Chapter 42: Cui Zhe Advances to Foundation Establishment
Pill Island.
“Big news… This time the sect released three Foundation Establishment Pills. The first was unquestionably exchanged by Cui Zhe… The second fell into the hands of Senior Brother Ruan Tianshou.”
“The third… was just exchanged by Five Dragons Child!”
“Five Dragons Child? I remember his merit points were still lacking. Who knows whom he borrowed from… That man is cold-hearted by nature—there are still people willing to gamble on him?”
“When the sect distributes Foundation Establishment Pills, contribution points are only the hard requirement. If dozens of us disciples pooled together, we’d have enough too. But would the sect exchange one for you? If they gave it to Five Dragons Child, it’s because they believe he has hope of reaching Foundation Establishment…”
…
On Cold Spring Peak, many disciples practiced Water-Method Pill Refinement while chatting idly, their tones tinged with envy and jealousy toward Five Dragons Child.
Fang Qing, however, was indifferent.
Though he paid spiritual resources, in his view it was simply protection money.
The Five Dragons Society collected protection fees, and when he had been weak, they had provided shelter, along with many channels and connections. Not to mention, without the Five Dragons Society, the Spirit Pool inside his Cave Dwelling could never have been built.
And once protection money was given, he had never heard of it being returned.
Or rather, he had never expected it back in the first place.
‘Five Dragons Child… I wonder if he will succeed?’
After returning to his Cave Dwelling, Fang Qing habitually wanted to cast a hexagram, but forcibly restrained himself. Instead, he calculated Hua Lian’s fate.
“Hm? So the sect had long been aware and was secretly investigating? I don’t even need to act—his death star already hangs overhead. Not only will he die, his entire clan will suffer calamity?”
Though acting as a spy for Flying Fish Island had been extremely secretive, anything done would inevitably leave traces.
Moreover, the Azure Sea Sect would never reason with Flying Fish Island.
Once suspicion arose, they could immediately annihilate a clan and confiscate its assets—then calmly search for evidence afterward!
“Another familiar face will soon be gone…”
Fang Qing sighed, went to the Spirit Pool, and began refining pills.
This time, he did not refine low-tier spirit water to warm the furnace. Instead, he directly began refining Ice-Soul Spirit Water!
The method for refining this spirit water had come from Zhong Wufu. During the war between the Azure Sea Sect and the Zhong Family of Taibai Island, many ice-aspected spiritual materials had been seized. Fang Qing merely strolled through the stalls outside the Administrative Affairs Hall and easily gathered everything he needed.
“The key to Water-Method Pill Refinement lies first in refining spirit water!”
“First-tier Ice-Soul Spirit Water, second-tier Ice-Soul Cold Light, third-tier Ice-Soul Profound Light… I wonder if I will ever behold the true form of that famed great divine ability?”
“This Ice-Soul Spirit Water is extremely cold in nature. It is quite useful in pulverizing medicinal ingredients and preserving their properties…”
Several hours later, Fang Qing looked at the jade bottle in his hand and nodded to himself.
A layer of white frost now covered its surface.
Clearly, this portion of Ice-Soul Spirit Water had been successfully refined.
“Next is Qi Refining Powder…”
With a casual flick of his finger, he activated the Water-Control Technique. The Ice-Soul Spirit Water moved like a frigid flood serpent, coiling above the Spirit Pool.
Several main ingredients of Qi Refining Powder exploded instantly, turning into fine powder.
…
With the aid of his Divine Sense and spirit water, although this was Fang Qing’s first time refining Qi Refining Powder, luck favored him. The first pool succeeded.
“The quality is slightly inferior to standard grade… The pill toxins are a bit over the limit.”
His Divine Sense swept across the Spirit Pool, observing the powder crystals beginning to settle at the bottom as he pondered.
At the same time, his hands formed seals, streams of True Power entering the Spirit Pool.
“Water-Method Pill Refinement is slow, but it has one advantage—it can improve pill quality over time…”
“For instance, this pool of not-so-perfect Qi Refining Powder. If nourished for several more days, it should reach standard grade… and the pill toxins will decrease to a reasonable level.”
“If a perfectly standard batch of Qi Refining Powder were nourished by the water method… might it become a superior-grade pill?”
Several days later.
Fang Qing examined a portion of standard-grade Qi Refining Powder in his hand, nodded, and lightly licked it.
In an instant, within his Dantian Sea of Qi, the surging Black-Water Spiritual Power seemed drawn by an unseen force, violently circulating through his meridians.
“Excellent. As expected, this is the most suitable pill for late-stage Qi Refining cultivators to advance their cultivation… With its assistance, I am confident that within four or five years, I can raise my cultivation to the peak of the ninth layer of Qi Refining.”
And five years later would be the True Disciple Combat Trials!
Fang Qing calculated inwardly. “By then, my Horse-Headed Vajra Guardian Divine Art should also reach its first peak completion, comparable to second-tier body refinement…”
“The secret of Foundation Establishment lies in the unity and transformation of essence, qi, and spirit… I have already cultivated Divine Sense. If I also attain second-tier body refinement, the essence and spirit barriers will not be able to stop me!”
“As for the qi barrier, the key lies in ‘True Power liquefaction.’ It demands extremely high quality and quantity of True Power… But after cultivating Commentary on the Water Classic to the peak ninth layer of Qi Refining, I need not convert it into Ji Water True Power. I can store it, then cultivate Observing Black Ridge to the ninth layer of Qi Ingestion and convert it all into Primordial Qi… That would equal at least two full sets of peak ninth-layer Qi Refining power. Combined, it should be enough to pass the qi barrier, right?”
