OBS Chapter 1379 Late Foundation Establishment Stage!
Chapter 1379 Late Foundation Establishment Stage!
Chapter 1379 Late Foundation Establishment Stage!
In the Yuanwu Kingdom, a hundred miles outside the Tianxingzong market town, deep in the dense forest.
"Does the Fu family think they can just seize by trickery and disregard human life?" Qi Yunxiao leaned against a charred ancient tree, a pale yellow shield flickering violently and teetering in front of him, protecting him and the entrance to a hidden tree hole behind him. His face was ashen, blood still dripping from the corner of his mouth, his clothes torn, and his spiritual energy severely depleted. Through the thin shield, he glared and roared angrily at the three menacing Qi Refining stage cultivators from the Fu family outside.
Outside the protective barrier, three Fu family cultivators were grinning maliciously as they took turns wielding flying swords, long spears, and other magical artifacts, relentlessly bombarding the barrier and creating ripples and ear-piercing explosions. Each attack dimmed the barrier's light a little.
Just then, a haughty and sinister laugh came from the forest, carrying the unique pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, instantly enveloping the entire area: "How the Fu family acts is none of your business, junior! Besides, in the cultivation world, whoever has the bigger fist calls the shots. Even if we forcibly took your array diagram, so what?"
"Third Uncle!" The three Qi Refining cultivators were overjoyed upon hearing the voice and immediately withdrew their hands, looking respectfully towards the source of the sound.
A streak of azure sword light pierced through the branches and leaves, and a middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivator in brocade robes with an arrogant expression—"Fu Santong"—landed gracefully. His eyes were like lightning. He first glanced contemptuously at Qi Yunxiao, who was barely breathing inside the protective barrier, and then stared greedily at the intricately functioning barrier.
One of the Fu family members, who was at the twelfth level of Qi Refining, immediately stepped forward and pointed at the protective barrier, saying, "Third Uncle, you've come at the right time! This kid is relying on this tortoise shell formation, and it took the three of us brothers a lot of effort to break through it! He's simply courting death!"
Fu Santong's eyes were practically overflowing with greed as he clicked his tongue in amazement: "What do you guys know! This 'Inverted Five Elements Formation' is known as the 'Minor Forbidden Formation' among formations. It combines defense, trapping, and illusion into one, with endless wonders! If this kid hadn't been so stingy, using only low-grade spirit stones to set up the formation, which reduced its power to less than one-tenth, even if I were to come in person, it would take me quite a bit of effort to break it!"
He stepped forward, his powerful Foundation Establishment stage aura crashing down on Qi Yunxiao within the protective barrier like a tidal wave: "Boy, if you know what's good for you, obediently hand over the complete blueprint of the 'Inverted Five Elements Formation.' Out of pity for the formation, I might spare your life and let you go. Otherwise…"
Qi Yunxiao was almost suffocating under the pressure of the Foundation Establishment stage, and his injuries worsened. However, an indomitable flame burned in his eyes as he coughed up blood and hissed, "Don't even think about it! Even if I die, I will never hand it over to you shameless scoundrels who bully others and are ruthless and unjust!"
"You're asking for it!" Fu Santong's greed instantly turned into rage, his killing intent chilling. "You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences! Once I shatter your shell, I'll extract your soul and refine it, ensuring you're never reincarnated! I'll show you the price of offending the Fu family!"
Having said that, he stopped wasting words, his hands flashing through his fingers like lightning, and he shouted sharply, "Hurry!"
The crimson flying sword artifact hovering in front of him hummed and trembled, its blade instantly expanding into a giant flaming sword over ten feet long. Blazing flames coiled around it, radiating terrifyingly high temperatures that could melt metal and iron, along with a sharp sword aura. With the power to split mountains and shatter rocks, it fiercely slashed at the already dimmed Inverted Five Elements Array shield!
Boom - boom -! ! !
A deafening roar erupted, and violent sword energy and fragments of energy from the shattered protective shield scattered everywhere, snapping the surrounding trees.
