Matthew Lee awoke from his meditative state for the sixth time, gritting his teeth as he once again sat cross-legged and sought to calm his restless mind. <br><br>'This is too hard,' he muttered. <br><br>After over three months of practice, he had merely condensed a few wisps of Moonlight Radiance. Meanwhile, Xiangping Li had already begun forming The Wheel of Mystic Horizon, and Tongya Li had gathered over seventy wisps. Yet here he was, Matthew Lee, stuck in single figures. <br><br>Compared to his brothers’ effortless progress, Matthew found Channeling Qi through the Twelve Realms an extreme challenge. Even the glyph seed within his Qi Sea Nexus languished, dim and uninspired. <br><br>To make matters worse, during his attempts to refine Moonlight Radiance, he often found himself unable to sense it under weaker moonlight. The few wisps he had managed to condense thus far were only possible thanks to the Mirror of Truth. <br><br>He sighed heavily. <br><br>Matthew Lee was already well aware of his lack of aptitude for cultivation. Every time his turn came to borrow the Mirror of Truth for practice, he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, as though he were a hindrance to his brothers’ paths. <br><br>Awakening from his meditation for the seventh time, Matthew’s expression grew dim. After glancing at his brothers, Tongya Li and Xiangping Li, who were still immersed in their cultivation, he rose quietly and slipped out the door. <br><br>In the backyard, Matthew's father, Matthew Lee Senior, was hunched over, meticulously sharpening a long blade. <br><br>With his right hand holding the back of the blade and his left thumb and forefinger gripping the blade's edge, he steadied the weapon and ran it repeatedly across the grindstone. <br><br>Matthew Lee’s expression firmed as he spoke up. <br><br>'Father.' <br><br>'What is it?' Matthew Lee Senior asked without looking up, his tone indifferent. <br><br>'I fear I lack the talent for cultivation,' Matthew admitted with some shame. <br><br>'And so you intend to quit?' His father finally raised his head, gazing at him coldly. <br><br>'Not quite.' Matthew had prepared for this moment. Meeting his father’s gaze, he explained, 'My aptitude pales in comparison to Tongya and Xiangping, not to mention Jing’s. Even with the Mirror of Truth, I can barely advance. Perhaps I’d be better off managing the family’s affairs during the day, walking the fields to deflect suspicion.' <br><br>'As you wish.' <br><br>After a moment’s contemplation, Matthew Lee Senior’s expression softened considerably. He shook his head and said, 'Forget it for now. Tomorrow, start preparing for Xiangping’s wedding. Keep it modest—just invite some close relatives and organize it quietly.' <br><br>'Understood,' Matthew replied earnestly, nodding heavily before hurrying off toward the main courtyard. <br><br>As he entered the main courtyard, he spotted his wife, Grace Tian, sitting and chatting with Ren Shi while sewing clothes. Since female kin were not permitted in the ancestral hall, they had no choice but to wait here. <br><br>Seeing Matthew appear, Grace Tian sensed her presence was no longer needed. With a smile, she found an excuse to leave and headed back to the Tian family home. <br><br>'What’s the matter, Ren?' Matthew asked, his brows softening as he addressed his wife gently. <br><br>'Longhu.' <br><br>Grace Tian, her demeanor elegant and stately, carried a faint look of joy. She lowered her voice and said, 'I have news.' <br><br>'What?' Matthew asked, startled, his earlier frustrations vanishing instantly. His face turned slightly red as he leaned forward, excitement evident in his voice. 'Really?' <br><br>'Would I lie to you? Even Mother has confirmed it. It’s true,' Grace Tian replied with a shy nod, her tone tinged with reproach. <br><br>'Father! Father! Ren has news!' Matthew burst out laughing, his joy overflowing as he rushed toward the backyard, calling for his father. <br><br>'Clang!' <br><br>The sound of steel clashing echoed as Matthew Lee Senior abandoned his sharpening and hurried to the main courtyard. His expression was exhilarated as he asked, 'What did you just say?' <br><br>'Ren has news!' Matthew repeated, grinning like a child. <br><br>'Good! Excellent!' <br><br>Matthew Lee Senior laughed heartily, patting the blushing Grace Tian on the shoulder. Turning to Matthew, he declared, 'I’ll fetch the doctor. Take good care of her.' <br><br>Matthew nodded fervently, guiding Grace to a seat and fussing over her with uncharacteristic attentiveness. <br><br>———— <br><br>Backyard <br><br>Xiangping Li formed an Arcane Incantation with his hands and slowly emerged from his meditation. Picking up the wooden scroll standing before him, he untied the fabric keeping it closed, allowing it to unfurl with a rustling sound. <br><br>Under the bright moonlight, the bold characters at the top of the scroll leapt into view: <br><br>*Ray of Gold Spell.