Chapter 114: Consecutive Advances

The night fell silently over the Verdant Sword Sect. Kyrian’s courtyard was illuminated by the lamps hanging from the eaves of the roof.

The aroma of freshly prepared food still lingered in the air, dense and inviting.

Yanyu placed the last dish on the table. Three large bowls of steaming rice, thinly sliced beast meat covered with a thick sauce, stir-fried vegetables, and an herbal soup that released a refreshing fragrance.

Kyrian approached quietly. He sat in front of her, while the fox took a high corner and lay down, pretending not to care.

“Eat,” Yanyu said simply, pushing a bowl toward him.

Kyrian took the bowl and immediately tasted the first bite. The flavor was strong and direct, with a faint sweetness, typical of Yanyu’s cooking.

“It’s good,” he said in a neutral tone as he devoured the food, which was enough to make Yanyu smile.

“Of course it is,” she replied confidently, also taking her bowl and eating soon after.

For a few moments, the silence was broken only by the sound of chopsticks tapping the bottom of bowls. Outside, the distant mountain wind made the air cold.

It was a truly peaceful moment, in which Kyrian and Yanyu didn’t need to talk much to understand that this pleased them both. A peace, likely temporary, but necessary.

When they finished, Yanyu stacked the bowls and began washing them. Kyrian remained seated, watching her in profile.

She had a faint smile, radiating tranquility.

“Yanyu,” he called suddenly.

She turned her head, drying her hands with a cloth.

“Come here. There’s something I want to give you.”

He raised his hand and took a spiritual herb out of his spatial ring. The moment it left the ring, a glow filled the air along with a dense and vibrant fragrance.

The energy contained within it was alive, almost pulsating.

The spiritual herb rested motionless, but from it flowed thin threads of pure Qi, like a light smoke that slowly dissolved into the air.

Yanyu felt it immediately, her body reacting to the herb’s Qi before she even understood.

“This is…” she asked uncertainly.

“An ancient Spiritual Herb,” Kyrian replied simply.

“It’s what I found behind the natural formation. The sect leader said that if it’s used and absorbed correctly, it can change a cultivator’s path.”

Yanyu looked at the herb with new understanding and a restrained awe.

“And… you’re giving this to me?” she asked, meeting his eyes, which had already returned to their green, sword-shaped glow.

“Yes,” Kyrian replied without hesitation.

“It wouldn’t have any effect on me anyway. I don’t feel anything when touching it, unlike you, you reacted just by sensing its energy. And I believe it should be yours. This way, you’ll be able to catch up to me and won’t have to worry so much about it.” Kyrian finished, making her expression change.

She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She remained silent for a few seconds before sighing and slightly lowering her head, knowing that once Kyrian had decided, he wouldn’t change his mind.

’So… he noticed why I’ve been pushing myself,’ she thought, unsure how to feel.

“…thank you.”

Kyrian nodded once. To him, it was simple and obvious.

“The leader explained how to use it. It must be absorbed in deep meditation, and the Qi around must be abundant.”

“Follow me. We’ll use the courtyard’s formation. I’ve never used it before, but the leader taught me once.”

He stood up then, and together they went to one of the courtyard’s rooms. It was completely empty, with only a cushion in the center. The walls were covered with formation letters and runes.

But in many places, pieces were missing, something Kyrian already knew. He approached and placed spirit stones into several small holes in the floor and walls.

Kyrian had never used this room because he could absorb spirit stones directly, it was faster and easier for him, so he preferred it that way.

Then he stood tall at the center of the room. The air around them shifted as Kyrian placed the final stone.

Suddenly, four pillars of energy rose within the room, sealing the space and thickening the air. The stones powered the formation, drawing Qi from outside the courtyard in great quantities.

The spiritual energy began to gather slowly.

Yanyu sat on the cushion in the center of the formation, crossing her legs. Her movements were firm and controlled. She took a deep breath and placed the herb before her.

For a moment, she observed the small plant glowing under the light of the spirit stones. Then, she closed her eyes and began.

