Chapter 253: Four Seasons Divine Light: Breaking Through to Foundation Establishment

Beneath the sentient plant Yin-Yang Mystic Vine.

Qin Ming raised his hands, and a slender inch-long emerald divine light pierced through his body.

This was the divine ability born after the completion of the Ancient Wood Evergreen Body—the Four Seasons Divine Light.

The Four Seasons Divine Light not only possessed countless wondrous applications of the wood element, but also contained the power of time's cyclical turning.

Yin and yang transform, the four seasons shift, time withers and flourishes: spring nurtures growth, summer promotes expansion, autumn harvests, and winter stores away.

The Four Seasons Divine Light could be used offensively to slay enemies with unmatched sharpness, or defensively to nourish plants and herbs, heal injuries, dispel all poisons, and act upon all things.

It was tailor-made for me, a plant cultivator! Now that Qin Ming's body was complete, he stood just one step away from Foundation Establishment's later stage.

The Moon Gazing Island housed a mid-grade third-rank spiritual vein, and with his Ancient Wood Evergreen Body, his spiritual root quality rivaled that of a heavenly-grade root, granting him double the cultivation efficiency.

A heavenly-grade spiritual root, before reaching the Golden Core stage, was blessed by heaven itself—there was simply no bottleneck.

"I feel it coming—fortune arrives as the heart desires!"

"Seize this opportunity and break through to Foundation Establishment's later stage!"

Qin Ming sat cross-legged again, guiding spiritual energy from heaven and earth into his body, circulating it through his meridians in a full cycle.

Around his sentient plant, the Yin-Yang Mystic Vine, spiritual energy from heaven and earth began gathering, forming a funnel-shaped vortex above the Moon Gazing Island.

Then, the abundant spiritual energy of the third-rank vein poured down like an ocean.

In an instant.

A mysterious silver rune glowed on Qin Ming's third eye, forming behind him a silver sentient plant identical to his own.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth was rapidly transformed by the silver rune's manifestation.

Whoosh! A continuous stream of emerald liquid magic power flowed like a river, endlessly pouring into Qin Ming's magic power lake.

His magic power lake had been purified multiple times by the 【High-Efficiency Purity】 term, making its storage and purity far exceed that of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators.

With the enhancement of the Ancient Wood Evergreen Body, Qin Ming's magic power lake surged again by more than double.

Within Qin Ming's dantian, a vast emerald lake of magic power formed, radiating a soft glow.

Finally.

Qin Ming's liquid magic power reached its limit.

Boom! The emerald magic power lake suddenly expanded, transforming into an endless sea of magic power!

The spiritual vortex in the sky vanished instantly; a vibrant aura of life resonated around Qin Ming, harmonizing with heaven and earth.

Inside him, a powerful surge of magic power spiked rapidly, causing surrounding plants to be blown sideways by its force.

Finally, the immense spiritual pressure of Foundation Establishment's later stage descended.

"I've finally broken through to Foundation Establishment's later stage!"

Qin Ming opened his deep, dark, demonic eyes, exuding an aura of ancient time, accompanied by a faint scent of plants.

A broad smile spread across his lips.

"Indeed, cultivating the Ancient Wood Evergreen Body brings countless benefits—I now possess the powerful divine ability, the Four Seasons Divine Light."

"It has even given me the chance to pursue the Golden Core stage, which countless cultivators can only dream of."

"Theoretically, a heavenly-grade spiritual root can bypass the Golden Core Pill and directly break through to Golden Core using only a third-rank spiritual vein."

"But that path remains far too risky—if the breakthrough fails and meridians are damaged, the injury is irreversible."

"I won't follow the example of Yuwen Hong, the ancestral elder of Lingyu Sect—he broke through only because he was cornered, resigned to death, and dared to attempt it without the Golden Core Pill."

"But I have the Term System—I can easily refine the Golden Core Pill myself. There's no need to risk it."

