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

In another part of the cabin, Jiang Muyun was also talking quietly with Chen Xuan.

“Nephew Chen, you’ve had a lot of contact with Master Mo, have you discovered anything?” Jiang Muyun asked.

Chen Xuan shook his head: "Master Mo is low-key in his actions and cautious in his words. All I know is that he claims to be a rogue cultivator and has a talent for contracts. Today's battle... even I was speechless." He recalled the scene of Fu Shaoping's blood sacrifice disintegrating silently, and still felt his heart tremble. "Uncle-Master, could this person be... a core disciple from some reclusive sect who came out for training?"

"Not necessarily. The method of contract he used is different from any sect inheritance we know of." Jiang Muyun pondered, "Perhaps it is true, as he said, that he obtained some rare ancient cultivation inheritance. In any case, he has made great contributions today, has done a favor for the Water Mansion, and has extraordinary strength. We should treat him with courtesy and not be negligent, nor should we investigate too much, so as not to arouse resentment."

"The disciple understands."

Inside the quiet room, Fu Shaoping was not entirely oblivious to the undercurrents outside. Although his spiritual sense hadn't fully recovered, his sensitivity to emotional and contractual fluctuations remained. He understood that his actions today would inevitably arouse suspicion and attention. But he didn't regret it. The Blood Soul Altar had to be destroyed, and the Blood Demon projection must not descend. This not only concerned the Azure Wave Water Mansion but also his own safety—if such an evil entity truly descended, it would certainly not spare a cultivator like him who possessed a contractual treasure.

"Strength is the best protection." Fu Shaoping slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, feeling the warm nourishment brought by the star core fragments. Although this battle was dangerous, it gave him the most direct experience of the application of power in the Foundation Establishment stage and the practical power of the Contract Dao. He needs time to digest this valuable experience and transform it into a more solid cultivation.

Several hours later, the Wave-Breaking Boat broke through the thick fog at the edge of the Yunmeng Great Swamp, and the outline of Linze Town came into view. At the dock, the disciples of the Bibo Water Mansion, who had already received the news, lined up to welcome them, the atmosphere solemn yet filled with excitement.

Once the boat came to a stop, Master Luochuan stepped out first, followed closely by Liu Hanyan, Jiang Muyun, Chen Xuan, and others. Fu Shaoping also composed himself and followed at the end of the group with a calm expression.

"Welcome back Elder Luochuan, Elder Liu, and Deacon Jiang!" The steward greeted them loudly, his gaze sweeping over the group, lingering for a moment on Fu Shaoping with curiosity and awe.

Master Luochuan nodded slightly and said to the steward, "The Blood Soul Altar has been destroyed, and the evil cultivators of the Canal Gang have been routed. In this battle, Guest Elder Mo Chen has made a great contribution! Immediately send the battle report back to the Water Mansion and prepare a first-class merit reward for Guest Elder Mo Chen."

"Yes!" the steward hurriedly replied, his gaze towards Fu Shaoping becoming even more fervent. A first-class merit was a rare achievement, perhaps only attained by one person every few years among the guest elders of the Water Mansion!
The group returned to Bibo Pavilion. Master Luochuan and Liu Hanyan lingered briefly, expressing their gratitude and praise to Fu Shaoping once more, and informing him that the merit rewards would soon be paid out, including a large number of merit points, rare pills, materials, and the previously promised access to the third level of the Scripture Pavilion and the "Mysterious Origin Heavy Water Shield." Afterwards, the two hurriedly departed for the core area of ​​the Water Mansion to provide a more detailed report.

Fu Shaoping was arranged to rest in a more luxurious and quiet guest courtyard. Soon, a steward brought over a pale gold token representing first-class merit, along with a long list of rewards.

The items on the list slightly moved Fu Shaoping: 5,000 merit points! Enough to exchange for a massive amount of resources. A bottle of a third-grade low-level pill, "Condensing Essence and Strengthening the Foundation Pill" (a top-grade pill for consolidating Foundation Establishment cultivation). Several main materials for refining second-grade magic weapons. And a one-month opportunity to cultivate in the core cultivation secret realm of the Azure Wave Water Mansion, "Tide Sound Cave" (the spiritual energy concentration in this secret realm is more than ten times that of the outside world, and it helps in comprehending the Great Dao of Water)!

More importantly, he has access to the third level of the Scripture Pavilion. This means he can access the ancient texts accumulated over hundreds of years by the Azure Wave Water Mansion, concerning Foundation Establishment cultivation, formations, alchemy, weapon crafting, and even some more profound contract theories (non-core)! This is of immeasurable value to him, who urgently needs to supplement his Foundation Establishment knowledge and verify the Dao of Contracts.

The "Mysterious Origin Heavy Water Shield" was also delivered quickly. It was a palm-sized shield, entirely dark blue, with a cold and heavy feel. When infused with true essence, it could transform into a thick water shield the size of a door panel, with extremely strong defensive capabilities. It also had the characteristics of deflecting force and reflecting some magical attacks, making it a rare and exquisite defensive magic weapon.

