Natural Outcome (Please Bookmark, Please Follow)

The first step of Foundation Establishment was to circulate the spiritual energy throughout the body under immense pressure, using that powerful force to compress the Qi Sea and liquefy the spiritual energy within. Once this step was complete, the Foundation Establishment Pill had to be taken immediately, and the Spirit Gathering Array activated in time to devour vast amounts of spiritual energy and continue the first step.

Naturally, equipment to defend against any possible Lightning Tribulation could not be neglected either. Wang Ping had prepared an Inner Armor, which he had bought from the Daoist Scripture Hall for one hundred thousand taels of silver.

Once everything was ready, Wang Ping let out a breath. After drawing upon the memories of the Foundation Establishment Chapter and reading through them repeatedly, he sank his breath...

The next moment, his Divine Soul rose, and the Wood Spirit Qi in the Qi Seas throughout his body rapidly completed a Great Heavenly Cycle, washing over his meridians, Limbs and Bones.

A few breaths later, under the immense pressure in his Dantian Qi Sea, it slowly contracted and compressed. During this process, the spiritual energy in the Qi Sea gradually became visibly liquid, gathering together drop by drop.

With that alone, all the spiritual energy gathered inside Wang Ping's body was drained away.

So he immediately swallowed the Foundation Establishment Pill.

The instant the Foundation Establishment Pill entered his stomach, surging spiritual energy stirred once more. It was first instantly transformed by the Qi Sea within Wang Ping into Wood Spirit Qi, then drawn into his Qi Sea, where it formed a vortex and frantically absorbed the surrounding spiritual energy. Within only a few breaths, all the spiritual energy around the Huai Tree had been sucked dry.

Wang Ping hurriedly formed a magic seal with his hands, and the Spirit Gathering Array atop the mountain activated at once...

The next moment, with Wang Ping's Dantian Qi Sea as its focal point and the Mountain Top Garden as its foundation, all the spiritual energy of Thousand Wood Mountain began to turn, converging toward Wang Ping's Dantian Qi Sea.

At that moment, every Qi Refining disciple of Thousand Wood Temple stopped cultivating and looked toward the Mountain Summit Direction. Then came the ordinary Disciples, for at this very moment, the spiritual energy atop the mountain was visible even to mortal eyes.

At the Mountain Foot, Liu Shuang and Yang Ziping, who had rushed back the moment they heard their Master was attempting Foundation Establishment, also stopped and gazed toward the mountaintop. Beneath the azure sky, countless streams of spiritual energy were falling toward the summit of Thousand Wood Mountain.

"Is this one of Thousand Wood Mountain's immortals casting a spell?" a passerby murmured. Many people had already fallen to their knees and begun praying.

"Move!"

Liu Shuang slapped Yang Ziping on the shoulder, and the Senior Disciple Sister and junior brother quickened their pace considerably.

On the mountaintop, beneath the impact of that vast foundational spiritual energy, the pressure in Wang Ping's Dantian Qi Sea suddenly intensified. The speed at which Wood Spirit Qi transformed into liquid instantly increased severalfold.

Ten days later...

Nearly ninety percent of the spiritual energy in Wang Ping's body had been transformed. Yet the final ten percent refused to convert no matter what, because the surrounding spiritual energy was clearly struggling to keep up. This left Wang Ping, who was in meditation, with a trace of panic.

"Steady yourself. There is more than enough spiritual energy. It will merely take more time. We need to slow down now..."

Yulian's voice echoed through the Spirit Sea.

Wang Ping immediately relaxed. He sank his Qi into his Dantian once more and slowed the conversion process...

Another ten days passed before the final ten percent of spiritual energy was completely transformed. But it was not over yet. Wang Ping calmly mobilized the Wood Spirit True Essence within his body, slowly completing one Great Heavenly Cycle.

Then came the second Great Heavenly Cycle...

Only after more than sixty Great Heavenly Cycles had been completed did the Qi Sea form a circulating state.

Even then, Wang Ping did not hurry to end his meditation. Instead, he quietly observed his Qi Sea until it independently completed ten Great Heavenly Cycles before he finally sighed in relief.

He had succeeded!

The uncertain Lightning Tribulation had not appeared.

He opened his eyes.

Then froze...

The originally lush and thriving Spirit Wood grove had now completely withered. The ground was blanketed in yellowed dead leaves, and many of the branches had already cracked apart.

Even the Spirit Grass covering the ground had turned yellow and dry!

"You really know how to squander things..." Yulian teased softly, coiling around Wang Ping's arm as she looked about.

Wang Ping seemed to recall something at that moment. He turned to look at the Huai Tree, and only after seeing that it remained lush and flourishing did he sigh in relief. Just then, Daoist Yucheng appeared before him.

"Master!" Wang Ping rose and bowed.

"Very good. A very smooth Foundation Establishment." Daoist Yucheng nodded in satisfaction.

"Master, this is..." Wang Ping asked as he looked around.

