"While it might not help you breakthrough to Spirit Master, it should close that distance by a lot." Feng Yuxiang said to Yuan as she handed him the fiery-looking monster core that looked as though there were living flames trapped inside.

"Wow… It's warm..." Yuan mumbled after feeling the heat the monster core was emitting on his palms.

After taking a deep breath, Yuan popped the Rainbow Koi's monster core into his mouth, and unlike normal monster cores that only had a sweet taste, the Rainbow Koi's monster core actually tasted somewhat spicy after the sweetness!

[Heaven Refining Physique activated]

[1,325,888,196 Qi has been refined from the Rainbow Koi's monster core]

19,691,520,000/19,691,520,000

[You have absorbed enough Qi for a breakthrough]

[Because your Qi Experience is already full, you will not be able to receive anymore Qi until you reach the next realm]

[You have met the requirements for a breakthrough]

[You have reached First Level Spirit Master]

[+10,000 stats]

[Your 'Advanced Senses' has developed into 'Superior Senses']

[Superior Senses]

[Rank: Earth]

[Description: Greatly enhances the functions of all available senses permanently. Requires no activation]

[Heaven Refining Physique activated]

The physique suddenly activated again.

[You have gained 'Novice Fire Control', 'Weak Fire Enhancement', and 'Weak Fire Resistance' from consuming the Rainbow Koi's monster core]

[Novice Fire Control]

[Description: Allows you to control fire elements without using spiritual energy]

[Weak Fire Enhancement]

[Description: Enhances all fire techniques' strength by 50%. No activation required.]

[Weak Fire Resistance]

[Description: Slightly increases your fire resistance. No activation required.]

"Oh, I had a breakthrough. I'm now a Spirit Master." Yuan looked at his hands with a slightly dazed look on his face, feeling his body overwhelming with energy and strength.

"W-What?!" Feng Yuxiang stared at Yuan with a gawking look on her face, as she didn't expect him to suddenly breakthrough, much less a breakthrough without any enlightenment!

Not even in her wildest dream could she have imagined that Yuan would reach Spirit Master without needing any enlightenment!

This kind of talent was simply too terrifying! It shouldn't exist if she has to be honest!

"So Brother Yuan didn't need enlightenment to reach Spirit Master, either, huh? Just where is Brother Yuan's limit if he even has one?" Xiao Hua's defeated voice suddenly resounded, sounding like she was already used to it.

"What do you mean by that?" Feng Yuxiang asked her.

"Brother Yuan also entered Spirit Warrior without any enlightenment; it was just like any other normal breakthrough for him." Xiao Hua said.

"Unbelievable…" Feng Yuxiang mumbled in a dazed voice, and she continued, "Just what is your body made of, Young Master?"

"Even if you ask me that, how am I supposed to answer that kind of question?" Yuan responded with a bittersweet smile on his face.

The most logical explanation would be the game's system that's allowing him to breakthrough without needing any enlightenment. Another reason that could be causing this would be his unknown bloodline.

Yuan summoned his status and looked at it—

Cultivation: First Level Spirit Master

Legacy: None

Bloodline: None

Physique: Heaven Refining Physique

Physical Strength: 39,734

Mental Strength: 39,975

Soul Strength: 51,410

Physical Defense: 39,710

Mental Defense: 40,821

Qi Experience: ???/???

'Huh? Why does my Qi Experience have so many question marks? Is the number so big that even the game is having trouble calculating it?' Yuan wondered to himself after seeing it. How will he see how much Qi he needs for the next level now?

Sometime later, Yuan said, "Anyways, now that I am a Spirit Master, I no longer need to continue cultivating, so I'll just leave this place and find something else to do until the Mystic Realm."

"Young Master, what about the fire controlling skill? Did you manage to obtain it after consuming the monster core?" Feng Yuxiang suddenly asked him.

Yuan nodded and said, "Yes, I got it."

"..."

Feng Yuxiang didn't show much of a reaction after learning that Yuan had managed to overcome the small chance and obtain the ability to control fire without using his spiritual energy, mostly because she was still numb from her previous shock.

"I'm going to tell Elder Xuan that I'm done here," Yuan said before retrieving the communication jade slip and calling Elder Xuan.

"What's the matter, Disciple Yuan?" Elder Xuan picked up a couple of moments later than usual.

"Senior Xuan, I just had a breakthrough and reached Spirit Master. What should I do now?" Yuan asked him.

"..."

However, Elder Xuan did not respond even a good minute later, making Yuan wonder if Elder Xuan was still there.

"Elder Xuan? Did you hear me?"

"Huh?! What did you just say? I'm sorry, but I don't think I heard you correctly just now. Did you say that you'd reached Spirit Master?" Elder Xuan finally responded, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Yes, that's right. I've just reached Spirit Master." Yuan repeated.

"..."

After another moment of silence, Elder Xuan spoke loudly, but he wasn't talking to Yuan—

"Sect Master! H-He did it! He reached Spirit Master!"

"What?! Is that true?!" Long Yijun's shocked voice, which was also filled with excitement, quickly responded.

"Yes! I am speaking to him right now!" Elder Xuan said.

"Hahaha! This is great! Bring him here!" Long Yijun then said.

"Yes, Sect Master!" Elder Xuan said before returning to Yuan, "Stay right there. I'll be there in a few to pick you up. The Sect Master would like to speak with you."

"Okay," Yuan said before closing the connection.

Meanwhile, at the sect master's headquarters, after Elder Xuan left the place, Long Yijun looked at Gao Dongya and Xue Jiye and said to them with a smile on his face, "Looks like you'll meet him sooner than expected."

Gao Dongya swallowed nervously.

'I heard them talking about reaching Spirit Master… Don't tell me…' he wondered inwardly.

Meanwhile, Xue Jiye had another thought in her mind, 'Is it him? Could it really be him? That genius during the disciple examination?'