Wu Family Market.
Within the Cave Dwelling, the furnishings were antique and elegant. At its center stood an alchemy furnace, suppressing the Earth Fire. Beneath the furnace was a plum blossom-shaped opening, from which red Earth Fire hissed as it scorched the furnace's bottom.
Two golden dragon mouths stood on either side of the furnace's lid, continuously spewing hot vapor.
The Cave Dwelling's floor was paved with warm jade, smooth and gentle. Stepping on it with bare feet brought no icy chill, only a faint warmth.
To the north of the Cave Dwelling was a Spirit Aperture, above which stood a Dao Platform.
Talismans were carved into the Dao Platform, forming the pattern of a yin-yang fish.
Above the Dao Platform was a bed made from spiritwood, covered in gray fur interwoven with black and white.
An old man sat cross-legged upon the bed. The aura around him surged wave after wave, rising and falling without cease. At times it grew powerful, yet at others it weakened.
The old man's expression was somewhat ferocious and twisted. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his body swayed faintly.
After a long while, he opened his eyes, a trace of disappointment flashing through them.
His attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment Layer 4 had failed again.
This was already the fourth time.
Cultivation was harder than ascending to the heavens.
After becoming a Foundation Establishment Cultivator at forty, he had spent twenty years reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment Layer 1. He then struck at the bottleneck twice in succession before successfully entering Foundation Establishment Layer 2.
After reaching Foundation Establishment Layer 2, he had spent another fifteen years reaching its peak. Only after attacking the bottleneck three times in a row had he entered Foundation Establishment Layer 3.
Then he had