"Sit cross-legged to clear the mind; let peace and stillness take their course. Close the lips and teeth lightly, draw breath slow and long. Hold the hands fast, keep the gaze level, gather the divine light, and bring it to the celestial mind."

Ji Yin began to lecture on the first layer of the Qi Condensation technique from the Everlasting Longevity Art.

The content of this first layer was primarily focused on how to perceive the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth, and how to draw that Qi into the body.

Ji Yin taught with utmost dedication, explaining the text almost word by word. He even interspersed the lecture with many of his personal insights and experiences.

The gathered youths listened with equal devotion. Every single one of them believed this was their chance to leap the dragon gate, a supreme opportunity they had to grasp at all costs.

These youths were all literate, belonging to the small educated minority of the Qian Kingdom. Under Ji Yin's detailed guidance, they were largely able to grasp the core essence and requirements of the cultivation manual.

A few impatient individuals had already sat cross-legged, maintaining the five-heart-to-heaven posture with their eyes tightly shut. Even as they listened to Ji Yin's voice, they were already trying to sense the presence of the world's Spiritual Qi.

Song Wen was in no hurry to rush into it. He simply focused on listening to the explanation.

He well understood the principle that sharpening the axe does not delay the wood-cutting.

Furthermore, he was certain that perceiving the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth and drawing it into the body was a time-consuming process. It was not something that could be achieved overnight.

Soon, four hours had passed that morning.

Ji Yin stood up and spoke in a clear, loud voice.

"Today's lecture ends here. You must memorize and contemplate the text thoroughly. This master looks forward to seeing who among you will be the first to sense the world's Spiritual Qi and successfully draw it into their body."

"For the next month, this master will dedicate two hours each day to guide you through the manual."

"During this month, you are forbidden from leaving this residence, though you may move freely within the courtyard. Three meals a day will be provided. Your sole duty is to cultivate the Everlasting Longevity Art with everything you have. Do not disappoint this master's expectations."

With that, Ji Yin turned and departed from the wing rooms.

Right after, the guards of the Heavenly Fiend Gang stepped forward and distributed a small booklet to every person. Contained within was the first layer of the Qi Condensation technique of the Everlasting Longevity Art.

The youths were still left wanting more. Some immediately rushed back to their rooms, completely consumed by the urge to cultivate.

Others gathered in small groups of two or three, animatedly discussing their respective interpretations of the text.

Song Wen, however, did not join the discussions, nor did he rush to cultivate. He could not shake the feeling that Ji Yin was being entirely too accommodating.

An excess of courtesy hides a sinister intent.

He felt deep down that a dark secret lay behind all of this, and that Ji Yin was definitely plotting something.

Once Ji Yin and the guards had vacated the courtyard, Song Wen took the opportunity to carefully observe his surroundings.

The estate was immense, built directly against the mountainside. The courtyard containing the wing rooms was merely a small corner of the entire complex.

Behind the wing rooms lay a vast stretch of open ground, dotted with occasional trees, plants, and a few ponds.

Further back, right at the foot of the mountain, stood a two-story building. Song Wen surmised that this was where Ji Yin lived, as the man had walked in that direction upon leaving.

Surrounding the building were several neatly divided plots of land, all densely planted with various medicinal herbs.

After spending fifteen minutes getting a general sense of the estate's layout, Song Wen returned to his room.

Lunch had already been laid out on his table.

Three white flour steamed buns and a plate of stir-fried vegetables, complete with a few pieces of meat.

In the Qian Kingdom, this was considered an extraordinary meal. Ordinary commoners could never dream of eating white flour buns and meat on a regular basis.

Yet, the better the treatment, the more uneasy Song Wen became. He felt as though a massive net was slowly closing in around him and the other youths.

After finishing his meal, Song Wen pulled out the booklet.

The text for the first layer of Qi Condensation was incredibly brief, numbering barely over a hundred characters.

However, the wording was exceptionally cryptic and obscure. Song Wen realized that without Ji Yin's lecture, trying to decipher it on his own would have taken an immensely long time.

Spending nearly an hour, Song Wen finally managed to commit the awkward, difficult passage to memory.

Then, he assumed the cross-legged posture, five hearts facing the sky, and silently chanted the words of the technique as he attempted to sense the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth.

Time flew by during cultivation. In the blink of an eye, four to six hours passed, but Song Wen felt absolutely nothing.

"Do I lack the talent for cultivation? Or is my aptitude just exceptionally poor?"

Having made zero progress after an entire afternoon, Song Wen could not help but fall into self-doubt.

During the lecture, Ji Yin had mentioned that not everyone possessed the inner qualities required for cultivation. Those with the necessary aptitude were less than one in a hundred, and even among those who did, the talent varied wildly.

It seemed Ji Yin's own understanding of cultivation aptitude was quite limited, as he had only touched upon it vaguely without offering a deeper explanation.

Feeling somewhat disheartened, Song Wen opened his door. By now, evening had arrived.

The setting sun dyed the entire sky a brilliant, captivating gold.

Caught in a precarious situation, Song Wen was in no mood to enjoy the scenery. He stepped out and saw numerous youths gathered in the courtyard, comparing their progress.

Curious, he wandered around and listened in on their conversations. To his relief, out of the hundred-some people present, not a single one had managed to sense the world's Spiritual Qi.

The heavy stone in his heart finally dropped a bit.

"It seems immortality isn't something so easily cultivated."

After dinner, Song Wen resumed his cultivation, persisting all the way until midnight. When he still met with no success, he could only crawl into bed and go to sleep.

The next morning.

Ji Yin arrived outside the wing rooms right on time.

"Did anyone sense the presence of Spiritual Qi yesterday?"

When a long silence met his question, Ji Yin showed no disappointment. He simply began to tirelessly explain the key intricacies of the Everlasting Longevity Art once more.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was the third day of cultivation.

That night, while practicing the Everlasting Longevity Art, Song Wen's senses suddenly shifted. He finally perceived the world's Spiritual Qi.

Countless sparkling motes of light were floating all around his body, drifting aimlessly in the dark.

His late-night exhaustion vanished instantly, replaced by a surging tide of adrenaline and excitement.

He had finally taken the first step of cultivation. This proved he possessed the necessary aptitude, that he had a genuine chance to become an 'immortal' revered by the masses.

However, Song Wen's mature mind quickly asserted control, forcing his excitement down.

He continued operating the Everlasting Longevity Art, attempting to strike while the iron was hot and draw the Qi into his body.

Yet, no matter how hard he tried, those floating motes of light refused to obey his will. They drifted nearby but simply would not enter his physical form.

After trying for fifteen minutes, a sudden realization struck him.

"Wait. I shouldn't draw Qi into my body too quickly. At the very least, I must not be the first one to do so. Until I figure out exactly why Ji Yin is teaching us immortal arts, I absolutely cannot reveal my cultivation talent."

The next morning, during the hour of Chen.

Song Wen and the rest of the youths gathered outside the wing rooms.

Ji Yin looked over them and asked his routine question.

"Did anyone successfully sense the presence of Spiritual Qi yesterday?"