Planning the Dao Foundation

Danxiao Peak, Affairs Office.

After a sect disciple breaks through to a major realm, they must go to the Affairs Office to register.

Once Chen Xuan finished his registration, the Affairs Office replaced his Disciple Token and issued him his inner sect disciple robes.

He happened to run into Li Junmo, who had also come to register.

"Junior Brother Chen."

Li Junmo called out happily upon seeing Chen Xuan.

Judging by Li Junmo's expression, he had likely condensed a Golden Spirit Sea; otherwise, he wouldn't be so cheerful.

"Senior Brother Li."

Chen Xuan greeted him with a smile as well.

Li Junmo pulled Chen Xuan aside to ask for advice regarding the Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire.

Li Junmo was close to gathering enough contribution points for the Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire, and once he exchanged for the Dao technique, he would need to condense his own profound fire.

Therefore, he frequently sought advice from fellow disciples who had already mastered the Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire.

He did not look down on Chen Xuan just because he had only been in the sect for half a year.

After all, during the Outer Sect Grand Competition, Chen Xuan had showcased his Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire.

Li Junmo felt that Chen Xuan's profound fire was stronger than any other he had seen before.

Thus, he asked for guidance with an open mind.

However, Chen Xuan could not offer him much advice.

He had relied entirely on his profound fire's own initiative.

So, he could only describe his sensations to Li Junmo when his profound fire evolved.

Li Junmo didn't quite understand, but he was still very grateful to Chen Xuan.

After bidding farewell to Li Junmo, Chen Xuan headed to Jiang Qiong's residence.

Having successfully broken through, and given that Jiang Qiong had helped him quite a bit, he naturally had to let her know.

At Jiang Qiong's residence.

Seeing Chen Xuan, Jiang Qiong asked with great excitement, "Junior Brother, did you really win first place in the Outer Sect Grand Competition?"

The Outer Sect Grand Competition was not a massive event, but it still drew the attention of many disciples.

Especially since the first and third place winners this year were both Danxiao disciples, news of the competition had spread even further within the Danxiao lineage.

Jiang Qiong had heard about the competition as well.

When she heard that the winner was Chen Xuan, she truly found it hard to believe.

Half a year after entering the sect, winning first place in the Outer Sect Grand Competition—it was terrifying.

"Yes, Senior Sister. I just came out of seclusion and specifically came to tell you."

Hearing Jiang Qiong's words, Chen Xuan nodded with a smile.

Jiang Qiong immediately pulled Chen Xuan into the courtyard.

"I heard that you have already successfully cultivated the Azure Heaven Dragon Transformation Art, and have even reached the first level of perfection? Could you let me see it?"

"Sure."

Chen Xuan did not mind and directly activated the Dragon Marks on his hands.

Watching the brilliant, glowing Dragon Marks, Jiang Qiong swallowed hard.

It really was the first level of perfection.

This cultivation speed was simply too fast.

She seriously suspected that Chen Xuan possessed a special constitution.

Perhaps a special constitution that even the Myriad Dao Stele passed down by the Holy Land couldn't detect!

Well, she was joking; she actually trusted the Myriad Dao Stele quite a bit.

However, Chen Xuan's situation was indeed abnormal, though she couldn't figure out what was going on.

Next, Jiang Qiong witnessed Chen Xuan's Purple Imperial Dragon Flame.

Jiang Qiong had also cultivated the Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire, but her profound fire took the shape of a tiger and did not look as impressive as the Purple Imperial Dragon Flame.

"Junior Brother, now that you have reached the Spirit Sea Realm, what are your plans for the future?"

Jiang Qiong asked.

"Continue cultivating and push toward the Dao Foundation."

Chen Xuan answered without hesitation.

"With Junior Brother's talent, reaching the perfection of the Spirit Sea Realm will surely be a breeze. The most important thing is to plan for your Foundation Establishment early." Jiang Qiong nodded, offering a reminder.

