【Ranking at ninety-seventh in the Pulse-Opening Realm.】

This was Jiang Wang’s final result in the Pulse-Opening Realm matchmaking battles within the Illusionary Realm of Grand Void. He had broken into the top hundred.

In the last few fights, he had barely scraped by with heavily injuries. Were he to do it again, he wasn’t sure he could replicate the feat.

Jiang Wang understood this was currently his limit.

Below this information was a line of smaller text: *Maintaining a rank within the top 100-50 earns a reward of ten merit points per day.*

But this was no longer relevant to Jiang Wang. He had decided he would break through to the Heavenly Circulation Realm today.

Admittedly, he still had potential to unlock in the Pulse-Opening Realm. He could, for example, use the Evolving Platform and the remaining 2800 merit points to deduce even more powerful Dao techniques applicable to his current stage. Or he could wait for the Great Body Tempering Art of the Four Spirits to reach completion.

However, these were but minor details compared to the cultivation realm itself.

Zhen Wudi was proficient in many types of Dao techniques, but it wasn’t because he possessed boundless energy, nor was he stuck in the Pulse-Opening Realm. Rather, he was simply a true genius, learning almost any Dao technique immediately and comprehending it just as quickly, requiring little effort.

Yet even a genius like him was constantly refining his Minor Heavenly Circulation, contemplating the most suitable way to construct his Minor Three Talents. Jiang Wang had learned all this during their casual conversations.

But for Jiang Wang, his Minor Heavenly Circulation was a matter of natural progression.

Just like that flame flower, the seed sprouted, bloomed, naturally.

He increasingly felt the magnificence of life.

…

Jiang Wang sat cross-legged, his mind immersed within his Heavenly Palace.

The frantic battles and match-ups in the Illusionary Realm of Grand Void were to see what limits he could reach before breaking through. And when his Minor Heavenly Circulation reached perfect, natural completion, he chose to go with the flow. He didn’t force himself to achieve invincibility in the Pulse-Opening Realm.

The two Stellar River Dao Vortices he constructed were the Sun Vortex and the Moon Vortex.

The third Dao Vortex would naturally be the Star, returning to the Stellar River Universe.

The first Dao Vortex was the Sun. From the Star of the Sun began the Grand Heavenly Circulation Star Array. With the sun’s rise, all under Heaven was illuminated.

The second Dao Vortex was the Moon. The Star of the Moon was linked to almost everything he was. Only the clear moon could illuminate his true heart.

The third Dao Vortex was the Star. Both the sun and moon existed within the Stellar River.

Sun, Moon, and Stellar River – a celestial traverse, the infinity of the cosmos.

As the final Dao Essence was embedded, the Grand Heavenly Circulation Star Array lit up once more, and the Star Vortex was completed.

Upon the Heavenly Palace dome, the Sun, Moon, and Stars rotated in the Three Talents, a mesmerizing sight.

Thus, the Minor Heavenly Circulation was perfected.

The radiance of the Sun, Moon, and Stars intertwined, illuminating the Heavenly Palace.

Jiang Wang could clearly sense that the Heavenly Palace had “expanded.”

And it was not merely in terms of space.

He could now engrave a Dao technique he knew intimately upon the dome, fixing his first instantaneously cast Dao technique.

Naturally, this Dao technique could only be the Flame Flower.

Fourteenth Year of Yongtai, Eleventh Month, Twenty-fourth Day. Jiang Wang established his third Dao Vortex. Completed the Minor Heavenly Circulation cycle. Officially stepped into the Heavenly Circulation Realm.

Engraved instantaneous Dao technique: Flame Flower.

From Opening the Meridians to Laying the Foundation, it had taken him a full four months. But from the Pulse-Opening Realm to the Heavenly Circulation Realm, he had only spent two. This was in response to the choice he had made before Laying the Foundation.

Today’s fruit was yesterday’s cause.

…

When the courtyard gate creaked open.

Wang Changji sighed helplessly, “Why are you back again? Is cultivation in the County Academy so easy?”

As he spoke, he turned his head from the reclining chair, only to see that old man walk into the courtyard.

All expression vanished from his face, his lips pressed tightly together.

The fat orange cat was lying on his stomach, lazily licking its paw.

The old man was in good spirits, his steps steady and strong.

He snorted from his nostrils, “What, seeing your own father, you can’t even offer a greeting?”

