The effect was cataclysmic.
If the Five Elements Pill had been a warm flood, this was a tidal wave. A vast, pure, and potent energy exploded in his stomach, surging through his body with the force of a breaking dam. At the same time, the spirit stones in his lap dissolved into pure Qi, drawn into the vortex of his cultivation. He was being assaulted by a tsunami of energy from both within and without.
His newly forged foundation, the Supreme Immortal Foundation, held firm. His meridians, wider and more robust than any normal cultivator's, stretched under the immense pressure but did not break. The Supreme Immortal Scripture worked at its peak efficiency, a divine waterwheel spinning furiously in a raging river, refining the chaotic flood of energy into pure, usable Qi.
The barrier to the 4th Layer of the Qi Condensation Realm, which he had been approaching, offered no resistance. It wasn't broken; it was annihilated by the sheer volume of energy. His body trembled as the first wave of advancement Qi washed over him, but the torrent didn't stop. He felt his bones groan as they were forcibly compressed, growing denser and stronger.
His flesh and muscles were torn down and re-woven on a cellular level, infused with a vitality that was almost painful in its intensity. He gritted his teeth as a second, more powerful wave slammed into him, shattering the barrier to the 5th Layer of the Qi Condensation Realm.
This wasn't cultivation; it was a violent, forced evolution. The energy from the pill finally began to wane, but the spirit stones provided the final push. With a deep, resonant boom that echoed only in his soul, the dam to the 6th Layer of the Qi Condensation Realm burst.
A deep, abiding sense of power settled within him. Only then did the system notifications flash through his vision, a clinical summary of the violent miracle that had just occurred.
[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully broken through to the Qi Condensation Realm - Layer 4.]
[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully broken through to the Qi Condensation Realm - Layer 5.]
[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully broken through to the Qi Condensation Realm - Layer 6.]
The torrent of energy finally slowed, settling into a deep, powerful equilibrium. The spirit stones in his lap had turned to grey dust. The night was almost over; the first hints of dawn were painting the eastern sky.
Aryan opened his eyes. The room was the same, but his perception of it was fundamentally different. He felt an incredible, vibrant power thrumming in every fiber of his being. He clenched his fist, and the air itself seemed to compress slightly around his knuckles. He had gone from the 3rd Layer to the 6th Layer of the Qi Condensation Realm in a single night. It was a feat so monstrous, so contrary to the laws of cultivation, that it would be met with utter disbelief, or terror.
He stood up, his body feeling light and impossibly strong. He held up his right hand. The throbbing pain in his fingers was gone, healed by the breakthrough. He focused his mind, integrating the knowledge from the Iron-Core Finger manual with his Void Piercer. He channeled a tiny wisp of Qi to the tip of his finger. This time, it didn't feel like a brute-force injection. It flowed through the newly established, stable pathways, cycling and compressing with a grace and efficiency that was breathtaking. The tip of his finger glowed with a tiny, needle-pointed pinpoint of light, sharp and deadly, but he felt no strain in his hand. He had refined his weapon.
A quiet knock on his door signaled the start of the new day. It was Meera, her voice soft.
"Aryan, are you awake? Mom is making breakfast."
"I'm coming," he replied, his own voice sounding deeper, more resonant to his ears.
He opened the door and stepped out. As he walked into the main room, his brother Rohan was just stepping into the courtyard for his morning training. Rohan's eyes met his for a second. The customary sneer began to form on Rohan's lips, but it died before it could fully form. The blood drained from his face.
His own Qi, which he had been gathering for his morning practice, instinctively recoiled as if it had touched a hot furnace. His cultivator's senses weren't just screaming; they were shrieking a warning of imminent danger. The aura emanating from Aryan was no longer the fragile energy of a novice. It was dense, heavy, and sharp-edged, an oppressive presence that felt terrifyingly close to his own peak strength.
Aryan just nodded at his stunned brother in greeting and sat down at the table, a deep, unshakeable calm settling over him. He had the resources. He had the techniques. And now, he had the power. The Azure Dragon Academy was no longer a distant goal. It was simply the next location on the map.