Breakthrough

Li Wei wakes up. His eyes open. The early morning light dimly lights the cave. He sits up from his bedding. He rubs his eyes. He then stretches his arms. He gets up and stands in the cave. He walks a few steps and stops. He takes a deep breath.

"I need to reach level 6 immediately," he thinks. "I'm already behind schedule." He knows what he needs to do. "I'll save the inner disciple's pill and the qi flow talisman for later," he decides. "It's better to use them when I'm at a bottleneck rather than right now." 

Over the next four days, Li Wei dedicates himself to practising Bone Shot and increasing his cultivation. 

Every day, Li Wei's primary focus is on essence consumption. He wakes up with a clear objective: to increase his capacity and strength by diligently consuming the bone essence. He methodically consumes as much essence as possible, pushing his limits to the maximum.

When he reaches the point where he can no longer ingest any more essence, he takes this as a cue for a break. During these breaks, he shifts his attention to practising Bone Shot. His dedication to mastering this technique is unwavering, and he spends these intervals honing his skills, working on the precision and power of his projections.

After practising Bone Shot and feeling he can handle more, Li Wei returns to consuming bone essence, continuing this cycle throughout the day. He spends hours in this rigorous routine, alternating between essence consumption and technique practice. His determination to master both aspects of his cultivation is evident in his disciplined approach.

This cycle of consuming essence and practising Bone Shot becomes the rhythm of his days, each cycle bringing him closer to the mastery and strength he seeks. 

His supply of bone essence diminishes by the end of the four days. He has used a significant amount from his pouches. His fingers show signs of strain. He feels the exhaustion from the continuous practice. Yet, he also feels a sense of progress. He notices a slight improvement in his accuracy. He is more confident in his control of the technique.

Each evening, he finishes his practice. He sits in his cave, reflecting on his progress. He plans for the next day. He is committed to his goal. He knows the importance of mastering Bone Shot. He rests, preparing for the next day of practice and consuming bone essence. 

Following his routine consumption of essence, Li Wei suddenly opens his eyes in the morning. A distinct sensation courses through him. "It's coming, I can feel it," he thinks, recognising the signs of an impending breakthrough in his cultivation.

He is acutely aware of the changes about to occur within his body. Quickly, he starts to prepare. He removes his robes and carefully sets them aside, leaving himself bare in anticipation of what will come.

"Better take these off to avoid soiling them." 

As Li Wei braces himself for the breakthrough, he becomes acutely aware of a sensation building deep within him. He sits down, focusing inward, preparing for what is to come. The anticipation is palpable.

Suddenly, it starts. A thick, viscous liquid begins to ooze from Li Wei's pores, an unmistakable sign of the intense internal process underway. It's an almost overwhelming experience. Recalling the words of the inner disciple, Li Wei thinks, "This liquid must be the bones being cleansed." He watches, almost detached, as the liquid seeps out, symbolising a profound internal transformation.

"Ah!"

The breakthrough is indeed intense. Li Wei's body undergoes a deep, thorough cleansing. The liquid continues to flow, covering his skin in a disturbing yet necessary display. Amidst this, he begins to feel a sharp, needle-like pain penetrating his bones, a physical manifestation of the deep cleansing and transformation occurring within.

"I can accumulate more Qi now. My capacity has definitely increased." He senses a greater space within himself for Qi, like an expanded reservoir, allowing him to hold and manage more energy than before.

"This breakthrough has not just improved the flow; it's increased the very space for Qi within me," he thinks, marvelling at the sensation. His internal energy system has expanded, enhancing his ability to cultivate and store Qi.

He continues to explore this newfound capacity, feeling the Qi fill the expanded pathways and reservoirs within him. "This is more than I expected," he acknowledges, feeling the power and responsibility of this increased capability. Realising that he can now harness and hold more Qi is a significant turning point in his cultivation journey, opening up new possibilities and challenges.

The physical demands and the mess from the breakthrough process seem trivial compared to his progress. "It was worth it," he reflects.

He stands up, feeling a newfound strength and capability coursing through him. He's aware of the residual liquid covering his body, a tangible reminder of his traversing path. "I'll need to clean this up," he acknowledges.

The sensation of Qi flowing within him is a powerful testament to his advancement. "This is more than just a step forward; it's a leap," he contemplates, deeply aware of his significant progress. 

Li Wei makes his way to the stream. The stream greets him with its gentle flow, starkly contrasting the intensity of his recent experiences. He steps into the cool water, feeling an immediate sense of relief as it envelopes him.

As the water swirls around him, he watches the liquid oozing from his skin dissolve and wash away. He begins to scrub his body, his actions deliberate and thorough. He intends to remove every trace of the stench and residue from his skin. His movements are methodical, ensuring no part of his body is overlooked during this cleansing process.

