Chapter 172 - 161: The Great Secret of Foundation Establishment, Spiritual Root Enhancement
Chapter 172: Chapter 161: The Great Secret of Foundation Establishment, Spiritual Root Enhancement
「Half a year passed in a flash.」
Deep within a mountain cave, Lu Zhao sat cross-legged at the core of an Array. He slowly opened his eyes, their depths holding a sharp, contained light. His gaze was like a deep pool or an ancient well, utterly still, yet possessing a profound and steady aura like a towering mountain. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly as a smile appeared.
"Finally... the Qi Cultivation Peak." He whispered, his voice carrying clearly through the silent cave, tinged with a barely perceptible sigh of emotion.
Thirty-three years. From the moment he first set foot on the path of Cultivation, he had been walking on thin ice, planning every move. He had survived the tragic destruction of the Lu Family in Northern Plains County, struggled to survive in the Zhou Family Marketplace, and painstakingly climbed the ranks to become an Outer Sect Steward of the Bixia Sect. The hardships and dangers he faced along the way were not for Outsiders to know. Now, at the age of forty-nine, he had finally polished his Cultivation to the Qi Cultivation Perfection realm. This single step had taken him far, far too long.
’The worst of the fallout from the Zheng Family’s destruction should be over by now,’ Lu Zhao calculated. ’When a behemoth like the Bixia Sect strikes, they do so with the force of a thunderbolt. The subsequent cleanup, intimidation, and division of spoils have likely settled. Now is the perfect time to return to the Sect.’
’The Sect’s Foundation Establishment Pill should be available soon, too.’ At this thought, even someone as tenacious as Lu Zhao couldn’t help but sigh. That Pill was the culmination of more than thirty years of painstaking effort. With it, and the one he had obtained from the Zheng Family, he could finally attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.
Indeed, reaching Foundation Establishment had been one of the ultimate goals driving his thirty-plus years of bitter Cultivation, his countless schemes, his life-or-death battles, and his relentless accumulation of resources.
Half a month later, Lu Zhao’s figure reappeared at the Bixia Sect Mountain Gate. After having his Identity Token verified, he returned to his stone grotto-abode in the Xin-character district. Everything was as he had left it. The stone walls were cool to the touch and the Spiritual Qi was just as rich, but his state of mind was completely different.
Lu Zhao’s Cultivation had reached the Qi Cultivation Peak, and for the time being, he could advance no further. As for his Magic, his Thousand Overlapping Waves Skill had long since reached the Great Success stage. His Hundred Waters Spirit Enhancement Skill had achieved Minor Achievement, but was still some distance from Great Success; he only needed to maintain his usual practice schedule for it.
He had only recently reached the 2nd Layer of his Breath Concealment and Shapeshifting Skill, so he didn’t need to think about the next level yet. He could, however, practice his Blood Shadow Escape more. The technique had been crucial during his fight with Zheng Feng. But practicing this skill was extremely troublesome. It required a hidden location and often resulted in the loss of Essence Blood. Since Lu Zhao needed to prepare for Foundation Establishment and maintain peak physical condition, he decided to postpone practicing the Escape Technique.
In terms of Puppetry, his success rate with the Cyan Wood Giant Ape was steadily improving, and it was slowly becoming his primary means of earning Spirit Stones. For now, Lu Zhao had no desire to craft any other Tier One High-Grade puppets.
For a moment, Lu Zhao felt a rare sense of peace. This wasn’t because he had nothing to do, but because his goal was clear. All that was left was to bide his time and continue his preparations.
After a moment of thought, he retrieved a slightly antiquated Jade Scroll from his Storage Bag: the Array Dao Introduction. He had obtained it from the Xu Family and, despite having a basic understanding, had never found the time for in-depth study. With Foundation Establishment so close, if he could use this downtime to truly enter the way of the Array Dao and become a Tier One Lower Grade Array Master, it would be of great benefit to him in the future.
’I’ll aim for Minor Achievement during this time,’ Lu Zhao resolved. Among the Cultivation Hundred Arts, the Array Dao was vast, profound, and notoriously difficult to begin. However, his Divine Sense was far stronger than that of his peers, and his comprehension was exceptional. It was certainly worth a try.
