OBS Chapter 1374 Foundation Establishment Completed! (2 chapters combined into one, please subscribe and
Chapter 1374 Foundation Establishment Completed! (2 chapters combined into one, please subscribe and
Chapter 1374 Foundation Establishment Completed! (Two chapters combined, please subscribe and vote!)
Many disciples had already gathered in the square in front of the main hall of Qingxu Sect.
When Ancestor Fuyunzi descended from the sky with a few disciples in a beam of light, the many Qingxu Sect disciples who had been waiting there immediately erupted in commotion.
"Look, our grandmaster and the others are back!" someone with sharp eyes shouted first.
"Why are there so few people back?" someone asked, counting heads with a trembling voice.
"Hiss, I remember there were 25 senior brothers and sisters who went, right? But less than ten came back?" A young disciple gasped, his face turning pale.
"This blood-red forbidden area is too terrifying! Several senior brothers at the twelfth level of Qi Refining haven't returned!" The discussions were filled with disbelief and lingering fear.
The returning disciples, including Qin Hao, tried their best to remain calm, but the fatigue between their brows and the bloodstains or tattered clothes on their robes all indicated the danger and tragedy within the forbidden area.
Ancestor Fuyunzi's gaze was like lightning as he slowly swept over the group of disciples who had survived the calamity in front of him, especially lingering on Qin Hao for a moment.
His voice, booming like a bell, resonated throughout the entire square, drowning out all the noise: "The path of cultivation is inherently defying the heavens! Opportunities often coexist with life-or-death crises. You have already been blessed with great fortune and good luck to return alive from the Crimson Forbidden Land! Cherish this hard-won opportunity. After returning, put away your laziness, cultivate diligently, consolidate what you have gained on this journey, and strive to open the door to Foundation Establishment as soon as possible, so as not to have wasted this life-or-death journey!"
"Thank you for your teachings, Master! We will remember them!" Led by Qin Hao, the surviving disciples bowed deeply, their voices filled with the relief of surviving a calamity and their determination for the future.
Fu Yunzi nodded slightly. As everyone stood up to leave, he spoke again: "Zhang boy, you stay here."
Qin Hao paused, then stayed as instructed.
The other disciples glanced at him with complicated looks before leaving, leaving the plaza much emptier.
Fu Yunzi looked at the disciple in front of him who had performed the best in the Blood Forbidden Land and had helped him win two bets against Li Huayuan and Qiong Laoguai, and a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.
"You did very well on this trip to the Crimson Forbidden Land. You brought honor to the sect. Would you be willing to become my disciple?"
Qin Hao's mind raced. Becoming a disciple of the Golden Core Ancestor would drastically change his status within the Qingxu Sect, bringing preferential treatment in resources and powerful backing—the benefits were self-evident. After a brief hesitation, he decisively bowed and performed the disciple's salute: "Disciple greets Master!"
"Good!" Fu Yunzi smiled, clearly satisfied with Qin Hao's decisiveness. He flipped his hand, and a jet-black whisk, faintly shimmering with spiritual light, appeared in his palm. "This item is called the 'Mysterious Silk Whisk.' It was the first prototype of my natal magic weapon that I personally crafted after I established my foundation. Although it's not a talisman treasure, the materials used are of excellent quality, and it contains a trace of my true magical power. It combines offense and defense, and has many wonderful uses. Today I pass it on to you. I hope you will refine and use it well." With a gentle flick, the whisk floated towards Qin Hao.
Qin Hao respectfully accepted the whisk with both hands. It felt slightly heavy in his hand, cool yet smooth to the touch, and a pure and resilient aura subtly emanated from it—it was actually a top-tier magic artifact! Qin Hao inwardly sighed at the extraordinary skill of a Golden Core cultivator.
"Disciple thanks Master for the generous gift!"
