"There are enough resources here for you to achieve Foundation Establishment in a Hundred Days. If you wish to cultivate, do so before the Sword Tablet at the peak. That is the heart of the Spirit-Gathering Array, where spiritual energy is at its richest."
After explaining the basics of cultivation to Ling Tianwei, Bai Muxu took out a storage ring and held it before him.
Ling Tianwei did not hesitate in the slightest. He accepted it and put it on his hand.
"Foundation Establishment in a Hundred Days."
Bai Muxu emphasized the words.
Ling Tianwei nodded deeply.
Bai Muxu walked over to Ling Tianwei and lightly patted his shoulder in encouragement.
"Don't disappoint me!"
Bai Muxu still had high hopes for Ling Tianwei.
Since the founding of Lingxu Sacred Land, only two people had ever reached the summit of the Heart-Questioning Stairway. Those two seniors had both ascended long ago, several thousand years in the past.
And now, it had already been two thousand five hundred years since the last person ascended.
Now that someone like Ling Tianwei had appeared—someone who had reached the summit—there was no need to mention anything else. With such talent and temperament, he had every hope of ascending. Perhaps he could even catch up to Bai Muxu's progress.
"That is all I have to say. If there is anything you do not understand, come find me in my hall. Cultivate with peace of mind."
After Bai Muxu had finished giving all his instructions, he waved a hand.
The longsword behind Bai Muxu shot into the sky, circled a few times in midair, then descended before Ling Tianwei.
"Chitian, take my disciple to the Sword Tablet."
Bai Muxu spoke to the unsheathed sword.
As soon as the words fell, Chitian darted beneath Ling Tianwei's feet and carried him toward the mountaintop.
Watching Ling Tianwei disappear into the distance, Bai Muxu could not help rubbing his chin, only to realize he had no beard and lower his hand.
"I hope he can achieve Foundation Establishment soon. There is not much time left."
Bai Muxu let out a quiet sigh.
Led by Chitian all the way, Ling Tianwei soon arrived at the summit of Tianmen Peak.
After delivering Ling Tianwei to the summit, Chitian made a turn, streaked across the sky, and vanished without a trace.
A vast formation covered the mountaintop. At its center stood an enormous boulder like a sharp sword, plunged upside down into the peak. The cracks below seemed to have been carved by the blade's piercing edge.
"One Sword Opens the Heavenly Gate."
Five simple characters were carved into the boulder. Their strokes danced like dragons and flew like phoenixes; every withdrawal of the blade, every final stroke, revealed boundless dominance. Within them lurked a razor-sharp intent, as though they could split open the heavens.
Ling Tianwei looked at the boulder, the so-called Sword Tablet, then went to the cultivation grounds behind it and sat cross-legged.
At that moment, he held the Heavenly Origin Dao Foundation Method Bai Muxu had given him, along with the storage ring.
"Cultivation? With my Heavenly Spirit Root, won't that be as easy as turning my hand over?"
Ling Tianwei immediately began reading.
The path of cultivation in this world was rather similar to the novels he had read in his previous life.
Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Out-of-Body, Fusion, Tribulation Transcendence.
Qi Refining had ten levels. After that, every realm from Foundation Establishment onward was divided into three stages: early, middle, and late.
However, cultivation methods were somewhat different. This world placed the greatest importance on the journey from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment.
As the Heavenly Origin Dao Foundation Method stated, the Dao foundation forged through the ten levels of Qi Refining would determine the future development of one's path of cultivation.
Of course, those ten levels could not be completed merely by laying foundations and grinding away with time.
If that were the case, nearly everyone could achieve it. They would only need to desperately linger in the Qi Refining realm.
The formation of a Dao foundation began from the very moment one stepped from nothing into cultivation.
During that period, a person opened the path of cultivation, and the Dao Embryo first took shape, with one hundred days as the limit.
If one could cross all ten levels of Qi Refining and successfully achieve Foundation Establishment within those hundred days, the Dao Embryo could be transformed into a Dao foundation. It would be like ascending to the heavens in a single step, bringing enormous benefits in the future.
