Chapter 249: Foundation Establishment

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.

This morning, Changqing Lake.

The spiritual energy all around continuously gathered toward the Zhu Que Residence, rolling up the mist, making the entire Zhu Que Residence shrouded in clouds and mist.

The morning sun shone down, setting off five-colored light.

This scene lasted until noon, when the sun was high, and then it dissipated. 【249-

Zhu Que Abode, practice room.

Xia Daoming let out a long breath, slowly opened his eyes, and his face was full of joy.

"Foundation Establishment is truly extraordinary. Fortunately, I had the Jin Dan liquid to assist me; otherwise, for someone like me who started halfway, it would have taken several more years of struggle to reach Foundation Establishment." Feeling the drops of true essence suspended within his lower dantian's Yellow Court, which radiated a powerful energy aura, Xia Daoming could not help but sigh with emotion.

A quarter of an hour later.

Xia Daoming left the Zhu Que Abode and headed straight for Heavenly Jianfeng.

Heavenly Jianfeng, rear hall of the Elder's residence.

Zuo Dongge sat by the pond fishing in a relaxed manner, while Lan Xue sat beside him, quietly boiling and pouring tea for him.

Lan Xue was simple and innocent by nature; she served Zuo Dongge simply because he was an elder and her eldest brother's master.

It came from a sincere heart, and she worked without complaint.

Zuo Dongge had an eccentric temperament and was a cultivation genius. Although he was currently heavily injured and his strength was greatly diminished, his senses remained sharp, pointing directly to the essence of the human heart.

Who had simple intentions, who harbored ulterior motives, or who had impure intentions—subtly, he possessed an innate intuition for it.

The disciples before had overly complex minds and tried to curry favor with him in every way, mainly wanting to gain some benefits from him. While this was human nature, Zuo Dongge did not like it.

Lan Xue had a simple mind and a pure heart toward him, which Zuo Dongge genuinely liked; no matter how he looked at her, she was pleasing to his eyes.

"Eh, this brat finally remembered me." Zuo Dongge was fishing leisurely when he suddenly felt something; his eyebrows lifted slightly, and he said, "Lan Xue, your Big Brother Xia is here."

"Ah, Big Brother is here? Then I'll go meet him right away." Upon hearing this, Lan Xue immediately revealed a look of surprise, dropped the tea set, left Zuo Dongge behind, and flew out of the rear hall, kicking up a gust of wind.

Watching Lan Xue drop him, a Jin Dan Elder, the moment she heard Xia Daoming had arrived, and vanish in a flash, Zuo Dongge felt inexplicably sour.

On the other side, Xia Daoming met Lan Xue in mid-air.

"Big Brother, you're here!" Lan Xue flew and landed on Xia Daoming's flying boat, saying happily.

"Eh, you've reached Qi Refinement perfection!" Xia Daoming looked at Lan Xue with surprise.

The reason he had reached Qi Refinement perfection so quickly was because he had opened his Blood Sea, which strengthened his spiritual sense and physique, benefiting his Qi Refinement path and allowing him to reach perfection a step earlier than expected.

Although Lan Xue had high talent, she had started late after all. Even with his help later on and her desperate efforts to catch up, Xia Daoming thought it would still take her several months to half a year to cross from the ninth layer of Qi Refinement to perfection. He hadn't expected her to reach it so quickly.

"Yes, speaking of which, I have to thank Big Brother for this! If Big Brother hadn't taken me to meet Elder Zuo and gained his favor and guidance, I certainly wouldn't have reached Qi Refinement perfection so quickly," Lan Xue said.

"So that's how it is. A famous teacher is indeed a famous teacher. For a cultivator with your outstanding talent, if you get guidance from a famous teacher, you can avoid many detours!" Xia Daoming sighed with relief upon hearing this, though many thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.

The flying boat soon landed at the rear hall.

Zuo Dongge sat alone by the pond fishing, his back to Xia Daoming and Lan Xue, not even turning his head, appearing aloof and arrogant.

Contrary to his usual practice of clashing with Zuo Dongge, Xia Daoming approached with a face full of smiles, busily pouring tea and water for him while accompanying it with a laugh: "Master, you have such refined taste today. Come, come, have a cup of tea to relieve your fatigue."

"You brat, offering flattery for no reason—you must have some..." Zuo Dongge was quite receptive to Xia Daoming's change in attitude. As he took the teacup offered to him, he glanced at him sideways and said with disdain.

However, before he could finish his sentence, Zuo Dongge's hand holding the tea trembled, and his eyes stared straight at Xia Daoming like swords.

"Master, what, what are you doing?" Xia Daoming put on a fearful expression.

"You brat, you've reached Foundation Establishment!" Zuo Dongge said, a look of disbelief appearing on his face.

"Master, your eyes are indeed sharp. I had already tried my best to restrain the fluctuations of my magic power, yet you still saw through it at a glance," Xia Daoming said hurriedly.

Upon hearing this, Zuo Dongge glared at Xia Daoming with inexplicable annoyance and shame.

With Xia Daoming's cultivation level, even if he tried his best to restrain his magic power, he should have discovered it long ago.