"Hmm." Fu Yunzi nodded: "Foundation Building is the beginning of the Great Dao, and it is of utmost importance. Go back now, calm your mind and wait for the Foundation Building Pill to be produced. Once you have adjusted your condition to its peak, then make your breakthrough. Go."
"This disciple takes his leave." Qin Hao put away his Xuan Si whisk and turned to leave the square.
Back in the cabin, Qin Hao finally let out a long sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. The Crimson Forbidden Zone was fraught with danger at every turn. Although he had managed to escape with the help of the AI and careful preparation, the intense mental strain and the exhaustion from the repeated battles had been immense.
For several days in a row, Qin Hao secluded himself, cutting off all outside disturbances. He sat cross-legged in his quiet room, circulating the "Sharp Metal Technique," slowly breathing in and out spiritual energy, gradually soothing his mental fatigue and the restlessness of his internal magical power, striving to restore his body and mind to their most perfect state before taking the Foundation Establishment Pill to break through to a higher realm.
Half a month later, Qin Hao was full of energy, his eyes were sharp and his aura was harmonious. Only then did he leave the wooden house and head to the main hall of Qingxu Sect again.
Inside the hall, Daoist Xuanzhen was already waiting. Seeing Qin Hao's steady steps, composed demeanor, and the subtle refinement of his spiritual energy, he couldn't help but clap his hands and laugh heartily: "Nephew Zhang has recovered quite well. Your divine light is abundant, and your aura is full. It seems you have completely stabilized your peak Qi Refining realm and are ready to establish your foundation. I suppose next time we meet, I will have to address you as 'Junior Brother Zhang'?"
Qin Hao bowed respectfully, his expression calm and confident: "I am deeply grateful to my sect leader for bestowing upon me this rare opportunity. I will certainly do my utmost to live up to my sect leader's high expectations and to live up to this path of cultivation."
"Hmm, very good." Xuanzhen Daoist nodded approvingly, and with a slight lift of his hand, a delicate white jade bottle appeared in his palm.
"These are the Foundation Establishment Pills that the sect has refined this time. After deducting the share that needs to be handed over to the seven major sects, the remaining amount is limited. You made outstanding contributions in the Crimson Forbidden Land, returned the most spiritual herbs, and your merits are outstanding. In terms of morality, reason, and sect rules, you deserve this generous reward. Our sect has always been fair in rewards and punishments. You can take these two Foundation Establishment Pills!"
"Thank you for your generous gift, Master Uncle."
Taoist Xuanzhen waved with a smile: "Go, go, I wish you swift success!"
"This disciple takes his leave." Qin Hao put away the jade bottle, bowed deeply, and turned to leave the main hall.
Watching Qin Hao's tall, receding figure, the smile on Xuanzhen Daoist's face gradually faded, replaced by a look of solemnity and anticipation. He murmured to himself, his voice so soft that only he could hear, "Two Foundation Establishment Pills... With your talent in talismanic arts and your willpower and perseverance, that should be enough for you to open the gate to Foundation Establishment, right? Boy, you must not waste these two pills, and even more so, you must not disappoint the expectations of your ancestor and me..."
Emerging from the main hall, Qin Hao went straight to the weapon-refining hall without hesitation. Breaking through a cultivation realm is the most vulnerable time for a cultivator; their magical power condenses, their mind is completely focused, and their perception and defense against the outside world are at their lowest.
Although he kept a low profile in the Qingxu Sect and had not made any enemies, the saying "a common man is innocent, but he is guilty of possessing a treasure" still applies. The immense temptation of having two Foundation Establishment Pills was enough to make some people greedy.
The Earth Fire Chamber in the Refining Hall, with its interference from the power of earth fire and its strict restrictions, was the most ideal place he could find for secluded cultivation and breakthrough.
After paying enough spirit stones, Qin Hao was led into a separate earth fire chamber. The heavy stone door slammed shut, isolating him from the outside world.
