Chapter 39: The Nine Steps to Heaven

Elder Wans voice was clear and steady as he spoke to the disciples. He walked across the platform with ease like he had done this countless times before. His words did not sound like he was reading from a script.

"Most cultivators fail at Body Tempering " he said, stopping at the edge of the platform. "This is not because it is hard. Because they try to rush through it."

He gestured to the seated disciples.

"You wish to enter the realm of Qi Condensation. You wish to experience that rush of power for the first time. It is completely normal to be drawn towards it. However, If you rush you will build a weak foundation."

Elder Wan picked up a stone from the edge of the platform.

"Visualize this stone to be your body itself. During your practice of Body Tempering, you not only increase your physical strength but also make your body more efficient and solid. Every layer that you add to this stone increases its strength and resilience."

He set the stone down and pressed his thumb against it. The stone broke immediately into pieces.

"If you rush, and skip steps or don’t follow the proper procedures, then your body will be weak. And when you try to utilize spiritual energy, it will crack just like the stone "

The hall was quiet. A few disciples seemed awkward as though they were contemplating if their foundations were strong enough.

Elder Wans voice became softer.

"I am not saying this to scare you. I am saying this to remind you of your safety. Each stage depends on the previous one. If your Body Tempering is poor, then your Qi Condensation would be poor too. And if your Qi Condensation is poor, Foundation Establishment will be very difficult."

He started walking with hands behind his back.

"Qi Condensation is where you learn to control energy. You are not merely a vessel that stores spiritual energy; You are its master. In order to master something, you must learn to be patience. You need to understand how spiritual energy flows through your body, how to guide it without forcing it, how to make it stronger without wasting it."

Elder Wan raised his hand and a faint glow of energy appeared above his palm. It swirled in a controlled circle.

"See how it moves? isn’t it smooth and stable? No energy is wasted here. This is what you should aim for. Not sudden bursts of energy that drains you quickly but steady flow that sustains you."

The spiritual energy disappeared, fading back into the air.

"You will meet your challenge, when you arrive at the Peak of Qi Condensation realm."

His expression became more serious.

"This is not another level of power. It is a transformation. You are creating roots within yourself, making a structure that will support everything you build later."

He paused, looking at the crowd.

"If your foundation is weak everything will collapse. If it is unstable, you will never progress beyond this point. That is why we emphasize patience. That is why we tell you not to rush."

Elder Wan gestured to Elder Feng Yun standing behind him.

"Elder Feng Yun was able to reach Core Formation before he turned thirty years old. Why? It’s not because he was gifted since birth. It’s not because he had resources. Then why? Because he spent seven years mastering Body Tempering realm where he perfected every single layer. He spent another eight years mastering Qi Condensation realm making sure his control was flawless."

Some disciples looked at Feng Yun with newfound respect.

"Fifteen years," Elder Wan repeated. "Fifteen years building a foundation so strong that when he finally tried to breakthrough Foundation Establishment realm, he succeeded on his first try. No failures, no setbacks, just smooth progress."

He turned back to the crowd.

"This is the road to take. Nothing else but hard work and dedication."

Elder Wan spent the next hour explaining each realm in more detail. He talked about the stages within Qi Condensation, the signs that showed someone was ready to advance, the mistakes that led to stagnation. He spoke about the requirements for Foundation Establishment realm, the mental clarity needed, and the resources that could help but were not necessary.

He mentioned Core Formation briefly describing it as the creation of a core. A concentrated source of power that sustained itself. He mentioned Nascent Soul in passing calling it the birth of an existence something that could survive even if the physical body died.

He did not dwell on the higher realms. Those were far too abstract for most of the disciples. Instead he repeated the message again and again.

Be patient. Be precise. Be persistent.

By the time he finished the sun was higher in the sky. Disciples shifted in their seats some rubbing their backs from sitting too long others still thinking about what they had heard.

Elder Wan clasped his hands together.

"And that’s it for this lecture. Keep my words in mind. Don’t go chasing speed. Go chasing stability. You will reach your realms soon enough if you do it right."

He bowed slightly to the crowd then turned to Elder Feng Yun. The two exchanged a few words before leaving the platform together disappearing through the back entrance.

It was not long after they left, the hall erupted into conversation.

Disciples stood, stretching and talking excitedly. Some debated points from the lecture while others discussed their cultivation progress. The top ten disciples remained seated for a moment their expressions thoughtful before they too began to rise.

Yu Liang stayed where he was letting the noise wash over him.

Elder Wans words had struck a chord deeper than he expected. Not because they were new. Most of what he said was knowledge principles repeated by every teacher and elder. But it was the manner in which he delivered it coupled with the passion in them that changed Yu Liang’s future perspective.

He had been cautious. Too cautious, perhaps. Every decision had been calculated to minimize risk as to avoid drawing attention, to stay invisible until he was strong enough to matter.

Caution could become a prison.

He thought about the disciples, about Shen Weis effortless dominance, about Qin Leis boldness in challenging him despite knowing he would lose. They were not hiding. They were not waiting for the moment.

They were moving forward.

Yu Liang stood slowly his mind working through the implications.

But he could not abandon caution entirely. That would be foolishness. His system gave him an advantage but It also made him a target if discovered. He still needed to build his cover to create the background that would explain his resources.

Within those boundaries he could afford to be bolder.

He could take visible missions and spar in the training grounds where people could see how strong he is. He could attend lectures to make connections and build a presence that was not just "the former handyman who got lucky."

People remembered those who acted, not those who hid.

If he was going to climb, if he was going to reach the heights Elder Wan had described, he needed to become someone worth remembering.

Ding Yuns voice broke through his thoughts.

"That was a good lecture, huh?" This round disciple was grinning as his cheeks flushed with excitement. "Elder Wan does not usually get that fired up. It must be because Elder Feng Yun was watching."

Yu Liang nodded. "It was useful."

"Useful?" Ding Yun laughed. "That is putting it mildly. Half the disciples here are going to go to their caves and start re-evaluating their entire cultivation path."

He clapped Yu Liang on the shoulder.

"And look at you, I know that look. Like you are planning something."

Yu Liang smiled faintly. "I am just thinking."

"Thinking is good. Just don’t think too much. Sometimes you have to act." Ding Yun winked. "Trust me I know. I have connections remember?"

Yu Liang chuckled. "I will keep that in mind."

They made their way out of the lecture hall joining the flow of disciples heading back to their districts.