Early Dao Foundation Realm

Atop the mountain.

The spiritual treasure within Chen Xuan's body, the Heavenly Dao Qi, and his Spirit Sea completely fused together.

The Golden Spirit Sea transformed into a Golden Dao Platform, condensing into existence within his dantian.

The Golden Dao Platform radiated the aura of the Heavenly Dao. It was the very mark of Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment.

Dao Foundation Realm, achieved!

Chen Xuan opened his eyes, and the aura of the Dao Foundation Realm burst out around him.

He had sensed long ago that quite a few people had come nearby.

He deliberately released his aura to give the surrounding cultivators a little shock.

In the outside world, within the sect, a Dao Foundation Realm cultivator like him was nothing special.

But within the Green Spirit Secret Realm, he was now the strongest.

The surrounding cultivators felt Chen Xuan's aura and were startled. Some even felt like they could hardly breathe.

"Everyone, had you seen enough?"

After giving them a scare, Chen Xuan drew in his aura and spoke with a smile.

"Senior Brother, sorry for the trouble. We'll be leaving now."

The surrounding cultivators hurriedly cupped their hands, then quickly left.

Chen Xuan didn't stop them.

After all, they were all disciples of the Cloud Sea Sect. Regardless of whether they'd harbored ill intentions while watching from nearby, they hadn't made a move.

Since they hadn't attacked, naturally, he couldn't attack them either.

Now that he had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, it was time to leave.

Chen Xuan took out the White Cloud Artifact and rode it toward the secret realm's exit.

When entering the Green Spirit Secret Realm, one was randomly transported to different locations.

However, there was only one exit.

Before long, Chen Xuan arrived at the exit, which was also a purple vortex.

He crossed through the vortex, and after the world spun around him, Chen Xuan returned to the great hall.

The Green Spirit Sect's Hall-Guarding Elder spotted Chen Xuan emerging. He remembered him quite well, after all, since he'd stayed for a full three months.

"Junior Brother, you finally came out."

The Hall-Guarding Elder spoke with a smile.

"Sorry for the trouble, Senior Brother."

Chen Xuan nodded politely.

"No trouble, no trouble."

The Hall-Guarding Elder waved his hands repeatedly.

After chatting for a few moments, Chen Xuan took his leave.

Not long after Chen Xuan left, someone emerged from the secret realm and spread the news: another wisp of Heavenly Dao Qi had appeared in the Green Spirit Secret Realm, but it had already been obtained by a disciple of Danxiao Peak, who had even completed Foundation Establishment.

From the description the secret realm disciples gave of the person who'd obtained the Heavenly Dao Qi, the Hall-Guarding Elder was startled. He hadn't expected it to be Chen Xuan.

He'd stayed for a full three months and really had managed to wait for it. Was it luck, or skill?

Luck or skill, either way, this Junior Brother was no ordinary person.

In the past, it wasn't as if no one had ever stayed in the secret realm to keep watch.

It was just that the time and location where the Heavenly Dao Qi appeared were random. Some people had kept watch for years without seeing a single wisp appear.

Others had watched for years and did manage to see the Heavenly Dao Qi, but the secret realm was so vast that it didn't appear anywhere near them. Instead, it was picked up by a disciple who'd only entered a few days earlier.

That was even more frustrating for those who'd been keeping watch than the first case.

Gradually, fewer and fewer people were willing to do such thankless work.

They could keep watch for years, only for someone else to get lucky.

After all, unlike Chen Xuan, they couldn't determine the time and place where the Heavenly Dao Qi would appear.

That was why people had always said that obtaining spiritual treasures and Heavenly Dao Qi depended on luck—and that luck mattered even more for Heavenly Dao Qi.

Cloud Sea Sect.

This time, Chen Xuan returned much faster.

With a Dao Foundation Realm cultivator driving it, the flying artifact could unleash a far more astonishing speed.

However, artifacts were already somewhat outdated for someone in the Dao Foundation Realm.

Even a top-grade artifact was no exception.

