Changqing executed the directive with ruthless efficiency. Within the hour, the “Qingyun Spirit Advance Program” was public knowledge, and the reaction was nothing short of a market frenzy.

“Am I reading this right? The sect is offering a fifty-thousand-point advance to Qi Refining disciples?” A disciple stared at the bulletin board, eyes wide. “With that kind of merit, I could clear out the exchange shop. My cultivation speed would triple!”

“It’s a heavenly blessing!” another shouted, clutching his token. “I was stalled because I couldn’t afford the entry gear for the Myriad Demon Forest. This solves everything. The Sect Leader is wise beyond his years!”

“Fifty thousand points… that buys enough pills to push me to Stage Nine.”

“Long live the Sect Leader! This administration actually cares about our Dao!”

The plaza buzzed with excitement. The mob began to surge toward the Internal Affairs Hall, eager to sign their names on the dotted line.

“Hold on, look at the conditions!” a skeptic yelled, trying to stem the tide. “The repayment is double the principal in five years. That’s a heavy karmic debt! You’re borrowing fifty to pay back a hundred. It’s a trap!”

A disciple next to him laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. “You’re thinking like a peasant, Junior Brother. You need to think like a true cultivator. Have you heard the reports from the Myriad Demon Forest expedition? It’s a gold mine. The opportunities there are boundless.”

“Exactly,” another chimed in. “If I borrow the merit now, I can breakthrough immediately. In five years, a hundred thousand points will be trivial for an expert. It’s called seizing destiny. The Sect Leader said it himself: Time is Money. Why wait five years to save up when I can borrow against my future potential now?”

“He’s right… the cost of waiting is too high.” The skeptic’s resolve crumbled. “Wait for me! I need to get in line before the spirit stones run dry!”

The stampede hit the Internal Affairs Hall like a tidal wave. The clerks were overwhelmed instantly. It took Changqing drafting temporary staff from the outer sect just to process the requests and manage the crowd control.

While the outer sect drowned in paperwork, Sun Yi sat in the quiet luxury of the Central Hall, conducting a technical review with Patriarch Qingxuan.

The topic was the Wind Thunder Step, a premium mobility technique Sun Yi had pulled from the archives. Despite having access to the source code—the manuals and predecessor notes—his progress had been abysmal.

“I’ve been trying to compile this technique for weeks,” Sun Yi admitted, frustration leaking into his voice. “I can’t seem to get it to run.”

Patriarch Qingxuan reviewed the manual and shook his head. “It’s a compatibility issue, Sect Leader. The Wind Thunder Step is a profound art. It requires native affinity with Wind and Lightning spiritual energy. Your spirit roots don’t resonate with those elements naturally.”

He slid the manual back. “Usually, only Foundation Establishment cultivators have the spiritual sense to emulate those elements if they lack the roots. You are trying to grasp the wind before you can even walk. I suggest you pick a simpler path.”

Sun Yi rubbed his chin. “So it’s a compatibility error. I need to manually sense and simulate the elemental frequencies.”

He looked up, a thought striking him. “But theoretically, if I could manually interface with the Wind and Lightning particles, the technique should work, right?”

“Theoretically? Yes,” Qingxuan conceded. “But with your current cultivation—specifically your spiritual sensitivity—the difficulty would be immense. Don’t force it.”

Sun Yi nodded, masking his determination. “Understood. I won’t force a deviation.”

He shifted the topic seamlessly. “Speaking of spiritual sensitivity… I’ve been reviewing the documentation for the Split Spirit Technique.”

Qingxuan’s expression darkened instantly. “We are not discussing that. I told you, that is a forbidden art for a reason. It requires a massive amount of mental strength—specifically, an innately powerful Divine Soul. Attempting to practice that with a standard mind will result in a fractured soul. Madness. Death.”

“I’m just doing due diligence,” Sun Yi said with a disarming smile. “I’m not practicing it yet. But looking at the description, the boost in ability seems incredible.”

Qingxuan sighed, realizing the Sect Leader wouldn’t let it go without an explanation. “It is incredible. Look at me. My mental strength allows me to control three Tier 4 artifacts simultaneously. Any more, and I lose control.”

The Patriarch held up three fingers, then expanded them to nine. “If I had mastered the Split Spirit Art? I could divide my mind. I could control six, maybe nine artifacts with perfect precision. My combat power would triple. It turns one cultivator into an army.”

He lowered his hand, his face wistful. “But I was born with a standard soul. My Divine Soul cannot handle the burden. No one in the current era can.”

“What if we upgrade the hardware?” Sun Yi asked quietly. “Are there methods to expand the Divine Soul’s capacity?”

“There are legends,” Qingxuan admitted. “Rumors of ancient pills, secret techniques, heavenly resources that can nourish the soul. But in the cultivation world of today? They are myths. I have never seen such a treasure.”

The Patriarch leaned forward, his tone serious. “Forget the dual dantian. Forget the divided soul. You are a Qi Refining cultivator. Your priority is the next step: Foundation Establishment. Given your… modest aptitude, even with a Foundation Establishment Pill, success is not guaranteed. Focus on that.”

“Don’t worry, Patriarch. I’m young. I have plenty of time before my longevity becomes an issue.”

Sun Yi smiled, but his internal roadmap had just shifted.

He wouldn’t attempt Foundation Establishment yet. Not until he solved the Split Spirit problem.

If the Split Spirit Technique was essentially parallel processing for the mind, and the Dual Dantian was a second battery for the body, combining them would make him a god among mortals. He would become a supercomputer in a world of abacuses.

I’ll give myself a ten-year timeline, Sun Yi decided. I will find the resources to upgrade my Divine Soul and install the Split Spirit architecture. If I haven’t cracked the code by then, I’ll settle for the standard Foundation Establishment upgrade.

But for now? He was going to stay in Qi Refining and optimize his build until he broke the system.