves of visitors.

The visitors were mostly new Disciples from good Family backgrounds, or those who felt their talent was decent and were good at maneuvering.

Among them, the Zhao siblings from a cultivation Family in a medium-sized city in Yunzhou were the most enthusiastic.

The elder brother, Zhao Mingyang, was handsome and had measured manners; the younger sister, Zhao Mingyue, had bright eyes and white teeth, and her laughter was pleasant.

The two brought carefully prepared gifts, their words were sincere, and they were extremely flattering and eager to befriend Lin Tian, this "Genius Senior Brother," calling him "Senior Brother Lin has heaven-defying talent" and "I hope Senior Brother will provide more guidance in the future" with every sentence.

Lin Tian felt quite helpless about this, but since one does not hit a smiling face, he could only politely deal with them for a few sentences, stating that he needed to Cultivate quietly and had no time for other things, and sent them away.

However, this brief "liveliness" did not last long. The new Disciples were well-informed, especially those with ulterior motives, and soon, through various channels, they inquired about the "true situation" regarding Lin Tian.

"What? He gave up after being taught by the Peak Master for only five days?"

"It's said he's so stupid that he couldn't learn the Purple Qi Diagram at all?"

"The Peak Master even abandoned him, sending him to the most remote corner of the back mountain to fend for himself?"

"After all that, he's just a fake Genius who got in through connections and whose talent is actually rotten to the core?"

"I said so! If he were really a Genius, how could he live in that kind of place, and why would no one ever see him practicing hard? I'm afraid he's too ashamed to show his face!"

"That Zhao sibling pair was fawning over him earlier, it's really laughable..."

Rumors grew wings and quickly spread among the new Disciples. The gazes that everyone cast toward Lin Tian's small courtyard instantly changed from curiosity, envy, and awe to disdain, contempt, and even gloating.

The Zhao siblings, who had been so attentive yesterday, acted like strangers when they saw Lin Tian again, and even if they caught a glimpse of him from afar, they would immediately take a detour, as if they were afraid of being contaminated by bad luck.

Occasionally, when they bumped into each other, Zhao Mingyang could still maintain surface courtesy and nod stiffly, while Zhao Mingyue would simply turn her head away and let out a barely audible snort from her nose.

Regarding this fickleness of human relationships and the coldness of the world, Lin Tian just smiled faintly, his heart without a ripple, and he even felt it was much quieter.

He was never a person who liked socializing, and now that no one was bothering him, it was just right for him to Cultivate with peace of mind.

The snobbery of these boys and girls was, in the context of his long martial Dao, nothing more than a breeze brushing against a mountain, unable to stir up even a ripple.

His entire focus was already immersed in the progress of his own Cultivation.

The wisp of Internal Energy condensed by running the Purple Qi Diagram, although it could not be stored to fight the enemy, brought nourishment and strengthening effects when it integrated into his muscles and skin, which pleasantly surprised Lin Tian.

This was different from the slightly crude tempering from the outside in, like the Five Elements Stance or ordinary Qi and blood circulation.

The Internal Energy of the Purple Qi Diagram seemed to carry a certain unique "spirituality" and "permeability," capable of starting from the most subtle points to temper his body's Foundation more efficiently and thoroughly.

It made up for potential hidden injuries and deficiencies, allowing his Foundation of "Bright Energy" to become more solid, pure, and powerful at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"It truly deserves to be a Fundamental Diagram that points directly to Internal Energy! Even if it is just Entry-level, its nourishing effect on the body far exceeds that of Foundation-building techniques like the Five Elements Stance." Lin Tian secretly praised in his heart.

Of course, he had not completely given up on the Five Elements Stance, and he still insisted on his morning practice. Before reaching the Peak of Rank 3 where "muscles and bones resonate together," he would not let go of any Cultivation that could consolidate his Foundation. The Five Elements Stance and the Purple Qi Diagram, one external and one internal, complemented each other, pushing his body steadily toward that critical point.

Time passed, and a month flew by.

In the secluded small courtyard, Lin Tian slowly finished his practice. Amidst the faint white mist steaming from his body, there was a hint of an extremely faint purple color, which then quickly converged into his body.

He opened his eyes, his gaze containing hidden light, his aura steady and condensed, significantly heavier and purer than a month ago.

His mind sank into the panel:

Name: Lin Tian

Cultivation: Rank 3 Martial Artist (Early Stage)

Martial Arts:

Purple Qi Diagram (Entry-level 90/100)

Earth Fist (Proficient 26/500)

The progress was gratifying!

The Purple Qi Diagram had been successfully run ninety times, and it was only ten steps away from reaching a hundred times for Entry-level and stepping into the next Realm!

He could clearly feel that his visualization of the Illustration of Purple Qi Coming from the East, his control over the Qi and blood circulation route, and the efficiency of condensing that wisp of "Purple Qi Internal Energy" had all increased several times over compared to a month ago.

Now, he could stably run the Purple Qi Diagram five to six times a day, and the success rate was extremely high.

And the practice of the Earth Fist was also going smoothly.

This fist technique, which emphasized heaviness, bearing, and defensive counterattacks, seemed to fit his current state of mind—calm and focused on consolidating his Foundation. The progress was extremely fast, and in one month, he had already crossed "Minor Achievement" and steadily stepped into the "Proficient" Realm.

When the fist momentum was unleashed, it was as steady as a mountain. It did not move until it had to, and when it did, it was like an Earth Dragon turning over, containing powerful counter-shock and defensive strength.

The Fist Intent of the Five Elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—slowly flowed in his heart, and the final "Unifying the Five Elements" seemed to be only a thin layer of window paper away.

"It's soon... The Purple Qi Diagram is about to Breakthrough. I wonder how much Proficiency is needed for the next Realm, 'Skilled'?" A hint of expectation flashed in Lin Tian's eyes.

As a Fundamental Diagram, the Purple Qi Diagram clearly had a higher level, and perhaps it required more Proficiency.

But no matter what, as long as there was a clear goal and progress, he had nothing to fear.

He looked outside the courtyard. Zixia Peak was shrouded in clouds and mist, with rays of light faintly visible. The noise of the new Disciples seemed to have gradually settled, and everyone had entered a tense life of Cultivation.

No one paid attention to him, the "fake Genius" who had been "abandoned."

That was just fine.

Lin Tian took a deep breath of the clear Spiritual Qi in the mountains and slowly exhaled. He closed the courtyard door and sat down cross-legged again.

"Continue. Still ten times to go."

His mind was calm, and his intent once again connected to the Illustration of Purple Qi Coming from the East deeply imprinted in his mind: the purple Peak was towering, the morning sun was rising, and the misty purple Qi was slowly flowing...

The monotonous yet fulfilling Cultivation continued.

The road to a higher Realm was being opened and consolidated bit by bit in these repeated cycles and fist technique practices.