For the remaining ti in the cultivation room, Lin Mo once again focused on the second layer of the [Starflow ditation Manual]. Before going to the Sunken Caverns Anchor, he successfully ford three new brilliant nodes of starlight qi, bringing his total to nine. The first constellation of six was stable, a perfect hexagon of power. Now, he was laying the foundation for the second set for the 36 Heavenly Stars.
The process was grueling. Unlike the first layer, where he was simply gathering starlight, the second layer required him to weave these nodes into a complex, interconnected web. It was like trying to build a suspension bridge out of light while standing in a hurricane.
And he decided to use the psychic turbulence of the simulation to amplify the pressure.
He visualized the psychic dissonance as a hamr. A chaotic, external force to pound against his will. Instead of building a wall to block it, he let it strike the raw starlight qi he was weaving, forging it to beco tougher.
Every pulse of the simulated environnt, wrought with ntal turbulence and psychic pressure, was a hamr blow that compressed the loose, gaseous starlight qi into a denser, more liquid state.
It was a thod that he often saw a main character do in their novel. He thought he could try it as well and he might also get a surprise.
The headache was blinding, a constant, shrill shriek in the back of his mind that threatened to unravel his concentration.
But his soul, refined by the Goddess and anchored by his own stubbornness, held firm.
Compress. Align. Stabilize.
He chanted internally as he continued guiding the spiritual energy in dantian.
The fourth node ford. A brilliant speck of sapphire light.
Then the fifth.
And the sixth
As the sixth node solidified, he once again started feeling the sensation of them following the sa orbit, turning into the second constellation.
It didn't just sit idly beside the first hexagon or orbit it as if it were the center. The mont the final node clicked into place, a magnetic chi resonated through his spiritual sea.
The two complete constellations, one stable and ancient, the other new and forged in the fires of psychic pressure, began to spin.
They rotated in opposite directions, creating a grinder-like effect that pulled in the ambient spiritual energy with a more terrifying efficiency than just circulating his core cultivation technique.
But then, the surprise he had hoped for manifested.
The psychic turbulence, the chaotic ntal interference that perated the room, was no longer just hamring against his will. It was being drawn into the grinder as he beca accustod to it.
The opposing rotations of his starlight constellations began to filter the chaotic, maddening ntal pressure. It was being ground down into raw, neutral ntal energy and then fused into his starlight qi.
When that process ended, the initial silver color of his starlight qi began to take on a faint, athyst hue at its edges.
And then, the system which was also monitoring his progress, gave him an update.
[System Notification: Anomaly Detected in Cultivation thod.]
[Shopkeeper has successfully integrated external psychic pressure into the foundation.]
[New Attribute Acquired: Psionic-Tempered Starlight Qi.]
[Effect: Your spiritual energy now possesses a natural resistance to ntal intrusion. Offensive techniques infused with this qi will carry a minor 'Soul Shock' effect.]
[Starflow ditation Manual - 2nd Layer Progress: 20% (2/6 Constellations Ford)]
"Heh. Would you look at that?" Lin Mo smirked, sweat dripping down his nose. "I turned the headache into a weapon. That's what I call convenient recycling."
Apart from that technique, his spirit roots, breathing technique, core cultivation technique and mind cultivation technique all experienced a small breakthrough.
From the early Foundation Establish Stage, he climbed up to the mid Foundation Establish Stage.
Perhaps sensing the sudden change in him, Liu Xiaoyu, who was basking in the leaking luck being emitted by his Celestial Providence, opened her eyes.
She glanced at him and exhaled in helplessness. She had long accepted Lin Mo's abnormal existence but to see him progress like that, as if he were the one with a heavenly physique, all she could do was to strive further in order to keep up with his pace.
That particular thought transford into pressure that was also gradually accelerating her own cultivation.
Liu Xiaoyu gritted her teeth as her competitive spirit blazed brighter than the lightning that naturally arcs off her skin.
She wasn't jealous, not exactly. It was more like the feeling of an older sister watching her little brother grow up so quickly and shoot past her height.
"If Boss can turn a headache into a weapon, then I can turn this pressure into fuel!"
