Tang Dynasty Demon Suppression Division

Aji then rambled on about everyday things, his words filled with simple longing.

Li Yuan eagerly opened the cloth bag, inside were two level-four demon cores, but their quality was much better than the previous ones.

One is of the wood element and the other is of the fire element. The surface has been simply treated, and the traces of demonic energy are very faint.

He immediately returned to his room, holding two demon cores in his hand, and began to try to communicate with the bronze palace in his sea of ​​consciousness.

This time, the refining and absorption went much more smoothly. The pure energy of the two demon cores was transformed by the bronze palace. Li Yuan felt that the true energy in his body was like a boiling river, surging and constantly impacting that invisible barrier.

Rumble!

A soft sound came from the depths of his soul, and some kind of shackle was broken. Li Yuan's perception instantly became incredibly clear. He could see his own blood and qi flowing slowly through his blood vessels like mercury.

Hearing the subtle surging sound of true qi flowing through the meridians, with a thought, one can precisely control the trembling of every muscle and the direction of every strand of true qi.

Entering the realm of subtlety, success!

The immense energy continued to propel his cultivation level, eventually settling at the mid-stage of the Microscopic Realm.

In the instant of advancement, he saw the bronze palace deep in his sea of ​​consciousness again. Compared to before, the palace's phantom seemed to have solidified slightly, and its surface glow was even warmer and brighter.

The tightly closed bronze gate seemed to have opened slightly again, revealing a vast and ancient aura behind it, carrying a majestic and awe-inspiring Daoist charm.

Li Yuan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clear and deep. His aura was harmonious and restrained, no longer showing the sharpness he had when he was in the Qi Refining Realm, but instead displaying a more composed demeanor.

In just a few days, he broke through several realms and reached the mid-stage of the Microscopic Realm. This speed was enough to scare countless so-called geniuses.

Seeing that he had advanced safely, the aura that had been secretly protecting him relaxed slightly, lingered on him for a moment, and then slowly faded away.

Lunar New Year's Eve, the end of the year.

The academy was deserted, but in Mr. Mo's courtyard, a rare sight, a sumptuous feast was laid out, steaming hot.

Mr. Mo changed into a clean gray robe and sat opposite Li Yuan with a gentle expression.

"During the festive season, when families reunite, since you have nowhere to go, why don't you have a drink with this old man?"

Li Yuan respectfully poured him a cup of warm yellow wine, and filled his own cup as well.

"Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Xie." He held the cup with both hands, feeling a warmth in his heart. This seemingly aloof and cold senior had actually taken good care of him.

The two ate a few bites of food and drank a glass of wine in silence. The faint crackling of firecrackers outside the window made the courtyard seem even more empty and quiet.

"Your cultivation has progressed rapidly these past few days, which is a good thing," Mr. Mo suddenly said calmly. "But the path of cultivation is like building a house. If the foundation is not solid, no matter how fast the house is built, it will eventually be a castle in the air, and it will collapse in an instant when the wind and rain come."

He looked up at Li Yuan, his gaze gentle, yet Li Yuan felt as if he had been seen through.

"External help can be used in spiritual practice, but it should not become a dependency. Shortcuts may be taken, but one should be content."

"True strength comes from mastering one's own power, from understanding the laws of heaven and earth, and even more so from cultivating one's state of mind. These are things that no amount of shortcuts can bring."

Li Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and his hand holding the wine glass paused slightly. He understood Mr. Mo's unspoken meaning.

No matter how fast you improve, you must be wary of a weak foundation. You should not blindly pursue speed, but pay more attention to self-improvement.

Could it be... that he sensed something?

Many thoughts flashed through Li Yuan's mind in an instant, but seeing that Mr. Mo's expression was normal, it seemed to be just an elder giving a junior a common admonition.

"The student...will keep in mind the teacher's teachings."

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart and solemnly replied.

Mr. Mo's words did indeed wake him up. His cultivation had increased dramatically in the past few days, which made him ecstatic and caused him to neglect to consolidate it properly.

While the bronze palace is indeed wondrous, cultivation is ultimately a personal matter; excessive reliance on external objects is not a sustainable path.

