Chapter 147: Striking for Foundation Establishment

Qin Ming raised his hand and fully activated the second-rank superior defensive array.

Then, he closed his eyes and meditated for a while.

As his thoughts drifted, scenes from before his transmigration—struggling to haul bricks, barely surviving in the shantytown after transmigration, enduring exploitation as a spirit farmer in Lingyu Sect, living in constant fear and helplessness, tread carefully as if walking on ice, his first encounter with a tribulation cultivator—flashed before him like vivid memories, along with the hatred and friendship he'd encountered since then, from growing spirit plants to learning pill refining.

Now, all of it was like past clouds and smoke.

Foundation Establishment is the first great threshold on a cultivator's long Dao path.

Countless cultivators spend their entire lives, exhausting every effort, yet fail to cross this heavenly chasm.

Qin Ming opened his eyes; his gaze was clear as the bright moon, and a powerful conviction rose within him.

Through such prolonged accumulation, his foundation was now immensely profound.

Externally,

he had the superior spiritual vein environment of a second-rank middle-grade spirit island, sufficient to sustain the spiritual energy needed for Foundation Establishment.

He still possessed the Foundation Establishment spirit item, "Heavenly Fire Spirit Liquid," which could further increase his success rate by twenty percent.

He had even refined the rare "Supreme Foundation Establishment Pill," a treasure scarce even in the cultivation world.

Internally,

he had fully met the three critical thresholds required to break through to Foundation Establishment.

First threshold: the Blood and Qi barrier.

When striking for Foundation Establishment, heavenly spiritual energy floods the body, imposing certain demands on physical blood and Qi.

The body must be flawless, with abundant blood and Qi; any hidden injury, chronic illness, or deficiency in blood and Qi

would cause the spiritual energy influx to collapse like a thousand-li dike breached by an ant hole, unable to withstand the high-pressure load, risking total destruction.

Hence, it is advisable to strike for Foundation Establishment before age sixty; if one waits until old age, with diminished blood and Qi,

the risk of spiritual energy backflow causing chaotic magic power, shattered meridians, and death is extremely high.

In this regard, Qin Ming had already achieved physical Foundation Establishment, and his blood and Qi had reached the level of refined primordial Gang qi—no concern remained.

Second threshold: the Magic Power barrier.

Qi Refining stage magic power is mist-like; Foundation Establishment stage magic power is liquid.

Transitioning from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment requires condensing mist-like magic power into liquid form.

The purer and more abundant the magic power, the easier it is to transform and complete the qualitative change.

During Qi Refining, excessive pill consumption, accumulated pill toxins, or use of breakthrough pills can all lead to impure magic power.

Fortunately, although Qin Ming had taken many magic power-enhancing pills before, after switching to the "Ancient Tree Longevity Art," his magic power had been purified countless times through sedimentation and cleansing, becoming exquisitely pure, with reserves rivaling those of a beginner Foundation Establishment cultivator.

As for the breakthrough pill, the Bone-Washing Pill, he never used it; when breaking through to late Qi Refining, he relied on the scripture.

Third threshold: the Spiritual Sense barrier.

During Qi Refining, Qin Ming's spiritual sense had already fully transformed into spiritual thought, even surpassing ordinary beginner Foundation Establishment cultivators by several times.

The birth of spiritual thought aids in manipulating magic power within the dantian sea, compressing and transforming it into liquid form.

This was Qin Ming's greatest advantage.

He had also cultivated the postnatal spiritual body—the Ultimate Wood Body—achieving spiritual energy conversion efficiency comparable to a top-grade spiritual root.

Now, Qin Ming's essence, Qi, and spirit had all reached near-perfection across all three thresholds!

"If this doesn't succeed in Foundation Establishment, heaven itself would be unjust!"

Qin Ming's face hardened with resolve as he immediately retrieved a delicate porcelain vial.

He tilted it, pouring out a Supreme Foundation Establishment Pill radiating astonishing pill essence, adorned with eight Dao patterns.

