From that day on, Xu Yao's daily routine changed.
Every morning, he practiced his breathing and circulated his qi.
Every evening, he went into the forest outside the sect to hunt spirit beasts.
The Emerald Worm stayed with him the whole time, either sitting on his shoulder or speaking to him from inside his consciousness.
"Host, don't rush," the worm reminded him. "Your meridians are still weak. Only absorb a little spirit beast essence at a time."
Xu Yao nodded every time.
He never complained.
Even though it hurt.
Absorbing spirit beast essence wasn't easy.
Whenever he killed a spirit beast, he found a small Essence Pearl near its heart. It was a tiny glowing pearl that held the beast's life essence.
The worm refined the essence.
Xu Yao absorbed it.
Then the pain hit.
It felt like fire was running through his veins.
His bones ached.
His blood felt hot.
His vision became blurry.
Sometimes, he bit down on his sleeve just to stop himself from crying out.
"That's it, Host. Hold on a little longer."
The worm's voice stayed calm.
It wasn't making fun of him.
It was encouraging him.
Xu Yao's body shook from the pain, and sweat rolled down his face.
But he never stopped.
He kept reminding himself why he started.
One year.
Three levels.
The Inner Disciple Tournament.
His promise.
His pride.
His dream.
Progress
Days passed.
Then weeks.
The boy who once struggled to lift a wooden practice sword could now swing a real sword over and over without getting tired.
His breathing became steadier.
His meridians grew stronger.
His dantian slowly filled with more qi.
The worm smiled to itself, though it tried not to show it.
"Humph! You're lucky to have such a great spirit guiding you."
Xu Yao smiled.
"Yes, yes. My great and mighty Worm Master."
The worm puffed out its tiny chest.
"Just wait! One day I'll evolve into a Celestial Dragon."
Xu Yao couldn't help laughing.
Before he realized it...
The little worm had become more than just a guide.
It was his teacher.
His companion.
And his only friend.
Around the Sect
People had started talking about him.
"Isn't that Xu Yao". He's still hunting spirit beasts every day.
"Has he gone crazy?"
He doesn't have any talent. Why keep trying?
They laughed at him.
But none of them knew what he was really doing.
While everyone else relied on easy cultivation methods...
Xu Yao was rebuilding his body from the ground up.
It was slow.
It was painful.
But it was real.
He was building a foundation that no one could take away from him.
Breakthrough
One stormy night, Xu Yao sat alone on a rock in the valley.
The jade pendant around his neck gave off a faint green glow.
The worm spoke quietly.
"Host... this is the last step. Breathe slowly and guide the essence into your dantian."
Xu Yao closed his eyes.
Thunder rumbled across the sky.
The wind howled through the valley.
His heartbeat grew louder.
Boom.
His dantian shook.
Boom.
His meridians trembled.
Then...
A warm wave of energy spread through his whole body.
Everything suddenly felt different.
His breathing became lighter.
His senses became sharper.
He had finally broken through.
Mortal Foundation Stage - Level 1.
The worm smiled.
"Good job, Xu Yao."
Xu Yao slowly opened his eyes.
For the first time in his life...
He felt strong.
Not because he had become stronger than everyone else.
But because he had become stronger than the person he used to be.
And that was enough.