"Spirit Wood and Spirit Grass use spiritual energy as nourishment. The spiritual energy you absorbed for Foundation Establishment was their foundation. Once you completed Foundation Establishment, they naturally withered."

Wang Ping nodded, secretly thinking, No wonder the Daoist Scripture Hall's business can keep going!

"You have only just completed Foundation Establishment. Your foremost task is to replenish the True Essence within your body. Rest and recuperate for two days. Come to the Back Mountain Courtyard in two days, and I will explain the matter of secret techniques to you!"

"Yes!"

By the time Wang Ping answered, Daoist Yucheng had already left.

After completing Foundation Establishment, the first thing Wang Ping felt was the fullness of the Wood Spirit True Essence in his body. Every Great Heavenly Cycle it completed felt incomparably real, unlike the spiritual energy from before, which had seemed light and insubstantial, as though even using spells left it without any staying power.

"Rise!"

Wang Ping formed a magic seal and pointed at the Precious Sword beside the Huai Tree. With a clang, the Long Sword shot from its sheath and landed in his hand. Then he formed the hand seal for the Sword Control Art, and after a graceful gathering of momentum, the Long Sword shot straight into the sky.

"It's much easier than before, and the consumption is lower too."

Wang Ping called out to Yulian in the Spirit Sea. Yulian immediately shrank down and coiled around his wrist. Then he formed the hand seal for the Cloud Soaring Technique. A cloud of mist instantly enveloped his lower body, and following the Long Sword that had soared skyward at his command, he rose into the air. In the blink of an eye, he had reached a height of several hundred zhang.

"I've never seen you this happy!"

"I still remember how I felt the first time I saw someone arrive by riding the clouds. Back then, I thought, when would I be able to soar through the clouds too? Now, that dream of mine has finally come true!"

"Is that even a dream? I only need to sleep for another five years at most to achieve it!"

"..."

Fine. This Little Fellow was becoming less and less lovable.

Wang Ping ended the conversation, formed a magic seal to call back the Long Sword, then looked below...

The Thousand Wood Mountain range was quite large. The dense forest to the north had also been developed, with broad Spirit Fields arranged in an orderly pattern. Several cultivation grounds nestled among the woods dotted the mountain valleys, carrying an air of transcendence. A wide river wound its way down from farther north, split into two branches by the massive Thousand Wood Mountain. One branch flowed toward Yongshan County, while the other headed west.

Then there was his Mountain Top Courtyard...

Uh, a crowd had gathered outside the courtyard, all staring straight up at the sky.

Wang Ping coughed twice in embarrassment, then hurriedly descended and ordered the Main Gate opened...

The first to enter were naturally Liu Shuang and Yang Ziping. Then Zhao Qing and the other junior brothers arrived with their Disciples to offer congratulations. Every one of them wore an expression as though they had seen a ghost when they saw the withered Spirit Wood.

After Wang Ping explained, everyone wore a different expression. Some thoughtful Disciples had already begun comparing notes with those beside them. Since Foundation Establishment Materials had become consumables, it meant the slots for Foundation Establishment would be limited. The temple could not possibly waste its resources on a Waste!

"No wonder, when I bought Spirit Wood Roots last time, the people at the Daoist Scripture Hall asked whether I wanted to sell Spirit Wood. I thought it was strange at the time." Zhao Qing's voice broke the silence. Pointing at the Spirit Wood in the garden, he asked, "Are these Spirit Woods for sale?"

"Sell them for what? Keep them to renovate the temple's Main Hall. Then we can set up a small Spirit Gathering Array and increase the disciples' Qi Cultivation Speed," Wang Ping replied.

"That's not a bad idea either!"

The bustle came quickly and went quickly. Most people left in haste after offering their congratulations. Only Liu Shuang and Yang Ziping remained behind.

The Master and Disciples, along with Yulian, drank tea and chatted in the courtyard. The two Disciples, who understood Wang Ping's temperament, did not ask about his experience with Foundation Establishment. Most of their conversation centered on the two Disciples recounting their experiences at the Mountain Foot.

Halfway through her account, Liu Shuang suddenly said, "Master, in another two or three years, I should be able to gather all the materials for Foundation Establishment. I want to return to the mountains..."

Wang Ping nodded casually. "Fine. Ask your Martial Uncle Zhao Qing for a good place to establish a cultivation ground. If you do not have enough money, come ask me for it!"

Yulian said in Wang Ping's Spirit Sea, "Her emotions are off. She must have run into something... Could she have met some heartless man and been dumped?"

She had recently read many folk tales and was especially fond of the romances between immortals and mortals.

Wang Ping ignored Yulian. At that moment, Yang Ziping said, "Master, I have fallen for the eldest daughter of the Liu Family in Yongshan County. I ask Master to grant us your blessing!"

After saying that, he knelt before Wang Ping.

The turn had come too abruptly, and Wang Ping failed to react at once.

"Master, just nod already. If you keep refusing, Miss Liu's belly won't be able to hide it anymore!" Liu Shuang urged.