Entering Foundation Establishment

Moreover, now this rumor had reached him.

It seemed the higher-ups had already confirmed the location of that Minor Realm, and might even have entered it long ago.

"See? To encourage disciples to head over there, the higher-ups have opened a new land-reclamation system."

"After today, I'll go up front and earn some contribution points. I came over today to tell you about the handover."

Lu Qing's shock greatly satisfied Guo Yongheng's desire to show off. He was practically glowing with joy; it was obvious this senior brother truly wanted to go to the Demon-Slaying Battlefield at the front lines.

"Then I'll stay here and congratulate Senior Brother on getting his wish."

He knew that since Senior Brother Guo could head to the demon-slaying front and had even mentioned the Minor Realm, there was a good chance he would be among the batch entering it.

The Trial Micro-Realm from before had already been picked clean by the higher-ups, yet the things left behind had still opened Lu Qing's eyes.

If this Minor Thousandfold World truly had opportunities scattered everywhere, then that was no exaggeration.

With opportunities covering the ground, what disciple wouldn't want to enter first?

Lu Qing had no reason to bring up those dangers and worries. White Crane Boy was different from the senior brother before him; to put it bluntly, he and Senior Brother Guo weren't that familiar.

"Hahaha, thanks, thanks. I'm leaving today. It just so happens that handing things over here is the best final stop."

Watching the other man leave again, this time not for another Dao Peak but out through the Dao Academy's mountain gate—

A profound glint flashed through Lu Qing's eyes.

The ominous hexagram in his mind had yet to disappear.

That meant the minor disturbance would still happen, while the Greatly Ominous Hexagram continued to hover beyond the mountain gate.

"Seriously, can't one or two people just cultivate properly?"

But sometimes, when one's strength was too meager, all one could do when storms arrived was drift with the current.

He now only hoped there would be no problems at the demon-slaying front.

After all, the great backer behind him was the Profound Heaven Dao Academy.

If something truly went wrong, then when the nest overturned, no egg beneath it would remain whole.

His cultivation resources would certainly be slashed.

Lu Qing didn't want to borrow trouble.

The day after Senior Brother Guo left, a new senior brother arrived.

The man's expression was indifferent. He said little, merely checked the accounts, took inventory, completed the settlement, and turned to leave.

Lu Qing couldn't even find an opening to exchange a polite word.

That made sense. They were all cultivators, after all. Matters outside the body should naturally be handled as efficiently as possible.

And this was the cultivation world, where strength reigned supreme. Lu Qing's current cultivation was not worth anyone's notice.

As the days of cultivation deepened—

Lu Qing pressed his palm against the Foundation Establishment Spirit Item.

Inside the cultivation chamber, the Spirit-Gathering Array slowly turned. Countless strands of heaven and earth spiritual energy poured in through his crown, while the boundless misty Spiritual Power within his Dantian began to change.

The spirit item sank into his body and fell into his Dantian.

Then came a—drip!

A single sound.

His Spiritual Power liquefied, drip, drip.

Who knew how much time passed? The Spiritual Power that had previously filled his Dantian like mist vanished, replaced by a shallow golden lake. A faint point of golden light shimmered within it, pure and tranquil.

Lu Qing devoted his entire body and mind to Foundation Establishment.

An invisible aura emerged around him.

Lu Qing officially stepped into the Foundation Establishment realm. There were neither earth-shaking phenomena nor inner demons stirring his mind.

It was simply as calm as usual. He passed through this major cultivation realm without fanfare.

A force of the mind appeared within his Sea of Consciousness. Upon entering Foundation Establishment, he had given birth to Divine Consciousness.

Lu Qing released his Divine Consciousness. It was like his own eyes, sweeping out from the cultivation chamber, then into the courtyard, then across that plaza, before finally settling upon the Spirit Field in the rear courtyard.

Only when it touched an obstacle did Lu Qing realize this was the current limit of his Divine Consciousness.

Foundation Establishment, First Layer—achieved.

His Divine Consciousness returned. His foundation was tranquil, and shallow gold signified a high-grade foundation. Most people, upon first reaching this realm, only had a small pond of Spiritual Power. Lu Qing, however, possessed an entire lake. Compared to those at the same realm, his Spiritual Power was clearly far more abundant.