“Father,” Wang Changji said in a very bland tone.

This attitude made the old man even more displeased, and he snorted again, “All day long, you’re playing with stray cats, reading idle books, and neglecting your duties!”

Wang Changji didn’t even bother to argue that the little orange cat wasn’t a stray. He simply stroked its fat head, remaining silent.

The old man walked two steps with his hands behind his back before instructing, “The accounting house is short of a supervisor. You’ve at least read some books; go over there and get some experience.”

“I won’t go.”

“Why not?” The old man frowned. “Do you, Wang Changji, think you’re too noble to handle mundane affairs?”

“Your son is inherently indifferent, not good at anything, and has no desire to do anything. Father, please go back.”

“Who are you chasing away? Everything you eat, use, wear, and live in comes from your old man!”

“I’ll move out,” Wang Changji said, getting up from the reclining chair, picking up the orange cat, and heading outside.

He didn’t even bother to pack anything, not wanting to take anything with him.

“Stop!” The old man’s hair stood on end in anger, pointing his finger at his forehead. “Are you deliberately trying to anger me to death?”

Wang Changji took a slight step back, letting the old man’s finger leave his forehead. He said calmly, “I don’t understand. I just read every day, play with the cat. Grow some vegetables, cook some food. Who does that bother? Why are you angry?”

“You are Wang Lianshan’s son. You can’t just be a good-for-nothing bum!”

“Bum? Ha, bum…” Wang Changji lowered his head and scratched the fat cat in his arms. “Look at you, you bum.”

Actually, the two shared very similar features. Ignoring the content of their conversation, the scene of them alone in the small courtyard was surprisingly harmonious. However, compared to the anger in Wang Lianshan’s eyes, Wang Changji’s gaze was too indifferent.

Wang Lianshan controlled his temper, saying stiffly, “Your younger brother is very talented, a seed for cultivation. Since you can’t cultivate, take on the mundane affairs. I’m getting old…”

Wang Changji interrupted his rare moment of warmth. “Don’t. You’re a Heavenly Circulation Realm cultivator. Unless something unexpected happens, I’ll be dead long before you are.”

Wang Lianshan was used to having the final say in the family. The only time he had been challenged was when he invested a large amount of resources in his eldest son, only to cultivate a useless bum.

Fortunately, his younger son, Wang Changxiang, had quickly grown up, and now his prestige was unshakeable.

Unable to restrain his temper any longer, he roared, “Do you want me to spell it out for you? In your current useless state, besides making your younger brother worry, what good are you? He has to come back to see you every few days. Do you know how fierce the competition is in the County Academy?”

“So that’s why you’re suddenly concerned about me…” Wang Changji actually smiled slightly. “I see!”

“Otherwise, who would want to care about you? I don’t care if you want to be a bum, but if you affect Changxiang’s cultivation because of it, be careful I break your legs!”

“You’re not allowed to talk about my brother like that!”

It was Wang Changxiang’s voice.

At that moment, he stood outside the courtyard gate, dusty from travel. The setting sun was behind him, about to sink below the horizon.

His normally gentle face was filled with anger.

“Insolent!” Wang Lianshan turned around in great anger. “How dare you speak to your father like that?”

“I’m sorry, Father.” Wang Changxiang lowered his head to admit his mistake subconsciously, but quickly raised his head again. “But everything my brother eats, uses, wears, and lives in, I can pay for. Don’t interfere with his life anymore.”

Wang Lianshan was silent for a while. “If he wants to be a bum, let him. But remember your duty! The clan is providing resources for you to cultivate, not for you to slack off!”

“I will work hard to cultivate,” Wang Changxiang said seriously. “Also, don’t call him a bum.”

“You’ve all grown wings and hardened!” Wang Lianshan flung his sleeves and left. “I don’t care anymore. Do whatever you want!”

The two brothers watched his back as he walked out of the courtyard.

“Why did you stop him?” Wang Changji said calmly. “I was originally a bum.”

Wang Changxiang immediately turned to look at him. “You’re not!”

Looking at his younger brother’s stubborn expression, Wang Changji couldn’t help but smile. “Alright, alright, I’m not.”

He flicked the fat cat’s head. “It is, though.”

The little orange cat didn’t understand what these boring humans were talking about, and simply squirmed in Wang Changji’s arms, letting out a soft meow.

The world, it seemed, finally had a bit of liveliness.