Two months later, I finally reached the Seventh Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm.
The moment I broke through, a powerful surge of spiritual energy flooded my meridians. My body felt as if it were overflowing with power, all of it rushing toward my dantian, swirling like a storm that refused to calm down.
If I didn't release some of this energy and stabilize it properly, it would only create problems for my future cultivation.
I slowly opened my eyes.
"So this is what it feels like…"
The pressure inside my body was immense, yet strangely exhilarating.
Fortunately, I had read countless cultivation novels and manhua in my previous life. Although most of them were fictional, the concepts they introduced still gave me plenty of ideas.
If sword cultivators could condense sword intent…
Then a magic cultivator should be able to do something similar.
I extended my hand and focused my mind.
The mana inside my body gathered at my fingertips, slowly taking shape. At first it was unstable, flickering like a fragile flame.
But after a few moments, the mana condensed into a floating blade made entirely of energy.
I stared at it in silence.
Then I grinned.
"First attempt… success."
The blade hovered quietly in the air, shimmering with faint blue light.
Controlling it, however, was another matter.
If I wanted to use this technique effectively in battle, I would need absolute control over it.
I crossed my arms and thought for a moment.
"What should I name this technique?"
My imagination briefly ran wild.
"Heavenly Light Fire Dragon Emperor Diamond Blade Destruction…"
I paused.
Then I shook my head and laughed.
"Yeah… that sounds ridiculously long."
After a moment of consideration, I settled on something much simpler.
"Magic Blade."
Perfect.
From that day onward, my routine changed slightly.
Every time I finished cultivating and broke through to a new stage, I would spend hours refining my Magic Blade technique, improving my control over it.
Days turned into weeks.
Weeks turned into months.
Slowly but surely, the single floating blade became easier to control.
Eventually, creating it felt as natural as breathing.
I couldn't help but compare it to my previous life.
Back then, I spent twelve exhausting hours a day working in an office, staring endlessly at spreadsheets and contracts.
Compared to that life…
This was infinitely better.
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.
Within those six months, my cultivation finally reached the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Crossing that threshold felt like stepping into an entirely new world. The spiritual energy inside my body became far more stable and powerful, flowing through my meridians like an endless river.
Meanwhile, my Magic Blade technique had also improved tremendously.
What began as a single floating blade had now become seven blades.
Seven shimmering swords of condensed mana floated silently around me, each responding instantly to my thoughts.
I could control them effortlessly.
At this point, the technique had already reached a level of mastery that felt almost instinctive.
One morning, just as I finished a cultivation session, a sudden knock echoed from the door of my room.
I frowned slightly.
It had been months since anyone had bothered to visit.
"Come in," I said calmly.
The door opened, revealing a servant who bowed respectfully.
"Young Master Wajin, your father is looking for you. He requests that you come to the Clan Hall immediately."
I stood up slowly.
"Alright."
As we walked through the clan grounds, I couldn't help but observe my surroundings more carefully.
During the past year, I had barely stepped outside my residence. My entire focus had been on cultivation.
But now that I finally looked around…
I realized something surprising.
The Celestial Sword Clan was enormous.
Buildings stretched endlessly across the mountainside, connected by wide stone roads and towering gates. Disciples moved about in organized groups, and training fields could be seen in every direction.
The scale of the clan was astonishing.
If someone from my previous world saw this place, they might mistake it for a modern city.
No wonder the Celestial Sword Clan was considered one of the Seven Great Families on this continent.
Seven ancient clans so powerful that even the Emperor himself would hesitate to offend them.
Eventually, we arrived at the Clan Hall.
The servant stopped at the entrance and bowed slightly.
"Second Elder, Young Master Wajin has arrived."
From inside the hall, a calm voice responded.
"…Come in."
The doors opened.
Inside the vast hall, there was only one person sitting calmly on a large chair.
My father.
The Second Elder of the Celestial Sword Clan.
The moment his gaze landed on me, his expression changed slightly.
For a brief moment, I saw genuine surprise in his eyes.
He had clearly sensed it.
My cultivation.
"Foundation Establishment…"
A faint chill passed through the room.
Apparently, he hadn't expected me to reach this realm so quickly.
As I looked at him, however, I felt a small wave of disappointment.
Honestly…
My father looked exactly like the typical scheming elder you would see in cultivation manhua.
