“Condensing Yuan stage! I actually broke through!” Mike Sullivan stood up from the ground with a look of surprise and delight—he had broken through, he had actually broken through just like that. From the start of cultivation until now, it had only been six days. In these six days, he had gone from just entering the Spirit Induction stage to breaking through to the Condensing Yuan stage, leaping across an entire major realm! This cultivation speed was simply terrifying!

At the Condensing Yuan stage, not only could one absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, but there was also spiritual energy within one’s own body. If one could use the spiritual energy absorbed from the world to further activate the spiritual energy within oneself, that would mean entering the Condensing Yuan stage.

With both internal and external changes, the spiritual energy inside the body and the energy from the world both transform—this is true cultivation. After entering the Condensing Yuan stage, the spiritual energy within the body condenses into Yuan Qi, which is stored in the Qi Sea. When using techniques or facing an enemy, the Yuan Qi surges out, transforming into spiritual energy to strike.

After the Condensing Yuan stage comes the Spirit Locking stage.

For everyone, even if they absorb spiritual energy, it’s impossible for it to remain in the body forever. Even if they cultivate immediately after absorbing it, some of the energy will still dissipate.

The Spirit Locking stage is like a lock inside the body, completely sealing the spiritual energy within so it doesn’t dissipate.

After the Spirit Locking stage comes Martial Dao Spirit Heart.

In Shuiyao Sect, there are many who have been in the Spirit Induction stage for over ten years without breaking through to the Condensing Yuan stage. Generally, in Shuiyao Sect, those who can break through to the Condensing Yuan stage within ten years are considered quite talented. Those who can break through within five years are already dazzling disciples within the sect.

Those who can break through within three years, without exception, are all regarded as genius disciples by the sect.

As for breaking through to the Condensing Yuan stage within six days—even the most highly regarded geniuses in the sect, even with the sect’s experts infusing them with innate spiritual energy, could not possibly cultivate so quickly.

With the infusion of innate spiritual energy, breaking through within a year is already extremely rare.

Six days—if others found out that someone could break through to the Condensing Yuan stage in six days, they would be scared to death. This Immortal Realm energy truly lives up to its name—so heaven-defying, so powerful, so terrifying!

Mike Sullivan clenched his fists in wild joy and swung them hard in the room. With this Immortal Realm energy, what did he have to fear?

He couldn’t guarantee anything else, but with the Immortal Realm energy, he was certain he could strive to achieve Martial Dao Spirit Heart.

“Knock knock…”

Suddenly, a knocking sound came from the door, followed by Little Henry’s voice: “Big brother, there’s a strange person in the village who wants an appraisal. You should go take a look.”

“A strange person?” Mike Sullivan was momentarily stunned by the sound, then walked out of the room toward his appraisal room. Now that he had entered the Condensing Yuan stage, his eyesight was much, much sharper than that of ordinary people.

He hadn’t gone far from his house when he saw, from a distance, that a gigantic creature was standing outside his appraisal room!

“A beast!”

Mike Sullivan’s eyes narrowed sharply. In this world, there were many extremely powerful fierce beasts, many of which were stronger than martial artists. These beasts were called exotic beasts.

He had seen three exotic beasts in Shuiyao Sect, but those three were clearly not as formidable as the one before him now.

This was an exotic beast about the size of a fully grown tiger, with strong, powerful limbs.

Its body was like a lion’s—robust and muscular—yet it had a head that closely resembled an elk, with a pair of antlers on its head…

At first glance, this exotic beast looked somewhat like the legendary “Sibuxiang” (Four Not Alike), but upon closer inspection, it was definitely different.

Mike Sullivan searched his memory, but found that none of the books he had read in Shuiyao Sect described this particular exotic beast.

On the back of the beast sat a middle-aged man, his thick beard covering most of his face.

Yet, despite the beard, Mike Sullivan felt a strange sense of danger from him… Although he couldn’t gauge the man’s true strength, he knew this person was anything but simple!

At the very least, he must have the strength of a core disciple of Shuiyao Sect.

Mike Sullivan quickly walked up to the man, cupped his hands with a smile, and said, “Uncle, are you here to have a treasure appraised?”

“What? You called me uncle!” The man riding the beast stared down at Mike Sullivan, his face instantly filled with helplessness. “Brother, do I really look that old to you? I’m only a few years older than you. I just look a bit mature, that’s all. I’m only a little over twenty, not even twenty-five yet, and you call me uncle!”

Mike Sullivan was stunned—this guy wasn’t much older than him. But he really did look over thirty. Could it be… premature aging?

With an awkward smile, Mike Sullivan deliberately coughed, paused, and then said with a laugh, “Brother, you’re here for an appraisal, right? Please, come inside…”

“Alright.”

The man jumped down from the beast and followed Mike Sullivan into the room. Judging by his clothes and bearing, he was clearly someone of significance. However, compared to the martial artists from the Sangshan Society before, the bearded man showed no arrogance at all, and appeared very calm.