Seven years later.
Small White Island.
Fang Qing sat cross-legged, gazing at the Water-Origin Pill in his hand.
This Water-Origin Pill was not only crystal clear, but its surface bore two intricate pill patterns. It was unmistakably a Mid-Grade Second-Tier grand dicine—“I didn’t expect the drug resistance to co so quickly. Fortunately, I’ve always taken Low-Grade Second-Tier Water-Origin Pills. I’ve kept all the Mid-Grade ones refined from Second-Tier demon cores…”
He tilted his neck back and swallowed the pill, silently circulating the Azure Sea Art to digest its dicinal power.
Crash!
Within the dantian sea of qi, nineteen drops of Profound Azure liquid True Power surged and churned, continuously circulating through the ridian pathways in a grand cycle.
Suddenly, another perfectly rounded drop of Profound Azure liquid True Power condensed, bringing the liquid True Power within Fang Qing’s dantian to the twenty-drop threshold, forming a small pool of erald-green water.
Twenty drops of liquid True Power!
This marked the peak of the early stage of Foundation Establishnt!
“Finally—the peak of early Foundation Establishnt…”
Feeling the surging, roaring True Power within his body, as well as that intangible bottleneck, Fang Qing nodded, then shook his head.
Relying on dicinal pills for cultivation had allowed him to advance at astonishing speed.
In less than ten years since establishing his foundation, he now had hope of breaking through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishnt, nearly surpassing the ice spiritual root genius Zhong Lingxiu!
But the price was—
“The mid-stage bottleneck is not so easily broken. Before breaking through, no matter how much I cultivate or consu Water-Origin Pills, I can only recover and replenish True Power—I cannot exceed the upper limit of twenty drops of liquid True Power.”
To break through a bottleneck, a cultivator either relied on opportunity, enlightennt between life and death, or slowly grinding it down with ti!
“A Mid-Grade Water Spiritual Root truly isn’t sufficient, especially in the Foundation Establishnt stage where it nearly becos a burden. If I had a Heaven-Grade Spiritual Root, or even aptitude like Zhong Lingxiu’s, this re mid-stage Foundation Establishnt bottleneck would be shattered with a flick of the fingers…”
“But as things stand? If I rely solely on myself, I won’t break through anyti soon—unless I take a pill specifically ant to assist in breaking bottlenecks!”
Such pills were certainly extrely precious.
“Based on my rits, it should be enough, right? It’s just that it would easily expose my cultivation speed. Better to gather the materials and refine it myself…”
At this point, Fang Qing could say without modesty that his wealth was considerable.
After all, it was the harvest of years of demon hunting!
Unlike other Foundation Establishnt cultivators who depended on luck—like fishing a needle from the sea—he could casually pinpoint the whereabouts of the most suitable Second-Tier demonic beasts without encountering great danger.
With his current wealth, gathering the materials for a breakthrough pill should not be difficult.
“Among the sect’s Second-Tier alchemy texts, there are three breakthrough pills. The one most suitable for my current condition should be the Minor Barrier-Breaking Pill. It is ranked as Mid-Grade Second-Tier. I’m fairly confident in refining it now. It’s just that gathering the materials may take so ti.”
Feeling the surging True Power of perfected early Foundation Establishnt within himself, Fang Qing’s thoughts shifted, and his aura rapidly receded, transforming into fluctuations equivalent to ten drops of liquid True Power.
Using the Dao-Birth Pearl to conceal his cultivation, even a Core Formation Ancestor would be unable to detect anything amiss.
This was not because Fang Qing feared anything; it was simply instinct to keep a hidden card.
Within the Dao-Birth Pearl, the essence ford from ten drops of liquid True Power had finally taken shape, condensing into wisps that gathered into a small cluster.
In addition, there was the essence representing the ninth-layer completion of Qi Ingestion from Observing Black Ridge, as well as the essence of the third layer of the Great Sun Empowernt Secret Art.
