Chapter 31: Qi Condensation and a Strange Amorphous Shape
Xu Mo sat down cross-legged. The loneliness that had previously reached 99 percent finally broke through the final barrier, reaching a complete 100 percent. He had no time to dwell on his restored vision or hearing. During the trial, Xu Mo had attained a higher realm than his real body, and all the comprehension and Qi he had cultivated within the trial returned to him.
The Qi rushed toward him like a dam breaking and flooding a village. Fortunately, the advantages of the Dao of Silence began to manifest. The Qi, which had approached him like a tidal wave, would have undoubtedly alarmed the sect’s powerful figures, but his absorption of Qi was utterly silent.
Inhale~
He took a deep breath, and all the Qi surged into his meridians. Thanks to his extraordinary talent in cultivation—a genius even among prodigies—his veins were able to withstand the destructive amount of Qi that could have obliterated a peak Qi Condensation disciple.
Agh-
It wasn’t that Xu Mo was completely unharmed, but he managed to hold his own. He knew the reason for his defeat at the hands of Long Chen in the trial. While his arrogance and pride had played a role, the deeper truth was that no one had come to his aid. No sect master, no so-called ancestor, no Elder Long—not a single person stood by his side. Even those who had flattered him as the True Successor in the trial quickly switched allegiances when they saw Long Chen emerge victorious.
"Break!"
With a single word, Xu Mo shattered the barrier separating a mortal from a cultivator. His Qi, which had slowed at one point, began rushing through his veins once more. The loneliness in his heart, which had taken on a strange black-and-greyish liquid luster, started to compress. Slowly, it transformed into a tiny, multifaceted shape with sharp edges.
One.
Two.
...
Ten.
There were a total of ten sharp edges in the compressed loneliness at the center of his heart.
The spiritual energy in the cell had already grown thin. Xu Mo noticed that most of his Qi was being absorbed by something. He opened one eye and saw that the bracelets on his wrists were the culprits. At one point, the Qi within the cell could no longer support Xu Mo’s immense consumption. He willed the Qi outside the cell—even beyond the Disciplinary Hall—to converge toward him.
The spiritual energy hesitated for a moment before rushing into the ground, coiling toward Xu Mo like a dragon encircling its prey.
Crack-
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Finally, the bracelets could no longer withstand the relentless pressure of the Qi Xu Mo was channeling. With a sharp crack, they shattered.
Thud!
The bracelets fell from his wrists. Xu Mo saw red marks where they had once been locked. His malnourished skin began to regain its luster, and the impurities accumulated in his body started to excrete. For a moment, he grew anxious, fearing that the loneliness in his heart might also be expelled.
Xu Mo’s cultivation realm climbed to the second level of Qi Condensation before the advancement finally ceased.
The Drifting Dragon Breathing Method was the foundation of the Hidden Dragon Sect—an incomplete yet practical technique that all inner disciples relied upon. It was not a supreme method capable of shattering mountains with a single breath, nor did it grant overwhelming battle prowess. However, it had one defining trait: stability.
Unlike forceful methods that sought to dominate and refine Qi through brute strength, the Drifting Dragon Breathing Method followed a more patient path. It allowed Qi to seep into the meridians like mist rolling through mountains—gradual, persistent, and steady.
Xu Mo had cultivated this method for years during the trial. Although its slow progression had frustrated him at times, especially as his talent had degraded, he could not deny its effectiveness.
The transition from the first stage to the second stage of Qi Condensation was not a simple matter of accumulating Qi. Many disciples remained stuck at the initial stage, unable to progress due to the method’s inherent flaw—its Qi circulation was incomplete, lacking the final step to fully condense and refine Qi.
Yet, through sheer perseverance, Xu Mo had discovered the key during the trial: resonance.
The first stage was about gathering Qi—pulling it into the body and storing it within the dantian. However, merely accumulating Qi without refining it was akin to filling a lake with rainwater but never filtering out the impurities. It remained stagnant, impure, and inefficient.
The Drifting Dragon Breathing Method did not provide an obvious solution for this, but Xu Mo had uncovered a hidden layer within the technique—the Dragon’s Echo. Unfortunately, he had failed to reach the final stage, resulting in his defeat against Long Chen.
By circulating his Qi in a slow, spiraling motion rather than letting it settle passively, he could create a faint rhythm within his meridians. This rhythm resonated with his dantian, allowing his stored Qi to compress slightly with each cycle.
The process was painstakingly slow. Unlike elite techniques that allowed disciples to break through in days or weeks, Xu Mo had spent months refining this step.
He also envied the technique Long Chen had cultivated during the trial. He didn’t know what it was, but he knew it was of an extremely high level—something he couldn’t even begin to fathom with his limited knowledge.
But once his Qi reached the right density, the breakthrough was instantaneous.
A deep hum echoed within his body.
The stagnant Qi that had once floated aimlessly in his dantian suddenly condensed, becoming denser and purer. The once mist-like energy had formed its first true layer, stabilizing his cultivation.
With that, Xu Mo had officially stepped into the second stage of Qi Condensation.
Despite his success, Xu Mo remained composed. Unlike high-tier cultivation methods that granted explosive growth upon breaking through, the Drifting Dragon Breathing Method only strengthened his Qi foundation. It made him more resilient rather than instantly more powerful.
Many might wonder why Xu Mo only reached the second stage of Qi Condensation after being assaulted with such an extreme amount of Qi. The truth was that Xu Mo was now cultivating two paths: the path of simple cultivation, breaking through realm after realm, and the path of the Dao of Silence. The Dao of Silence itself was divided into nine stages, each separated by a trial—a trial that was completely random.
His Qi was now denser, more refined, and slightly more responsive. In battle, it wouldn’t make him faster or stronger outright, but it would allow him to sustain techniques longer without exhausting himself as quickly.
More importantly, the Drifting Form Stage (the second-to-last stage) of the technique ensured that his cultivation level remained unpredictable to others. Even those at a higher realm would struggle to determine his exact strength.
This was a subtle advantage, but an advantage nonetheless.
Yet, as he sat in meditation, feeling the steady pulse of Qi within him, Xu Mo knew one thing for certain—this technique was still incomplete. The Dragon’s Echo was missing its final layer, and until he uncovered the missing knowledge, he would always be cultivating at a disadvantage. But this time, he had the support of the Dao of Silence.
Xu Mo sensed the greyish-black, ten-edged shape inside his heart. The Qi that had gathered in his dantian was now covered by this black-lustrous entity, which represented the Dao of Silence. The spiritual energy emitted from his body was shrouded, and his very being became silent—truly silent. Xu Mo felt a strange sense of emptiness and silence permeating his existence.
For now, though, he had taken another step forward. In this world, even the smallest step could mean the difference between survival and destruction. This time, he would not repeat the mistakes he had made in the trial. And as for that Jin Meiyu Saintess... "I won’t even glance in your direction, you death reaper."