TBISF 15

Chapter: 15

Late Qi Condensation, Breaking Through the Minor Realm

After sending the treant into the Yomok King’s forest, Ganghyeon’s cultivation progress rose rapidly.

When they secretly built their eastern base in the volcanic region, Indeok was at the fifth layer of Qi Condensation, and Ganghyeon was at the fourth.

But now, after only about three years, Ganghyeon had completed the sixth layer and was preparing to attempt the breakthrough to the seventh layer, while Indeok still lacked something and had to postpone his own breakthrough.

This meant that Ganghyeon’s cultivation conditions during that time had been exceptionally good.

Without the treant absorbing enormous amounts of wood-attribute spiritual energy from the Yomok King’s forest and sending it to him, such growth would have been impossible.

‘I’m not the only one who’s grown. The treant has already reached peak Qi Condensation.’

The treant was now about fifty li inside the Yomok King’s forest.

If it went any deeper, it would have to face Yomok at the Foundation Establishment level.

Yet the treant had grown so strong that Ganghyeon even felt it might be possible to take that risk.

Against Yomok, even if the opponent’s realm was higher, the treant showed the power to absorb them somehow.

That was why it could boldly claim a place even near the area where Foundation Establishment Yomok existed.

‘Once I reach the seventh layer, things will be very different. Just like early and mid Qi Condensation are different, mid and late stages also have a huge gap.’

The total amount of spiritual energy he could use would increase by several times.

Not only that, the precision and power of controlling spiritual energy would also be on a completely different level.

‘If I reach late stage, it might be possible for the treant to devour early Foundation Establishment Yomok. If that happens, reaching Foundation Establishment myself won’t be difficult.’

Absorbing one Foundation Establishment Yomok would help far more than devouring dozens of Qi Condensation Yomok.

With that, breaking through the eighth and ninth layers would be easy, and even peak Qi Condensation would not be hard to achieve.

After that, reaching Foundation Establishment would depend on his talent, but at least the spiritual energy needed for the breakthrough would be fully prepared.

All that would remain would be enlightenment and a body strong enough to endure the breakthrough.

‘That’s why this breakthrough is extremely important. If I succeed this time, the road all the way to peak Qi Condensation will be paved.’

With hopes for a smooth future like a paved road, Ganghyeon began circulating his energy for the breakthrough.

The root of a cultivator’s cultivation was the spiritual root.

Everything was born from it, grew from it, and was completed by it.

Thus, upheaval began within Ganghyeon’s spiritual root as he aimed for the seventh layer.

He drew out all the wood-attribute spiritual energy stored within it, forcing the spiritual root to grow.

But simply flooding it with energy was like trying to push a mountain through the eye of a needle.

For a spiritual root to grow, a cultivator’s understanding was essential.

What nature did wood-attribute energy have?
How must it change to reach the late Qi Condensation stage?
What level of purity was required?

How well did he understand using wood energy to grow plants, to attack, or to heal?

How deep was his understanding of tools, talismans, pills, spirit beasts, and puppets related to wood energy?

Only by reflecting on all these questions, maintaining certainty in his path and the integrity of his spiritual root, could growth truly begin.

When those conditions were met, the excess wood energy was filtered through his understanding and reshaped into a form suitable for the seventh layer.

“Guhhh…!”

The change was not limited to his inner world.

As the spiritual root grew, his physical body also changed to better suit a cultivator.

His body became more compatible with spiritual energy.

But such a transformation was like changing species itself.

The burden was immense, and the pain was beyond comparison.

Many cultivators failed at breakthroughs because their bodies could not endure it.

Ganghyeon, however, silently endured both the growth and the pain.

At last, the laws of heaven and earth acknowledged him and opened the path of spiritual communion.

“Finally!”

When the path of communion opened, it meant the laws of heaven and earth had approved his breakthrough.

Through that path descended the blessing of breakthrough—the Dharma ecstasy.

An overwhelming joy, impossible to compare with anything in the world.

Many cultivators continued cultivating just to feel it again.

But they also knew how crucial it was to endure it.

Only by staying conscious could one reach the end of the path and encounter the true form of the laws.

With luck, one might gain a special power there—a true technique.

Most cultivators never obtained such a technique.

Ganghyeon’s first one had been an unbelievable stroke of luck.

‘This time!’

Once again, he endured the ecstasy and reached toward the laws of heaven and earth.

‘I must obtain it.’

At the end of the path, he faced them.

‘I can’t measure it.’

Once more, he felt their boundless vastness.

‘Fog… it’s fog again.’

But after reflecting on past failures, Ganghyeon realized his approach might have been wrong.

‘I can’t pierce the fog. Then I’ll observe the fog itself and take whatever seeps out.’

Stepping back.

Accepting his limits.

With this new mindset, he drew closer than ever.

‘Amazing… such ever-changing, profound flows of energy.’

He did not force himself to see more.

He simply followed what he could perceive.

‘Ah!’

At last, his effort bore fruit.

‘This flow… this is the Okto Method!’

What he saw resembled the Okto Method he practiced, but far surpassed it.

‘I can’t miss this. This is the original form of the Okto Method. And the incantation!’

From the fog, he grasped its true principles.

Then, suddenly, his consciousness was pulled back.

The path closed.

‘Regretful… but satisfying.’

What mattered now was engraving the true Okto Method into himself.

Ignoring the lingering ecstasy, he entered deep contemplation once more.

“Coming out already, Ganghyeon!”

Thump!

“Ouch!”

“What are you doing, you creep?”

Ganghyeon pushed Indeok away with thorny wood energy.

“That’s too much. I was just happy.”

“I don’t like hugging men.”

“Tch.”

Indeok soon spread his spiritual sense—and froze.

“Wow… you feel stronger than Senior Hyeongak.”

“Probably because of the treant.”

“What? The monster tree?”

“It was forcibly summoned back to me at the last moment.”

After explaining, Indeok shook his head.

“No. You’re way stronger. Honestly, my knees feel weak.”

“…That’s strange.”

Indeok hesitated, then spoke.

“It feels like Elder Yanggwang’s pressure.”

Ganghyeon frowned and returned inside.

After deep meditation, he realized the cause.

“True Okto Method… that’s it.”

He had unconsciously released divine sense.

That pressure was what Indeok felt.

‘I was releasing it without realizing it… how careless.’

With a bitter smile, Ganghyeon stood up from his cushion.

At last, having truly entered late Qi Condensation, he stepped out of the cultivation hall.