"A talented individual, what a pity," Wei Zhong murmured, a hint of regret in his voice. He condensed spiritual energy in his hand, forming a water bullet of pure spiritual energy that pierced Liu Di's skull.
A flicker of disbelief lingered on Liu Di's face. His lips twitched, as if he wanted to utter one last question, but the light faded from his eyes in an instant, and the words never came.
Wei Zhong flicked his sleeve, collecting the three Storage Pouches. With another flick of his hand, a fireball engulfed the corpses, scattering their ashes across the Spirit Field.
In Wei Zhong's eyes, Liu Di was a remarkable individual.
As a disciple of the Azurewood Sect, he was neither arrogant nor impetuous, displaying remarkable pragmatism. At the crucial moment, he had even sacrificed his two "companions" to curry favor with Wei Zhong, a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Alas, no matter how shrewd Liu Di might be, he could never survive after learning Wei Zhong's secrets.
Wei Zhong hadn't restricted Liu Di's actions, and even if he had, he would never spare someone who knew so much about him.
The Cultivation World teemed with countless arcane techniques. Even methods to manipulate others' minds and bodies might one day be unexpectedly countered by a more skilled cultivator.
In the end, it seemed Brother Liu would have to die. Only then could Wei Zhong continue his cultivation in peace.
After cleaning up the battlefield, Wei Zhong casually hung the Storage Pouches on the wall of his small courtyard. The combined wealth of three Qi Refining cultivators no longer held much interest for him.
More importantly, he needed to fully grasp the profound mysteries of Foundation Establishment during the remaining duration of the Dao of Time, laying a solid foundation for his official breakthrough.
Inside the Cultivation Chamber, Wei Zhong sat cross-legged, gazing intently at the liquid spiritual energy in his palm, lost in deep thought.
The Spring and Autumn Water Refinement Manual he practiced was a Spirit Cultivation technique, meaning his Foundation Establishment would naturally be based on spiritual energy.
The defining characteristic of Foundation Establishment cultivators compared to Qi Refining cultivators was the condensation of gaseous spiritual energy within their bodies into liquid form. This transformation was a primary reason why Foundation Establishment magic power far surpassed that of Qi Refining.
As the liquid spiritual energy circulated throughout his body, it tempered his flesh, dramatically enhancing his physical strength. While it couldn't match the prowess of dedicated Body Refinement cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage, it still far exceeded the physical capabilities of ordinary Qi Refining Spirit Cultivators.
More crucially, a cultivator's spiritual sense would undergo a transformation into divine sense during Foundation Establishment, granting the ability to introspect one's own body.
Wei Zhong could now clearly perceive the faint light within his Sea of Consciousness: the Time Treasure Record.
He focused his divine sense, reaching out to touch it, but it remained tantalizingly out of reach.
Is even Foundation Establishment insufficient?
Still, the fact that he could at least perceive its existence was progress of sorts.
Divine sense not only allowed for introspection but also extended outward into his surroundings. Wei Zhong could now clearly see Big Gold splashing playfully in the pond, more than thirty zhang away—a significant improvement over his previous spiritual sense.
While a Qi Refining cultivator's spiritual sense could detect the environment, it lacked the sharp clarity of divine sense. Instead, it relied on a quasi-mystical perception of qi flows, with a limited range of only two or three zhang. This made it prone to errors and easily misled by others.
Although the new method didn't require breaking through the three traditional barriers of spiritual energy, physique, and Divine Soul like the ancient methods, it still elevated the foundational strength of both body and soul while breaking through the spiritual energy barrier.
This process tempered both the physical body and divine sense, ensuring they wouldn't lag behind his spiritual energy.
Wei Zhong now understood why the Foundation Establishment Pill used the Jade Marrow Mushroom, Golden Essence Ginseng, and Thousand-Knot Flower as its three primary ingredients.
The Jade Marrow Mushroom, requiring the longest maturation period, represented spiritual energy, while the Golden Essence Ginseng and Thousand-Knot Flower, with slightly shorter maturation times, corresponded to physical constitution and Divine Soul, respectively.
By compensating for the deficiencies in a Qi Refining Spirit Cultivator's physical constitution and Divine Soul, and boosting their spiritual energy, the pill facilitated Foundation Establishment through spiritual energy cultivation.