After returning to the sect, he should refine a few magical treasures.

Magical treasures were a level above artifacts.

Like artifacts, magical treasures were divided into low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, and top-grade.

One needed to be at least at the Dao Foundation Realm to use a magical treasure.

With Chen Xuan's fifth-tier Artifact Refining skill, the best he could refine now was a top-grade magical treasure.

However, the materials required for top-grade magical treasures were anything but cheap.

Normally, Nascent Soul Cultivators were the ones who used top-grade magical treasures.

If Chen Xuan was going to get one, he would definitely get the best, so he wouldn't have to keep replacing it.

After Chen Xuan returned to the sect, he went to the Affairs Office to exchange his Disciple Token.

The disciple at the Affairs Office remembered Chen Xuan quite well. He'd taken first place in the Floating Cloud Trial last year, then immediately won first place in the Outer Sect Grand Competition.

How had he reached Foundation Establishment after only a few months?

Was this what a Mortal Body was supposed to be?

"Senior Brother, remember to visit the Technique Hall and use your Disciple Token to receive the first volume of the Nine Firmaments Cloud Sea Scripture."

The disciple at the Affairs Office reminded him.

Chen Xuan nodded. He was definitely going. His Flowing Cloud Technique had already transformed into the Nine Firmaments Cloud Sea Scripture, but it didn't cost anything to collect the copy he was entitled to, so he might as well.

"Also, Senior Brother, you can choose a place near Danxiao Peak and establish your own cave abode. Here's a Flowing Cloud Protection Array, which you can set up around it.

"If the place you choose doesn't have any existing buildings and you need one built, you can let us know. We'll send people to build a complete cave abode to your specifications as soon as possible."

As the Affairs Office disciple spoke, he took out an array disc and handed it to Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan looked it over. It wasn't a particularly impressive Formation Arts array, but it was still a third-tier array, with soundproofing, divine sense isolation, spirit-gathering, and defensive functions.

"Good."

Chen Xuan put the items away, then returned the top-grade pill furnace he'd received from the Affairs Office last year.

Since he could refine artifacts now, and planned to make a pill furnace at the magical treasure level later, he might as well return this one to the Affairs Office. It could be given to a new disciple in the future.

After taking care of the paperwork, Chen Xuan returned to his quarters and packed up all his belongings.

This place would be assigned to a new disciple in the future.

After collecting his things, Chen Xuan left Danxiao Peak.

Then Chen Xuan rode the White Cloud Artifact in circles around the area near Danxiao Peak, his Heaven-Observing Divine Eye operating at full force as he carefully examined the terrain and the flow of spiritual energy across the surrounding mountains.

Before long, his gaze settled on a side peak some distance from Danxiao Peak.

The mountain had an unusual shape, and its trees grew thick and lush.

At first glance, it looked rather unremarkable. But beneath Chen Xuan's divine eye, he could see spiritual energy gathering faintly over its summit, forming a hazy cloud.

The spiritual energy there was far denser than on the other peaks, making it an ideal place to establish a cave abode.

What's more, the land was unclaimed. To his delight, Chen Xuan also spotted a courtyard within the mountain.

The courtyard wasn't large, but its layout was elegant and the main buildings were intact. There was only a little dust beneath the eaves and on the stone steps, while sparse patches of moss had grown in the corners. It had clearly been unoccupied for a long time, but a little cleaning would make it ready to move into.

Chen Xuan landed right in front of the courtyard gate, pushed open the half-closed wooden door, and stepped inside.

He looked around, inside and out, and grew more satisfied by the moment.

"This place really is quite good."

Chen Xuan had already made up his mind to choose this spot as his cave abode.

He took out the Flowing Cloud Protection Array disc issued by the Affairs Office and went to the center of the courtyard.

He infused the disc with spiritual power to activate it. The intricate array markings on it lit up one by one, and then several array flags flew from the disc, turning into streaks of light as they shot toward the area around the cave abode and vanished into the ground or mountainside.