— 2 and a half years later —
Xue Ren and his family occasionally received word back from Linghua, who was working hard to rise up the ranks and progress her cultivation.
At just 16 years of age, she was already in the Peak Foundation Establishment Realm, just a step away from reaching the mythical Golden Core Realm!
Even Mei Mei had progressed to the 7th Layer of the Qi Condensation Realm, making good use of her rarely-seen Top-Grade Spiritual Roots!
Xue Ren, on the other hand, was still stuck in the Half-step Qi Condensation Realm…
Even still, Mei Mei was not his match. And neither were any of the other Juniors in the Qi Condensation Realm.
He had trained his physical body to the point where only some Late and Peak Qi Condensation Realm Seniors could harm him, which was great.
But…
As of late, Xue Ren felt as if he hit the same wall that slowed his progress in his previous life. A wall that took his advancement to a crawl.
"Although I should be able to achieve the same level of strength that I had in my previous life's peak in half the time, that'll in no way be sufficient enough to qualify me as invincible."
Xue Ren sighed while enduring the crushing pressure brought about from being excruciatingly pulled apart by two Mid Rank 2 Monster Rams.
"Fortunately, I feel as if I'm close to a breakthrough."
He had been saying that a lot of late, but this time, he was far more certain.
"Any day now and I'll have it. Definitely."
Half a year quickly passed…
Xue Ren was now 13 years old. And today, like most others, involved him finding new, innovative ways to torture himself in the name of "Training."
"Hmm… That girl has already set off for the Goldencrown Academy as well, huh?" Xue Ren wondered to himself while stretching the abnormally chiseled 5'8 body that was riddled with scars.
The girl he was referring to was of course Mei Mei. And though the minimum requirements for the Goldencrown Academy was to have Top-Grade Spiritual Roots and above, be below the age of 18, and possess a cultivation base of at least the Peak Qi Condensation Realm, she more than made the cut.
"Even Mei Mei awakened with one of the best Top-Grade Spiritual Roots," Xue Ren mused. "Everyone around me is Main Character material."
Did that make him the Extra? He was unsure.
As for why those close to him all flocked toward the Goldencrown Academy, Xue Ren had a pretty good idea. And both were related to him.
The first wanted to shield him from the world forever.
Whereas the second one was instantly and firmly rejected by him one too many times, so she set off on a quest to prove to him that she was his soulmate or something.
"Now it's just me left," said Xue Ren, feeling a bit of nostalgia. "It's the same as with my previous life. The only difference being that my parents are a bit too… loving… in this life."
Having good things in his life was bad for training and muscle gains. This was why he unconsciously pushed people away from him.
Even the other kids in Greensbury Village who tried talking to him were ignored right from the get-go.
But he couldn't exactly do the same thing for the parents that birthed him, could he?
Xue Ren may be severely detached from his human emotions, but he wasn't a monster.
"Too much thinking," he declared while rising from his position atop a small mountain of Low-rank Monsters. "With my body now at a more mature stage, I can begin working on more advanced live-training combat practices. I believe Father said there was a Green Leopard Den somewhere around here that I should never go near; I'll find it and see what it's about right now."
However, some time during his relaxed stroll through monster-infested woods, Xue Ren suddenly stopped in his tracks. Dark, shadowy lines streaked across his face as he gravely turned his head down.
"I think… I think…" he mumbled, shaking all over. "I think I'm breaking through…!"
Even he, who was normally indifferent to everyone and everything, couldn't stop himself from exhibiting extreme emotions of joy and euphoria!
It was finally happening!
His breakthrough into the Qi Condensation Realm!
The overflow point!
Without wasting any more time, Xue Ren raced over to a wide, spacious clearing in the forest. He then proceeded to dig up a boulder, speedily placing it in the middle of the clearing.
With closed eyes, he sat on the boulder in a lotus position.
While sensing the increased activity of his Qi Veins, a strange spiritual phenomenon materialized around him.
Fire and the indescribable Blank Elements were swirling around inside this phenomenon, further nourishing Xue Ren's existence.
'This is when I was told pain would begin assaulting your senses,' he thought, making a serious expression. 'But I've thoroughly prepared for this moment. I can take it.'
However, compared to the stuff he endured for his warm-ups, the pain brought about from a mere Qi Condensation Realm breakthrough wasn't worth mentioning.
And without even feeling this so-called "excruciating pain," his breakthrough into the Qi Condensation Realm finalized…