However, perhaps Lu Zhao was simply not fated for the Array Dao, or perhaps the fated moment for his Foundation Establishment Pill had finally arrived. He had been engrossed in studying the Array Dao Introduction for three months and was just beginning to grasp the rudiments of "Array Pattern Connection" and "Spiritual Power Nodes" when the General Affairs Hall Identity Token at his waist suddenly pulsed with warmth.
He submerged his Divine Sense into the Token, and a clear message appeared:
"Outer Sect Steward Lu Zhao: The Foundation Establishment Pill you applied for has been sent from the Pill Hall to the Merit Hall. You may claim it at the Merit Hall at any time by presenting your Identity Token. If you choose not to claim it immediately, the Sect can hold it for you."
The message was brief, but it struck Lu Zhao’s heart like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, instantly sending waves of emotion through him.
"It’s here!" A brilliant light flared in Lu Zhao’s eyes, all hesitation vanishing. ’Array Dao Introduction? Tier One Lower Grade Array Master?’ At this moment, all of it was tossed to the back of his mind. He had waited for this moment for far, far too long.
By now, Lu Zhao had already made every possible preparation:
He had spent his Merit to acquire the Early-stage Foundation Establishment Chapter of the Little Spirit Rain Technique as soon as his Cultivation reached the Peak of Qi Cultivation Ninth Level, and he now knew it by heart.
A month ago, he had used his accumulated Merit at the Merit Hall to trade for several rare Spiritual Objects and Pills known to provide a slight boost during Foundation Establishment. The Life Essence Liquid for stabilizing meridians, the Concentration Dew for nourishing the Spiritual Soul, and the Nascent Condensation Pill—a lesser version of the Foundation Establishment Pill—were all lying quietly in his Storage Bag.
His physical and mental states had been tuned to their absolute peak. His Essence, Qi, and Spirit were complete, and his Divine Sense was as perfectly formed as a pearl. All that was missing was the Foundation Establishment Pill.
Lu Zhao shot to his feet. Without a moment’s delay, he strode out of his grotto-abode and headed directly for the Merit Hall. His steps were steady, yet they carried the do-or-die resolve of a man burning his bridges behind him.
The main hall of the Merit Hall was as solemn and imposing as ever, with Disciples and Stewards bustling about with hurried expressions. Lu Zhao navigated the familiar path to the inner hall responsible for High Tier resource exchanges. After announcing his name, he was quickly led into an elegantly furnished Quiet Chamber.
Inside the Quiet Chamber, a man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his own back turned to the door. His posture was as straight and proud as a pine tree. His silhouette alone exuded a cold, aloof, and transcendent aura.
"Disciple Lu Zhao pays his respects to Junior Master Han," Lu Zhao said with a respectful bow. This was none other than Han Qingyuan, the man who had processed his application when he submitted his Spirit Stones to get in line for a Foundation Establishment Pill.
Han Qingyuan slowly turned. His inhumanly handsome face was as expressionless as ever, and his cold gaze fell upon Lu Zhao, seeming to pierce right through him.
"Qi Cultivation Peak, condensed Magical Power, Divine Sense... hmm?" Han Qingyuan’s gaze lingered on Lu Zhao for a moment. A flicker of faint surprise seemed to cross his cold eyes, but it vanished so quickly one might have thought it an illusion. "You’ve built a solid foundation. No wonder you’re so impatient."
His voice was flat, betraying no emotion. "Since your mind is made up, we’ll proceed according to the rules." With that, he didn’t immediately produce the Pill. Instead, he turned and walked toward a glowing Restriction gate at the rear of the Quiet Chamber, his figure vanishing through it.
Lu Zhao waited patiently, though his heart was pounding in his chest. ’The Foundation Establishment Pill, it’s so close!’
Roughly a quarter of an hour later, Han Qingyuan reappeared. He was holding a foot-long Purple Sandalwood Box. Its surface was engraved with complex sealing Runes that shimmered with a flowing Spirit Light. It was clearly no ordinary object.
"This is your Foundation Establishment Pill," Han Qingyuan said, placing the box on the Jade Table before Lu Zhao. "After you inspect it and confirm there are no issues, you will need to leave your Divine Sense Mark on this Soul Contract to finalize the collection."
