The combination of his Swordsmanship, Cultivation Technique, and the dual application of the Flow of Water allowed Zhong Ming to refine Spiritual Qi with extreme fluidity and ease, completely free of obstruction.
This not only extended the time he could refine Spiritual Qi but also allowed him to better contain it, preventing it from dissipating too quickly.
Thanks to this advantage, after several days, Zhong Ming's Qi Sea Acupoint was already polished to perfection.
After closing his eyes to assess his condition and realizing he was only a single catalyst away, an expectant Zhong Ming immediately went to his most familiar spot—beneath a small tree.
He then took a couple of sips of sake, leaned against the tree, and, cradling his longsword, entered a state of cultivation.
"INHALE, EXHALE..."
"WHOOSH..."
As Zhong Ming's breathing synchronized with the rhythm of nature, a massive amount of Spiritual Qi was drawn to him, flowing as naturally as water.
The next moment, under Zhong Ming's control, this Spiritual Qi surged through his body like a rampant Flood Dragon.
Thanks to the Flow of Water, the Spiritual Qi flowing inside him never crashed violently against his meridians. Instead, it followed their natural curves, bypassing obstructions and clearing the path on its own.
And this current flowed with incredible speed.
Eventually, Zhong Ming no longer needed to consciously direct it. As long as he kept breathing, the Spiritual Qi circulated ceaselessly within him.
Of course, due to his mediocre Spiritual Root, Spiritual Qi constantly dissipated during this process. However, a continuous stream of new Spiritual Qi also entered his body through his mouth and nose.
This unique cycle of breathing and circulation allowed Zhong Ming to enter a pseudo-perpetual state.
'The predecessors' insights really are useful.'
As the Spiritual Qi circulated through his meridians, it gradually became imbued with his aura and branded with his unique mark. This was the process by which natural Spiritual Qi transformed into Zhong Ming's own Magical Power.
Furthermore, when this Magical Power flowed to his Qi Sea Acupoint, it would branch off from the Dragon of the Spirit Qi Stream and merge into the acupoint itself.
The massive influx of Spiritual Qi caused Zhong Ming's Qi Sea Acupoint to transform from something illusory into a semi-corporeal Divine Treasure.
'Just a little more.'
Sensing this, Zhong Ming didn't form his Magical Power into a blade to slash an opening into his Qi Sea Acupoint from the outside.
That wasn't how one broke through with the Longxi Breathing Technique.
A Divine Treasure within the human body should not be forced open so crudely.
"INHALE, EXHALE..."
With each of Zhong Ming's breaths, more and more Spiritual Qi flooded into his Qi Sea Acupoint.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the massive influx of Spiritual Qi finally pushed Zhong Ming's Qi Sea Acupoint to its breaking point.
The next moment, with a deep HUM, Zhong Ming's body trembled, and his mind suddenly went blank.
When Zhong Ming's Divine Soul regained clarity, he found himself in a place of vast, empty darkness.
An indescribable feeling welled up within him.
This unique sensation, however, was fleeting. Before Zhong Ming could even begin to process it, it faded away, and the surrounding darkness receded with it.
In less than a breath, Zhong Ming found that his consciousness—or perhaps, his Spirit—was resting upon a thin surface of water.
'Is this... my Dantian Qi Sea?'
Glancing around, Zhong Ming saw that his newly opened Qi Sea wasn't particularly large, nor did it have any unusual features.
His Magical Power was even more pitiful—just a thin layer that barely coated the bottom of the Qi Sea.
But this didn't disappoint Zhong Ming in the slightest.
'I've only just entered the Qi Cultivation realm. My Spiritual Root isn't high-grade, and my Cultivation Technique isn't Divine Level. It's perfectly normal for there to be no special phenomena.'
'But as long as I keep grinding away, one day my Qi Sea will be as vast as an ocean, and all sorts of incredible phenomena will manifest.'
After indulging in these thoughts of the future, Zhong Ming's eyes flew open, brimming with excitement.
"Seven days of arduous cultivation have finally borne fruit... Now, I can truly call myself a Qi Cultivator!"
...
Having opened his Qi Sea Acupoint and advanced to the rank of Qi Cultivator, Zhong Ming was filled with countless emotions.
At the same time, a sense of emptiness washed over his body and mind.
This was followed by a feeling of profound relief, as if he had broken through a barrier, his body suddenly unburdened.
