Foundation of Dao Attainment

The fish took the bait!

Su Qingqiu had actually followed Xuan Ye all the way here. If the range of his Spiritual Light wasn't limited, he could have controlled the Devil pellet to tail him further.

At this moment, Su Qingqiu wanted to show a faint smile, but unfortunately, his Shape-Shifting Illusion and Spiritual Power cultivation wasn't proficient enough to manifest such a subtle expression.

Thus, he remained cold and expressionless.

What a true master. Just this composure, this commanding aura that doesn't rely on anger, is enough to awe people.

Xuan Ye praised him inwardly upon seeing this.

"I am Wang Xuan. Greetings, fellow Daoist."

"I heard you were asking about the location of the Dragon-Raising Temple. Are you here for the True Dragon?"

Xuan Ye gave a false name and pretended to ask again.

The demeanor of the cultivator before him truly impressed him. Even though he had seen many enshrined masters in the Imperial Court, he had never encountered one like this – neither pleased by external gains nor saddened by personal losses, like a supreme celestial being devoid of worldly emotions.

Was this the unity of man and nature spoken of in Daoist legends?

Compared to those Imperial Court cultivators immersed in money, power, beauty, and delicacies, this person was a true master who had attained the Dao.

He absolutely had to invite this person into the Imperial Court.

Xuan Ye's heart burned with fervor.

His admiration for talent surged.

Su Qingqiu's expression remained calm and unmoving. "This journey is indeed for the True Dragon of the Dragon-Raising Temple. I recently heard that a True Dragon has appeared here. This matter is crucial for my advancement to the fourth rank and the forging of my Dao Foundation, which is why I wish to go to the Dragon-Raising Temple to confirm."

"Are you a local cultivator? I wonder if this True Dragon matter is true or false?"

Hearing this, Xuan Ye's expression shifted slightly. He quickly cupped his hands and said, "To think a fourth-rank cultivator stands before me. Forgive my poor eyesight; I did not recognize you as a senior."

"Guards! Quickly prepare and bring out my finest spirit tea! Please, honored senior, grace my ship with your presence."

After saying this, Xuan Ye glanced subtly at Eunuch Fu beside him, then looked back at Su Qingqiu and continued, "This King... no... I have always enjoyed befriending true masters. I am overjoyed to meet you, senior. Please forgive my earlier lack of decorum."

Look at this guy, his words are so eloquent. As expected of someone raised in the imperial family.

A fourth-rank cultivator? Spirit tea offering?

Before Su Qingqiu could say anything, Eunuch Fu beside him suddenly changed his expression. "My lord, this is precious Spirit Tree Tea. It takes a hundred years to produce just over an ounce, and you still need it for your own cultivation. How can you offer it to others?"

"Moreover, I observe this person is merely a sixth-rank cultivator. What fourth-rank cultivator? My lord, do not be deceived. My lord..."

BOOM!

Before Eunuch Fu could finish speaking, Su Qingqiu casually flicked his hand and sent him flying.

The protective Daoist magic on Eunuch Fu was completely useless, shattering layer by layer. His face held a look of horror before he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and fell into the river with a splash.

It took him a long time to climb out of the water, his armor completely shattered by then.

"Just a eunuch, barking madly in front of me. Truly knows no fear."

"I'll let this slide this time. Do not appear before me again."

Su Qingqiu said coldly.

Are these two putting on a show for me?

You've gotten too used to it!

"This... alas, quickly go down! You disgraceful thing!"

"This King... my subordinate is ignorant. Please forgive us, senior. Alas."

Xuan Ye's expression shifted slightly. He sighed repeatedly, then intentionally or unintentionally let slip the words "This King" again.

"This King? What is your connection to the Zhaoyang Country's court?"

Su Qingqiu raised an eyebrow and used the opportunity to ask.

"This..." Xuan Ye hesitated, then gritted his teeth. "Please forgive my earlier concealment, senior. This King is the Zhenwu King of Zhaoyang Country, the younger brother of the current Emperor Xuan Jing, and the head of the current Zhaoyang Imperial Court."

"Zhaoyang Imperial Court?" Su Qingqiu quickly put on a slightly moved expression. "I never expected to meet the lord of the Zhaoyang Imperial Court in person. Please forgive my rudeness."

"I am a fourth-rank cultivator from the Xieyue Sanxing Cave on the East Sea. Greetings, Your Highness."

He thought to himself: The Monster Race said the Zhaoyang Country is about to perish, with signs of upheaval. With this generation's emperor and king, one is a fool obsessed with longevity, and the other is a fool who considers himself intelligent. If such a country doesn't fall, it would be a miracle.

If not for the Zhaoyang Country's vast resources and many ancient existences, such as the former lords of the Imperial Court who cultivate within it.

Not to mention many powerful enshrined masters, otherwise, with just the intelligence of these two brothers, even a Great Luo Immortal couldn't save Zhaoyang Country.

"Outside the East Sea? Xieyue Sanxing Cave cultivator?" Xuan Ye looked bewildered. Where was this place?

There was no record of it in Zhaoyang Country.

Beyond the East Sea, the land is vast and rich, with islands scattered like stars. It's normal that he hadn't heard of it.

He cupped his hands and said, "Well said, Mount Lingtai, Fangcun, and Moon-Sanskrit, that there is a master of enlightenment such as yourself presiding here."

"As the saying goes: Spiritual roots are nurtured from the source, and the cultivation of the mind gives birth to the Great Dao. I presume your sect must be an ancient and mysterious one with a long and profound heritage. It is my great fortune to meet you today."

"Come, has the spiritual tea been prepared? This King is eager to have a good chat with you."

A moment later, on Xuan Ye's treasure ship, after a brief exchange, Xuan Ye understood that the reason the Qingqiu Daoist was looking for the Dragon-Raising Temple was not just a pursuit of the True Dragon, but a confusion caused by the Spiritual Light before his promotion to the third rank.

When advancing from the fourth to the third rank, the Spiritual Light contained within the Pure Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth would produce a Spiritual Light convergence effect.

Spiritual Light convergence meant that similar Spiritual Lights would attract and absorb each other, deriving new rule information.

The same attracted, the different repelled.

The resulting, mysterious opportunity for enlightenment was the Spiritual Light confusion.

"So, Senior has reached the limit of the fourth rank, and the object of your Spiritual Light confusion has fallen upon this True Dragon?"

"If that's the case... it might be a bit difficult."

Xuan Ye frowned, appearing troubled.

Su Qingqiu did not drink the tea. Crucially, he couldn't, so he merely pretended to take a slight sip.

Hearing Xuan Ye's words, he asked, "May I ask, Your Highness, if you could enlighten me? This matter concerns the Foundation of Dao Attainment. If I succeed in the future, I will surely repay Your Highness for this kindness today."

Xuan Ye's heart leaped with joy. Just what I was waiting for, he thought.

This was a fourth-rank cultivator! There weren't many even in the Imperial Court, and he had none at his disposal.

Most importantly, this was a top-tier fourth-rank cultivator who was experiencing Spiritual Light confusion, had glimpsed the opportunity for enlightenment, and was seeking the Dao Foundation.

Once successful, he would become a third-rank Earthly Immortal. With the assistance of such an exceptional individual, his chances of seizing imperial power would increase by more than thirty percent.

At the very least, the old immortal behind Emperor Xuan Jing would no longer be his biggest headache.

With these thoughts, Xuan Ye immediately recounted everything that had happened at the Dragon-Raising Temple, word for word, without any embellishment.