Injuries Healed, the Three Hurdles of Foundation Establishment!

"Junior Brother Li Zongyin, you cut a fine figure, and Junior Brother Li Ye personally introduced you. Naturally, I'm happy to make your acquaintance..."

In a private room at the restaurant.

Cai Shiwei held a cup of spirit wine, a gentle smile on his face.

At Li Ye's invitation and Li Zongyin's expense, they were treating Cai Shiwei to a banquet at the market-town restaurant.

To win this man over and build a relationship with him, Li Zongyin had spared no expense, even ordering Demon Beast meat and spirit wine!

Seemingly feeling the effects of the spirit wine after a few cups, Cai Shiwei was in a talkative mood. He gestured toward Li Ye and continued,

"You should know that back when we were still weak and insignificant, it was by banding together with Junior Brother Li Ye and struggling alongside him that we achieved what we have today..."

"As low-level cultivators, we have no one to rely on in the sect. We should support one another and press onward through hardship. My other companions and I have always thought this way..."

"Sadly, they're no longer with us..."

As though he had touched on a painful memory, his smiling face grew somewhat downcast.

The convivial atmosphere turned somber at once.

Li Zongyin looked at Li Ye, hoping he would say something to lift the mood.

Li Ye, however, had no intention of joining in. He withdrew his gaze from Cai Shiwei and ate and drank expressionlessly, while inwardly ranting.

Support one another? Press onward through hardship?

More like using other people's lives to support your triumphant advance!

Those fellows are dead, and you still haven't forgotten to use them to build your reputation...

Wait, no! Looks like I'm alive and he's using me to build his reputation too!

Hiss... Does this guy pull this routine on everyone he meets?

Seeing the earnest expression on Li Zongyin's face, Li Ye could scarcely have kept control of his own expression if not for the fine wine and meat.

This Cai Shiwei was no kindly sort!

The more Li Ye listened to his heartfelt words, the more determined he became to stay as far away from him as possible!

Even with Senior Brother Cai's status, he still remembers his departed companions. Such loyalty and devotion...

Li Zongyin was moved, but fortunately he still remembered what he had come for today. He hurriedly spoke up.

"Senior Brother, don't grieve! We cultivators pursue the Dao with all our hearts. Even if we fall along the way, we would have no regrets even after nine deaths..."

"Well said! No regrets even after nine deaths! That calls for a brimming cup!"

Cai Shiwei burst out laughing, raised his cup, and clinked it against Li Zongyin's.

The atmosphere finally warmed up again.

After that, Li Ye didn't need to do anything more. He merely nodded along and smiled occasionally, and the mood stayed lively until the banquet ended.

They had eaten and drunk their fill.

Cai Shiwei stood up, looking a little drunk, and solemnly patted Li Zongyin on the shoulder.

"Junior Brother Zongyin, you and I should spend more time together from now on. If you encounter anything you can't resolve, feel free to come to me..."

"I... will do everything in my power!"

Li Zongyin was flattered and hurriedly cupped his hands in return.

"Senior Brother, you are truly righteous! I would gladly join you in... huddling together for warmth and pressing onward through hardship!"

With that, he had made his intention to throw in his lot with Cai Shiwei clear.

"Good!"

Cai Shiwei nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Li Ye. "The same goes for you, Junior Brother!"

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!"

Li Ye stepped back half a pace. "Senior Brother, having my younger kinsman Zongyin at your side is enough. I'm just a farmhand who works the fields; I couldn't shoulder such a responsibility..."

He had been rejected once again.

As Cai Shiwei listened to Li Ye, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes, only to vanish in an instant.

It was as if he had worn that same drunken, friendly expression from beginning to end.

Li Zongyin, on the other hand, was surprised by Li Ye's words, but also pleased that he knew his place and had stepped aside.

At least this fellow hadn't accepted those three inheritances for nothing!

His resentment over Li Ye silently eating more than half the spirit wine and Demon Beast meat on the table also faded by more than half.

"You, honestly..."

Cai Shiwei pointed a finger at Li Ye and shook his head again.

