Chapter 8: The Ascending Qi and a Changing World

Jin Yu, now comfortably settled at Qi Refinement Stage 9, spent his days at the convenience store with a newfound sense of awareness.


The subtle currents of Qi flowing within him made the world feel sharper, more vibrant.


He could sense the faint life-force lingering in the revitalized produce, the sturdy plants outside — all direct results of his planetary upgrade.


He was also diligently saving his Evolution Points, the 9.3 on his screen a constant reminder of the choices now available to him — and of the impending breakthrough he craved.


While organizing a shipment of surprisingly fragrant local coffee beans, a familiar chime echoed in his mind, followed by a crisp system notification:


[Host has reached Qi Refinement Stage 9.]


[Passive Effect Activated: Increased Qi Sensitivity.]


[Passive Effect Activated: Minor Environmental Harmonization.]


Jin Yu froze, a jolt of understanding running through him.


The system wasn’t just tracking his strength — it was tracking how he interacted with the world itself.


He focused inward, sensing the Qi circulating within.


It felt denser, more refined than before.


As if the very quality of his energy had subtly transformed.


Another notification followed almost immediately:


[Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment available.]


[Cost: 4 Evolution Points.]


Jin Yu’s heart pounded.


The moment he had been waiting for was finally here.


Foundation Establishment.


The manual had only hinted at it, calling it a true milestone — the root of future greatness.


Without hesitation, he tapped [Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment] and confirmed.


Immediately, the familiar warmth within him intensified, exploding into a searing blaze, coursing through every cell of his body.


He gritted his teeth, a low groan escaping him.


This was no mere Qi refinement.


This was *transcendence.*


It felt like every part of him — bones, blood, even spirit — was being reforged under an invisible hammer.


The agony stretched endlessly, though in reality it lasted only minutes.
When it finally ebbed, Jin Yu gasped for air, slumping against a crate of coffee beans.


His limbs felt light yet incredibly solid — strong.


He focused inward, and what he saw stunned him.


His Qi was no longer a river flowing through channels.


It had condensed into a powerful *core* in his dantian, radiating steady energy outward.


It felt richer, heavier — like molten starlight wrapped in silk.


A new system notification appeared:


[Congratulations, Host! Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment successful.]


[Passive Effect Activated: Enhanced Qi Quality (Tier 1).]


[Passive Effect Activated: Accelerated Environmental Transformation (Minor).]


[Passive Effect Activated: Basic Spiritual Sense Unlocked.]


[World Effect: Qi Refinement Realm Barrier Removed.]


[World Effect: Natural Ascension Rate Drastically Increased (Cultivators approaching the world's threshold will now have a near-100% success rate).]


Jin Yu blinked.


"World Effect?"


He hurriedly opened the system log and found a new note:


[As the Host’s cultivation rises, the maximum cultivation potential of Earth’s residents increases accordingly.


[With each major breakthrough, the world’s natural laws evolve.]


[Cultivators nearing the world’s threshold will now ascend with near certainty, assisted by the planet’s harmonized energy field.]


A chill ran down his spine — not out of fear, but awe.


He wasn’t just growing stronger.


**Every step he took was lifting the entire world with him.**


The world was now actively nurturing those who tried to break through — subtly guiding their energies, stabilizing their foundations, almost *ensuring* their success.


Before, even the hidden cultivators tucked away in the mountains had been limited to early Qi Refinement.


The path beyond had been a cliff.


Now, it was a gentle slope upward — and those who reached the peak could *easily ascend* to Foundation Establishment.


Jin Yu sat still for a moment, letting the realization sink in.


His journey wasn't just personal.


It was planetary.


And whether he liked it or not, the fate of countless unseen cultivators... and perhaps all of humanity... was quietly tied to his progress.


He looked around.


The already vibrant produce now shimmered faintly, as if kissed by starlight.


The air itself felt fresher, sweeter, filled with a subtle energy he hadn’t noticed before.


Even the old fluorescent lights seemed to shine with more vitality.


Then he turned his attention inward again, testing his newly unlocked *Basic Spiritual Sense.*


It was subtle, like an invisible hand brushing over the world around him.


He could sense the life force in the tomatoes, the hum of the refrigerators, the slow heartbeat of the coffee beans in their sacks.


It was clumsy, unfocused, but filled with potential.


As if on cue, the front door chimed, and a regular customer-a gruff construction worker known for his no-nonsense attitude—stopped inside.


He stopped dead, sniffed the air, and stared.


"Whoa… what’s with the air in here? Feels... cleaner somehow. And these tomatoes..."


He squinted.


"They look like they’re glowing!"


Jin Yu offered a small, knowing smile.


The world was indeed changing.


Slowly at first — but with every step forward, the changes grew more obvious, more undeniable even to ordinary people.


His growth was no longer a private affair.


It was tied to the world around him, dragging the mundane into the extraordinary, step by step.


All of it orchestrated by the mysterious Evolution System — a silent architect pulling Earth toward a new destiny.


He had taken his first true step on the path of cultivation.


And now, the world was responding — not just passively, but eagerly, *hastening* to catch up with him.


In the misty valley where the hidden families had gathered, Old Man Mateo’s eyes suddenly snapped open.
A tremor—no, a call—echoed deep within his bones.


The energy that had once been stubborn and heavy now felt thin and yielding, like silk unraveling under a blade.


Master Jian, standing atop a rocky outcrop, clenched his fists.
He had spent years feeling the stagnation of Earth’s energy, the silent resistance of a world unwilling to nurture true cultivators.


But now...


"The heavens..." he whispered, disbelief plain in his voice.


"They are no longer asleep."


Several elders and juniors nearby gasped as their Qi cycles sped up, their faces flushed with excitement and fear.


Some felt their minor bottlenecks — once as firm as steel walls — crack like fragile glass.


It was not a rumor, nor a hopeful illusion.


The world itself had shifted.


The hidden families, once trapped in a stagnant cultivation system, suddenly found the road forward illuminated, every breath of air rich with possibilities.


Minor breakthroughs, once battles of attrition against an uncaring world, were now within arm’s reach.


And all of them, deep in their hearts, realized the same truth:


"Something... someone... has awakened a new era."


They didn’t know who.


They didn’t know how.


But they knew — Earth’s threshold had risen.


And cultivators were about to rise with it.


[End of Chapter 8]

Chapter end