Dao Heart!

The Inner Sect Grand Hall was just beginning to lighten with the first rays of dawn.

On this day, after another round of arduous cultivation to temper his Spiritual Power and condense his Sword Phantasm, Su Bai tidied himself up and left the Qingyun Cliff Cave Abode, Sky-Flying towards the Inner Sect Grand Hall.

After Foundation Establishment, his resource requirements change drastically, and he needs to quickly understand and acquire suitable cultivation resources.

The main hall remained solemn and dignified; in the early morning, there were not many Disciple or Steward coming and going.

Su Bai went straight to a middle-aged Cultivator who was in charge of exchanging resources for Inner Sect Elder.

This person had a calm demeanor and a peaceful gaze, clearly a seasoned veteran who had dealt with this kind of situation for many years.

"Excuse me, senior brother."

"Disciple Su Bai, newly Foundation Establishment, wishes to inquire about the types of Cultivation Spirit Pill available to Foundation Establishment Cultivator within the sect and the exchange process. I hope Senior Brother can provide guidance."

Su Bai politely cupped his hands in greeting and inquired.

The middle-aged Steward looked up and saw Su Bai dressed in Purple Elder Robe with the Jade Token of the Deputy Academy Master of the Sword Academy at his waist. Not daring to be negligent, he quickly stood up and returned the greeting. "Elder Su, you are too kind. It is my duty. Please sit down."

He led Su Bai to Quiet Chamber to the side, served her some tea, and then began to tell his story.

After the senior brother in Steward explained things clearly and logically, Su Bai quickly gained a clear understanding of the mainstream Spirit Pills for the Foundation Establishment stage of the Jade Mist Sect Foundation Establishment Realm.

The sect provides two types of pills year-round: one is the Cloud Mist Pill, a Second-tier Low-grade with mild and mellow medicinal properties, suitable for Cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage to steadily Spirit Ascension power and solidify their foundation.

The second is the Life Transformation Pill, which is Second-tier Mid-grade. Its medicinal power is more potent, and it also has a slight effect of nourishing the Meridians and gently stimulating bottlenecks. It is generally recommended for Cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

There is a risk of Spiritual Power disturbance when taking it initially.

After a moment's thought, Su Bai realized that since he had just Foundation Establishment and his realm was only beginning to stabilize, choosing the Cloud Mist Pill was the safest option.

He then asked, "May I ask, senior brother, what is the exchange price of this Cloud Mist Pill...?"

The middle-aged Steward smiled slightly, extended one hand, and spread his five fingers. "Five hundred Contribution Points per bottle, ten pills per bottle."

Even though Su Bai was mentally prepared, he was still slightly shocked when he heard the price and secretly clicked his tongue in amazement.

Five hundred Contribution Points per bottle! This is ten times more expensive than the Golden Marrow Pill, which costs fifty Contribution Points per bottle (ten pills) for the Qi Refining Stage!

As True Disciple Elder, he receives Annual Quota of two thousand Contribution Points from the sect. This means that if he doesn't perform extra tasks to earn Contribution Points, he can only exchange his earnings for four bottles of Cloud Mist Pill, a total of forty pills.

The middle-aged Steward, observing Su Bai's expression, noticed the surprise in his eyes, as if he were already used to it.

He calmly explained, "Elder Su new to the Foundation Establishment, so it's normal for him to be surprised by this price. Let me explain the reasons in detail."

His expression turned serious. "These Second-tier Spirit Pill are extremely difficult to refine."

"First of all, the medicinal materials required for its Pill Formula are extremely valuable. It requires more than twenty kinds of Second Tier auxiliary herbs that have been aged for a sufficient period of time, and also a Third-tier Spirit Medicine as the main ingredient. The cost of collecting these medicinal materials alone is astronomical."

"Secondly, and more importantly, lies with the Alchemist."

"In our Qingzhou Cultivation World, there are only a handful of alchemy masters who can consistently and successfully refine Second-tier Spirit Pill."

"And fortunately..." the senior disciple in Steward said with a hint of pride, "Our Jade Mist Sect has two such masters! Because of this, we Foundation Establishment Cultivator in our sect have a relatively stable and reliable channel to exchange Contribution Points for Second-tier Spirit Pill to aid our cultivation."

He paused, then said earnestly, "Elder Su, please don't think it's too expensive."

"You might think about it: those small sects, and even many Foundation Establishment Fellow Daoist started as independent practitioners, have neither sect support nor the opportunity to find a master alchemist. Even if they manage to gather all the necessary ingredients, they may not be able to successfully refine it."

"Throughout their entire lives, they may never have the chance to consume even a few genuine Second Tier Cultivation Spirit Pill. Relying solely on arduous cultivation and meager Spiritual Qi, they often spend decades or even centuries struggling to break through a minor realm. The Golden Core Dao is almost unattainable for them."