"Just remember that." Mr. Mo said no more, raised his glass in a toast, "Come on, cheers. Tomorrow is the first day of the month, there's a sacrificial ceremony at the academy, don't be late."

"Yes."

The two continued eating. As night deepened outside the window, the sound of firecrackers rose and fell, but Li Yuan could no longer find peace in his heart.

Mr. Mo's words were like a wake-up call for him. Blindly pursuing increased strength was not the right path. He needed to hone his skills properly from now on.

After the New Year holidays, Li Yuan focused his mind and devoted himself to consolidating his foundation and refining his cultivation.

He was no longer in a hurry to seek new demon cores, but instead repeatedly honed his cultivation to the mid-stage of the Subtle Realm.

Every day before dawn, he would practice the basic boxing manual in the courtyard, carefully experiencing the release and release of every bit of strength, as well as the coordination between true qi and the physical body.

In his spare time, he read through a large number of basic cultivation classics, trying to understand their meaning from another perspective, and each time he gained new insights.

With Mr. Mo's tacit approval, he also began to try to cultivate some of the basic spells of the Microscopic Realm provided by the academy, such as the Gentle Breeze Step and the Breath Concealment Technique.

These techniques are not of high rank, but they are comprehensive. He learns them very quickly, often mastering their essence in one or two days. However, he is steady and never greedy for more or faster progress, always practicing repeatedly.

As the annual holiday ended, the students returned to school one after another. The thirteen students of Tian Shu Class gathered together, looked each other over, and noticed the changes in each other.

The two-week holiday was clearly well spent.

Wu Yu successfully broke through to the Qi Refining Realm, and his aura became much more stable. Yu Ling'er, Chu Yunhe, and others also made progress in their cultivation.

However, when everyone sensed the harmonious and restrained aura emanating from Li Yuan, they couldn't help but be shocked.

"Entering the realm of subtlety?"

Chu Yunhe narrowed his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing across his face. He prided himself on his exceptional talent and the resources of his family, yet he was only at the late stage of the Qi Refining realm, barely touching the threshold of the Microscopic realm.

Li Yuan unexpectedly surpassed others and directly entered the Microscopic Realm. Moreover, judging from the solidity of his aura, he was definitely not someone who had just broken through.

"Brother Li, you..."

Wu Yu opened his mouth wide in surprise, his face full of disbelief. He had just barely entered the Yin Yuan realm after struggling to the death, and Li Yuan had already stepped into the threshold of the middle three realms.

"Brother Li, your cultivation speed is terrifying!" Yu Ling'er exclaimed playfully, "Are you trying to kill us all?"

Shen Lian held the knife, gave him a deep look, and then went back to cultivating without saying a word.

The news of Li Yuan's breakthrough to the microscopic level stirred up waves among the Tian Shu class and even the entire freshman class.

Some were envious, some were surprised, and their fighting spirit was instantly ignited. Under the immense pressure brought by Li Yuan, they began to cultivate even more frantically.

The training grounds and practice rooms are packed with people every day, creating a lively atmosphere.

Amidst this surge of enthusiasm for cultivation, Wang Shixuan returned to Tingzhu Pavilion once again.

This time, a hint of anxiety lingered between his brows.

"Cousin, Grandfather has tried his best to mediate, but the court's laws are strict," he forced a smile, "If Uncle is really exiled to Lingnan, I'm afraid he will face a nine-out-of-ten chance of death."

Li Yuan sneered inwardly. The Wang family had finally revealed their true intentions and were trying to use Li Chongwen to threaten him.

Unfortunately, they miscalculated.

"The laws of the court should be followed. My father has committed a crime and should be punished." Li Yuan's tone was calm and unwavering. "As a son, I cannot be both loyal to the country and filial to my father."

"Fine, you win."

Wang Shixuan nodded with a cold laugh, then turned and left. He had figured it out; Li Yuan was as hard-hearted as iron and vindictive, destined to be a formidable enemy of the Wang family in the future.

Li Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, but when he turned around, he found Mr. Mo standing behind him with an inscrutable expression.