Dissipating Cultivation

"Though classified as low heaven-tier, it was actually no worse than top heaven-tier." Elder Qin spoke unhurriedly, every word clear. "After successfully achieving extreme foundation establishment, you will possess foundations in seven attributes—metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, and lightning. Your blood and qi will be seventy percent more condensed than that of an ordinary Martial Master at the foundation establishment stage. When you break through to Grandmaster in the future, you will be able to directly cultivate qi-transformation arts of any attribute."

Zhou Lei's eyes went wide as he sharply inhaled. "That powerful? Then why is it only rated low heaven-tier?"

"Because the cultivation threshold is extraordinarily high." Elder Qin glanced at him and continued, "To achieve extreme foundation establishment with it, you must first dissipate your cultivation six times. You must disperse all your cultivation and start over. Every time you recultivate to the peak of the Martial Apprentice realm, your blood and qi condensation will increase by ten percent. Only after reaching the peak for the seventh time can you formally establish your foundation and break through."

The room fell silent at once.

The astonishment on Zhou Lei's face turned completely into disbelief. He blurted out, "Dissipate your cultivation six times?! How is that even possible?! It took me a full twenty years to reach the peak of the Martial Apprentice realm. Even if I retained my experience after dissipating my cultivation, recultivating six times would still take at least thirty or forty years, wouldn't it? This cultivation method is practically insane!"

He immediately turned to persuade Lin Yun.

"Brother Lin, this is far too risky. Extreme foundation establishment is already as difficult as ascending to the heavens. This is ten times harder than that. It would be safer to choose the first or second one."

Elder Qin said nothing. He merely watched Lin Yun and waited for his answer.

Anyone else would have backed down the moment they heard they had to dissipate their cultivation six times.

Yet Lin Yun's expression remained calm, even as stormy waves had long since surged within his heart.

Dissipating and recultivating was impossible for others, but for him, it was no problem at all.

With the system, as long as he had enough funds to exchange for blood and qi, returning to the peak of the Martial Apprentice realm would take no more than an instant.

Seven-attribute foundations, seventy percent greater blood and qi condensation, and the ability to cultivate qi-transformation arts of any attribute without obstruction after breaking through to the Grandmaster realm—this was practically a foundational cultivation method tailored specifically for him!

"I choose the third one."

Lin Yun spoke without the slightest hesitation.

Zhou Lei grew anxious. "Brother Lin, think it over again! This isn't something to take lightly!"

"I've thought it through."

Lin Yun looked at Elder Qin.

"How much?"

Elder Qin looked deeply at him, seemingly surprised and yet carrying a trace of approval.

"Five and a half million," he said. "I'm practically giving it away. If not for your courage, and because you helped Xiao Zhou, I might have kept it until I was in my grave."

Lin Yun did not bargain. He immediately took out his phone and transferred the money.

Elder Qin handed him the Seven-Element Foundation Casting Method and added one more warning.

"Don't force yourself. If you can't endure it, switch to another cultivation method. And don't spread this matter around."

"Understood."

Lin Yun carefully put away the cultivation manual and nodded.

When the two left the small courtyard, Zhou Lei was still muttering about how impulsive Lin Yun had been.

Lin Yun merely smiled without explaining further, then bid Zhou Lei farewell.

After returning to his rented apartment, Lin Yun closed the door and took out the yellowed cultivation manual.

He first calculated the time. There were exactly twenty-two days left until Imperial Capital First Martial Academy began classes.

Before leaving, he had to thoroughly master the Seven-Element Foundation Casting Method, complete at least one or two rounds of dissipating and recultivating, and lay a solid foundation. Only then could he keep pace with those top geniuses once he reached the Imperial Capital.

The text on its pages was ancient and obscure, while the meridian route diagrams were complex and intertwined. It was even more difficult to understand than the knowledge he had crammed while preparing for the academic exam.

An ordinary Martial Apprentice would need half a year just to comprehend the annotations.

Fortunately, Lin Yun had been Azure City's top liberal arts student. His memory and logical reasoning far surpassed those of ordinary people, and the more profound the content was, the more calmly he could break it down.

For the next eighteen days, Lin Yun shut himself indoors completely. His days were even more packed than when he had been preparing for the academic exam.

