Set a goal, and the system takes over the body.

[Target detected: Retrieve the Yin Fish Pendant]

[Method 1: After Shen Feiyi has walked far away, take off your outer clothes, jump down into the well, and dive to the bottom. You can then successfully retrieve her.]

[Method 2: Call Shen Feiyi back and lie that your jade pendant fell into the well, asking her to help retrieve it. The pendant can be successfully retrieved.]

Please select a method to complete the objective.

"Method One!"

Qi Xiuyuan didn't hesitate for a moment and chose the first one.

[The system has taken over the body and is preparing for retrieval!]

He didn't move immediately, standing still and waiting quietly for a while until Shen Feiyi was indeed far away and there was no more movement around him. Only then did he decisively take off his outer clothes and trousers, leaving only his underwear, and jump down from the well.

Under the system's control, he seemed to have a built-in treasure location, accurately diving to the bottom of the well. He probed the mud with his five fingers, grabbed a hard object, and then pushed off the well wall with both feet, leaping out of the well in the blink of an eye.

The next second, control of the body was regained.

Qi Xiuyuan opened his palm.

It was a jade pendant made of black jade, carved into the shape of a half-Tai Chi symbol with a swimming fish. It was cool and smooth to the touch, and faintly glowed with a layer of very faint silver light, shimmering in the night.

"Is this the Yin Fish Pendant that can enhance comprehension?"

Qi Xiuyuan's lips curled up slightly.

Without time to look around or worry about the water on his clothes, he put on his coat, picked up the lantern, and quickly left.

As for the water in the well...

He didn't do it on purpose.

Back in his room at the martial arts school, Qi Xiuyuan closed the door behind him and bolted it shut before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

Inside the room, the candlelight flickered, casting a warm yellow glow that illuminated the surroundings.

Qi Xiuyuan walked to the table and sat down. He took out the Yin Fish Pendant from his pocket and examined it carefully in his palm.

"As expected of a treasure that can enhance comprehension, the texture is absolutely that of fine jade!"

Qi Xiuyuan had a thought, and the light blue system panel immediately popped up.

【Fengshen Finger - Fragment (Mastery, 1816/3000)】

【Panshan Palm (Beginner, 126/150)】

【White Tiger Shines with Golden Blade (Beginner, 1/225)】

【Horizontal Training Bodyguard - Crippled (Beginner, 1/225)】

【Swift as the Wind (Beginner, 1/225)】

【Wave-Breaking Blade (Beginner, 1/225)】

"Aside from the three martial arts techniques that have already been perfected, the breakthrough limits for all the others have been lowered. It really does improve comprehension!"

Qi Xiuyuan smiled with delight.

Before improving one's martial arts foundation, the 200-point cap is a solid 200 points.

After the martial arts foundation is improved, the upper limit of 200 points is reduced to 166 points.

Now that I'm wearing the Yin Fish Pendant, my score has dropped from 166 to 150.

These are all visible changes.

There is absolutely no falsehood in it.

"Huh? The upper limit for breakthroughs in alchemy skills has also decreased, and quite significantly!"

Qi Xiuyuan glanced around casually and was astonished to find that the breakthrough limits of various pills had dropped significantly, far more so than the breakthrough limits of martial arts.

"What a pleasant surprise!"

Qi Xiuyuan smiled.

As the upper limit of breakthrough decreased, the Na Yuan Pill and Qiang Jin Pill, which were originally only at the minor completion stage, directly reached the mastery level, and some refining experience also faintly appeared in his mind.

When it is refined again in the future, the quality of the pills will definitely be greatly improved.

"Not only has the required proficiency for breakthroughs decreased, but the proficiency required for future breakthroughs should also increase. Set a goal: to practice the Panshan Palm for one hour, using the bear form as an aid."

Qi Xiuyuan was wide awake.

He chose to focus all his energy on cultivation.

The system immediately took over the body and automatically began cultivating in the courtyard.

His palm strike was heavy and powerful, carrying the weight of a bear. With a single, flat strike, even the candlelight in the distant house was forced to dip down and sway before regaining its flame.