Sharp eyes.
Cold expression.
The kind of person who always looked like he was secretly planning something.
In those stories, characters like him usually tried to kill the protagonist sooner or later.
How disappointing.
After a moment of silence, he finally spoke.
"Oh… I truly did not expect this."
"You managed to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm in only one year."
He paused briefly.
"Your suspension has now been lifted."
"You may return to the Azure Cloud Sect and continue your cultivation there."
I remained silent for a moment.
Then I shook my head.
"But Father…"
"I don't want to return there anymore."
I looked around the quiet hall calmly.
"I'm quite comfortable staying here."
looked at my father again.
"What do you mean " with cold expression
The more I observed him, the stranger the feeling became. I couldn't sense his exact cultivation level, but the faint pressure surrounding him was overwhelming.
The deeper I thought about it, the more convinced I became of one thing.
He was probably one of the strongest cultivators in this entire region.
Perhaps even among the peak experts of the continent.
Honestly… that realization made me slightly uncomfortable.
I cleared my throat and spoke calmly.
"To be honest, Father… I simply want to stay here."
I folded my hands behind my back.
"Our family already has more than enough resources. Returning to the Azure Cloud Sect doesn't make much sense for me."
Then I shrugged casually.
"Besides, knowing my luck, I might accidentally offend someone again."
The previous owner of this body had already proven how talented he was at causing trouble.
It would be safer if I just stayed inside the clan.
I paused for a moment before adding another request.
"Although… if possible, could you provide me with some Grade Five medicinal herbs or higher?"
"They would be extremely helpful for my cultivation."
For a brief moment, the hall fell silent.
Then my father leaned back slightly in his chair and smirked.
"You greedy idiot."
His voice sounded both amused and annoyed at the same time.
"Very well."
"If your cultivation continues to improve, I will provide you with whatever resources you need."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"But don't become lazy."
I immediately straightened my posture.
"Yes, Daddy!"
Without hesitation, I bowed dramatically—almost a full 360-degree motion—before turning around and sprinting toward the door.
Behind me, my father simply stared in disbelief.
"…What kind of strange behavior is that?"
As I walked through the long stone corridor of the clan hall, I suddenly turned toward the guard accompanying me.
"Find someone."
The guard blinked.
"…Young Master?"
"Someone at the same cultivation realm as me."
Understanding slowly dawned on his face.
"Young Master… are you looking for a sparring partner?"
I nodded.
"Exactly."
A short time later, we arrived at the clan's private training stadium.
Only members of the pure bloodline of the Celestial Sword Clan were allowed to use this arena.
The training field was enormous, large enough to hold hundreds of disciples at once.
The guard soon returned with a young man following behind him.
"Young Master, this is Liyan. His cultivation is also at the Foundation Establishment Realm."
I studied the man briefly.
He looked to be around twenty-two years old, with a strong build and sharp eyes.
I casually tossed a small pill bottle toward him.
"Take one."
Liyan caught it instinctively.
"Why?"
"So you don't have to worry about injuries," I replied calmly. "Just focus on fighting me."
Inside his mind, Liyan felt slightly irritated.
I'm twenty-two years old and only just reached the Foundation Establishment Realm…
Meanwhile this boy hasn't even grown a proper beard yet.
And he already reached the same realm.
He must have been raised entirely on medicinal pills.
A trace of frustration flashed across his eyes.
"Very well, Young Master," he said respectfully.
The duel began.
Liyan immediately activated a movement technique, his body becoming a blur as he dashed forward.
Meanwhile, I stood calmly in place, holding nothing more than a simple wooden training sword.
Liyan frowned slightly.
He's underestimating me…
Gathering his strength, Liyan leaped into the air, preparing to strike downward with a powerful swing.
But the moment he descended—
Something unexpected happened.
A shimmering blade of mana suddenly appeared out of thin air.
Then another.
And another.
Before Liyan could react, one of the floating Magic Blades shot forward like lightning.
Bang!
The blade struck him directly in the stomach.
His eyes widened in shock.
A powerful force launched him backward, sending his body flying across the training field before crashing onto the ground several meters away.
Dust scattered into the air.
Silence filled the arena.
I calmly lowered my wooden sword.
"…Hmm."
"Maybe I used a little too much power."