Chapter 140: Foundation Establishment

The two waited outside the Law Enforcement Hall for less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before the Qi Refining disciple who had just gone in returned.

"Senior Uncle Xu, Ancestor Li is still in closed-door cultivation and is not in the hall. However, Ancestor and several Senior Brothers on duty have given instructions regarding this Daoist friend Song, so he can follow us in directly!"

After Xu Cheng Ziyan nodded, the two followed the disciple into the Law Enforcement Hall. Just hearing that the Golden Core Ancestor didn't seem to be here, Song Qingming's heart also gradually relaxed.

After entering the Law Enforcement Hall, this time Song Qingming didn't see the elderly man surnamed Zhou with whom he had dealt several times. The ones receiving them were two younger Foundation Establishment cultivators.

After confirming Song Qingming's identity, these two people indeed didn't make things difficult for him. They just looked at him curiously, counted the 8,000 spirit stones Song Qingming took out, and one of them handed the Foundation Establishment Pill that had been prepared long ago to him.

"Junior Sister Xu, the Foundation Establishment Pill has already been handed to this little brother. I ask you to take care of him when leaving and send him directly away from Mount Guyang. Not long ago, a disciple who exchanged for a Foundation Establishment Pill in the Merit Hall didn't take it immediately, and as a result, not long after, both the person and the Foundation Establishment Pill disappeared without a trace. The sect is still investigating this matter. I think you had better be careful, so as not to let your friend be targeted by someone with ulterior motives just after leaving here." When the two left, one of them who seemed to have a closer relationship with Xu Cheng Ziyan specifically stepped forward and gave them a reminder.

After leaving the Law Enforcement Hall, Xu Cheng Ziyan directly asked: "I wonder if Daoist friend Song has decided where to go for closed-door cultivation for Foundation Establishment?"

Song Qingming sighed and replied: "It's so dangerous outside, where else can I go? I can only return to the cave dwelling I rented in Yangshan Market for Foundation Establishment."

"The spiritual energy of ordinary cave dwellings in Yangshan Market is not as good as my spiritual mountain. Why don't Daoist friend Song return directly to my place to find an empty cave dwelling for closed-door cultivation? I also need to go into closed-door cultivation for a period of time recently, so I can just take care of you." After Xu Cheng Ziyan pondered slightly, she made a suggestion that surprised Song Qingming somewhat.

"That would be excellent. It's just that I'm going to disturb Captain Xu again!"

After disciples of the Xiaoyao Sect at the Qi Refining stage join the sect, they all cultivate in the Hall of Transmission and do not have the qualification to open up cave dwellings on their own. Only cultivators who have successfully reached Foundation Establishment can apply to the sect's Hall of General Affairs for an unoccupied spiritual mountain to cultivate on their own.

Besides being able to occupy a spiritual mountain alone, Foundation Establishment cultivators can also select Qi Refining disciples from the Hall of Transmission to help manage their spiritual mountain cave dwellings. Because after Qi Refining disciples become apprentices, they can follow their Master to cultivate on their spiritual mountain. Here, not only is the spiritual energy for cultivation more sufficient, but there is also a Foundation Establishment Master as a backer, and the cultivation conditions are much better than in the Hall of Transmission. This is also a good thing that many cultivators who join the Xiaoyao Sect dream of.

Xu Cheng Ziyan also cultivated on her Master's spiritual mountain before reaching Foundation Establishment. Only after reaching Foundation Establishment did she move to this spiritual mountain. Because she hadn't reached Foundation Establishment for long, she had only accepted three disciples and hadn't developed this spiritual mountain much. There were still many cave dwellings and spiritual herb gardens left by previous Foundation Establishment cultivators on the mountain.

After Song Qingming circled Xu Cheng Ziyan's spiritual mountain, he took a fancy to a cave dwelling with relatively sufficient spiritual energy that had been abandoned for many years and decided to go into closed-door cultivation here to impact the Foundation Establishment realm.

Before he went into closed-door cultivation, Xu Cheng Ziyan also specifically passed on to him some of the experience she had when she reached Foundation Establishment, as well as some matters that needed special attention. After Song Qingming understood, he also benefited a lot, and his gratitude toward Xu Cheng Ziyan in his heart increased a lot again.