After four months of cultivation, Lu Qing had entered Foundation Establishment, First Layer. Such cultivation speed was already extremely fast. On the Immortal Path, one might advance quickly in the beginning, but later on, stepping into Foundation Establishment became a small threshold. Not everyone could break through it successfully.

After entering Foundation Establishment, he could also claim a Foundation Establishment reward.

Lu Qing didn't leave his Dao Peak. Instead, he claimed it through the Mission Hall within the Jade Token Space.

Because it was a universal benefit, the reward came in the form of contribution points.

That way, he wouldn't need to worry about consuming too many resources.

After Lu Qing completed the registration, the Mission Hall, once crowded with people, now seemed somewhat desolate.

His mind stirred, and he suddenly walked out of the cultivation chamber.

He entered the courtyard and raised his eyes toward the distance.

A trace of gravity appeared on his face.

Then, from afar, came a rumbling boom.

An incomparably distant sound.

Lu Qing could sense that it was definitely an aftershock caused by a battle between powerful experts.

Even separated by who knew how many billions of miles, it still made his heart tremble slightly.

One could only imagine the terrifying might of those fighting.

Today should have been a good day. Breaking through a realm was naturally a good thing.

But once that faint unease appeared, the smile vanished from Lu Qing's face.

He didn't know who was fighting.

But he looked at the Calamity Avoidance Panel in his mind, which transformed into white light and disappeared.

This meant that only now had his current predicament truly come to an end.

"So the minor disturbance was here."

Lu Qing sensed the commotion. His Dao Peak stood in a relatively remote area closer to the Outer Academy.

When that sound rang out just now, even the Dao Peak's formation had trembled.

Fortunately, this wasn't merely a single Dao Peak. Behind it stood the Profound Heaven Dao Academy.

Lu Qing saw several streaks of flying light rise from the depths of the main peak, their momentum soaring into the heavens. Then he saw endless spiritual radiance appear across countless mountain peaks.

In the distance, blood-red clouds filled the sky, thick and blazing like oil poured onto a raging fire.

"The formation has isolated the disturbance outside, preventing this place from being shaken."

"That direction is toward the Demon-Slaying Battlefield."

Where was the Demonic Path's nest located?

Over the past half month, disciples had long since shared the information in jade slips.

Quite a few people had also publicized the major events they had witnessed through jade slips.

Others were intelligence reports written in an official, businesslike tone.

"Of the twelve provinces in the Profound Heaven Domain, the Demonic Path's nest lies in Water Province. It has lakes and waterways year-round, with miasma hanging heavily everywhere."

"Demonic cultivators are vicious and ruthless, always adapting to circumstances. Who knew what methods they used in secret to spread word of the Minor Realm?"

"The Grand Heaven Domain closest to the Profound Heaven Domain—I'm afraid the Grand Heaven Dao Sect has already sent people over."

The value of a Minor Thousandfold World was enough to support a great sect.

For nurturing disciples, it was like adding wings to a tiger.

Lu Qing quickly learned all this with a sweep of the jade slips. There were also messages White Crane Boy had left for him.

After reaching the Demon-Slaying Battlefield, White Crane Boy shared some battlefield sights and stories every day.

Once Lu Qing finished cultivating, he would reply promptly.

Thus, though he had never reached the demon-slaying front line, Lu Qing had already heard many tales of blood and tears.

White Crane Boy: "It's too terrifying. Sure enough, you can't underestimate anyone under heaven. A massive explosion suddenly erupted today and detonated the Spirit Vein there. Countless people died."

Lu Qing: "They detonated the Spirit Vein? Didn't any elders step in to stop it?"

White Crane Boy: "There was no time. The demonic cultivators slaughtered each other, and there was already a grand formation beneath that area. Only the Demonic Path's core members knew about it. They fought to the death and exploded on the spot. Even the entrance to the Minor Realm was almost caught in it and destroyed—but inside the Minor Realm, heaven toppled and earth split..."

White Crane Boy was trembling with fear as he relayed the news he had heard.

Lu Qing felt lingering fear as well.

Could that first rumbling sound he had heard just now have been triggered by the explosion of the earth veins?

White Crane Boy didn't want to remain at the front any longer.

Message after message began appearing on the jade slip.

"Dead. So many people are dead."

"Sigh."

"So many geniuses are dead."