"In contrast, in my Jade Mist Sect Foundation Establishment..." He pointed to Su Bai, then to himself, "Can exchange Cloud Mist Pill and Life Transformation Pill as long as they diligently serve the sect and accumulate Contribution Points."

His cultivation speed far surpasses that of his peers outside.

After listening, Su Bai remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

What this senior brother in Steward said is indeed reasonable.

From the sect's perspective, it is reasonable to concentrate resources on cultivating core members, providing cultivation resources that are hard to find elsewhere, and collecting corresponding Contribution Points to maintain operations and incentivize Disciple.

This high price is relative to an individual; in the broader context of the entire Qingzhou Cultivation World, being able to reliably exchange Contribution Points for Second-tier Spirit Pill is fortuitous opportunity countless Cultivator dream of.

"I see. Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Senior Brother. It was Su Bai who hadn't thought things through." Su Bai cupped his hands in thanks.

The middle-aged Steward waved his hand and added, "However, this blessing is not without its limits."

"Once I reach the Golden Core Stage, those Third Tier Cultivation Spirit Pill... sigh."

He sighed, "The difficulty of refining it increases exponentially, requiring medicinal materials that often need hundreds or even thousands of years of heat treatment."

"Currently, no Alchemist in our Jade Mist Sect can reliably refine Third Tier Cultivation Spirit Pill."

"At that time, one will truly only be able to rely on one's own hard work, fortuitous opportunity, and the tempering of time."

Are there no stable Pill available after reaching the Golden Core Stage?

Su Bai's heart stirred slightly as he pondered to himself.

This was naturally a bottleneck that he, Cultivator aiming for immortality, needed to consider in advance.

Perhaps in the future, I will truly need to travel to a wider world, seeking fortuitous opportunity for alchemy, and perhaps even... use the [Immortal Talent Reflection] ability to forge a different path?

The thought flashed through his mind, but he suppressed it for the time being.

"What my senior brother said is a wake-up call."

"One must take things one step at a time." Su Bai composed himself and returned to the present moment. "Senior brother, could you please exchange ten bottles of Cloud Mist Pill for me?" He handed over his True Disciple Token.

After thinking for a moment, he took out three large Jade Bottle from his Storage Bag, each containing one hundred Golden Marrow Pill, for a total of three hundred pills.

"These Golden Marrow Pill are useless to me now, and keeping them is a waste. I wonder if I could exchange them for some Cloud Mist Pill?"

The middle-aged Steward took the Golden Marrow Pill and examined it. Finding its quality to be excellent, he nodded and said, "Of course. Golden Marrow Pill are a valuable commodity; the sect regularly purchases them for rewards or to supply outstanding Disciple who haven't yet Foundation Establishment."

"At market price, fifty Golden Marrow Pill can be exchanged for about one bottle of Cloud Mist Pill. Your three hundred pills can be exchanged for six more bottles, but..." He hesitated slightly, "Elder Su, are you sure you want to exchange them all? Shouldn't you keep some for emergencies, or as rewards for the younger generation?"

No need, just exchange them all.

Su Bai's tone was certain. As True Disciple Elder, it was indeed inappropriate for him to privately resell large quantities of sect Pill; direct internal exchange was the most worry-free option.

"Alright." The Steward said no more and quickly got to work.

After deducting the 5,000 Contribution Points from Su Bai's Token (enough to exchange for ten bottles) and adding 300 Golden Marrow Pill, Su Bai ultimately obtained sixteen bottles of Cloud Mist Pill.

"Elder Su, these are your Cloud Mist Pill, sixteen bottles in total, one hundred and sixty pills. Please count them carefully."

The middle-aged Steward pushed a pile of small, light purple Jade Bottle in front of Su Bai.

Su Bai thanked him, scanned the bottles with his Spiritual Sense to confirm that each bottle was properly sealed, full of medicinal energy, and that the quantity was correct, before carefully putting them all into his Storage Bag.

Back at the Qingyun Cliff Cave Abode, in the Quiet Chamber.

Su Bai couldn't wait to take out a Cloud Mist Pill.

The pill is about the size of a soybean, with a warm, light purple color. A hazy glow flows across its surface, and its fragrance is elegant and long-lasting. Just smelling it brings peace to the mind and a slight stirring of Spiritual Power.

He put it in his mouth.

The Pill melted upon entering the stomach, without the obvious heat of the Golden Marrow Pill. Instead, it transformed into a warm, mellow, and powerful medicinal force, like the magnificent sunset in spring, which slowly spread out.

It quickly integrates into the limbs and bones, eventually flowing like a hundred rivers into the sea, converging into the swirling Spiritual Spring in the dantian.

In an instant, the speed of the Spiritual Spring's rotation noticeably increased slightly, and its volume slowly increased at a rate that was imperceptible yet undeniably present.

The medicine is pure and mild, easily Refinement and absorbed, with almost no impurities that need to be painstakingly removed.