"Crack... Snap..." The array plate in front of Qi Yunxiao emitted a series of shattering sounds as it struggled under the immense pressure. Then, the pale yellow protective shield, riddled with spiderweb-like cracks, crumbled completely into countless specks of light with a "whoosh," vanishing without a trace. The powerful recoil sent Qi Yunxiao flying, crashing into the ancient tree behind him. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, utterly powerless to resist, his eyes filled with despair.
"It's done!" The three Qi Refining cultivators from the Fu family cheered with joy.
"Haha, Third Uncle is truly amazing! A Foundation Establishment cultivator's move is indeed extraordinary!"
"That's right! Third Uncle's Crimson Fire Sword Technique is renowned throughout the entire Yuanwu Kingdom!"
Fu Santong listened to the flattery with a smug look on his face. He manipulated the giant flaming sword to hover above Qi Yunxiao's head, the tip of the sword pointing directly at his brow. He grinned and said, "Boy, it's too late to regret it now! The array diagram and your life are mine!"
As he spoke, the giant sword was about to fall.
At this critical moment!
"Heh, the Fu family, how impressive!" A cold, mocking voice echoed like a ghost above Fu Santong's head!
"Who?!" Fu Santong was so shocked that his scalp tingled, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head! To be able to sneak up to such a close distance without him noticing, the person's cultivation level must be far superior to his! He no longer cared about killing Qi Yunxiao. Almost instinctively, he waved his hand, and the giant flaming sword instantly shrank and flew back, forming a crimson sword screen around his body. He looked up in surprise and uncertainty.
"Fellow Daoist Zhang!!" Upon hearing the voice, Qi Yunxiao, who was lying on the ground, suddenly felt an unbelievable surge of joy in his despairing eyes and cried out. Amidst the swaying shadows of the trees, a figure in a green robe gracefully descended—it was Qin Hao, who had arrived aboard the "Ink Dragon Boat"! His expression was calm, but his eyes were like icy blades as he swept over the Fu family members.
Fu Santong saw that the newcomer was just an ordinary-looking young man, and he was surprised and suspicious. However, when he sensed the other party's profound and abyss-like magical power fluctuations, which far surpassed his own, his heart sank and his face turned ashen. The three Qi Refining stage Fu family disciples did not notice much. They were used to being domineering and arrogant, and with the support of a Foundation Establishment "expert," they did not take Qin Hao seriously at all.
One of them, a cultivator at the twelfth level of Qi Refining, was eager to show off and pointed at Qin Hao, shouting, "Hey kid! The Fu family is here on business. If you know what's good for you, get out of here! Otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?" A red glint flashed in Qin Hao's eyes.
The words have not yet been spoken!
A streak of dark red light, as fast as lightning! Surpassing the limits of visual perception!
laugh--!
Like the soft sound of tearing silk.
The arrogance on the face of the Qi Refining Level 12 cultivator froze instantly, replaced by bewilderment and terror. His body had been silently severed at the waist! The cut was charred and smooth, and blood gushed out afterward. The corpse fell to the ground with a thud.
"...Are you going to kill me too?" Qin Hao's cold, playful voice finally rang out, like the whisper of death.
Dead!
The fierce expressions on the faces of the remaining two Qi Refining cultivators from the Fu family instantly turned into boundless fear. Their legs trembled violently as they retreated repeatedly. The Crimson Soul Blade was already hovering beside Qin Hao, radiating a chilling aura.
Fu Santong's face turned deathly pale, his lips trembling slightly. Fast! Too fast! That was definitely a top-tier magic weapon! The opponent's strength far exceeded his expectations! He suppressed his fear and shouted, his voice trembling with fear, "Your methods are far too ruthless! Do you really think the Fu family has no one to rely on?!"
Qi Yunxiao struggled and angrily retorted: "Hmph! Ruthless? Weren't you ruthless when you ganged up on us to seize the treasure? Now you're talking about reason!"
