Indeed, Jiang Bai planned to break through tonight.

Due to her habitual thinking, Shan Hongyi had fallen into a misconception.

As a modern person, her common sense told her that to break through from the initial level to the mid-level, one must have the assistance of various mysterious substances.

This was one of the few consensuses in the Fifth Era of Mysterious Tides.

No one could break through without the aid of materials.

But Jiang Bai was not from the Fifth Era of Mysterious Tides; he came from 1,200 years ago.

He possessed abilities in three systems, all at Sequence 0.

1,200 years ago, Jiang Bai was already one of the top ability users.

Who hadn't heard of the name "Cicada"?

Transcendent - Jiang Bai had already touched this level back then, though it was called by a different name at that time.

If he hadn't mastered the Immortal Substance, how could Jiang Bai have slept for 1,200 years?

If it were any other ordinary person, even if they had sealed their own abilities, they wouldn't have lived this long!

However, due to his prolonged sleep and the tight seal, the Immortal Substance that Jiang Bai once mastered was either sealed or dissipated, no longer existing.

Therefore, Jiang Bai's breakthrough did not require the assistance of external materials.

In the darkness, Jiang Bai lowered his head and looked at the ability meter on his wrist.

In the Fifth Era of Mysterious Tides, people in the East were accustomed to calling the quantified unit of ability "Qi", which is the ancient way of writing "气" (energy).

Qi was used to divide the levels:

Initial-level ability users: below 100 Qi

Mid-level ability users: above 100 Qi, below 1,000 Qi

High-level ability users: above 1,000 Qi

Of course, the division of the three levels was not just a difference in the quantity of ability, but also in quality!

Initial-level ability users could only store their ability in their blood, which was not only inefficient in storage but also caused great self-consumption.

An important sign of breaking through from the initial level to the mid-level was using ability to refine bones!

As long as one successfully refined a bone into a container for ability, they would be considered to have stepped into the threshold of the mid-level!

This meter cost Jiang Bai 1,000 Star Coins, with a measurement range of [0-1500 Qi]. Even a newly entered high-level ability user could use it, truly value for money.

At this moment, a number appeared on the surface:

[99 Qi]

Jiang Bai took off this meter and took out another ability meter from his pocket.

This was what he had privately asked for from the shop owner when buying the combat suits.

Jiang Bai had bought three combat suits at once, overpaying by more than a thousand Star Coins. This second-hand meter as a kickback was reasonable, and the shop owner naturally wouldn't refuse.

Except for Jiang Bai and the shop owner, no one knew he had a second ability meter.

Jiang Bai put this meter on his wrist, took a deep breath, and began to mobilize the ability within his body.

The number on the meter flickered a few times and began to jump wildly!

80...99...124...267...396...455...

500 Qi!

Finally, the number on the ability meter stopped at 500!

Looking at this number, Jiang Bai wasn't surprised.

The Sequence ability [Human Harmony] not only gave Jiang Bai a faster cultivation speed but also increased his advancement limit!

While others could prepare for breakthrough when reaching the level of 100 Qi, Jiang Bai needed 5 times that, which was 500 Qi!

In a week's time, with his own five times cultivation speed, plus constantly using Inch Stop to increase his ability reserve limit, Jiang Bai had barely reached the level of 500 Qi starting from zero.

Only after reaching this level could he proceed to the next step, officially using Qi to refine bones.

As for the method of bone refining, the Director had prepared a set for Jiang Bai in advance, of decent grade, ready to use directly.

However, considering his special circumstances, Jiang Bai made a bold decision.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

He wrote down the method he used to refine bones 1,200 years ago, gave it to the Director, and asked him to help improve it.

The Director spent three days and nights, combining modern knowledge, filling in gaps, improving this ancient technique. He then spent another day verifying its safety before handing it to Jiang Bai.

In the Director's knowledge, this bone refining technique was one of the best in the world in terms of both difficulty and intensity!

If anyone could learn this technique, just the first bone refining threshold would require at least 300 Qi!

Completing the first bone refining would take no less than 400 Qi!

In other words, no initial-level ability user could use this technique!

And mid-level ability users wouldn't rashly change their bone refining technique, as it would disrupt their ability balance, causing loss of control, tantamount to suicide!

Even though this technique seemed impractical, for its academic value, the Director decided to let Jiang Bai name it and then archive it.

Jiang Bai named it: "The Ninth Set of Bone Refining Exercises"

Tonight, Jiang Bai was prepared to use this method to refine his bones, break through the initial level, and officially step into the mid-level!

An adult human has 206 bones in total, among which there are 8 skull bones, the most complex part of the vertebrate skeletal system.