Before dawn, he rose to study the meridian circulation routes. In the afternoon, he worked through the dissipation incantation. At night, he meditated to familiarize himself with the patterns of blood and qi circulation.

The light in his room often remained on until the middle of the night. Half a basket of instant-food wrappers piled up on the table. Aside from the necessary eating and resting, he devoted all his energy to the cultivation method.

He was already exceptionally perceptive. A cultivation method that others would need half a year to study was completely mastered by him in just eighteen days.

On the evening of the eighteenth day, Lin Yun closed the Seven-Element Foundation Casting Method, a confident glint flashing through his eyes.

He entered the bathroom and filled the bathtub with cold water. Then he took off his shirt and sat down inside.

As the cold water rose to his chest, he closed his eyes and silently recited the dissipation incantation, guiding the blood and qi circulating through his body bit by bit toward the acupoints across his body.

Disperse.

With a low shout in his heart, the blood and qi that had been condensed like steel suddenly exploded, turning into countless streams of heat that crashed against his pores.

The cold water in the bathtub instantly churned and boiled as white mist billowed upward.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of muffled explosions rang out. Fine cracks spread from the bottom of the ceramic bathtub before the entire thing shattered apart.

The tiles around the sink were shaken loose by the shockwave, and even several shallow cracks spread across the bathroom walls.

Fortunately, the dissipation process passed without incident.

When the final trace of turbulence subsided, Lin Yun could clearly feel that the strength once filling his body had completely faded away. His blood and qi value had steadily fallen to zero.

At that moment, he was no different from an ordinary person who had never cultivated before.

Lin Yun did not waste any time. He immediately summoned the system panel and spent 990,000 to exchange for ninety-nine points of blood and qi.

Heat rose from within his body once more and flowed through familiar meridians. In mere moments, his cultivation returned to the peak of the Martial Apprentice realm.

He clenched his fists and could clearly sense that, despite still having ninety-nine points of blood and qi, its degree of condensation had increased by a full ten percent.

The force behind his punches was heavier, and his blood and qi circulated faster. His foundation had become far more solid than before.

Lin Yun stood up and looked at the wrecked bathroom, unable to stop himself from clicking his tongue.

He had already tried his best to restrain his strength, yet the aftermath of dissipating his cultivation had still been so destructive.

The blood and qi shock from the second dissipation would only be stronger. This ordinary apartment definitely would not withstand it.

After thinking for a moment, he remembered Su Nianhe's private martial arts gym.

Su Nianhe had long since asked Uncle Fu to prepare a key for him. It had dedicated training rooms and cooling chambers meant to buffer cultivation backlash, making it perfect for dissipating his cultivation.

Early the next morning, Lin Yun went to Su Nianhe's martial arts gym.

The training room was on the first basement level, reinforced for soundproofing and shock absorption. The silver-white cooling chamber at its center was a training device specially prepared for high-level martial artists.

Lin Yun climbed into the cooling chamber, adjusted the settings, and once again circulated the dissipation incantation.

The shock from the second dissipation was indeed several times fiercer than the first. Ripples spread across the chamber's surface, and even the surrounding air warped and trembled.

Fortunately, the device was built to a high standard. It withstood the impact steadily throughout, without suffering the slightest damage.

After the dissipation ended, Lin Yun pulled up his account and checked the remaining balance.

After buying the cultivation method, adding the emergency funds he had set aside earlier, and spending 990,000 on the first dissipation, he had just over 300,000 left.

He spent only 100,000 to exchange for ten points of blood and qi, raising his cultivation back to the first level of the Martial Apprentice realm. He kept the remaining 200,000 for emergencies.

With the degree of blood and qi condensation he had at the first level, along with Vajra Fist and Wind-Treading Step at mastery, dealing with an ordinary fourth-level Martial Apprentice would be more than easy.

Outside a fallen zone, he did not need to remain at peak condition. This much cultivation was enough for daily needs.

As for the rest, it would not be too late to slowly make it back after he enrolled in the Imperial Capital.

The day before classes began, Lin Yun woke before dawn.

He took three incense sticks from the cabinet, lit them, and placed them in the incense burner on the living room table. Then he stood quietly for a while before the memorial photo of his older brother, Lin Hai.

Brother, I'm going to the Imperial Capital.

Once I find my footing, I'll bring you there.

He murmured the words in his heart, bowed deeply, then picked up his packed backpack and left.