NO_NAME
patreon
Chapter 12: Foundation Establishment, Storms in the Night
🕑 Added 2024-12-08 08:53:30 +0000 UTCSeeing Gu An subdue Meng Lang with just one kick, Xiao Chuan, Lu Jiu Jia, and Ye Lan were beyond excited.
Usually, Meng Lang would boast about being the strongest in the Medicine Valley, but now he had been driven mad and forced to his knees with just one leg from their Senior Brother!
No wonder Senior Brother Gu is the one and not Meng Lang!
Master has sharp eyes!
Gu An looked down at Meng Lang, who was kneeling before him, and said, "Still not waking up?"
His spiritual energy flowed through his right leg and into Meng Lang's body, forcibly calming the chaotic spiritual energy within him.
Meng Lang's breathing began to steady, and the bloodshot redness in his eyes gradually faded as his fierce expression returned to normal.
Seeing him awaken, Gu An slowly withdrew his leg and helped Meng Lang up.
Meng Lang suddenly snapped to consciousness, looking at Gu An while panting heavily.
"Gu An... I... What just happened?" Meng Lang asked with difficulty, his blood and energy still in turmoil, making it hard for him to speak.
Gu An replied, "It seems like you were possessed by Qi deviation."
Meng Lang’s eyes widened as he asked, "Did I harm anyone?"
Xiao Chuan and Lu Jiu Jia exchanged strange looks.
Ye Lan instinctively wanted to answer, but Gu An quickly stepped in, saying, "Luckily, you managed to restrain yourself at a crucial moment."
Meng Lang let out a sigh of relief, forcing a smile. "Of course... I am the real Senior Brother, after all. How could I hurt any of you..."
Ye Lan looked at Gu An with eyes full of admiration.
Senior Brother is not only strong but also kind!
Xiao Chuan and Lu Jiu Jia shared the same thought while looking down on Meng Lang.
What a show. He looked like a ghost just now!
Gu An told the three to leave and helped Meng Lang back to his room.
"What technique are you practicing? It's way too sinister," Gu An asked, though his opinion of Meng Lang was low. After all, they lived together day and night, so if possible, he hoped Meng Lang would be safe.
Meng Lang chuckled. "Of course, it’s a divine technique... But my aptitude and comprehension are lacking, so I easily make mistakes. But I have no choice; I must become an outer disciple..."
Gu An asked in confusion, "Why do you need to become an outer disciple? You didn’t care before."
Meng Lang’s face darkened instantly, and he fell silent.
Seeing that Meng Lang didn’t want to talk about it, Gu An didn’t push further. After settling him on the bed, Gu An turned and left.
This incident was just a small interlude for Gu An. He couldn’t control the fate of others—everyone had their own pursuits. If someone were to die on the path of cultivation, it wouldn’t be too surprising.
He returned to the courtyard and continued practicing his Eight Directions Step.
...
As winter passed and spring arrived, another year of beautiful weather began.
At dawn, the remaining snow lingered in the Medicine Valley as Gu An led his junior brothers and sister up the mountain.
"Chopping down trees and pulling out roots is a form of cultivation too. You can use your spiritual energy, and when it’s depleted, practice refining Qi. It helps in increasing your cultivation."
Gu An, dressed in simple green robes, stood in the forest, speaking softly, his hands behind his back, exuding the aura of a master.
That day, when he subdued Meng Lang who had gone into Qi deviation with just one kick, he firmly established himself as a master in the eyes of his junior brothers and sister.
Gu An even sensed that his youngest junior sister had started developing other feelings for him, always clinging to him. Fortunately, he guided Ye Lan back to focusing on cultivation, redirecting her attention.
Cultivation leaves no room for emotions.
Gu An didn’t want to get entangled in relationships too early in this life, as they could easily cause him to lose his way.
Xiao Chuan turned back and asked, "Senior Brother, should we use our hands or our legs?"
With a smile still on his face, Gu An said, "Whichever is more convenient. Cultivation is one thing, but completing the task is also important. Focus on the right direction."
