Chapter 187 - 141: Advancing to Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment
Wei Tu was surprised to receive Weii Fei’s reply, but he had long anticipated its contents.
When Weii Fei failed at Foundation Establishment, he had a premonition that this day would come sooner or later.
There was a saying that put it well.
Dragons do not dwell with snakes.
The phrase was cruel, but it was true.
Even though the three of them in the Yee Society would still accept Weii Fei, when they reunited, their talk of post-Foundation Establishment matters would, intentionally or not, leave him feeling isolated.
Now, Weii Fei’s voluntarily withdrawal from the Yee Society and decision to no longer participate in the "Ten-Year Reunion" was, for him, a good thing.
’It’s true. When the Yee Society was first founded, it was just the four of us brothers banding together for warmth.’
’Only after obtaining a Cultivation Method did it gradually transform into a Cultivation Alliance.’
Wei Tu shook his head and thought to himself.
’But from the founding of the Yee Society a hundred years ago to now... for it to fall apart and scatter to the four winds, it all feels like a dream.’
Wei Tu sighed.
In the early days of the Yee Society, the four brothers had faced suppression from Hex Prefecture. They had pledged to resist the pressure together and support each other.
Later, after learning of the existence of Immortals.
They agreed to meet once a year and established three great pacts.
After entering the Cultivation Realm.
The meeting was changed to once every ten years, and their goal shifted from the previous "seeking Immortals and the Dao" to "Foundation Establishment."
Along the way, the daughter of Kou Liang—Kou Hongying—joined them.
Now.
A hundred years had passed.
The deceased Kou Liang’s daughter, Kou Hongying, was the first to successfully achieve Foundation Establishment, fulfilling his final wish.
He and Fu Zhizhou followed close behind, one after the other, achieving Foundation Establishment and accomplishing their goal.
One could say that, with the exception of Weii Fei, the other three had all achieved the Yee Society’s objective.
From this perspective, Weii Fei’s withdrawal from the Yee Society and his decision to no longer attend the ten-year reunions was perfectly reasonable.
—After all, the Yee Society no longer had a common goal. Weii Fei’s Foundation Establishment was now his own personal affair.
...
’In two more years, it will be time for the ten-year reunion. Since Second Brother has withdrawn, then... the ten-year pact no longer needs to be held.’
Wei Tu thought.
Ten years was too short a time for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
A period of Seclusion would pass, and the date would already be near.
Even if they were to keep the "ten-year pact," the duration would have to be modified, extending the "ten years" to "twenty years" or "thirty years."
However, Wei Tu felt there was no need to create a new "twenty-year pact" or "thirty-year pact."
During their previous ten-year pact meetings, they could share their Cultivation insights and Trade Spiritual Objects for mutual benefit.
But now—
Things were different after Foundation Establishment.
Cultivation Techniques for the Foundation Establishment Realm were more personal, with little experience from others worth drawing upon.
As for Trading Spiritual Objects, it wasn’t necessary to do so only at the appointed reunion spot.
Besides that, there was another point.
Previously, the four of them in the Yee Society could form an Alliance with the "Foundation Establishment Realm" as their goal. But now, the "Golden Core Realm" that lay before them was not something that could be easily reached with the help of others...
Thinking of this, Wei Tu began to write letters to Fu Zhizhou and Kou Hongying, telling them that the "ten-year reunion" would no longer be held. If they wanted to buy low-priced Talismans from him, they could find him at the Hee Mountain Huang Family’s estate.
’From now on, the Yee Society exists in name only.’
Wei Tu put down his pen and stared at the lines of text on the letter for a long time.
In the future, he, Kou Hongying, Fu Zhizhou, and Weii Fei would still interact, but these interactions would be more a matter of personal friendship.
...
The sun rose and the moon set.
In the blink of an eye, six years passed.
During these six years, Wei Tu had successively consumed the remaining two Jade Marrow Pills and purchased another type of Early-Stage Foundation Establishment elixir, the Essence Increasing Pill, from Master Qin.
With the help of the elixirs, Wei Tu was only a paper-thin layer away from breaking through to the Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment.
However, Wei Tu did not force the Breaking Realm process. Instead, he continued to purify his Magical Power, waiting for the day when success would come naturally.
Another year passed.
One morning, Wei Tu had just finished drawing a Tier Two Lower-Grade Talisman, the "Heavy Stone Talisman," when he suddenly felt an unusual stir in the Magical Power within his Dantian.