The room was sweltering, and the crater emitted an orange-red glow. Without hesitation, Qin Hao patted his storage pouch at his waist, and five exquisitely crafted flags of different colors transformed into streams of light, silently disappearing into the rock strata of the walls and roof of the crater chamber, vanishing instantly. An invisible array of energy spread out, firmly enveloping the entire crater chamber!
With the Reversed Five Elements Formation protecting it, there should be no chance of failure.
After confirming that the formation was functioning correctly, Qin Hao walked to the center of the Earth Fire Chamber and sat down cross-legged. He took a deep breath of the hot, sulfurous air, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and his eyes became extremely focused.
With a flick of his wrist, the jade bottle containing two Foundation Establishment Pills reappeared.
Upon opening the bottle, an indescribable fragrance instantly filled the air; just one inhalation was enough to stir the magical power within one's body.
Without hesitation, Qin Hao poured out a pill the size of a longan, perfectly round, and put it into his mouth.
The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth, not turning into ordinary liquid, but bursting forth as a scorching and powerful torrent! This torrent, like the waters of a bursting dam, carried an overwhelming force and fiercely surged into Qin Hao's limbs and bones!
"Ugh!" A muffled groan escaped Qin Hao's throat. Intense pain! An unimaginable agony struck instantly! The violent medicinal power was like millions of red-hot steel needles, frantically piercing, scouring, and expanding through his meridians! Every tiny meridian groaned, forcibly stretched open, countless normally subtle, stagnant, or even unnoticed meridian nodes were brutally torn apart and opened by this tyrannical force.
Large beads of sweat instantly covered his forehead, and the veins under his skin bulged and twisted like earthworms. His body trembled violently uncontrollably.
This is the Foundation Building Pill performing one of its most core functions—transforming the marrow and expanding the meridians to lay the foundation for accommodating a larger amount of liquid mana!
At the same time, the AI's auxiliary modules were instantly activated to their highest computing state.
A chilling notification sounded rapidly deep within Qin Hao's consciousness, precisely monitoring the flow of every trace of medicinal power within his body, the limits of his meridians' endurance, and the fluctuations in his dantian: "Warning! Meridian pressure reaches 82%, 84%, 87% of peak medicinal power. 'Sharp Metal Technique - Condensation' auxiliary program activated. Mana guidance path optimization and local node pressure diversion."
Under the precise control of the AI, Qin Hao endured inhuman pain and guided the violent medicinal power as evenly as possible to his entire body's meridian network, following the optimized path.
When the meridians were opened to their limit and the intense pain subsided slightly, the immense medicinal power surged towards the dantian as if drawn by an invisible vortex! The gaseous magical power, which was originally as calm as a misty sea, was instantly turned upside down by this torrent.
The medicinal power was frantically squeezing the vast but loose gaseous magical power within Qin Hao's dantian.
"Condense!" Qin Hao roared in his heart, focusing all his attention into his dantian, and desperately circulating the "Sharp Metal Technique" in conjunction with the power of the Foundation Establishment Pill.
Under the terrifying pressure, the gaseous magic began to churn and collide violently. Each collision produced a barely perceptible sign of liquefaction, like water vapor condensing into tiny droplets when it encounters cold air at high altitudes.
This process was incredibly difficult, like solidifying steel! The dantian was like a furnace being constantly filled with air and pressurized, swelling and about to burst.
Time seemed to lose its meaning; each breath felt like an eternity. Under the continuous catalysis of the medicine and the extreme pressure of Qin Hao's will, at the core of his dantian, a drop of pure golden, crystal-clear liquid mana—containing energy countless times purer and more refined than gaseous mana—finally and with great difficulty was born!
Like the first drop of water falling into a pot of boiling oil, the appearance of this drop of liquid magic triggered a chain reaction.
It acted like a powerful gravitational core, frantically absorbing and assimilating the surrounding gaseous magical energy. As the liquid magical energy dripped and gathered, a small but highly concentrated pool of golden spiritual liquid began to accumulate at the bottom of the dantian. The gaseous magical energy was rapidly liquefied and absorbed, and the pool of golden spiritual liquid grew and increased at a visible speed.
