"He was a talent, but what a pity. From the moment you entered this pocket realm, your death was ordained."
There was a hint of regret in Wei Zhong's words. Spirit energy gathered in his hand, forming a Spirit Energy Water Bullet that pierced through Liu Di's skull.
A trace of disbelief still lingered on his face. His lips twitched as though he wanted to question something, but the light in his eyes vanished in an instant. In the end, he said nothing.
With a sweep of his sleeve, Wei Zhong collected the three Storage Bags. Then he sent out fireballs from his hand, incinerating the three bodies and scattering their remaining ashes across the Spirit Field.
In Wei Zhong's eyes, Liu Di had been quite the man.
As an Azurewood Sect disciple, he had been neither arrogant nor impetuous, so aware of the current situation that, at the critical moment, he had known to sacrifice his two "colleagues" to win the favor of Wei Zhong, a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Unfortunately, no matter how sensible he was, he could not be allowed to live after learning Wei Zhong's secret.
Wei Zhong had no means of restricting him, and even if he did, he would not spare someone who knew so many of his secrets.
There were countless techniques in the cultivation world. Even methods that controlled another's body and mind might one day be unexpectedly broken by some expert.
When all was said and done, Brother Liu had to be sent to his death. Only then could Wei Zhong continue cultivating with peace of mind.
After cleaning up the battlefield, he casually hung the Storage Bags on the wall of the small courtyard. The possessions of three Qi Refining cultivators were not necessarily worth much in Wei Zhong's eyes now.
Besides, he had something more important to do. During the period maintained by the Years Dao Method, he needed to properly comprehend the mysteries of Foundation Establishment and lay a solid foundation for his formal breakthrough.
Inside the cultivation room, Wei Zhong sat cross-legged, staring thoughtfully at the liquid spirit energy in his hand.
The Spring Autumn Water Refining Art he cultivated was a Spirit Cultivator technique, so his Foundation Establishment would naturally be Spirit Energy Foundation Establishment.
Compared with Qi Refining, the greatest characteristic of Spirit Energy Foundation Establishment cultivators was that the gaseous spirit energy within their bodies had condensed into liquid. This was also one reason Foundation Establishment magical power surpassed that of Qi Refining.
Liquid spirit energy circulated through the entire body, tempering the flesh and greatly strengthening the body of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Though it could not compare to a Foundation Establishment Body Cultivator who specialized in body refinement, it still far surpassed ordinary Qi Refining Spirit Cultivators.
More importantly, a cultivator's spiritual sense underwent transformation and became divine sense, allowing them to examine their own bodies from within.
At this moment, Wei Zhong could see the glimmer of light within his sea of consciousness—the Time Treasure Record.
He controlled his divine sense and reached toward it, yet he was never able to touch it.
Even Foundation Establishment isn't enough?
Still, being able to discover its existence was progress of a sort.
Divine sense could not only inspect one's own body, but also extend outward into the surroundings. At this moment, Wei Zhong could clearly see Da Jin frolicking in the pond.
As for its range, it extended more than thirty zhang. Compared to his previous spiritual sense, the experience was far better.
Although the spiritual sense of Qi Refining cultivators could perceive the outside world, it could not see objects as clearly as divine sense. It was more like a mystical perception of auras. Its range was also limited to merely two or three zhang. Not only was it easy to miss things, it could also be misled by others into making false judgments.
Though the new method did not demand breaking through the three barriers of spirit energy, physique, and soul like the ancient method, it still raised the foundations of physique and soul while breaking through the spirit energy barrier.
It tempered the body and spiritual sense so they would not hold spirit energy back.
Seeing it this way, Wei Zhong seemed to understand why the Foundation Establishment Pill used Jade Marrow Mushroom, Gold Essence Ginseng, and Thousand Knot Flower as its three main spiritual herbs.
The Jade Marrow Mushroom, which had the highest age requirement, represented spirit energy, while the Gold Essence Ginseng and Thousand Knot Flower, second to it, corresponded to physique and soul.
They made up for the shortcomings in the physiques and souls of Qi Refining Spirit Cultivators, enhanced a cultivator's spirit energy, and thus achieved Spirit Energy Foundation Establishment.
