Over the past year, Qin Guiya sold a large number of Second-Order Pills through his second uncle, not only repaying his second uncle's Spirit Stones but also accumulating an additional 300,000 Spirit Stones for future use.
He also began preparing to break through to become a Third-Order Alchemist.
"Daddy! Look!"
In the small courtyard, Qin Yuexian excitedly ran over, holding a golden Spiritual Plant.
The Spiritual Plant resembled an orchid, but it emitted unusual Spiritual Qi fluctuations.
Qin Guiya took it and was shocked:
"Golden Spirit Flower?"
This was an auxiliary medicine for refining Golden Spirit Pill, usually only growing in Third-Order Spiritual Fields. How could it appear in his own backyard?
"Yue Xian, where did this come from?"
The little one blinked her big eyes and pointed to a cluster of ordinary orchids in the corner of the wall:
"The grass said it wanted to turn golden, so I helped it!"
Qin Guiya gasped.
Changing the grade of a Spirit Medicine?
This was the legendary "Spirit Touch" Divine Ability, extremely rare even among those with an Azure Wood Spirit Body!
He quickly checked his surroundings, confirming that no outsiders had seen this scene.
"Yue Xian is amazing."
He praised his son, feigning calmness, "But this game can only be played at home; you can't do this outside, understand?"
The little one nodded, seemingly understanding, then skipped off to chat with other "grasses."
Qin Guiya looked at his son's lively back, feeling both proud and worried.
The stronger Yue Xian's talent, the greater the risk of exposure... As night fell, Qin Guiya stood in the courtyard, gazing at the starry sky.
Within his Sea of Consciousness, the ancient tree had already sprouted enlightenment buds and flower buds, with two side branches growing robustly.
Over the past year, his life had been peaceful and fulfilling, but a string in his heart remained taut.
The Liu Family had not given up their investigation; his second uncle occasionally brought news from the outside world, and Yue Xian's increasingly apparent extraordinary talent could attract trouble at any time.
"I have to go out for a mission in five years. During this time, I must resolve the issues of my Lifebound Treasure and breaking through to the Golden Core Middle Stage. I need to speed up my preparations..."
Qin Guiya muttered to himself.
Whether it was his own strength or the Family's protection, both needed to reach a higher level.
Fortunately, with the Ancient Tree Space and two capable wives, none of this was out of reach.
Inside the house, Liu Qingchan's gentle lullaby and the faint sounds of Lin Mushuang setting up a Formation could be heard, mixed with Yue Xian's giggles.
This moment of warmth was the most precious Treasure Trove on his path of Cultivation... One day, three years later, Qin Guiya sat cross-legged in the center of the quiet room. A golden Medicinal Pill appeared in his palm, a perfect-grade Golden Origin Breakthrough Pill that he had recently exchanged for.
He took a deep breath and put the Medicinal Pill, worth 500,000 Spirit Stones, into his mouth.
The moment the Medicinal Pill entered his abdomen, a violent medicinal power erupted like a volcanic explosion.
Qin Guiya immediately circulated the Heavenly Flame Incineration Art, guiding this power to impact the Bottleneck of the Golden Core Middle Stage.
The Golden Core, which had been dim for a long time, trembled violently, and the cracks on its surface healed at a visible rate under the washing of the medicinal power.
"Break for me!"
Qin Guiya roared, and his entire body's Spiritual Qi surged.
The Golden Core emitted a crisp cracking sound.
It wasn't collapsing, but rather its outer shell was shedding, revealing a more dazzling core inside.
A Spiritual Qi fluctuation several times stronger than before spread from the quiet room, alarming the entire Immortal Cave.
"Husband has broken through?"
Liu Qingchan straightened up from the Spiritual Field, her eyes filled with pleasant surprise.
Lin Mushuang was teaching Qin Yuexian basic Cultivation knowledge. Hearing this, she immediately activated the Immortal Cave's defensive Formation, concealing the Breakthrough fluctuations.
Besides these three, there were also two children, two-year-old Qin Yueqi and Qin Yuelin, who were babbling and waving their small hands in their cradles, seemingly able to sense their father's transformation.
