"That's right!" Wei Zhao's eyes flew open. He could compress true qi! He could compress the qi outside his body first, and once he had squeezed enough together, absorb it all in at once. Wouldn't that let him break through in one move?

At the thought, Wei Zhao nearly sprinted over to give the old man a kiss. He stopped himself, though -- he did not fancy having Jiao Lao mistake him for some bosom companion. Better to put that energy to use and start experimenting right now.

Wei Zhao estimated the amount of energy required to surge from the peak of the late Huang tier all the way to the peak of the late Xuan tier, then set about compressing energy beside his body. He had no idea whether this method would work, but he had no other option. He could only treat a dead horse as though it were still alive.

Compressing energy demanded both time and control. At first, it came to Wei Zhao with relative ease. The further he went, however, the harder it became to manage. He discovered that the ceiling on how much energy he could compress at one time was simply the total of all the energy inside him -- which meant the most he could compress right now equaled the total energy of a cultivator at the peak of the late Huang tier.

Once he exceeded that total, compression grew far more treacherous. Not only did his speed drop off a cliff, but the mass of energy hovering outside his body became wildly unstable, as though the slightest careless move would set off an explosion.

Wei Zhao had no choice but to proceed at a slow, even pace, treading on thin ice with every breath. It was like stacking building blocks -- the taller the stack, the more precarious it, and one slip could bring the whole thing tumbling down. At last, feeling he could no longer maintain control, Wei Zhao hastily drew the ball of compressed true qi into his body.

Fearing the compressed energy would detonate instantly inside him, Wei Zhao released it slowly instead, letting it seep out bit by bit. Though he called it slow, it was in truth only marginally slower than a normal rate of release.

Even that slight reduction in speed was enough to prevent an explosion. It was like a balloon pricked with a needle -- it might burst at once, but loosen the valve instead, and though the air still escapes fast, the balloon will not blow.

The reason Wei Zhao did not slow down too much was the fear that the Five-Step Power-Dissolving Poison would flare up the instant he broke into the Xuan tier.

The late Xuan tier! The compressed energy Wei Zhao had drawn inside this time restored him only to the late Xuan tier, and immediately afterward the Five-Step Power-Dissolving Poison struck again. The energy inside his body gushed away in a torrent, and Wei Zhao was once more reduced to an ordinary man.

Still, Wei Zhao did not despair. The results proved that his method was workable. So rather than grow disheartened, he rested for a while, raised his strength back to the peak of the late Huang tier, and resumed his game of compressing true qi.

In all honesty, it was very much like playing a game. He held the sphere of compressed energy in his palms, handling it with the utmost care, terrified that one careless move might blow it sky-high.

True to form, Wei Zhao soon fumbled and burst the sphere before long. But he did not lose heart, for this sphere had clearly been a shade larger than his first, holding more energy within.

The margin was slight, yet it signaled a first taste of success. Wei Zhao believed that with perseverance and hard effort, victory could not be far off...

This was skilled work. With painstaking care, Wei Zhao set about compressing a third sphere...

.......................

The Hidden Tang family. After Tang Lao arranged the household affairs, he set off for the Ice and Snow Spirit Mountain with Tang Yuyu and Xiao Ming in tow.

The entire household found it bewildering. Ever since Old Master Tang had become a Tian-tier expert, he had not once set foot outside, devoting himself entirely to closed-door cultivation at home and rarely troubling himself with family affairs. That he should suddenly announce a departure -- and take Tang Yuyu and Xiao Ming along -- was startling indeed.

Had he taken only Tang Yuyu, it might have been understandable. But Xiao Ming, that daughter-in-law the eldest branch's principal wife had cast into the cold palace years ago? Bringing her along was almost beyond comprehension.

Tang Yuyu's father, Tang Ling Tou, stopped short of speaking several times, itching to ask his father what this trip was truly about, yet not quite daring to ask. Although Old Master Tang was no longer the family head, in truth the Hidden Tang family's affairs still ran through him -- and if he did not give his nod, the title of family head on Tang Ling Tou's shoulders was worth nothing.

Old Master Tang had not said where he was going or why, which only deepened the family's bafflement.

Daring not question the Old Master, Tang Ling Tou had no such scruples about his own son. In private, he found an opportunity and drew Tang Yuyu into his room. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Yuyu, what exactly is the Old Master taking you to do? Why so sudden? Not a whisper of warning?"

"Father, do not put me in such an awkward position. Grandfather's decisions are not mine to speak of carelessly. And I know very little myself. You know Grandfather's temper -- if I said anything, wouldn't I just be inviting his wrath?" Tang Yuyu offered a rueful smile and explained.

Tang Ling Tou sighed. He understood the Old Master's ways -- once a decision was made, it was made, and no one's words would change it. Besides, Yuyu was just a child; he could hardly know much of anything. At best, he was simply there as company.

But Xiao Ming being summoned along as well -- that was genuinely strange. Xiao Ming was his concubine. By rights, Old Master Tang was her father-in-law. Taking her out with him, was that not a touch improper?

After racking his brain, Tang Ling Tou decided his only recourse was to ask Xiao Ming herself. He sighed and told his son, "Never mind, Yuyu. Go about your business. There is nothing more."

Once Tang Yuyu had gone, Tang Ling Tou strode quickly toward the courtyard where Xiao Ming lived. He had not set foot in this courtyard in more than ten years. He was a timid man, and after his wife had flown into her rage, he had never dared to meet Xiao Ming in secret again. He had all but forgotten this concubine of his. Had today's questions not pressed upon him, he would never have come here.

"Family Head, please stop!" Tang Ling Tou was walking with his mind in turmoil when a voice suddenly rang out. A dark shadow drifted soundlessly before him, blocking his path.

Tang Ling Tou was about to flare with anger at being stopped, but the moment he made out who stood before him, his expression froze. Hastily he replaced it with a smile. "Why, it is Uncle Da! Uncle Da, whatever brings you here? I've come to see Xiao Ming..."

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