After stepping into the Foundation Establishment Realm, a cultivator's life is elevated to a higher state.

The flesh body, Spiritual Power, and Divine Sense, when compared to the Qi Cultivation Realm, are worlds apart.

Just talking about lifespan, it has doubled at least.

An ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator can have a lifespan of over two hundred years.

However, after the Foundation Establishment Realm, the difficulty of cultivation realm improvement is much greater than during the Qi Cultivation Realm.

With a lower-grade Dao Foundation, after cultivating for several decades and breaking through to the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, one meets the upper limit.

After that, one encounters a bottleneck and remains stagnant.

For the rest of their life, they are often stuck in the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, unable to break through to the late stage.

Even with an upper-grade Spirit Root, breaking through a small realm takes at least a dozen years.

Like Qin Yuehan, with a middle-grade Dao Foundation and a Cyan Wood Spirit Body, after cultivating for thirty years, is still at the early stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

However, Qin Yuehan vaguely feels the opportunity for a breakthrough.

To successfully break through the bottleneck, she decides to go to the Shadow Forest, using the "Purple Essence Divine Wood" to refine and stimulate the potential of her Cyan Wood Spirit Body.

"Although I'm not a special Spirit Body, I have full talent and can continually supplement various talents."

"The Water Spirit Root Talent can also continually improve. In a hundred years of the Foundation Establishment Realm, it's enough for me to elevate to a Heavenly-grade Spirit Root."

"The most important thing right in front of me is to enhance combat power."

Shen Xuan already had a plan in mind.

First, dedicating most of the time and energy to diligently practicing the main cultivation technique, "Divine Hidden Sea Technique," and the three water attribute techniques: "Condensed Water Blade Technique," "Water Spirit Gathering Essence Technique," and "Immortal-Slaying Water Qi Technique."

Second, to specifically enhance innate talent skills. Bringing "Water Control" to perfection and "Infinite Strength" to Great Success, greatly enhancing combat power.

Third, to add some auxiliary means: two Tier Two Taiyin Corpse Beasts, dozens of fine Thunder Talismans and Poison Talismans.

Fourth, using the Water Purification Bottle to refine Hundred-Direction Spirit Water to prepare for extreme situations.

In the Foundation Establishment Stage, many factors decide the outcome of magical combat.

Magical treasures and techniques often play a decisive role.

All of Shen Xuan's three techniques are water attributes, and whether there is abundant Water Spiritual Power nearby directly affects the power of water techniques.

Thus, Shen Xuan spent heavily and asked Qin Yuehan to purchase a middle-grade magical treasure, the Water Purification Bottle.

This bottle has the characteristic of wishful size, and its main role is to refine Water Spiritual Qi.

The inside holds over a hundred units.

Shen Xuan daily throws three pieces of middle-grade Spirit Stones inside, using Spiritual Power and Divine Sense to refine and merge with the Spirit Water inside the bottle.

Over six months, he consumed a full fifty thousand Spirit Stones.

The Hundred-Direction Spirit Water is initially refined successfully.

Shen Xuan estimated.

A piece of middle-grade Spirit Stone can restore about thirty percent of his internal Spiritual Power.

The Spiritual Qi contained in the Hundred-Direction Spirit Water in the Purification Bottle is one hundred fifty times his internal Spiritual Power!

If even then he cannot defeat the opponent.

There is only one reason.

The opponent is one level higher in the life hierarchy.

A Core Formation True Master, or the equivalent-tier magic core ancestor, Tier Three Demon King, and so on.

Shen Xuan's target is clear.

Focus on cultivation, and continually enhance strength.

Provided others do not provoke him.

Of course, the Immortal Bai Lian is not included in this.

...

The Immortal Bai Lian made a trip to the East Sea.

Two months later, she returned.

And brought back the Silver Hook Sea Snake Essence Blood.

Shen Xuan fulfilled his promise, purchasing it at a high price and exchanging it with Poison Talismans for her.

The Immortal Bai Lian's heart was radiating joy.

Instantly, she initiated a unique friendship match with Shen Xuan.

Then, the Immortal Bai Lian was pleasantly surprised to discover.

Shen Xuan seemed to have undergone a transformation.

He made significant progress in all aspects.

Not just strength.

Even the duration extended substantially.

This time, the Immortal Bai Lian finally believed.

Shen Xuan didn't rely on drugs.

Solely relying on his flesh body quality.

Medications, after all, are three parts poison.

Not to mention supplements, even those precious Spirit Pills have pill poison.

The difference is merely in extent.

Indeed, Spirit Pills can speed up cultivation to a certain extent.

However, overconsumption has obvious side effects, leading to impure Spiritual Power and an unstable Dao Foundation.

Relying purely on drugs to limitlessly improve the cultivation realm is simply not feasible!

Any kind of Spirit Pill, if overused, will develop drug resistance.