She closed her eyes again, ignoring the phantom whispers of the simulated environnt that tried to claw at her focus. Instead of building a wall like she usually did, or grinding it down like Lin Mo, she did what a storm did best.
She embraced the turbulence.
Her [Nine Heavens Storm Martial Technique] roared to life within her ridians.
The golden lightning that ford from the core of her own created technique began to vibrate, resonating with the chaotic psychic frequencies of the room.
She drew it in and electrified it before pouring her will into the chaos, charging the ntal pressure with her own explosive intent until it beca indistinguishable from her own storm qi.
RUMBLE.
An ominous sound echoed through the simulated void, distinct from the background noise of the nebula.
And likewise, Lin Mo, who had just finished admiring his new Psionic-Tempered Starlight Qi, snapped his head towards her.
Above Xiaoyu's head, a vortex of golden clouds was forming.
He could tell that it wasn't generated by the room. It was a manifestation of her inner world leaking into the reality of the room, empowered by the high density of spiritual energy.
"There you go. A prodigy. I take one step, and she takes ten." Lin Mo muttered with a wry smile.
He didn't intervene and instead gave her the space while watching over her.
He knew that for a genius like Xiaoyu, interference could be more damaging than the trial itself.
He expanded his [Stellar Domain] to create a buffer zone around her, ensuring the simulated environntal hazards didn't spike unexpectedly and disrupt her concentration.
"Go on," He whispered. "Show what the Nine Heavens are made of."
As if hearing him, Xiaoyu's eyes snapped open. Her pupils started crackling with arcs of golden lightning.
"BREAK!"
She scread as though she were breaking off a chain.
BOOM!
A pillar of golden lightning erupted from her body, shattering the floating rock not far from her and blasting a hole through the simulated nebula above.
The psychic pressure in the room was instantly dropped, incinerated by the sheer intensity of her aura.
The golden light swirled around her, condensing, refining, and then rushing back into her body with the force of a collapsing star.
When the light faded, Liu Xiaoyu, who started floating while ditating, opened her eyes. Her hair drifted around her like a halo and her aura had changed. It was no longer the restless, crackling energy of a sumr storm. But heavier or rather, denser.
It felt like the calm yet terrifying pressure of the eye of a hurricane.
"Peak... Foundation Establishnt," She exhaled before her lips turned into a wide grin, brighter and more confident than ever. "Hehe! Saw that, Boss? I told you I wouldn't get left behind! I think... I think I just touched the threshold of the Core Formation Stage. I just need one more push. Maybe a real fight with that long-eared creep will do it! My Golden Core would be ford by then!"
Lin Mo smiled, retracting his domain. "Mhm. But are you certain? Aren't you the type to make sure you're not rushing things? You spent a long ti in the Spirit Condensation Stage to achieve the Perfect Foundation. But now, you're already at the peak."
"Hehe. I'm certain. I feel great. There are no impurities or defects that I can sense. Besides, it's not like I used a shortcut. Each step is in accordance with my physique's natural rhythm. The Nine Heavens Exquisite Body devours energy and demands perfection. If I had rushed with impure qi, I wouldn't be a prodigy!" She rubbed her nose, practically bragging about it.
"I have been enlightened, Boss. The convenience our store offers is beneficial, even to . Wanna try sparring again? I'll show the fruits of my labor."
Lin Mo couldn't argue with that logic. Or rather, he couldn't argue with the results.
"What? You want to knock out again? You truly are ruthless even to your boss."
"Boo. As if you're not an anomaly yourself, Boss. Let's go. I'll give you a massage if I break any of your bones."
He checked the ti. An hour before the store's opening.
It won't be bad to test his improved starlight qi before challenging a Conduit Tower again.
And Liu Xiaoyu was the best sparring partner one could ever hope for.
"Alright. I'll look forward to that massage." He remarked playfully.
"Pfft. Don't let break your bones on purpose," She giggled as she turned into a golden lightning streaking past to deliver a quick punch to his face.
Like this, they use the remaining accelerated ti in the room to gauge their improved capabilities.
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