Just a moment after Yugong stepped out of his cave, the saves to his left opened up.
Yiye and Lingyue looked out.
When Yiye saw him, he exclaimed "Elder brother!"
"Yes?" Yugong was confused at the surprised expressions of the two.
"You have been gone for so-" Yiye strode forward, but when he was close to Yugong, he exclaimed once more.
"Third stage of qi refining?! Nearly completed?!"
Lingyue who was a bit slower suddenly stopped, then jumped forward to inspect.
She had a shocked expression as she said "I didn't expect that even though we communicated with each other, elder brother still overtook us!"
"I'm at the third stage?!" Yugong asked confused.
"You don't know?" now it was Yiye's time to be confused.
"How would I know? I just completed my first cultivation!"
Lingyue on the side nodded "That's true, it seems I was wrong.
Your spiritual is just so strong that it seems like you have reached the third stage.
Though if you convert your cultivation art now, your cultivation will still reach the third stage just based on your spiritual power!"
Yiye nodded "It's indeed so, I was a bit hasty!
But, your spiritual power is very solid and there seems no issue, which is why I was confused!"
"Why would there be an issue after the first cultivation?"
"Oh brother, you don't know because you haven't talked with others… after the first communication, usually, the body will have to find its own balance.
After all, spiritual power rejects impurities fully and can't align itself with mortal matters, so it's a bit sluggish for most!"
"I have no impurities." Yugong said casually.
"None?!" Yiye and Lingyue exclaimed, this was the third shock in such a short time.
"Well, no. I didn't even need to clean myself, after my first cultivation, they dissipated into the air like dust.
I assume this is abnormal, but you two are also talented, why are you so surprised?"
Both shook their head the same time "No, our talent can't compare to yours at all!"
Yiye then explained "It's said the longer you can last in your first seclusion, the greater your talent!
Lingyue and I ended around the same time after six weeks, then we started to cultivate normally.
From the other group, only Xinyun cultivated as long as we did, everyone else did worse.
Only you cultivate for six whole months!"
Yugong looked at him with surprise "Six months?!"
Lingyue nodded "Yes, elder brother, you remained in seclusion for six whole months!
Yiye and I have already started cultivating and reached the middle of the second stage, but we can't compare to you at all!"
"Okay, let's go to the cave together and you two tell me what happened in this time."
"Elder brother, we already asked last time and the elder said that although the formation wouldn't block us, it would still be deactivated.
The spiritual power is closed off, so are all the rooms.
There isn't even any light!
Usually, our formations form natural light throughout the cave, which can be changed based on one's wishes.
But there, it's just dark.
We came to the conclusion that it was better to just meet in our own reception room."
"In that case, come in!" Yugong nodded and walked back.
Inside, they all familiarly took a chair and set together.
After all, the caves are all the same, so everyone knew how it would look inside your cave, except you decorated it yourself.
"How did you know I was out?" Yugong asked curiously.
"It's a warning formation! We asked Elder He for help once and he checked your situation.
Although he couldn't look through the formation, he still told us that you should be fine.
In the end, he told us to take you to him once you're out. To make sure we don't miss you accidentally, he set up the warning formation and connected it to our jade pendant.
Elder He said that once you meet him, he will give you the control over it, so you can remove it or keep it, however you liked!"
"Alas, you two! You're so worried about me that you ask Elder He to step forward!"
Yiye said unhappily "How would we know that elder brother would stay in seclusion for six months?
Even in the records, this duration is quite rare!
Everyone else who had a similar duration had a special constitution.
Elder He tested us already, so he knows that we don't have this thing…"
"Well, I had an idea while I was cultivating and it hastened up my cultivation.
Although it's not much stronger, at least the speed is very fast.
I don't know if it works for others, after all, the wind element is the easiest to influence among the five elements.
Even if I make a similar technique for the others, they won't be as fast as mine!"
Seeing the reverend eyes of the two, he said smilingly "Don't worry, I will teach you!"
Yiye nodded and then said "Brother, you may not know, but the sect also collects these things!
Elder He said that you could report to him directly if you happen to have realised something."
"Well, we can go there together later.
Now first tell me about cultivation…"
Yugong asked a few questions about transforming the spiritual power produced by the qi-inducing technique into the cultivation art's own unique spiritual power.
He also asked about other small things that came to his mind as he cultivated.
Slowly, Yiye and Lingyue were shocked by the questions.
At first they could still answer, but as time passed, the questions were about things they hadn't encountered yet.
Yiye answered at the last question "Brother, the reason you didn't complete the third level until now, nor rise to the next stage, is likely because of the small hurdle.
Although it's not a bottleneck for us, we still have to prepare a little when we meet.
At least one has to know about it properly.
In fact, even if you are able, you shouldn't cultivate further!
The reason why the first cultivation is basically capped around six months even in the records, is because after this time, the super talented basically all reached the third stage.
One should complete the transformation of the spiritual power as early as possible.
It's fine if you cultivate from the first to third stage – after all, essentially, it's still the early stage of qi refining.
But each hurdle is called this way not only because they are difficult to cross, but also because they are like a hill you have climbed already and now you're on the other side, you can't return and can't change things.
The foundation will be poorer the later you change your cultivation art!