After eating his meal, Apollo put the basket in the corner where Ned would pick it up later. He went back inside his beggar spot and sat under his makeshift roof.
"I should get back to cultivating," Apollo muttered. If he could increase his strength before the Advancement Examination began, that would be great. "If I don't reach the Half-Step Qi Condensation before the examination, I should find a place to master my Simple Movement Technique."
With this in mind, he sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. The moment he wanted to feel and see the Qi, the world instantly turned black, with only him and the countless bright Qi surrounding him.
Then he began to mobilize them, inhaling through his mouth, nose, and skin. They entered his body without any hindrance and followed the Revised Simple Breathing Technique.
His body relaxed on its own and his mind was at peace. Time became insignificant, and everything felt like an eternity.
...