It had to be said that this technique was indeed profound and obscure. Without relying on essence empowernt, progress would have been extrely difficult.
After observing for a while, Fang Qing retrieved the Soul Banner spiritual artifact and examined it with satisfaction.
At this mont, the spiritual artifact emitted fluctuations of a Top-Grade spiritual artifact. The flagpole was white as jade, and upon the pitch-black banner surface were densely packed imprints of refined souls from Second-Tier demonic beasts. Among them was even a Mid-Grade Second-Tier demonic beast, the Red Sea Python, serving as commander!
“Over these seven years, aside from the contributions of those kind-hearted donors at the beginning, all these Second-Tier demonic beast refined souls were slain by . Especially this Red Sea Python, comparable to late-stage Foundation Establishnt. If I hadn’t calculated that it was severely injured and taken advantage, it would have been hard to kill. After all, it possessed a trace of Flood Dragon Bloodline and counted as strong even among Mid-Grade Second-Tier demonic beasts!”
“But all of it was worth it.”
A Top-Grade Second-Tier spiritual artifact!
In Fang Qing’s hands, its might was such that even mid-stage Foundation Establishnt cultivators would not dare receive it head-on!
Not to ntion that this Hundred Souls Banner spiritual artifact relied primarily on living souls and was a premium artifact with relatively low True Power consumption!
“Nearly a hundred Second-Tier sea beasts—equivalent to a hundred Foundation Establishnt cultivators. Even for the Azure Sea Sect, there are only a few hundred Foundation Establishnt cultivators in total. If a hundred were killed, the two Core Formation Ancestors would go mad!”
Fang Qing knew that for the ti being, he had best refrain from further demon hunting.
In truth, Second-Tier demonic beasts generally possessed intelligence.
He had already divined several traps set specifically for him. Future hunts would only grow more dangerous—
Aside from the Top-Grade Second-Tier Hundred Souls Banner, Fang Qing had not sold large quantities of demonic beast materials during this rare opportunity. Instead, he had used his self-refined pills to purchase many at low prices.
He was gambling that once the great war ended, the prices of demonic beast materials would inevitably rise!
In fact, this was only natural.
That Third-Tier Demon King, the Sea-Covering Turtle, had driven Second-Tier demonic beasts from the surrounding waters of the Small Huan Sea cultivation world into the conflict. What was being depleted was the future reproductive and developntal potential of the demonic beasts.
If defeated, once this batch of demonic beast materials was frantically consud, prices would surely increase.
Other cultivators were not unaware of this, but they lived by the creed “drink today’s wine today.” They needed to imdiately convert materials into spirit stones to purchase pills, artifacts, and talismans—to strengthen themselves. Otherwise, they might die in battle tomorrow—
Only Core Formation sects like the Azure Sea Sect and other major Foundation Establishnt factions deliberately acquired and stockpiled reserves.
Fang Qing knew he himself would not et disaster, so his vision was equally long-term—and he also had another channel to offload goods.
“Besides the Top-Grade Second-Tier spiritual artifact, I also spent heavily to acquire several Top-Grade Second-Tier talismans. Among them, that Firebird Talisman was priced low—I picked up a bargain. Though this fire-aspected talisman is slightly weaker here than other Top-Grade Second-Tier offensive talismans, in the World of Ancient Shu it would be extraordinary.”
“”
“I’ve reached a certain limit. If this continues, my strength won’t grow much further…”
He sighed. “And—the war has lasted nearly ten years. Whether the Azure Sea Sect, the Zhong Family of Taibai Island, or the demonic beasts, all have reached a certain limit. Either one side destroys the other in a single push—or they must call a truce…”
Fang Qing mastered Plum Blossom Divination and could seek fortune and avoid calamity. Even Qin Ruxue had not encountered major danger, at most suffering fright when the Sea-Covering Turtle attacked the island a few tis.
But other cultivators were not so fortunate.
