Chapter 51 – Foundation Establishment!

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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***

It was at the very moment when Jin So-myeong was just challenging Foundation Establishment.

In the dense cave dwelling district of Azure Elixir City, about ten Qi Condensation cultivators gathered and buzzed with noise.

“Doesn’t the flow of spiritual Qi seem a bit strange today?”

“That’s right. I also came out while practicing because of that.”

“It seems to be because of this cave dwelling…”

Their gazes, which had been roaming the cave dwellings as if searching for a culprit, focused on one place.

“Rank 2 low-grade? Could it be a place where a Foundation Establishment senior is staying?”

“No. It is a cave dwelling where a rogue cultivator named Yeo Dong-bin lives.”

“That sword cultivator who entered a few years ago?”

“Ah. I know who it is.”

Among them, who were natives of Azure Elixir City, Yeo Dong-bin was quite famous.

It was because, despite being a rogue cultivator and a sword cultivator, he had rented a Rank 2 low-grade cave dwelling with a cultivation of the 8th layer of the Qi Condensation stage.

“He is a fellow daoist who usually only practiced quietly, so this is strange.”

Their faces were filled with wonder.

It was because it was truly rare for a Rank 2 spiritual vein to become unstable.

For such a problem to occur, an enormous amount of spiritual Qi had to be used, which was difficult at the level of the Qi Condensation stage.

“Could he be challenging the three passes of Foundation Establishment?”

“Foundation Establishment!”

Everyone’s eyes widened.

If there was a goal that Qi Condensation cultivators wished for even in their dreams, it was Foundation Establishment.

“How old was Fellow Daoist Yeo?”

“Well, he looks like he’s in his thirties outwardly, but he probably used a disguise dharma treasure.”

“Hmm. From what I, who am sensitive to vital energy, can see, Fellow Daoist Yeo is young. At most, he would be in his early forties.”

“Young! To achieve Foundation Establishment in one’s forties!”

“Ha. I’m really envious. If only I could practice in a Rank 2 cave dwelling, Foundation Establishment wouldn’t be just a dream either.”

“…Tch.”

The reactions of the Qi Condensation cultivators were varied.

Most just purely envied or admired him, but a few gritted their teeth.

There were even those whose faces distorted, unable to hide their rising jealousy.

At the moment when gazes filled with all kinds of emotions poured into the cave dwelling,

“What is this commotion?”

“W-We greet you, Senior!”

A Foundation Establishment deacon from Azure Elixir City appeared and frowned.

His gaze was unkind. It was natural, since they were causing a commotion in the cave dwelling dense area where a quiet atmosphere had to be maintained.

The deacon, who was about to say something, hesitated.

He stared at the cave dwelling where Jin So-myeong was practicing, and clicked his tongue as if understanding what was going on.

“Interfering with another’s Foundation Establishment is strictly forbidden by the Lord of Azure Elixir City. All of you, get out of here!”

“Ugh. W-We are sorry.”

The Qi Condensation cultivators scattered in a flurry, and the Azure Elixir City deacon, who remained until the end, glanced away.

Looking at the Rank 2 cave dwelling where spiritual Qi was surging, he murmured.

“This cave dwelling… Could it be that young man? Just achieving the 9th layer already would be surprising, but to challenge Foundation Establishment.”

Caressing his wrinkled face, the deacon burst into a hollow laugh.

“The next time I see him, I might really have to call him fellow daoist…”

***

Meanwhile, Jin So-myeong, who was challenging Foundation Establishment, swallowed a groan.

Boom!

It was because the spiritual Qi that had broken through the critical point could not withstand the pressure and exploded.

At the same time, an unidentified suction force created in his dantian began to suck in the spiritual Qi.

Whoosh!

A huge whirlpool grew larger and larger around him.

As all the spiritual Qi compressed into a single point, the suction force grew endlessly stronger.

It absorbed spiritual Qi to the extent that the Rank 2 spiritual vein, which had felt like a vast sea, was dried up.

Just how much time had passed in this state of trance?

