The hall was silent as Zhang Taichen turned toward one of the Sword Pavilion’s senior elders, a composed man with streaks of silver in his hair and a firm but collected demeanor.

"Elder Huang Long, see to it that Seo Juwon is taken to a resting chamber. If he wishes, you may grant him access to the Sword Pavilion’s cultivation chamber."

Elder Huang Long stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Understood, Sect Leader."

Turning to Juwon, he gave a slight nod. "Come with me."

Juwon followed the elder through the winding corridors of Wudang, the murmurs of disciples fading as they left the main hall. The cool mountain air filtered through the open walkways, but Juwon remained focused. He had no interest in resting. There was still too much to refine before his match.

After a few moments of walking, Elder Huang Long spoke. "You may rest in one of the guest chambers, or you may enter the cultivation chamber. The choice is yours."

Juwon didn’t hesitate. "The cultivation chamber. I need to refine myself before the battle."

A small flicker of approval crossed Huang Long’s face, but it was gone as quickly as it came. "Very well, but understand that while I can grant you entry, I cannot guide you. That is something you must earn."

Juwon nodded. "That’s fine."

The elder studied him for a moment longer before exhaling. "Luo Chen is no ordinary opponent. He has trained under Elder Shen Mu, and the Phantom Shadow Pavilion is known for its precision. Shen Mu may… ensure Luo Chen is well-prepared."

Juwon smirked slightly. "It won’t change the outcome."

Huang Long raised an eyebrow. "You are confident. But tell me, how much do you truly understand about cultivation realms?"

Juwon’s mind worked quickly. Admitting his ignorance outright could raise suspicion. He chose his words carefully. "My training was… unconventional. My master focused on martial refinement rather than structured cultivation teachings. I have learned through battle, not through classification."

The elder’s eyes flickered with intrigue. "A strange method, but not necessarily an ineffective one. Then let me clarify—cultivation is not merely about amassing Qi. Each realm represents a transformation."

Juwon listened intently. "Qi Awakening is about sensing and absorbing Qi. Foundation Establishment refines that Qi into a stable flow, strengthening both body and spirit. Core Formation takes that stability and condenses it into something greater—a reservoir of power known as the Golden Core. And beyond that… the transformation continues."

Juwon nodded. "So, every stage is more than just a step up in power—it’s a shift in how Qi functions within the body."

"Exactly," Huang Long confirmed. "And you are on the cusp of taking your first true step into the world of cultivators."

They arrived at the cultivation chamber. Huang Long gestured toward the door. "Go. If you truly wish to stand against Luo Chen, refine yourself before battle."

Juwon stepped inside without hesitation.

The moment he entered, he felt it—the dense, untouched Qi circulating through the room. He settled into a seated position, closing his eyes, and began to breathe.

In. Hold. Out.

His mind sharpened, drawing upon the memories of his past fights. Wei Tong’s brutality. Ren Shi’s arrogance. Ren Jiao’s overwhelming power. Each battle had taught him something, and now those lessons merged into one.

"Wei Tong relied on brute strength, but he lacked refinement. Ren Shi had technique, but no adaptability. Ren Jiao… his power was overwhelming, but it consumed him. What do I take from all of them? Strength means nothing without control. Technique without awareness is wasted. Power without restraint is destruction."

His breath steadied as realization settled in. "I’ve been fighting against my own limitations, but now… now I understand. My martial path isn’t about being the strongest—it’s about mastery, adaptation, and pushing beyond my own limits."

His Qi surged, flowing in a steady cycle. This breathing technique… it's evolving. "I can feel it," he murmured. "The efficiency, the control—it's all changing." He could feel the refinements, the improvements.

His Qi moved cleaner, more efficiently, spreading through his limbs and repairing the hidden injuries from battle.

He performed his breathing technique for several hours.

And then it happened.

A tremor ran through his dantian, a shift so profound it felt as though a door had opened within him. His Qi surged, no longer unstable but controlled, flowing like an endless river. His entire being felt renewed, as though reforged from within.