Fu Shaoping accepted the reward without hesitation. He knew it was what he deserved, and also a means for the Bibo Water Mansion to win him over and appease him.

In the following days, Linze Town and even the entire Yunmeng Great Swamp were shaken by the destruction of the Blood Soul Altar. The Cao Gang suffered a severe blow, its power shrank, and its collusion with the Blood Shadow Cult was completely exposed, making it the target of everyone's hatred. The Bibo Water Mansion's prestige soared, and the Qianji Pavilion also publicly expressed its support for the Water Mansion, agreeing to jointly wipe out the remnants of the Cao Gang and the Blood Shadow Cult.

Fu Shaoping's name also quietly began to circulate within a certain area. Although the Bibo Water Palace claimed that Elder Luochuan led the destruction of the altar, the disciples of the Water Palace who participated in the battle that day inevitably revealed the crucial role of that mysterious guest elder. The name "Mo Chen" began to enter the sights of some interested people in the Yunmeng Great Swamp.

Fu Shaoping ignored this. After receiving the reward, he plunged into the library of Bibo Pavilion and, relying on his first-class merit token and newly acquired privileges, began to devour the Foundation Establishment stage classics.

His primary focus was naturally on the section concerning contracts. While the contract texts collected by the Azure Wave Water Mansion didn't involve core inheritances, their quantity and quality far surpassed those in the "Miscellaneous Records of Ancient Contract Texts." There was the "Lakeside Contract Techniques," which explained how to stabilize spiritual fields and tame water beasts using the power of contracts; the "Essentials of Cloud Dream Alliance Contracts," which recorded and analyzed various alliance templates signed between the Water Mansion and various forces; and even several incomplete records of contract rituals that seemed to be related to the ancient "Water Element Sect."

Combining his insights from the star core fragments with his own inherited knowledge, Fu Shaoping's contract theory system rapidly improved. He began to understand that "human contracts" were not limited to individuals, but could also be applied to groups, forces, and even between humans and spiritual beings of heaven and earth. The scope of "earth contracts" was also far more than just borrowing power; it involved the management of earth veins, the guidance of spiritual energy, and even the grand concept of constructing a "contractual spiritual domain."

At the same time, he also systematically learned the common knowledge of cultivation during the Foundation Establishment stage. The nature and changes of true essence, the techniques for using spiritual sense, the construction principles of second-order spells, the refining and nurturing of magical artifacts... This knowledge was like sweet rain, nourishing his slightly bewildered cultivation path after just establishing his foundation.

Ten days later, Fu Shaoping felt that his foundation was solid and he had a clear plan for his cultivation during the Foundation Establishment stage. He decided to make use of the opportunity he had taken to cultivate in the "Tide Sound Cave".

The Tide Sound Cave is located beneath a spirit island in the core area of ​​the Azure Wave Water Mansion, with its entrance heavily guarded. Fu Shaoping, guided by a Foundation Establishment deacon of the Water Mansion, managed to enter only after passing through layers of restrictions.

The cave was not the typical cave one might imagine, but rather a strange, isolated space filled with a pale blue spiritual light. In the center of the space was a spring that continuously gushed forth a milky-white spiritual spring. The water tinkled and murmured, producing a rhythmic sound like the tides, instantly calming the mind and stimulating the thoughts. The dense spiritual energy was almost tangible, and one could feel a subtle increase in one's cultivation with every breath.

"Master Mo, please meditate here. The cave entrance will open on its own in a month." The steward who led the way gave the instructions and then respectfully withdrew.

Fu Shaoping found a smooth stone platform beside the spring and sat down. He didn't immediately begin his cultivation breakthrough, but instead calmed his mind and sorted through and processed his experiences, battles, and insights from the past month. Three days later, when his mind was completely clear, he officially began his seclusion.

The Foundation Establishment chapter of the Azure Profound Breathing Technique was running at full power, and pale golden contract essence flowed ceaselessly through his meridians, greedily absorbing the incomparably pure spiritual energy within the cave. The star core fragment rested on his lap, emitting a warm, primal aura, continuously nourishing and enhancing the foundation of his contract.

The "tidal sounds" of the Tide Sound Cave seemed to contain a certain rhythm of heaven and earth, creating a wondrous resonance with his contractual essence. He felt his understanding of the core concepts of the contract, such as "order," "agreement," and "balance," was constantly deepening in this resonance.

Cultivation takes no time.

Fu Shaoping's cultivation steadily improved, advancing towards the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage. His contractual true essence became increasingly pure and refined, and his spiritual sense became more acute and resilient under the baptism of the tide. He attempted to combine the newly learned Foundation Establishment spell construction principles with his own contractual spells, further enhancing the power and stability of spells such as "True Word Contract Lock" and "Earth Vein Spirit Borrowing."