So this is what it felt like for Zhang Chunqiu?
Talking nonsense feels pretty good!
"Senior Brother Xiao Chuan, let’s see who’s faster!" Lu Jiu Jia said eagerly, rubbing his hands together.
Xiao Chuan readily agreed, while Ye Lan also wanted to join. Unfortunately, she was ignored by the two, who didn’t like competing with girls.
Gu An stood there watching them pull out trees while planning the new garden.
What kind of medicinal herbs should be planted on this mountain?
Gu An fell into deep thought.
Although Xiao Chuan, Lu Jiu Jia, and Ye Lan were cultivators, their cultivation levels weren’t high. It took them half a day to clear a patch of land. Gu An brought over seeds for the third-rank herb Soul Shaking Grass and had them plant it.
After everything was done, the group headed down the mountain together, chatting and laughing. As the sun set, their shadows stretched long across the slope.
Gu An had them talk about their goals. All three wanted to enter the outer sect, though their motivations varied.
Xiao Chuan simply wanted to become stronger, Lu Jiu Jia wanted to prove himself to his family, and Ye Lan, though vague, seemed to have some unspeakable reasons.
Gu An found their stories fascinating. He believed that everyone should have their own journey.
Listening to different people’s stories made his own life feel richer.
...
A month had passed since they planted the Soul Shaking Grass. One night, under a sky with few stars, Gu An sat cross-legged on his bed, staring at his attribute panel with hesitation.
[Name: Gu An]
[Lifespan: 20/3163]
[Spiritual Root: First-class Wood Spiritual Root, Improved Four Elemental Spiritual Roots (Can invest lifespan to evolve)]
[Cultivation: Ninth Layer of Qi Refining Realm (Can invest lifespan to evolve)]
[Techniques: Fire Control Technique (Unmastered), Divine Wood Pure Yang Technique (Mastered), Dragon Force Divine Essence Art (Mastered), Alchemy Technique (Beginner) (Can invest lifespan to evolve)]
[Martial Arts: Gale Phantom Kick (Mastered), Li Family's Seven Swords (Unmastered), Eight Directions Step (Unmastered) (Can invest lifespan to evolve)]
Should I invest my lifespan to push my cultivation level higher?
Cheng Xuandan had the ability to refine Foundation Establishment Pills, and he treated Gu An quite well. Maybe he could ask for one. But Meng Lang’s strange behavior made Gu An wary of Cheng Xuandan.
Meng Lang didn’t come from a prestigious background. If he possessed some kind of divine technique, he would have practiced it long ago. Why wait until after Li Ya and Zhang Chunqiu had left?
Based on Gu An’s senses, he was certain that in the past two years, Meng Lang hadn’t come into contact with any outsiders. At most, he was summoned by Cheng Xuandan, but Gu An hadn’t eavesdropped on all their conversations.
Forget it.
It’s better to rely on oneself than to ask for help. Play it safe.
The path of cultivation is one of peril—one misstep and you could be shattered to pieces!
Gu An immediately invested one year of his lifespan into evolving his cultivation.
[Special Notice: Cultivation is a real process. During evolution, transforming the ethereal into the tangible will consume more lifespan than regular cultivation.]
[You focus on refining Qi for one year. Without a Foundation Establishment Pill or a fortunate opportunity, you fail to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.]
Two lines of text appeared before Gu An’s eyes. Having failed to break through, his cultivation level remained the same.
Gu An remained expressionless and continued to invest lifespan, year after year.
Failure.
Failure.
Failure...
After nine failed attempts, he could no longer keep his composure.
Damn it! I don’t believe this!
Let’s go for a hundred years!
With frustration boiling inside him, Gu An invested one hundred years of lifespan into evolving his cultivation.
[You refine Qi for ten years. With your deep mastery of the Divine Wood Pure Yang Technique, you forcefully attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, but ultimately fail.]
[You refine Qi for twenty years. With your deep mastery of the Divine Wood Pure Yang Technique, you forcefully attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm and succeed.]
[You refine Qi for thirty years. Your cultivation has broken through to the second layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm.]
