Ryven returned to his cultivation chamber with Victoria's precious resources, his mind buzzing with anticipation. The jade boxes containing Solar Heart Crystals, Thousand-Year Phoenix Grass, and Concentrated Yang Essence represented more than just cultivation materials—they were the key to unlocking his true potential.
As he arranged the resources in optimal formation around his meditation position, Ryven reflected on the extraordinary nature of his situation. Most cultivators required months or even years to progress through each stage of Foundation Realm, carefully building their foundation to avoid future bottlenecks. But his unique combination of the Eternal Origin Physique and Ancestral Chaos Bloodline, harmonized by the ancient pill, had created conditions that defied conventional cultivation wisdom.
Settling into the lotus position, Ryven began with the Solar Heart Crystals. Each crystal was roughly the size of his palm, radiating warmth like miniature suns. As he held the first crystal and initiated the Eternal Origin Cultivation Technique, the pure yang energy contained within began flowing into his meridians with unprecedented ease.
What should have been a gradual absorption process lasting hours was completed in mere minutes. The crystal crumbled to dust as every trace of its energy was consumed, refined through his physique, and compressed into incredibly pure qi that settled into his dantian. More remarkably, there were no impurities whatsoever—his Ancestral Chaos Bloodline seemed to automatically purify any foreign substances, while his Eternal Origin Physique condensed the energy to a degree that should have been impossible at his cultivation level.
One by one, Ryven consumed all six Solar Heart Crystals, each absorption faster and more efficient than the last. His comprehension of the process improved with repetition, allowing him to optimize the energy pathways and maximize the conversion rate. By the time he finished with the crystals, his cultivation had already begun pressing against the barrier between Body Refinement and Qi Awakening.
But Ryven had no intention of stopping at Qi Awakening. His understanding of qi manipulation had evolved far beyond what that stage was meant to teach. He could already perceive spiritual energy with crystal clarity, manipulate it with precision that matched Fusion Realm practitioners, and compress it to densities that defied his supposed cultivation level. The Qi Awakening stage would be nothing more than a waste of time.
Instead, he began consuming the Phoenix Grass while simultaneously attempting to breakthrough directly to Qi Condensation—a feat that should have been impossible without proper foundation in Qi Awakening.
The moment the first stalk of Phoenix Grass dissolved in his mouth, Ryven understood why Victoria had paid twenty thousand dollars for just three stalks. The energy contained within was not just potent—it was incredibly refined, carrying traces of phoenix fire that resonated perfectly with his yang constitution. His meridians expanded to accommodate the massive influx of power, while his dantian compressed the new energy into increasingly dense qi.
As he worked through the second stalk, something extraordinary happened. His cultivation didn't just breakthrough to Qi Awakening—it blasted through that stage entirely, directly entering Qi Condensation without pause. The transition was so smooth that Ryven barely noticed when he crossed the boundary between major cultivation stages.
The third stalk of Phoenix Grass pushed him rapidly through the early levels of Qi Condensation. First level, second level, third level—his advancement was relentless and showed no signs of slowing. His foundation remained perfectly stable despite the unprecedented speed, both his physique and bloodline working in harmony to accommodate the rapid changes.
Finally, Ryven opened the crystal vials containing Concentrated Yang Essence. If the previous resources had been impressive, this was on another level entirely. Each vial contained yang energy so pure and concentrated that it felt like holding liquid fire. As he consumed the first vial, the energy exploded through his system with such intensity that steam began rising from his skin.
His cultivation rocketed through the remaining levels of Qi Condensation. Fourth level, fifth level, sixth level—each breakthrough accompanied by visible changes to his physique as his body continuously refined itself. His muscle definition became more pronounced, his features more striking, and his overall presence more commanding. The lustful tendencies from his bloodline grew stronger with each advancement, though his mental discipline kept them manageable.
By the time Ryven consumed the final vial of Yang Essence, he had reached something that should have been impossible: the peak of Qi Condensation's ninth level. He had not only skipped an entire cultivation stage but had advanced through nine levels in a single session, reaching a point that typically required years of dedicated cultivation.
More shocking still was the quality of his qi. As Ryven examined his internal energy through spiritual perception, he realized that his compressed, purified qi was more potent than what most Soul Realm cultivators possessed. The combination of his physique purifying the energy and his bloodline eliminating all impurities had created qi so refined that it defied conventional understanding.
"This is impossible," he whispered, though the evidence was undeniable. His foundation was rock-solid, his energy pathways perfectly optimized, and his qi quality exceeded what should have been achievable at any Foundation Realm level. The resources that should have lasted months had been completely absorbed in a single night, transformed into cultivation advancement that bordered on the miraculous.
But perhaps most remarkable of all was how effortlessly his body had handled the entire process. There had been no strain, no risk of qi deviation, no foundation instability. His physique and bloodline had worked in perfect synchronization, optimizing every aspect of the cultivation process to achieve maximum efficiency with minimum waste.
As dawn light began filtering through the chamber, Ryven stood and tested his new capabilities. His physical strength had increased dramatically—he estimated he could now punch through steel plates without difficulty. His speed and agility had improved proportionally, and his spiritual senses had expanded to cover several miles in every direction.
