Months passed, and Lin Xue's progress was painfully slow but steady. Her relentless training and Sister Mei's guidance had allowed her to fully circulate Qi through her meridians. This marked the initial stage of Qi Condensation, but she knew that mastering the stage required much more.
Each breakthrough in cultivation involved three components: gathering enough spiritual energy, stabilizing it within the dantian, and finally breaking the invisible barrier to ascend. For Lin Xue, every step felt like scaling a mountain with no summit in sight.
One day, the Clear Spring Sect announced the annual Cultivation Assessment, an event where disciples demonstrated their progress. Success in the assessment could grant a disciple better resources, higher status, and the attention of skilled mentors. Failure often resulted in demotion—or expulsion for those deemed unworthy.
For Lin Xue, the assessment loomed like a dark cloud. She was still in the early stage of Qi Condensation, while most disciples her age were already nearing the peak.
"Do you think I have a chance?" she asked Sister Mei one evening.
"Everyone's path is different," Sister Mei replied gently. "The assessment isn't just about strength; it's also about potential. Show them your determination, and you'll have nothing to fear."
The day of the assessment arrived. The outer disciples gathered in the central courtyard, where rows of elders and senior disciples observed from an elevated platform. Each participant was tested on their control over Qi, physical endurance, and their ability to manifest spiritual techniques.
When it was Lin Xue's turn, she stepped forward, her heart pounding. The other disciples whispered behind her, their disdain clear.
"She's the one with the fragmented roots," one muttered.
"She won't last a minute," said another.
Lin Xue ignored them, focusing on the task ahead. The first challenge was to condense and release a stable flame, a test of her affinity and control.
Closing her eyes, Lin Xue drew upon the Qi in her dantian. She visualized the Flowing Ember Technique, channeling the energy toward her palms. At first, the flame sputtered and wavered, but she gritted her teeth and steadied her focus. Slowly, the flickering embers coalesced into a small but vibrant flame.
The courtyard fell silent.
"Well done," Elder Huo said from the platform, his tone neutral but not dismissive. "Your flame is weak, but it is stable. A sign of progress."
Lin Xue exhaled, relief washing over her.
The next challenge was sparring. Lin Xue was paired against another outer disciple—a boy with water affinity who sneered as he stepped onto the platform.
"Fire against water?" he mocked. "This won't take long."
Lin Xue narrowed her eyes. She knew her strength was lacking, but she also knew that fire could overcome water with the right approach.
As the match began, the boy launched a wave of spiritual energy at her. Lin Xue dodged, her movements swift and calculated. She countered with small bursts of flame, forcing him to expend more energy to douse them.
The battle dragged on, and the boy's attacks grew sluggish. Lin Xue seized the moment, summoning all her remaining Qi to create a larger flame. She hurled it toward him, and though it dissipated before causing harm, it forced him to retreat.
"Enough!" Elder Huo declared. "The match is over. Lin Xue, despite your weaker cultivation, you demonstrated strategy and resilience. That is commendable."
Lin Xue bowed, her chest heaving with exhaustion. The whispers around her had quieted, replaced by murmurs of surprise.
That night, Lin Xue meditated in her room, replaying the day's events in her mind. The assessments had pushed her to her limits, but they had also shown her how much further she had to go.
As she focused on her breathing, she felt the energy in her dantian surge slightly. It was faint, but it was there—a sign that she was nearing a breakthrough.
"I'm close," she whispered, her eyes burning with determination.
The breakthrough came a week later during her evening meditation. The spiritual energy in her dantian had reached its limit, swirling like a storm that demanded release. Her fragmented roots made the process excruciatingly difficult, each attempt to push the energy causing pain to ripple through her body.
"Focus," Lin Xue told herself, her voice trembling. "Don't let it scatter."
She visualized the energy as a flame trapped within a lantern, its light growing brighter and more intense. Slowly, she guided the energy toward the invisible barrier that marked the boundary of her current stage.
The barrier resisted, but Lin Xue refused to yield. She gritted her teeth, her entire body drenched in sweat. The pain was overwhelming, like her meridians were tearing apart, but she pushed harder.
With a final, desperate surge of willpower, the barrier shattered.
A wave of warmth flooded her body as the energy stabilized within her dantian. Her Qi, once weak and scattered, now flowed steadily through her meridians.
Lin Xue opened her eyes, gasping for breath. The room was bathed in a faint glow, the residual energy from her breakthrough dissipating.
"I did it," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I reached the middle stage of Qi Condensation."
The next morning, as Lin Xue stood under the rising sun, she felt a newfound strength coursing through her. Her fragmented roots still limited her, but she had overcome a significant hurdle.
Her journey was far from over, but this breakthrough was proof that even with her disadvantages, she could rise.
With renewed determination, Lin Xue clenched her fists and gazed toward the distant peaks of the Clear Spring Sect.
"This is only the first of many steps," she said softly. "I'll keep climbing, no matter how steep the path becomes."