Fu Santong choked, his facial muscles twitching: "This...maybe it's a misunderstanding..."
"Misunderstanding?" Qin Hao's lips curled into a cold smile: "No, Fellow Daoist Fu, you were right about something earlier. In the cultivation world, whoever has the biggest fist calls the shots."
His eyes flashed with a cold light: "In that case, let's let our fists decide!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Hao patted the storage bag at his waist with his right hand!
call out! call out! call out! call out! call out!
Five gleaming command flags flew out in succession, growing larger in the wind! They transformed into five array flags, each over ten feet tall, and with mysterious trajectories, they instantly pierced the ground, covering an area of several miles around where Fu Santong, the remaining two Qi Refining cultivators, and Qi Yunxiao were located!
Om-!
An invisible barrier instantly forms! Isolating the inside from the outside! The Inverted Five Elements Formation reappears!
Fu Santong's face turned deathly pale, and he exclaimed in shock, "Does Your Excellency truly intend to become a mortal enemy of the Fu family?!"
The remaining two Fu family cultivators collapsed to the ground, utterly terrified.
"That would only work if the Fu family knew I was the one who killed him!" Qin Hao's voice was calm, yet chilling.
As the last word fell, a murderous glint flashed in Qin Hao's eyes!
One red! One green!
Two deadly beams of light suddenly shone!
Crimson Soul Blade! Venomous Fang Dagger!
Driven by the divine sense and magical power of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, a top-tier magical artifact unleashed terrifying power!
puff!puff!
A slight puncture sound was heard.
The protective auras of the two Qi Refining cultivators shattered like paper. One had a charred hole in his chest, and the other had a dark green stain spreading from his throat! They died instantly!
"Ahhhhhhh!!!" Fu Santong roared, his eyes wide with rage! His survival instinct kicked in! He frantically pounded on the storage bag!
A small bronze shield! An earthen-yellow seal! A tortoise-shell spirit tablet! A golden talisman!
Layer upon layer of spiritual light shields, earthen walls, and golden light enveloped him like a giant, luminous cocoon!
"Mid-Foundation Establishment! You're in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage!" Fu Santong roared, filled with fear and despair.
Qin Hao's eyes were filled with disdain: "So afraid of death? Too bad, no matter how many tortoise shells you have, they're useless!"
"Fellow Daoist! Let's talk this out! I'm willing..." Fu Santong was terrified and tried to beg for mercy.
"Too late!" Qin Hao interrupted coldly.
Two beams of light, one red and one green, streaked across the air without stopping, tracing a deadly intersection before crashing into the heavy defenses!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Crack! Crack...
The Crimson Soul Blade's violent blade energy tore through the earthen wall and the golden light barrier! The Poison Fang Dagger, like a leech, frantically corroded the tortoise shell and the small shield's aura with its dark green poison!
"what--!!!"
A piercing scream echoed through the magic array! Fu Santong finally saw the two top-tier magic artifacts clearly—a crimson dagger and a dark green dagger! The shadow of death loomed.
*Pfft! Sizzle!*
The Crimson Soul Blade pierced through the final protective shield and plunged into Fu Santong's chest! Two Poison Fang Daggers simultaneously pierced through his ribs and back!
Fu Santong's body stiffened, his eyes filled with resentment, fear, and disbelief. He looked down at the bloody hole in his chest and the spreading dark green, his throat making a hoarse sound before he collapsed to the ground. His skin quickly turned bluish-black and swollen, emitting a foul stench.
The battle ended cleanly and decisively. Qin Hao remained indifferent, beckoning to retrieve his magical artifact. With a thought, four storage bags flew into his hand. He flicked his finger, and tiny, bluish-white flames landed on the four corpses.
lol...
In an instant, the corpse turned to ashes and vanished with the wind. The Inverted Five Elements Array Flags were also retrieved.
"Fellow Daoist Zhang... no... senior..." Qi Yunxiao struggled to his feet, his gaze towards Qin Hao filled with awe and gratitude.
