Night fell.

Jiang Man listened to the Old Yellow Ox’s explanation.

Just as he’d expected, the Old Yellow Ox’s lecture was far easier to understand than Yan Yiqiu’s. Not only that, but he also progressed much faster.

He would be able to start his Cultivation before dawn.

It wasn’t until midnight that the Old Yellow Ox finally advised, "You have too little of the Cultivation Skill for now, so this is all I can teach you. You can try cultivating and then wait for the rest of the lectures in the coming days.

"Just come back and tell me what you learned. I’ll continue to explain it to you. You don’t have much time.

"The Nascent Condensation Skill is not like a Qi Refining Method. Your Talent is high, but there are still risks involved."

Jiang Man paid it no mind. Instead, he asked curiously before beginning his Cultivation, "Old Huang, I’m an Unparalleled Celestial Pride. Why haven’t I attracted any attention?

"Reaching Foundation Establishment fifteen days after joining the Sect—isn’t that talented enough?"

The Old Yellow Ox gave Jiang Man a cold look and retorted, "Do you think reaching Foundation Establishment is difficult?"

"Not at all," Jiang Man said, shaking his head. "Give me the resources and the Cultivation Skill, and anyone could do it."

"With the resources and the Cultivation Skill, couldn’t anyone else do it too?" the Old Yellow Ox asked.

Jiang Man paused. ’That’s true, I guess.’

With the resources and the Cultivation Skill, it was easy for them too.

’But they’re not as fast as me.’

"Let me put it another way. As long as they can enter the Secret Realm, who in the entire Outer Sect *can’t* reach Foundation Establishment?" The Old Yellow Ox looked at Jiang Man calmly. "To the Sect, they can produce as many Foundation Establishment cultivators as they want. Do you think that’s something rare?

"There are no geniuses in Qi Refining, and Foundation Establishment is nothing special either.

"How much faster are you than others?

"Is there really a big difference between a baby who walks a month early and one who walks a month late?

"You’re looking at it from the wrong perspective. From the standpoint of the Yunqian Bureau, your promotion was extremely fast. Among your fellow Outer Sect disciples, you’re a genius who reached Foundation Establishment a year or two ahead of them.

"But from the perspective of some Great Cultivators in the Inner Sect, you’re at best a worthy investment to earn some Spiritual Source.

"Anyone stronger than that wouldn’t even be on their radar.

"If you don’t reach the later Realms, your current speed is just a flash in the pan.

"It has no real value.

"They can have as many as they want."

The Old Yellow Ox looked at Jiang Man and said in a low voice, "The great order of the Immortal Sects allows everyone to pursue Immortal Cultivation.

"You’ve never understood the weight of those words.

"The era of relying on one’s Spirit Root to absorb Spiritual Qi ended long ago.

"Talent?

"Bottlenecks?

"The Immortal Sects have already paved over all of that."

Jiang Man thought of the Innate Profound Yellow Cauldron.

’It’s true. They can produce as many Foundation Establishment cultivators as they want.’

’They can make anyone reach Foundation Establishment if they choose.’

’Under the great order of the Immortal Sects, my unparalleled Talent is revealing itself far too slowly.’

’Besides, these Foundation Establishment cultivators have a flawed understanding of pulling all-nighters.’

’Their perspective really is too narrow.’

Then, Jiang Man asked, "Then why hasn’t anyone invested in me?"

"Hasn’t someone?" the Old Yellow Ox countered.

Jiang Man was taken aback.

’Senior Sister Yu?’

’Then why haven’t I heard anything?’

"Perhaps your Talent is too high and you’re advancing too quickly," the Old Yellow Ox said casually.

Jiang Man shook his head slightly. "Old Huang, as an Unparalleled Celestial Pride, it seems I’m constantly underestimated in this Sect."

"So what do you plan to do about it?" Old Huang asked, curious.

"I can’t rush it," Jiang Man said calmly. "Even light needs time to reach the earth."

Putting these thoughts aside, Jiang Man began to cultivate.

He walked to the edge of the cliff and took a deep breath. "If they’re not going to absorb all this Spiritual Qi at night, I might as well take some more.

"Can’t let it go to waste."

Then, Jiang Man began to circulate the Nascent Condensation Skill.

The Nascent Condensation Skill was just as difficult as the Celestial Heart Seal.

It wasn’t just a matter of meridians, but also the duration of the resonance.

It required one to create resonance through an understanding of their own body and knowledge of the Cultivation Skill.

Whether it was one vibration or two, it had to be precise.

Furthermore, one had to figure out how long it lingered in the meridians.

The speed of its passage, and so on.

The Old Yellow Ox had already told him everything about the Cultivation Skill itself; the rest was about synchronizing it with his body.

That required personal Cultivation.

This was Jiang Man’s strong suit. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

But even so, it was nearly dawn by the time he completed the first full circulation.

He had yet to reach the Entry Level.

’That’s reasonable, though.’

Then, as day broke, Jiang Man completed the second circulation.

Simple Yuan Condensation Method: Entry Level.

The moment he reached the Entry Level of the Nascent Condensation Skill, Jiang Man felt the Cultivation Skill crystallize, forging a new path within him.

Without someone to explain it, he likely would have suffered a qi deviation.

The more profound the Cultivation Skill, the more incomprehensible it was.

If you gave it to a Qi Refining cultivator, they wouldn’t be able to practice it anyway.

Dawn signaled that it was time for class.

Although he had already reached the Entry Level, he still had to continue listening to Mr. Yan’s guidance.

’Just in case the Old Yellow Ox’s instructions were wrong.’

But as soon as the day’s class was over, Zhao Yaoyao asked him if he had stayed up all night cultivating.

She said his residence was right on the edge of a cliff, and she could clearly see a figure cultivating there all night.

Jiang Man told her the truth.

She kindly informed him that pulling all-nighters to cultivate was not beneficial for Foundation Establishment.

While it might improve his cultivation now, in half a month, he would start to feel blockages.

She feared his ranking in three months would be near the bottom.

Her words were earnest and sincere; she was genuinely trying to persuade him.

For a moment, Jiang Man didn’t know how to refute her, so he could only say, "There’s so much Spiritual Qi at night and no one is absorbing it, so I just had to take a little extra."

Zhao Yaoyao stared at him, bewildered.

’Is your Realm going to drop if you don’t absorb Spiritual Qi?’

When Yan Yiqiu learned that Jiang Man was staying up all night to cultivate, she also advised him, saying that his habits from the Qi Refining stage were no longer suitable for Foundation Establishment.

Jiang Man simply nodded in response.

Then he went back that night and continued his all-night Cultivation.

Four more circulations later.

Simple Yuan Condensation Method: Second Layer.

Eight more circulations after that.

Simple Yuan Condensation Method: Third Layer.

Sixteen more circulations after that.

Simple Yuan Condensation Method: Fourth Layer.

Thirty-two more circulations after that.

Simple Yuan Condensation Method: Fifth Layer.

At this point, Jiang Man could only switch to cultivating other things to reach a total of one hundred and fifty circulations.

He continued until dawn, then headed to the Ninth Courtyard for his studies.

「On the third day.」

Nascent Condensation Skill: Sixth Layer.

「On the fifth day.」