Chapter 21: Foundation Establishment

A few days passed.

On this day, Lin Yang had just finished refining a new pill he had been developing.

“Zhang Renhao, open your mouth,” he ordered.

“Come on, Master Lin, you just made me eat a strange pill last time,” Zhang Renhao pleaded. “I’ve been running to the latrine ever since—surely there’s no need for this.”

“Don’t think I don’t know,” Lin Yang replied. “I didn’t use much medicine last time. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, you should have recovered long ago.”

Indeed, Zhang Renhao had originally been at the peak of Qi Refining. With only three spiritual roots, he managed to reach Foundation Establishment last year thanks to a single Foundation Pill. Yet he continued to protect Lin Yang, hoping to benefit from him.

It would be wrong to think Zhang Renhao felt humiliated. Lin Yang practiced alchemy daily, often handing him a pill to aid cultivation. Relying on these pills, Zhang Renhao could achieve in a single day what would normally take three days of practice.

He received a wage for his efforts, and it wasn’t exploitative—much better than the capitalists of his previous life. If not for the laws of the land, the capitalists would surely ask, “I’m already feeding you, why should I pay you too?” To be fair, even the big capitalists of the Beautiful Country understood that keeping the lower class reproducing was essential for continued profit. As for health, what else were hospitals for?

“Lin Yang! Are you here?” Zhong Lingdao called, arriving at the door.

Upon hearing his voice, Lin Yang hurried out to open the door for him.

“Senior Brother Zhong, you’re here,” Lin Yang said, looking at Zhong Lingdao curiously.

Wasn’t he busy from dawn to dusk? He’d heard that Master Liu had him handling affairs all day long, and his authority now rivaled that of a deputy sect master.

“Today I’ve come to deliver Foundation Pills for you.” Zhong Lingdao entered and sat at the stone table in the courtyard, taking out four small jade bottles.

“These two are from the ancestor, given to you in the sect’s name.”

“One was purchased directly from the market at Yellow Maple Valley.”

“And the last is from the Moon Veil Sect, who hope to obtain some pills from you.”

“Since our ancestor is acquainted with theirs, he agreed to their request on your behalf.” Zhong Lingdao explained each one.

“With the one you already have, that makes five pills. You should have a one hundred percent chance now.”

Looking at the four Foundation Pills on the table, Lin Yang felt a touch of warmth in his heart. Though he knew their motives partly involved keeping him in the sect, Zhong Lingdao’s efforts moved him.

“Alright, I’ll spend a few more years refining pills, strengthening Yellow Maple Valley’s power.”

“In the coming war between the righteous and the demonic, our side will have a better chance.” Lin Yang mused silently.

“No need for words—this kindness, I will remember,” Lin Yang said solemnly.

“You should go prepare for your breakthrough. I’ll stand guard here,” Zhong Lingdao encouraged Lin Yang.

“Very well,” Lin Yang replied, heading back to his room and activating the spiritual gathering array. He then took out over a hundred mid-grade spirit stones—almost all his possessions.

The intense spiritual energy made the air in the secret chamber thick and heavy. Cultivation here would surely be twice as effective, though most would not use such resources for regular practice. Even Lin Yang only used it for breakthroughs.

He adjusted his state to its peak, directing the spiritual energy of Qi Refining to his dantian, pushing against the barrier. With his exceptionally strong spiritual energy, he quickly broke through.

Next came the process of condensing true essence, for which the Foundation Pill’s effect was crucial.

Lin Yang focused all his strength on condensing true essence, but halfway through, his spiritual energy was depleted. He had no choice but to take a Foundation Pill, replenishing his dantian.

Yet, for reasons unknown—perhaps because he possessed five spiritual roots—the process became increasingly difficult. After a while, he was forced to take another Foundation Pill.

By the time the second pill’s effects faded, he was only one step away.

Lin Yang relaxed his mind, slowly forming his sea of qi in the dantian.

He aimed to make his sea of qi as vast as possible. The larger the sea, the more spiritual energy it needed, though cultivation speed would slow accordingly.

But Lin Yang didn’t mind; he had plenty of time.

After some time, his sea of qi was successfully condensed, and he had become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

His sea of qi was far larger than average. If others' were eggs, his was a basketball.

“Open the panel.”

Name: Lin Yang

Age: 16/240

Cultivation: Early Foundation Establishment (1/1,000,000)

Technique: Evergreen Art (Peak Perfection, Unmatched) — Each cycle increases experience by 10.

Primary Profession: First Tier, Superior Grade Alchemist+

Secondary Professions: First Tier, Superior Grade Talisman Master; First Tier, Superior Grade Array Master; First Tier, Superior Grade Artifact Refiner; First Tier, Superior Grade Beast Tamer; First Tier, Superior Grade Puppet Master (all can be leveled up)

Skills: Swordsmanship (Peak Perfection — increases flying speed by 100%, sword technique speed by 20%, experience maxed)

Soul Suppression Art: Peak Perfection. Can instantly unleash a merged spiritual attack wave, affecting or intimidating a radius of ten yards.

Basic Sword Techniques (Peak Perfection 50,000/100,000, endless) — enhances all sword techniques learning speed by 40%, refines sword intent.

Jade-Gold Physique: Body Refining Technique (Expert 6,000/20,000) — matches peak Qi Refining body cultivators, greatly accelerates wound and stamina recovery.

Dragon-Elephant Art: (Level 4, 1,255/3,000) — each level adds the strength of one elephant; thirteen levels equal the strength of one dragon.

Available Attribute Points: 2,500

Items: 13,654 spirit stones, three first-tier superior flying bird puppets, twelve flying swords, one Golden Core-level talisman treasure, one Thunder Seed, a speed-type small flying ship, …

Lin Yang glanced at his primary alchemy profession and tapped to add points, instantly consuming 200 attribute points.

He tapped again, consuming another 2,000 attribute points.

The option vanished from his panel.

He spent 22,000 spirit stones to advance it to mid-second tier. At this level, he could refine most Foundation Establishment pills.

He wondered if the next upgrade would cost 200,000 spirit stones. With only 300 attribute points left, he decided to invest them in arrays—using array disks in combat seemed a good idea.

But the urgent priority was a new cultivation technique. At his current rate, the Evergreen Art required 100,000 cycles to level up. He could cultivate four hours a day, gaining 40 experience points daily.

It would take 25,000 days—68 years. Lin Yang was shocked by his own calculation.

He hurried up to find Zhong Lingdao and head for the Technique Pavilion.

He opened the door and looked at Zhong Lingdao, his entire body radiating Foundation Establishment energy to show his success.

“Congratulations, Junior Brother Lin. Now the title suits you,” Zhong Lingdao said warmly. “At your age, you’re destined to become a Golden Core cultivator.”

“Haha, thank you for your kind words, Senior Brother Zhong.”

“Senior Brother, I’d like to go to the Technique Pavilion now and find a Foundation Establishment technique.”

“I just tried cultivating, and the Qi Refining technique is utterly useless for advancing my cultivation,” Lin Yang complained.

“Of course,” Zhong Lingdao replied, standing up and leading Lin Yang to the council hall.

“Let’s report to Master Liu first.”

…