Inside the quiet room, Qin Guiya slowly opened his eyes, golden light swirling within them, before returning to normal a moment later.
He looked inward at his Dantian; the Golden Core was now perfectly round, its surface glowing with a faint reddish-golden luster, and its Spiritual Qi reserves were exactly double what they were in the Early Stage!
"Golden Core Middle Stage... finally..."
Qin Guiya's voice trembled slightly.
The scene of his failed Breakthrough five years ago and the damage to his Meridians was still vivid.
At that time, he thought his Dao path would be cut short, but he unexpectedly found the secret of the ancient tree due to misfortune. Now, not only were his injuries healed, but he had also broken through the Bottleneck in one fell swoop.
His Divine Sense sank into his Sea of Consciousness. The ancient tree was even taller than five years ago, its main trunk as thick as a pillar, and its two side branches swayed slightly.
Under the tree, the four acres of Spiritual Field were lush and green, with Third-Order Golden Spirit Flower and Beast Essence Grass growing even more pleasingly, and the fire blaze bamboo had grown to four zhang high.
"Daddy!" A childish call came from outside the door.
Qin Guiya removed the Restriction. Two toddlers immediately stumbled in, followed by Liu Qingchan and Lin Mushuang, their faces full of smiles.
Qin Guiya picked up one son in each arm.
Qin Yueqi and Qin Yuelin were born to the two Dao Companions; their appearances were distinctly different, though their ages were not far apart.
Yue Qi resembled his mother, Lin Mushuang, with clear, cold eyes.
Yue Lin, on the other hand, inherited Liu Qingchan's gentle warmth.
Both little ones had Five Spiritual Roots Aptitude, with limited prospects for Cultivation, but Qin Guiya didn't care.
With the Ancient Tree Space, he was confident he could pave the path of Cultivation for each child.
"Congratulations, husband."
Tears welled in Liu Qingchan's eyes.
She had personally witnessed her husband's journey, step by step, from despair.
Although Lin Mushuang didn't speak, the pride and joy in her eyes were equally evident.
This formerly aloof Formation Master had now fully integrated into the Family, even becoming more adept at managing household chores than Liu Qingchan.
"How long have I been in seclusion?"
Qin Guiya asked, teasing the children in his arms.
"Two months and three days."
Lin Mushuang answered precisely, "During that time, Second Uncle came once and brought a new batch of Golden Spirit Flower."
Qin Guiya nodded.
Over these three years, through his twelfth brother Qin Guiheng, he had successively obtained hundreds of Golden Spirit Flower seeds, all planted in the Ancient Tree Space.
His second uncle, meanwhile, had brought a batch of 500-year-old Golden Spirit Flower.
Golden Spirit Flower was the most common Third-Order Medicinal Pill, still easily found by Nascent Soul Cultivators.
"Husband, you should stabilize your cultivation first; leave the children to us."
Liu Qingchan took Qin Yuelin and said gently.
Qin Guiya, however, shook his head:
"No hurry. I'll go see Yue Xian first."
Five-year-old Qin Yuexian had already grown to look like a seven or eight-year-old child. At this moment, he was playing with the several fire blaze bamboo in the backyard.
Seeing his father, he cheered and ran over. With a wave of his small hand, the surrounding Spiritual Plants swayed in unison.
"Daddy broke through?"
The little one's eyes sparkled, and he could actually perceive Qin Guiya's Realm change at a glance.
Qin Guiya's heart trembled slightly.
The perception of the Azure Wood Spirit Body was indeed astonishing!
He squatted down to be at eye level with his son: "Yue Xian, have you been Cultivating diligently recently?"
"Yes!"
The child proudly puffed out his chest, "I can make ten Spiritual Plants bloom at the same time! Mother Mu Shuang says this is the prototype of the Myriad Wood Spring Spell!"
Qin Guiya ruffled his son's head.
Ordinary Cultivators usually needed to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage to cast such Spells, but Yue Xian hadn't even started Cultivating yet, relying solely on his Azure Wood Spirit Body. It could only be said that the Spirit Body's talent was truly terrifying.
Fortunately, there was Lin Mushuang's improved defensive Formation; otherwise, this child's anomaly would have been discovered long ago.