Seven-Element Foundation Casting Method

When Lin Yun returned to his rented apartment, it was already late at night.

He had just finished showering when his phone buzzed. A transfer of two million had come through, accompanied by a text from an unknown number.

"Young Master Lin, everything has been cleaned up. The Wang Family will never trace it back to you. We also cashed in their valuables and scraped together two million. Please check it."

There was no need to guess—it was Gray Bro.

Lin Yun tapped his screen, transferred one million back, and replied, "Good work. This is your payment."

The other side quickly sent a clasped-fists emoji. "You're too generous, Young Master Lin! If you need anything in the future, just give the word. My brothers and I will go through fire and water for you!"

Lin Yun did not reply again.

After all, he had only been able to make Gray Bro work for him by borrowing the Su family's influence. It was better to keep clear boundaries.

As for that one million, Wang Dalong had nearly taken his life. He could consider it interest.

Lin Yun glanced at his account balance. With this additional million, his total assets had reached 6.8 million.

He had more or less enough money now. Next, he needed to find a suitable heavenly-tier foundational cultivation method and prepare for extreme foundation establishment.

But Azure City was only a third-tier city with limited resources. Ordinary yellow-tier and profound-tier techniques were everywhere, while even earth-tier ones had to be obtained through auctions, much less heavenly-tier techniques.

Techniques of that level were generally held tightly by major families and top martial arts schools. They would never make their way onto the market.

Just as he was thinking, his phone buzzed again.

It was Su Nianhe's reply.

"As long as you're safe, that's all that matters. The family is in closed intensive training right now, so I can't spare the time. When you get to the capital, I'll pick you up."

A selfie was attached beneath the message.

In the picture, Su Nianhe wore a simple fitted white training uniform. The loose strands of hair on her forehead were damp with sweat and stuck to her skin, while a faint flush from exercise tinged her healthy wheat-colored complexion. Her eyes curved into crescents as she raised a hand and waved briskly at the camera, her smile clean and gentle.

The background was a changing room, with long wooden benches and neat rows of metal lockers. Two girls around her age stood behind her, also dressed in training uniforms, smiling and waving at the camera in greeting, brimming with the vibrant energy of youth.

Lin Yun smiled knowingly when he saw the photo.

He wanted to ask whether she knew any leads on a heavenly-tier foundational cultivation method, but after considering it for a moment, he decided against it.

Su Nianhe could barely squeeze out time to reply to his messages. She had to be exhausted from being so busy, and he already owed her plenty of favors. There was no need to trouble her over this.

He had money anyway. He could find one himself.

The next day, Lin Yun went to the market in search of a heavenly-tier foundational cultivation method, but after spending the whole day combing through the entire market, he found nothing.

As the shop owners put it, even if they had heavenly-tier foundational cultivation methods, they would save them for the younger members of their own families. Why would they sell them?

At dusk, Lin Yun's phone suddenly started buzzing.

The caller ID showed Zhou Lei.

Lin Yun answered, and a hearty male voice came through.

"Brother Lin, this is Zhou Lei from the City Defense Army. The injuries I got a while back have mostly healed, and I never got the chance to thank you. Are you free tonight? Want to find a place and have a few drinks?"

"Sure. Captain Zhou, just pick the place."

Lin Yun agreed at once, his thoughts stirring.

Zhou Lei was a frontline captain in the City Defense Army. He had broad connections and many channels. Perhaps he knew where to find high-tier cultivation techniques.

That evening, Lin Yun followed the address to Veterans' Tavern in the south of the city.

The establishment was not large, and its decor was simple. Most of its patrons were retired City Defense Army soldiers, loud-voiced and full of lively warmth.

Zhou Lei was already waiting at a window seat, with two cold dishes laid out before him. The moment he saw Lin Yun enter, he rose and waved.

The bandages on his left arm had already been removed, leaving only a faint scar. He looked full of energy.

"Brother Lin, sit!" Zhou Lei filled his cup with liquor, raised his own glass, and said, "No need for more words. I'll drink first as a sign of respect!"