He even began to try to deduce the incomplete "Evil-Sealing Seal". In the spiritually rich and Daoist-infused environment of the Tide Sound Cave, combined with the inspiration from the star core fragments and his study of the related fragments in the "Miscellaneous Records of Ancient Inscriptions", he managed to barely condense that trace of true meaning into a illusory talisman the size of a fingernail, with a dim golden light but a relatively stable structure! Although its power was far less than that of the Iron Box when it was activated, and it consumed a great deal of energy, he had at least taken a crucial step from "comprehension" to "prototype".

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

When the cave entrance's restrictions reopened, Fu Shaoping stepped out. His aura was even more restrained and profound, and faint golden contract patterns flashed between the opening and closing of his eyes, giving him an unfathomable air. Although his cultivation had not yet broken through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, he was already firmly standing at the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage, only one opportunity away from the mid-stage.

More importantly, his understanding of his own path has become clearer than ever before. Contracts will be the core principle guiding his cultivation. And the Azure Wave Water Palace is, for the time being, a good place to stay and acquire resources.

Back at Bibo Pavilion, Fu Shaoping noticed something was amiss. The disciples of the Water Mansion were in a hurry, as if something significant had happened.

He went to Manager Li to inquire.

Upon seeing him, Steward Li hurriedly said, "Elder Mo has emerged from seclusion? During your seclusion, the Water Mansion and the Thousand Machine Pavilion joined forces to launch a comprehensive purge against the remnants of the Canal Gang and the Blood Shadow Sect. The results were quite fruitful, but we also encountered some troubles."

"Oh? What's the trouble?"

"The remnants of the Canal Gang have retreated to a hidden stronghold deep within the 'Turbulent Seas,' putting up a stubborn resistance. The environment there is complex, with turbulent currents and numerous spatial rifts, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. Some high-ranking members of the Blood Shadow Sect also seem to be hiding there. The Water Mansion and the Thousand Machine Pavilion have launched several attacks, but all have failed to achieve complete success, and have instead suffered some losses." Manager Li lowered his voice, "Moreover, there are rumors that there may be the ruins of an ancient 'teleportation array' deep within the Turbulent Seas, possibly leading to some unknown small secret realm or fragments of ancient ruins. The Canal Gang and the Blood Shadow Sect are probably entrenched there not just to escape pursuit."

An ancient teleportation array? A secret realm ruin? Fu Shaoping's heart stirred. This might be an opportunity. Although the turbulent sea environment was dangerous, it might not be insurmountable for him. Moreover, if there really were ancient ruins, he might be able to find more clues or resources related to the contract.

"Where are Senior Luo Chuan and the others now?" Fu Shaoping asked.

"Elder Luochuan and Elder Liu have already gone to the front line in the Turbulent Sea to oversee things. Deacon Jiang and Senior Brother Chen are also there," said Steward Li. "If Elder Mo is interested, he may also go. The Water Mansion is recruiting powerful elders and rogue cultivators to form elite teams to go deep into the Turbulent Sea to carry out reconnaissance and sabotage missions. The rewards for merit are extremely generous."

After a moment's thought, Fu Shaoping made his decision. Staying in the rear to cultivate in seclusion would be safe, but it would lack opportunities for experience and access to higher-level resources. The turbulent seas, though dangerous, were also full of opportunities. He had just consolidated his cultivation and needed real combat experience; moreover, he possessed various contractual abilities, giving him a unique advantage in complex environments.

“Okay, I’ll go.” Fu Shaoping nodded. “How do I get there?”

Steward Li immediately said, "Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), Bibo Pavilion will be sending a batch of supplies and reinforcements to the front lines. Master Mo can accompany the team. These are the front-line communication tokens and a simple nautical chart."

After receiving the token and the nautical chart, Fu Shaoping returned to the guest courtyard and began preparing for his journey to the turbulent seas. He performed a preliminary refinement of his newly acquired "Mysterious Origin Heavy Water Shield," and used his merit points to exchange for some high-level talismans and pills that could replenish true essence, heal injuries, avoid water, and break restrictions. He also purchased a more detailed map marking the dangerous areas of the turbulent seas.

The following day at dawn, Fu Shaoping boarded a large spirit ship fully loaded with supplies, escorted by three Foundation Establishment cultivators (including a mid-Foundation Establishment deacon from the Water Mansion) and more than ten late-Qi Refining disciples, and headed towards the deeper part of the Yunmeng Great Swamp, towards the "turbulent sea area" known for its chaos and danger.

Standing at the bow of the ship, gazing at the increasingly turbulent and strangely colored sea ahead, and the distorted lightning flashing in the sky from time to time, Fu Shaoping's eyes were calm, but his heart was full of anticipation.

The first real adventure after Foundation Establishment is about to begin. Turbulent seas, unknown teleportation arrays, rumors of ancient ruins... all of this will become new trials and resources on his path of contracts.

The spirit boat cleaved through the giant waves, sailing into that bizarre and perilous sea. Fu Shaoping's figure, silhouetted against the shifting light and water, appeared even more imposing and mysterious. His story, in this vast and boundless world of cultivation, had only just begun to unfold a magnificent chapter. (End of Chapter)