The cultivation cave was quiet.
Outer disciples were allowed to use the lower-tier caves carved into the base of Azure Flame Mountain. The deeper caves closer to the Spirit Vein were reserved for inner disciples, where Spirit Qi density was thicker and breakthroughs came easier.
Lin Xuan sat cross-legged on a cold stone platform inside a small cave marked with the number Seventy-Three.
He had just stepped into Body Tempering Seventh Layer.
In this realm, the first three layers focused on skin and muscle strengthening. Layers four to six refined tendons and bones. The seventh layer began blood refinement, increasing vitality, explosive strength, and recovery speed.
Each breakthrough was normally slow and painful.
His had taken five breaths.
He exhaled slowly.
The air inside the cave was thick with Spirit Qi, though thin compared to higher caves. Even so, after simplifying his Basic Qi Circulation Method into pure breathing, absorption felt dramatically smoother.
Inside his mind, the panel shimmered faintly.
[User: Lin Xuan][Realm: Body Tempering — Seventh Layer]
[Skill List]
[Crimson Flame Twelve-Form Tyrant Sword Art (Minor Completion 12/300)][Basic Qi Circulation Method (Minor Completion 18/300)]
[Gold: 12]
He stared at the numbers.
Minor Completion 12/300.
That meant three hundred total experience points were needed to reach Major Completion. After that would be Perfection, then Great Perfection.
He tested something.
He inhaled deeply.
[Basic Qi Circulation Method +3 EXP][Basic Qi Circulation Method (Minor Completion 21/300)]
He exhaled slowly and inhaled again.
[Basic Qi Circulation Method +4 EXP][Basic Qi Circulation Method (Minor Completion 25/300)]
The more smoothly he breathed, the more efficient the gain.
It wasn't random.
It rewarded correct execution.
He closed his eyes and entered steady breathing.
After ten minutes—
[Basic Qi Circulation Method (Minor Completion 73/300)][Qi Absorption Efficiency Increased]
A warm current flooded his limbs.
His blood felt heavier. Stronger.
He clenched his fist.
The air popped faintly.
Seventh Layer strength was clearly more stable now.
But something bothered him.
Breathing alone would not be enough.
In this world, strength came not only from cultivation but from combat techniques. Body Tempering cultivators still relied heavily on physical martial skills. Weapon techniques. Palm strikes. Movement skills.
He opened his eyes and stood up.
The outer sect training ground was lively when he arrived. Disciples practiced under the afternoon sun, some refining palm techniques, others repeating sword forms.
He walked toward an empty area and picked up a practice spear.
A spear technique flashed through his inherited memory.
Azure Piercing Spear.
A basic outer sect weapon technique. Not as prestigious as the Crimson Flame Sword Art, but still practical.
In his mind—
[Detected Skill: Azure Piercing Spear]
[Skill: Azure Piercing Spear (Entry Level 0/100)]
[Simplify?][Cost: 5 Gold]
He selected Confirm without hesitation.
[Simplifying...]
[Removing complex footwork requirements...][Compressing thrust sequence...][Eliminating rotational spin prerequisites...]
[Simplification Complete]
New Training Condition:Thrust Forward.
Lin Xuan blinked.
That was it?
Just thrust forward?
He adjusted his grip and stabbed straight ahead.
The spear cut through the air.
[Azure Piercing Spear +6 EXP][Skill: Azure Piercing Spear (Entry Level 6/100)]
He thrust again.
[Azure Piercing Spear +7 EXP][Skill: Azure Piercing Spear (Entry Level 13/100)]
The motion was simple.
Direct.
But each thrust subtly improved his alignment. His wrist angle corrected automatically. His shoulder relaxed. The spear point became more stable.
Other disciples glanced at him briefly but lost interest. To them, he was simply repeating a beginner's drill.
They didn't see the skill bar climbing steadily.
Twenty thrusts later—
[Skill Advanced]
[Azure Piercing Spear (Minor Completion 0/300)]
A wave of understanding entered his mind.
Proper distance control.
Timing of release.
How to adjust power without overcommitting.
It felt as if he had practiced for months.
He stopped and looked at the spear in his hand.
This was terrifying.
Not because it was flashy.
But because it was efficient.
He turned his attention inward.
What about body strengthening techniques?