For over 200 years, the entire Song family, except for that ancestor who had long since passed away, had

When Xu Cheng Ziyan reached the Foundation Establishment stage back then, she did not use a Foundation Establishment Pill. However, she was a three-element spiritual root cultivator, and her talent was still far better than Song Qingming's. Without the prerequisite of a Foundation Establishment Pill, relying only on a few ordinary Foundation Establishment spiritual items, Xu Cheng Ziyan still risked her life to pass the hurdle of Foundation Establishment. Song Qingming had always felt great admiration in his heart for this kind of dauntless spirit she possessed in her yearning for the Great Dao of cultivation.

The experience of reaching Foundation Establishment without using a Foundation Establishment Pill was not common, even within the Xiaoyao Sect. Generally, if disciples wanted to look through such recorded classics, they still had to go to the Xiaoyao Sect's Merit Pavilion and exchange merit points for them. Song Qingming had not expected that Xu Cheng Ziyan would actually impart such precious Foundation Establishment experience to him.

Song Qingming spent over ten days thoroughly comprehending all the Foundation Establishment experience Xu Cheng Ziyan had imparted to him before he activated the restrictions outside his cave dwelling, preparing to enter closed-door cultivation to attempt the Foundation Establishment realm.

——

One year later, Xu Cheng Ziyan, who was cultivating in her own cave dwelling, suddenly felt a trace of spiritual energy fluctuation outside, which made her immediately open her closed eyes.

After quickly ending her cultivation, Xu Cheng Ziyan walked out of the cave dwelling to take a look, only to unexpectedly discover that standing at the entrance of the cave dwelling was Song Qingming, who had been in closed-door cultivation for nearly a year.

"Fellow Daoist Song, have you already succeeded in Foundation Establishment? When did you come out of closed-door cultivation?" After seeing Song Qingming, Xu Cheng Ziyan was slightly stunned for a moment before she came back to her senses and asked with some pleasant surprise.

Song Qingming smiled and replied: "I only succeeded in Foundation Establishment three months ago. I spent some time in my cave dwelling stabilizing my cultivation base and only just came out of closed-door cultivation. I came here to see Captain Xu immediately."

"Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Song for attaining the Dao through Foundation Establishment and becoming one of our peers. From now on, we are all Foundation Establishment cultivators, so let us continue to address each other as Fellow Daoist."

"Then Song will congratulate Fellow Daoist Xu on your cultivation base's advancement." When he saw Xu Cheng Ziyan, Song Qingming had already discovered that during the year he was in closed-door cultivation, Xu Cheng Ziyan's cultivation base had also broken through a layer and had already reached the third layer of Foundation Establishment.

Xu Cheng Ziyan smiled and said: "That is also thanks to your blessing. A fellow sect brother happened to need the spiritual herb you gave me last time for alchemy, so I exchanged it with him for a second-grade elixir, which allowed me to break through my cultivation base ahead of schedule."

"I dare not accept such praise. My success in Foundation Establishment this time is also the result of Fellow Daoist Xu's unsparing assistance. You have bestowed upon me the grace of the Great Dao; how could a single second-grade spiritual herb compare to that?" Song Qingming said with some humble gratitude.

After hearing this, Xu Cheng Ziyan shook her head and said: "Fellow Daoist Song, these words are incorrect. Cheng Ziyan assisted you with what I could because we have had some friendship in the past; how could I dare speak of the grace of the Great Dao? Fellow Daoist Song, please do not be overly reserved.

For cultivators like us with average spiritual root aptitude, wanting to reach Foundation Establishment is not something that will definitely succeed just because someone helps. Although you had a Foundation Establishment Pill to assist you, regardless of whether there was a pill or not, one who can succeed in Foundation Establishment in one attempt must be a person with a firm Dao heart. Even without my help, it would have been a matter of time before you became one of our peers."

"Fellow Daoist Xu's words are indeed reasonable. Qingming has been taught!"

What Xu Cheng Ziyan said was certainly not alarmist. Even with a Foundation Establishment Pill, wanting to reach Foundation Establishment was not a simple matter. It was only because Song Qingming had experienced the process of Foundation Establishment himself that he deeply understood the words she had just spoken.

(End of this chapter)