There are no ancestors at all; I made them all up.

Chapter 8 An unexpected gain
The outside of the window was shrouded in mist.

The moment Chen Qing opened his eyes, every pore on his body opened, and an extremely pure spiritual energy manifested from the top of his head, flowing in like a gentle stream.

"Such pure spiritual energy! The spiritual energy fed back this time is even purer than last time!"

He immediately sat cross-legged and began to practice his internal energy.

As his spiritual energy circulated, his meridians hummed like vibrating strings, and the Yellow Court Palace, three inches below his navel, shone with golden light, faintly feeling solid.

"I wonder if I'll skip those few years next time I enter a dream, how far my body can cultivate in the dream, and whether I can directly access the memories and experiences from that time..."

Although the spiritual energy he received was only one-tenth of what he had in his dream, it was exceptionally pure and perfectly matched the foundation he had cultivated for seventeen years. As the energy circulated throughout his body, it gradually seeped into his limbs and bones, nourishing every inch of his meridians.

He could clearly sense that the barrier between the first and second realms was already faintly palpable.

"At this rate, why wait until old age? We'll be able to attempt the second realm soon!"

Thinking of this, he suddenly sighed softly.

The feeling of breaking through to the second realm in the dream is still vivid in my mind. When the harmonious energy washes over my whole body, my five senses are transformed, as if I am reborn. But when I wake up from the dream, it is as if I have fallen back to the mortal world. The gap is inevitable, which brings me a sense of loss.

But soon, his eyes regained their clarity.

"When others break through to a higher level, it's like the blind men and the elephant, but I've already gone through it beforehand! Who can have such an advantage? When the time comes, I'll be familiar with the path and everything will go smoothly. What's there to be disappointed about?"

At this moment, a sudden change occurred!
A cool, delicate scent, finer than silk, suddenly descended from the top of the head.

Although the aura was as faint as a wisp of smoke, it made Chen Qing's whole body tremble violently!

"The aura of harmony?!"

This is clearly a mysterious aura that can only be absorbed and nurtured by those in the second realm! Although it is only a wisp, it is like a spring breeze and rain, making the meridians moist and the internal energy circulation suddenly become more harmonious.

"Although extremely faint, it is genuine Taihe Qi! Could it be that breaking through in a dream can even reflect the power representing the true meaning of a realm?"

Chen Qing's heart was in turmoil, but feeling the flow of that cool energy, he suppressed his thoughts, held his breath, and guided the energy to circulate throughout his body.

When he finished practicing, the sharp light in his eyes was concealed, but the shock was not dispelled.

"The Record of the Great Void is probably even more heaven-defying than we imagined!"

Carefully sensing that trace of harmonious energy, Chen Qing felt its trajectory flowing through his meridians. After a moment, his brows furrowed slightly.

This wisp of harmonious energy, though as easy to control as an arm or finger, is like a rootless duckweed or water without a source; every bit used diminishes it, and it can only be replenished through dreams.

This situation reminded him of his master's admonition from years ago—

"The path of cultivation emphasizes gradual progress. Forcibly incorporating external forces is like drinking poison to quench thirst; at best, it will cause the meridians to swell, and at worst, it will lead to the body exploding and death. I once had an old acquaintance who was greedy for quick results, and the outcome was tragic..."

I still vividly remember the way my master shook his head and sighed back then.

"But my situation is different. Although this aura is not something that should exist in the first realm, it comes from my dream body and is of the same origin and quality as my physical body in this world, so there is no rejection whatsoever. If this is the case..."

He suddenly felt his mouth and throat were dry.

"Once the dream body can break through to a higher realm, wouldn't it be possible to glimpse the mysteries of the third realm's Yin spirit, and even the power of the fourth realm, in advance? And then introduce it into the mortal body?"

The moment this thought arose, it spread like wildfire, sparking his imagination—

"The difference in realms is like an insurmountable chasm! Even if I only obtain a wisp of high-level true meaning, it is still my trump card, enough to turn the tide in a life-or-death situation! If I can effectively utilize this wisp of Taihe Qi and unleash it at the crucial moment..."

A mountain breeze swept through the hall, jolting Chen Qing back to his senses; he immediately became alert.

"Do not be greedy for quick success! The most urgent task is still to solidify the foundation. The gains from this dream far exceeded expectations. Not only has my cultivation improved, but I have also seen a precious visualization diagram, gained insights into cultivation, and even a wisp of Taihe Qi! Although the Taiyue Manual is not usable for the time being, it has pointed the way to completing the Haiyue Fragment. This is the time to hone my foundation and strive to break through the realm of my physical body in this world as soon as possible!"

Just then, a rustling sound came from outside the window, which made him think.