Generally, when ability users refine bones, they start with the simplest ones, such as hands and feet, the limbs.

These areas, even if bone refining fails, can be stopped in time to minimize damage.

Since he was starting from scratch, Jiang Bai decided to start with the skull bones!

This decision was not made on a whim, but after careful consideration.

Firstly, the head is fragile, and before becoming a transcendent, the head would be one of Jiang Bai's biggest weaknesses.

Refining the skull bones could compensate for this weakness.

Secondly, Jiang Bai had read the Sequence Ability Periodic Table during this time and found that many sequence abilities were related to mental control, memory reading, and mind manipulation.

To resist the influence of these sequence abilities, refining the skull bones was the most effective method!

Jiang Bai's memories must not be read by others, as this would affect the success or failure of the Cicada Plan!

Perhaps Jiang Bai couldn't complete the Cicada Plan,

But,

Jiang Bai must not hinder this mission!

Therefore, Jiang Bai, with 500 Qi, chose to challenge refining the most difficult skull bones!

Jiang Bai began to make the final preparations before the breakthrough.

He lit a plate of mosquito coils and placed it nearby. Normally, high-grade items like calming incense should be used, but now Jiang Bai was deeply in debt, poor as a church mouse, so he had to make do with mosquito coils.

A bit of ceremony, but not much.

Jiang Bai sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, entered meditation, visualized, mobilized the Qi within his body, and began to refine...

As the Qi surged in, a point of golden light appeared on his frontal bone. The golden light slowly expanded, gradually consuming the frontal bone.

The night passed silently.

The sky began to lighten faintly.

Just as dawn and night were alternating, the research institute's power went out on schedule.

Inside the room, Jiang Bai was still sitting cross-legged, motionless, like an old monk in deep meditation.

The mosquito coil, after burning all night, had exhausted its last bit.

After a night of cultivation, Jiang Bai still hadn't successfully refined his skull bones!

The Ninth Set of Bone Refining Exercises was indeed too difficult. Even Jiang Bai, with 500 Qi, was struggling at this moment!

In the long tug-of-war, the frontal bone was coated with a light golden color, with only a few corners not yet successfully refined.

And time seemed not to be on Jiang Bai's side.

As he was making the final push, the faintly golden frontal bone began to tremble, and hair-like fine cracks began to appear one by one!

This was the result of the frontal bone not being completely refined, causing an imbalance in the Qi of various parts, leading to mutual conflict!

Once the skull cracked, it would mean Jiang Bai's breakthrough attempt had ended in failure, and Jiang Bai himself would be severely injured!

And this was a consequence Jiang Bai couldn't bear!

Just as Jiang Bai was about to fail, he moved!

He slapped his forehead with one hand and growled,

"Inch Stop!"

Jiang Bai used his last bit of Qi to forcefully activate his sequence ability, applying Inch Stop on himself!

This was different from Jiang Bai's previous ingenious idea; he wasn't using [Inch Stop] to interrupt [Inch Stop] to exploit a bug, but was normally using the ability.

However, he was using it on his own skull bones!

This action was extremely dangerous!

Too little Qi, and there would be no effect.

Too much Qi, and he might kill himself with one slap.

Fortunately, Jiang Bai's control over Qi was top-notch, and he was in an almost exhausted state at this moment. Not too much, not too little, just right!

This time, Jiang Bai's target for interruption was the cracking of the skull bones!

The moment Inch Stop fell, the fine cracks on the frontal bone stopped spreading!

At the same time, the light golden color seized the opportunity to surge out, frantically sweeping through the last unconquered territory!

Under the influence of Inch Stop, the entire frontal bone became incredibly easy to refine!

Using the precious time gained by Inch Stop, seizing the opportunity, Jiang Bai completed the refinement of his frontal bone!

Success!

The fine cracks completely disappeared, and Jiang Bai's frontal bone emitted a brilliant golden light!

Wow! Golden frontal bone!

Just as Jiang Bai successfully stepped into the mid-level, countless Qi from heaven and earth poured into Jiang Bai's body, infusing into his frontal bone, like an enlightening baptism!

The number on the ability meter began to jump again!

100...500..700..1000..1400..

When the number jumped to 1500, it stopped jumping!

Cracks began to appear on the surface; this was already at the measurement limit of the ability meter!

But this was not Jiang Bai's limit!

As more Qi poured in, the cracks became denser, and finally, with a bang, a puff of smoke rose, and the meter exploded from the center, shattering into countless pieces.

In the faint smoke, Jiang Bai, with golden light emanating from his head, slowly opened his eyes.

His gaze was incredibly calm, filled with confidence and power.

Mid-level ability user, achieved.