Nian Lin did not stop.
Although he had successfully stepped into the First Layer of Qi Condensation, the pain raging throughout his body showed no signs of fading. The spiritual energy contained within the two-headed bird embryo had not been fully absorbed. It surged through his meridians like a wild torrent, threatening to tear him apart from the inside.
Gritting his teeth, Nian Lin continued circulating the cultivation chant recorded in the bamboo scroll.
The thin stream of qi flowing through his body grew steadier with each cycle. As it circulated, more and more black impurities seeped out from his pores, covering his skin with a foul-smelling greasy substance.
Time slowly passed.
Eventually, the violent energy within him calmed down.
The qi stream settled into a stable circulation path, continuously moving through his meridians.
Only then was Nian Lin certain.
He had truly broken through into the First Layer of Qi Condensation.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
He wanted to stand up, but the exhaustion accumulated over months of cultivation and the recent ordeal suddenly overwhelmed him. Although his body felt stronger than ever before, his mind was completely drained.
His vision darkened.
The last thing he saw was the dim cave ceiling.
Then he lost consciousness.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
A strange sound echoed into his ears.
Nian Lin slowly opened his eyes.
The cave was dark.
For a brief moment, confusion flashed through his mind before he realized what had happened.
He had passed out.
Looking toward the cave entrance, he could see faint daylight filtering through the cracks.
Morning had already arrived.
The tapping sound continued.
Rainwater was falling outside.
Nian Lin slowly sat up.
The moment he moved, a foul odor assaulted his nose.
Looking down, he discovered that his entire body was covered in a layer of sticky black impurities.
At the same time, he noticed another change.
His body felt light.
Very light.
Strength surged through his limbs.
His senses had become noticeably sharper. His vision was clearer than before, and even the distant sound of rainfall seemed much easier to hear.
Most of the old injuries covering his body had disappeared.
The scars left behind by years of struggle had faded considerably.
Nian Lin clenched his fist.
A smile appeared in his cold eyes.
"So this is cultivation..."
After a moment of silence, he pushed open the hidden exit of the cave and stepped outside.
Rain poured from the sky.
The cold droplets struck his skin.
Finding a secluded area, he removed the impurities from his body and thoroughly washed himself clean.
After the filth was gone, his skin appeared much fairer than before. His long black hair hung behind his back, while his cold black eyes seemed deeper and sharper.
However, such appearance was meaningless in this world.
Beauty could not kill monsters.
Beauty could not keep a person alive.
In fact, pale skin only made one easier to spot during the night.
After washing himself, Nian Lin deliberately smeared mud across exposed portions of his body before returning to the cave.
Only then did he retrieve the last two pieces of preserved meat.
During his breakthrough, he had not dared prepare food. If something had gone wrong, all the effort would have been wasted.
After finishing his meal, Nian Lin picked up the sword manual once more.
According to the scroll, true sword cultivation could only begin after reaching the Third Layer of Qi Condensation.
However, Nian Lin had no intention of waiting.
Waiting for perfect conditions was a luxury reserved for the dead.
The outside world would not wait for him.
The monsters would not wait for him.
Death would certainly not wait for him.
Therefore, he opened the manual and carefully studied every illustration again.
This time, things were different.
His newly strengthened senses allowed him to notice details he had completely overlooked before.
The angles of the stances.
The positioning of the feet.
The direction of force.
Many vague concepts suddenly became clearer.
The desire to immediately practice surged within him.
Unfortunately, the cave was far too narrow.
One wrong movement could shatter the walls or damage his shelter.
Nian Lin looked toward the rain outside.
"Once the rain stops..."
His fingers tightened around the manual.
"I'll hunt."
Not merely for food.
But to test the strength of his First Layer Qi Condensation.
And to sharpen the sword in his hand.