"This evil bird bit me again, so I threw a punch and completely smashed through its head."

"The evil bird's giant body fell softly and turned to ash within moments. (Energy Points +15)"

"The old man came over. Seeing that I was alone and the bird was gone, he comforted me, 'Little Fei sometimes flies away and leaves, but it will come back after a few days, so don't worry. I've had Little Fei for over a decade, and it's always been like this.'"

"A sumptuous lunch, though it was still cold. (Energy Points +3)"

"The old man asked me many questions, all about the outside world, and I answered truthfully."

"After eating, the old man made a request: 'Could you help me deliver a message to my relatives outside?'"

Deliver a message? Was this a side quest? Ren Suo was startled. However, he then saw that the adventurer had already answered:

"No problem. Your relatives will definitely see your message."

What? There are side quests too?

"That's good. Tell Zhen Zhong, 'Your dad is doing very well over here, well-fed and well-cared-for. I've received everything you sent, so don't worry about Dad.'"

"'Your daughter-in-law, May, is also very filial. You should treat her well, work on your temper, and live a stable life from now on. Don't be like me...'"

"'My granddaughter, Xiao Ling, has grown up now. She's very pretty, wearing your mother's Jade Pendant—she's as beautiful as your mother was at her age. When Xiao Ling smiles, a small dimple appears on her left cheek, but her eyebrows are like mine, very stern. She's a good child; you must find a good husband for her...'"

The old man rambled on for a long time without even stopping to catch his breath. After finishing, he stood up and bowed to the adventurer in thanks, though the adventurer repeatedly said it was unnecessary. The old man then told the adventurer that everyone in the village was eagerly awaiting his arrival and gave him another address.

Thus, the adventurer left the courtyard house. Ren Suo thought for a moment before letting him go on exploring.

Scanning the Advanced Countermeasure Vest and Thought Cultivation had cost the adventurer most of his Energy Points. He needed to replenish them quickly; otherwise, if he encountered trouble later, he wouldn't be able to scan props and would get stuck.

However, Ren Suo felt the adventurer's last action was odd—listening to the old man's message and agreeing to deliver it.

It's worth noting that the adventurer didn't gain any Energy Points after listening; it seemed like purely voluntary labor. Moreover, the old man hadn't even mentioned his son's name or address, so how could the message be delivered!?

He had his suspicions about this, but until anything was proven, his guesses were just ethereal fantasies.

After hastily eating dinner, Ren Suo activated the Spiritual Energy Aggregation Device and lit an incense stick. This was the very object Yu Kuangtu had grudgingly taken from his own bag and given to him the night before he left, having seen that Ren Suo was on the verge of a breakthrough.

It was said to be Awakening Incense made by a certain Cultivator with the surname Gu, produced in low quantities and unavailable for purchase outside the Tactical Bureau. Only someone as highly meritorious as Yu Kuangtu received an allotment of a few sticks each month. Allegedly, not only did it speed up Cultivation, but it also cleared a cultivator's troubles and temporarily purified their state of mind.

Yu Kuangtu, though it pained him, had given Ren Suo one stick, urging him to use it at the most crucial moment, and then hurried him away to save himself the heartache.

Now was that crucial moment.

He had checked himself using the data stream; he was now at First Turn 99%, on the verge of breaking through at any moment. Not advancing would indicate a problem with his state of mind.

Of course, having eaten a Food God Meal, Ren Suo certainly didn't think there was a problem with his state of mind, but to be safe, he still lit an incense for himself.

Then Ren Suo put on the Goddess Jade Pendant. The Goddess Jade Pendant didn't seem to particularly care for the Strange Creatures in High Energy Ahead. Or perhaps, due to the save mechanism (which allowed for respawning Strange Creatures), it didn't receive Energy Points when the adventurer defeated them.

But it could also be that the Goddess Jade Pendant was working, just so subtly that Ren Suo didn't notice. Anyway, wearing it was the right move.

