Chapter 3: Qi Refining Level 3!

I gained over eight points of experience! Whew~!

[1] Over eight points of experience gained, damn!

Lin Mo sucked in a sharp breath.

[2] Lin Mo sucked in a sharp breath.

He only successfully guided qi into his body and entered Qi Condensation Level 1 in the second semester of sixth grade.

[3] He only succeeded in drawing qi into his body in the second semester of sixth grade, entering Qi Refining Level 1.

Over six years combined in middle and high school, he accumulated a mere 300-plus experience points total.

[4] Over six years in junior and senior high, he’d accumulated barely three hundred points of experience.

During that time, he received multiple awards as an outstanding class officer, granting extra practice time in the advanced cultivation chamber.

[5] During that time, he’d received multiple awards as outstanding class officer, granting extra practice time in the advanced cultivation room.

Converted, the additional 8.4 experience points equate to over a month of his grueling practice.

[6] Calculated out, the 8.4 extra experience points equaled over a month of his grueling practice.

Amazing~!

[7] Amazing!

Merit points can actually increase the experience bar!

[8] Merit points can increase the experience bar!

Lin Mo’s face lit up with joy, then a question surfaced in his mind.

[9] Lin Mo’s face lit up with joy, then a question surfaced in his mind.

Only 42 merit points added about eight experience points—what exactly does the multiplier mean here?

[10] Only 42 merit points yielded about eight experience points—what did that multiplier percentage mean?

His gaze landed on the parenthetical note: “42*20%”.

[11] His gaze landed on the hint in parentheses: “42 * 20%”.

“I practice the Five Elements technique, and my Five Elements spiritual roots’ purity averages exactly 20%…”

[12] “I cultivate the Five Elements Art, and my Five Element spiritual roots’ purity averages exactly 20%...”

He muttered to himself, then reached a conclusion:

[13] He murmured to himself, then reached a conclusion:

“So, merit points multiplied by spiritual root purity equals the experience gained.”

[14] “So, merit points multiplied by spiritual root purity equals the experience gained.”

“That means if I had a single-element root with full purity, merit points would equal experience points? Or maybe even trigger critical hits…”

[15] “Then if I had a single-element root with full purity, merit points would equal experience? No, maybe even critical hits...”

Thinking this, Lin Mo’s gaze shifted from the experience bar back to his Five Elements spiritual roots:

[16] Thinking this, Lin Mo’s gaze shifted from the experience bar back to his Five Element spiritual roots:

[Spiritual Roots]: Metal (22%), Wood (19%), Water (20%), Fire (20%), Earth (19%)

[17] 【Spiritual Roots】: Metal (22%), Wood (19%), Water (20%), Fire (20%), Earth (19%)

In this brutal cultivation world, talent is everything.

[18] In this cruel cultivation world, talent was nearly everything.

The most critical attribute determining cultivation potential is undoubtedly spiritual roots.

[19] The most critical attribute determining cultivation talent was naturally the spiritual roots.

Excluding rare mutated spiritual roots.

[20] Except for rare mutated spiritual roots.

The most superior are single-element Heaven Roots.

[21] The best quality was the single-element Heaven Root.

Next come dual-element, then triple-element roots…

[22] Then double, triple...

Someone like him—with five-element roots averaging only 20% purity—is barely considered a “waste” capable of entering cultivation.

[23] Someone like him—with five-element roots averaging 20% purity—was barely a “waste” capable of entering cultivation.

After eighteen years of cultivation, he’s still just a Qi Condensation Level 2 cultivator, barely noticeable even in middle school.

[24] After eighteen years of cultivation, he remained nothing more than a Qi Refining Level 2, barely noticeable even in middle school.

Is there any possibility at all to slightly improve this pitiful talent of mine?

[25] So, was there any way to slightly improve this tiny waste’s talent?

Lin Mo stared at the 10 merit points accumulating on his interface and, with boundless hope, invested them all into his highest-purity Metal root—

[26] Lin Mo stared at the ten new merit points on his interface and, with boundless hope, invested them into his highest-purity Metal root—

[Ding! You invested 10 merit points into the Metal root. The Metal root has slightly improved: Purity 22% → 22.1%]

[27] 【Ding! You invested 10 merit points into the Metal root. The Metal root received slight improvement: Purity 22% → 22.1%】

It actually works!