Qin Hao put away the storage bag and smiled gently: "Fellow Daoist Qi, we are old acquaintances and friends, so we can address each other as equals."
Looking at the unfathomable Qin Hao, and then thinking about his own stagnant cultivation, Qi Yunxiao smiled wryly and said, "It's been a few years since we last met. Fellow Daoist Zhang's cultivation has improved so much. I am ashamed."
"Fellow Daoist Qi is focused on formations. In this regard, I am no match for you. If it weren't for your concerns, Foundation Establishment would be no difficult task for you," Qin Hao teased.
Qi Yunxiao blushed deeply.
Qin Hao said seriously, "This place is not safe to stay for long. Fellow Daoist Qi, do you have a safe place to stay?"
Qi Yunxiao suddenly realized: "That's right! Miss Xin is still waiting for me! Fellow Daoist Zhang, please come with me!" He suppressed his injuries.
Qin Hao nodded, and with a thought, the jet-black, sleek "Ink Dragon Boat" silently glided to a low altitude: "Brother Qi is injured, let's board the boat."
……
A hundred miles away, deep in a desolate mountain where spiritual energy is scarce, the Ink Dragon Boat silently landed on the edge of a thick, gray-white mist halfway up the mountain. The mist churned, with faint traces of spiritual light from array formations circulating within.
"We've arrived, Fellow Daoist Zhang. Miss Xin is inside." Qi Yunxiao pointed to the mist, as if to retrieve a communication talisman.
"Brother Qi, wait a moment." Qin Hao raised his hand to stop him, his eyes flashing with interest: "This formation seems quite interesting. Let me try to find a way in and enter, as a kind of formation simulation exercise."
Qin Hao stood before the mist, his eyes slightly closed, his mid-Foundation Establishment stage divine sense probing into the mist like invisible tentacles. The AI was operating at high speed, a massive stream of data flowing through it, rapidly analyzing, modeling, and deducing the trajectory of spiritual energy flow, energy node distribution, and patterns of change within the mist.
"The Kan position is empty, the Li position is real, and the Gen position has a hidden life gate... The core array eye is hidden in the Xun position where the wind eyes converge..." Qin Hao muttered to himself, his fingers swiftly tapping in the void, and streams of pure magic power, like carving knives, precisely injected into several hidden nodes in the mist that were difficult for ordinary people to detect.
The swirling mist, seemingly manipulated by an invisible hand, began to surge and dissipate rhythmically. Qin Hao's movements were fluid and graceful; his fingers, like a sword, gently touched a rotating, invisible vortex of energy at the core of the mist!
A beam of concentrated magical energy shot out precisely!
hum!
A slight humming sound was heard.
The next moment, the thick fog in front of me, like a stage curtain, silently parted to the left and right, revealing a clear path about ten feet wide.
At the end of the path, two simple wooden houses, their rustic design almost blending into the mountainside, came into view. Before the houses stood a slender, elegant figure—Xin Ruyin. Her pale face showed surprise, clearly astonished that the formation had been broken so quickly. Her maid, Xiaomei, stood by her side.
"Miss Xin!" Qi Yunxiao exclaimed excitedly.
"Fellow Daoist Zhang, Young Master Qi, you..." Xin Ruyin frowned and asked worriedly when she saw Qi Yunxiao seriously injured and in a disheveled state, and Qin Hao was unfathomable.
Qi Yunxiao stepped forward with a wry smile and quickly recounted how the Fu family forcibly seized the formation, besieged him, and how Qin Hao appeared in time to kill the Fu family cultivators, including Fu Santong, who was in the Foundation Establishment stage. He emphasized Qin Hao's life-saving grace.
Xin Ruyin listened quietly, her face growing paler. When she heard that a Foundation Establishment cultivator had actually made a move, she couldn't help but cough twice, covering her mouth as she said, "Cough...cough...Young Master Qi, why...why are you taking such a risk for me? That thousand-year-old spiritual herb is already..."