All prepared, Ren Suo then began circulating the Mysterious Sovereign's Secret Records, absorbing Spiritual Energy into his body, transforming Spiritual Energy into his blood, merging Spiritual Energy into his flesh, permeating Spiritual Energy into his bones, and kneading Spiritual Energy into his soul.

Perhaps due to the impending promotion, Ren Suo felt this round of Cultivation was particularly different.

Heat spread from his limbs and bones. He felt the Spiritual Energy seemed to be circulating automatically, driving his Qi Cyclones and naturally running the Mysterious Sovereign's Secret Records.

His body felt warm all over, completely unlike the arduous sensation of his previous Cultivation sessions. After four Circulations, the warmth completely turned into intense heat. Ren Suo knew this meant the process of the Qi Cyclone nourishing the body was ending. Now, for his Physical Condition to continue improving, the Qi Cyclone needed to solidify further. Thus, his body, in turn, began to impact the Qi Cyclone!

The breakthrough was imminent!

Ren Suo had also reviewed some materials about the First Turn to Second Turn breakthrough from the internal network. Most were written by people with Talent similar to his—those with better Talent than Ren Suo had absolutely no bottleneck. If you felt extreme heat in your body during the breakthrough, it meant you were at a crucial juncture. You had to endure and continually operate the Cultivation Technique because, at this time, the Qi Cyclone was forming a deeper connection with your body.

Once a point of coolness appears amidst the extreme heat, it means you are successful: the body has formed a deeper connection with the Qi Cyclone, the external cyclone expands, and the internal cyclone grows.

Nervously waiting for the moment of breakthrough, Ren Suo suddenly felt a point of coolness appear amidst the intense heat.

Success!

Before he could celebrate, Ren Suo quickly discovered two, then three, then four such points of coolness in the intense heat!

A full four points! And from within them, it seemed a thread appeared, pulling the intense heat from his body into them!

Then Ren Suo felt the intense heat inside him dissipate like a flash flood, and the Qi Cyclone spun rapidly, plunging Ren Suo into a state of 'Unity with Heaven.'

The so-called First Transformation Cultivator and Second Stage Cultivator referred to the state when a Cultivator is promoted, during which the Qi Cyclone spins rapidly, the Internal Qi Cyclone Spiritual Energy compresses fiercely, turning into Inner Cycle Spiritual Energy.

Then swiftly around the Inner Cycle Spiritual Energy, a Second Ring Qi Swirl appears, forming the Qi Cyclone together with the outermost external cyclone.

Simply put, a First Transformation Cultivator has an internal cyclone plus an external cyclone. A Second Stage Cultivator has an internal cyclone plus a Second Ring Qi Swirl plus an external cyclone. The inner layers of Qi Cyclones have higher quality Spiritual Energy, and most Cultivators rely on the internal cyclone and Second Ring Qi Swirl for their Spells.

Describing it in real estate terms, Cultivators are like real estate developers, committed to developing the first, second, third, and fourth rings. The external cyclone is like the suburbs. Although somewhat useful, it's still far from the city center and usually serves as a backup. Only when a Cultivator has exhausted their Inner Cycle Spiritual Energy will they allow the External Cycle Spiritual Energy to migrate in.

According to intelligence from the internal network, forming a Second Ring Qi Swirl can take as little as three minutes or as long as an hour. The worse the Talent, the longer it takes—it's a task requiring patience and persistence, and Cultivators must hold on.

However, thirty seconds later, Ren Suo felt that his internal cyclone's Second Ring Qi Swirl had completely stabilized.

Is... is it done?

Ren Suo was startled and checked himself with a data stream.

"Target type: Primate Hominidae Adult Male"

"Physical condition: Normal"

"Cultivation State: Second Turn 0% (You have already defeated 99% of Upright Apes globally!)"

I just broke through like that? Ren Suo subconsciously thought he must be some kind of genius. How could it be so easy?

However, he remembered the four threads that suddenly appeared during the breakthrough and understood. Can the Bond System also help me break through?