The fallen leaves in the courtyard fluttered and swirled together with the dust.

An hour passed in the blink of an eye.

[Cultivation Level: Qi and Blood Realm (Perfect, 608/1200)]

【Panshan Palm (Beginner, 144/150)】

"I gained eighteen points of proficiency. There was definitely a change. Moreover, the Hundred Battles Blade and the Panshan Palm were both perfected, which also increased my cultivation by a few points."

Qi Xiuyuan regained control of his body, and his smile deepened.

"Bang bang bang bang bang!"

Suddenly, the sound of the night watchman's clapper came from afar.

"Dry weather, be careful with fire! Bang bang bang bang..."

"Is it already past 3 AM?"

Qi Xiuyuan murmured softly and looked up at the moonlight outside the window.

It was 3 a.m. when Yin Shi (寅时) arrived.

But he was full of energy and not sleepy at all, so he decided not to sleep.

"Set a goal: break through to the Inner Strength Realm before the Tianfu Martial Arts Tournament."

[Target detected: Time-limited breakthrough]

[Method 1: Six days later, taking advantage of the enlightenment opportunity presented by the Yin Fish Pendant, one can experience a massive increase in cultivation level, achieving a breakthrough in one fell swoop.]

[Method 2: Cultivate at full strength for ten hours every day, supplemented with high-grade Qi and Blood Pills, high-grade Tendon Strengthening Pills, high-grade Bone Forging Pills, and high-grade Yuan Nourishing Pills. This will allow you to successfully break through before the Martial Arts Competition.]

Please select a method to complete the objective.

"Indeed, enlightenment can also be used to improve cultivation."

Qi Xiuyuan smiled with delight.

"That's fine too. Anyway, there's no rush to integrate the sword techniques. Right now, we need to prioritize improving our cultivation. Only when the Divine Finger can deal with experts in the Bone-Ringing Realm will we have a real sense of self-protection."

Since a breakthrough can be achieved through sudden enlightenment in six days.

Qi Xiuyuan is no longer in a hurry to practice the Five Elements Stance Technique.

"Reset your goal: using the bear form as a supplement, cultivate the Panshan Palm technique to its perfect state!"

[Target detected: Panshan Palm Perfected]

Method 1...

Qi Xiuyuan chose method one without hesitation and devoted himself to cultivation.

His body was immediately taken over by the system, and he automatically returned to the house, took a high-grade Qi and Blood Pill, and then returned to the courtyard. Using the steady and heavy bear form as an aid, he began to cultivate in the courtyard, palm after palm.

Twelve hours later, the Panshan Palm technique was finally perfected.

【Panshan Palm (Perfect)】

[Obtained Dao Fruit: Mountain Formation (Ninth Rank)]

[Mountain Form (Rank 9): Every movement carries the imposing presence of a mountain; the aura is calm and refined; power is doubled; when using earth-based palm techniques, the power is doubled.]

The moment he regained control of his body, a massive amount of cultivation insights, physical strength, and a powerful, imposing aura surged up all at once.

Along with that came a feeling of fatigue.

Fortunately, I have the Dao Fruit of Long Battle to support me, and with five times the endurance as a foundation, I can still bear this fatigue.

Qi Xiuyuan stood in the courtyard, quietly sensing the power contained within his body.

His feet seemed nailed to the ground, as steady as a rock. The strength hidden in his muscles and bones was so heavy that it felt like a small mountain was pressing down on him. He casually slapped out with his palm.

With a loud bang.

The wind was heavy, carrying a strong, mountainous force.

"Such formidable physical strength. Those martial artists born with superhuman strength, even after cultivating to the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm, are probably only as strong as me, right?"

The Qi and Blood Realm is essentially the Ming Jin Realm.

When Qi Xiuyuan broke through to the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm, his physical strength was already extremely strong.

Now, with the Dao Fruit of Long Battle doubling his power and the Dao Fruit of Mountain Formation doubling his power again, combined with his original Ming Jin foundation, he has a total of three times the power of Ming Jin.

Within the same realm, apart from those born with superhuman strength, no one can match him in terms of Ming Jin (a type of internal energy).