Since establishing his foundation, several familiar Foundation Establishnt peers he had befriended on Small White Island had already disappeared.
Even Elder Tianxing had been ambushed by the Zhong Family during a sea patrol and slain on the spot!
He beca the highest-ranking and most deeply cultivated cultivator lost by the Azure Sea Sect since the war with the Zhong Family of Taibai Island began!
Fang Qing seriously suspected Zhong Lingxiu of exacting revenge!
He stepped out of his seclusion chamber and summoned Qin Ruxue, only to find her face sorrowful, tinged with grief.
“What has happened?” Fang Qing asked casually.
“One of this concubine’s senior sisters fell in battle at the front lines…”
Qin Ruxue’s emotions were low.
Though she was Fang Qing’s Bright Consort, while he was in seclusion she had maintained her own social ties—refining formations for others in the sect, exchanging cultivation experiences, and forming several close friendships.
This ti, a senior sister from Array Island had fallen in battle at the front lines!
“So the situation has reached the point where even Foundation Establishnt formation masters are dying…”
Fang Qing sighed.
Among the Hundred Arts of cultivation, formations were the most difficult and most versatile—worthy of being called the foremost art.
Thus formation masters enjoyed extrely high status.
A Quasi–Second Tier formation master could associate on equal footing with a Second-Tier pill master, talisman master, or artifact refiner!
As for Second-Tier spiritual planters? They were only fit to sit at the children’s table!
Within the sect, they were especially protected.
But if even formation masters were dying, it was clear the front lines had suffered a disastrous defeat.
“Bring the fragnts of the Sea-Covering Turtle’s shell, and its essence blood…”
At this thought, he suddenly spoke.
“Young Master?”
Qin Ruxue lifted her head abruptly, her eyes bright.
“This war should end.”
Fang Qing answered solemnly.
Monts later, gazing at the turtle shell fragnts and essence blood tainted with the Sea-Covering Turtle’s demonic aura, he activated Plum Blossom Divination.
Now that I have established my foundation, I am only one major realm apart from a Third-Tier great demon. The calculations are clearer—
Fang Qing quickly locked onto a stretch of sea, confirming it as the Sea-Covering Turtle’s hiding place.
His divine sense overflowed, imprinting the exact location into a jade slip. He then handed it to Qin Ruxue. “Secretly deliver this to the sect. Rember to use this Mirage Pearl to conceal your aura.”
“As you command, Young Master!”
Qin Ruxue obeyed solemnly, taking the peculiar pearl from Fang Qing’s hand.
The pearl resembled a fish’s eye, yet carried a dreamlike mirage aura.
Once held, not only her appearance but even her True Power aura began to blur.
This spiritual pearl was the only rare variant Fang Qing had obtained from killing dozens of Second-Tier demonic beasts over seven years—the Mirage Clam.
Mirage Clams were naturally adept at illusion arts. They could exhale mirage qi, forming natural illusion arrays.
It was even said that great-demon-level Mirage Clams could exhale mirage qi that transford into vivid mirage cities, attracting mortals and cultivators alike. They would linger within, marry, bear children, and only after several years—when the great demon departed—would they awaken to find it all a dream—
This pearl naturally lacked such power, but concealing appearance and True Power aura was effortless. Even Core Formation cultivators, unless they examined closely with divine sense face-to-face, would detect no anomaly.
Fang Qing’s action was naturally to avoid exposing his secrets.
Though this was a great rit that might earn heavy rewards from the sect—
No reward outweighed his own safety!
Moreover—this Mirage Pearl would be most suitably used in the World of Ancient Shu!
His gaze flickered. With this pearl concealing his aura, perhaps he could act a bit more aggressively in the World of Ancient Shu?
Now that his Qi Refining Path cultivation had encountered a bottleneck, it was the perfect ti to deepen his Qi Ingestion Path cultivation!
Such was the convenience of possessing two worlds!
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