But in a mere hundred days, those who could achieve Foundation Establishment were few and far between.
It did not merely depend on talent, but also temperament and comprehension.
Even possessing a Heavenly Spirit Root did not mean one could rely on abundant resources to achieve Foundation Establishment in a Hundred Days.
One needed the temperament to endure the loneliness of cultivation, as well as the comprehension to understand Dao foundations and all kinds of methods.
In truth, the most important factor was still talent. Without a supreme-grade spirit root, achieving Foundation Establishment in a Hundred Days was basically impossible.
Of course, Foundation Establishment in a Hundred Days could provide an exceptionally solid foundation, but that did not mean one could not ascend without it. It was simply that those who achieved it had a higher chance.
How could those with powerful talent and strong temperament be willing to lag behind others? If others could achieve Foundation Establishment in a Hundred Days, why could they not?
It was precisely because of this mindset that Foundation Establishment in a Hundred Days came to be seen as the basic proof of a prodigy's worth.
You say you have a supreme-grade spirit root, a powerful cultivation method, outstanding temperament, and can instantly grasp every kind of spell and method, all the way to perfection.
You talk such a big game, but why did you fail to achieve Foundation Establishment within a hundred days?
Of course, one could also build up strength over time before erupting in brilliance, but such people were ultimately rare.
"Dao Embryo?"
"According to this Heavenly Origin Dao Foundation Method, once I begin drawing spiritual energy into my body, I must start preparing for Foundation Establishment in a Hundred Days."
"With the resources that cheap master gave me, everything else can only depend on myself."
Ling Tianwei rubbed the ring in his hand.
With a thought, a space of dozens of cubic meters appeared before Ling Tianwei. All kinds of Spirit Stones and cultivation methods were piled inside to the brim.
Although Ling Tianwei did not recognize those spirit herbs and other rare treasures, the gleam of treasure light and the fragrance of medicine made their extraordinary nature clear.
"Foundation Establishment in a Hundred Days? Drawing spiritual energy into my body? Isn't that a piece of cake to me?"
Ling Tianwei took out a bottle of fasting pills from the ring and swallowed several at once.
Because Bai Muxu's requirements were too strict, he was not allowed to take spirit medicine that increased cultivation. Thus, the storage ring contained only fasting pills and some medicinal pills for recovering from injuries.
"Back then, for my first exam, I buried my head in review for two hours. Then, in a single flash of enlightenment, I scored full marks."
"Going into seclusion to cultivate will be just as easy as turning my hand over."
Ling Tianwei felt the pills settle in his stomach, and the hollow feeling in his belly was completely filled.
He immediately sat cross-legged and began acting according to Bai Muxu's earlier explanation of drawing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into his body.
Very soon, his consciousness sank, and he began sensing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
It had to be said that the formation on Tianmen Peak gathered vast amounts of spiritual energy from the surrounding area. The aura was so dense that even ordinary people without spirit roots could remain here free of illness and disaster, living smooth lives.
Yet within Ling Tianwei's consciousness, the situation seemed somewhat bad.
According to Bai Muxu's description, the better a cultivator's spirit root, the more intensely they would sense spiritual energy.
Just as if facing a beloved, that spiritual energy would rush straight toward them.
But in Ling Tianwei's perception, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth showed no such reaction. Instead, it seemed utterly ordinary.
Moreover, according to Bai Muxu, someone with a Pure Yang Heavenly Spirit Root should sense spiritual energy as dazzling as flames.
Yet in Ling Tianwei's perception, the spiritual energy was multicolored, mixed with pitch-black strands of spiritual energy.
The situation was exceedingly strange.
For a moment, Ling Tianwei was rather bewildered.
Inside Ling Tianwei's consciousness, the system felt a surge of delight when it saw his reaction.
You finally discovered it...
Before the system could speak, Ling Tianwei outside suddenly slapped his hand in realization. "I know! My Heavenly Spirit Root must be too special, different from everyone else's. That is why it is like this."
Damn... The system, which had not even spoken yet, could not help swearing.