The original Lin Xuan had learned a basic outer sect body method: Stone Body Conditioning Art.
It required slapping sandbags filled with iron powder and soaking in medicinal baths for months.
The memory surfaced.
Immediately—
[Detected Skill: Stone Body Conditioning Art]
[Skill: Stone Body Conditioning Art (Entry Level 4/100)]
[Simplify?][Cost: 5 Gold]
He confirmed.
[Simplifying...]
[Removing medicinal bath dependency...][Removing iron sand conditioning requirement...][Compressing impact adaptation logic...]
[Simplification Complete]
New Training Condition:Clench Fists.
Lin Xuan stared.
Clench fists?
He slowly tightened both hands.
[Stone Body Conditioning Art +5 EXP][Skill: Stone Body Conditioning Art (Entry Level 9/100)]
He released and clenched again.
[Stone Body Conditioning Art +6 EXP][Skill: Stone Body Conditioning Art (Entry Level 15/100)]
His knuckles tingled faintly.
Not painful.
Just firm.
He clenched repeatedly while standing casually.
Within minutes—
[Stone Body Conditioning Art (Entry Level 100/100)]
[Skill Advanced]
[Stone Body Conditioning Art (Minor Completion 0/300)]
[Bone Density Increased][Muscle Fiber Strength Enhanced]
A subtle crackling sound came from his arms.
His forearms felt heavier. Denser.
He exhaled slowly.
In Body Tempering realm, physical reinforcement was fundamental. Normally, disciples needed months of iron sand conditioning to strengthen their hands and bones.
He did it by clenching.
He looked around.
No one noticed.
The system did not make him flashy.
It made him quietly terrifying.
Suddenly—
A sharp voice interrupted.
"Lin Xuan."
He turned.
Su Yueqing stood a few steps away, her gaze steady.
"You broke through yesterday. Now you're refining spear and body techniques?"
Her eyes lingered on his stance.
He realized something.
She wasn't mocking him.
She was assessing him.
He lowered the spear.
"Just practicing."
She stepped closer and observed the ground, where faint spear marks showed consistent depth.
"Your thrust is stable," she said. "Better than yesterday."
He didn't deny it.
Instead, he asked, "Senior Sister, how long did it take you to master your sword art?"
She paused.
"One year to Minor Completion. Three to Major Completion."
He nodded slowly.
In this world, talent determined speed.
But repetition determined mastery.
For him—
Repetition had been simplified.
He looked up at her.
"One month until Inner Sect evaluation."
She nodded.
At the end of each year, outer disciples could challenge into the Inner Sect. Only those who reached Body Tempering Ninth Layer or early Qi Gathering stood a chance.
He clenched his fists again.
[Stone Body Conditioning Art +3 EXP][Stone Body Conditioning Art (Minor Completion 23/300)]
She raised a brow slightly.
"You're improving while standing still?"
He smiled faintly.
"Something like that."
She studied him for several seconds.
Finally, she turned to leave.
"If you truly intend to challenge for Inner Sect," she said without looking back, "you'll need more than one strong technique."
He watched her figure disappear into the training hall.
More than one technique?
He glanced at his skill list again.
Sword.
Spear.
Breathing.
Body conditioning.
All progressing steadily.
He understood something important now.
The system did not remove effort.
It removed wasted effort.
He still had to act.
Still had to repeat.
Still had to cultivate.
But every repetition counted.
He sat down on the edge of the training ground and simply breathed.
[Basic Qi Circulation Method +5 EXP][Basic Qi Circulation Method (Minor Completion 112/300)]
He clenched his fists.
[Stone Body Conditioning Art +4 EXP]
He picked up the spear and thrust once.
[Azure Piercing Spear +5 EXP]
Three skills.
Three progress bars.
All moving forward.
Around him, outer disciples sweated, grunted, and struggled with complicated sequences.
Lin Xuan simply did simple things.
And grew stronger.
He closed his eyes.
The Inner Sect evaluation was one month away.
Body Tempering Ninth Layer was within reach.
And after that—
Qi Gathering.
The realm where Spirit Qi condensed into the dantian and true energy techniques began.
If breathing could be simplified…
Then perhaps gathering Qi—
Could become something even simpler.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Progress, he realized—
Was a simple thing.
If you removed everything unnecessary.