Chapter 173: Chapter 162: Foundation Establishment

The Jade Scroll clearly stated that the longer the Metamorphosis Stage was maintained, the more significant the improvement to one’s Spirit Root Talent! This was especially true for Cultivators with poor Innate Talent!

The Jade Scroll even recorded an extreme case: hundreds of years ago, there was an Outer Sect Steward of the Bixia Sect with a Lower Grade Spirit Root who managed to maintain his Foundation Establishment Metamorphosis Stage for a full twelve hours. His Spirit Root Talent was forcefully elevated to High-Grade! It was a feat that defied the heavens and rewrote his future path!

Of course, the Jade Scroll also calmly added that this was an extreme, one-in-a-hundred-thousand case that should not be forcefully emulated, as it could lead to failure in Foundation Establishment. It also mentioned that for the vast majority of Cultivators, the time they could maintain the Metamorphosis Stage was limited, typically between one to two hours, and the resulting talent improvement was also relatively limited.

Usually, Cultivators with Lower Grade Spirit Roots saw more improvement, generally at least 30 percent. For those with Middle-Grade Spirit Root Talent, achieving a 10 to 20 percent increase in cultivation speed was already considered good. If one could manage a 30 to 40 percent increase, it was a blessing from the heavens. The improvement for High-Grade Spirit Roots was even less, commonly around 10 percent. As for Earth Spirit Roots and Celestial Spirit Roots, the scroll didn’t mention them. Lu Zhao guessed it probably had no effect on them.

However, even a 10 or 20 percent increase in cultivation speed was enough to have an earth-shattering impact on a Cultivator’s long path! This was especially true during the Foundation Establishment Stage, where the difficulty of obtaining Cultivation Resources increased dramatically, making every bit of increased cultivation speed incredibly precious!

The Jade Scroll then analyzed the four key factors influencing the duration of the Metamorphosis Stage:

Cultivation Technique Foundation: The higher the tier of the Cultivation Technique one practiced, the more solid and profound their foundation, and the longer the Metamorphosis Stage tended to be.

Divine Sense Strength: The stronger and more condensed one’s Divine Sense, the greater their control over the metamorphosis process, and the better they could guide and sustain the transformation.

Spirit Vein Tier: The higher the tier of the Spirit Vein one was in during their breakthrough, the purer and denser the Spiritual Qi, providing stronger support and making it more likely to extend the Metamorphosis Stage.

Luck and Fortune: Mysterious and elusive, but sometimes it could play a decisive role.

Lu Zhao went through the list, quickly assessing his own situation:

’Cultivation Technique: The Little Spirit Rain Technique is just a Lower Grade Cultivation Technique. Its tier is low. This is my biggest weakness!’

’Spirit Vein: According to Sect tradition, an Outer Sect Steward attempting Foundation Establishment can apply to use a Tier Two High-Grade Cave Mansion. These are already excellent conditions, far beyond what a Wanderer could ever hope for. This is the advantage of being a Sect Disciple.’

’Divine Sense: This is precisely my greatest strength! Having cultivated the Thousand Threads Technique to the Nine Threads Realm, my Divine Sense strength has long surpassed that of most Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators. It’s incredibly condensed, far exceeding my peers! This is my greatest asset!’

’Luck: I don’t consider myself someone with heaven-defying luck, but I did receive the Puppet Bead’s legacy, survived several near-death experiences and gained from them. Though my path has been rocky, I’ve still moved forward step by step. My luck shouldn’t be too bad.’

’The cultivation speed of a High-Grade Spirit Root Cultivator is twice that of a Middle-Grade one...’ Lu Zhao calculated silently. ’I have a Middle-Grade Water Spirit Root, and my own conditions are a bit better than the average Cultivator. If I can maintain the Metamorphosis Stage well and increase my cultivation speed by 60 to 70 percent, that would be close to the effect of a High-Grade Spirit Root! Even if my luck is a bit worse and I only manage a 30 to 40 percent increase, it would still be far better than an ordinary Middle-Grade Spirit Root!’