"Better to proceed steadily. I still have many years ahead—slow and steady, the Golden Core path lies right before me!"

After breaking through to Foundation Establishment's later stage, Qin Ming's magic power rivaled that of a pseudo-Golden Core elder. His spiritual sense also doubled, reaching fifty li—equal to that of a typical Golden Core elder.

The longevity gained from minor breakthroughs in Qin Ming's cultivation scripture, Ancient Wood Eternal Life Technique, far exceeded that of ordinary cultivators at the same stage.

Ordinary cultivators gain thirty years of lifespan upon reaching Foundation Establishment's later stage; Qin Ming's lifespan increased by sixty years.

His current lifespan had reached six hundred and ten years, surpassing most Golden Core elders.

He could confidently say that among all the Golden Core elders in the Wei Kingdom, not one lived longer than him.

Moreover, his sentient plant, the Yin-Yang Mystic Vine, would continue to generate the 【Abundant Lifespan】 term, granting him infinite longevity.

Becoming a living relic of the cultivation world was within reach!

Thus, as long as he maintained steady growth, avoided enmity, cultivated goodwill, and outlasted this generation of Golden Core elders and beast kings, the task was manageable.

"Hmm, the path to immortality lies right before me!"

"Today is cause for celebration—time for a great drink!"

Though Qin Ming's cultivation breakthrough filled him with joy, he did not rush to drink.

Instead, he went to the back mountain behind the main peak, demonstrating his new strength and feeling the changes after his breakthrough.

Qin Ming's gaze sharpened; he casually pointed into the air, casting the Thorn Spell he had used before.

After completing the Ancient Wood Evergreen Body, his understanding of wood-element spells had reached the level of a peerless genius.

Now, he could effortlessly cast numerous high-grade wood-element spells.

Shhh! From the area he targeted, countless black Mystic Vines erupted wildly—each vine as thick as a water barrel, instantly soaring over ten zhang high!

Then, these thorn-covered Mystic Vines instantly intertwined and bound together, forming an unbreakable wooden barrier.

After achieving the Ancient Wood Evergreen Body, Qin Ming could summon all wood-element spells effortlessly, their power multiplied manyfold.

The Thorn Spell now not only became far more concealed, but its power had increased several times—any Foundation Establishment later-stage cultivator caught directly in its grasp would be slain on the spot.

Then, Qin Ming drew forth the Qing Luan Sword, channeling his magic power to cast the Azure Heaven Sword Art.

Shhh! Countless emerald sword rays flashed, weaving into a dazzling net of emerald blades; wherever the sword qi touched, objects turned instantly to ash.

"The power of the Azure Heaven Sword Qi has also increased several times—now even a casual strike matches the full power of my sword art from my mid-Foundation Establishment stage."

Qin Ming's gaze hardened; he formed a sword seal and poured all his magic power into the Qing Luan Sword.

Qing! A massive sword ray over forty zhang long, radiating terrifying might, hovered above Moon Gazing Lake as Qin Ming willed it downward.

The emerald light sliced through the sky like a river of blades, striking the lake's surface.

Boom! The lake was instantly split open by a trench hundreds of zhang long, briefly forming a vacuum zone.

Several breaths later, the water on both sides closed again.

"This full-power strike of the Azure Heaven Sword Art—even a pseudo-Golden Core elder might not survive it."

"With my current strength and the Four Seasons Divine Light, I can defend myself even against a Golden Core elder."

"Perhaps even hold my own for a few exchanges."

"With the Ancient Wood Evergreen Body complete and my refined Jade Xuan Pills, reaching Foundation Establishment's peak won't take long."

"Next, it's time to prepare to enter Xuanxi Valley to obtain the Golden Core Pill formula."

"I've already acquired the two hardest-to-obtain main ingredients—the seeds of the Flame-Bathed Golden Lotus and the Still You True Yin Flower; the remaining materials should be easier to gather."

…

(End of Chapter)