He put down his Talisman Pen, used Instant Body to appear in his Cultivation Room, and then activated the Spirit Gathering Array.
A short while later, a Spiritual Energy Vortex, just like the one from his Foundation Establishment breakthrough, appeared above his Talisman Heart Residence.
This Spiritual Energy Vortex, under the control of Wei Tu’s Guardian Map Divine Sense, began to sweep up the surrounding Spiritual Qi and pour slowly into his body.
...
This phenomenon instantly attracted the attention of the three Tributors from the Sacrificial Hall, as well as the numerous Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Hee Mountain Huang Family.
’Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment?’
’Wei Tu is about to break through to Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment?’
The first to be astonished was Yu Kui Master. He couldn’t imagine that the Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment he so desperately longed for could be reached so easily by Wei Tu next door.
’No wonder Master Qin didn’t look down on Talisman Master Wei. She must have seen that Talisman Master Wei... would soon break through to Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment...’
Yu Kui Master’s heart was filled with bitterness.
The other two Tributors, Artifact Master Xia of the Hundred Refinements Workshop and Si Qing of the Array Training Pavilion, had different reactions.
’Thankfully, I didn’t offend Wei Tu too much and managed to mend our relationship in time with the Flying Ship.’ Artifact Master Xia celebrated inwardly.
Wei Tu achieved Hundred-Year-Old Foundation Establishment and then reached Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment within twenty years of that—
Even with the help of elixirs, his potential was evident.
If Wei Tu were one of the Huang Family Members, he would likely have been cultivated as a Golden Core Seed by now, and his status would have risen dramatically.
’A Tier Two Middle-Grade Talisman Master, perhaps... could be of use to me...’ Si Qing’s beautiful eyes gleamed. She glanced at Wei Tu’s Talisman Heart Residence, the corners of her lips curling up in a slight smile.
...
"The Cultivator breaking through to Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment is actually Wei Tu?"
Outside the Sacrificial Hall, Clan Leader Huang Changshun gazed at the expanding Spiritual Energy Vortex in the sky, his tone filled with astonishment.
Before coming to the Sacrificial Hall, he had assumed the Cultivator breaking through to Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment was either Si Qing or Yu Kui Master; he hadn’t even considered Wei Tu, who had only recently achieved Foundation Establishment.
’At such an age, to break through to Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment... if his Magical Power is Pure, his potential will be considerable...’
Huang Changshun’s eyes flickered as he began to ponder how to win over Wei Tu and bind him tightly to the Hee Mountain Huang Family.
He glanced up at his daughter, Huang Caiyu, who was standing beside him. He thought for a moment, then shook his head.
A twice-married Huang Caiyu was a suitable match for Artifact Master Xia and Yu Kui Master, who had limited potential. In fact, it could even be said they would be marrying up.
However, when it came to Wei Tu, offering him a twice-married Huang Caiyu was not appropriate.
’The fifth child will also be reaching Foundation Establishment soon. I can offer her to Wei Tu.’
’However, all of this is contingent on Wei Tu returning alive from the Yunze Secret Realm...’
Huang Changshun thought to himself.
...
’One hundred and seventeen years old, Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment. It took exactly twenty years.’
Inside Talisman Heart Residence, Wei Tu looked at the Liquid Magical Power in his Dantian, which had expanded by more than fifty percent, a smile on his face.
This Realm advancement, although reliant on the effects of Elixirs—costing him over four thousand Spirit Stones to break through—was essentially trading Spirit Stones for Cultivation time...
But to be able to break through to Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment at this age without sacrificing the purity of his Magical Power was still a joyous occasion for him.
’Moreover, thanks to the One Qi Pouch, my Magical Power is more than twenty percent deeper than that of Same-Tier Cultivators.’
Wei Tu mused to himself.
At this moment, the advantage of his deep foundation was finally showing.
When he broke through to Foundation Establishment, he had consumed an extra Foundation Establishment Pill to solidify the additional "twenty percent Spiritual Power" from the One Qi Pouch.
This wasn’t obvious in the Early-Stage Foundation Establishment, but now, upon breaking through to the Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment and his Magical Power multiplying, that previous "twenty percent Spiritual Power" had also multiplied along with it.
In this way, the gap between him and Same-Tier Cultivators was truly highlighted.