Li Changhu awoke from his meditation for the sixth time. He gritted his teeth and resumed his seated position, striving to calm his mind.
“This is too difficult.”
After over three months of cultivation, he had managed to condense only a few strands of moonlight. Meanwhile, Li Xiangping was already attempting to condense the Profound Scenery Chakra, and Li Tongya had condensed more than seventy strands of moonlight. Li Changhu, however, was still struggling with single digits.
In comparison to the ease of cultivation displayed by his younger brothers, Li Changhu found it arduous to guide his spiritual qi through the twelve stories, which was his throat. Even the talisman seed in his Qihai acupoint was lackluster and dim.
During the day, the challenge was understandable, but on a slightly cloudy night, he could barely perceive the moonlight. He was only able to condense the few strands of moonlight by relying solely on the mirror.
Li Changhu sighed. He had come to realize that he lacked the innate talent for immortal cultivation. Whenever it was his turn to use the mirror for cultivation, he was consumed with guilt, feeling as if he were hindering his younger brothers’ progress.
Awaking from his meditation for the seventh time, Li Changhu’s expression grew somber. Glancing at Li Tongya and Li Xiangping beside him, he quietly stood and moved toward the door.
Outside, Li Mutian was in the backyard, diligently polishing his long saber.
Holding the back of the blade in his right hand and pinching the edge with his left thumb and forefinger, he stabilized the sword with both hands, methodically polishing it against the sharpening stone.
Strengthening his resolve, Li Changhu called out to him, “Father.”
“What is it?” Li Mutian responded without looking up, his tone calm.
“I fear I am unsuited for immortal cultivation,” Li Changhu admitted with a hint of shame in his voice.
“So, you're giving up?” Li Mutian raised his head, his gaze cold.
“It’s not about giving up,” Li Changhu, having prepared his response, explained to his father, “My aptitude pales in comparison to Tongya and Xiangping, let alone Jing’er. Even with the mirror, I can barely manage. During the day, I could better serve by managing our family’s affairs and overseeing the fields to avoid raising suspicions.”
“Fine,” Li Mutian said. He pondered for a moment, his expression softening.
He shook his head and continued, “You can stop tomorrow. Prepare for Xiangping’s wedding. Keep it simple; invite only close relatives and maintain a low profile.”
“Understood.” Li Changhu nodded dutifully and hurried toward the main courtyard.
Upon entering, he was surprised to see his wife sitting there, sewing and chatting with Tian Yun. The ancestral hall in the backyard was off-limits to women, so she waited here instead.
Tian Yun, noticing Li Changhu’s arrival and sensing that the couple had matters to discuss, smiled politely and excused herself to return home.
“What's the matter, Ping’er?” Li Changhu’s expression softened visibly as he approached his wife and asked tenderly.
“Changhu...” The face of the woman who exuded grace lit up with a subtle joy as she spoke softly, “I’m pregnant.”
“What?” Li Changhu was taken aback and immediately felt his earlier frustration vanish.
His face flushed with excitement as he eagerly asked, “For real?”
“Why would I lie to you? Grandma has confirmed it, it’s true.” Ren Ping’er nodded, looking shy as she pouted.
“Father, father! Ping’er is pregnant!”
Overwhelmed with joy, Li Changhu called out loudly toward the backyard.
CLANG...!
Li Mutian quickly dropped his saber and hurried to the main courtyard, his face beaming with excitement.
“What did you just say, my boy?”
“Ping’er is pregnant!” Li Changhu, unable to contain his happiness, chuckled gleefully.
“Marvelous! Simply marvelous!”
Li Mutian laughed heartily, affectionately patting the blushing Ren Ping’er on the shoulder, and turned to Li Changhu.
“I’ll get the physician here. Keep a close watch on her.”
Li Changhu nodded eagerly, gently guiding Ren Ping’er to sit down, ensuring she was comfortable.
————
Meanwhile, in the backyard...
Li Xiangping slowly awoke from his meditation after performing a series of hand seals.
He reached for the wooden slip in front of him, untied the cloth binding it, and unfurled it with a rustle.
Illuminated by the bright moonlight, the top of the scroll revealed its title in bold characters: “Golden Light spell”.
