Jin Xiyue took a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing inward. The world around her faded as she slipped into a meditative trance, descending into the depths of her consciousness.
Her mindscape unfolded around her, vast and serene. Unlike the chaotic external world, here everything existed in perfect equilibrium. The space stretched endlessly in all directions, neither light nor dark but somehow both simultaneously. At its center floated the artifact—the mysterious object that had saved her life and bound itself to her soul.
It pulsed with a gentle radiance, casting ripples of energy through the mindscape. But something new caught her attention a book hovering beside the artifact, its covers ancient and worn, bound with materials she couldn't identify. Strange symbols decorated its spine, shifting and changing as she watched.
Jin Xiyue approached cautiously. The book hadn't been visible during her first visit, or perhaps she'd been too overwhelmed to notice it. She reached out, her fingers brushing against its surface.
Unlike the artifact that had immediately flooded her with information, the book remained silent and unyielding. No matter how she tried to open it or examine it, no knowledge transferred to her mind.
"What are you?" she whispered, circling the floating tome. "Why show yourself if you won't reveal your secrets?"
Frustrated but determined, Jin Xiyue settled into a cross-legged position within her mindscape. If the book wouldn't yield its knowledge willingly, she would focus on what she could control beginning her cultivation practice.
She turned her attention to her physical body, sensing the dormant meridians that had once been blocked and useless. Now they hummed with potential, waiting to be awakened. Jin Xiyue extended her awareness outward, feeling the natural qi that saturated the world around her physical form.
people of the Qi circulation level cultivated they absorbed the qi in the air that came in direct contact with their body through their meridians, they then circulated their cultivation technique and turned that qi into their own energy.
Jin Xiyue closed her eyes and began to draw in the qi surrounding her. She followed the Voidpulse Chaos Breathing technique that had been imprinted in her mind, letting her consciousness guide the flow of energy. The moment she initiated the first cycle, something extraordinary happened.
The artifact within her soul resonated, creating a harmonic frequency that amplified her absorption. Qi rushed into her meridians not in the gentle trickle she expected, but in a controlled torrent. The energy that entered her body was immediately refined, purified beyond what should have been possible for a beginner.
"This is..." she gasped internally, maintaining her meditative state despite her shock.
The artifact acted like a filter and amplifier simultaneously. It drew in raw qi, stripped away impurities, and channeled the essence directly into her meridians with perfect precision. Energy cycled through her body, strengthening her foundations with each circulation.
Within minutes, she felt a distinct shift in her core. A barrier that would normally take months to overcome simply dissolved. Jin Xiyue had broken through to Early Qi Condensation Rank 1.
The sensation was unlike anything she could have imagined—power settling into her cells, reinforcing her physical form while expanding her spiritual awareness. She could sense the room around her more vividly without opening her eyes, feel the currents of energy flowing through the walls and floor.
Emboldened by her success, Jin Xiyue continued cycling. The spiritual energy in the Jin family's cultivation chamber was significantly richer than ordinary air, designed specifically to aid practitioners. Combined with the artifact's enhancement, her progress accelerated at an astonishing rate.
Hours passed as she cultivated, lost in the rhythmic flow of energy. Her meridians widened, accommodating greater volumes of qi with each cycle. The artifact hummed contentedly within her soul, guiding the process with ancient wisdom.
Another breakthrough came, more intense than the first. Jin Xiyue's body trembled slightly as she advanced to Qi Condensation peak Rank 2. The density of energy within her core doubled, and her awareness expanded further still.
She pressed onward, riding the momentum of her success. As she approached the boundary of Rank 3, however, she encountered increasing resistance. The artifact's pulses grew cautionary, suggesting she had reached a natural limit for now. Reluctantly, Jin Xiyue decided to halt her progress, understanding that forcing advancement could damage her foundation.
Jin Xiyue felt her mental energy waning after hours of intense cultivation. The exhilaration of her rapid advancement gave way to a deep spiritual fatigue, her consciousness growing heavy within the mindscape. Perhaps it was time to rest.
The moment she considered leaving, the spiritual space responded. The vast expanse around her rippled like disturbed water, and she felt herself being gently pulled upward. The artifact and mysterious book receded from view as her awareness ascended through layers of consciousness.
Jin Xiyue's eyes fluttered open. She found herself sitting cross-legged on the floor of her chamber, exactly where she'd begun her meditation. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting long shadows across the room. Hours had passed without her noticing.
"The spiritual domain," she whispered, understanding dawning. "It exists within me."
She stretched her limbs, feeling the pleasant soreness of extended stillness. Her body hummed with newfound energy, meridians warm with cultivated qi. The advancement to peak Rank 2 had strengthened her physical form noticeably—her previous injuries no longer pained her, and a subtle vitality coursed through her veins.
After a refreshing night's sleep, Jin Xiyue woke to a servant's gentle knock. The young woman bowed respectfully.
"Young Mistress, Master Jin requests your presence in the family's technique repository."
Jin Xiyue followed the servant through the estate's winding corridors until they reached an ornate door guarded by two stern-faced men. Upon seeing her, they stepped aside with respectful nods.
Inside, Jin Haoran waited among shelves lined with scrolls and jade slips—each containing cultivation techniques collected by generations of Jin family members.
"Xiyue," her father greeted her with unusual warmth. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"Much better, Father. The alchemist's medicine worked wonders."
Jin Haoran nodded, studying her with sharp eyes. "Now that your meridians have been unblocked, it's time for you to select a cultivation technique. Nothing too advanced yet—we'll start with foundation methods."
