Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

Three days later, dawn broke.

Fu Shaoping pushed open the door to the quiet room. His injuries had mostly healed; though his face was still somewhat pale, his breathing was steady, and his eyes were calm and deep. Through continuous use of healing pills, combined with the nourishing effects of the *Qingxuan Breathing Technique* and the slow recovery of his soul power, he had finally recovered to a state where he could move freely before today. In his sea of ​​consciousness, the vague insights gained after that battle were still settling and fermenting.

He changed into a clean gray robe, removed and put away the pale gold waist tag that indicated his status as assistant manager, carefully concealing only the ancient bronze key close to his body, and then put on the newly acquired black iron inner armor inside. The rewards, including three thousand spirit stones and Qi Condensation Pills, were safely stored away. Having done all this, he took a deep breath and strode towards the depths of the city lord's mansion.

The Secret Treasury is located in the back mountain of the City Lord's Mansion, a forbidden area shrouded in layers of arrays and heavily guarded. After presenting the bronze key and undergoing strict identity verification and inspection, Fu Shaoping was led by a Foundation Establishment guard with an expressionless face into a downward-extending passage paved with some kind of bluish-black stone.

The passageway was lined with glowing fluorite stones, the air was cold and dry, filled with the scent of time and a faint, oppressive spiritual pressure. After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a heavy bronze door appeared ahead, carved with intricate cloud patterns and animal heads, with a keyhole in the center.

The guard gestured for Fu Shaoping to step forward. Fu Shaoping took out a bronze key and inserted it into the hole. The key turned on its own with a soft "click." The bronze door slid open silently, revealing a crack just wide enough for one person to pass through, through which various colored lights could be faintly seen flowing.

"Zone C, time limit of one incense stick. Do not touch the barrier. You may only choose with your eyesight and divine sense. Once you have chosen, mark it with a key. Someone will retrieve it for you when you leave. When the time is up, you must leave immediately, regardless of whether you have chosen or not. Otherwise, you will trigger the barrier and bear the consequences." The guard's cold voice sounded behind me.

Fu Shaoping nodded and stepped through the gate.

Inside the door lay an extremely vast underground space, its ceiling invisible, surrounded by seemingly endless darkness. Only the area where he stood was illuminated by a soft light. Before him were crisscrossing jade passageways, and on either side of these passageways were transparent light shields of varying sizes, within which floated all sorts of items: magical artifacts, elixirs, jade slips, ores, spiritual herbs, talismans, fragments of ancient artifacts… a dazzling array, radiating precious light, with spiritual energy fluctuations varying in strength.

Beneath each light shield is a small jade plaque engraved with the name of the item and a brief description, but the information is mostly vague, and some only have a number.

This is the C-section outside the Heavenly Palace City's secret vault. It mainly stores items suitable for those below the Foundation Establishment stage, or items whose value is relatively clear but not top-tier. However, for Qi Refining cultivators, it is already a treasure trove they dream of.

Fu Shaoping didn't waste time marveling. He immediately walked quickly along the nearest passage, while simultaneously unleashing his full divine sense and quietly activating the "Identification Technique".

His goals were very clear: First, pills that would help with Foundation Establishment, especially Foundation Establishment Pills or their substitutes; second, subsequent cultivation techniques that would directly target the Foundation Establishment stage, preferably fire-attribute or highly versatile; and third, rare items that could assist in contract cultivation, enhance soul power, or possess special concealment or protective effects.

He scanned the light shields with his divine sense. He ignored low-grade and mid-grade magic artifacts; he didn't look at common first- and second-grade pills unless they were rare varieties; he didn't take ordinary cultivation technique jade slips; and he disregarded low-grade materials.

Time flew by. He saw several high-quality magic artifacts, the rare "Jade Marrow Pill" that could improve Qi Refining stage cultivation, a jade slip containing unorthodox secret techniques, and even a small bottle of "Earth Spirit Milk" (diluted, which could slightly improve physical constitution).

But he hadn't even seen a glimpse of the Foundation Establishment Pill he so desperately wanted. It made sense; the Foundation Establishment Pill was incredibly precious, and even if it existed, it was probably stored in the more central A or B zones, or perhaps it had already been pre-selected.

I have seen a few cultivation techniques that directly target the Foundation Establishment stage, but they are either unsuitable in terms of attributes or are just ordinary, not even as exquisite as the "Azure Profound Breathing Technique".

As for special artifacts that aid in contract cultivation, they are extremely rare. He saw a few "soul-warming jades" that could nourish the soul, but their effects were limited; he also saw a jade slip containing a fragmented cultivation method for "divine sense thorns," which was similar to his "soul contract chains," but more offensive and incomplete.