[28] It actually worked!

Lin Mo was stunned once again by the power of merit points.

[29] Lin Mo was stunned again by merit’s power.

Not only do they boost experience, but they can even improve talent?

[30] It boosted experience—and now even talent?

Such an incredible effect explains why the Holy Lady could attain sainthood through merit.

[31] Such an outrageous effect explained why the Supreme Lady used merit to attain Sainthood.

But he quickly stopped dwelling on it.

[32] But he quickly stopped dwelling on it.

No matter how powerful a Heaven Root is, it still requires cultivation to progress—right now, all I need to do is “press 1.”

[33] Even a Heaven Root needed cultivation to advance—right now, all he needed was to “press 1.”

A faint smile curled his lips; now that his cheat skill had activated, he finally felt a hint of the protagonist’s aura.

[34] His lips curled slightly upward; with the cheat activated, he finally felt a hint of protagonist aura.

Of course, his finger still curled slightly, then straightened—

[35] Of course, his finger still curled slightly, then snapped straight—

[Merit +1]

[36] 【Merit +1】

After confirming merit points could directly add to experience, a blazing fire ignited in Lin Mo’s heart—the same heart that had been dead for eighteen years.

[37] After confirming merit could directly add to experience, his eighteen-year-dead heart erupted in blazing fire.

Tonight, one finger, one miracle.

[38] Tonight, one finger, one miracle.

He wouldn’t sleep until he’d drained every last bit of merit from this little wooden fish!

[39] He wouldn’t sleep until he’d stripped every last merit point off this little wooden fish!!!

——

[40] ——

“I actually fell asleep!”

[41] “I actually fell asleep!”

Lin Mo jolted awake at 6:10 a.m. as his alarm rang; sunlight streamed through the curtains onto the panda pattern on his underwear.

[42] Lin Mo jolted awake at 6:10 a.m. by his alarm; the sun had already shone through the curtains onto the panda on his underwear.

I’m such an idiot—I slept through the very first night after getting a cheat skill?

[43] I’m such an idiot—I slept through the first night after getting the cheat?

He groaned in frustration, stretched, and climbed out of bed.

[44] He groaned, stretched, and climbed out of bed.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t dreamed at all last night—he slept incredibly well.

[45] Then again, he hadn’t dreamed—had slept soundly.

Honestly, dozing off while tapping the wooden fish isn’t his fault; it’s just incredibly hypnotic, especially in the dead of night…

[46] Actually, dozing off while tapping the wooden fish wasn’t his fault—it was just hypnotic, especially in the dead of night...

Lin Mo shook his head and checked his interface:

[47] Lin Mo shook his head and glanced at his interface:

[Merit Points]: 299

[48] 【Merit Points】: 299

299? Is this some supermarket promotion?

[49] 299? A supermarket sale?

As his finger twitched slightly, the number on the screen changed from “299” to “300.”

[50] As his finger twitched, the number on the interface changed from “299” to “300.”

So satisfying~!

[51] Perfect!

His expression relaxed slightly; 300 merit points meant he’d been tapping “1” for roughly five straight hours.

[52] His expression eased; 300 merit points meant he’d pressed “1” continuously for about five hours.

Not bad.

[53] Not bad.

If I poured all of it into experience, that’s 60 experience points—would that be enough to level up?

[54] If invested entirely into experience, that’s 60 points—enough to level up?

Lin Mo froze, his finger involuntarily dragging the merit points toward his cultivation technique.

[55] Lin Mo froze; his fingers moved involuntarily, dragging merit points toward the cultivation technique.

At the last second, his twitching finger paused—just as it was about to tap “1.”

[56] At the last second, his twitching finger halted—ready to press “1.”

Wait, wait!

[57] Wait, wait!

Investing merit points directly into the technique is completely inefficient—I should prioritize boosting my spiritual roots’ purity first to maximize merit efficiency.

[58] Investing merit directly into the technique was wasteful—he should prioritize raising spiritual root purity to maximize merit efficiency.

If I raise my spiritual roots’ purity, not only will my daily cultivation speed increase, but the effectiveness of every merit point will rise too.

[59] If his root purity increased, his daily cultivation speed would rise—and so would merit utilization.