Zhou Lei tipped back his head and downed a cup of baijiu, then wiped his mouth. The two ate and chatted, talking about the mutated beasts in the fallen zones and the daily life of the City Defense Army. The atmosphere gradually grew more animated.

After several rounds of drinks, Lin Yun set down his chopsticks and got straight to the point. "Captain Zhou, there's something I'd like to ask you about. I'm stuck at the peak of the Martial Apprentice realm and preparing for extreme foundation establishment. I need a heavenly-tier foundational cultivation method. Do you know any reliable channels?"

Zhou Lei froze with his wine cup in hand, disbelief appearing on his face.

"Brother Lin, you want extreme foundation establishment?"

Dragon Nation had a billion martial artists, but probably fewer than a hundred thousand had achieved extreme foundation establishment.

Still, he understood. Lin Yun was only eighteen and already a peak Martial Apprentice. Naturally, he had ambitions of his own.

After weighing it for a moment, Zhou Lei said gravely, "That won't be easy to find. Azure City is only so big, and there aren't many techniques above earth-tier. Most of what circulates on the market are incomplete copies or fakes. They're real scams."

He paused and thought for quite some time before lowering his voice. "But I do know someone. He used to be an old quartermaster in the Jiangnan Military Department. His surname is Qin, and after retiring, he secluded himself here in Azure City. Every now and then, some quality goods come out of his hands. But he has a strange temper and only does business with acquaintances—he won't meet strangers. If you trust me, I can take you over tomorrow to try our luck."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Captain Zhou." Lin Yun nodded and raised his glass to toast Zhou Lei.

The next morning, Zhou Lei drove Lin Yun toward the west side of the city. After turning through a maze of streets, they entered an old residential neighborhood and finally stopped outside a single-story house with a small courtyard.

The courtyard gate was unlocked. Zhou Lei pushed it open and called out, "Old Qin, it's Little Zhou."

Some herbs were drying in the courtyard. An elderly man with graying hair sat in a wicker chair, wearing a faded shirt and rubbing an old pocket watch in his hand.

He looked up and swept his gaze over the two of them, lingering briefly on Lin Yun. His tone was calm.

"Brought a friend?"

"Old Qin, this is young friend Lin. Last time in District 33, he helped our City Defense Army rescue nearly a hundred civilians. He even defeated a peak first-tier mutated beast head-on and saved my life." Zhou Lei stepped forward and smiled. "He's stuck at the peak of the Martial Apprentice realm and wants extreme foundation establishment. I figured you might have a heavenly-tier foundational cultivation method here, so I brought him over."

After hearing about Lin Yun's deeds, Old Qin's expression softened somewhat. He put down his pocket watch, rose to his feet, and tipped his chin toward them.

"Come inside and talk."

The furnishings inside were simple. An old metal cabinet stood against the wall, secured with a lock.

Old Qin opened the cabinet, searched through it for a while, then took out three yellowed thread-bound books and laid them side by side on the table.

"All are low-grade heavenly-tier. Guaranteed authentic." Old Qin's voice remained flat as he pointed at the book on the far left. "The first, the Black-Yellow Blood Gathering Method. The most reliable standard option. Its blood and qi refinement is decent across the board—no real weaknesses, but no real strengths either. Five million."

He then pointed to the book in the middle.

"The second, the Sharp Gold Body Tempering Method. It leans toward the metal element. After foundation establishment, your blood and qi will be around forty percent stronger than that of an ordinary Martial Master. The drawback is that your foundation's attribute will be singular. When you break through to the Grandmaster realm in the future, unless you come across some opportunity, you'll only be able to cultivate metal-element qi transformation arts. 5.2 million."

The two cultivation methods lay before them, both rare treasures on the market. Zhou Lei nodded as he watched, feeling that either one would be sufficient.

As for what attribute of qi transformation art one would cultivate after breaking through to the Grandmaster realm, that was a matter for much later.

But Old Qin's finger stopped on the third book without immediately opening it.

He looked up at Lin Yun, his gaze growing more serious. "The third one, I hadn't planned to bring out. But since you saved Little Zhou, I'll give you one more option."

He opened the book. Five ancient characters were written on its cover: Seven-Element Foundation Casting Method.