When the medicinal power of the first Foundation Establishment Pill was exhausted, about one-third of the mana in the dantian had been successfully transformed into liquid.
Without the slightest hesitation, Qin Hao immediately swallowed the second Foundation Establishment Pill! A new round of meridian pulse stimulation and dantian compression began again! With the experience from the first time and the foundation of preliminary liquefaction, this process, although still painful and difficult, seemed much smoother.
The potent medicinal properties act as an even stronger catalyst, propelling the liquefaction process at breakneck speed.
70% 90%
Finally, when the medicinal power of the second Foundation Establishment Pill was also mostly exhausted, the last trace of gaseous mana in Qin Hao's dantian was completely integrated into the golden liquid mana lake that was constantly rotating and radiating a powerful pressure!
A powerful aura, far surpassing that of the Qi Refining stage, erupted uncontrollably from Qin Hao's body, causing ripples to spread through the air inside the Earth Fire Chamber! Foundation Establishment achieved!
……
A month later.
The protective light of the Earth Fire Chamber flickered slightly, and the heavy stone door slowly slid open. Outside, a disciple from the Weapon Refining Hall, who was in charge of managing the Earth Fire Chamber, had been waiting impatiently and was about to complain that this "Junior Brother Zhang" had exceeded the rental period by half a month, wasting resources.
However, when his gaze fell on the figure walking out of the door, the words he was about to say caught in his throat, his eyes widened, and his face was filled with extreme shock!
Qin Hao stood at the door, his figure seemingly more upright and well-proportioned than a month ago, his skin faintly glowing with a warm luster, as if he had undergone a profound transformation.
What was most shocking was the aura emanating from him—solid, heavy, and carrying an invisible sense of oppression, completely different from the sharpness of his peak Qi Refining state before his seclusion. It was the unique spiritual pressure belonging to a Foundation Establishment cultivator!
"Junior Brother Zhang...you...you...you've successfully established your foundation?!" The disciple stammered, his voice trembling with disbelief and awe.
Qin Hao stepped out, feeling the surging liquid mana within his body, which was more than ten times purer and more refined than that of the Qi Refining stage. He also felt the significant increase in the range of his divine sense and the new perspective brought about by the leap in the essence of life.
He subconsciously clenched his fist, a powerful sense of strength filling his entire body. Overwhelmed with emotion, the hardships of his cultivation path intertwined with his current achievement, culminating in a soft sigh filled with complex feelings: "Yes, finally, I've successfully established my foundation!"
"Congratulations... Congratulations, Martial Uncle! Congratulations on your successful Foundation Establishment! From now on, your path to immortality will be smooth and the Great Dao will be within your grasp!" The disciple from the Weapon Refining Hall reacted and hurriedly bowed, his face full of respect and envy.
"Yes, that's thoughtful." Qin Hao nodded and handed over thirty low-grade spirit stones.
“I originally planned for half a month, but I didn’t expect it to take longer than expected to consolidate my cultivation. This is to make up for the rent of the Earth Fire Chamber for the past half month.”
He originally thought half a month would be enough to complete the Foundation Establishment and initial consolidation, but the AI immediately issued a warning after the breakthrough: a considerable portion of the Foundation Establishment Pill's medicinal power had not been fully absorbed and refined, accumulating in the meridians and acupoints. If left unattended, it would not only waste the medicinal power but also become a hidden danger for future cultivation, potentially leading to poor mana flow or even an unstable foundation.
Therefore, he had to spend another half month circulating his cultivation technique, using the properties of liquid mana to thoroughly refine and absorb the remaining medicinal power bit by bit, thus truly stabilizing his early Foundation Establishment stage.
"Thank you so much, Uncle-Master! You're too kind!" The disciple accepted the spirit stone with great joy and thanked him repeatedly.
