Chen Qing had just finished sweeping up the dust and fallen leaves when a knock came at his courtyard gate.

Standing outside was Shen Xiuyong. He wasn’t wearing his usual martial attire today, but a loose-fitting training uniform instead.

"Junior Martial Uncle Shen," Chen Qing said, stepping aside to welcome him in.

"Nephew Chen, I hope I’m not disturbing your cultivation?"

Shen Xiuyong stepped into the small courtyard and smiled. "It seems your Spear Technique has improved again, Nephew. Your momentum has grown even more profound."

"You flatter me, Junior Martial Uncle. I’ve only had a minor insight."

Chen Qing led him inside and poured some light tea. "Did you come today for a particular reason, Junior Martial Uncle?"

Shen Xiuyong accepted the teacup and pondered for a moment before saying, "I came to let you know... I’m preparing to enter seclusion."

Hearing this, Chen Qing looked up at Shen Xiuyong. "Seclusion? Junior Martial Uncle, are you going to..."

"That’s right."

Shen Xiuyong nodded and took a deep breath. "In this seclusion, I will attempt to condense True Astral and break through to the Astral Force Realm!"

Chen Qing’s heart stirred at his words.

Not long ago, Elder Yue Cheng from the Sect had also attempted a breakthrough, but he ultimately failed. It was said that he even damaged some of his Primordial Qi. The incident caused quite a stir within the Sect and made several Elders and Stewards stuck at Embracing Pill Perfection even more cautious.

He put down the teapot and said with a serious expression, "The barrier to the Astral Force Realm is exceptionally dangerous. Elder Yue Cheng’s recent failure is a stark reminder. You must be extremely cautious, Junior Martial Uncle. I wish you success in your seclusion. May you achieve your goal in a single stroke!"

A complex smile appeared on Shen Xiuyong’s face. "Thank you for the good wishes. I have been accumulating my strength for many years for this seclusion, and the Sect Leader has granted me Earth Core Milk to help condense my True Qi. I have... a fair bit of confidence."

Chen Qing nodded.

Shen Xiuyong was on good terms with him, so he genuinely hoped that his junior martial uncle could break through to the Astral Force Realm.

Shen Xiuyong seemed to recall something and said earnestly, "I heard that a few days ago, Miss Nie opened her final Main Meridian. Her True Qi now flows perfectly, and she has officially reached Embracing Pill Perfection. Her foundation is extremely solid, and she even underwent Bone Marrow Cleansing with the Three Hundred Years Earth Core Milk. I estimate she only needs another year or two to consolidate her foundation and reach her peak state before she can attempt to break through to the Astral Force Realm."

"Nephew Chen, you are exceptionally talented and progress at a divine speed. You cannot afford to slack off in the slightest. You must understand that when breaking through a realm’s bottleneck, the younger you are, the more vigorous and abundant your vitality and energy, and the greater your chance of success! You must hurry and strive to make your attempt during your golden years!"

The older one gets, the lower the probability of breaking through a bottleneck, though there are, of course, rare exceptions for late bloomers.

Chen Qing nodded. "Thank you for the information and advice, Junior Martial Uncle. I understand."

Nie Shanshan had already opened Eleven Orthodox Meridians and possessed a profound foundation. After consuming the Three Hundred Years Earth Core Milk, her Root Bone and aptitude improved even further. Opening all Twelve Orthodox Meridians to reach Perfection was only a matter of time.

According to Chen Qing’s own estimates, with his current Seven Forms Root Bone aptitude, he could open one Main Meridian in just three months with the aid of sufficient Centennial Earth Core Milk. Relying solely on his cultivation in the Langya Pavilion, however, would take four to five months to open one.

He had already opened Nine Orthodox Meridians and was just a step away from the tenth.

Barring any accidents, he could expect to break through to the Astral Force Realm in about a year.

Of course, all of this was predicated on his [Heaven Rewards Diligence] Fate Plate.

Chen Qing asked, "Junior Martial Uncle, True Astral is far superior to True Qi. If I may ask, are there also different levels within the Astral Force Realm?" 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

He had read about Astral Force in some books, but nothing compared to information passed down by word of mouth.

Hearing this, Shen Xiuyong smiled. "Since you’ve asked, there’s no harm in explaining it to you."

Chen Qing’s expression turned serious. He cupped his fists and said, "Please enlighten me, Junior Martial Uncle."

"Mm."

Shen Xiuyong slowly began to explain. "When an ordinary Martial Artist first enters the Astral Force Realm, they typically compress their True Qi by force, guiding the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi to perform an initial refinement. This condenses a wisp of True Astral energy within their Dantian or meridians. This is called Inner Astral."

"In the Inner Astral Realm, the True Astral has just formed. Its power far surpasses True Qi, and it can leave the body to injure enemies, greatly increasing one’s ability to protect themselves and survive. However, the True Astral mostly remains within the body. Its connection to the outside world is still shallow, its ability to mobilize the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi is limited, and its power has not been maximized. Most of the Elders within the Sect, myself included if I succeed this time, will likely be at this realm."

He paused, his tone growing more solemn. "And above Inner Astral, there is an even more profound realm: Outer Astral. One must refine their Inner Astral until it is incomparably pure. Then, with a single thought, the True Astral can pass through the body and create a strong resonance with the surrounding Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi. You can command it as easily as your own limbs. It can be shaped for body protection or used to attack enemies from a distance. Its power is immense and its wonders are extraordinary."

Inner Astral! Outer Astral!

’I’ll remember these two realms,’ Chen Qing thought to himself, committing them to memory.

Speaking of this, Shen Xiuyong looked toward Lake Heart Island. "Across our entire Wutai Sect, the only person who has cultivated their True Astral to the Outer Astral Realm is the Sect Leader. This is a realm that can only be reached through many years of arduous cultivation, continuous accumulation and refinement, and the nourishment of Earth Core Milk."

"Thank you for clearing my doubts, Junior Martial Uncle!" Chen Qing thanked him earnestly once more.

"Alright, I’ve said what I needed to say."

Shen Xiuyong stood up, patted Chen Qing on the shoulder, and said gravely, "Be careful in all things. The Demon Sect’s movements have become more frequent recently, and several of the conflicts that have broken out have been quite large-scale. It seems that even with the Four Great Sects joining forces to suppress them, the Demon Sect is still growing and spreading in the shadows... I’m afraid they’re about to lose their patience."

After listening, Chen Qing nodded. "Rest assured, Junior Martial Uncle. This disciple understands."

"That’s good."

Shen Xiuyong said no more and turned to leave.

Chen Qing rose to see Shen Xiuyong out of the courtyard gate, then returned to his Quiet Chamber and retrieved a small black notebook from a hidden compartment.

He opened the booklet, revealing ink of varying ages.

His finger traced across the pages, finally stopping on the two words: "Bai Qingquan."