"Miss Xin!" Qi Yunxiao interrupted urgently, "Your body! Without a thousand-year-old elixir to balance your yin and yang, you won't last much longer! How can I..."
Qin Hao's gaze fell on Xin Ruyin. His keen senses detected that although the magical power in her body was more abundant than before, the two conflicting yin and yang energies were like an out-of-control torrent, violently impacting her fragile meridians and life essence. Her condition was much worse than it had been a few years ago.
He sighed softly, with regret: "In the end, Miss Xin still failed to heed my advice from back then."
Xin Ruyin put down the handkerchief, revealing a helpless bitter smile: "Ahem... I've disappointed Fellow Daoist Zhang. Some time ago, I happened to obtain a fragment of an ancient formation manual, exquisitely crafted, and I became so engrossed in deducing it... Who knew that I would unwittingly break through a bottleneck? However, this breakthrough... has become a death knell, causing a complete imbalance and eruption of Yin and Yang energies..."
She spoke calmly, as if she were talking about someone else.
Qin Hao remained silent. The breakthrough that cultivators dream of is a deadly poison for the Dragon Roar Body; fate is cruel.
"Fellow Daoist Zhang, please stop speaking ill of me." Xin Ruyin looked at Qin Hao with clear, insightful eyes: "Fellow Daoist has successfully established his foundation and possesses profound cultivation. Your visit to Yuanwu was not solely to visit you. Is there anything I can do to help you?"
Qin Hao smiled frankly: "Miss Xin has discerning eyes." He flipped his hand, and a jade slip appeared, which he handed over: "This item concerns what I, Zhang, seek, and should also be able to resolve your doubts, Miss."
Xin Ruyin took the jade slip and placed it on her forehead. A few breaths later, her eyes suddenly blazed with brilliant light, and her fingers trembled slightly with excitement: "This is... an ancient teleportation array?!"
She quickly became engrossed in it, deducing the complex and profound array patterns, runes, and energy circuits... The more she understood, the more shocked she became.
After a moment, Xin Ruyin put down the jade slip, looked at Qin Hao, and said with absolute certainty, "Although this array diagram is incomplete, the core structure and spatial anchor point deduction ideas... Fellow Daoist Zhang, do you want me to completely repair it?"
Qin Hao nodded solemnly: "Indeed! Miss Xin's array formations are profound, and your words hit the nail on the head. I wonder if you are confident in restoring it?"
"Miss Xin, your health is in danger!" Qi Yunxiao interrupted urgently, his face full of concern.
Xin Ruyin gently shook her head at him, her gaze returning to the jade slip, her fingertips softly stroking it, her eyes becoming incredibly resolute: "It's alright. Everyone dies eventually. To have encountered such a wondrous array containing the ancient spatial Dao's legacy in this life is truly fortunate! My lifelong wish is to have seen all the wondrous arrays in the world and to thoroughly investigate the origins of array formations. If I could personally restore this array, I might glimpse a trace of the ultimate principles of heaven and earth..."
She raised her eyes and looked at Qin Hao, a relieved smile appearing on her pale face: "...Even if I die from exhaustion, it will be a worthy death, and I will have no regrets in this life."
Looking at the frail woman before him, willing to burn her life for the Dao of Array Formations, Qin Hao felt a surge of intense admiration and emotion. If not for the limitations imposed by her Dragon Roar Physique, her achievements would be limitless!
“Miss Xin, there’s no need to be pessimistic.” Qin Hao said in a deep voice, “I received definite news a few days ago that a thousand-year-old spiritual herb may have appeared in the nearby ancient ruins. The location has been roughly pinpointed, and I’m about to go and investigate. If we are fortunate enough to find it, it will be your reward for repairing this formation. What do you say?”
"A thousand-year-old elixir?!" Qi Yunxiao was overjoyed.