More than half of the time it takes for an incense stick to burn has passed. Fu Shaoping felt a little anxious. Could it be that this trip to the secret vault would only allow him to settle for second best, choosing either a high-grade magic artifact or that bottle of Earth Spirit Elixir?
Unwilling to give up, he quickened his pace, his divine sense scanning every corner more meticulously, like a comb. Suddenly, at the end of a relatively secluded passage, in an inconspicuous corner, a light barrier covered with a light dusting layer stirred a faint resonance within the "Netherworld Contract" in his sea of ​​consciousness!

He immediately went to the light barrier. Inside the barrier was not some dazzling treasure, but a palm-sized, dark, irregularly shaped piece of iron, which looked like a fragment of some kind of magical artifact or armor. The jade tablet below it had only a few simple words: "Unnamed iron piece, special material, suspected to be an ancient artifact remnant, exceptionally sturdy, purpose unknown."

There was no fluctuation of spiritual energy, no precious light. If it weren't for that faint resonance, Fu Shaoping wouldn't have given it a second glance.

He sensed it carefully. The resonance didn't come from the iron piece itself, but from some extremely fine, almost worn-down, chaotic engravings on it! Under the observation of the "Contract Identification Technique," those engravings faintly formed several extremely incomplete contract runes, their style and charm bearing a resemblance to the contract runes recorded in the "Netherworld Contract Book" and the gray jade slip! These were even more ancient fragments of artifacts related to "contracts"!

Fu Shaoping's heart pounded. This thing might be scrap metal to others, but to him, it might contain the secrets of the ancient contractual path! It might even help him understand and complete his existing inheritance!

He glanced at another light barrier beside him. There lay a jade slip containing a cultivation technique called "True Technique of Departing Fire," which could be cultivated to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. It was fire-attribute and quite powerful, making it one of the subsequent cultivation techniques he needed.

Only a few dozen breaths remained.

Is it the cultivation technique, or this mysterious piece of iron?
Fu Shaoping pressed the bronze key onto the black iron plate's protective shield almost without hesitation. The shield glowed slightly, and a temporary mark appeared on the jade tablet beneath the iron plate.

Just as he made his choice, he seemed to catch a glimpse out of the corner of his eye of an inconspicuous, dark red pill inside a light shield in a deeper, shadowy area shrouded by stronger restrictions. The words "Blood... Foundation Establishment..." seemed to flash across the jade tablet, but the light of the restrictions and the distance prevented him from confirming it, and his divine sense could not penetrate it either.

Blood? Foundation Establishment? Could it be...?

Fu Shaoping's heart skipped a beat, but time was up! A guard's cold voice urged from behind: "Time's up! Exit immediately!"

He dared not linger, glancing deeply at the shadowy area before turning and striding quickly toward the exit. The bronze gate slowly closed behind him. The guard took the key he handed back (already used up its use) and said expressionlessly, "Wait here; the item you chose will be delivered shortly."

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, another guard came out carrying an ordinary wooden box and handed it to Fu Shaoping.

Fu Shaoping opened the wooden box, inside which was the dark, unnamed piece of iron. It was heavy and cold to the touch, and its texture was neither metal nor stone.

He carefully put it away and left the Secret Passage area.

Back in his rented "pigeon coop" in the outer city (he had moved back after finishing his assistant work), Fu Shaoping activated all the restrictions before taking out the piece of iron again to study it carefully.

The iron sheet had a rough surface and irregular edges, with traces of solidification after melting in some places. Those fine engravings were almost invisible to ordinary divine sense; only by activating the "Identification Technique" and mobilizing the perception inherited from the "Netherworld Contract Book" could some twisted and discontinuous lines be barely discerned.

He carefully tried to inject a wisp of pure soul power into those engravings, following a method in the "Netherworld Contract Book" to communicate with the power of an ancient contract.

At first, there was no reaction. Just when he thought he had misjudged the situation, something seemed to be touched deep within the iron sheet. Immediately afterward, those incomplete engravings glowed with an extremely dim, almost imperceptible, ghostly light! At the same time, a fragment of extremely ancient, desolate consciousness, carrying the heavy bondage of contracts and the aura of blood, flashed into Fu Shaoping's sea of ​​consciousness like a fleeting glimpse!

The image is fragmented and blurry.
—A boundless battlefield, the sky is dark red, the earth is cracked, and the flames of war rage across the sky.

— Countless cultivators clad in strange armor and exuding overwhelming auras were fighting. Their attack methods were bizarre, often accompanied by invisible chains of contracts and cursed light.

—A massive black stone monument covered with intricate contract runes collapsed in the center of the battlefield, scattering fragments everywhere.

