Chapter 238: Foundation Establishment Stage Three

He Pingsheng has five elemental roots!

He possesses all five: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

When he first began cultivation, according to Hao Yun's example, the more roots one has, the finer each individual root becomes, and the slower the speed of absorbing spiritual energy.

But it doesn't matter.

I don't need my roots!

When swallowing pills, I directly channel spiritual power through the esophagus into the internal meridians and dantian, bypassing the roots entirely to deliver spiritual energy straight to where it needs to go.

The same principle applies to Qiao Huizhu's current condition.

Since my roots are inactive, I won't use them.

Swallowing pills to cultivate works just the same.

Then the question arises: if this theory holds, couldn't ordinary mortals without roots also cultivate?

The answer is: no!

Because the meridians that refine spiritual energy are not the same as the human body's ordinary meridians!

Without roots, there is no such cultivation meridian.

Without the meridian to refine spiritual power, swallowing pills is useless.

"Here…" He Pingsheng handed Qiao Huizhu a supreme-grade 【Spirit Gathering Pill】: "Sister, try cultivating first… see if you can cultivate?"

"Mm…"

Qiao Huizhu didn't refuse; she swallowed the Spirit Gathering Pill and immediately activated her cultivation technique.

He Pingsheng was stunned to find Qiao Huizhu's cultivation base began accumulating instantly.

From nothing, she surged straight to Qi Refining Stage One.

Half an hour later, she reached Qi Refining Stage Two.

One day later, the spiritual energy within the Spirit Gathering Pill was fully absorbed, and her cultivation base reached Qi Refining Stage Three.

"This… this is too fast!" He Pingsheng was stunned.

Qiao Huizhu smiled and said: "Though I once scattered my energy and sealed my meridians, I've already walked this path before!"

"Now that I'm walking it again, though it still takes time, I know the route well—it's much faster!"

"And… until I regain my former level, I won't hit any bottlenecks!"

He Pingsheng nodded; he understood this basic principle.

"Here… Sister…" He Pingsheng pulled out another vial of supreme-grade Spirit Gathering Pills: "Cultivate slowly—within one or two months, your base should catch up to what it was!"

"It won't be that fast!" Qiao Huizhu took a deep breath: "It'll probably take two or three years."

Two or three years—he could accept that.

"Your appearance… has returned!"

"Your hair's turned black again!"

He Pingsheng was stunned to notice Qiao Huizhu's body slowly changing as spiritual energy entered her.

But the scars on her face remained.

"Try this supreme-grade 【Blood Healing Pill】," He Pingsheng pulled out another pill: "See if it works?"

Qiao Huizhu asked: "How do you have so many supreme-grade pills?"

He Pingsheng naturally couldn't reveal the secret of the Treasure Basin; he merely chuckled: "Just a Grade-One pill—easy to refine, and I added Golden Bee Sacred Sap, so supreme-grade isn't surprising. Try it quickly!"

"Mm…"

Qiao Huizhu nodded obediently, didn't press further, and swallowed the Blood Healing Pill.

"Ah…" After a dozen breaths, she clutched her face and cried out in pain.

Half a stick of incense later, all scars on her face vanished.

Her appearance returned to its former state.

The ugly face was gone; in its place stood a breathtakingly beautiful woman.

"It's fixed!" She touched her smooth cheek, beaming with joy.

He Pingsheng chuckled happily.

"Next…" He Pingsheng glanced at the darkening night outside: "Sister, it's late—eat your pills and cultivate. I won't disturb you."

"I'm going to cultivate too!"

Previously, I went out to wander and temper my base after a long cultivation retreat.

This time, my wandering lasted long enough, and I've experienced enough.

"Don't…" Qiao Huizhu blushed, grabbing He Pingsheng's robe: "Husband… you've worked so hard these past days!"

He Pingsheng said: "It's not hard!"

Qiao Huizhu's expression darkened, her lips pressing against his: "I say it's hard—it's hard!"

He Pingsheng was thrown off guard; he smiled awkwardly: "Then… it's hard?"

"That's right!" Qiao Huizhu lifted her head, cheeks flushed, smiling like blooming flowers: "Since you've worked so hard, I'll reward you…"

"Come here!"

…

Deep night, cold stars, long moon shadows,

Golden bells at eaves condense dew's glow.

Spring breeze slips through the curtain's veil,

A hundred blossoms can't match a maiden's scent.

Several days later, He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu began their retreats, he on the third floor, she on the first floor of the small tower.

Qiao Huizhu would gradually restore her cultivation base.

He Pingsheng, meanwhile, sought to advance his own base further.

He Pingsheng set up several arrays on the third floor.

A defense array, a spirit-sealing array, and a warning array.

One, to conceal his Treasure Basin—he couldn't let Qiao Huizhu know about it.

Two, so their cultivation wouldn't disturb each other, maximizing efficiency.

He Pingsheng pulled out several items.

First: the Brocade Cloud Robe!

Second: two black spear-intent crystals.

Third: a small black spear.

Fourth: 【The Ten Thousand Arrays Collection】 and 【Grade-Three Arrays】.

He had tested the Brocade Cloud Robe before; its rank was too high to strengthen.

The spear-intent crystals had already been strengthened—one became two.

As for the small black spear, it was the divine spear he brought from the summit of Divine General Mountain.

To this day, he had never studied it.

He didn't know its rank, hadn't refined it.

And could it even be strengthened?

He didn't know.

"Let's try…" He Pingsheng clinked the small spear into the Treasure Basin.

Strengthen it.

A night passed—no success.

The spear remained a spear.

It seemed its rank far exceeded that of a magic treasure.

So far, the highest-ranked item the Treasure Basin could strengthen was a magic treasure.

If so, then cultivate!

He Pingsheng swallowed a 【Spirit Gathering Pill】 in one gulp; the Fire True Method within him roared to life.

Simultaneously, he split off a thread of spiritual sense to begin refining the small spear.

Time passed slowly.

One day!

Two days!

Three days!

…

In a flash, five months had passed.

He Pingsheng's body emitted a muffled crack; another layer of flesh barrier shattered.

His cultivation base rose from Foundation Establishment Stage Two to Stage Three.

"Stage Three—excellent…" He Pingsheng looked at himself.

Though his base only advanced one stage, his combat power and spiritual sense both nearly doubled.

In his hand was another small spear.

Over these five months, He Pingsheng had refined ten layers of seals on the spear.

And now he knew exactly what kind of treasure this divine spear was.

Name: Heaven-Defect Divine Spear

Rank: Upper-Class Ancient Treasure

It bears nineteen sealing layers.

Compared to the 【Brocade Wave Treasure Robe】, it lacks only one sealing layer.

Both are of Ancient Treasure rank.