Xin Ruyin shook her head and smiled bitterly: "I appreciate your kindness, Fellow Daoist Zhang. But how precious are thousand-year-old spiritual herbs? And how dangerous are these ruins? You have already saved me once; there is no need for you to risk your life for someone like me who is nearing death..."
"If Fellow Daoist Zhang doesn't mind my low cultivation level..." Qi Yunxiao wanted to offer his help.
Qin Hao raised his hand to interrupt the two, his tone resolute: "There's no need to say more about this. If we find it, it's an opportunity; you can accept it to heal my injuries and then repair the array for me. If we don't find it, it's fate. Miss Xin, just focus on studying the array diagram first. Is that alright?"
Looking into Qin Hao's sincere and determined eyes, Xin Ruyin ultimately couldn't bring herself to refuse. She bowed deeply.
"Regardless of the outcome, Ruyin...thanks to Fellow Daoist Zhang for saving my life!"
……
Half a month later.
Inside Xin Ruyin's wooden house, her face was deathly pale, her eyes sunken, yet her spirit was unusually high. She solemnly handed a warm jade slip to Qin Hao, her voice weak but light: "Fellow Daoist Zhang, I have not failed you! The critical node circuit deviation has been repaired. With this improved array arrangement, the restoration rate... should be over 90%! Teleportation should be no problem!"
Qin Hao took the jade slip, and the AI instantly completed the calculation and verification—restored to 95.7% accuracy! Safe transmission conditions met!
"Excellent! Miss Xin's talent in array formations is truly unparalleled in my life." Qin Hao sincerely cupped his hands, feeling relieved. The ancient teleportation array was now in place, which not only meant a way out, but also a wealth of opportunities and monster materials in the Chaotic Star Sea.
Xin Ruyin leaned back weakly in her chair, a satisfied smile on her face.
Qin Hao did not linger and steered the ink dragon boat towards Yellow Maple Valley.
Yellow Maple Valley, Han Li's Cave.
"Junior Brother Han, how have you been?" Qin Hao said with a smile, looking at Han Li, who had a calm demeanor.
"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. I'm doing well," Han Li replied humbly, then took out ten jade bottles: "Senior Brother, this is the first batch of 'Solidifying Essence Pills.' I've refined ten bottles, and the quality is acceptable... As for the Inverted Five Elements Formation..."
His eyes were full of anticipation.
Qin Hao took the jade bottle and glanced at it. The pills were plentiful and had a subtle fragrance, indicating they were of superior quality. After putting them away, he smiled and said, "The formation is here."
He handed over a complete set of the Five Elements Reversal Array flags, array plate, and jade slip containing the control diagram.
Han Li accepted it as if it were a priceless treasure, carefully examining each rune: "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother! With this array protecting me, I can cultivate with peace of mind!"
"Junior brother, please wait a moment to thank me." Qin Hao's expression suddenly became serious. He raised his hand to set up a soundproof array and lowered his voice: "I have something very important to discuss with you, concerning our lives and fortunes."
Han Li's heart skipped a beat: "Senior brother, please speak!"
Qin Hao looked directly into his eyes: "Junior brother, do you know about... the ancient teleportation array?"
"An ancient teleportation array?" Han Li was shocked. "Is the ancient teleportation array that my senior brother is talking about, which can traverse 100,000 miles and has long since disappeared?"
Based on his understanding of Qin Hao, he knew that the other party never spoke without a purpose, and since he brought it up, there must be relevant clues.
Qin Hao nodded slightly: "I did discover a damaged ancient teleportation array by chance."
"Incomplete?" Han Li was pleasantly surprised but also couldn't help but feel regretful: "Is there any way to repair it?"
“There is indeed a way. I found a master of formations who can repair this formation, but his price is extremely high. I can meet the other requirements, but he also wants a thousand-year-old spiritual herb…”
Upon hearing that he needed a thousand-year-old spiritual herb, Han Li immediately became wary. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he had a deeper understanding of the value of a thousand-year-old spiritual herb. Moreover, even if the ancient teleportation array was repaired, it was still unknown where he would be teleported to, making the risk too great.
