Immortality and Cultivation: I can extract entries from all things.

A month later.

Fang He sat cross-legged in the quiet room of the thatched hut, with five high-grade Qi-cultivating pills lying in a jade bottle in front of him.

The feeling of the bottleneck loosening lasted for more than a month, and the flow of spiritual energy became smoother and smoother, making it the best time to break through.

These five pills represent the culmination of nearly a year's hard work.

From a rogue cultivator who didn't even know how to refine pills at the beginning to now being able to independently refine high-grade pills, this path has not been easy.

"Level 5 Qi Refining..."

He muttered to himself.

This means that the pressure of monthly rent for the sacred field will be much less.

More importantly, they finally had some ability to protect themselves when facing a Foundation Establishment family like the Zhou family.

But he knew in his heart that this strength was still fragile.

A mere late-stage Qi Refining guard from the Zhou family could easily suppress him, not to mention Zhou Xiaolan's Foundation Establishment stage backer.

"Not enough."

A resolute glint flashed in Fang He's eyes.

He took out one Peiyuan Pill and put it in his mouth, then took out two more, putting all three in his mouth at once.

The pill melted instantly upon entering the mouth, its immense medicinal power spreading throughout the body.

Fang He closed his eyes and concentrated, circulating the Green Wood Technique.

Breakthroughs are not child's play; they require complete focus.

Even the slightest distraction could disrupt the medicinal effects, leading to adverse effects and even demonic possession. This process cannot afford the slightest error.

The spiritual energy flowed through the meridians, gradually accelerating.

The "Zhou Tian Tong Tai" entry quietly began to operate, greatly reducing the resistance to the flow of spiritual energy, as if a dried-up riverbed had suddenly been widened.

Is this a sign of reaching the fifth level of Qi Refining?

Fang He thought that after the breakthrough, his cultivation efficiency should improve even further.

The pain came, but he was already prepared.

The last time I hit that bottleneck was a month ago, and back then it was just a loosening. This time it's a real breakthrough, and the pain will only be more intense.

Hang in there.

Fang He said to himself.

He recalled the dangers of harvesting seaweed, when he almost died in a rocky cave.

Compared to that life-or-death crisis, what is this little bit of pain?

Fang He thought to himself.

That time in the rocky cave, I was almost swept away by the waves. Compared to that despair, the pain I feel now is nothing.

As the Green Wood Technique was activated, spiritual power repeatedly challenged the bottleneck.

The opportunity for a breakthrough is right in front of us.

I can't afford to get distracted anymore.

Fang He gathered his thoughts and focused all his attention on the final assault.

suddenly!

A crack appeared in that invisible wall.

The spiritual energy surged forth and entered the depths of his dantian!

boom!

A loud bang resounded inside his body.

His dantian suddenly expanded, doubling its capacity. A surge of powerful spiritual energy flowed from his dantian, permeating all the meridians in his body.

Fang He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp.

Breakthrough!

Fifth level of Qi Refining!

He felt an unprecedented power.

The total amount of spiritual energy has increased by at least 30%, and its quality has significantly improved. The effects of the acquired affixes also seem to have been enhanced accordingly.

Fang He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

The turbid air condensed into a thin line, which emitted a slight hissing sound in the air.

This is a sign of spiritual energy being released, one of the hallmarks of the fifth level of Qi Refining.

He looked inward at his dantian, where his spiritual energy became solid and abundant.

There is still a gap compared to the late stage of Qi Refining, but compared to a month ago, it is a world of difference.

A faint smile appeared on Fang He's face.

"Finally, I'm no longer a lowly rogue cultivator."

But he quickly composed himself and remained calm.

Breakthrough is just the beginning; even greater goals lie ahead.

The day after the breakthrough.

Fang He arrived at the pharmacy and reported his cultivation progress to Master Wu.

Master Wu was sorting through medicinal herbs when he saw Fang He. His hands paused, and his gaze froze.

"A breakthrough?"

His voice was calm, but a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. This surprise wasn't feigned.

Master Wu Dan immediately noticed the change in Fang He's aura.