Without hesitation, he swallowed it whole.

Then, he downed the Foundation Establishment spirit item, "Heavenly Fire Spirit Liquid," in one gulp.

Just these two rare treasures raised his success rate to sixty percent.

Huh～ Qin Ming's confidence soared as he activated the "Ancient Tree Longevity Art," charging toward his peak with full force!

The surrounding heavenly spiritual energy began gathering, forming a massive spiritual energy vortex above Qin Ming's head.

In truth, for cultivators with extraordinary talent,

Foundation Establishment Pills are not essential.

For instance, a Heaven-grade spiritual root cultivator can achieve Foundation Establishment effortlessly without external aids.

Next are Earth-grade spiritual roots; even without Foundation Establishment Pills, they still have considerable chances of success.

The emergence of Foundation Establishment Pills is a blessing for cultivators like Qin Ming, with average talent.

Those with inferior spiritual roots have extremely slim chances of achieving Foundation Establishment on their own.

The primary effect of Foundation Establishment Pills is to drastically enhance a cultivator's spiritual root efficiency in converting spiritual energy, further compressing magic power.

They also protect the meridians.

Even if the first attempt fails, as long as the meridians remain unharmed, one can continue trying.

Without pill protection, spiritual energy influx can damage meridians, causing hidden injuries or even immediate death.

Hence, even geniuses preparing for Foundation Establishment always carry Foundation Establishment Pills, just in case.

They spare no cost to minimize the risk of failure.

Half a stick of incense later.

Boom! The spiritual energy vortex in the heavens expanded again; Qin Ming stood at the center of a storm of spiritual energy.

At this moment,

even the second-rank superior array could not conceal such an extraordinary phenomenon.

…

On the lower slopes of Wangyue Island, Wu Jiang and his wife, tending their fields, were drawn by the grand heavenly phenomenon, stunned as they looked up toward the main peak.

"This—"

"Such a massive spiritual energy vortex phenomenon."

"Qin Dao You is striking for Foundation Establishment!"

"It appears he's reached the most critical moment."

Wu Jiang's expression was filled with awe; his heart churned with shock.

Mu Ruyin covered her small mouth, eyes wide in disbelief, speechless with astonishment.

In Wangyue Lake, the aquatic crocodile, who had long shared a mental bond with Qin Ming, now sensed its master's breakthrough to a major realm.

It hurriedly shook its head and swam onto the spirit island, guarding outside the array to protect Qin Ming.

Fortunately, Wangyue Island lay in the extreme north of the spiritual energy Archipelago, far from human habitation.

No one had noticed the astonishing heavenly phenomenon on the island.

Boom! Vast heavenly spiritual energy poured down like a mountain collapsing and sea surging; no matter how fierce the storm, Qin Ming's body stood unmoved.

At his third eye, a green rune ignited, instantly forming a massive shadow identical to Qin Ming, appearing behind him.

As soon as the green shadow appeared,

the efficiency of Qin Ming's spiritual root in converting heavenly spiritual energy during influx increased several-fold, continuously transforming into green mist-like magic power.

The green mist-like magic power flowed like rivers merging into lakes and seas, ceaseless and unbroken.

It grew denser, grander.

At this moment,

a flash of inspiration struck Qin Ming's mind—he suddenly understood.

His spiritual thought sank above the dantian sea, beginning to compress the magic power.

Gradually,

drip… drip… droplets of green liquid magic power fell like spring rain.

In Qin Ming's dantian, they gathered into a pool of clear, crystalline green liquid.

As the "Ancient Tree Longevity Art" completed its celestial cycle, the liquid magic power flowed through all his meridians, repeatedly cleansing blockages.

This was the Foundation Establishment transformation—replacing the sinews and marrow! Days passed.

The spiritual energy vortex gathering in the heavens gradually dispersed.

A ribbon of rosy clouds rose in the sky, casting its glow over Wangyue Island.

In the spirit fields beneath the main peak,

a Foundation Establishment spiritual pressure suddenly erupted, accompanied by a vibrant, rejuvenating life force like an ancient tree blooming in spring.