This discovery dispelled most of the lingering worry in Lu Zhao’s heart. He had been concerned that with his Middle-Grade Spirit Root talent, his cultivation speed would become mediocre in the Foundation Establishment Stage, where talent was generally higher and competition for resources was even fiercer. How could he not be ecstatic to learn that the Foundation Establishment Metamorphosis Stage had such a heaven-defying, fate-changing effect?

’Thank goodness... thank goodness I joined the Bixia Sect!’ A strong sense of relief washed over Lu Zhao again. If not for the profound heritage of a Major Sect, how could a Wanderer ever learn of such a core secret concerning the very foundation of their path? Even if they luckily managed to reach Foundation Establishment, missing this opportunity during the Metamorphosis Stage would surely make their future path much more difficult!

Three days later, with all his preparations complete, Lu Zhao unhesitatingly submitted his Foundation Establishment application to the General Affairs Hall’s Spirit Vein Bureau.

Half a day later, as the afternoon sun slanted down, an Inner Sect Steward with a stern face, dressed in a black Daoist robe, arrived outside Lu Zhao’s cave mansion, bringing with him a solemn, business-like air.

"Lu Zhao, come with me. Your Foundation Establishment Cave Mansion has been arranged." The steward’s voice was low and emotionless.

"Thank you for your trouble, Sir!" Lu Zhao took a deep breath and followed closely behind him.

The two figures weaved through pavilions and deep, secluded halls, finally arriving at a quiet valley behind the Spirit Vein Bureau, which was sealed off by a dense fog. The valley was a vast expanse of white, but the Spiritual Qi within was incredibly abundant; every breath felt like drinking divine nectar. The steward stopped before a massive, moss-covered cliff face that looked otherwise ordinary. Spirit Light flashed from the Token in his hand as he precisely executed several Techniques.

The cliff face emitted a deep, sonorous rumble, like a giant beast awakening. It slid silently apart, revealing a dark passage just wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side. The passage was deep, and its stone walls were inlaid with glowing stones that emitted a soft white light at regular intervals, barely illuminating the path ahead.

At the end of the passage was a heavy stone door. The steward took out a Token and pressed it into a groove on the door. The stone door slowly opened, and a wave of incomparably pure Spiritual Qi, several times denser than in Lu Zhao’s own cave mansion, washed over him, causing the pores all over his body to open involuntarily!

"This will be your place for Foundation Establishment," the steward said, stepping aside. "This is Foundation Establishment Cave Mansion ’Building B-7’. The Spiritual Qi concentration is equivalent to a Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Vein. Inside, a Small Gathering Spirit Array and a Solid Essence Array have already been activated. After you enter, the stone door will close automatically, and the protective Grand Array will activate as well."

He continued in a solemn tone, "Once this array is active, for the next six months, it can only be opened from the inside. No one from the outside can force their way in or interfere with you. When the six months are up, regardless of whether you succeed in Foundation Establishment, the array will automatically deactivate, and the stone door will open. Remember, cherish this time."

Lu Zhao felt the heart-pounding concentration of Spiritual Qi inside the cave mansion and was inwardly shaken. ’So this is the might of a Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Vein!’ He gave the steward a deep bow. "Thank you for guiding me, Sir. This disciple understands."

The steward said no more. He gave a slight nod, turned, and disappeared back into the fog-filled passage.

Lu Zhao stepped into the cave mansion. Behind him, the heavy stone door slowly rumbled shut, completely sealing off the outside world. Immediately after, countless complex Array Patterns on the walls and ceiling of the cave lit up one after another, their soft light weaving into a net that formed an indestructible protective barrier, enveloping the entire cave mansion.

The interior of the cave mansion was spacious and simply furnished. In the center was a jade platform raised about a foot off the ground, clearly a place for meditation and cultivation.

