After finishing breakfast, Zhou Yang returned to his room, the morning sunlight still faintly warming the air outside. His mind, however, was already set. Tomorrow’s banquet… he thought briefly. If nothing else, I need to appear stronger than I seem now.

With a faint sigh, he called Meng Yao to his side. “I’ll be cultivating for a while. Make sure no one disturbs me.”

Meng Yao nodded, bowing slightly. “Understood, Young Master.”

She left the room quietly, but as she walked away, she stopped to instruct her brother. “Meng Yan, the young master is cultivating. Stand guard here. If anything happens, make sure to go in immediately.”

Meng Yan straightened his posture, nodding firmly. “Leave it to me.”

Inside the room, Zhou Yang sat cross-legged in the center, his posture relaxed yet focused. Closing his eyes, he felt a flood of knowledge rise within him—memories of cultivation techniques, methods, and experiences, all vivid as though they were his own.

Strange, he thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Not long ago, I didn’t know the difference between a dantian and a meridian. And now? I feel like I’ve lived this my whole life.

He let the thought pass and centered himself, preparing for cultivation. The Qi Refining stage, as the memories described, involved gathering Qi from the surrounding world and drawing it into the body. The Qi would flow through the opened meridians before settling in the dantian, located just below the navel. With repeated cycles of absorption, the dantian would gradually fill until reaching its limit, signaling the transition to the next stage—Foundation Building.

Zhou Yang was fortunate. His body, previously at the peak of Foundation Building, had regressed due to the damage from Ye Tian’s forbidden technique. However, the numerous medicinal pills and care he had received ensured there was no permanent harm.

To advance, Zhou Yang needed to condense the Qi in his dantian, transforming it into liquid form—an arduous process requiring immense focus and control. He reached into his storage pouch and retrieved a small pill glowing faintly with a golden sheen. It was the Foundation Building Pill, a top-tier elixir that eased the process significantly.

Popping the pill into his mouth, Zhou Yang felt a warm surge spread through his body. He began circulating his cultivation technique, the Celestial Void Breathing Technique, an Immortal-Rank method passed down within the Zhou family.

---

The flow of Qi in his body surged as he guided it through his meridians toward his dantian. Slowly, he attempted to condense a strand of Qi into a liquid droplet.

It wasn’t easy. The first few attempts failed, the Qi scattering uncontrollably. Though the memories gave him the technique, his body and mind were still unpracticed in execution. This is harder than I thought, he admitted to himself.

But Zhou Yang’s calm focus never wavered. On his fourth attempt, he succeeded, forming a single droplet of liquid Qi. A faint sense of exhilaration swept over him, though he quickly suppressed it. One down. Let’s keep going.

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With each successive attempt, the process became smoother. The pill’s effects, combined with his family’s unparalleled technique, significantly reduced the effort required. By evening, Zhou Yang had completed the transformation of his dantian. The once-cloudy reserve of Qi now resembled a calm, clear sea, dotted with liquid droplets—a sign of his successful breakthrough to the early stage of Foundation Building.

Exhaling deeply, Zhou Yang opened his eyes. “Well, that wasn’t too bad,” he said softly, stretching his neck.

Still seated, he closed his eyes again to stabilize his cultivation. This involved circulating his Qi evenly throughout his body, ensuring it adapted to the new state. After some time, he opened his eyes, feeling a sense of clarity and tranquility within.

This would have taken months—maybe longer—without the knowledge I’ve inherited, he thought, a flicker of gratitude passing through him. Not to mention the quality of this cultivation technique and that pill. Being a young master of the Zhou family does have its perks.

---

As he stood, a faint presence caught his attention. It wasn’t Meng Yao or Meng Yan, nor anyone from his immediate family. Frowning slightly, he walked to the door and opened it.

Standing outside was a middle-aged man chatting with Meng Yao. The man turned upon noticing Zhou Yang, his expression shifting to one of surprise. He quickly bowed. “Congratulations, Young Master.”

Meng Yao, noticing Zhou Yang as well, hurriedly added, “Congratulations, Young Master!”

Zhou Yang raised an eyebrow, realizing they were referring to his advancement. Their surprise wasn’t unwarranted—reaching Foundation Building in a single day was no small feat. However, they didn’t seem overly shocked. Meng Yao, after all, had witnessed his rapid progress before.

“Well done, Young Master,” the man said, his tone sincere yet measured. This was Meng Dan, the Zhou family’s butler and the father of the Meng siblings. Zhou Yang studied him briefly. To any ordinary observer, Meng Dan appeared to be an unassuming middle-aged man. But Zhou Yang’s memories painted a different picture—Meng Dan was a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, a hidden powerhouse.

After congratulating him, Meng Dan said, “The Patriarch has requested your presence in his study.”

Zhou Yang gave him a curious look. For the butler himself to deliver this message... Before he could voice his question, Meng Dan let out a small chuckle.

“I was also curious about your health, Young Master. Now that I’ve seen it for myself, I can report to the Patriarch without worry.”

With that, he gestured for Zhou Yang to follow.

---

As they walked through the vast halls of the Zhou estate, Zhou Yang noted the bustle of servants cleaning and decorating. The preparations were meticulous—expected, given tomorrow’s banquet. The Zhou family doesn’t miss a chance to remind others of their prestige.

The estate itself was immense, more of a castle than a manor. Every corner spoke of wealth and authority, from the grand tapestries lining the walls to the finely polished floors. Zhou Yang couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer scale of it all.

Soon, they arrived at the study. Meng Dan stepped to the side, gesturing for Zhou Yang to enter.

---

Zhou Yang pushed the door open and stepped into the room. His father, Zhou Wen, sat behind an ornate desk, reviewing documents with a focused expression. Without looking up, Zhou Wen said, “Congratulations on your breakthrough.”

“Thank you, Father,” Zhou Yang replied, his tone neutral.

Zhou Wen finally raised his eyes and gave a small nod of approval before returning to his papers. “Tomorrow’s banquet will have many distinguished guests, including the crown prince, Bai Jun.”

Zhou Yang raised an eyebrow. The crown prince?

Zhou Wen continued as if it were a minor detail. “The Emperor has been pressing the matter of a marriage between Bai Jun and Xin’er. He seems to have taken a liking to her.”

The casual mention made Zhou Yang pause briefly, though his expression didn’t falter. “I see,” he said simply. Zhou Wen offered no further explanation, returning his attention to the document before him. Zhou Yang took this as his cue to leave.

As he walked out, a faint, inexplicable smile lingered on his face—a smile that seemed to veil emotions even he couldn’t fully grasp.