[You refine Qi for fifty years. Your cultivation has broken through to the third layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm.]
[You refine Qi for seventy years. Your cultivation has broken through to the fourth layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm.]
[You refine Qi for one hundred years. Your cultivation has broken through to the fifth layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm.]
Lines of notifications flooded Gu An’s mind.
Before he could even feel happy, he sensed something was wrong. Breaking through so many layers would certainly cause quite a commotion!
Just as this thought crossed his mind, his body began to heat up as the Divine Wood Pure Yang Technique activated automatically. He quickly got up and leaped out of the open window.
His movements were swift and silent. In less than three breaths, he had dashed into the mountains, his feet scaling the cliffs like a monkey as he swiftly climbed to the peak. By this time, the spiritual energy of the world had already begun converging toward him.
He leaped off the peak and plunged into the dark forest below, using his right foot to land on a tree branch, which he then used to launch himself further into the air. After a few more jumps, he gracefully landed on the ground.
The spiritual energy rushed into his body, forming a vortex around him.
He was absorbing the energy at an increasingly fast rate, which made him break out in a cold sweat. Thankfully, he had reacted quickly. If he had broken through in the Medicine Valley, he would have surely alarmed everyone.
Cheng Xuandan and Meng Lang might not dare come out, but Xiao Chuan and Lu Jiu Jia, those two blockheads, would have definitely checked it out.
As he thought about this, Gu An picked up his pace, moving as swiftly as a spirit fox. In the darkness of night, the trees swayed as the wind whipped through, making rustling sounds.
Using his Gale Phantom Kick, Gu An sprinted with incredible speed, crossing mountains and hills.
He grew farther and farther from the Medicine Valley.
Just as he stopped, his cultivation began to surge, and the spiritual energy violently coursed through his meridians, transforming his dantian.
This hurts!
Gu An frowned, but his pace didn’t slow.
After running for over ten miles, he finally stopped in a forest and sat down under a tree to meditate.
As he circulated his energy, he couldn’t help but feel amazed.
He hadn’t expected that a mere hundred years of lifespan would allow him to break through from the ninth layer of the Qi Refining Realm to the fifth layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
It seems that the lifespan I’ve been seizing is indeed real. Of course, this rapid breakthrough is mainly due to my mastery of the Divine Wood Pure Yang Technique.
I wonder... if I invested a thousand years of lifespan, could I reach the Golden Core Realm in one go? Maybe even glimpse the Nascent Soul Realm?
Gu An’s thoughts wandered with endless possibilities.
He continued to absorb more and more spiritual energy. The surrounding forest seemed caught in a tempest, swaying violently as leaves fluttered down, resembling demonic spirits clawing at the night sky.
"This disturbance is getting out of hand..."
Gu An silently cursed, realizing the downside of evolving his cultivation using lifespan—the sheer magnitude of the breakthrough was bound to attract attention.
Unlike regular cultivation, where one would gradually refine their energy over time, this method compressed the entire process into a short period, rapidly consuming the required spiritual energy.
The commotion from breaking through from the ninth layer of Qi Refining to the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment was already substantial. If he were to go from the Golden Core Realm to the Nascent Soul Realm, wouldn’t it shake the heavens and the earth?
During these breakthroughs, if other cultivators showed up, that would spell trouble.
Gu An always considered the worst possible outcomes.
No, I have to be more cautious in the future!
Gu An decided that from now on, he would only invest a year of lifespan into cultivation each day, gradually advancing.
Time passed quickly. Under the night sky, the wind howled, and Gu An’s robes flapped noisily as his spiritual power rapidly grew.
After a while, his aura changed dramatically.
Foundation Establishment success!
His dantian had transformed, now producing spiritual power at a much faster rate, while his bones and muscles grew stronger.
And it wasn’t over yet!
His cultivation continued to rise, as dust and leaves whirled around him in a great storm.
Foundation Establishment, second layer!
Foundation Establishment, third layer!
Foundation Establishment, fourth layer!
Previous Chapter | | Next Chapter