"Never mind!"

"Since I'm already outside the sect, there are some matters I need to take care of along the way. I'll take my leave first, so you two needn't see me off..."

After seeing Cai Shiwei off, only Li Ye and Li Zongyin remained in the private room.

The latter suddenly stood, raised his cup, and addressed Li Ye with a solemn expression.

"Elder Brother, you truly are a man of your word. You even refused when Senior Brother Cai personally invited you..."

"Earlier, I judged a gentleman's heart by my own petty standards. I offer you my apologies!"

With that, he drained his cup in one gulp.

The whole performance left Li Ye momentarily stunned.

Kid, haven't you gotten something wrong?!

"You..."

Li Ye opened his mouth, but in the end he simply waved a hand.

"I've done what I promised..."

"After this, we're even, your third branch and I!"

"Pfft!"

He spat out a large mouthful of dark red congealed blood.

Excitement appeared on Li Ye's face as he wiped the corner of his mouth.

He immediately drew on a strand of Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence, using its gentle spiritual power to nourish himself, then circulated his cultivation technique and entered meditation once more.

A moment later.

He opened his eyes again. His clearly defined black-and-white eyes gleamed, and his overall vitality and spirit rose a notch.

"At last, I'm healed..."

Feeling no discomfort anywhere in his wonderfully at-ease body, Li Ye looked delighted.

The injuries he had suffered back then had mostly been healed by a secret medicine that had overdrawn his vital essence, but they had still left him with considerable internal injuries.

Later, as he continued refining Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence to replenish his vital essence and restore his cultivation, the injuries inside his body had steadily improved as well.

The spirit wine and Demon Beast meat he had consumed today had greatly replenished both his Qi and Blood and his spiritual power. After a bout of refinement and cultivation, not only had Li Ye's Law Power improved considerably,

his injuries had also healed completely!

He was still digesting the nourishment from the Demon Beast meat, and Li Ye felt his Qi and Blood surging through his body. He almost felt too weak to handle the nourishment!

He rose, left his room, and went to the open space outside, where he practiced the body-strengthening fist technique he had learned when he first began cultivating, over and over again.

Only when his clothes were soaked with sweat and steam rose from his head did Li Ye slowly lower his stance, breathing heavily.

And in that short time, he could genuinely feel that his physique and Qi and Blood had grown a little stronger.

Li Ye returned to the room, washed himself clean, and sat down again, refreshed and deep in thought.

With his injuries healed and his Qi and Blood strengthened today, he couldn't help beginning to think about Foundation Establishment.

"Foundation Establishment has three hurdles: essence, Qi, and spirit!"

"Before attempting a breakthrough, one must at least have no obvious shortcomings in any of the three: Qi and Blood, Law Power, and mental strength..."

"The strength of one's Qi and Blood and physique determines whether one can withstand the impact of Spiritual Qi during the breakthrough and the pain of marrow cleansing and vein tempering... That's why the cultivation world has long held that if one fails to reach Foundation Establishment before fifty, breaking through afterward will be exceedingly difficult!"

"There's also whether one's Law Power is deep and pure enough to support the transformation, and whether one's mental strength can control that vast spiritual power... Those are all hurdles!"

Li Ye considered his own circumstances.

"My aptitude is extremely poor. My predecessor took quite a few pills to improve as quickly as possible, leaving his Law Power impure..."

"Fortunately, things have improved since I began refining Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence... If I keep it up, that shouldn't be a problem in the future!"

"But as for my Qi and Blood, physique, and mental strength... only my mental strength might be a little better, perhaps because I transmigrated here and absorbed what my predecessor left behind..."

"My Qi and Blood and physique were even depleted the whole time until my injuries healed!"

"Only after eating Demon Beast meat and drinking spirit wine today have they grown somewhat. In truth, they're only on par with cultivators at the same level."

"I'm still lacking by so much... With aptitude like mine, I'll most likely need to have no shortcomings at all if I want to reach Foundation Establishment..."

"I'll have to start planning early!"