Related thematic articles: Untitled Document "Alas!" A sigh of disappointment came, and a plain-looking teenager appeared with a blank expression on his face. He had failed again. This was the forty-ninth time he had failed to break through in three months. Even though Lin Xuan was mentally tough, he was now surrounded by frustration and despair. A bitter smile appeared at the corner of the teenager's mouth. Shaking his head, he looked at his hand, Rao Xueman, was his talent really this bad? Lin Xuan tightly clenched his fists, his nails deeply embedded into the flesh, but it was as if he didn't feel any pain at all. Lin Xuan was seventeen years old this year, and he had been studying under the Piaoyun Valley for three years. The Piaoyun Valley is a small sect in the cultivation world, with nearly a thousand disciples, and Lin Xuan is one of the lower-level disciples. In three years, the fellow disciples who entered the sect at the same time as him have already reached the middle stage of Lingdong, and a few outstanding ones have even entered the late stage of the fifth layer. However, he was still stuck at the first level. Such slow progress was not due to Lin Xuan's lack of effort. On the contrary, his efforts were unmatched among the lower-level disciples. When others practiced the technique once, he practiced it three times. When others meditated for an hour, he meditated for three hours. But such hard work paid off with very little reward, and Lin Xuan fell far behind everyone else, filled with a sense of failure. Cultivation is divided into eight stages: Lingdong, Zhujī, Ningdan, Yuan Ying, Lihē, Dongxuán, Fenshen, and Dujie. Each stage is further divided into seven levels. The first and second levels are the early stage, the third and fourth levels are the middle stage, the fifth and sixth levels are the late stage, and the seventh level is called the Great Completion. Breaking through the bottleneck allows entry into the next stage. Although the path of immortality is difficult, it also progresses from shallow to deep. For example, the first two levels of the Lingdong period's techniques only belong to the introductory level. Those with good talent can master the first level in two months, while those with slightly worse talent can do so in three to five months. However, this refers only to those with spiritual roots. Spiritual root is a term used in the cultivation world. What exactly it refers to has no definitive description after tens of thousands of years. It is only known that those with spiritual roots cultivate much faster than ordinary people without spiritual roots. In theory, ordinary mortals with average talent can also practice cultivation, but it takes twice the effort for half the result... No, even ten times the effort would not yield half the results. Simply put, it is a lot of effort for little gain. Unfortunately, Lin Xuan is an ordinary person without spiritual roots. Originally, ordinary people without spiritual roots would not be accepted by any sect if they wanted to embark on the path of cultivation. However, Lin Xuan's situation was special. Three years ago, he accidentally saved a seriously injured elder from the Piaoyun Valley. Out of gratitude, the elder recommended him, making him a member of this small cultivation sect. For three years, Lin Xuan never slacked off in his cultivation. He trained hard in winter and summer, sweating more than others, yet he was still far behind his peers. Talent is crucial in pursuing the Dao of immortality, and it is difficult to make up for it with just effort! Recently, Lin Xuan felt that his skills had reached the peak of the first level, just a little away from the second level of the Lingdong period. However, this tiny gap was like a huge chasm. No matter how hard Lin Xuan tried, he couldn't cross it. After a long time, Lin Xuan loosened his tightly clenched fists, took a breath, as if trying to expel the frustration in his heart, sat down cross-legged again, and began the internal visualization method... The Internal Visualization Technique is a minor technique in the cultivation world that allows one to check the flow of spiritual energy in the dantian and meridians within their body. It is an auxiliary technique used during cultivation. In the dantian, there was nothing but emptiness. The only thing present was a faint thread of pale green gas - this was the legendary spiritual energy. But the gas was sparse and thin, due to Lin Xuan's relatively low cultivation level. Cultivation essentially goes against nature. To defy nature, one must possess great power. One must endure various hardships to control the five elements, absorb the essence of heaven and earth, refine it, and finally make it one's own. These faint threads of spiritual energy were what Lin Xuan had cultivated over three years. Compared to his peers, he had much less because he lacked spiritual roots, making his cultivation path much harder than theirs. Under the influence of spirit consciousness, these threads of spiritual energy began to gather, twisting together. Originally, each thread of spiritual energy was as thin as a hair, but as time passed, they gathered into a strand about the thickness of a thumb. Sweat soaked Lin Xuan's body, steam rising from his head. Just the process of gathering spiritual energy had exhausted him completely. Indeed, cultivation for ordinary people was fraught with difficulties at every step. His breathing became heavier, but Lin Xuan's expression remained unchanged. Over the past three years, he had grown accustomed to it. After gathering the spiritual energy, Lin Xuan's expression did not relax at all. Carefully, he released his spirit consciousness and, following the mental techniques taught by the sect, controlled the spiritual energy to flow out of the dantian and enter the meridians. For cultivators, the dantian is the fundamental storage place for spiritual energy, and the eight extraordinary meridians are also very important. When the spiritual energy circulates through the eight extraordinary meridians from head to toe, it is called one cycle. Each time such a circulation occurs, the spiritual energy strengthens a little, though the increase is minimal. However, bit by bit, doing several cycles each day will gradually strengthen the spiritual energy. Of course, there are countless techniques in the cultivation world, and the paths for the grand cycles differ between sects, with varying effects. The Grand Cycle is a mandatory practice for every cultivator, but it is not as easy as outsiders imagine. It is actually quite difficult. There is no need to worry about the route of spiritual energy flow; the mental techniques taught by the sect explain it clearly, and one just needs to follow them. However, the speed of flow requires personal exploration. The reason is simple: each person's meridian condition differs. Some have strong meridians with high endurance, capable of holding more spiritual energy and flowing faster without issue. Others have weaker meridians, resulting in the opposite situation. Generally speaking, the better the spiritual roots, the stronger the meridians, and vice versa. Lin Xuan was just an ordinary person without spiritual roots, so he had to invest more energy and time into the Grand Cycle. Every step must be taken carefully. If the speed is too fast, not only will the cycle fail to complete, but it may also damage the meridians. http://www.novbook.com/reading/2/104405/455743.html This novel is truly breathtaking and soul-stirring, bringing tears to those who read it and sorrow to those who hear of it. The plot rises and falls dramatically, incredibly moving. Reading novels on -Reading Network- is pretty good. The pages are clean and free of pop-up ads. By joining as a member, you can use the bookmark function, which is very convenient.