Leaving the weapon-refining hall, Qin Hao rode the Crimson Soul Blade, transforming into a streak of red light, and returned to the main hall of the Qingxu Sect. This time, his identity was different.
Xuanzhen Daoist had already sensed the approaching spiritual pressure belonging to a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
As soon as Qin Hao stepped into the palace, Xuanzhen Daoist's gaze swept over him as if it were a physical object, and his divine sense probed him carefully without any attempt to conceal it.
"Haha! Good! Good! This time I really have to change my address and solemnly call him 'Junior Brother Zhang'! Congratulations, Junior Brother Zhang, on reaching another level on the path of immortality!" His joy came from the bottom of his heart. Qin Hao's successful foundation building meant that Qingxu Sect had truly gained a mid-level talisman master with great potential!
With a smile on his face, Qin Hao calmly returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "Thanks to the kind words and generous gift from the sect leader, I was fortunate enough not to have wasted those two precious Foundation Establishment Pills, and I have finally taken this step."
"Junior Brother, there's no need for such modesty!" Master Xuanzhen smiled broadly, stroking his long beard, his eyes shining brightly: "Junior Brother Zhang's successful Foundation Establishment means our sect has gained another true pillar of talent, a great blessing for the sect! Qingxu Sect has gained another great help!"
Qin Hao understood immediately and replied, "Don't worry, Senior Brother Sect Leader. Once I have established my own cave dwelling and consolidated my cultivation, I will definitely devote myself to studying talismans and strive to draw intermediate-level talismans as soon as possible, so as not to let you down."
Xuanzhen Daoist was exactly what he wanted to hear, and was even more pleased: "Good! I am relieved that you have made such a decision, Junior Brother. Now that you have successfully established your foundation, you will automatically be promoted to an inner disciple according to the sect rules. It is no longer appropriate for you to live in the outer sect wooden house. You can open your own cave dwelling. It is not too late to study talismans after you have opened your cave dwelling and settled in."
As he spoke, he took out a more exquisite cyan jade token, which emitted a faint spiritual light, and handed it to Qin Hao: "This is your inner disciple identity token. With this token, you can go to the Inner Affairs Hall and choose an unclaimed spiritual land to open a cave dwelling. All permissions have been activated."
Qin Hao accepted the jade token, its surface smooth and warm to the touch. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Sect Leader. If there are no further instructions, I will take my leave now."
"Go, go, and familiarize yourself with the affairs of the inner sect." Master Xuanzhen nodded with a smile.
As Qin Hao's figure disappeared through the main hall entrance, the smile on Xuanzhen Daoist's face slowly faded, but the excitement and anticipation in his eyes remained undiminished. He raised his hand and sent out a communication talisman. Before long, Steward Liu from the Foreign Affairs Hall hurriedly arrived.
"What are your urgent instructions, Senior Brother Sect Leader?" Deacon Liu asked respectfully.
“Junior Brother Liu, Junior Nephew Zhang… oh no, now I should call him Junior Brother Zhang.” Xuanzhen Daoist corrected the address, his tone tinged with emotion: “He has successfully established his foundation.”
"What?!" Upon hearing this, Deacon Liu was first surprised and then overjoyed: "It's a success... Does this mean our sect will soon have another true intermediate-level talisman master?!"
"I hope so!" Xuanzhen Daoist's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he suppressed his excitement: "However, the difficulty of making a beginner talisman and an intermediate talisman is like an insurmountable chasm, they are not comparable at all... Even if he is exceptionally talented, he still needs time to accumulate experience."
He paused, his tone becoming extremely solemn: "Junior Brother Liu, you will still be personally responsible for the talisman-making materials that Junior Brother Zhang needs! Mobilize all resources and do everything in your power to meet his needs!"
Deacon Liu solemnly replied, "Yes, sir! Junior brother understands!"
Qin Hao left the main hall and, following the directions on his waist tag, quickly found the Inner Affairs Hall. This was a more magnificent and spiritually rich hall than the Outer Affairs Hall.