On the ground surrounding the platform, even more esoteric and complex Spirit Gathering Array Patterns were engraved. They were currently greedily drawing in the boundless Spiritual Qi surging from the Earth Vein below, raising the concentration of Spiritual Qi within the cave mansion to an astonishing level, almost turning it into a liquid Spiritual Mist.

Lu Zhao stood in the center of the cave mansion and took a deep breath. The pure, dense Spiritual Qi flooded his lungs, instantly transforming into a torrent of heat that washed through his entire body, invigorating his spirit.

He walked to the jade platform, sat down cross-legged, and let his gaze sweep over this small, isolated world brimming with Spiritual Qi, before slowly closing his eyes.

’Foundation Establishment...’

He silently recited these two words, which carried thirty-three years of blood, sweat, and hope. Lu Zhao’s Divine Sense, like the most precise instrument, began its Introspection, adjusting his Essence, Qi, and Spirit to their most perfect state. The Heart Method and Mantra of the Little Spirit Rain Technique’s Early-stage Foundation Establishment Chapter flowed through his mind, every detail perfectly clear.

He first took out the few auxiliary Spiritual Objects and Pills from his Storage Bag, arranging them neatly within arm’s reach. Finally, his gaze, filled with a complex yet resolute meaning, fell upon the two Pills that would determine the fate of his path—one was a gift from the Sect, stored in a Purple Sandalwood Box covered in Runes; the other was from Zheng Feng’s Storage Bag, kept in a Jade Bottle.

After a moment’s hesitation, Lu Zhao chose to take the Sect’s Pill first. His fingertips gently traced the sealing Rune on the lid of the Purple Sandalwood Box, his expression becoming incomparably resolute. He carefully opened the box, and the Sect’s Foundation Establishment Pill once again came into view.

Without hesitation, Lu Zhao picked up the Foundation Establishment Pill and put it in his mouth.

The Pill dissolved the moment it entered his mouth!

An indescribable torrent of Medicinal Power—vast and majestic, yet gentle and mellow—instantly exploded in his mouth. Like a river bursting its dam, it surged violently into his limbs and meridians!

BOOM!

Lu Zhao felt a tremendous roar in his mind, as if the world was being created anew. His entire body—from flesh, sinews, and bones to meridians and organs, all the way to his Sea of Consciousness and Spiritual Soul—began to tremble violently under the impact of this irresistible Medicinal Power!

Foundation Establishment, at this moment, had finally begun!

Outside the cave mansion, the valley remained tranquil. Only the sealed stone door of "Building B-7" and the ceaseless glow of the array upon it silently spoke of the life-or-death transformation occurring within. The boundless Spiritual Qi was drawn in by the array, forming a massive, invisible vortex that continuously poured into the cave mansion.

Although the array concealed most of the phenomenon, the faint, heart-pounding energy fluctuations that leaked out still caused the Sect Disciples who occasionally passed through the area to feel an inexplicable sense of pressure, making them give it a wide berth.

Inside the cave mansion, Lu Zhao’s body had seemingly transformed into a great furnace. The Medicinal Power of the Foundation Establishment Pill was like the most scorching flame, forging his Flesh Body, tempering his Spiritual Power, and assaulting the formless chasm that lay between Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment.

Excruciating pain! A tearing agony erupted from every corner of his body! His meridians were forcibly widened by the scouring Medicinal Power, his skeleton groaned under the strain, and his flesh and blood felt as if they were being repeatedly torn apart and reassembled. In his Dantian Qi Sea, the Magical Power that was once like clouds and mist now churned like a boiling ocean, spinning and compressing wildly under the impetus of the Medicinal Power!

At the same time, his powerful Divine Sense, comparable to that of an Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, acted like a Stabilizing Needle, firmly guarding the clarity of his Sea of Consciousness. He did his utmost to guide the rampaging torrent of energy within him, forcing it to circulate along the path of the Little Spirit Rain Technique’s Foundation Establishment Chapter and preventing it from running wild.

Time ticked by, second by second, amidst this delicate balance of extreme pain and perilous risk.

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