Qin Ming stood like an ancient tree, resonating with his life-spirit vine, as if traversing the river of time, untouched by years.

From this moment on,

Qin Ming had officially crossed the threshold into the cultivation world.

His lifespan doubled again.

From two hundred and ten years, it increased to four hundred and twenty years.

More than double that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Inside Qin Ming, the abundant liquid magic power cultivated through the "Ancient Tree Longevity Art" far surpassed peers, already rivaling that of an average mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

In addition,

Qin Ming's spiritual thought had surged from dozens of zhang to several times its former range, now covering a full li in all directions.

After ascending to Foundation Establishment, he quickly suppressed his magic power aura.

The "Ancient Tree Longevity Art" possessed strong concealment effects.

When Qin Ming suppressed his aura, he became indistinguishable from a withered log—no spiritual sense could detect his true cultivation level.

It can nearly conceal an entire major realm.

As long as he avoids direct contact with Jin Dan elders and isn't deliberately scanned, no one will detect anything amiss.

……

Qin Ming waved his hand and gathered up the items on the ground.

Restore the second-rank formation to its normal level.

Open the formation and stepped out.

"Congratulations, Brother Qin, on your Foundation Establishment!"

"No, no! It should be Elder Qin!"

Wu Jiang and Mu Ruyin bowed nervously before Qin Ming to offer their congratulations.

In the cultivation world, ranks are strictly hierarchical; even if they were close to him, they dared not address him improperly without Qin Ming's permission.

Even now, the two of them were still in a daze.

They couldn't quite believe it.

Their island master, who had always been so unassuming.

Had suddenly leaped forward, breaking through to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Yet, with Wu Jiang's sharp wit, he had long anticipated this day.

Others looked down on Qin Ming's four-element pseudo-spiritual roots, but Wu Jiang saw otherwise.

Over these many years, living side by side with Qin Ming on the island.

Wu Jiang had always held a strange intuition: that one day, the man would transform into a dragon.

He just hadn't expected it to come so soon.

"Heh, Brother Wu, no need to be so formal."

"Just call me Brother Qin."

Qin Ming's cultivation base had also broken through to Foundation Establishment; his strength had surged, and his mood was exceptionally light.

He immediately pulled out a vial of spirit pills and tossed it to Wu Jiang and his wife.

"Since there's joy to celebrate, consider it a lucky token—these years you've tended my spirit island, running all over the place. Consider it a small return."

Wu Jiang opened the porcelain vial and his face lit up with delight; he quickly pulled Mu Ruyin along, and both bowed deeply to Qin Ming. "Thank you, Elder Qin, for the pills!"

"From now on, if Elder Qin has any orders, I will gladly die for you!"

Wu Jiang, ever shrewd, saw his patron growing ever more powerful—when else to show loyalty but now? "Heh, Brother Wu, no need for such formality. I won't ask you to walk through fire or climb knives."

As Qin Ming spoke, his tone shifted.

He fixed Wu Jiang and his wife with a cold gaze.

"Also, you two must not reveal my Foundation Establishment to anyone—for now."

Wu Jiang immediately suppressed his joy, snapped to attention, and hurriedly replied: "Yes, yes, yes! Elder Qin, rest assured—I'll do exactly as you say."

Qin Ming nodded, satisfied.

He wasn't afraid of his Foundation Establishment becoming known—he simply didn't want to invite trouble.

Now, even against an ordinary Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivator, he had confidence he could win.

He no longer needed to tiptoe around like before.

Still, discretion was always better.

After all, in the Wei Kingdom's cultivation world, cultivators like Huangfu Qi or Lin Zixiao were still beyond his reach.

Moreover, Lin Zixiao held a mortal grudge against him.

He would continue to lie low on Wangyue Island, farming and cultivating in peace—until one day, he was certain, he would outlast them all.

Thank you to the great patron 160719153609810 for the 500-coin donation! (End of chapter)