A cultivator's Dao Foundation was not only a mark of the Dao Foundation Realm; it also embodied his personal path.
Through a Dao Foundation, one could generally tell the direction of a person's cultivation path.
Chen Xuan had only cultivated the techniques and Dao Techniques of the Cloud Sea Sect, so when his Dao Foundation manifested, Yang Shougui could tell at a glance that Chen Xuan truly had not learned any shortcut methods.
Moreover, as Chen Xuan revealed his Dao Foundation,
Yang Shougui's face filled with surprise. "Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment?"
"This disciple was fortunate. Not long ago, I found a wisp of Heavenly Dao Qi in the Green Spirit Secret Realm."
Chen Xuan replied.
"Good! Good!"
Yang Shougui smiled and nodded, praising him.
He felt even more reassured. Cultivators who had taken shortcuts, like forcing seedlings to grow by pulling them up, could never achieve Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, even if they possessed Heavenly Dao Qi.
There was another basic requirement for achieving Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment: one's foundation had to be firm.
Now it seemed that Danxiao Peak had truly accepted a genius who defied all conventional reasoning.
Yang Shougui looked at Chen Xuan, his eyes full of approval.
One had to understand that even within the Cloud Sea Sect, there were some cultivators who had achieved Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, but they were by no means numerous.
Most elders in the Dao Foundation Realm or above had achieved only Earthly Dao Foundation Establishment.
Yang Shougui then offered Chen Xuan a few words of encouragement, gave him some pills, and sent him on his way.
After leaving, Chen Xuan returned to his cave abode to continue alchemy and cultivation.
Half a year later.
Advancing through the Dao Foundation Realm was indeed much harder than before, and the resources required had increased tremendously.
Throughout these six months, the Purple Imperial Dragon Flame had barely stopped refining pills.
Each time a batch was finished, Chen Xuan took the pills. Even so, he had only managed to raise his cultivation to the peak of the Dao Foundation Realm.
As for his body-refinement cultivation and divine sense, neither had improved much.
To perfect the first volume of the Azure Heaven Dragon Transformation Art and raise his divine sense to the peak of the third stage, he would probably need another half year.
For anyone else, this pace would already have been astonishingly fast.
Chen Xuan knew he could only keep cultivating steadily.
One day,
Chen Xuan prepared to head to the Marketplace again to sell a batch of pills, while also buying third-tier Dragon Pattern Pills and resources to strengthen his divine sense.
As soon as he left his cave abode, Chen Xuan spotted Li Junmo heading his way.
It had been quite a while since he had last seen Li Junmo.
When Li Junmo saw Chen Xuan come out, he quickened his pace as well.
Once he reached Chen Xuan, Li Junmo cupped his hands awkwardly and greeted him. "Senior Brother Ch-Chen."
Previously, when Chen Xuan had broken through to the Spirit Sea Realm at the same time as him, Li Junmo had still been able to call him Junior Brother Chen on account of having joined the sect earlier.
But now Chen Xuan was a disciple of the Dao Foundation Realm. There was no way Li Junmo could keep calling him Junior Brother.
"Brother Li, there's no need for that. If you don't mind, why not just call me Brother Chen?"
Chen Xuan said with a smile.
He and Li Junmo got along fairly well. They had met during the Outer Sect Grand Competition, and after crossing paths a few times, Chen Xuan had even received some guidance and help from Li Junmo. He naturally hadn't forgotten that.
"Brother Chen."
At his words, the awkwardness on Li Junmo's face immediately eased.
He relaxed considerably.
"Brother Li, please come in."
Rather than stand at the entrance and talk, Chen Xuan invited Li Junmo inside.
"All right."
Li Junmo replied, then followed Chen Xuan in.
In the main hall of the cave abode, the two sat down, and Chen Xuan poured Li Junmo a cup of tea.
Li Junmo did not hurry to drink it.
He had come to see Chen Xuan today because he needed to ask him for help.
