The relative quiet of the Outer Sect Courtyard felt almost deafening after the chaotic energy of the market. Lin Fan walked back towards his hut, the gazes that followed him now filled less with simple curiosity and more with a mixture of awe, fear, and intense speculation. He had become an enigma, a figure of impossible wealth and sudden power who defied the established norms of Outer Sect life. Disciples practically scrambled to get out of his way, their previous whispers replaced by an unnerving silence.
Inside his hut, the familiar, humble surroundings offered a stark contrast to the High-Grade Spirit Stone he had casually tossed away earlier. It amused him. This flimsy structure, these worn furnishings – they were a disguise, a backdrop to the absurd drama unfolding around him.
He sat on his mat and carefully laid out the three items purchased from the enigmatic old man. The rusty dagger felt cold to the touch, a chill that seemed to seep slightly into his Qi when he held it. He tried infusing it with his fourth layer Qi, channeled through the Nine Cycles Refining Art. The dagger remained inert, neither accepting nor rejecting the energy, simply remaining cold and rusty. Perhaps its secrets required a different approach or were simply lost to time. He set it aside.
The bone amulet was next. He examined the strange carvings again, finding no discernible pattern or familiar script. Infusing it with Qi yielded nothing; it felt like a simple, albeit unusually carved, piece of bone. Maybe it had a non-obvious passive effect, or maybe it truly was just junk the old man had picked up. He shrugged and put it with the dagger.
Finally, he focused on the locked wooden box. It felt dense and surprisingly heavy for its size. The dark wood was smooth with age, the metal bindings cool against his skin. The lock was the main feature – intricate, clearly ancient, and covered in a fine layer of rust that seemed fused to the mechanism. He tried pulling at it, then prying with a surge of Qi – nothing. He drew his Flowing Shadow Sword, its low-grade spiritual nature humming, and attempted to carefully cut or force the lock. The sword's edge, sharp enough to slice through normal ironwood, merely skidded off the lock's surface with a faint scraping sound, leaving no mark. The box and its lock were far tougher than they looked.
Frustration flickered within him. He had spent the equivalent of 10,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones on this gamble, and he couldn't even see the prize. There had to be a way.
System, he thought, recalling its various functions. Can you identify this box or tell me how to open it?
[System Identification function available. Identification can provide details on item composition, history, function, and potential unlocking methods, where applicable. Identification consumes System Points based on the item's complexity and value.]
[Identify the locked wooden box? Estimated Cost: 150 System Points.]
150 points? Reasonable. "Yes, identify the box."
[Deducting 150 System Points. Initiating Identification...]
[Item Identified: Spirit-Sealed Ironwood Box.]
[Composition: Crafted from aged Spirit-Resistant Ironwood, reinforced with Deep Iron bands.]
[Seal: Ancient 'Three Essence Lock'. Requires a specific Tri-Element Key OR overwhelming force significantly exceeding the Foundation Establishment Realm OR precise Qi manipulation at the Golden Core Realm to unlock safely.]
[Contents Analysis (Obscured by Seal): Faint energy signature consistent with... Ancient Cultivation Technique Fragment (Incomplete). Warning: Forced entry below required threshold risks destroying contents.]
Lin Fan's eyes widened. Spirit-Resistant Ironwood, Deep Iron bands, a 'Three Essence Lock'... No wonder he couldn't force it open with his current strength or low-grade weapon. It was designed to withstand much more. And the contents – an Ancient Cultivation Technique Fragment! Even an incomplete fragment of an ancient technique could be immensely valuable, potentially far exceeding the standard techniques provided by the Azure Cloud Sect.
But the unlocking conditions were daunting. A specific key he didn't have, force beyond Foundation Establishment (the realm after Qi Refinement), or Qi control at the Golden Core Realm (two realms above Foundation Establishment)! He was currently only at the peak fourth layer of Qi Refinement.
This presented a clear goal, but one that was currently out of reach. He carefully stored the box, dagger, and amulet. The technique fragment was a long-term investment. For now, he needed immediate power.
He checked his remaining points: 4375 - 150 = 4225. Enough for 42 lottery draws. Tempting. Very tempting. New skills, items, pills... they could all boost his strength.
However, he was already at the peak of the fourth layer. The barrier to the fifth layer felt tangible. A breakthrough would grant a fundamental increase in his Qi reserves, strength, and likely improve the efficacy of his Nine Cycles Refining Art and Wind Step Technique. Reaching a higher layer might even subtly improve the quality of items received from the lottery draws meant for the Qi Refinement realm.
Cultivation first. Lottery later.
Decision made, Lin Fan sat cross-legged again. He didn't bother with Mid-Grade stones this time. With a thought, ten High-Grade Spirit Stones materialized around him, forming a small, intensely luminous circle. The concentration of pure spiritual energy in the small hut became almost suffocating. He also took out one of the remaining Pure Qi Pills and swallowed it.
Taking a deep breath, he activated the Nine Cycles Refining Art.
VROOOM!
The spiritual energy from the ten High-Grade Spirit Stones surged towards him like a tidal wave, far more intense than the single stone he'd used for his previous breakthrough. Simultaneously, the Pure Qi Pill dissolved within him, adding another potent stream of refined energy. His meridians screamed under the pressure, but fortified by his recent cultivation and the inherent robustness of the Nine Cycles art, they held firm.
His internal Qi, already at the peak of the fourth layer, churned violently, slamming against the invisible barrier to the next stage. The Nine Cycles spun at their absolute limit, absorbing and refining the torrential influx of energy, compressing it, purifying it, and using it to assault the bottleneck again and again.
Sweat beaded on Lin Fan's forehead. Even with infinite resources and a superior technique, breaking through cultivation realms was not without effort or risk. It required focus, control, and the will to push past the body's limits. The High-Grade Spirit Stones dimmed rapidly, their essence being devoured at an alarming rate.
Crack... CRACK!
A louder crack than before echoed within his Dantian. The barrier fractured, fissures spreading across its surface. Lin Fan pushed harder, guiding the raging torrent of Qi towards the cracks.
BOOM!
The bottleneck shattered completely. A wave of powerful, refined Qi flooded his Dantian, expanding it significantly. His meridians widened and toughened. His senses exploded outwards – he could hear the frantic heartbeat of a disciple fifty meters away, smell the faint scent of pine from the distant Inner Sect peaks, feel the very flow of ambient spiritual energy with newfound clarity.
Qi Refinement Realm, fifth layer!
He had done it. The jump from the fourth to the fifth layer felt even more substantial than the previous breakthrough. His Qi reserves felt at least doubled, and the purity and density had taken another qualitative leap. Controlling the Flowing Shadow Sword or executing the Wind Step Technique would be significantly easier and more potent now.
He slowly opened his eyes, a brilliant light flashing within them before fading. He felt powerful, truly powerful for the first time since receiving the system. The ten High-Grade Spirit Stones around him were now completely dull grey husks, devoid of energy.
He glanced at the Spirit-Sealed Ironwood Box. Driven by curiosity, he reached out and infused his new, stronger fifth layer Qi towards the lock. This time, he felt a faint resistance, a subtle pushback from the ancient seal, but the lock itself remained stubbornly immobile. Definitely beyond his current capabilities.
Lin Fan smiled faintly. Some things required patience.
He now stood at the fifth layer of Qi Refinement, a level considered decent among Outer Sect disciples, especially given his perceived age. Achieved in mere days, thanks to the system. He still had 4225 points burning a hole in his system pocket.
Now, he thought, feeling the surge of power within him, with a stronger foundation, let's see what treasures the lottery holds.