It was just because of his preconceived notions that he hadn't bothered to pay attention to him at all, and as a result, he only discovered the anomaly when Xia Daoming served him tea. To Zuo Dongge, this was truly a bit embarrassing.

As a result, this brat Xia Daoming was actually using this to flatter him; it was simply touching a sore spot.

"Oh no, the flattery backfired," Xia Daoming muttered to himself in a low voice.

"You brat!" Zuo Dongge almost couldn't help but habitually reach for his broken sword.

But in the end, Zuo Dongge held back.

There was no help for it; while this brat was annoying, his cultivation talent was truly astonishing!

In less than three months of apprenticeship, he had actually broken through from the ninth layer of Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment.

Could it be that he was a late bloomer, silent until he made a stunning impact!

"You said last time, how old are you?" Zuo Dongge asked.

"Replying to Master, last time I was thirty-two, but now I am already thirty-three," Xia Daoming replied.

"Thirty-three is not considered early for Foundation Establishment, but you are different. Work hard, and Jin Dan is within reach," Zuo Dongge said with a serious expression.

"Master, rest assured, this disciple will certainly not let down your high expectations," Xia Daoming said with a solemn face.

Zuo Dongge nodded, then looked at Lan Xue and said earnestly: "Lan Xue, you have also reached Qi Refinement perfection. You must also work hard and strive to reach Foundation Establishment as soon as possible to catch up with your Big Brother Xia. Here is a Foundation Establishment Pill; take it."

As he spoke, Zuo Dongge threw a pill bottle to Lan Xue.

"Thank you, Elder!" Lan Xue hurriedly knelt to thank him.

Watching Lan Xue kneel to thank him, Zuo Dongge felt a sense of accomplishment.

Unlike Xia Daoming, whom he hadn't even given a single word of guidance to, yet who had stubbornly reached Qi Refinement perfection, then Foundation Establishment, and even opened his Blood Sea.

This made Zuo Dongge, as a master, feel he had no face.

Fortunately, he had at least given that brat three Foundation Establishment Pills.

For this Foundation Establishment, he, as a master, should have contributed.

But Xia Daoming showed no sign of it, as if breaking through to Foundation Establishment was entirely his own merit, so Zuo Dongge had to remind him.

"Master, you gave me three Foundation Establishment Pills back then; why did you only give Lan Xue one?" Xia Daoming reminded him.

"Lan Xue has outstanding talent, rarely seen by this master in his life; one is enough. How can you compare to her... cough cough, anyway, one is enough for her." Zuo Dongge looked at Xia Daoming, truly wanting to take his broken sword and give him a few hard knocks.

Rebellious disciple!

You still remember that I gave you three? How come you didn't kneel and thank me when you succeeded in Foundation Establishment!

"Foundation Establishment Pills are definitely the more the better!" Xia Daoming said.

Zuo Dongge glared fiercely at Xia Daoming, but still took out another pill bottle and handed it to Lan Xue, saying: "There are two more here; keep them."

There was no help for it; Zuo Dongge cherished the innocent and simple Lan Xue and didn't want to see her get hurt.

"Lan Xue, it's useless for you to hold three Foundation Establishment Pills; give them to Big Brother. Later, Big Brother will give you better Foundation Establishment items," Xia Daoming said.

"Okay, Big Brother." Lan Xue didn't say a word and gave the three Foundation Establishment Pills she had just received to Xia Daoming.

When Zuo Dongge saw this, he realized this brat had been fishing for benefits for himself all along, and he was so angry he blew his nose and glared.

Especially the way Lan Xue listened to Xia Daoming made him feel the most displeased.

Why!

"You've grown capable, haven't you? Daring to scheme even against your master—do you believe I'll clean up the sect today!" In the end, Zuo Dongge couldn't help but take out his broken sword.

The broken sword flashed with cold light, scaring Lan Xue into hurriedly blocking in front of Xia Daoming.

Seeing this, Zuo Dongge was so angry his lungs were about to explode.

I am the one who guided your cultivation, and I am the one who gave you three Foundation Establishment Pills; in the end, you actually still protect the Big Brother who only knows how to trick you out of your pills.

"Master, do you believe that I actually lost out by trading with Lan Xue for the three Foundation Establishment Pills?" Xia Daoming said without changing his expression.

"Believe your nonsense! What do you think a Foundation Establishment Pill is? Many people beg for one and cannot get it; it's only because I am your master that I can casually take out three," Zuo Dongge couldn't help but swear.

"Disciple will show you something." Xia Daoming smiled slightly upon seeing this.

Then a pill bottle flew out.

Jin Dan liquid was incomparably precious; Xia Daoming had already divided the remaining sixteen drops of Jin Dan.

One drop per bottle.

Zuo Dongge took the pill bottle, a look of shock appearing on his face.

What kind of person was he? The moment the pill bottle flew out, he had already felt a trace of Jin Dan aura fluctuations.

