After the words fell, the three Condensing Essence cultivators waved their arms together. Dozens of true essence strands flowed from their palms, flying several feet beyond the cloud platform before beginning to transform.
To reach perfection in the Gathering Qi realm and attempt a breakthrough, one must refine spiritual power into true essence within the Qi Palace.
This true essence accumulates until forming a primordial dan, marking entry into the Condensing Essence stage. Though simple in concept, the process occurs entirely within the Qi Palace, making it incredibly difficult and dangerous.
Without proper methods, attempting this would be suicide. Even with the Condensing Essence technique, the slightest error could lead to severe injuries or death.
Two main dangers exist in refining true essence. First, transforming spiritual power isn’t mere compression – it requires repeated purification through refining techniques to remove impurities. Failure causes unstable true essence to explode within the Qi Palace, damaging one’s cultivation foundation.
Second, before the primordial dan solidifies, the true essence remains violently unstable, requiring constant suppression. Loss of control leads to fatal energy eruptions.
This explains why countless Perfected Gathering Qi cultivators remain stuck at the twelfth level for decades. Having worked hard to reach this point, and often being family pillars, few dare risk everything without absolute certainty.
Yet high risks bring greater rewards. Those reaching the Condensing Essence stage find their world expanding dramatically. Most coveted is the ability to ride winds and soar through skies – taking steps among clouds, wandering freely between heaven and earth. This graceful freedom embodies the immortal ideal.
Beyond flight, protective true essence renders Condensing Essence cultivators immune to all Gathering Qi techniques. While some overcome higher levels within the Gathering Qi realm, history records no instance of a Gathering Qi cultivator killing a Condensing Essence expert in the Zhuhu Dynasty.
The long-bearded old cultivator moved first. Holding a jade plaque, he chanted: "First among five elements: metal!"
The first true essence strand transformed into hundreds of sharp metal shards. Their clashing filled the air with sparks and metallic echoes. After darting about, the shards shifted again – becoming gold stones, golden light, even golden armor… displaying metal techniques’ endless variations.
Every metal-element cultivator in the heavenly cave stared upward, clinging to each detail. When the old cultivator finished demonstrating after fifteen minutes, he flicked a finger. The true essence streamed back into his palm.
The watching cultivators showed mixed reactions – some deep in thought, others awestruck, many still confused.
"Second among five elements: wood!"
"Third among five elements: water!"
"The fourth of the Five Elements: Fire!" Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝓷𝓮𝓽
"The fifth of the Five Elements: Earth!"
The old cultivator demonstrated the Five Elements techniques one by one, then withdrew his powers.
Yang Lingrui straightened up, focusing intently on the burly man about to perform next.
After the Five Elements techniques came the Wind and Thunder techniques.
"First of the Two Spirits: Wind!"
The man’s booming voice summoned a raging gust that howled through the cavern.
To make the invisible wind visible, the performer infused his technique with glowing specks of spiritual light.
Yang Lingrui watched unblinkingly as the tempest swirled violently before halting abruptly.
The spiritual light revealed the truth—the wind hadn’t dissipated, but merged seamlessly with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
"Genius! Hiding wind within nature’s flow!"
Yang Lingrui memorized the method while observing closely.
The glowing strands thinned into wispy trails that seemed harmless—until they etched deep grooves into stone walls.
"Even soft breezes can kill! Sharp wind blades aren’t the only way!"
"Formless wind slips through defenses. Can’t break from outside? Shatter them within!"
"No trace of wind, no trace of intent—therefore, no trace of me!"
Fifteen minutes later, Yang Lingrui exhaled in exhilaration.
This demonstration outshone years of solitary practice.
His old approach had been narrow—just making wind blades faster, wind spears sharper, controlling more projectiles.
His sole innovation was defensive winds around his body, taught by Yang Lingqing.
Today’s display shattered those limitations, revealing endless possibilities beyond rigid techniques.
Noticing Yang Lingrui’s enlightenment, Li Cheng quietly erected a spiritual barrier to shield him from the upcoming Thunder techniques.
Guilt prickled Li Cheng’s conscience. Yesterday’s argument with his sister had made him reconsider his past behavior.
"My thanks, Young Master Li."
Yang Lingrui finally noticed the protective barrier as the demonstrations concluded.
"Save formalities." Li Cheng dismissed the gratitude. "Your Hundred Arts Hall booth is ready. Come."
The floating bridge led them to the cavern’s lower section where cultivators displayed their various products. Contracts signed here under the Immortal Patrol Office’s supervision carried imperial authority—violators faced dynasty intervention.
With most attendees still watching the performances, the hall remained quiet. Li Cheng stopped at a modest booth barely fitting one person.
Yang Lingrui knew these spots were scarce—even the Li Family only held three. His gratitude deepened, unaware Li Cheng hadn’t secured this booth.
Truthfully, Li Qingwan had arranged it after her brother mentioned Yang Lingrui’s request during their reconciliation. She’d claimed a late-stage Gathering Qi loose cultivator canceled, hiding her involvement.
"I must attend to family matters."
Alone, Yang Lingrui laid out four talismans from his storage bag:
Superior-quality tranquility talisman
Superior-quality evil-repelling talisman
Inferior fire talisman
Inferior divine movement talisman
The Yang Family had chosen common yet sellable items—nothing rare enough to arouse suspicion.
Though his corner booth seemed disadvantageous, a sword-bearing daoist approached within the hour.
"Friend," the cultivator hissed, eyeing two talismans, "what’s your price for these?"