Qin Jian mulled over Xu Mo's suggestion. After probing the idea further, he eventually nodded—it did seem feasible.

"Immediately gather all peak Foundation Building Realm disciples. Also, issue an urgent mission at the Mission Hall to rescue the disciples who are either missing, critically injured, or presumed dead inside the Secret Realm. The rewards will be based on how many disciples they are able to bring back, whether alive or their remains."

The elders under Qin Jian sprang into action without hesitation. In a flurry of motion, they shot off in all directions like projectiles, each moving with intense purpose.

Once things had settled, Qin Jian turned to Xu Mo and Long Bai and gestured for them to follow him. He led them into a temporary tent erected on the mountain docking point. Since this location wasn't a settlement, there were no established residences or inns, only makeshift shelters.

"Disciple Xu Mo," Qin Jian began as they stepped inside the tent, "I've been meaning to ask—do you know anything about the disturbance that occurred inside the Secret Realm a day ago?"

"Disturbance?" Xu Mo furrowed his brow. He wasn't sure which incident Qin Jian was referring to—there had been more than a few disruptions during their time in the Secret Realm.

"Yes, specifically someone breaking through to the Golden Core Realm within the Secret Realm. Did you hear or see anything related to that?"

"I didn't hear..." Xu Mo began, causing Qin Jian's expression to fall slightly. But then he continued, "...but I saw it happen. It was Long Chen—from our sect. He broke through and has now stepped into the Golden Core Realm."

"What?!"

It wasn't Qin Jian who reacted first, but Long Bai, his eyes widening in disbelief. "But… wasn't he dead?"

"We all thought the same when we first saw him," Xu Mo explained calmly. "But thinking back, it made sense—no one had ever recovered Long Chen's body. There was no solid proof of his death, just an assumption after he went missing for so long."

"Then… does that mean Long Chen is still part of your Hidden Dragon Sect?" Qin Jian asked.

"No," Long Bai answered firmly, prompting a slight frown from Xu Mo. But he waited patiently as Long Bai continued.

"Long Chen had disappeared for months. We searched every possible place but couldn't find a trace of him. Eventually, we declared him dead and officially removed his name from our sect records."

Qin Jian's eyes lit up. "Then that means our sect can recruit him openly now, correct?"

"Haha… of course we can!" he answered his own question with a laugh, visibly relieved at the potential gain of a Golden Core Realm disciple.

"I wish you and your sect luck," Long Bai said, appearing entirely unaffected by the potential loss. In truth, he didn't consider it a loss at all. He knew that Xu Mo and Long Chen had some unresolved friction, and Long Chen's personality had always been difficult. There had been multiple reports and complaints about his behavior, all previously overlooked due to his talent and achievements. Long Bai had long considered banishing him and was the one who recommended removing his name from the records in the first place.

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"Well then, we'll be taking our leave," Long Bai said. He and Xu Mo gave a respectful nod to Qin Jian, who was already deep in thought. He simply waved his sleeve dismissively, signaling them to go.

Now alone, Long Bai turned to Xu Mo with concern. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," Xu Mo replied, then proceeded to recount everything that had happened inside the Secret Realm—especially how Mei Xueyin had attacked him.

"I don't think you need to intervene," Xu Mo added quietly. "She'll recover her memories in time, when the moment is right."

Long Bai accepted this explanation and shifted the topic. Xu Mo had some doubts about certain cultivation realms and began asking questions.

Long Bai, ever patient, explained everything carefully, starting from the very first cultivation stage: Qi Condensation.

"The name says it all," Long Bai said. "Qi Condensation is about condensing Qi—the energy from the world—into a form you can use. Think about what the word 'condense' really means: to make something denser or more concentrated by removing excess."

He continued, "The Qi you absorb from the environment is raw and untamed. Cultivation techniques help refine it, but none of them are perfect—at least not the ones commonly available. Our sect's own Qi Circulation Technique, the Drifting Dragon Breathing Method, allows for about 40 to 45 percent efficiency in refining Qi into pure Qi."

"That's why cultivators are advised to spend the most time in the Qi Condensation stage," Long Bai emphasized. "You must eliminate hidden injuries and strengthen your foundation. Once you move on, there's no going back to fix flaws."

Xu Mo nodded thoughtfully. "Then what about Jin Meiyu? She broke through to the next major realm so quickly. Isn't her foundation unstable?"

Long Bai chuckled. "That's where things get unfair."

He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "Jin Meiyu comes from a powerful background—one I can't speak of openly. But from her rapid progress, I'm sure you've already gotten some clues. Her grandfather personally gave her a jade slip containing their clan's heirloom cultivation technique—something so valuable it's beyond anything most sects could dream of. Even I don't know the name of that technique."

He paused and added, "And on top of that, she was born with eight innate meridians. Not just awakened—innate. She's a monster among monsters."

Xu Mo absorbed this information silently. Then he asked, "So, when I reach the peak of Qi Condensation, what exactly should I do?"

Long Bai smiled. "That's when you condense your Nine Buckets of Qi into one large tub—a unified reservoir. And most importantly, your Qi must undergo a transformation: from gaseous to liquid."

Xu Mo blinked. "My Qi has already turned to liquid."

"Oh?" Long Bai raised an eyebrow. "Show me."

Xu Mo raised his hand, and a pale stream of mist-like Qi emerged, quickly condensing into a glistening drop of liquid in his palm. It shimmered softly, pure and dense.

Long Bai's eyes gleamed with approval. "Impressive. That's excellent progress. Most disciples struggle with the transition and don't even realize they're using impure Qi until it's too late."

He stepped closer, inspecting the drop. "Liquid Qi at this stage means your foundation is stable and refined. That puts you far ahead of most."

Xu Mo stored the droplet back into his dantian and lowered his hand.

"But don't be complacent," Long Bai warned. "The next challenge is to condense your Qi Core. That's what forms the bridge between Foundation Building and the Golden Core Realm. And it's not just about power—it's about identity. Your core reflects who you are and the Dao you follow."

Xu Mo nodded. His expression remained calm, but inside, his thoughts churned. The Dao of Silence... would that be his true Dao?

As they walked side by side through the makeshift camp, the sky above the mountain began to darken, casting long shadows across the tents and stone pathways. The world seemed quieter now, but Xu Mo knew it wouldn't last. The road ahead was still long—and filled with challenges.

But he had survived the Secret Realm. And with each step forward, he was a little stronger than before.

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