As soon as he stepped into the Inner Affairs Hall, an elderly Taoist priest with white hair and beard, dressed in a blue Taoist robe, and looking quite kind, came to greet him. Sensing the Foundation Establishment stage spiritual pressure emanating from Qin Hao, he smiled and said, "This junior brother looks unfamiliar. You must be a newly promoted junior brother. Congratulations!"
"Senior brother has discerning eyes." Qin Hao smiled slightly and handed over the inner disciple's waist token: "My name is Zhang Tie. Thank you for your help, senior brother."
The old Taoist priest took the token, scanned it with his divine sense, and immediately showed a hint of surprise on his face: "Eh? Zhang Tie... Junior Brother Zhang, could you be the newly accepted disciple of Uncle-Master Fuyunzi?"
When she looked at Qin Hao again, her politeness had turned into a more serious expression. A disciple of a Golden Core Elder naturally carried a different weight.
"I am deeply grateful for the kindness of my master."
The old Taoist priest became even more enthusiastic: "Junior brother, you must have come here to establish your cave dwelling, right? This is simple, please follow me."
He led Qin Hao to a private room inside the main hall.
Inside the compartment, a huge virtual sand table driven by a sophisticated magic array floated in mid-air, clearly displaying the miniature topography of the entire Qingxu Mountain Range and its surrounding area, down to the smallest detail. The strength of the spiritual energy flow was also roughly indicated by different colored blocks.
"Junior brother, please look." The old Taoist pointed to the sand table and explained, "These areas shrouded in red light are forbidden areas of the sect, such as the ancestral cultivation place, the important place of inheritance, and the core hub of the spiritual vein. It is absolutely forbidden to approach or open a cave dwelling here."
He then pointed to areas emitting a pale yellow glow: "These yellow areas are branches of spiritual veins where Foundation Establishment disciples can establish their own cave dwellings. However, the total amount of spiritual energy in each area is limited, and to ensure the effectiveness of cultivation, the number of cave dwellings that can be established is strictly limited. These locations marked with red dots are cave dwellings that have already been established. Only those empty spaces within the yellow areas where no red dots are flashing can be chosen for establishment. Once all the red dots in an area are lit up, it means that the area is full and no new cave dwellings can be established."
Qin Hao's gaze swept across the enormous sand table. The lit red dots appeared dense, but compared to the vast yellow area, their total number was only a few thousand.
Several thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators—this is the true core and backbone of the Qingxu Sect.
"Senior brother, I'll choose a spot in this area to build my cave dwelling," Qin Hao said, pointing to the mountain peak.
The old Taoist priest looked in the direction he was pointing and paused slightly. The spiritual energy in that place was only passable, far from being an excellent choice, so he offered a word of advice.
Qin Hao replied, "Thank you, senior brother, but I'm used to a leisurely life, so I'll choose this quiet place."
“Alright, since you’ve made your choice, Junior Brother, this will be your training ground.” With that, he took out three small, gray, and rather simple-looking flags and a control jade pendant and handed them to Qin Hao: “These are ‘Misty Flags’ array flags issued by the sect to newly promoted Foundation Establishment disciples for use when opening their cave dwellings. Although this array has only average defensive effects, once activated, it can release mist to cover the entrance of the cave dwelling, enough to confuse ordinary wild beasts and spirits in the mountains.”
Qin Hao took the array flag and jade pendant, scanned them with his divine sense, and shook his head inwardly: "Truly stingy." This illusion array could only confuse ordinary beasts; it couldn't even stop a cultivator at the first or second level of Qi Refining.
Without showing any emotion, he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother."
"Junior Brother Zhang, you're too kind. We'll be cultivating together in the sect in the future, so I hope we can visit each other often. Take care, Junior Brother." The old Taoist smiled and entered the specific location information of the cave into Qin Hao's identity jade token.
