Time flows like water, slipping quietly through our fingers without notice. The scorching summer has given way to the cool autumn, and the lush green branches now begin to show patches of yellow. The same neat little cottage remains, sunlight streaming in, casting delicate spots across the floor. Inside, the young boy sits with his eyes closed, hands forming gestures, breathing in a way that seems perfectly natural. Half a year of rigorous training has given his once delicate, youthful face a steady resolve; his tightly pressed lips carry a touch of determination. Though his skin, once as fair as a woman's, has slightly turned yellow from months of training and physical challenges, and though his frame appears slender and not particularly strong, it now holds a fierce, leopard-like burst of energy. From any perspective, the boy is transforming at an astonishing pace—when this transformation is complete, it will leave everyone in awe! With the smooth breath of the youth, a steady stream of air, tinged with delicate green hues, slowly seeped out from the wooden basin and, following the rhythm of his breathing, flowed into his body. ... "Today, I'm certain I'll break through to the seventh stage of combat energy!" While meditating, a confident thought suddenly surged into Xiao Yan's mind—unprompted, yet as natural and inevitable as a stream flowing into its channel, appearing with full clarity and conviction. Over the past month, Xiao Yan had attempted to reach the seventh stage of combat energy on several occasions, but each time, he had ended in failure. Perhaps it was because today's meditation had added the final drop of water to the basin, which was nearly overflowing—this thought, long awaited and deeply cherished by Xiao Yan, now appeared suddenly and unexpectedly. The sudden thought caused Xiao Yan's hand seal to tremble slightly, nearly causing him to lose his meditative state and step out of his cultivation flow. Fortunately, Xiao Yan possessed strong composure and managed to suppress the surge of excitement within, steadying his breath and consciously calming his inner state. His breathing gradually became smooth and steady, as he greedily absorbed external energy in preparation for the breakthrough into the seventh stage. Due to the large influx of energy, Xiao Yan's face was slightly flushed, with a faint azure glow subtly radiating from within. As Xiao Yan surged toward the seventh level of Qi, he had effectively become a powerful magnet—not only was the surrounding Qi being rapidly drawn and pulled toward him, but even the pale azure liquid in the wooden basin began forming tiny ripples and vortexes. In the initial stage, Qi levels one through three were considered basic, four through six intermediate, and seven through nine advanced. The seventh level of Qi marked a clear threshold in the initial stage—once attained, one entered the advanced tier of initial Qi. At this point, the amount of Qi stored within him was several times that of the sixth level. Thus, the seventh level of Qi is generally regarded as the first key to becoming a Qi Master, and its significance is undeniable. With the rapid surge of azure energy, the color of the liquid in the wooden basin gradually lightened, until at a certain moment, the azure liquid once again transformed into a clear, transparent stream of pure water. Without the supporting energy of the foundational spirit liquid, the faint azure hue on Xiao Yan's face slowly faded. Now, he could only draw upon the thin streams of combat energy from the surrounding air to sustain his surge. While drawing energy from the air allowed Xiao Yan to complete his surge, it required significantly more time—once he broke through, his internal combat energy would need a full month of nurturing to recover to its full strength. Right now, what Xiao Yan lacked most was time. At the very instant the spirit liquid's potency vanished, the black ring on Xiao Yan's fingers flashed gently, and a drop of premium foundational spirit liquid, of jade-green hue, was once again projected into the basin, instantly transforming the transparent water back into a deep azure. With the support of a drop of fresh spiritual essence, Xiao Yan was instantly invigorated. After silently thanking the Medicine Elder in his heart, he maintained the hand seals while guiding his breath with his mind, rapidly absorbing the dense energy rushing toward him. This relentless intake continued for nearly half an hour before gradually easing. During this time, the deep green liquid had grown slightly more translucent. When the final gentle surge of energy entered his body through his breath, Xiao Yan's body momentarily settled, then suddenly convulsed violently. His abdomen tightened slightly, and his eyes snapped open—bright black pupils swiftly flashed with streaks of green and white light. His mouth widened slightly as he expelled a somewhat turbid breath. Immediately upon releasing the breath, Xiao Yan's complexion seemed to brighten and regain vitality. After staring at the ceiling for a while, Xiao Yan finally turned his neck slightly, emitting a crisp sound as the bones shifted. He gently clenched his hands, feeling a solid, fulfilling strength that caused a smile of delight to curl at the corner of his lips. "Finally, the seventh phase," he murmured softly, closing his eyes slightly and focusing his awareness on the abundant Qi flowing within his body.