"So what are these?" Jin asked gazing at the small white bead like objects in the palm of his hand.
"These are Dantian Expansion pills, upon consuming them your dantian will expand increasing your Qi capacity by 10%, 7% and then 3%." Xuan Moon explained to which Jin simply nodded.
With his innate intelligence he already more or less understood the basics of cultivation, and naturally that included the importance of his dantian and its size. In fact his already larger than average dantian was an incredible advantage.
After going over the basics of consuming pills, Jin swiftly consumed his first Dantian Expansion pill. In but a few seconds the energy coursed through his meridians, and then into is dantian.
The energy then pierced into his dantian, creating small fissures which were then quickly repaired thereby expanding the walls. After about 10 minutes this process came to a halt, thus indicating the end of the first pill's effects.
Without a word Jin then grabbed the second pill, repeating the process once again. When that was done he swiftly consumed the third pill and in a mere 5 minutes exhausted its effects.
"Hmm, those pills were quite good.... you don't have more of them do you, father?" Jin asked stretching his body a bit.
Hearing this Xuan Moon's lip twitched. "I do son, but after the third pill the effects of the Dantian Expansion pill become negligible at best. It'd do you much better to cultivate some more and get ready to breakthrough into the 2nd Layer."
Naturally Jin was quite disappointed. 'If only I could just eat those white beads and get stronger forever.' The little boy sighed internally before exiting the cultivation room with his father. It was already quite late after all and he needed his sleep.
Soon Jin was tucked into his bed and began to doze off, when all of a sudden a thought popped up in his mind, "Beware Jade Sword Sect's Wu", echoed throughout his mind. But the little boy didn't think much of it.
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The little boy would wake up, eat, play some games with his mother, have lunch and then cultivate. Once he was done he'd sleep. Like this Jin's days calmly passed by.
In the 8627th year of the 9 Dragon Era, shortly after his 5th birthday, Jin reached the 2nd Layer of Qi Gathering. Such a feat would've sent shockwaves throughout the region, but fortunately it was kept under wraps.
This rapid rate of progression wasn't merely a fluke. The following year, Jin achieved not only the 3rd Layer, but even the 4th Layer of Qi Gathering at the tender age of 6.
As if that wasn't enough, he then brokethrough the 5th and 6th Layer as he hit 7 years old. Fortunately for Xuan Moon and the Elders' sanity, Jin only brokethrough the 7th Layer at 8 years old, and then the 8th Layer at 9.
And today finally, on the 302nd day of the 8632nd year of the 9 Dragon Era, at merely 10 years old, Xuan Jin was now breaking through into the 9th and final layer of Qi Gathering a feat that many couldn't accomplish in a lifetime.
His Xuan Qi which had grown to an immense quality bashed against the walls of his dantian, creating a high pressure within. This pressure not only pushed against the walls of his dantian but also simultaneously pushed against his Xuan Qi acting as a compressive force.
Because of this when breaking through most people would be as careful as possible. After all it was very easy to accidentally rupture your dantian, but Jin had no such issue.
As he found out when breaking through the 3rd Layer, he could increase the pressure within his dantian as much as he wanted. In fact according to his calculations his dantian could withstand pressures up to 5 times the average. This enabled him to not only breakthrough without worry, but to do so at a much swifter pace and a better overall breakthrough.
Slowly but surely, the pressure within his dantian caused his Xuan Qi to compress and soon from taking up the entirety of the space, his Xuan Qi filled a mere 10% of the total volume.
Opening his eyes, Xuan Jin couldn't hide his smile. He had now officially entered the 9th Layer of Qi Gathering. This was cause for celebration and the boy quickly sought out his father.
"Father, father!" Jin called out as he entered the study. Currently Xuan Moon was engrossed in some books he had in front of him. Taking a quick glance Jin noticed they were some books on array formation.
"Hmm? What is it Jin? Have you run into a problem with your cultivation?" Xuan Moon asked as he put the book down. Lately he'd been caught up with some work and advancing his cultivation so he hadn't much time to spend with Jin.
"No, if anything its the opposite. I've entered the 9th Layer!" Jin declared with pride, expelling a small wisp of highly compressed Xuan Qi from his finger.
"That's my boy! Lets find your mother and celebrate." Xuan Moon was almost jumping for joy hearing the news, quickly leaving his desk to hug his son.
"Wait, before that dad, our deal." Jin reminded him. Immediately Xuan Moon's expression hardened somewhat. It seemed as though he couldn't avoid this.
"Are you sure you want to go exploring? You're still very young." Xuan Moon said, to which Jin simply nodded. "You told me once I reached the 9th Layer you'd let me see the world. I've been stuck on our Black Moon mountain all my life, I am dying of boredom!" Jin sobbed before clutching at his father's leg.
Xuan Moon could only sigh at this. He was used to his son's antics after all, and he knew he wouldn't be able to break this promise. "Fine but you'll have to deal with your mother." He said.
Fortunately for Jin, despite being a protective mother Mei was all right with the idea, as long as Jin had some protectors.
And thus a week later the 10 year old boy set out on an adventure.