He simultaneously produced a palm-sized, jet-black Jade Token covered in profound silver patterns—a Tier Two Soul Contract! The binding power of this object was immense. Once a mark was left, the transaction was complete, with no turning back. Any violation would result in the contract’s power lashing back at one’s Spiritual Soul.
Lu Zhao took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his excitement, and reverently lifted the Purple Sandalwood Box with both hands. The instant he opened the lid, an indescribable medicinal fragrance—a mixture of fresh herbs and overwhelming Vitality—assaulted his senses, instantly filling the entire Quiet Chamber.
Inside, a longan-sized Pill rested on a silk cushion. It was perfectly spherical, with a warm, gentle luster, and its surface was covered in profound Pill Patterns.
Whether in terms of quality, the completeness of its Pill Patterns, or the Spiritual Power fluctuations it emitted, this Foundation Establishment Pill was identical to the one he had taken from Zheng Feng’s Storage Bag!
"Thank you, Junior Master Han!" Lu Zhao’s voice trembled slightly. After confirming everything was in order, he immediately closed the lid and stored the Purple Sandalwood Box in the deepest corner of his Storage Bag with the utmost care. Then, without a shred of hesitation, he separated a condensed wisp of his Divine Sense and infused it into the black Soul Contract Token.
The silver patterns on the Token flashed, and a faint pulling sensation emanated from it. Lu Zhao’s Divine Sense Mark was now firmly branded upon it, completing the transaction.
Seeing Lu Zhao store the Pill and leave his mark, Han Qingyuan gave a slight nod. He didn’t immediately dismiss Lu Zhao, however. He spoke again, his tone still level, but now laced with a hint of solemnity. "Since you are preparing for Foundation Establishment, you should have this as well."
With a flip of his hand, he produced an inch-long, translucent Cyan Jade Scroll and offered it to Lu Zhao. "This is a new Sect regulation. As of thirty years ago, all Bixia Sect disciples—be they Outer Disciples or Outer Sect Stewards such as yourself—are to receive one of these Jade Scrolls before attempting Foundation Establishment. The information it contains concerns your path after you break through. You must study it with the utmost care and caution."
Lu Zhao’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly accepted the Jade Scroll with both hands and bowed deeply once more. "This disciple will remember! Thank you for your generous gift, Junior Master!" ’For Han Qingyuan to be this solemn,’ he thought, ’the contents of this Jade Scroll must be incredibly important.’
Han Qingyuan observed Lu Zhao’s respectful demeanor, and the coldness in his eyes seemed to soften ever so slightly. In a rare display of verbosity, he added, "I hope you... succeed in your Foundation Establishment. When that time comes, perhaps I should call you ’Junior Brother Lu’."
"This disciple will do everything in his power to not disappoint Junior Master’s expectations!" A warmth spread through Lu Zhao’s chest, and he bowed solemnly once more. Han Qingyuan calling him "Junior Brother Lu" was, without a doubt, a sign of great acknowledgment.
After leaving the Merit Hall and returning to his grotto-abode, Lu Zhao immediately activated all of its defensive Restrictions. He sat down cross-legged and eagerly submerged his Divine Sense into the Cyan Jade Scroll.
The information within the Jade Scroll wasn’t extensive, but every word was a gem that pointed directly to the core secrets of Foundation Establishment. The more Lu Zhao read, the more astounded he became. That astonishment soon gave way to an indescribable sense of relief and elation.
"So that’s how it is! That’s how it is!" he muttered to himself, his eyes flashing with brilliant light.
The core message of the Jade Scroll was this: after a Cultivator successfully reaches Foundation Establishment and their Magical Power fully transforms from a gaseous to a liquid state, their Flesh Body and Spiritual Soul undergo an extremely brief but crucial "Metamorphosis Stage."
This Metamorphosis Stage varied from person to person. For some, it lasted only a few breaths. For others... it could last for several hours!
And the Jade Scroll’s core advice was this: one must find a way to prolong this Metamorphosis Stage for as long as possible!
The reason was simple: this Metamorphosis Stage could, to a certain extent, reshape and enhance a Cultivator’s Innate Spirit Root Talent!