Emerging from the Inner Affairs Hall, Qin Hao followed the jade tablet's guidance, wielding the Crimson Soul Blade and transforming it into a streak of crimson light with a speed far exceeding that of the Qi Refining stage, flying towards the chosen nameless mountain peak in the northeast corner of the Qingxu Mountains.
Before long, he arrived at his destination. The mountain was not towering or steep, but rather appeared rather solid, with lush forests. From the outside, its spiritual energy was indeed unremarkable, but its advantage lay in its quiet and secluded location. Surrounded by towering mountains, the nearest fellow disciples' caves were all over a hundred miles away, which perfectly met his requirements.
Qin Hao hovered in front of a steep, sparsely vegetated cliff halfway up the mountain.
With a thought, the Crimson Soul Blade hanging beside him emitted a clear and melodious sword cry, and its crimson sword light surged!
"go with!"
With a soft shout from Qin Hao, the Crimson Soul Blade slashed fiercely at the solid cliff face! Blade energy crisscrossed, slicing through the rock layer by layer as easily as tofu. Stone fragments flew everywhere, and dust filled the air. In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the rough outline of a cave dwelling, about three zhang high and over ten zhang deep, had been carved out.
Qin Hao flew in and nodded in satisfaction. He patted his storage bag, and five-colored light flashed again. As he cast his spell, the Five Elements Reversal Array accurately disappeared into the depths of the cliff walls surrounding the cave entrance.
An invisible array of light quietly rose up, completely enveloping the entrance to the cave and even the interior space.
Qin Hao walked to the deepest part of the cave, and the Crimson Soul Blade flashed again, cutting out a smooth and flat stone bed in a few strokes.
Sitting cross-legged on the stone bed, Qin Hao's gaze became deep and solemn.
"Foundation Establishment is merely the starting point of the long path to immortality, and besides, it's only about eight years before the six demonic sects launch their full-scale invasion!"
"Eight years... We must race against time! We must at least raise our cultivation to the late Foundation Establishment stage before the demonic invasion, so that we are not used as cannon fodder by the sect."
"We also need to check out the ancient teleportation array; I wonder if I can repair it on my own..."
"And the Black Fiend Cult... We must obtain the map of the Void Heaven Palace before heading to the Chaotic Star Sea."
"The tasks are... one after another, urgent and complicated!"
"However, the most urgent thing is to choose the main cultivation method for the Foundation Establishment stage."
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Qin Hao left his newly opened cave dwelling.
Dressed in a blue inner sect Taoist robe, he rode the Crimson Soul Blade and flew towards the Scripture Pavilion on the main peak of the Qingxu Sect.
A thin mist shrouded the Qingxu Mountains in the early morning, the air was fresh and the birdsong was incessant. Half an hour later, Qin Hao arrived at the Scripture Repository. The Scripture Repository was built entirely of bluish-gray stone, with three stories and a height of about twenty zhang. A faint protective light surrounded the building, exuding an ancient and solemn aura.
Upon seeing Qin Hao arrive, the disciples guarding the gate quickly stepped forward to greet him, saying, "Greetings, Uncle Zhang."
Qin Hao nodded in acknowledgment, took out his inner disciple's waist token, and handed it over. After the disciple on duty verified it, he activated the restrictions inside the building, and a pale blue light gate appeared in the center of the first-floor hall: "Uncle-Master, the books on the second floor require an inner disciple's token to view. Please make your own selection."
Qin Hao stepped through the portal, and the scene before him changed; he was now on the second floor of the Scripture Library. Unlike the bustling first floor, the second floor was extremely quiet, with only a dozen or so rows of bookshelves and less than one-tenth the number of books on the first floor.
However, upon closer inspection, it can be found that most of the books on the second floor are made of animal hide or jade, with covers that exude a faint spiritual aura. They are clearly profound classics that only Foundation Establishment stage cultivators can study.