At the moment when a drop of cold sweat ran down the back of his neck,

the change occurring in his dantian reached its climax.

The spiritual Qi compressed beyond its limit underwent a qualitative change.

Drip!

With a single drop of water falling inside his mindscape,

a thrilling energy surged up his spine. His entire body trembled at the inexpressible ecstasy.

“Ah!”

A single drop of spiritual power, born from the gathering of spiritual Qi as light as gas!

This tiny, minuscule drop was more powerful than all of Jin So-myeong’s energy combined.

The moment the spiritual power, the proof of Foundation Establishment, settled in his dantian,

Boom!!

his dantian collapsed.

It was because the dantian nurtured during his Qi Condensation stage could not withstand the spiritual power that had reached the second rank.

“Ugh.”

Blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, but this was not a bad thing.

Without destruction, there is no construction!

Without destroying the old, one could not accept the new.

For the dantian to break through its limit, it had to be shattered and newly built!

Buzz!

Simultaneously with the shattering of his dantian, the spiritual power, freed from constraints, began to run wild.

The three passes of Foundation Establishment had begun in earnest!

His head spun, and he almost lost consciousness.

‘If my divine soul had been insufficient, I would have fainted by now.’

The pain was that severe. The spiritual power flowing through his meridians scattered a wild momentum.

At this moment, he understood deep in his heart.

Why one became a cripple if they failed while challenging the three passes of Foundation Establishment.

There was no way one could remain fine when Rank 2 spiritual power, dozens of times—no, a hundred times—stronger than ordinary spiritual Qi, stirred up the entire body.

However, this was an absolutely necessary process. As long as one could endure it, it would be of great benefit!

It was because the spiritual power spread to the extremities of his limbs along his meridians, evolving his physical body.

Since it was helpful even to him, who was already a Foundation Establishment-grade body cultivator, there was no need to speak of other cultivators.

“Mmm…”

Just how long did he endure the continuous pain?

With a sense of liberation as if shedding a layer, the spiritual power that rose up his spine reached his brain,

and the view before his eyes flashed white.

An indescribable, strange feeling extended through his forehead to his divine soul.

It was a bizarre experience.

It was as refreshing as drinking cold water with floating ice cubes, yet at the same time, it was as hot as burning to death.

His senses were distorted, making it impossible to distinguish between pain and pleasure.

At the moment when he could not even scream and only gasped with his mouth open,

Crack!

Just as he thought he heard something cracking, his Divine Sense stretched out in all directions.

His detection range, which was originally at the level of 5 meters, increased more than tenfold!

Usually, the range of Divine Sense awakened in the early stage of Foundation Establishment was about ten zhang, which was around thirty meters, but his was far wider than that!

He did not even have the leisure to rejoice at the momentary change. He instinctively realized what he had to do next.

Utilizing his strengthened mental power, he grabbed the spiritual power running wild inside his body.

He placed it under his control, as if taming a wild horse.

Buzz!

He gathered all the spiritual power and settled it in his dantian.

Starting with a small spring generated within his mindscape, he firmly laid the foundation of his dantian.

It seemed like he needed to rebuild the collapsed walls, but there was no need for that.

The present state, where boundaries had disappeared, was instead the most ideal form.

“Whew.”

Once he passed the dangerous moment, it gradually became easier.

He steadily filled the place called the sea of Qi, the Qi ocean dantian, with spiritual power.

By the time the Rank 2 spiritual vein, which seemed infinite, was about to be depleted,

he was able to fill a total of ten drops.

At some point, the cave dwelling that had been shaking in the wild whirlpool fell silent, and

“…Hahahahaha!”

Jin So-myeong, who snapped his eyes open, burst into a refreshing laugh.

Foundation Establishment!

Having achieved the goal he pursued even while risking his life, he felt absolutely wonderful.

“Whew.”

Although he was happy enough to want to run around the streets and shout, he forcibly calmed his turbulent emotions.

It was because he had heard that it was best to keep one’s mind as calm as possible when one had just broken through a realm.

