....
"Maybe it's because I'm approaching some sort of milestone...? I have reached the peak of the normal Qi Condensation Realm after all," Azmond contemplated the matter concerning his slowed cultivation speed.
"The art of cultivation is already an act to defy fate, and what I am doing is even worse. I am attempting to walk a path that very few, if not a single other being has tread before me," he began with a complicated gleam in his eyes.
"Heaven doesn't like people defying its rules based on the Cultivation novels I have read in my past life. And maybe there is a heaven in this world as well, and it doesn't like what I am doing very much."
After this thought entered his mind, it stayed there and didn't seem like it would be leaving anytime soon...
....
"I see..."
Azmond's expression suddenly morphed into an evil grin as he looked right up into the sky and...
"Well, F*ck You Guys Too!"
He stuck both his middle fingers straight up before cursing at the heavens.
BZZZTTT!
It almost seemed like a dark cloud was beginning to form in the sky above Azmond, but before it could fully appear, it dissipated and disappeared into thin air.
It was almost as if it were violating some sort of rule that prevented it from directly acting...
"Ha! You wusses. I knew you guys would chicken out like you usually do! You don't have the balls to strike me down!"
Azmond's ridiculing voice resounded across the skies once more as another dark cloud almost began to form before it had the same fate as the one that came before it.
....
"..."
Azmond noticed the same phenomenon try to appear before a scornful look appeared on his face. "What a joke! I have better things to do than play some fake-out game with a loser who won't even show himself."
His disdainful expression faded from his face as he leaped out of the deep pit he was in before heading back to the area where the giant spiritual stones and gigantic tree were located.
"I should get back to cultivating... Whatever is messing with me, whether that something is the heavens or some other being, I have a feeling that it won't stay passive forever," Azmond said with a slight click of the tongue.
"Furthermore, it looks like whatever is up there will be interrupting me during every breakthrough hereafter for the time being."
His impassive expression turned into a cruel grin as he took one last look at the skies and spoke with a sinister tone. "I won't always be on the receiving end of your silly little games... There will come a day when I come up to the heavens myself and rip you fumbling clowns off your paper mache thrones."
"...."
BZZZTT!!
A violent ripple formed in the sky for but a split second, as it almost felt like something was trying to split open the space that separated dimensions, but was denied access as soon as it tried attempting something so stupid.
Azmond, of course, didn't miss this little disturbance in the sky, he paid no heed to the clowns dancing in the heavens beyond his reach.
"What a joke," he said with an apathetic gleam in his eyes.
Azmond didn't even feel like the forces who could exterminate him as easily as thinking were worth him showing any more emotions.
"I have wasted enough of my time on this nonsense; I need to focus on gaining more strength instead," he said before sitting down in a lotus position next to a large spiritual stone.
...
The Qi within the giant spiritual stone began to be absorbed by Azmond in large amounts as he worked on progressing through the 13th Stage of Quantum Qi Condensation.
He didn't even feel the need to expand his Qi Cyclones and Dantian to their current limits.
After all, he wasn't planning on interrupting his cultivation session anytime soon, and it looked like the same could be said for his Little Ice Roll, as she was still subconsciously immersed in her own cultivation, absorbing the gains that she obtained from her various 'Activities' with Azmond.
...
10 days later.
Azmond was in the same exact position he was during his last breakthrough, as he was attempting to cross the threshold that would allow him to enter the 13th stage of Quantum Qi Condensation.
This stage would be the limit for Heavenly Qi Condensation cultivators, as this minor realm would be called the Heavenly Qi Condensation 13th Stage.
It was a very special stage for Heavenly Qi Condensation Stage cultivators, as they would begin to reach a major milestone in their cultivation journey.
They would be given the opportunity to gain full comprehension of the |Heavenly Gate| skill.
As you can imagine, it will be a minor realm where you gain a major increase in your combat strength as long as you're able to successfully break through.
...
'The gap that lay between the 12th Stage of Quantum Qi Condensation and the 13th Stage of Quantum Qi Condensation was far wider than the gap between the 11th Stage of Quantum Qi Condensation and the 12th Stage of Quantum Qi Condensation,' Azmond started to think to himself.
'I needed at least 2 times the amount of time to reach the peak of the 12th stage as compared to the amount of time I needed to reach the peak of the 11th stage.'
After understanding this, his mind focused on a different subject as he thought, 'Crystalline still hasn't woken up during this entire period of time, and it looks like she will be unconscious for quite a long time at this rate.'
Azmond's emotionless expression finally showed a hint of emotion as a worried look formed on his chiseled features.
Crystalline was the only thing in his life that was able to make him feel something other than the thrill of battle and the indifference that comes with cultivation.
...
'...Remember what you promised yourself, Azmond.'
He suddenly snapped out of his depressed state as a small, loving smile emerged. 'I just need to believe in My Little Ice Ball.'
Azmond was affectionately thinking of Crystalline as he stared at the curvaceous body of the ice beauty until...
He felt something...
The wall that bordered the 12th Stage of Quantum Qi Condensation and the 13th Stage of Quantum Qi Condensation came crashing down on Azmond without giving him any time to prepare!
WAAAA!
It was almost like something wanted him to fail in advancing through the stages of Quantum Qi Condensation...
...
"Urgh!" Large amounts of blood came flying out of Azmond's mouth as he kneeled down while still floating thousands of meters in the sky.
"I see how you bastards want to play!! But if you think this is enough to stop me, then you really are just clowns playing around in the skies!!"
He was absolutely livid at the mysterious beings who were playing with him from behind the scenes, but he didn't have the luxury of feeling anger right now as his breakthrough came a little sooner than he expected...
...