Chapter 61: Seclusion and Breakthrough

The expansion was progressing smoothly. Construction crews worked in coordinated shifts, transforming the old buildings into interconnected dining halls. Lin Meihua had secured contracts with three new spirit beast farms and two herb farms, ensuring ingredient supplies could match their growing scale. Master Chen had trained the additional kitchen staff upto his standards.

Everything was on track.

Yu Liang stood in the main office, reviewing the latest reports. The numbers were excellent as daily customer counts had stabilized, and customer satisfaction remained consistently high. The business could operate effectively without his constant oversight now.

Which meant it was time for self improvement.

He’d been at Qi Condensation second layer for weeks now, and his cultivation base had solidified completely. The Iron Marrow Body was complete, his techniques were refined, and he just recently accumulated substantial resources and further delay served no purpose.

Lin Meihua entered the office carrying a stack of supplier contracts, her expression focused. She looked up as he set down the reports.

"Everything appears in order," Yu Liang said. "The renovation schedule is ahead of timeline, ingredients are secured, and staff training is progressing well."

"It is." She said while looking at the contracts on the desk. "That sounded like you were about to suggest something."

Yu Liang shook his head. "Not really. I was just thinking that things have become stable enough that they don’t need to be managed every single day."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You’re planning to enter seclusion again?"

It wasn’t a question. She’d grown adept at reading him over the past months.

"Yes," he confirmed. "My cultivation has reached a point where further advancement requires little more effort. I need to break through to the third layer, and that will need uninterrupted concentration."

Lin Meihua was quiet for a moment, her fingers drumming lightly against the desk.

"How long?"

"A month, possibly two. Breakthroughs can’t be rushed."

"I understand." She nodded but a brief flicker of reluctance appeared which she masked quickly. "Then you should focus on your cultivation. The business can manage itself for now."

Yu Liang looked at her for a moment. They had spent nearly every day together these past few months discussing plans, solving problems, and sharing meals between meetings.

Somehow, working together had become routine.

So when she hesitated, he noticed.

"The restaurant will be fine under your management," he said gently. "You know the operations better than I do at this point. Master Chen trusts your judgment, the staff respects you, and you have the authority to make any necessary decisions."

"I know that." She looked down at the contracts, then back at him. "It’s not the restaurant I’m concerned about."

Yu Liang paused.

"I’ll return," he said quietly. "This isn’t a permanent departure. Just temporary focus on cultivation."

"Of course." Lin Meihua smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. "I’m being foolish. Cultivators enter seclusion all the time. It’s perfectly normal."

"It’s not foolish."

She met his gaze, and for a moment neither spoke. The office suddenly felt smaller.

"When you return," Lin Meihua said finally, "I’ll have the full expansion completed. Ten dining halls, five private event spaces, and the best spiritual cuisine establishment in Jade City."

"I don’t doubt it."

She stepped forward and placed a small jade slip on the desk.

"Take this. It’s an emergency communication talisman. If something truly urgent happens, activate it and I’ll know. Just... don’t use it unless you really need to."

Yu Liang turned the jade slip over in his hand, feeling its smooth surface. He looked at it for a moment before putting it away.

"Thank you," he said. "You’ve helped a lot. I wouldn’t have gotten the restaurant this far without you."

"We built it together." Her voice was soft now. "Just... don’t take any unnecessary risks during your breakthrough. Cultivation is important, but not worth damaging your foundation by rushing."

"I’ll be careful."

Lin Meihua nodded, then turned toward the door. She paused at the threshold, glancing back.

"Two months maximum. If you’re not back by then, I’m dragging you out of seclusion myself."

Yu Liang smiled. "Noted Young Lady."

She left, and the office felt emptier than it should have.

He remained standing for several minutes, processing the unexpected weight of the parting.

Then he covered his face with one hand.

’What was that conversation?’

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined himself saying things like that. If the ground had suddenly opened up and swallowed him whole, he probably wouldn’t have complained.