The Dao Foundation Realm, also known as Foundation Establishment, is where one builds the foundation for the Great Dao. Upon breaking through from Qi Gathering to the Spirit Sea Realm, the spirit sea is categorized into three grades: upper, middle, and lower. Similarly, the Dao Foundation is divided into three grades: Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, Earthly Dao Foundation Establishment, and Human Dao Foundation Establishment.

King Body cultivators can directly consume a Dao Foundation Pill to draw in Heavenly Dao Qi, completing Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment. As for Spirit Body cultivators, just as they require precious spirit items to condense a Golden Spirit Sea when breaking through to the Spirit Sea Realm, they also require a special catalyst for Foundation Establishment: the Heavenly Dao Qi.

The greatest distinction for cultivators above the Spirit Body level is their ability to independently draw Heavenly Dao Qi into their bodies. Heavenly Dao Qi is far more precious than any spirit item. Furthermore, if a Mortal Body cultivator wishes to achieve Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, they require not only Heavenly Dao Qi but also a Two-Pattern Spirit Item to succeed.

Jiang Qiong spoke to Chen Xuan about these hardships, then moved on to the methods of obtaining Heavenly Dao Qi. "Aside from those with immense talent who can draw it in during their breakthrough, the only way to obtain Heavenly Dao Qi is to seek it out within the 'Heavenly Dao Secret Realm.' This is no simple task; many Spirit Body and Mortal Body disciples in the sect frequently explore various Heavenly Dao Secret Realms once they reach the Spirit Sea Realm. So... Junior Brother, you must prepare yourself for this."

After Jiang Qiong finished, Chen Xuan asked what exactly a Heavenly Dao Secret Realm was. Jiang Qiong explained that there are many secret realms in the world, and cultivators collectively refer to those where Heavenly Dao Qi has appeared as Heavenly Dao Secret Realms. If Chen Xuan wished to learn more, he could head to the Library Pavilion on Cloud Sea Peak. The collection there recorded all matters related to cultivation, including the locations and conditions of every discovered secret realm within the Azure Cloud Realm.

Chen Xuan stayed with Jiang Qiong for a while before taking his leave. Once he departed, he headed straight for Cloud Sea Peak to research information regarding the Heavenly Dao Secret Realms. Given his speed in refining and digesting medicinal pills, he would reach the perfection of the Spirit Sea Realm very soon. Therefore, just as Jiang Qiong had said, his top priority was securing resources for his Foundation Establishment. He was certainly unwilling to settle for a mere Dao Foundation Pill and achieve only Human Dao Foundation Establishment. He wanted Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment. Chen Xuan arrived at the Scripture Repository on Cloud Sea Peak and began his research.

On the other side, Jiang Qiong paid a visit to her master, Elder Xie. She figured that while she had heard the news of the Outer Sect Grand Competition, Elder Xie might not have. Upon arriving at the Elder's cave dwelling, she informed him that Chen Xuan had taken first place in the competition and had already condensed a Golden Spirit Sea to become a Spirit Sea Realm cultivator.

Elder Xie was deeply shocked upon hearing this and asked for the details of the event. Based on his previous estimates, it should have been impossible for Chen Xuan to even place in the top three of this year's competition, let alone take first place. Jiang Qiong quickly recounted what she knew. The dragon-shaped Purple Imperial Dragon Flame had shattered the Supreme Unity Golden Sword, and Chen Xuan had managed to cultivate the Azure Heaven Dragon Transformation Art to the first stage of perfection in less than three months.

Elder Xie fell silent after hearing this. He had originally intended to take Chen Xuan as his disciple once the boy broke through to the Spirit Sea Realm. However, it now seemed he was perhaps unworthy of the task. Taking on a disciple with talent far surpassing one's own, only to be unable to provide them with any real guidance, might not be a good thing. After a long period of contemplation, Elder Xie sighed, "Forget it. I should not lead such a talent astray; his future lies in ascending to the Spirit Sea World."

The Spirit Sea World was the higher plane above the Azure Cloud Realm, a Middle Thousand World. Elder Xie dared not even imagine Chen Xuan ascending to the Primordial World to enter the Holy Lands; he only dared to hope that Chen Xuan would ascend to the Spirit Sea World.