After consuming a large amount of the Supreme Great Ability to stabilize his spiritual power, he focused his mind.

【Jin So-myeong】

【Lifespan】: 21 / 213

【Realm】: Foundation Establishment 1st layer

【Supreme Great Ability】: 112 / 1000

【Divine Ability】:

【Cultivation Method】: Omitted

【Spell】: Omitted

He tried to calm down, but it was useless; just looking at the status window made him burst into laughter.

Foundation Establishment.

How much happiness those mere words gave him…

Nobody would understand without experiencing it firsthand.

‘My lifespan is over two hundred years!’

His limit lifespan, which was originally seventy-three years, had increased by one hundred and forty years.

The fifty-one years of lifespan he had consumed while obtaining the Secret Realm of the Mind was no longer painful.

‘This is not the end.’

He took out a red pill from his sub-space. The name of this medicinal pill, from which a dense vital energy was felt, was the Rank 1 Longevity-Extending Pill.

If he ate this, his lifespan would increase by another thirteen years!

Jin So-myeong, who smacked his lips and stared at the medicinal pill, shook his head.

‘Let’s eat it later.’

It was to use it for the purpose of making a powerful wish instead of lifespan at an important moment someday.

In any case, if he kept it stored in his sub-space, there was no chance of losing it.

Click.

After storing the Longevity-Extending Pill in a jade box so that its efficacy would not disperse, he examined the status window again.

The Supreme Great Ability was a whopping one thousand!

“Amazing.”

Suddenly, a past memory came to mind: the moment when he entered the Qi Condensation stage and first awakened the Supreme Great Ability.

At that time, the golden beads were a mere ten. Compared to that, it had increased a hundredfold.

It was an absurd amount of increase, but thinking about it carefully, it was understandable.

‘It probably means a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator is just that powerful.’

If a hundred Qi Condensation 1st layer cultivators gathered, could they kill a single Foundation Establishment cultivator?

Naturally, it was impossible.

It was so even if they did not use spells. Just by wielding spiritual power like a whip, they would all be swept away.

Suddenly, he became curious about how powerful an energy spiritual power was.

‘Since I thought of it, shall I test it?’

Rustle.

He took off the Green Bamboo Dharma Robe he usually wore and fixed it in the air.

Staring at the Rank 1 highest-grade defensive dharma treasure, he extended his finger. The moment he condensed his spiritual power to make it like a spear and lightly shot it,

Thud!

A weak colliding sound was the end of it. A coin-sized hole was pierced in the sleeve of the Green Bamboo Dharma Robe.

Even though the Rank 1 highest-grade dharma treasure emitted a Qi barrier, it failed to block a single lump of condensed spiritual power.

“The difference is much wider than I thought.”

Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation.

It was only a difference of a single step, but a thick wall that could never be crossed existed between them.

How powerful would it be if he handled Rank 2 dharma treasures and spells with this spiritual power?

Suddenly, the Foundation Establishment old monster he had killed in the Red Cloud Secret Realm came to mind.

How aggrieved must he have been, dying at the hands of a mere Qi Condensation cultivator…

‘Tsk tsk.’

The reason why other Foundation Establishment cultivators absolutely refused to enter the Red Cloud Secret Realm hit him clearly.

With this kind of power, if one were to be defeated by a Qi Condensation cultivator by any chance, one would burst with anger.

At any rate, there was no point in thinking about what had already passed.

Rustle.

Jin So-myeong, who put on the Green Bamboo Dharma Robe whose pierced part was regenerating little by little, concentrated.

Since his Divine Sense had grown stronger upon achieving Foundation Establishment, there was something he had to try.

Just how long did he concentrate with his eyes closed?

His Divine Sense, which had become ten times stronger, converged into his body.

Mobilizing all his senses, he thoroughly scanned his entire body. Although he felt something faint, it was slightly insufficient.

The moment he additionally consumed the Supreme Great Ability,

‘Found it!’

An energy like filth, more disgusting than a sewer drain, was felt.