"Jin Dan liquid! You actually have Jin Dan liquid; no wonder you could reach Foundation Establishment so quickly! No wonder Lan Xue is so devoted to you as a Big Brother! You are indeed not her biological brother, but you are better than one." Zuo Dongge opened the pill bottle, looked at the golden, glittering droplet inside, and sighed with emotion, his gaze toward Xia Daoming changing slightly.

In fact, he had an eccentric temperament and had always been able to tolerate Xia Daoming as a disciple because he knew clearly that Xia Daoming's character was not something his previous disciples could compare to.

Now, seeing that he was even willing to give Jin Dan liquid to Lan Xue, he knew even more clearly that he hadn't misjudged the person.

"Lan Xue, since your Big Brother gave it to you, keep it for now. With your talent and foundation, after another month or so of stabilization, you can take it for Foundation Establishment." As he spoke, Zuo Dongge gave the pill bottle directly to Lan Xue.

"Master, look at the other Jin Dan Elders; which one doesn't have eight or ten disciples under their tutelage? Look at you; you only have me as a disciple, and I get bullied whenever I go out." Xia Daoming felt a stir in his heart upon seeing this and said.

"Who dares to bully you!" Zuo Dongge glared.

"Didn't that Luo Mu bully me last time? I can't ask you to step in every time someone bullies me, right? So, Master, our Heavenly Jianfeng lineage is too weak. If this continues in the long run, me being bullied is a small matter, but I fear it will damage your prestige!" Xia Daoming said with an earnest and well-meaning tone.

"Nonsense, do you think I don't know what you're thinking? Isn't it just wanting me to take Lan Xue as an apprentice?" Zuo Dongge said irritably.

"One Lan Xue isn't enough. My two wives are both exceptionally talented, kind-hearted, and virtuous; Master might as well take them as direct disciples. There are also Shao Shiyu, Mo Yongzhi, and Wan Yan, who are devoted to the Dao and act with principles, and can share in both joy and hardship. If Master thinks their talent isn't outstanding enough, you can take them as nominal disciples to bolster the sect's facade," Xia Daoming said hurriedly.

Zuo Dongge was stunned for a long time before he could recover, and after a while, he said with a bitter laugh: "You brat, you really dare to think!"

"Does Master think that Liu Qiaolian's talent is average and she isn't worthy of being under your tutelage?" Xia Daoming asked.

"That's right." Zuo Dongge nodded.

"But if I tell Master that she took the Tong Ling Xuan Guo at twenty-seven, re-awakened her spirit, and stepped onto the path of cultivation, does Master still think her talent is average?" Xia Daoming asked.

"You mean, she only started cultivating at twenty-seven?" Zuo Dongge was surprised and shocked upon hearing this.

"That's right. My other wife, Ji Wenyue, also re-awakened her spirit at twenty and stepped onto the path of cultivation. She is twenty-six this year, and like Liu Qiaolian, she is at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, only a little short of Qi Refinement perfection," Xia Daoming said.

"Could it be that you also re-awakened your spirit later in life and stepped onto the path of cultivation?" Zuo Dongge's expression became somewhat shocked at this moment.

"The three of us awakened our spirits together; we both followed the Martial Dao before. Their Martial Dao talent is far inferior to mine, so after re-awakening their spirits, they focused entirely on the path of Qi Refinement," Xia Daoming replied.

"You brat! You brat!" After Zuo Dongge received a definitive answer, he couldn't help but stand up, pointing at Xia Daoming, unable to say anything for a long time, his heart churning like a stormy sea.

Re-awakening the spirit later in life, losing at the starting line—the path of cultivation was naturally much harder than for others.

But Xia Daoming had succeeded in Foundation Establishment in just six years.

Although it had to do with the Jin Dan liquid and other opportunities, it was already extremely shocking.

What was even more shocking was that Xia Daoming had also opened his Blood Sea at the same time.

Even Zuo Dongge, who prided himself on his outstanding talent, had to sigh in inferiority.

"Do Shao Shiyu and the others know about your re-awakening?" After a long time, Zuo Dongge gradually calmed his mood and said with a serious expression.

"Disciple has never told them," Xia Daoming replied.

"The tree that stands above the forest will be destroyed by the wind! Your Foundation Establishment at thirty-three is quite ordinary to truly powerful people. Although your opening of the Blood Sea is astonishing, this path has declined, and no one will think you can go far, so it won't attract special attention from others.

But once your cultivation experience is revealed, it will inevitably cause a huge uproar. Other sects in the Great Ming Kingdom, and even sects in neighboring countries like the Yue Kingdom, will pay close attention to you and scheme against you, preventing you from truly growing up.

Therefore, let this matter stop with me. Unless one day you reach Nascent Soul, at which point your cultivation experience will be of no consequence," Zuo Dongge said in a deep voice, a complex look flashing in his eyes for some reason.

"Was Master schemed against back then?" Xia Daoming asked in a deep voice, a cold light appearing in his eyes.

"As for my affairs, I will tell you when you have hope of reaching Nascent Soul. It is too early now, and there is no benefit in saying more. You just need to remember: you can be excellent, you can stand out, but you cannot be so excellent that others fear you and want to get rid of you quickly!" Zuo Dongge said with a serious expression.

(End of chapter)