* <br><br>The techniques in *The Art of Lunar Respiration* could neither be read aloud nor recorded. However, its accompanying Arcane Incantations could be orally transmitted and written down. Li Tongya and the others had copied the spells they had acquired for mutual study. <br><br>This particular *Ray of Gold Spell* came from Jing Li. A few nights ago, after mastering The Wheel of Mystic Horizon, Xiangping had borrowed this spell for practice. <br><br>The *Ray of Gold Spell* wasn’t overly complex. After studying it for two nights, Xiangping had already internalized its key points. <br><br>With a flip of his left hand, a radiant golden light emerged from his palm. <br><br>'Ray of Gold Spell!' <br><br>This was a technique for both attack and defense. By forming the incantation and casting the spell, one could condense a ray of golden light, extraordinarily sharp. <br><br>The golden ray could be affixed to blades and swords to slay enemies or thrown as a projectile, its power formidable. <br><br>Dismissing the spell with a wave, Xiangping stepped out of the courtyard. While his brothers meditated cross-legged, he found a slab of blue stone near the gate. Wrapping his arms around it, he murmured, 'Rise!' <br><br>Surprisingly, Xiangping lifted the stone with ease, though his excessive force sent him stumbling backward a few steps. <br><br>'Reaching the Foetal Breathing Realm extends one’s lifespan to 120 years. With magical energy coursing through one’s Spiritual Nexus, the body becomes light, the strength profound, the ears keen, and the eyes sharp. A practitioner of incantations truly transcends the mundane,' Xiangping recalled the description from *The Art of Lunar Respiration,* chuckling to himself as he carried the blue stone back into the backyard. <br><br>Positioning the stone upright, he stepped back three yards. After forming the incantation, a golden ray leapt from his palm, striking the stone dead center. <br><br>'Clang!' <br><br>A bright spark flashed, leaving a shallow but visible gash on the stone’s surface. The force had even pushed the stone back a hand’s width, leaving faint white marks on the ground from friction. <br><br>'What a spell!' <br><br>It was Tongya Li, who had awakened from his meditation earlier. Grinning at Xiangping, he said, 'This spell Jing acquired is indeed practical. A few days ago, he sliced through the backyard’s ornamental rock while practicing. I didn’t dare tell Father.' <br><br>'In terms of cultivation, we truly can’t compare to Jing,' Xiangping remarked, pursing his lips as he repositioned the stone. Estimating his remaining magical energy, he figured he could cast the spell four or five more times. <br><br>'Jing reached The Wheel of Mystic Horizon in less than a month. Even though he had the Mirror of Truth, it’s still astounding,' Tongya said, shaking his head. <br><br>The Vital Breath Six Rings are named Mystic Horizon, Shining Luminance, Circular Course, Azure Origin, Jade Capital, and Primal Essence. Among them, Mystic Horizon, Circular Course, and Jade Capital are known as the Foetal Breathing Three Gates, particularly challenging thresholds. <br><br>With the Mirror of Truth aiding them, Jing and the others had easily crossed the gateway into Foetal Breathing. But beyond that, the Shining Luminance Ring offered no shortcuts, requiring diligent Qi cultivation to condense the Foetal Breath. <br><br>'To channel energy and refine its essence—nine months for Mystic Horizon, another three months for Shining Luminance—this is the mark of superior talent,' Xiangping quoted from *The Art of Lunar Respiration* as he sat beside Tongya. 'With external aid, meeting the Mystic Horizon standard doesn’t count. But the Shining Luminance Ring in three months could serve as a meaningful benchmark.' <br><br>'Quite so,' Tongya agreed with a nod before lowering his voice. 'But as for Eldest Brother…' <br><br>'Eldest Brother is likely even further behind us,' Xiangping said gloomily, gazing quietly at the majestic silhouette of the Dali Heights against the night sky. <br><br>'I’ll adjust my breathing for a few more days before attempting to condense The Wheel of Mystic Horizon. If I succeed, the Mirror of Truth can be reserved entirely for Eldest Brother’s use,' Tongya suggested thoughtfully. <br><br>Xiangingping narrowed his eyes suddenly, his expression sharp as he turned toward the rear mountains and shouted, 'Who dares to trespass?!' <br>/")