Her Qi started to circulate softly, then intensely. The air grew heavy.

The herb began to shine. Silver threads drifted from its leaves, floating toward Yanyu’s body, being pulled into her dantian and through her body as if attracted.

Kyrian watched in silence. The spiritual Qi swirled in vortices around her, being absorbed without resistance. The floor of the courtyard began to tremble slightly.

Kyrian noticed the cause and quickly replaced the formation stones.

The silver light grew brighter, first gentle, then blinding.

Yanyu’s body began to emit heat. The veins on her neck and arms became visible, pulsing with power.

She bit her lip lightly, focusing on maintaining the flow of Qi and the herb’s vital energy steady.

Kyrian soon noticed perfect balance, no leakage, and no mistake. Her mind was stable.

Suddenly, a low rumble echoed inside the formation.

From within outward.

The first breakthrough. The Qi around dispersed, then rushed back like a wave being drawn into the center.

Yanyu had reached the 8° stage of the Qi Accumulation Realm.

But that wasn’t the end.

Suddenly, the energy in the air turned sharp. Yanyu’s aura, once soft and flowing, began to take on an edge.

It was as if a sword was being slowly forged, slowly unsheathed.

But it didn’t stop.

The herb’s energy hadn’t yet been fully absorbed.

Yanyu took a deep breath, and the silver light condensed around her body.

Luz, the fox, who had quietly followed them in, opened her eyes, watching silently.

Then, a second explosion occurred, many times greater than the first.

The floor of the room trembled.

The spiritual Qi from all the stones rose in spirals, striking the ceiling and scattering as silvery energy.

Yanyu’s body was enveloped by that intense silver light, which soon dissipated, revealing her motionless, breathing deeply.

Kyrian felt it instantly, her Qi had changed in essence.

She had crossed the threshold.

Yanyu, like him, was now at the 1° stage of the Qi Liberation Realm.

The pressure emanating from her wasn’t just powerful, it was precise, controlled. It seemed she wouldn’t need to worry about her foundation after breaking through twice in succession.

Kyrian moved his hand, removing the spirit stones from the formation. The air slowly stabilized, and the swirling energy faded.

Silence returned to the room.

Yanyu opened her eyes, only to see two sword-shaped irises staring back at her. She took a deep breath, as if surfacing from a long dive.

“You did it,” Kyrian said simply, though his voice carried the weight of recognition, he was pleased with her achievement.

She remained seated for a few seconds, then slowly opened and closed her hand, feeling a new energy flow through her meridians.

“It’s… strange,” she murmured.

“I feel like my mind is clearer. Much clearer. Doubts I had about cultivation just vanished. Things seem to make more sense now.”

She lifted her head. Her movements were light, but now there was something different about them. She seemed perfectly balanced, as if she could control her body completely, the harmony between strength and precision.

Kyrian observed closely.

“And what about your Qi?” he asked.

She hesitated for a moment, then extended her palm.

A moment later, Qi began to flow, visible now. But its nature had completely changed.

It was no longer the ordinary Qi drawn from the heavens, Qi without attribute or focus.

The air seemed to be cut. The energy shimmered, and Kyrian saw the ground around her begin to mark, fine lines appearing as the Qi passed.

Kyrian narrowed his eyes.

“Your Qi became sharp, and not because of the sect’s technique. As expected, you truly have talent for the sword’s path,” he remarked in a low voice.

“Yes… I can feel it.”

“It’s as if my Qi has taken, assumed the form of a sword,” she said with a bright, almost silly smile of joy.

Then she withdrew the Qi, taking a deep breath.

“Rest for today. Even if you seem fine, it’s not good to push yourself too much. Your body might need time to adjust to your new strength.”

“Besides, I believe the herb isn’t as simple as merely raising cultivation. Tomorrow we’ll train together, and if anything else has changed, we’ll find out,” Kyrian said as he walked away from the room.

Yanyu only clenched her fists, extremely excited and eager to test her new strength with Kyrian.

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