Black Wind Mountain Range!

"Third-tier! This is absolutely in the realm of third-tier spells! Perhaps even higher!" Li Qingshan's heart shook violently, his excitement difficult to contain!

The Wish-Fulfilling Gourd could actually refine a remnant scroll to such an extent!

He forcibly suppressed his excitement and looked at the other two jade slips.

The jade slip for Entanglement Technique had its spiritual light flowing, having transformed into the Wood-Ether Entanglement Technique!

Although it remained at the first-tier peak, its power was no longer what it once was.

When cast, it could instantly summon incredibly tough spirit-wood chains covered in barbed runes. These could not only imprison an enemy's physical body but also entwine and drain the opponent's mana. It was extremely troublesome, and even Foundation Establishment cultivators would find it difficult to contend with.

The jade slip for Earth Escape Technique had transformed into the Five Elements Escape Technique: Earth Chapter!

It was also upgraded to the first-tier peak, but its essence far exceeded that of a standard earth escape. Not only was the speed faster, deeper, and more stealthy, but it also contained a trace of the mystery of Five Elements transformation. It allowed him to subtly adjust his aura while in the earth, merging with the terrain, making it extremely difficult to track or detect.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Li Qingshan clapped his hands and chuckled, his eyes shining with brilliance.

With these three major spells at his disposal, his survival capabilities and stealth would be elevated to a whole new level!

He immediately began to study the Lesser Heaven-Veiling Secret Art with such focus that he forgot to eat or sleep.

This technique was indeed extremely difficult; as a third-tier spell, it involved the delicate use of divine sense and a profound understanding of the resonance with the Heavenly Dao.

However, his divine sense was already far beyond his peers, and having experienced a hundred years of vicissitudes, his will was incredibly firm. Coupled with the foundation of the Turtle Breath Technique, he managed to barely enter the threshold within a few days. He could now preliminarily construct a "Heaven-Veiling Spirit Domain," perfectly concealing his cultivation fluctuations so that to outsiders, he still appeared to be at the seventh level of Qi Refining.

Of course, to continue practicing, he would likely have to wait until after he reached Foundation Establishment to fully master the Lesser Heaven-Veiling Secret Art.

With this, everything was ready!

The next day, Li Qingshan arrived at the Outer Sect Mission Hall again and walked straight to the window of the deacon he was familiar with—the very same Deacon Wang who had assigned him to the Qingyang Market years ago.

"Senior Brother Wang, long time no see."

Li Qingshan smiled and cupped his hands, his face still wearing that harmless, honest expression.

Deacon Wang looked up and smiled as well: "Oh, it's Old Li! I heard you were transferred to the Alchemy Hall? How is it? Easier than burning trash, right?"

His tone was familiar, carrying a hint of teasing.

"Thanks to you, Senior Brother, I'm just scraping by in the Alchemy Hall, learning a few tricks from Master Yan."

Li Qingshan smiled humbly, then changed the subject: "Senior Brother, I've recently taken an interest in alchemy and want to try refining a pill for strengthening the foundation and nourishing the essence. I need a few main ingredients, and the Gloomy Flower is quite hard to find. I heard it can occasionally be seen in the Black Wind Mountain Range to the north. I'd like to take a long-term mission to try my luck there and collect some other herbs while I'm at it."

The reason he gave was reasonable and logical; it was perfectly normal for Alchemy Hall disciples to go out to gather herbs.

Deacon Wang took Li Qingshan's identity token and checked the mission list while speaking casually: "The Black Wind Mountain Range? That place is a bit remote. Further north is that famous ancient battlefield ruin. The spiritual energy there is chaotic, there's no profit to be made, and I've heard that evil things happen there occasionally. Not many people go there usually.

The Gloomy Flower likes shade, so it might indeed be there. Fine, there is a 'Collect Gloomy Flower' mission with a one-year term and a reward of thirty spirit stones. Since no one is fighting over it, I'll give it to you!"

