Lin Xuan sat cross-legged at the heart of the invisible Minor Qi Condensing Formation, his spine perfectly straight. The mundane world—the chipped paint on the walls, the distant hum of city traffic, the anxiety radiating from Li Mo who was now restricted to the kitchen—faded into a distant, irrelevant haze. All that existed was the profound, silent torrent of energy now flooding the small apartment.
The Formation, forged from the chaotic energy of the Failed Reactor Core Fragment, was performing flawlessly. It acted like a colossal spiritual pump, drawing in the minute, scattered Spiritual Qi of the Earth and condensing it into a thick, usable mist that flowed directly to the nucleus of the array where Lin Xuan sat.
He initiated the First Cultivation Cycle of his new life.
He didn't need complicated incantations or hand seals; his cultivation technique, the Grand Imperial Scripture of the Nine Heavens, was inscribed into his very soul. He simply breathed.
Inhaling, he drew the heavy, cool Qi mist into his lungs. The energy felt raw and low-grade compared to the pure celestial vapor he was accustomed to, but its sheer volume—the quantity the Formation was condensing—was staggering for this barren planet.
The Qi flowed from his lungs, down the major meridian pathways of his body, and converged in his Dantian—the spiritual energy center below his navel. It was here that the true work began. The meager thread of spiritual energy he had used for minor synthesis attempts was already present, a faint, flickering candle flame. The new Qi was the fuel.
The first cycle was one of purification. The raw energy, guided by the immense discipline of Lin Xuan's Divine Will, scoured his meridians. His body, though recently cleansed, still held impurities—the residue of modern processed food, minor pollutants, and the physical trauma of his past failure.
A searing heat erupted inside his core. It felt like ten thousand tiny knives simultaneously scraping the inside of his bones and nerves. His skin erupted in a fresh layer of oily, black residue—the final, stubborn dross of his mortal body being violently expelled. The smoke that rose was acrid and thick, making the air momentarily unbreathable for any mortal, but Lin Xuan's spiritual defenses were absolute.
He welcomed the pain. It was the sweet sound of his vessel being reforged.
Crack.
A sound only he could hear, deep within his abdomen, signaled a breakthrough. The fragile membrane that separated the mortal vessel from the cultivation foundation shattered. The chaotic Qi condensed instantly, and the flickering candle flame of energy in his Dantian snapped into a stable, perfect droplet of pure, humming Immortal Qi.
[Cultivation State: Qi Condensation Stage One (Stabilized)]
The transformation was profound and immediate. The excruciating pain vanished, replaced by a surge of overwhelming vitality. His eyesight sharpened exponentially; he could suddenly see the microscopic dust motes dancing in the sunbeams, the minute structural flaws in the concrete wall, and the faint, chaotic flow of electrical energy in the wires behind the plaster.
His hearing became hyper-acute. He could distinguish the soft click of the refrigerator thermostat from the gentle creak of the floorboards a story above him. For the first time since his rebirth, his senses were beginning to catch up to the sheer power of his soul.
He felt the connection to the Earth's spiritual web deepen. The Minor Qi Condensing Formation was no longer just drawing Qi; it was now perfectly synchronized with his Dantian, creating a feedback loop of perpetual accumulation.
He pushed for the next stage. Qi Condensation Stage One was the foundation; Stage Two was the first step toward true power.
Lin Xuan began the Second Cultivation Cycle.
This cycle was purely for amplification and integration. He channeled the purified Qi not just into his Dantian, but through every major meridian pathway, reinforcing them like steel conduits replacing fragile copper pipes.
The refined Qi washed over his brain, strengthening his Sea of Consciousness. His memory, already nearly perfect due to his previous life, became absolute. He recalled the details of every minor technique, every pill recipe, and every artifact blueprint he had encountered across the entire Star Sea. More importantly, the suppressed power of his Divine Will surged forward.
He didn't just think; he willed.
He silently commanded the Formation to increase its condensation rate by five percent. Instantly, the ambient spiritual mist in the room thickened, and the Formation core hummed with renewed intensity.
The Dantian droplet absorbed the new influx, swelling slowly, meticulously.
If I can reach Qi Condensation Stage Two today, Lin Xuan analyzed, my physical strength will rival a peak mortal martial artist, and my next synthesis will be entirely risk-free.
He pushed harder, forcing the pure energy to compress itself further. His muscles twitched, and a faint, cool sweat broke out on his brow—the last sign of physical strain.
After another hour of intense focus, the droplet reached its saturation point. With a silent pop, the energy integrated seamlessly into the existing core.
[Cultivation State: Qi Condensation Stage Two (Stabilized)][Body Purity: 45% Cleansed (Rank E+)]
Lin Xuan finally opened both eyes. The room, which had been bathed in his internal spiritual glow, was now ordinary again, yet he felt entirely different.
He stood, testing his new power. He clenched his fist. His grip was immense; he knew he could crush a cinder block with a gentle squeeze. His entire frame felt light, buoyant, and infused with an endless, stable reservoir of energy.
The Body's Awakening was complete.
He walked over to the window, his movement silent and flawless, and looked out at the sunrise washing over the city.
He was no longer the weak student. He was a cultivator, now formally inducted onto the path.
Qi Condensation Stage Two, he thought, testing the limits of his vision as he focused on the distant mountain range. Enough to survive the initial skirmishes. The formation is stable, the body is ready, and the first major threat has already been put in its place.
He now needed to confirm the loyalty of his newly acquired assets and gather the mundane data required for his next major synthesis.
Lin Xuan is now significantly more powerful and fully anchored in the Qi Condensation realm.