Now, Zhong Ming was qualified to go to Master Sister Mo Shuying and receive an A-level Rating.
But now that he had succeeded, Zhong Ming was in no rush.
He closed his eyes again, taking stock of the changes in his strength now that he was a Qi Cultivator.
"INHALE, EXHALE..."
As his Magical Power circulated, it took only a few breaths for Zhong Ming to truly feel the difference between a Qi Cultivator and an ordinary person.
'Even with just this thin layer of Magical Power, I'm several times stronger than I was before.'
Zhong Ming could now use his Magical Power to enhance his physical body.
This enhancement made his body feel lighter, caused his strength to skyrocket, and even made his defenses more resilient.
In addition, Zhong Ming could channel Magical Power to his eyes, ears, and nose to heighten his senses.
'Cultivators truly are in a class of their own. My Magical Power is practically omnipotent; it can enhance me in every possible way.'
And these were just the most basic enhancements.
But for Zhong Ming, the greatest change that came with possessing Magical Power was that his Third Realm Longxi Sword Drawing Technique could finally unleash its full potential.
HUM...
As Magical Power circulated rapidly through his body, Zhong Ming had an epiphany.
'When it reaches its peak circulation, if I draw my sword, the strike will no longer be just a physical attack. Empowered by Magical Power, this strike will be able to slice through steel, and more importantly, it will unleash... Sword Qi!'
'In the Mortal World, this would already make me a Sword Hero... Cultivators are really something else. Just entering the Qi Cultivation realm puts you on par with a Sword Hero from the Mortal World.'
Of course, in his excitement, Zhong Ming seemed to have forgotten that his Longxi Sword Drawing Technique had already reached the Third Realm. In the mortal world, that alone was enough to earn him the title of Swordsman.
...
Opening his Qi Sea Acupoint and experiencing a surge in strength filled Zhong Ming with an unconcealable sense of exhilaration and excitement.
However, while some rejoiced, others despaired.
On this final day to qualify for the A-level Rating, the disciples from prominent families who possessed B-class Spiritual Roots and still held a sliver of hope were giving it their all.
But as noon approached, the group at the Longxi Daoist School had no choice but to stop their Qi Cultivation.
Even the most reluctant family disciples had to stop—their meridians simply couldn't endure any more prolonged cultivation.
As they opened their eyes, many of the cultivators with B-class Spiritual Roots wore bitter expressions.
Jiang Yue and Liu Wanyu were no exception.
Liu Wanyu asked, "Young Master Jiang, did you break through?"
At her question, Jiang Yue sighed and shook his head. "I was so close... We only had seven days, with limited training time each day. The Daoist School simply didn't give us enough time."
Liu Wanyu sighed in response, though she didn't complain. "The A-level Rating isn't just a passing grade for the peaks of the Seven Profound Sect; it's for identifying the future pillars they will pour their hearts into training. Because of that high status, resources are supplied without limit. It's only natural that the various peaks would have higher standards."
As she spoke, Liu Wanyu glanced at the other disciples with B-class Spiritual Roots and those from prominent families.
Seeing that they hadn't broken through either, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
On a personal level, knowing she wasn't the furthest behind allowed Liu Wanyu to relax.
But Mo Shuying couldn't afford such a luxury. As the current Master Sister of Longxi Peak, a position with a certain degree of power, she had to consider the peak's overall strength.
Only three A-level Ratings—this fell far short of her expectations.
Her expression turned especially frigid when she thought of Longxi Peak's current predicament.
'Three A Class ratings are too few,' she thought. 'If this is all we have, we'll likely be at the bottom of the rankings in this year's Seven Peaks competition again... That is absolutely unacceptable.'
Her gaze sharpened as she scanned the crowd of disciples with B-class Spiritual Roots, unwilling to give up, hoping to find just one or two more who could qualify for an A-level Rating.
However, not one of the disciples she looked upon dared to meet her gaze; they all lowered their heads instead.
This scene only made Mo Shuying's expression darken further.
Just as Mo Shuying was about to give up, for some inexplicable reason, her gaze fell upon Zhong Ming, who was standing next to Xue Yao.
The moment she looked, however, she shook her head.
'I must be losing my mind. Even the family disciples with B-class Spiritual Roots couldn't break through. Zhong Ming only has a third-class Spiritual Root; it would be even more difficult for him to open his Qi Sea Acupoint. Seven days is nowhere near enough time for him... Huh?!'