Then, if one found three Foundation Establishment spiritual objects corresponding respectively to spirit energy, physique, and soul, could they also achieve the same effect as a Foundation Establishment Pill?
Probably not. Otherwise, the cultivation world would not regard the Foundation Establishment Pill as the foremost treasure for Foundation Establishment.
Wei Zhong had no way of knowing the exact reason. He gave up investigating and continued studying himself.
Before he knew it, an hour had passed.
The power throughout Wei Zhong's body dissipated, returning him to the peak of Qi Refining. A faint sense of loss immediately rose in him.
But that loss swiftly turned into resolve. This time, he would definitely achieve Foundation Establishment.
Wei Zhong closed his eyes and recalled both his past and present lives. The events he had experienced replayed in his heart.
From babbling as a child to growing into adulthood, from ignorant innocence to studying and working.
And then transmigrating and being reborn, slaying his treacherous disciple...
Decades of cultivation flashed through his mind one by one.
Wei Zhong felt his heart becoming ever clearer. When he opened his eyes, a bright light shone from within them.
"In this life, I seek only immortality!"
Without hesitation, while his essence, energy, and spirit were at their peak, Wei Zhong took out the jade bottle containing the Foundation Establishment Pill and swallowed the Mid-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill within.
Carrying his conviction for immortality, Wei Zhong began circulating the Spring Autumn Water Refining Art. The spiritual energy within the cultivation room streamed into his body under his pull.
From outside, a small spiritual energy vortex rose above the little courtyard.
The medicinal power of the Foundation Establishment Pill exploded within Wei Zhong's body. Not only did it bring an enormous amount of spirit energy, it also divided into two streams of power that coursed through his flesh and spiritual sense.
Wei Zhong could clearly feel his physique improving and his soul being strengthened.
The strengthening from this Foundation Establishment Pill actually gave Wei Zhong a faint sense of pleasure.
As expected of a Foundation Establishment Pill. It easily made up for the deficiencies in my physique and soul.
But his joy lasted only an instant before it was followed by excruciating pain.
The surging spiritual energy was guided by the technique and drilled into his body through every pore from the surface of his skin.
"Pain—pain that shot straight to the crown of my head."
Wei Zhong could barely maintain his cross-legged posture, his body trembling like chaff in a sieve.
But Wei Zhong knew that he had to endure. If he interrupted his Foundation Establishment now, he would surely end up severely injured, with damage to his foundation. Who knew when he would be able to attempt Foundation Establishment again?
He did his best to empty his mind, maintaining the circulation of his cultivation method as he guided and refined the vast spiritual energy, pouring it into his dantian.
As time passed, quantitative change eventually gave rise to qualitative change. The gaseous spirit energy accumulated into mist-like spirit energy resembling dark clouds. Then it continued layering and gathering, finally turning into a single pale black droplet of liquid spirit energy.
The first drop of liquid spirit energy successfully condensed, and an ugly smile appeared at the corner of Wei Zhong's lips.
With the first drop came the second. After that, even more liquid spirit energy condensed continuously, as naturally as water flowing into a channel.
Who knew how much time had passed? The spiritual energy vortex outside the courtyard had already dispersed, and the spiritual energy within the cultivation room no longer churned.
Wei Zhong sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his face neither sorrowful nor joyful.
Yet his mind had long since sunk into his dantian, where a small pool of black water floated within, radiating dense spiritual light.
With a movement of the Spring Autumn Water Refining Art, the little pool immediately transformed into a small stream of spirit energy that flowed through his entire body.
"Foundation Establishment... achieved!"
Wei Zhong opened his eyes, his face filled with the joy of success.
The foundation of the immortal path had finally been established. From this day onward, he would no longer be the same as mortals and Qi Refining cultivators.
Among mortals, he could be called an immortal and become an ancestor; if he joined a sect, he could also enjoy his years in peace.
Next, Wei Zhong needed to find himself a territory. Joining a sect was out of the question—this cowardly Rogue Cultivator path meant staying cautious all the way through.
Before you continue