Plant VS Cultivation

Chapter 11: Progress in Qi Refinement

Gu Mo was just about to start cultivating when he had to stop because he received a message pigeon from Yao Shifeng. This message pigeon was a common means of communication among low-level cultivators—slow and lacking confidentiality—but within the sect, it was sufficient for transmitting non-sensitive information.

Most importantly, it was cheap, making it affordable for disciples like them who performed menial tasks.

After receiving the message, Gu Mo immediately got up and headed to the agreed meeting place. Yao Shifeng had emerged from seclusion, which meant he had successfully stepped into the Qi Refinement stage.

When Gu Mo arrived at the familiar private dining room in the cafeteria, Wu Jinfeng, Hu Hai, and Chu Feifei were already there. It had been months since their last meeting, and each of them had changed significantly, especially Chu Feifei. Compared to Wu Jinfeng and Hu Hai, who still looked somewhat disheveled, Chu Feifei had become even more radiant and attractive.

What Gu Mo didn't realize was that his own appearance also left Wu Jinfeng, Hu Hai, and Chu Feifei somewhat uncertain. Thanks to his mastery of the Cleansing Technique, he had already begun the process of purifying his body—a stage typically only achievable after reaching Qi Refinement. As a result, his presence gave off an aura similar to that of Qi Refinement disciples.

"Gu Mo, what stage are you at now?" Wu Jinfeng asked, voicing the doubt all three of them shared.

"I'm still about four months away from reaching Qi Refinement," Gu Mo replied after some thought. His original plan was to break through in six months, and now, four months had passed. Ideally, he would step into Qi Refinement in another two months. Although he had been delayed somewhat by the need to dispel the black mist, he could easily make up for lost progress by redirecting all his stored solar essence toward cultivation.

Of course, he intentionally held back some details. Claiming an eight-month timeline for reaching Qi Refinement was a safer bet.

Even so, his answer left the trio stunned. They all knew that Gu Mo had traded away the sect's alchemy-provided pills for spirit stones with Yao Shifeng. Catching up under such circumstances was no small feat—especially since he had also spent time cultivating a non-tiered spell.

"You must all be close to breaking through as well," Gu Mo remarked, noticing their surprised expressions. Then, realizing their reaction, he quickly understood why. However, it wasn't a big deal. Only extraordinary cases like Fan Shaoming would attract real scrutiny. His situation wasn't particularly noteworthy.

"I'll probably reach Qi Refinement in about two months," Wu Jinfeng said with a hint of pride. He couldn't compare to Yao Shifeng, but he still had a noticeable advantage over others.

"I think I'll succeed in about three months," Hu Hai estimated.

"Um, I should be able to attempt a breakthrough in about a month," Chu Feifei said hesitantly. Initially, she had expected to need three more months before she could confidently challenge the Qi Refinement stage. However, every time she used the Cleansing Technique on herself, her cultivation speed increased, significantly accelerating her progress.

This advancement both thrilled and unnerved her—it was happening so quickly that it felt almost inexplicable.

Still, Chu Feifei had no intention of hiding her progress. Unlike Gu Mo, she didn't have any extraordinary opportunities or hidden advantages that would make secrecy necessary. Besides, she lacked the ability to control her cultivation speed as he did. While Gu Mo could advance at his own pace, she had no choice but to go all out.

Moreover, her progress wasn't particularly alarming. Compared to Yao Shifeng, who had already entered Qi Refinement, her breakthrough attempt in another month still placed her behind him. Since her cultivation speed wasn't suspicious enough to draw unwanted attention, she saw no reason to keep it a secret. The sooner she advanced, the better her opportunities would be.

Yao Shifeng himself had borrowed cultivation resources from the group to break through as quickly as possible, and today, he had succeeded. He was now the second among their batch of menial disciples to reach Qi Refinement.

"What?!"

Wu Jinfeng's reaction to Chu Feifei's progress was the strongest. Based on the initial jade stone test results, Chu Feifei had ranked fourth—only slightly above Gu Mo.

Yet, in just a few months, her cultivation speed had surpassed his. How could he not be shocked?

"What's going on here?"

Yao Shifeng entered the private dining room and, seeing Wu Jinfeng's astonished expression, chuckled as he asked.

At this moment, Yao Shifeng exuded confidence. He had transformed completely from his previous unkempt self—this was the effect of gaining both strength and certainty in his cultivation.

"Boss, we were just discussing our cultivation progress," Wu Jinfeng explained before recounting everyone's current status.

Hearing that, Yao Shifeng's eyes flickered with surprise, but he didn't dwell on it. Chu Feifei's slight anomaly wasn't worth paying too much attention to. After all, the jade stone test wasn't perfectly accurate; some variation was completely normal. If she truly had some kind of fortuitous encounter, she would have already stepped into Qi Refinement rather than needing another month.

As the second among them to break through, Yao Shifeng was filled with pride. Chu Feifei's minor irregularity didn't concern him in the slightest.

Even when he noticed that Gu Mo's aura bore similarities to his own—likely due to body refinement—he only gave him a few extra glances. Cultivation stage mattered most. No matter how well Gu Mo had mastered the Cleansing Technique, it was ultimately insignificant.

Yao Shifeng simply assumed Gu Mo's refined presence was a result of frequently using the Cleansing Technique on himself.

With Yao Shifeng present, the group's attention naturally shifted toward him. He shared insights about his breakthrough experience, expressing gratitude for their support. Since their resources had helped him reach Qi Refinement, he felt obliged to offer some guidance in return.

"Gu Mo, do you have any questions?" Yao Shifeng specifically asked him. While Gu Mo's talent wasn't remarkable, he was the only one among them who had willingly exchanged his pills for spirit stones. Such a person was worth befriending. If possible, Yao Shifeng wanted to help him along.

Of course, Gu Mo had no questions. He wouldn't face any bottlenecks before reaching Qi Refinement. But to avoid standing out, he still asked a question for appearance's sake.

Time passed swiftly as they exchanged insights, and soon, night fell. Their discussion came to an end, marking a temporary farewell.

Now that Yao Shifeng had entered Qi Refinement, he would soon leave for the Talisman Peak, where he would work as a menial disciple specializing in talisman crafting.

Technically, he could stay in their current quarters until the one-year period ended. However, that was never an option for him. He had fought tooth and nail to step into Qi Refinement ahead of the others precisely so he could gain an early advantage. He needed to capitalize on this momentum.

"Next time we meet, I expect all of you to have reached Qi Refinement as well," Yao Shifeng said, clasping his hands in farewell before turning and walking away without hesitation. Nothing would stand in the way of his pursuit of power.