Qin Hao naturally understood what Han Li was thinking, so he said in a deep voice, "Junior Brother Han, to be honest, I have recently received some news that the cultivation world of Yue Kingdom is probably not going to be peaceful for much longer."
"Does Senior Brother have any basis for his statement?"
"Junior brother, have you ever heard of the Six Sects of the Demonic Path?"
Han Li's heart tightened: "Of course I've heard of it, but the Six Sects of the Demonic Path are separated from the Yue Kingdom by the Jiang Kingdom and the Cheqi Kingdom. If the Six Sects of the Demonic Path make a move, surely the Seven Sects wouldn't be completely unaware of it?"
"Junior brother, you may not know this, but a thousand years ago, the six sects of the demonic path and the righteous alliance fought an epic war. As a result, both sides were severely injured. Other forces that had been affiliated with both sides took this opportunity to become independent. Many of the seven sects of our Yue Kingdom have intricate connections with the six sects of the demonic path."
“Now, both the Six Demonic Sects and the Righteous Alliance have undergone a thousand years of recuperation and their strength has returned to its peak, or even surpassed it. If the two sides reach some kind of tacit agreement and each expand their territory separately, how long do you think the Jiang Kingdom and the Cheqi Kingdom can hold out with the strength of the Six Demonic Sects?”
Han Li's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, but he still gritted his teeth and said, "Even so, the seven factions of Yue Kingdom may not be unable to fight them..."
"Putting aside the gap in strength between the Seven Sects and the Six Demonic Sects, even if the two sides fight to a standstill, wouldn't it be us, the lower and middle-level disciples, who end up getting hurt?"
After listening to Qin Hao's analysis, Han Li felt a chill run down his spine. Yes, this kind of war of attrition would be a catastrophe for cultivators like them who had no background.
"Does Senior Brother mean you want to take advantage of the chaos to use the ancient teleportation array to escape the sect?"
Qin Hao nodded slightly: "Once the great battle breaks out, only the ancient teleportation array can ensure our safe retreat!"
"To be honest, senior brother, I did buy a thousand-year-old spiritual herb at an underground trade fair a few days ago..." Han Li flipped his hand, and an exquisite wooden box slowly flew towards Qin Hao.
"Good, with this thousand-year-old elixir, the ancient teleportation array can surely be repaired. Junior brother, please wait for my good news."
"I await your good news!"
……
Half a month later, in the Yuanwu Kingdom, at Xin Ruyin's residence.
Qin Hao handed the exquisite wooden box, which exuded pure wood-attribute spiritual energy and a gentle medicinal fragrance, to Xin Ruyin: "Miss Xin, I have not failed you. The thousand-year-old spiritual medicine is here."
Xin Ruyin looked at the wooden box, then at Qin Hao's travel-worn but determined face. A complex expression finally appeared on her pale face, a mixture of shock, gratitude, and a glimmer of hope for survival.
She solemnly accepted the wooden box, her voice trembling slightly: "Fellow Daoist Zhang... I cannot express my gratitude enough. I, Ruyin, will do my utmost to repair the teleportation array core as soon as possible!"
Qin Hao smiled and nodded: "Thank you for your trouble, young lady. I have other matters to attend to, so I will not trouble you any further. Please take care of yourself."
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Zhang! That's wonderful, Miss Xin! You're finally saved!" Qi Yunxiao was as happy as a child, dancing with joy.
……
Qingxu Gate, Qin Hao's Cave.
Upon his return, Qin Hao immediately announced that he needed to go into seclusion to study the art of talismans and declined all visitors. The heavy stone door slammed shut, isolating the inside from the outside.
Inside the cave, he quickly took out the newly acquired "Solidifying Essence Pill." This pill is of great benefit to Foundation Establishment cultivators in stabilizing their cultivation and enhancing their magical power. He swallowed one pill first and then sat cross-legged in the center of the quiet room.
hum!