"The large claw and the small ray have already emerged."

Composing himself, he got up and started walking.

As I stepped out the door, a mountain breeze greeted me.

From afar, Fang Da'ao's shouts were powerful and full of energy.

"Uncle Master!"

Upon seeing Chen Qing, the young man stopped his stance and bowed, his aura already much stronger than it had been a few days ago.

Chen Qing nodded slightly: "Your fist technique is good, but your breathing needs to be coordinated with your movements." His gaze fell on the man's dantian, "Is the warmth still there?"

Fang Da'ao nodded quickly. "Good news." Chen Qing smiled. "This is a sign that the Yellow Court is about to open. Remember to diligently comprehend it. Once the opportunity arrives, you can step into the first realm, and it will be a natural progression."

"Yes!"

Watching the boy's joyful departing figure, he seemed lost in thought.

"It's time to plan a spiritual path for our two children."

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.

"Although the visualizations in a dream cannot be brought out, if we can use painting to convey the Tao and depict the visualizations in the dream in the present world, even if we only capture three-tenths of the essence, it will be enough to benefit our disciples immensely. However, I am not good at painting. This is something that needs to be learned and practiced. The question is, where can I learn it?"

Thinking of this, Chen Qing's heart stirred.

"The insights gained in dreams go directly into my heart, and I can even receive spiritual feedback. So, wouldn't the exquisite brushwork I learn in dreams also become mine?"

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

"However, there is no rush to enter the dream right now. Cultivation is like building a platform, which needs to be solidified layer by layer. Although I have gained a lot of insights from breaking through to the second realm in the dream, if I cannot fully digest them, it will disrupt my foundation. In addition, although that wisp of Taihe Qi is wonderful, it needs to be carefully nurtured in order to truly make it my own."

As the mountain mist gradually dissipated, Chen Qing had already made up his mind.

So, every morning after that, Chen Qing would sit cross-legged on the mountaintop, facing the rising sun, breathing in and out, circulating that trace of Taihe Qi within his body, feeling its fusion with his inner breath.

"The Qi of Great Harmony harmonizes Yin and Yang, and connects the Five Elements... I see!"

He opened his eyes, his gaze clear and bright.

"I previously thought that the phrase 'mountain shape conceals the charm of the sea' in the 'Haiyue Fragment' meant that one should take into account the imagery of mountains and seas when visualizing. Now it seems that it implies that one should combine strength and gentleness when circulating internal energy, just like mountains and seas give rise to each other!"

The obscure parts of the "Haiyue Fragments" that were once difficult to understand are now suddenly clear.

"Master often said, 'If you understand one method, you understand all methods.' It turns out he wasn't just talking big..."

After seven days of reflection, Chen Jue felt that he had digested most of what he had learned in his dream.

"Alright, you can enter the dream again."

hum-

Thinking this, he had just returned to the mountain gate when suddenly the talismans in the room shot out, trembling in the air as a warning.

Chen Qing's pupils suddenly contracted!

The mountain-protecting formation has been activated!

"Uncle-Master!" Qu Xiaoyao ran over breathlessly, her eyes filled with panic. "There are so many people outside the mountain gate!"

"Don't panic," Chen Qing reassured him before asking, "Who has come?"

Little Ray took a deep breath before saying, "There are many people, but they are all surrounding an old gentleman with a white beard. The old gentleman said that he came from the Xuanji Chess Academy and came here specifically to visit our Hidden Star Sect!"

Xuanji Chess Academy?

Chen Qing's gaze sharpened.

He had heard his master mention this sect before, saying it was a major sect in the Southern Flame Kingdom, with a fourth-realm cultivator presiding over it, giving it an extremely high status in the cultivation world.

The Southern Flame Kingdom occupies most of the southern part of the Eastern Spirit Continent and is a regional hegemon. Its major sects are naturally not comparable to small sects like the Hidden Star Sect in the southern border region. But why would such a person condescend to come to this desolate wilderness?

“And…” Little Ray suddenly clenched the hem of her clothes, biting her lips until they turned white.

"Anything else?" Chen Qing asked calmly. "Just say it."

"Senior Brother Han has also arrived. He... he is wearing the robes of Haiyuan Temple and is leading the way for that old gentleman."

Han Sa? A guide?
Chen Qing narrowed his eyes, a cold glint in them.

"You've come at the perfect time, saves me the trouble of looking for him." He stood up, flicking his sleeve. "Since a guest has come, how can I refuse to see him? Go and call Big Ao..."

suddenly!

Fang Da'ao's furious roar came from the mountain gate.

"Go!" Chen Qing grabbed Qu Xiaoyao and ran off quickly!

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(End of this chapter)