Chapter Twenty-Two: Challenging the Bottleneck Once Again

Ever since that day he made an agreement with the girl in white, Liang Yan would arrive punctually each evening at Cangmu Peak to keep their rendezvous. Beneath the ancient tree, they would sit and play game after game of chess, whiling away hours that seemed to slip by unnoticed.

Bound by the limits of his own talent, Liang Yan had been unable to break through the barrier of the third level of Qi Training. No matter how he cultivated, his spiritual energy would not grow in the slightest. He simply gave up going to the Spirit Spring Cave at night, and apart from the occasional attempt to shatter his bottleneck, he spent nearly all his evenings playing chess with the girl in white, or learning strategy in the library of chess classics.

Since the upheaval four years before, Liang Yan had buried himself in rigorous cultivation and had not relaxed in such a way for a long time. At first, he found the girl in white somewhat stubborn and domineering, but as time passed, he realized that beneath her cold exterior lay a warm heart; she was, in truth, far from difficult to get along with.

Since the destruction of his family, Liang Yan had no friends his own age; those he usually interacted with were elders or fellow disciples. Now, with this girl, though they spoke little and their encounters were limited to silent contests atop the mountain, he found a rare sense of ease and comfort.

Unnoticed, two months went by in this way. During the first month, though the girl in white won every evening, the games grew more challenging by the day. Eventually, they could only complete two or three matches in a night, each side racking their brains for a path to victory.

By the beginning of the second month, Liang Yan occasionally managed to win a round or two. Soon after, their victories and defeats became evenly matched. The girl’s expression grew grimmer with each passing day, her former calm and smiling composure replaced by an obvious frustration.

One day, after another fierce contest beneath the tree, Liang Yan played with unwavering focus, his moves swift and precise. The girl in white frowned deeply, hesitating often, agitation clear on her face. When Liang Yan placed another piece, she suddenly shoved the board away with a pout, exclaiming, “I’m done! I won’t play anymore!”

Drawn from his reverie, Liang Yan glanced at her angry expression and relented, his voice gentle: “You were careless this game, it doesn’t count. Come, let’s play another one.”

“I said I’m done! Who cares about playing with you anyway?” she retorted, her tone sharp, her chest rising and falling with frustration.

Liang Yan gradually realized something was amiss with her mood. He tried to comfort her: “No general wins every battle, and it’s the same with chess. Your skill is truly profound; I’ve always admired you, honestly.”

The moment she heard that he admired her, much of the anger faded from her face. She asked, “Really? You mean you actually admire me?”

Liang Yan nodded sincerely. “Of course. Your skill is unparalleled. I’ve had to pore over chess manuals day and night just to barely keep up with you in a few matches. Truly, I feel ashamed.”

To his surprise, as soon as he finished speaking, the girl’s face darkened in embarrassment. She thought to herself, “He’s only been studying in the chess library for two months and can already play me to a draw. I began at eight and have been immersed in chess for five years—does that make me a fool?” The thought nearly made her cough up blood.

She composed herself, shot Liang Yan a resentful look, and said in a low voice, “You’re so formidable, you’d best not play with me anymore. I won’t be back tomorrow.”

Liang Yan stared at her, dumbfounded, as if not comprehending. After a long moment, he stammered, “Did I say something wrong? My mind isn’t always clear and I often say foolish things. Please, don’t take it to heart.”

Though he prided himself on his wit, in this moment of anxiety, he found himself at a loss for words—an unprecedented experience.

Seeing his distress, the girl in white couldn’t help but laugh, her gloom melting away. She sighed and said, “It’s not your fault. It’s just that... soon, for a long while, I won’t be able to come here anymore.”

“Why is that?” Liang Yan asked, puzzled.

“It’s because of my ancestor,” she replied with a huff. “Her discipline is strict. Lately, she’s ordered me into seclusion for at least a year—I won’t be able to leave until then.”