Qin Hao walked to the bookshelf, picked up a copy of "Golden Edge Technique" and flipped through it. Although the techniques recorded in the book were more refined than the "Sharp Metal Technique" for the Qi Refining stage, they still lacked the accompanying secret techniques and supernatural abilities, and could not meet his needs at all.
"Although the 'Sharp Metal Technique' has been improved by the AI, its foundation is still too weak." Qin Hao shook his head inwardly. As the basic cultivation method of the Qingxu Sect, the only advantage of the 'Sharp Metal Technique' is its ease of cultivation. However, it is completely lacking in secret techniques and supernatural abilities. Now that he is a Foundation Establishment cultivator, if he continues to cultivate this technique, he will inevitably be limited in many ways in future battles.
For the next three days, Qin Hao spent almost all his time on the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion, going through all the metal-attribute cultivation techniques one by one. Either they lacked offensive power, or they lacked matching secret techniques. He couldn't find a satisfactory technique.
On the afternoon of the fourth day, he found a jade book called "The Purple Gold Sky-Splitting Technique" at the deepest part of the bookshelf. The cover of the jade book was engraved with intricate golden patterns, and when touched, one could feel a sharp, metallic spiritual energy.
Qin Hao opened the jade book and his eyes lit up immediately—this set of techniques was named "Heaven-Splitting Technique," which focused on extreme attacks. It could compress liquid mana into "purple-gold spiritual liquid," greatly enhancing the power of metal-attribute spells. The accompanying secret technique, "Golden Sky Slash," was powerful enough to cut through top-tier defensive magic artifacts. Furthermore, the divine power "Purple-Gold Heaven-Splitting Blade" could gather into a blade of light over ten feet long, and with a single strike, even Golden Core cultivators would have to retreat.
When Qin Hao saw the materials needed for cultivation, he frowned. Cultivating the "Golden Sky Slash" required "Purple Gold Ore Crystals," a mineral that was practically extinct in the Yue Kingdom and extremely rare. It was something that could only be encountered by chance and was not something that could be obtained by chance.
To cultivate the "Purple Gold Sky-Splitting Blade," one needs the "Golden Soul Stone," which is formed from the bones of an ancient gold-type demon beast. Not to mention the Yue Kingdom, even the Great Jin might not have it.
"These materials are too difficult to obtain." Qin Hao sighed softly. If one cannot cultivate the secret techniques and supernatural abilities, the value of this set of techniques will be greatly reduced. No wonder it has been shelved.
Just as he was about to put down the jade book, the AI's voice suddenly sounded in his mind: [Detected a shortage of materials for cultivating the "Purple Gold Sky-Splitting Technique" secret technique and supernatural power. Initiating a deduction of an alternative plan... Deduction successful.]
Qin Hao's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked, "Are there any alternatives?"
The core component of "Purple Gold Ore Crystal" is high-density gold-type spiritual energy, which can be replaced by smelting the inner core of a level 5 gold-type demon beast, requiring ten crystals; the gold-type soul energy contained in "Golden Soul Stone" can be extracted by smelting the inner core of a level 7 gold-type demon beast, requiring five stones.
Qin Hao's eyes lit up immediately: "This is it!"
Although there are few demonic beasts in Yue Kingdom, the Chaotic Star Sea is different—it is a vast area with a wide variety of demonic beasts. Although level 5 and level 7 metal-type demonic beasts are not common, they should not be difficult to obtain. If all else fails, there is Han Li. You can trade some metal-type demonic beast cores with him, which should not be a problem.
After deciding on his main cultivation technique, Qin Hao took out six thousand low-grade spirit stones and copied all the books on the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion using jade slips. Only then did he leave the Scripture Pavilion amidst the shocked gazes of the guarding disciples.
"Next, it's time to go and beg for money from Han Li!"
Qin Hao took out the silver book page he had obtained after killing the Giant Sword Sect disciple in the Crimson Realm from his storage bag, and a smile appeared on his lips.