If one were to gather three Foundation Establishment spiritual treasures, each corresponding to spiritual energy, physical constitution, and Divine Soul, could they replicate the effects of the Foundation Establishment Pill?
Probably not, Wei Zhong mused. Otherwise, the Cultivation World wouldn't regard the Foundation Establishment Pill as its foremost treasure for achieving Foundation Establishment.
Unable to ascertain the precise reasons, Wei Zhong abandoned further speculation and resumed focusing on his own cultivation.
Before he realized it, an hour had passed.
The surge of power that had coursed through Wei Zhong's body dissipated, returning him to the peak of the Qi Refining stage. A fleeting sense of loss washed over him.
This disappointment swiftly transformed into unwavering resolve. This time, I will undoubtedly achieve Foundation Establishment.
Closing his eyes, Wei Zhong recalled both his previous life and his current existence, reliving the entirety of his life's experiences in his mind.
From his first stumbling words as an infant to his adulthood, from naive ignorance to formal education and work, every moment resurfaced with vivid clarity.
Transmigration, rebirth, the execution of treacherous disciples...
Decades of cultivation flashed vividly through Wei Zhong's mind.
He felt his spirit growing increasingly clear, and when he opened his eyes, a brilliant light shone from within.
"In this life, I seek only eternal life!"
Without hesitation, seizing the peak of his vital energy, Wei Zhong retrieved the jade bottle containing the Foundation Establishment Pill. He swallowed the mid-grade pill whole.
Fueled by his unwavering belief in immortality, Wei Zhong activated the Spring and Autumn Water Refinement Manual. The spiritual energy in the Cultivation Chamber, drawn by his cultivation, surged into his body.
From the outside, a small vortex of spiritual energy formed above the courtyard.
The medicinal potency of the Foundation Establishment Pill exploded within Wei Zhong's body, unleashing a massive surge of spiritual energy that split into two streams, coursing through his physical form and nourishing his Divine Soul.
Wei Zhong clearly felt his physique strengthening and his Divine Soul being reinforced.
The pill's enhancement even brought him a fleeting sensation of pleasure.
As expected of a Foundation Establishment Pill, he thought. It effortlessly compensates for the deficiencies in my body and soul.
But the joy lasted only an instant before being replaced by excruciating pain.
Guided by his cultivation technique, the surging spiritual energy seeped into Wei Zhong's body through every pore, drilling into his meridians.
"Agony... a searing pain that pierces my very soul!"
Wei Zhong struggled to maintain his seated posture, his body trembling violently.
Yet he knew he had to endure. Interrupting the Foundation Establishment process now would inevitably result in severe injury and permanent damage to his foundation, delaying his next attempt indefinitely.
Forcing his mind to empty, he focused on maintaining the flow of his Cultivation Technique, guiding, refining, and channeling the vast spiritual energy into his Dantian.
As time passed, quantitative change eventually led to qualitative transformation. The accumulated gaseous spiritual energy coalesced into a dark, cloud-like mist, which continued to condense and overlap until a single drop of pale black liquid spiritual energy formed.
The successful condensation of the first drop of liquid spiritual energy brought a strained smile to Wei Zhong's lips.
With the first drop secured, the second followed effortlessly, and subsequent droplets of liquid spiritual energy coalesced as naturally as water flowing into a channel.
He lost track of time. The spiritual energy vortex outside the courtyard had dissipated, and the churning spiritual energy within the Cultivation Chamber had calmed.
Wei Zhong sat cross-legged, his eyes closed, his expression serene.
His consciousness had long since immersed itself in his Dantian, where a small pool of dark liquid spiritual energy hovered, radiating intense spiritual light.
At a thought from the Spring and Autumn Water Refinement Manual, the pool transformed into a stream of spiritual energy, flowing through his meridians.
"Foundation Establishment... complete!"
Wei Zhong opened his eyes, his face alight with the joy of accomplishment.
The foundation of his Immortal Path had finally been laid. From this day forward, he would be distinct from ordinary mortals and Qi Refining cultivators.
In the mortal world, he could be revered as an immortal ancestor; within a sect, he could enjoy a long and prosperous life.
Now, Wei Zhong needed to find a place to settle down. Joining a sect was out of the question—a cautious Loose Cultivator like him would always prefer to remain hidden, quietly cultivating in seclusion.