Liang Yan nodded in understanding. “For those of us who walk the path of cultivation, it’s only right to devote ourselves and work diligently for a chance at true freedom.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “If you’re so devoted, why do you spend every night here playing chess with me?”

Liang Yan managed a wry smile. He couldn’t say aloud the truth: that he was stuck at the peak of the third Qi Training level, unable to progress no matter how hard he tried—so what point was there in endless cultivation?

The girl in white mistook his pained expression for reluctance to part from her, which brought a fleeting sweetness to her heart, tinged with a trace of melancholy.

“All those uncles in the chess hall are insufferably stiff, and the senior brothers are all cut from the same mold—there’s not a scrap of fun among them. Finally, I get to come out and pick up such an interesting junior, but now I’m being dragged back to bitter seclusion. It’s pure torment.”

But the command of her ancestor was not to be defied. With this thought, she beckoned Liang Yan over. “Come here, little brother.”

He did as she asked. She drew something from her robe and placed it in his hand. Liang Yan looked down—it was the Barrier-Breaking Pill.

“Senior sister... I’ve lost so many times, I can hardly bring myself to accept this wager.”

“Just take it. Do you think I’d go back on my word over a mere pill?” She snorted. “Hmph! Actually… I wasn’t trying to compete with you at that auction for the pill. I didn’t need it myself, but a friend of mine did, so I bought it for her. But she broke through on her own, so now the pill’s useless to her. Take it, it’s yours.”

Liang Yan smiled and accepted the pill without further protest. “Thank you, Senior Sister.”

“My surname is Tang. Call me Senior Sister Tang from now on.”

“Of course, Senior Sister Tang.”

She seemed to want to say more, but in the end, only sighed softly and turned to descend the mountain in silence.

Liang Yan watched her figure recede, a strange emptiness taking root in his heart at the thought that he might never again play chess with her atop this peak. He shook his head, forcing the mood aside.

“My most urgent task now is to reach my peak state, take the Barrier-Breaking Pill, and make another attempt at the third Qi Training bottleneck!”

...

Three days later.

Liang Yan sat cross-legged inside the Spirit Spring Cave, silently reciting the nameless technique taught to him by the old monk. Breathing deeply, he felt his spiritual energy surge through his meridians, cycling down to his dantian, then rising up the governing vessel, passing through three gates to reach the crown of his head. From there, the energy flowed down both sides to the tip of his tongue, joining with his exhaled breath.

Thus, from the crown to the dantian, the cycle continued, unceasing and complete. After one great circuit, he barely achieved the “I-Seeing” state described in the nameless manual—a state where one examines oneself inwardly, spirit and energy united, inseparable.

In this moment, Liang Yan’s essence, energy, and spirit, as well as his spiritual power, reached their peak.

“Now is the time!” He opened his eyes, swiftly withdrew a white pill from his storage pouch, and swallowed it in one gulp—the Barrier-Breaking Pill.

As the pill entered his body, a cool sensation swept through him, dispelling the oppressive heat and clearing his mind.

Overjoyed, Liang Yan focused on refining the medicinal power, charging once more at the barrier before him.

Time slipped by. Eyes shut tight, brows furrowed, he felt the spiritual power within him surge, like a golden dragon long dormant, lifting its head to break free. Yet, an invisible shackle hung overhead, pressing down like a mountain.

The golden dragon roared in frustration, then, with a mighty cry, hurled itself at the barrier.

There was a thunderous crash. The dragon’s body shuddered, golden light flashing, then it crumbled apart, its brilliance scattering and flowing back into his meridians.

Liang Yan coughed up a mouthful of blood, his aura plummeting, exhaustion written across his face. Slumped against the cave wall, he gasped for breath, disbelief in his eyes.

“I possess the secret method of the old monk, the rare purple radiance of the Spirit Spring, and even the aid of the Barrier-Breaking Pill, yet still I cannot pass this trifling third level of Qi Training!”

“Is my talent truly so lacking? The path of immortal cultivation is fraught with hardship and indifference. Am I, Liang Yan, fated to remain a mere mortal all my life?”