“Looking at it this way, even without the assistance of a Foundation Establishment Pill, my success rate would be terrifyingly high!”
“But failure in Foundation Establishment almost always means shattered meridians and death. I cannot gamble… At the very least, I need one Foundation Establishment Pill as insurance…”
“I can’t just keep delaying the breakthrough, endlessly accumulating Primordial Qi, and become the strongest Qi Refining cultivator in history, can I?”
Even if he mastered a dozen ninth-layer techniques, Qi Refining would still not match Foundation Establishment. It was a matter of quantitative change versus qualitative transformation.
Fang Qing carefully calculated his grand Foundation Establishment plan. If all went smoothly, after the next True Disciple Combat Trials, he could achieve Foundation Establishment!
‘At that time, even that damned place… Forget it. That damned place never plays by the rules. Just when I think Foundation Establishment will let me show off, some Purple Palace expert might show up to fish-bomb me…’
Yet even knowing the World of Ancient Shu was a cesspit, Fang Qing could not abandon it.
After all, his aptitude had always been an enduring pain in his heart.
Cultivators with mid-grade aptitude spent most of their lives stuck in Qi Refining, with only a slim chance of reaching Foundation Establishment.
After Foundation Establishment, their cultivation nearly stagnated, ninety-nine percent trapped at the initial stage!
Without massive resources, forming a Core seemed like an extravagant dream.
But the resources and techniques of the World of Ancient Shu were the remedy to this problem!
Without Observing Black Ridge, he might still be stuck at the threshold of Water-Method Pill Refinement.
Without Horse-Headed Vajra Guardian Divine Art, Divine Sense would have been impossible.
And Plum Blossom Divination had solved the greatest issue of his personal safety.
“So… that damned place still has to be visited. I have an agreement with the old fox regarding the Great Sun Cultivation Method. I just hope that demon has some integrity… And next time, no fish-bombing me. Before the next trade, I must cast a hexagram first to determine fortune or misfortune…”
It had to be said, ever since being fish-bombed by the Ragged Old Daoist last time, Fang Qing had become overly cautious.
…
While Fang Qing secluded himself in cultivation—
Wanbao Island.
Inside a Cave Dwelling.
Hua Lian slowly concluded his cultivation and stroked a verdant jade pendant at his waist.
‘All my previous gains have been handed to the family… According to the agreement, they should send me a batch of cultivation-enhancing pills.’
‘In the Qi Refining stage, as long as pills are sufficient, even low-grade aptitude can advance by leaps and bounds.’
‘With that assistance, perhaps I can compete for a True Disciple seat next time?’
‘If I obtain one Foundation Establishment Pill from the sect, and the family supports me with another—two Foundation Establishment Pills together, I will certainly succeed!’
As he envisioned his bright future, his expression suddenly changed.
Rumble!
The Cave Dwelling shook violently. A light barrier shattered.
Crash!
Large amounts of stone fragments flew about.
“Who dares attack my Cave Dwelling?”
Hua Lian hurriedly took out a tortoiseshell shield to guard himself, fear lacing his voice.
Within the sect, those who dared forcibly break into an inner sect disciple’s Cave Dwelling could only be—
“Sky Punishment Island, Punishment Hall, Cui Zhe!”
A streak of sword light shot forth. It was not particularly dazzling, yet it carried an awe-inspiring intent to shatter all laws.
With a single strike, the tortoiseshell shield, a top-grade artifact, shattered into pieces.
The terrifying gale that followed forced Hua Lian to vomit blood, his body slammed against the wall like a pinned painting.
“Senior Brother Cui? No… Martial Uncle Cui? You… succeeded in Foundation Establishment? Why arrest this disciple? I am innocent!”
Clinging to a sliver of hope, Hua Lian shouted.
“Useless. Every member of the Hua Family within the sect has already been arrested. Not a single Sound-Transmitting Talisman can be sent.”
Cui Zhe looked youthful, with a slightly pointed chin and bright eyes, a faintly irreverent smile on his lips.
“You of Flying Fish Island dared to align with the Zhong Family of Taibai Island and leak the sect’s great secrets. Have you prepared to face the extermination of your entire clan?”
Hua Lian’s face turned deathly pale. “I… How did you discover it?”
At this point, he knew denial was useless.
“Speaking of which… the flaw was on your end.”
Cui Zhe’s smile grew increasingly strange.
“Impossible! I left no flaw whatsoever!”
Hua Lian’s pupils contracted. If it was truly because of him, his Dao heart would collapse!
He had always considered himself cautious and meticulous, leaving no trace.
“Heh… You ask, and I must answer?”
Cui Zhe sneered. A flash of sword light erupted.
Hua Lian’s head flew off, blood gushing like a fountain.
After finishing, Cui Zhe walked out of the Cave Dwelling and saw Elder Tianxing waiting.
Clearly, everything that had just occurred had unfolded beneath the Divine Sense of this late-stage Foundation Establishment expert.
“Elder, everything has been handled.”
Cui Zhe bowed respectfully.
“Mm. Next, issue an Island-Slaughter Decree and wipe out the Hua Family of Flying Fish Island.”
Elder Tianxing spoke without expression. “That Hua Family Ancestor has cultivated bitterly for many years and remains only at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment. He will serve well as your whetstone. I will personally stand guard for you.”
“Many thanks, Elder!”
Cui Zhe bowed deeply, eagerness flashing in his eyes.
As a sword cultivator, he naturally preferred combat, seeking opportunities for breakthrough amidst battle.