Foundation Establishment Realm.

He exhaled, his body thrumming with newfound energy. So this is what it feels like. His dantian was no longer a simple vessel—it was now a refined, stabilized core, cycling Qi without effort.

He wasn’t done yet.

He stood, his muscles coiling with untapped strength. He clenched his fists, and without thinking, he began to test himself.

He launched a series of rapid strikes, refining the variations of Dragon Fang Void Break. "Draconic Damnation… Flash Fist…" he muttered, testing each with newfound fluidity. "It’s like my body finally understands what I’ve been trying to do all this time."

He avoided the full execution—he had no intention of destroying the chamber—but instead focused on Flash Fist.

Each strike came faster, cleaner. He could feel the difference.

Then, he shifted his stance. Celestial Dragon Steps.

Before, it had felt incomplete, like trying to run through knee-deep water. Now? It flowed.

"Was it really this difficult before? Damn, no wonder I was struggling so much. I was basically forcing my body to move instead of letting it guide me." His footwork came effortlessly, and as he executed Draconic Mirage Step, five afterimages flickered into existence.

Juwon was excited, "Now, onto the next one."

He focused, letting his Qi sink into his steps, performing the moves he saw within the dusted tome. "Now, let's push further. If I can master this…"

Void Drifting Steps.

He vanished—only for an instant—reappearing a few feet away.

A short range, nothing compared to its full potential, but it worked.

"What—what just happened?" His breath was uneven, his senses struggling to adjust.

"I moved through space… but I didn’t just step—I broke into it. This… this is different." His Qi wavered slightly—it drained him more than expected. "Damn, just three times and I’m already near empty? So this technique isn’t just about movement… the energy cost is insane."

He tested it twice more before stopping, realizing that using it a fourth time would deplete him entirely.

So this is my limit for now.

He exhaled, letting the energy settle. "Not bad," he muttered. "But it’s still draining too much Qi. Three uses… I need to improve this." He once again sat in a lotus position, allowing his breathing technique to replenish his Qi over the next two hours. His Qi had transformed.

His breathing technique had ascended to the Foundation Stage, syncing with his body in a way it never had before.

Unlike others, his breathing technique could be used in battle, allowing slight regeneration during combat. It wasn’t much now, but as his cultivation grew, so would its potential.

A few hours earlier
Outside the chamber, the energy spillover was impossible to ignore.

A deep pulse reverberated through the sect, sending ripples of Qi outward like shockwaves in a still lake. The air grew heavier, charged with raw energy that made even seasoned disciples pause mid-practice.

Some disciples instinctively took a step back, unsettled. Others leaned in, eyes widening. Qi fluctuations from breakthroughs were normal—but this? This was something else entirely.

Yuxian sat with Yunfei on a raised balcony overlooking the training grounds, his hands resting behind his head as he felt the shift in the air. The pulse of energy sent a shiver down his spine before settling into a steady, commanding presence.

He grinned. "He really did it."

Yunfei, standing beside him, gave a small nod. "Haha who extrudes such presence when breaking through to foundation establishment?…It seems like my little brother has found a monster this time"

Below them, murmurs spread like wildfire as disciples turned toward the cultivation chamber, their expressions ranging from awe to outright disbelief. Qi flared from the sealed doors, rippling outward like waves across the sect.

Elder Shen Mu, observing from afar, narrowed his eyes. His fingers tapped idly against the wooden railing. "Tch…" His gaze darkened. "It seems I underestimated him. That changes things." The elder walked away with haste as though to prepare for the unexpected. "If this boy keeps advancing at this rate… we may have a problem."

The doors to the chamber creaked open, Juwon stepped outside, and a messenger disciple stood before him.

"Seo Juwon, the Sect Leader has summoned you to the Heavenly Ascendance Arena for your bout with Luo Chen"

Juwon stepped forward, his heartbeat steady and a subtle smirk

"Time to surprise the Wudang sect a little more."