The “Supreme Yin Breathing Meridian Nourishment Sutra” could not be uttered or written, but its accompanying spells could be orally transmitted. Therefore, the brothers transcribed the spells they received and shared them with others.
The “Golden Light spell” was the technique Li Chejing had acquired. Li Xiangping had condensed the Profound Scenery Chakra a few nights ago and borrowed this technique to practice.
The “Golden Light spell” was not overly complex. After reading it for two nights, Li Xiangping had quickly memorized it in his heart.
With a flick of his left hand, a shimmering golden light appeared in his palm.
“Golden Light spell!”
This was an offensive and defensive spell. When executed correctly, a sharp golden light would be condensed.
This golden light could be imbued in a weapon for striking down enemies or be projected as a ranged attack. Its power was notably formidable.
After dispersing the technique with a wave of his hand, Li Xiangping stepped outside. His older brothers were still diligently cultivating in their seated position.
He found a piece of huge bluestone near the doorway, wrapped his arms around it, and whispered commandingly, “Rise!”
To his surprise, he was able to lift the bluestone with ease. He even exerted too much force and ended up losing his balance, stumbling backward.
“Entering the Embryonic Breathing realm extends one’s lifespan to 120 years. It enables mana to circulate through the orifices and meridians, lightens the body, strengthens muscles, sharpens hearing, clears vision, and grants extraordinary ability to perform techniques with hand seals.”
Recalling the content from the “Supreme Yin Breathing Meridian Nourishment Sutra”, Li Xiangping could not suppress a smile as he carried the bluestone to the backyard.
He positioned the stone upright, stepped back ten meters, then performed a hand seal and unleashed a technique. A golden light burst forth from his palm, striking the bluestone.
Brilliant sparks flew, leaving a shallow yet distinct slash mark on its rocky surface. The bluestone was pushed ten meters back, its movement leaving white friction marks on the ground.
“Nice one!”
Li Tongya, who had earlier awakened from his meditation, watched Li Xiangping and chuckled. “The technique Jing’er received is the most useful. Just a few days ago, he damaged one of the rocks in the backyard garden. I didn’t even dare tell Father.”
“In terms of cultivation progress, we’re really lagging behind Jing’er.” Li Xiangping pouted, then straightened the bluestone and assessed the remaining mana in his body. He estimated he could unleash the same technique four or five more times.
“Jing’er has condensed the Profound Scenery Chakra in less than a month. Even with the mirror’s help, it’s a remarkable achievement,” Li Tongya remarked, shaking his head in disbelief.
The six chakras of Embryonic Breathing were the Profound Scenery, Radiant Lure, Celestial Whirl, Azure Essence, Jade Capital, and Nascent Spirit Chakras.
The Profound Scenery, Celestial Whirl, and Jade Capital Chakras, collectively known as the Three Challenges of Embryonic Breathing Realm, were particularly challenging.
The brothers had used the mirror to easily breach the Embryonic Breathing barrier. Beyond that, the Radiant Lure Chakra offered no shortcuts. One had to diligently cultivate spiritual qi and condense the Embryonic Breath.
“Draw in qi and refine the moonlight. Condense the Profound Scenery Chakra in nine months and condense the Radiant Lure Chakra in three months—these are signs of a strong root bone,” Li Xiangping, sitting beside his second brother, recited from the Meridian Nourishment Sutra, then turned to Li Tongya.
“We’ve made swift progress in the Profound Scenery stage thanks to external aid, let’s see how we’ll do in the Radiant Lure stage.”
“Indeed.” Li Tongya nodded in agreement and softly added, “About Changhu...”
“I fear he’s struggling even more than us,” Li Xiangping commented somberly, his gaze drifting toward Mount Dali under the night sky.
“I’ll continue to temper myself for a few days. Then, I’ll attempt to condense the Profound Scenery Chakra. If I succeed, the mirror will be entirely available for Changhu,” Li Tongya remarked contemplatively.
Li Xiangping, still watching Mount Dali, suddenly narrowed his eyes and stood up abruptly.
Staring at the mountain, he shouted, “The audacity of that thief!”