But then again, yesterday’s upgrade left his Qi Condensation Level 2 experience bar just 42 points short of Level 3…

[60] But then again, after yesterday’s boost, his Qi Refining Level 2 experience bar was just 42 points short of Level 3...

[Ding! You invested 210 merit points into the technique. Technique experience +42]

[61] 【Ding! You invested 210 merit points into the technique. Technique experience +42】

[Ding! “National Set 108 Five Elements Qi Condensation Scripture” has advanced to Qi Condensation Level 3.]

[62] 【Ding! “National Set 108: Five Elements Qi Refining Scripture” upgraded to Qi Refining Level 3.】

His fingers moved automatically, completely beyond his control.

[63] His fingers operated involuntarily, completely beyond his control.

As two consecutive system notifications echoed in his ears, Lin Mo felt his internal qi flow accelerate dramatically.

[64] As the two system alerts echoed in his ears, Lin Mo felt his spiritual energy’s circulation accelerate dramatically.

His pores slightly opened, and qi surged into his body like joyful fish.

[65] Every pore opened slightly; spiritual energy surged into him like joyful fish.

His pupils contracted slightly, then relaxed; his upright posture slumped back…

[66] His pupils contracted slightly, then relaxed; his upright body slumped back...

“Ahh~!”

[67] “Ahh~!”

Lin Mo’s eyes gleamed—he’d never felt such exquisite bliss before.

[68] Lin Mo’s eyes gleamed—he’d never felt such exquisite bliss.

Ancient legends tell of prodigies who ascended through cultivation in a single night, leaping multiple realms with a single breath.

[69] Ancient legends spoke of peerless prodigies who, in a single breath, leapt across multiple cultivation realms overnight.

Though Lin Mo had merely advanced one step from his original base, the sheer thrill of this sudden leap was unforgettable.

[70] Though Lin Mo had only advanced one step from his base, the surge of power left him unforgettable.

“Leveling up without grinding feels amazing—no wonder everyone wants to be a genius…”

[71] “Leveling up without grinding feels this good—no wonder everyone wants to be a prodigy...”

Lin Mo slumped back against his pillow, murmuring to himself.

[72] Lin Mo slumped against his pillow, murmuring to himself.

“Ding-ding-ding~!”

[73] “Ding-ding-ding~!”

Suddenly, his phone vibrated violently again—this was the second morning alarm.

[74] Suddenly, his phone vibrated violently again—the second morning alarm.

“Wake up! Go to school!”

[75] “Get up, school!”

Lin Mo flipped over and leapt straight out of bed.

[76] Lin Mo rolled over and leapt straight out of bed.

Now that he’d reached Qi Condensation Level 3, he felt refreshingly invigorated—even his most dreaded morning class now seemed slightly appealing.

[77] Now at Qi Refining Level 3, he felt utterly refreshed—even his most dreaded morning class felt slightly appealing.

He quickly dressed, washed up, locked his door, and left the residential complex.

[78] He quickly dressed, washed up, locked the door, and left the residential compound.

After reaching Qi Condensation Level 3, Lin Mo clearly felt enhancements across his body, especially in leg strength.

[79] After reaching Qi Refining Level 3, Lin Mo clearly felt enhanced physical strength, especially in his legs.

The commute that usually took over half an hour now took less than twenty minutes.

[80] What usually took over half an hour, he covered in under twenty minutes.

Along the way, he bought breakfast and devoured it en route.

[81] Along the way, he bought breakfast and devoured it.

Lin Mo walked into the classroom in high spirits, just as he met his desk partner, Zhang Dahai.

[82] Lin Mo walked into class in high spirits, just as his desk partner Zhang Da met him at the door.

Zhang Dahai glanced at his panda-eye circles, then at his twitching fingers, and grinned knowingly:

[83] Zhang Da glanced at his panda-eye circles, then at his twitching fingers, and smirked knowingly:

“Hehehe…”

[84] “Hehehe...”

Then came the triple barrage of questions:

[85] Then came the three deadly questions:

“Who did you hook up with last night? How many times? Did you get any seeds? Come on, bro, share!”

[86] “Which teacher did you hook up with last night? How many times? Did you get any seeds? Brothers, send me pics!”