A small spirit-gathering array was activated, drawing in dense spiritual energy from the earth's veins to form a faint spiritual mist that enveloped Qin Hao.
He closed his eyes and concentrated, circulating the "Purple Gold Sky-Splitting Technique." Within his dantian, liquid mana began to flow at an accelerated pace. Simultaneously, his intelligent brain activated, its powerful deductive abilities precisely guiding the medicinal power and the spiritual energy gathered by the spirit-gathering array, refining, purifying, and integrating it into his own liquid true essence like the most sophisticated instrument.
Liquid true essence slowly rotated within his dantian, like a deep vortex, gradually growing stronger and becoming more viscous and pure. The barrier of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage began to loosen under the constant erosion of this pure mana. Time flowed silently in the midst of this cultivation.
……
Four years have passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, Deacon Liu arrived outside Qin Hao's cave with a bag of talisman-making materials. As usual, he prepared to place the materials next to the array, but suddenly sensed a powerful aura emanating from the cave—a powerful and refined aura, far surpassing that of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
Deacon Liu was greatly shocked and hurriedly knocked on the stone door of the cave: "Junior Brother Zhang... no, Senior Brother Zhang! You... you have actually broken through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment?"
He could barely discern Qin Hao's cultivation level before, but now he could only feel the pressure emanating from the other party, and couldn't even see through his specific realm. Clearly, Qin Hao's cultivation level had far surpassed his own.
The stone gate slowly opened, and Qin Hao stepped out, dressed in a blue Taoist robe, with a calm expression and a faint golden spiritual aura surrounding him—a sign of the late Foundation Establishment stage.
He smiled and said, "Senior Brother Liu, please excuse my poor performance. I was fortunate enough to break through the bottleneck during my four years of seclusion."
Deacon Liu looked at Qin Hao with shock in his eyes—from the early stage of Foundation Establishment to the late stage of Foundation Establishment in just eight years, such a cultivation speed was already comparable to that of a Heavenly Spiritual Root! He quickly bowed and said, "Senior Brother Zhang's talent is outstanding, which is a blessing to our Qingxu Sect! If our Sect Leader knew about this, he would be overjoyed."
Qin Hao smiled without saying a word. His cultivation had improved so quickly, which was probably not what that sect leader senior brother wanted to see.
The main hall of Qingxu Gate.
When Xuanzhen Daoist saw Qin Hao, the smile on his face froze instantly, and it took several breaths before he regained his smile.
"Four years have passed since we last met, and Junior Brother Zhang has made another breakthrough. Even someone with a Heavenly Spiritual Root would find it difficult to achieve such progress."
Qin Hao smiled and said, "Senior Brother Sect Leader is too kind. I just happened to purchase a batch of Qi-stabilizing pills before going into seclusion, which is why my cultivation has improved. How can it be compared to a Heavenly Spiritual Root?"
"The Qi-Strengthening Pill? Junior Brother, you are truly fortunate. Such a spiritual pill is extremely rare and hard to come by."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Xuanzhen Daoist finally couldn't help but ask, "Junior Brother, have you made any progress in the art of talismans during your four years of seclusion?"
"Thanks to my senior brother's concern, the success rate of the Golden Blade Storm Talisman has reached 10%. In addition, I have also improved the fire attribute 'Exploding Flame Talisman,' but unfortunately the success rate has not yet reached 10%."
After receiving the "Exploding Flame Talisman," Xuanzhen Daoist slowly infused it with his magic power, and instantly a burst of fire-attribute magic power was activated.
"Good, good! Junior brother's improved 'Explosive Flame Talisman' has not only increased its power by nearly 30%, but also increased the attached explosive burning effect by 20%, which is almost as powerful as a mid-level talisman."
"Junior brother, for the time being, you should stay in the sect and make talismans. If it is not necessary, you should not leave the sect for the time being."
Qin Hao's heart skipped a beat, but on the surface he pretended to be clueless: "Sect Leader, why is that?"