Suppressing the urge to bury his face six feet underground, Yu Liang gathered his things and returned to the Moonlight Inn.

.

.

.

He sat cross-legged on the meditation mat and took inventory of his resources.

One hundred Qi Condensation Pills Top grade, each worth fifty million low grade stones. Five Meridian Clearing Elixirs. Three Spirit Awakening Pills. And the remaining Enlightenment Leaves, carefully preserved.

More than enough to support a breakthrough or maybe several, if he had the talent for it.

Yu Liang closed his eyes and began cycling his Qi, feeling it flow through his newly reinforced meridians. The Iron Marrow Body had transformed his physical cultivation, making his channels wider and more resilient. Energy moved smoothly, without resistance.

The second layer of Qi Condensation was fully consolidated. His Qi was dense, stable, and controlled. Breaking through to the third layer required pushing past that stability while compressing his spiritual energy further and refining it to a higher quality.

He consumed a Qi Condensation Pill.

The pill dissolved instantly, flooding his body with concentrated spiritual energy. Yu Liang guided it carefully through his meridians, directing the flow toward his dantian. The energy swirled and compressed, layer upon layer, building density.

Hours passed and days blurred together.

Yu Liang lost track of time, his entire focus narrowed to the cultivation process.

Consume resources, absorb energy, compress and refine. Each cycle brought incremental progress as his qi grew denser and more potent.

On the fifth day, he felt the barrier. A subtle resistance in his dantian, the boundary between second and third layer. He pressed against it gently, testing its strength.

After that he froze for a moment. Just how powerful was this thing?

Yu Liang continued consolidating, consuming pills and elixirs. The Meridian Clearing Elixir removed impurities he hadn’t even known existed, making his channels pristine. The Spirit Awakening Pills enhanced his spiritual sensitivity, allowing him to perceive Qi flows with greater clarity.

Slowly, steadily, his cultivation base strengthened.

By the fifteenth day, he felt ready.

Yu Liang consumed several Qi Condensation Pills simultaneously, a reckless expenditure that would horrify any normal cultivator. The massive influx of energy threatened to overwhelm his body, but the Iron Marrow Body held firm. His reinforced meridians channeled the torrent efficiently.

He gathered all that power and slammed it against the barrier.

The resistance shattered instantly.

Spiritual energy surged through his body, and Yu Liang’s expression changed.

The moment his qi transformed, he could clearly feel the difference. It was purer, denser, and far more powerful than before.

’Just how much stronger did it become?’

The third layer of Qi Condensation quickly stabilized, but the strength contained within his newly transformed Qi left him genuinely surprised.

Yu Liang opened his eyes and released a slow breath.

Anyways Third layer achieved.

But he didn’t stop there.

His foundation was stable, and he had more than enough resources.

Since he could still improve, why stop now?

There was plenty of time to celebrate later.

Yu Liang consumed another Qi Condensation Pill and resumed cultivation immediately.

The third layer consolidated rapidly, his enhanced techniques and superior resources accelerating progress that should have taken months. Within next ten days, he felt stable enough to attempt the next breakthrough.

The fourth layer’s barrier proved more resistant. Yu Liang spent three days carefully testing it, understanding its structure before attempting to break through.

When he finally made the attempt, he used four Qi Condensation Pills and one Spirit Awakening Pill in combination.

The breakthrough succeeded on the first try.

Fourth layer of Qi Condensation and he’s less than a month in seclusion.

Yu Liang finally paused to assess his condition. His spiritual energy felt even purer than before, his body felt stronger than ever, and his techniques had evolved naturally with his advancement.

He still had resources remaining, but pressing for the fifth layer immediately would be reckless. Better to consolidate thoroughly and ensure his foundation remained flawless.

The rest of his seclusion would focus on refinement which is mastering his current level, perfecting his techniques, and integrating everything he’d achieved.

Yu Liang settled into meditation with a faint smile on his face.

When he emerged, Lin Meihua was probably going to be surprised.