Jin Xiyue maintained a facade of innocent excitement, playing the role of a cultivation novice. She noticed something odd—her father, a powerful cultivator, showed no reaction to her breakthrough. By all rights, he should have immediately sensed she'd already reached Qi Condensation Rank 2.
As he guided her through different scrolls, explaining their attributes and requirements, Jin Xiyue realized the truth: the artifact was concealing her true cultivation level, masking her aura completely. Even her father's experienced spiritual sense couldn't penetrate this veil.
"This one might suit you," Jin Haoran said, offering her a jade slip containing a basic water-attribute technique. "It's gentle on the meridians—perfect for a beginner."
Jin Xiyue accepted it with appropriate gratitude, all while hiding her internal amusement. The artifact had given her more protection than she'd realized.
Jin Xiyue examined the jade slip containing the water-attribute technique her father had given her. The "Gentle Flowing Stream" was exactly what its name suggested—a beginner-friendly method that emphasized smooth qi circulation rather than raw power. Perfect for someone with supposedly newly-healed meridians.
"This one feels... right," she said, feigning the wonder of a first-time cultivator. "Thank you, Father."
Jin Haoran nodded approvingly. "A wise choice. Its foundations are solid, and while you won't become a powerhouse overnight, it will serve you well as you rebuild your strength."
Jin Xiyue bowed respectfully, maintaining her facade of innocent gratitude. "I'll practice diligently."
"Don't push yourself too hard," her mother cautioned, having joined them partway through the selection process. "Your body still needs time to adjust."
"I understand, Mother."
Back in her chambers, Jin Xiyue closed and locked the door. She placed the jade slip on her desk, giving it a cursory glance. The technique was serviceable enough—something she could demonstrate if asked—but nothing compared to the Voidpulse Chaos Breathing.
She settled into her meditation posture and closed her eyes. Within moments, she felt the familiar pull as her consciousness descended into the spiritual domain. The transition was smoother this time, almost instinctive.
The vast expanse welcomed her like an old friend. The artifact hovered at the center, pulsing with quiet energy, while the mysterious book floated nearby, still sealed to her understanding.
"So you're not just a visualization," she murmured, reaching out to touch the boundless space around her. "You're real."
The domain responded to her touch, rippling like water. Jin Xiyue realized this wasn't merely a meditative construct—it was a true spiritual space connected to her soul, likely created when the artifact bonded with her.
She began cultivating immediately, cycling the Voidpulse Chaos Breathing technique. Energy flowed into her meridians, refined by the artifact's mysterious power. Her progress continued at an astonishing pace, far beyond what the "Gentle Flowing Stream" could have offered.
Hours passed in the outside world while days seemed to unfold within her spiritual domain. Jin Xiyue emerged only when necessary—to eat meals with her family, exchange pleasantries with servants, and maintain appearances.
Fifteen days after her first breakthrough, Jin Xiyue sat cross-legged in her spiritual domain, surrounded by swirling tendrils of chaotic energy.
The artifact pulsed in perfect rhythm with her breathing, guiding the flow of power through her expanding meridians. What had begun as a trickle was now a controlled torrent, each cycle strengthening her foundation beyond what should have been possible.
She opened her eyes within the domain, observing the transformation of her spiritual core. Where once a small sphere of condensed qi had formed, now a brilliant orb pulsed with power, threads of black-red energy woven throughout its structure. Jin Xiyue had reached Peak Qi Condensation Rank 6.
"Impossible," she whispered to herself, though no one could hear her here. "This would take others years."
Jin Xiyue had advanced through the ranks at a pace that defied common sense—five days to reach Rank 4, another fifteen to climb to Rank 6. Yet now she felt resistance, a ceiling she couldn't break through despite her efforts.
After several more attempts to advance further yielded no results, Jin Xiyue returned to her physical body, eyes opening to her chamber's familiar surroundings. She flexed her fingers, feeling the power thrumming beneath her skin.
Though her cultivation was masked from others, she could sense the difference in herself—stronger, faster, more aware of the world around her.
"Theory and power aren't enough," she muttered, rising from her meditation mat. "I need practical experience."
The realization had been growing for days. Her meridians could channel more energy, but her body and mind lacked the combat refinement to utilize it properly. Without battle tempering, she risked becoming like a sword with a weak hilt—powerful but ultimately flawed.
Jin Xiyue changed into training attire and headed toward the family's practice grounds. The guards there were all cultivators themselves, ranging from early Qi Condensation to Earth Grade. Sparring with them would provide the experience she needed without revealing her true capabilities.
She had just reached the garden path leading to the training grounds when hurried footsteps approached from behind.
"Young Mistress!" A maid rushed toward her, slightly out of breath. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"
Jin Xiyue turned, noting the urgency in the servant's manner. "What is it?"
"The Zhao family has arrived unexpectedly—your fiancé and his parents! Master Jin requests your immediate presence in the main hall."
Jin Xiyue froze, her plans for combat training instantly forgotten. "My... fiancé?"
The maid nodded rapidly. "Yes, Young Mistress. They're waiting now."
A cold sensation settled in Jin Xiyue's stomach. The original Jin Xiyue had been engaged to the Zhao family's son since childhood a political arrangement between the families. In the chaos of her recovery and cultivation, she had completely forgotten about this obligation.
"Tell my father I'll be there shortly," she said, maintaining her composure despite the sudden complication.
As the maid hurried away, Jin Xiyue stood motionless on the garden path, caught between her plans for advancement and this unexpected reminder of her borrowed identity's commitments.