More importantly, his comprehension abilities had reached truly extraordinary levels. The Nine Heaven Sword Arts, which had seemed impossibly complex just hours before, now appeared manageable. As he reviewed the inherited techniques in his mind, Ryven realized he could understand concepts and principles that should have required years of study.
Focusing on the first form of the Nine Heaven Sword Arts—Heaven's Opening—Ryven found that his enhanced comprehension allowed him to grasp not just the physical movements, but the underlying qi manipulation, timing requirements, and energy flow patterns. What had been a confusing jumble of instructions now made perfect sense.
Summoning the Void Eclipse Sword from his dantian, Ryven began practicing the form with real understanding for the first time. His movements flowed with natural grace as muscle memory, enhanced comprehension, and refined qi control combined into something approaching mastery.
Within two hours of practice, he had achieved what should have taken months—perfect execution of Heaven's Opening at the foundational level. The sword technique was no longer just a series of movements but a seamless integration of physical motion, qi manipulation, and spiritual intent that created effects far beyond the sum of its parts.
Testing the completed technique against a reinforced training dummy, Ryven was amazed by the results. The sword stroke didn't just cut through the target—it seemed to ignore physical resistance entirely, slicing through the reinforced materials as though they were paper. The technique operated on principles that transcended simple physical force, incorporating elements of spatial manipulation that he was only beginning to understand.
"If the first form is this powerful," Ryven mused, examining the clean cut that had bisected not just the training dummy but the concrete floor beneath it, "what will the later forms be capable of?"
But those were questions for another time. Right now, he needed practical experience to develop his battle instincts and test his abilities against real opponents. His rapid cultivation advancement had given him tremendous power, but power without experience was dangerous for both him and anyone around him.
Fortunately, the modern cultivation world offered solutions for exactly this problem. Orbiting Earth was Tianxing—the cultivation planet purchased by ancient masters and relocated to provide optimal training environments for human cultivators. The Strathor family, like all registered cultivation clans, maintained their own territorial domain on Tianxing accessible through private portals.
It was time to test his abilities in real combat.
Later That Evening - Strathor Family Portal Chamber
The Strathor family's portal chamber was located in the basement of the main estate, hidden behind security doors that required both biometric identification and qi signature verification. As Ryven descended into the facility, he marveled at the sophisticated technology that made interplanetary travel routine for cultivation families.
The chamber itself was impressive—a circular room fifty feet in diameter with walls covered in complex arrays of crystalline formations and metallic inscriptions. At the center stood the portal gate, a ring of polished obsidian twenty feet across that currently showed only empty air within its bounds.
David Strathor was waiting for him, having received Ryven's request for portal access with a mixture of pride and concern. "Are you certain you're ready for this, son? Tianxing isn't like Earth. The spiritual energy density alone can be overwhelming for first-time visitors, and the beast territories are genuinely dangerous."
"I'm ready, Dad," Ryven replied, checking his equipment one final time. He carried minimal gear—the Void Eclipse Sword secured in his dantian, a communication device for emergencies, and basic survival supplies. His cultivation level and enhanced physique made most traditional equipment unnecessary.
David nodded and began activating the portal systems. "The Strathor territorial domain spans roughly a hundred square miles in Tianxing's northern temperate zone. We maintain several training facilities and safe houses throughout the territory, but you'll be entering the beast hunting grounds on the eastern border. Remember—the beasts there range from Foundation Realm to Soul Realm levels. Don't engage anything beyond your capabilities."
The portal gate began to hum with power as energy flowed through the activation arrays. Within the obsidian ring, space began to ripple and distort until it showed a view of another world entirely. Rolling hills covered in strange vegetation stretched toward mountains that glowed with spiritual energy, while the sky overhead held an alien tint that spoke of different atmospheric conditions.
"The qi density on Tianxing is roughly ten times higher than Earth's," David continued, "so you'll find your cultivation techniques more effective but also more energy-intensive. The increased spiritual pressure takes some adjustment, but it shouldn't be a problem for someone who's reached Qi Condensation."
Ryven stepped toward the portal, feeling the strange energy emanations washing over him. His enhanced senses could already detect the incredible richness of Tianxing's spiritual environment, a density of qi that made his cultivation-starved body practically sing with anticipation.
"I'll be back within a week," he promised his father, then stepped through the portal into an entirely new world.
The transition was seamless—one moment he was in the family's basement chamber, the next he was standing on alien soil under a sky that held two moons despite being midday. The spiritual energy density was indeed overwhelming, like breathing liquid power instead of air. His cultivation base immediately began absorbing the rich qi, passively strengthening his foundation just from environmental exposure.
But it was the sense of limitless possibility that truly struck him. On Earth, his advancement had been constrained by resource availability and environmental limitations. Here on Tianxing, with qi density that dwarfed his home world and challenges that would push his abilities to their limits, Ryven felt that he could truly explore the full scope of his potential.
Drawing the Void Eclipse Sword, he began moving toward the eastern territories where ancient beasts waited to test his newfound skills. His real cultivation journey was about to begin.