"Brother Chen, to be honest, I've come today to ask you a favor."
Li Junmo said, lowering his manner considerably.
"Go ahead."
Chen Xuan nodded.
Li Junmo looked at Chen Xuan, pondered for a moment, then asked, "Brother Chen, have you cultivated the Cloud Sea Heaven-Observing Technique and mastered the Heaven-Observing Divine Eye?"
Unless someone deliberately looked into it, they might never find out.
But Li Junmo was different.
He knew that after entering the Green Spirit Secret Realm, Chen Xuan had stayed in one place for three months.
He knew that was where Chen Xuan had found the Heavenly Dao Qi.
Most importantly, when Li Junmo had visited Chen Xuan during that time, Chen Xuan had mentioned the Cloud Sea Heaven-Observing Technique and the Heaven-Observing Divine Eye to him.
If Chen Xuan had not found Heavenly Dao Qi, that would have been one thing. But he had found it, and in that exact place.
If Li Junmo hadn't connected it to the Heaven-Observing Divine Eye, he would have been out of his mind.
So ever since he learned of Chen Xuan's Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, he had kept turning the matter over in his mind.
It was now clear what he wanted: he hoped Chen Xuan would help him find Heavenly Dao Qi.
Faced with Li Junmo's question,
Chen Xuan did not hide the truth. He nodded in confirmation.
Mastering the Heaven-Observing Divine Eye was not some secret that had to be kept.
Especially since anyone in the sect who cared enough to investigate would be able to guess.
Even if the news spread throughout the sect, it would do Chen Xuan more good than harm.
After all, the Cloud Sea Heaven-Observing Technique was an inheritance technique of the Cloud Sea Holy Land. Chen Xuan, having mastered the Heaven-Observing Divine Eye, would surely see his status rise sharply.
But that said, revealing it had its drawbacks, too.
He might be sent out to search for Heavenly Dao Qi on a regular basis.
After all, leaving aside the Upper Realm, within the Cloud Sea Sect of the Azure Cloud Realm, he was probably the only disciple who had cultivated the Heaven-Observing Divine Eye. That made it easy for the sect to keep saddling him with the work.
That was why he had never brought it up himself. He could keep it under wraps for as long as possible.
He needed to raise his cultivation as quickly as he could. He didn't have to form a Nascent Soul; even reaching the Purple Mansion Realm sooner would make the situation entirely different.
A cultivator in the Dao Foundation Realm was merely a disciple, while one in the Purple Mansion Realm was an elder.
Then they would have to ask for his help instead of assigning him tasks.
But back to the point: although there were drawbacks, they would only make him handle a few trivial tasks. As a disciple of the Cloud Sea Sect, he enjoyed plenty of benefits, so it was only fair.
Thus, his current approach was simple: if someone asked, he would tell them; if they didn't, he wouldn't bring it up himself.
Seeing Chen Xuan nod, Li Junmo grew even more delighted.
"Brother Chen, you've probably already figured it out. I'd like to ask you to help me find some Heavenly Dao Qi."
Li Junmo said at once.
"Brother Li, regardless of whether I'm willing, the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm has restrictions. Disciples above the Spirit Sea Realm aren't allowed to enter."
Chen Xuan said.
"I know. But every so often, the sect sends its core disciples to inspect the three Heavenly Dao Secret Realms and check for any monsters above the second tier. If they find any, they clear them out.
"This inspection isn't a particularly desirable task. As long as you sign up, you can almost always take part. So..."
Li Junmo did not continue.
Chen Xuan already understood what Li Junmo had in mind. He wanted him to join the inspection so he could use the Heaven-Observing Divine Eye to search for Heavenly Dao Qi.
It was a good idea, but... surely he couldn't help for nothing.
He and Li Junmo did get along fairly well, but they weren't close enough for that.
Chen Xuan said nothing, and Li Junmo took the hint.
Li Junmo took out an ancient book that looked rather old.
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