Moreover, they all cause damage to the Spirit Root Dao Foundation.

This is why Shen Xuan prefers using the Spirit Locking Array over consuming Spirit Pills.

With the Silver Hook Sea Snake Essence Blood provided by the Immortal Bai Lian, Shen Xuan successfully pushed the "Silver Hook Poison" to Great Success level.

...

Time passed quietly.

Shen Xuan has been in Cyan Yang Prefecture, supporting the Feiyun Su Family, for four years.

In these four years, Shen Xuan established the Talisman Hall, nurturing three middle-grade Talisman Masters.

Su Xue'Er's younger brother, Su Keping, is notably among them.

Simultaneously, Shen Xuan collaborated with the Su Family to produce Thunder Talismans, bringing in over a hundred thousand Spirit Stones in annual revenue for the Su Family.

One could say he exceeded the task assigned by his master to support them.

Next, he would accompany Qin Yuehan to the Shadow Forest.

To assist her in gathering the "Purple Essence Divine Wood" and solidifying the Cyan Wood Spirit Body.

This concerns Qin Yuehan's cultivation path.

Although Qin Yuehan didn't explicitly state.

Solidifying the Cyan Wood Spirit Body is to prepare for breaking through to the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Partially also to demonstrate potential, attracting sect attention, and dispelling Lei Yaoyang's coveting intentions.

Shen Xuan repeatedly tested using the "Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil" technique.

Though there were thrills, it was without danger.

It wasn't as fear-inducing as facing Murong Jun directly.

Risk was within a controllable range.

At least, it wouldn't jeopardize life.

The inside of the Shadow Forest was incredibly large.

The location of the "Purple Essence Divine Wood" is in the deeper part of the Shadow Forest, not yet entering the core area.

Logically speaking, the demon birds and beasts residing there are only Tier Two.

Shen Xuan read some cultivation scriptures.

They recorded there's a certain tacit understanding between human cultivators and demon race cultivators.

Core Formation True Masters and Tier Three Demon Kings or above must not arbitrarily enter each other's domains, nor take action without cause.

This is merely the opinion from a single cultivation scripture.

Shen Xuan thought it makes some sense.

Whether human race or demon race, or demon cultivators.

Upon reaching a certain cultivation realm, they become the ruling class of their respective areas.

There's no need for life-and-death struggles.

Maintaining order and extracting resources from the vast lower levels is more convenient.

The intelligence on the "Purple Essence Divine Wood" was given by Master Gu Feng.

She also specifically instructed Shen Xuan to accompany Qin Yuehan.

Going to the Shadow Forest was inevitable.

Shen Xuan postponed the date by two years.

Refined the Hundred-Direction Spirit Water, crafted two Tier Two Corpse Beasts, perfected "Water Control," brought "Silver Hook Poison" to Great Success level, and "Infinite Strength" to Great Success.

In addition to over a hundred fine Thunder Talismans and Poison Talismans.

With this, Shen Xuan gained confidence.

"With my current self, even if not in water-rich places, ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators and Tier Two demon birds and beasts can't harm me in the slightest."

"Maybe, I should face Murong Jun again?"

Shen Xuan pondered silently.

Last time, Murong Jun's shock and dread left him restless day and night.

Without hesitation, he said to himself.

Shen Xuan went straight to the Yellow Maple Forest and asked to meet Murong Jun by name.

"Young Master Murong, do you still need Thunder Talismans?"

"I've recently made some, willing to sell you a few at a bargain price."

"How about three hundred Spirit Stones each?"

Murong Jun's eyes, black as ink, fixedly stared at Shen Xuan.

Their gazes clashed silently in the air.

For a while.

Murong Jun smiled.

"Senior Shen, there's no need for formality. I'll buy two more Thunder Talismans."

This time, the Spirit Stones he produced did not have the Blood Spirit Mark.

"If Young Master Murong needs any more, feel free to find me. Bulk purchase gets a better deal."

Shen Xuan said with a relaxed tone.

He was indeed much more relaxed.

This time, "Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil" still caused his heart to palpitate.

But, compared to last time, it was significantly weaker.

An estimate of only two to three-tenths of last time.

Meaning, the present Murong Jun no longer posed a threat to his life.

Merely a warning without fear.

"Cyan Yang Prefecture is within my Cyan Cloud Sect's sphere of influence, Young Master Murong, behave yourself and don't cause trouble!"

Having said that, without caring about Murong Jun's reaction, Shen Xuan turned and left without looking back, leaving gracefully.

He no longer cared about Murong Jun's thoughts.

Behind him, Murong Jun's eyes were fixedly staring at Shen Xuan's departing figure.

It seemed as if flames were about to burst from his eyes.

Even so, Murong Jun did not verbally retort.

Instead, he fell into contemplation.

"Shen Xuan, who exactly are you, and what are your intentions…"

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