He processed the paperwork skillfully, handed the mission token to Li Qingshan, and urged: "Old Li, you're not young anymore. Be careful when you're out alone. Don't go digging deep into those ruins; come back early once you've gathered what you need."

"Many thanks for your concern, Senior Brother Wang. I understand; I'll just stick to the outskirts."

Li Qingshan smiled, took the token, and cupped his hands in thanks once more.

Leaving the Mission Hall, Li Qingshan went to the market to replenish his supply of talismans and daily necessities, ensuring everything was in order.

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten.

Li Qingshan changed into a plain gray dharma robe and donned the "Shadow-Hiding Cloak." He looked back at the Spring Autumn Sect, where he had lived for several years, his eyes calm and firm.

He did not alert anyone and left the mountain gate silently.

He summoned a low-grade flying sword, identified his direction, and transformed into an inconspicuous streak of light, speeding toward the Black Wind Mountain Range in the north—a place of chaotic spiritual energy and sparse human presence—and the ancient battlefield ruins deeper within.

Deep within the Black Wind Mountain Range, in a hidden valley near the edge of the ancient battlefield.

The spiritual energy here was chaotic and impure, so ordinary cultivators would never choose to practice here, making it Li Qingshan's ideal location for Foundation Establishment.

He spent several days carefully scouting the area and finally found a natural stone cave in the deepest part of the valley, the entrance hidden by dense vines.

Entering the cave, Li Qingshan did not hesitate to take out the "Five Elements Maze Formation" flags he had purchased for five hundred spirit stones, carefully setting them up at the entrance and the surrounding area.

As the flags sank into the ground, an invisible ripple instantly spread out, shrouding the entire stone cave and its surroundings. The light slightly distorted; from the outside, the area looked no different from the surrounding mountain walls, and even his aura was perfectly concealed.

"With this formation guarding me, my safety should be assured."

Li Qingshan nodded with satisfaction and set up a few warning restrictions inside the cave before finally feeling completely at ease.

The primary function of the Five Elements Maze Formation was to conceal auras, but it could also withstand a full-force strike from a Foundation Establishment cultivator. For Li Qingshan, it was an excellent formation, which was why he had spared no cost to purchase it.

Once everything was prepared.

He sat cross-legged in the center of the cave, took a deep breath, and adjusted his state to its peak.

Within his dantian, his Longevity Mana at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining was like a dormant volcano, vast and majestic, waiting for the moment of eruption.

Without the slightest hesitation, he first placed the peak-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, enhanced by the Wish-Fulfilling Gourd, into his mouth!

The pill melted upon contact, instantly turning into an indescribable, surging torrent. It was not merely spiritual energy, but also contained a trace of strange Dao resonance, like the first ray of dawn at the creation of the world, rushing violently through his limbs and bones before finally converging into his dantian!

BOOM!

Li Qingshan shuddered violently, feeling as though his dantian were about to be burst asunder by this terrifying force!

Yet, his resolve was ironclad; he immediately channeled the Foundation Establishment chapter of the Longevity Technique, guiding this torrent to begin compressing and refining the already immensely dense mana within his dantian!

The hundred-day Foundation Establishment is the foundation of the Great Dao itself!

It is a process of transforming gaseous mana into liquid true essence, and constructing a "Dao Foundation" within the dantian capable of bearing the Great Dao and connecting heaven and earth!

Of course, it does not strictly require one hundred days; rather, one hundred days is the baseline. Some experts require even longer to complete this ultimate metamorphosis during their Foundation Establishment.

Time passed day by day.

Li Qingshan was shrouded in dense spiritual light, with the roaring sound of rushing rivers constantly emanating from within his body.

His physical form was undergoing a heaven-shaking transformation; filth was continuously expelled, his bones crackled and grew more crystalline and resilient, while his flesh and meridians were torn apart and reconstructed time and again, becoming broader and tougher.

Half a month later, he consumed the second supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.