Among my bonding partners, Dong Chengling, Yu Kuangtu, Li Dan, and Qiao Muyi are all Second Turn or higher. Exactly four people. Could their Bonds have given me a boost?

There were many functions of the Bond System that Ren Suo didn't quite understand. He didn't dare to jump to conclusions but quietly committed this event to memory.

I've broken through. I should tell everyone.

Ren Suo drafted a mass message, then stopped.

Dong Chengling had informed him when she broke through, and Ren Suo had promised he would also inform her when he did.

Keeping promises was one of Ren Suo's many virtues. He checked the time. Dong Chengling should have finished her work and returned home by now, so he decided to go to her dorm—just as she had come to his.

Upon arriving downstairs, Ren Suo saw the Black Bell intimately cuddling with a Ragdoll cat under the moonlight, and he was thoroughly annoyed. But the Black Bell was very wary. Seeing Ren Suo, it quickly left with its girlfriend.

Ren Suo looked around. Seeing no one, he stood still and waited. After a moment, the Black Bell, seeing Ren Suo wasn't approaching, relaxed and resumed its romantic endeavors.

At that moment, Ren Suo suddenly blurred into an afterimage and rushed in front of it. His right hand transformed into a Pile Driver, spinning and lunging towards the Black Bell's head. He quickly ruffled its fur and slipped away before it could react!

The Black Bell let out an angry MEOW, but with its girlfriend nearby, it couldn't chase after Ren Suo and could only harbor a grudge.

Ren Suo, feeling lighthearted and pleased, took the elevator, thinking that the Mage's Death-Defying Feather was quite good. He had only powered up for a moment and accelerated his speed to 80 meters per second. He was unharmed afterward, making the ability very suitable for him.

At Dong Chengling's door, Ren Suo rang the doorbell. After a moment, Dong Chengling's voice came from inside, "Who is it this late?"

"It's me, Ren Suo."

After a moment, the door opened.

Dong Chengling was holding a towel in her left hand, drying her hair, and her right hand was on the doorknob. She wore very loose, light-colored clothes, through which her bra was vaguely visible. She also wore very short house shorts and was barefoot. The sight stunned Ren Suo.

"Come in."

Ren Suo quickly entered, his face flushed with embarrassment. "I didn't realize you were taking a shower."

"It's okay. Is it something urgent?" Dong Chengling remained nonchalant, continuing to towel her long hair.

Compared to their first meeting, Dong Chengling's hair had grown much longer and was clearly well-cared-for. Wet from the shower, it added a certain charm to her appearance.

This was also the first time Ren Suo had seen Dong Chengling in her loungewear, and his eyes were naturally drawn to her. He stuttered, "I, I... Oh, right! I've advanced to the Second Turn?"

"Really? Congratulations." Though her tone was calm, Dong Chengling seemed very pleased. A faint smile touched her lips, her eyes crinkled, and a cute dimple appeared on her left cheek.

"You're already Third Turn, and I'm just now reaching Second Turn. Telling you this feels like I'm showing off my meager skills in front of an expert..."

Ren Suo bashfully lowered his head. Then, his gaze traveled up Dong Chengling's body: from her pretty little feet, to her long, slim, straight legs, to the cleavage partially visible beneath the large shirt, and above that, to the pale skin where a deep green Jade Pendant rested...

Hmm?

Noticing Ren Suo staring at her with wide eyes, Dong Chengling's heart began to pound. If she had guests or was going out, she would definitely change. But usually, she preferred these loose, comfortable clothes for sleeping. Only her parents and Xiao Yan had seen her dressed like this.

"What is it?" Dong Chengling asked, her cheeks faintly pink.

Ren Suo pondered for a moment, then said, "I just realized... your eyebrows are quite fierce."

Dong Chengling was slightly taken aback and hadn't yet processed his words when Ren Suo continued,

"By the way, I've been thinking about getting a bird. What do you think of the name Little Fei?"

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