Su Bai calmed his mind, activated the [Nine Heavens Sword Soul Art], and guided the pure medicinal power to circulate throughout his body, completely transforming it into his own.

Several hours later, the medicinal power of a Cloud Mist Pill was completely Refinement and absorbed.

Su Bai carefully sensed the energy and compared it with the speed of his previous cultivation simply by absorbing Spiritual Qi. He made a clear judgment. "The increase in Spiritual Power brought by this Cloud Mist Pill is roughly equivalent to the results of my arduous cultivation in my cave for more than half a month..."

"The medicine has a gentle and long-lasting effect. Taking one pill a day allows for complete digestion and absorption without affecting the body's foundation, while maximizing its utilization."

He sighed softly, both satisfied with the effects of the Pill and feeling a deeper sense of urgency.

"It seems that after consuming these sixteen bottles of Cloud Mist Pill and consolidating my initial cultivation level, I must find a way to earn more Contribution Points."

"Otherwise, relying solely on Annual Quota will significantly slow down cultivation speed."

Bearing the [Immortal Talent Reflection], Su Bai's belief in becoming an immortal far surpasses that of ordinary people.

He clearly saw that as his cultivation level increased, his cultivation speed would inevitably slow down, and his Lifespan was not unlimited.

If one cannot break through quickly within a limited Lifespan to reach a higher realm and obtain Lifespan, one may eventually be stuck at a certain bottleneck, and the Immortal Path will be cut off.

The predicament of having no usable pills at the Golden Core Stage is already Yunfu, let alone the subsequent Nascent Soul and Spirit Transformation...

This path against all odds becomes increasingly difficult as you go further, requiring resources, fortuitous opportunity, insight, and perseverance—all are indispensable.

Thus began Su Bai's regular and arduous life of seclusion.

Every day, with immense perseverance and pain, he first draws upon the Geng Metal Qi to temper his Spiritual Power and hone the Sword Phantasm Embryo.

Although the process is short, it is extremely taxing on the mind and will.

Afterwards, he took a Cloud Mist Pill, using its pure medicinal power to restore his condition and increase his Spiritual Power, which also served as a brief respite from the extreme pain.

Day after day, they dared not slacken in the slightest.

More than a month passed quietly, isolated by the cave's protective barriers.

Su Bai consumed nearly four bottles of Cloud Mist Pill in one go, completely stabilizing his Foundation Establishment Early Stage stage. His dantian Spiritual Spring grew stronger and more solid, and faint sounds of wind and thunder could be heard as it circulated.

The condensation of the Sword Phantasm is not something that can be accomplished overnight, but with persistent tempering, the silvery luster at the edge of the Spiritual Spring in the dantian becomes more and more obvious, and the sharpness it brings when circulating Spiritual Power has also increased several times. The power of a casual finger sword is no longer comparable to what it used to be.

On this day, Su Bai finished a round of cultivation and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

The mental tension resulting from prolonged extreme training needs some adjustment.

He decided to take a half-day break and go to the Sword Academy to fulfill his duties as the vice- Academy Master, preach to the Disciple, and at the same time, use the process of teaching and imparting knowledge to reflect on his own gains and relax his Dao Heart.

A flash of Sword Light, a blue rainbow streaking across the sky. The speed of Sword Flight for the Foundation Establishment Realm was so fast that it took less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to travel from Qingyun Cliff to the Sword Academy.

At the Sword Academy's Training Ground, the more than one hundred Disciple who had been notified were already eagerly waiting, and sat cross-legged in an orderly fashion.

Chief Disciple Zhao Shanhe stood at the front. Seeing the Sword Light fall, he immediately led the other Disciple in a chorus of greetings. "Welcome, Deputy Academy Master Su!"

The shouts were unified, conveying genuine respect.

The fact that the Vice Dean, who is at the Foundation Establishment Realm, personally gave a lecture was a rare fortuitous opportunity for the vast majority of Sword Academy Disciple.

Su Bai lowered his Sword Light and landed on the high platform in front of the Training Ground, calmly scanning the area below.

More than three years have passed since I last saw them. The number of Sword Academy Disciple has exceeded two hundred, and each of them is full of energy and has sharp eyes. It is clear that the Sword Academy is thriving.

He scanned the area with his Divine Sense and quickly realized that the Disciple who had successfully condensed Sword Qi had exceeded thirty, more than double the number when he left.

Among them, the Disciple Hong Yi had the most refined aura, with faint fluctuations of Sword Vein, clearly indicating the fastest progress and the best Talent.

As for Wang Jue... his aura has also become much more solid. Although he is not as dazzling as Hong Yi, he is firmly among the top. Compared to his predicament in the Water Court back then, it is a world of difference.

"Fellow disciples, please have a seat."

Su Bai raised his hand and pressed down lightly, his voice calm yet clear, reaching everyone's ears, "Today, I will share some of my humble opinions with you all regarding the 'tenacity of Sword Qi '..."