The resentment that the demonic cultivators had smeared on him as they died!

Such a dirty energy was attached to his soul, to the point that it was strange he had not known about it.

Shring!

Sharp Sword Qi soared from the Limitless Divine Sword he drew in one breath,

and by controlling the sharp energy that permeated his forehead, he cut away the disgusting energy in a single strike!

He felt as refreshed as if his chest had been cleared.

It was natural, since he had resolved the trick of the demonic fellows that had made him feel uneasy inside.

Jin So-myeong, who was dusting off his clothes as if something dirty was on them, paused.

As he looked at the hole pierced in his sleeve, a sense of regret naturally washed over him. The defensive power of this dharma treasure was now too weak.

‘Since I have achieved Foundation Establishment, I should change all my dharma treasures to Rank 2 as well.’

In particular, the Faceless Mask. This disguise dharma treasure was very useful, but it seemed he had to let it go now.

It was because, as a Rank 1 highest-grade item, there were times when it occasionally failed against a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator.

‘There is so much to do.’

Jin So-myeong, who scanned the status window, focused on the cultivation method section.

【Cultivation Method】

Five Elements Qi Condensation Art (Mastery 1521 / 10000)

Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art (Mastery 109 / 40000)

He wanted to change his natal cultivation method soon.

Although the Five Elements Qi Condensation Art improved by the system was excellent, it was ultimately a basic cultivation method for the Qi Condensation stage.

It would take investing nearly nine thousand Supreme Great Abilities to move to the next realm, which was a bit wasteful.

It was because he felt he would be far more powerful if he invested that immense Supreme Great Ability into a proper cultivation method.

‘A cultivation method…’

If possible, he wanted to choose a cultivation method that was powerful and helpful when wielding a sword.

While contemplating where to obtain a natal cultivation method, he paused.

‘Let’s go out first.’

Since he had achieved Foundation Establishment, the quality of information he could obtain would have changed.

Rather than groaning alone, it was better to investigate outside.

Rumble!

The moment he opened the formation that he had tightly blocked for the Foundation Establishment challenge,

dozens, hundreds of Voice Transmission Talismans poured in.

“What is this?”

He barely knew anyone in Azure Elixir City, so what was going on?

Frowning, Jin So-myeong grabbed one Voice Transmission Talisman and checked the contents.

– I sincerely congratulate you on achieving Foundation Establishment. I am Muk Hyeong-san, the family head of the Muk Family. If Senior does not mind, we would like to serve you as a protector in our family. If you contact us at any time…

– Fellow Daoist Yeo Dong-bin. Congratulations on achieving Foundation Establishment. If you do not have an affiliation yet, please consider our Azure Path Alliance. If you combine forces and practice with colleagues, it will be much better than doing it alone…

There was no end to it.

Scanning through them roughly, every single one of them had similar contents.

They congratulated him on achieving Foundation Establishment and invited him to their respective forces.

Some Qi Condensation families even tried to lean on Jin So-myeong by offering their precious daughters whom they had raised with utmost care—no, by offering the entire family.

Jin So-myeong, who checked them one by one to see if there was any useful letter, sighed.

‘What would I do with a Qi Condensation family?’

Rather than being helpful, they were highly likely to become a burden. If he shouldered something on his back, he would not be as free as he was now.

Just as his interest was waning, Jin So-myeong paused.

– Fellow Daoist Yeo. I did not know that you, who were at the 8th layer of the Qi Condensation stage, would already achieve Foundation Establishment. Congratulations indeed. Please contact me when your secluded cultivation ends. If it is fine, I will visit you with a gift.

It was because of the Voice Transmission Talisman from Deacon Go, whom he had met when renting the Rank 2 cave dwelling.

‘To think I would receive contact even from an Azure Elixir City deacon.’

Indeed, once he achieved Foundation Establishment, the treatment was different.

Jin So-myeong, after contemplating, took out a Voice Transmission Talisman and replied.

He was curious about what business the deacon of a Golden Core-grade force had in contacting him.