Time, for those who cultivate, sometimes feels as if it does not flow, while at other times, its passage is felt with intense clarity.
At times, a single period of seclusion might pass, spanning months or even years.
And when one begins to feel their lifespan dwindling, a myriad of emotions arise.
Ji Yuan, at present, falls into the former category.
Unbeknownst to him, a winter had quietly slipped away. After two to three months, early spring arrived.
The thick snow on the ground began to melt, yet the cold was more piercing than during the harshest days of winter.
During these months, although Ji Yuan's cultivation had only become purer and deeper, without any further advancement, his realm had been steadily improving.
Now, when he sat opposite Lu Yuzhe, it was no longer merely a matter of seeking guidance, but a mutual exploration and discourse on the Dao.
Their conversations had evolved from basic theories to discussions on various profound techniques and cultivation methods related to the Dao of Five Elements.
As early spring arrived, Ji Yuan's sharp aura had completely vanished, replaced by a profound peace.
Through the mutual generation and restraint of the Five Elements, and their balanced flow, he had purified the sharp intent that perpetually emanated from him after comprehending the Dao of the Sword.
Although the Dao of Five Elements had not caused his bottleneck to loosen in these past few months, it had undeniably solidified his realm.
Even the Dao of the Sword he had comprehended had benefited greatly from this, making his sword intent incredibly robust.
Despite his cultivation not having broken through, his strength had undergone a significant transformation, far exceeding that of several months prior.
One night, Ji Yuan sat in his meditation chamber as usual, with eighteen small flags floating before him.
This set of Five Elements Dharma artifacts had been completely refined by him. The formations inscribed within them, as well as the restrictions they contained, were thoroughly understood.
After a moment of contemplation, Ji Yuan withdrew the mana from the eighteen flags, allowing them to return to their ownerless state. He intended to find an opportunity to bestow them upon Lu Yuzhe.
This set of superior Dharma artifacts was exceptionally suited for him, capable of maximizing his innate power, making them a perfect match.
Furthermore, after Lu Yuzhe joined Mystic Heaven Peak, he had indeed rendered considerable meritorious service and endured much hardship in these past few months.
After putting away the eighteen flags, Ji Yuan took out a book on the Dao of Five Elements and began to study it intently.
Months of diligent effort had not led to a cultivation breakthrough, but he could feel his realm rapidly and steadily improving.
Though he was unsure if the Dao of Five Elements would help him take that crucial step, continuing on this path was evidently the correct course, as his strength was indeed increasing at a rapid pace.
While engrossed in his studies, Ji Yuan's expression suddenly shifted. For a fleeting instant, he seemed to sense a slight loosening of his bottleneck!
This discovery naturally caused him to cease his current activity and immediately focus on sensing it carefully.
However, the subtle loosening of his bottleneck that had just appeared quickly vanished without a trace, leaving no discernible sensation.
Ji Yuan's face darkened, and ripples of impatience spread through his heart.
The most daunting aspect of cultivation was not slow progress, but rather the complete obscurity of the path ahead.
It was akin to his current situation, as if a thick mist obscured his path forward.
And despite employing all the methods he knew, he was still unable to dispel this mist.
As time wore on, a sense of weariness naturally began to set in, and even his mood grew restless.
"If I cannot break through within four years, I will have no choice but to rely on external forces like elixirs."
With a long sigh, Ji Yuan murmured to himself, a hint of helplessness in his voice.
Facing bottlenecks in cultivation, there were naturally corresponding methods to address them.
For instance, certain elixirs, special secret techniques, or even peculiar spiritual materials from heaven and earth.
Among cultivators, the most commonly used were breakthrough elixirs. The well-known Foundation Establishment Pill, for example, could, with a certain probability, help one forcefully overcome the bottleneck of the second realm and ascend to the third.
However, consuming elixirs, or utilizing secret techniques and spiritual materials, could inflict irreparable damage upon a cultivator's foundation.
If there were no other recourse, Ji Yuan would be loath to engage in such an action, which was akin to severing his own future path.
Once a bottleneck was broken through with external aid, recovering from it in the future would require immense time and effort, and even then, countless precious spiritual items might yield little effect.
Yet, he had to condense a Golden Core within thirty years. Now, with four to five years already passed, he had only the remaining four-plus years to reach the third realm, which would then provide ample time to elevate his cultivation to the peak of the third realm.
Ji Yuan estimated that, under his circumstances, it would take at least fifteen to sixteen years to even have a slim chance of achieving this.
With a soft sigh, he realized that a full night had passed while he was lost in thought.
Composing himself slightly, he rose from his meditation chamber, opened the door, and stepped into the courtyard.
Early that morning, Chen Yuluo was already waiting outside the courtyard. Seeing him emerge, she immediately hopped and skipped towards him.
"Master!"
She called out sweetly, her face beaming with a wide smile.
Despite it being early spring, the temperature was colder than in midwinter, so the young girl was still wearing a padded coat, as white as the snow.
Seeing the person before him, a smile involuntarily spread across Ji Yuan's face, and his inner vexation subsided considerably.
His disciple possessed a peculiar 'ability' to make those around her feel effortlessly light and joyful.
This was also one of the reasons Chen Yuluo was so beloved by the cultivators of Little Origin Mountain and the disciples of Mystic Heaven Peak.
"Master, what will you teach today?"
The young girl asked with a playful grin.
For over a month now, Ji Yuan had ceased solely imparting the content of the Mystic Heaven Scripture, gradually transitioning to teaching various techniques.
Although they were all relatively common minor spells, such as the Calm Heart and Spirit Condensing Incantation and the Sweet Dew Rain Art.
Nevertheless, Chen Yuluo remained full of anticipation, seemingly unconcerned that the skills she was learning lacked offensive or defensive capabilities.
Looking at the expectation on his disciple's face and the affection in her eyes.
Ji Yuan paused for a moment, then as if realizing something, his aura fluctuated briefly.
"You go back first. For a while, your master needs to go into seclusion. If you have any cultivation questions, go ask your senior brother."
He quickly instructed her, then turned back and entered his meditation chamber.
Before long, the defensive formations in the courtyard were all activated, and even an offensive formation was deployed.
At the same time, Ji Yuan severed all contact with the outside world.