"I really need some soap," he thinks. He realises that in his single-minded pursuit of reaching the 8th level, he has neglected some basic comforts and luxuries. "I've been so engrossed in my cultivation that I've forgotten about such simple things," he reflects. This moment by the stream serves as a reminder of the small pleasures and necessities that can make the rigorous journey of cultivation more bearable. 

"Once I deal with Xue Feng, I'll focus on these things," he thinks, setting a mental marker for when he'll allow himself the luxury of such comforts as soap. The thought of Xue Feng brings a sharpness to his resolve.

Li Wei finishes washing off the remnants of the breakthrough. He steps out of the stream, feeling cleaner and more refreshed. 

After being satisfied that he's clean, Li We leaves the stream. He walks back to his cave. The walk back is slow. He feels the exhaustion from the breakthrough. It has taken a toll on his body. He reaches his cave and enters. The familiar surroundings offer a sense of comfort.

He decides to rest. He sits down, feeling the weight of his tiredness. The breakthrough, though successful, has drained him. He closes his eyes. He allows himself to relax. His mind drifts to his achievement. "Finally, I'm at the 6th level," he thinks. "Only two levels left," he notes.

"This is looking more and more possible," he concludes. He feels a growing belief in his ability to reach his goals. The rest helps him to recover from the physical demands of the breakthrough. He lies there, contemplating his next steps, bolstered by his recent advancement.

"I've still got time today. I need to take care of a couple of things I've been putting off."

He thinks about the first task at hand: "I need to set up that intrusion talisman. It's been sitting there, and I can't delay any longer." 

"And I have to convert some of the bone essence into pill form." He considers the trade value of these pills, "I can exchange them for more techniques."

"I've been so focused on breaking through to the next level that I've let these chores slide." 

Li Wei carefully examines the entrance wall of his cave, holding the intrusion talisman. He searches for the right spot to set it and decides on a low-down crevice hidden from immediate view. Carefully, he places the talisman there, ensuring it's concealed yet effective in its function.

Recalling the shopkeeper's instructions, Li Wei first attempts to activate the talisman by injecting a substantial amount of Qi into it. He concentrates deeply, channelling a strong flow of Qi towards the talisman. Despite his efforts, there's no response; the talisman remains inactive. He furrows his brow, puzzled. "I thought Qi was supposed to activate it," he thinks, feeling frustrated.

Determined to get it working, he tries again, sending another powerful surge of Qi into the talisman. Yet, the result is the same as before—no glow, no sign of activation. His frustration grows. "This should be working," he mutters, unsure why the method described by the shopkeeper isn't yielding results.

Changing his approach, Li Wei injects only a small amount of Qi this time. He touches the talisman gently, channelling a minimal amount of Qi into it. To his relief, this time, the characters on the talisman glow faintly, indicating that it is now active. The glow lasts briefly before fading, confirming the talisman's activation.

"Fuck, I guess it's on," Li Wei says to himself, a mix of relief and residual annoyance in his voice. He steps back, satisfied to see the talisman discreetly placed and functioning.

"Right now, for making pills, I need to refill the pouches. Breaking through wasn't cheap."

With the talisman set up, Li Wei turns his attention to his stockpile of essence. He walks to the back of the cave where he previously buried the large sack of purified bone ash.

Kneeling down, Li Wei begins to dig through the earth and moss, gradually uncovering the sack he had carefully concealed. The sack is heavy, filled with the potent bone ash he meticulously prepared. He unties the sack and opens it, revealing its valuable contents. Inside, the refined bone ash looks almost luminescent in the dim light of the cave.

Li Wei then retrieves the empty pouches he has kept aside. One by one, he fills each pouch to the brim with bone ash, ensuring he has an ample supply. The process is methodical and precise. He scoops the bone ash with care, making sure not to waste any of it. Each pouch is filled steadily, the fine powder shifting and settling as he adds more. The task requires his full attention, as he knows the importance of having enough essence for the challenging cultivation ahead.

With each pouch filled, he carefully seals them, ensuring the essence is securely contained. 

Once all the pouches are filled, Li Wei places them neatly beside his usual cultivation spot. He then reseals the large sack, carefully reburying it in its hiding spot for future use. He pats down the earth and moss, concealing the sack once again.

Li Wei contemplates his next steps. "I'm just changing their form," he thinks. "I can still consume them if necessary." He decides to transform the essence into pills.

He begins by gathering his materials: the essence, a pill-rolling board, and the bowl from his mortar and pestle, along with a small cup of water. He arranges everything methodically on the cave floor, sitting cross-legged in front of the pill-rolling board with the pouches of essence beside him.