Fang He nodded: "I broke through yesterday, reaching the fifth level of Qi Refining."

Master Wu put down the Polygonatum sibiricum in his hand and carefully examined his disciple.

His aura was calm and composed, and his eyes were reserved; he had indeed become more composed after his breakthrough.

He felt slightly relieved, but then, as if remembering something, his expression darkened again.

"Come, let me see."

Master Wu Dan placed his hand on Fang He's shoulder, his spiritual energy probing into her senses.

After a moment, he withdrew his hand and nodded slightly:

"Your aura is steady, and your spiritual power is well-controlled... Not bad, your breakthrough was very smooth. Your dantian is stable, your spiritual power is abundant, and there are no aftereffects of the breakthrough. You've taken a very solid step."

Fang He said, "Thanks to Master's teachings and that high-quality Qi-Nourishing Pill."

Master Wu waved his hand, a rare smile appearing on his face:

"Your success is due to your own skill. The elixir is merely an external force; the key lies in your own accumulation of knowledge and experience. The crucial point is whether you can maximize the medicinal properties of the elixir."

Fang He nodded silently. He understood what Master Wu meant.

The same elixir can have vastly different effects on different people.

His success was indeed inseparable from the assistance of [Zhou Tian Tong Tai] and [Xin Shen Gu Ding].

Master Wu turned around, took out a pill from the medicine cabinet, and handed it to Fang He.

"This is the Qi-Stabilizing Pill, which will help you stabilize your realm and consolidate your cultivation."

Fang He accepted it and solemnly thanked him, "Thank you, Master."

Wu Danshi suddenly started coughing.

This time, the cough was more severe than before.

He held onto the medicine cabinet with one hand and covered his mouth with the other, his shoulders trembling violently. After a while, the coughing finally stopped, and his face became even paler.

Fang He frowned slightly: "Master, your aura..."

Master Wu waved his hand calmly, "I'm old and useless. My lifespan is coming to an end, and my cough is difficult to cure. That's normal."

He slowly walked to the corner of the pharmacy, picked up a jade slip containing spiritual energy, and looked at it.

A slight tremor in the fingers is a sign of lifespan depletion and physical decay.

Fang He saw this and felt heavy-hearted.

Master Wu walked to the corner of the pharmacy and his gaze fell on Su Yun'er, who was arranging medicinal herbs.

The girl was busy with her work, completely unaware of her master's state.

Wu Danshi's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only sighed softly.

Fang He saw everything and understood.

Master Wu Dan wanted to make arrangements for his affairs after his death, entrusting them to Su Yun'er.

But he knew that now was not the time to speak.

The master has not yet made up his mind.

"Master, please rest well. Yun'er and I will look after the pharmacy."

Master Wu glanced at him, her gaze complex, a mixture of relief and worry.

"Go. Cultivate diligently, and don't waste this skill you've acquired."

Fang He bowed and took his leave.

As he left the pharmacy, he looked back once more.

Wu Danshi sat in the pharmacy, sunlight streaming through the window onto his pale face, making his figure appear exceptionally thin.

Su Yun'er continued to tidy up the medicinal herbs, seemingly oblivious to her master's state.

As Fang He walked along the streets of the market, his perception of the world around him seemed to have become clearer after his breakthrough.

The snippets of conversation among cultivators in the distance, the subtle sounds of spiritual grains growing in the spiritual fields, the traces of spiritual energy flowing in the sea breeze... all of these were previously imperceptible.

Refining Qi to the fifth level is just the beginning.

He needs to become stronger, strong enough to protect the people he cares about, strong enough to leave this dangerous sea area, strong enough to make people like Zhou Xiaolan never dare to underestimate him again.

Fang He quickly considered what to do next.

It takes three days to stabilize one's realm.

then……

Continue alchemy?

Or should I take on patrol duties?

Will the Zhou family notice my growth?

Is the threat of the second-tier sea monsters that Captain Chen mentioned already approaching?

There are no answers to these questions, but one thing is clear.

time is limited.

Fang He took a deep breath and suppressed her distracting thoughts.

The most important thing now is to stabilize your realm, and then...