A majestic and furious roar resounded throughout the heavens and earth: "Traitors to the Oath! Those who break their oaths... shall suffer eternal retribution for their broken souls!"

The scene stopped abruptly.

Fu Shaoping suddenly opened his eyes, cold sweat beading on his forehead, his heart filled with turmoil!
Qi Sect! Is it the Xuanqi Sect? That collapsed black stone tablet... and the words "traitor," "oath-breaker," and "soul contract backlash"... Could this piece of iron be a fragment of an important artifact of the ancient Xuanqi Sect (perhaps that stone tablet)? Does it record some information about a fierce battle that the ancient Qi Sect participated in or experienced, as well as some of its rules and oaths?
This piece of iron itself may not have any direct power, but the ancient contractual intent it carries, along with those incomplete runes, is priceless to him as he cultivates the "Mysterious Contract True Explanation" and the "Netherworld Contract Book"! It can help him understand the origin of contracts and the power of sect oaths more deeply, and he may even be able to comprehend more powerful contractual applications or protective measures from it!

Worth it! The value of this piece of iron far surpasses that of a copy of "The True Secret of Fire Separation"!
After the initial excitement, Fu Shaoping calmed down. The dark red pill he had glimpsed in the secret vault, and the vague words "Blood...Foundation Establishment...", kept replaying in his mind. Could it be a rare Foundation Establishment pill like the "Blood Fiend Foundation Establishment Pill"? Although the side effects might be severe, it was still a type of Foundation Establishment pill. Had he missed a more direct opportunity to improve his cultivation?

But he quickly dismissed the idea. The path of cultivation is best suited to oneself. The potential enhancement from that iron piece, and the benefits it offered to the Dao of Contracts, might be more important in the long run than a potentially flawed Foundation Establishment Pill.

"Next, it's time to make substantial preparations for Foundation Establishment," Fu Shaoping pondered to himself. He was currently at the peak of the eighth level of Qi Refining, and after the stimulation of the series of battles and the trip to the secret vault, his bottleneck had shown signs of loosening. Breaking through to the ninth level of Qi Refining should be imminent. However, Foundation Establishment required multiple conditions, including cultivation techniques, elixirs, spiritual land, and a certain state of mind.

Regarding cultivation techniques, the "Azure Profound Breathing Technique" only reaches the early Foundation Establishment stage and its effectiveness diminishes thereafter. He needs to find a better Foundation Establishment cultivation technique, or try to deduce the later stages of the "Mysterious Contract True Explanation"? The latter is too difficult and not realistic at present.

The Foundation Establishment Pill is the core ingredient, but he has no way of obtaining it. Perhaps he could look for substitutes, or find the formula and collect the materials himself? That would be equally difficult.

In the Spirit Land, Tianque City offers rentable cave dwellings, but places with abundant spiritual energy suitable for Foundation Establishment are expensive.

A calm mindset and accumulated experience require more practice and reflection.

"Perhaps it's time to leave Tianque City for a while," Fu Shaoping thought. Tianque City was good, with concentrated resources, but the competition was fierce. His secrets were piling up, and staying here only increased the risk of exposure. With the Ascension Conference over and his assistant's position ending, he no longer had a fixed cover.

He traveled out to seek opportunities, digested what he had learned, attempted to break through to the ninth level of Qi Refining, and prepared for Foundation Establishment.

Perhaps our initial target could be... the outskirts of the Black Wind Gobi Desert?
The disheveled old man's dying words and the scene in the gray jade slip both point to the possible existence of relics related to "contracts" and "curses" there. Although the area is dangerous, the outer perimeter might be worth exploring, offering both training and the possibility of finding clues or resources related to one's own heritage. Moreover, the harsh environment of the Gobi Desert, sparsely populated, makes it relatively easy to conceal one's tracks.

However, there are still some things to take care of before leaving.

Fu Shaoping took out the "Merit Token" from the Xuanji Pavilion, along with several possible sources of information he had gleaned during the Ascension Conference through observation and the "Netherworld Contract Mark" (including the regular customers of the stall area where the slovenly old man he had rescued was located, and the vague traces left by several groups of people who had later come into contact with the old man). He needed to go to the Xuanji Pavilion to exchange the Merit Token for some useful items, such as a more refined flying artifact, a life-saving talisman, a map jade slip, and information about the Black Wind Gobi and possible ancient cultivation ruins. At the same time, he also needed to try to find out if there had been any recent news about the Black Wind Gobi, ancient contract ruins, or the "Blood Fiend Foundation Building Pill."

Furthermore, Xiao Jiao's victory will inevitably attract attention from many parties. He needs to leave discreetly as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary recruitment or trouble. (End of Chapter)