Cultivating Immortality Begins with Rejuvenation.

Chapter 296 Foundation Building Again
Although the back mountain of the Biyun Sect is designated as a forbidden area, its defenses are very lax.

After all, in the thousands of years of sect history, those who were imprisoned in the back mountain were mostly given minor punishments as a warning, not necessarily killed. If someone truly crossed the sect's line, they would be killed on the spot to eliminate any future troubles.

Therefore, none of the disciples who were imprisoned in the back mountain in history have ever escaped.

Xu Xiaochun has set a precedent.

However, with his escape, Li Ji'an, as the chief disciple of the sect in this generation, is likely to become the target of Qingjiang Sect's retaliation.

Upon returning to his sect, he intends to establish his foundation.

Originally, relying on his status as the chief disciple and having the sect's protectors, he planned to hone his magical power through appropriate training after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage.

The scene of condensing the elixir in my previous life is still vivid in my mind, and my understanding of the elixir condensation process is very clear. Whether it is the abundance or purity of my magical power, it has a decisive influence on the quality of elixir condensation and formation.

If he were only planning to obtain a True Core, with the profound and enduring power of the Earth-grade superior "Yi Wood Evergreen Technique" he has cultivated in this life, coupled with several kinds of Core Formation Treasures, he wouldn't have any worries. Even if he stayed in seclusion within the sect after Foundation Establishment, True Cores, or even mid-grade True Cores, would be within his grasp.

However, he had several rare treasures for forming the Golden Core in this life, as well as the number one Seven-Colored Jade Tree, which he did not want to waste, so he sought to obtain the Golden Core.

Therefore, it is very difficult to achieve anything simply through seclusion and arduous practice.

"That's it!"

"Where there's a will, there's a way; when the boat reaches the bridge, it will straighten itself. The cultivation world is ever-changing, and the timing of events is beyond human control. The situation of the six major sects has changed drastically. With my current strength, I can only do my best and accept fate. I need to succeed in Foundation Establishment first!"

Li Ji'an smiled nonchalantly, no longer worrying about the established facts.

"Don't worry, I'll come to pick you up after I've reached the Foundation Establishment stage. Go on." After saying goodbye to the two little ones, Li Ji'an decisively headed towards the Strange Stone Forest.

Halfway there, the sect leader and Xiao Changfeng both sent messages, urging him to return to the sect immediately.

Two months later, Li Ji'an arrived at Qishilin and told Ning Sujin about the changes in the Xianci Dynasty over the years.

Ning Sujin has been in the cultivation world for over two hundred and twenty years. Upon hearing of the calamities befalling the Zhao royal family and the Ning family mansion, she showed a hint of sorrow, revealing her true nature.

He then immediately returned to his sect.

The journey back to the sect took three months, and now the sect is in a state of panic.

As soon as Li Ji'an returned to his clan, Xiao Changfeng immediately came looking for him.

"Peace, the situation within the domain has changed. From today onwards, do not leave the sect."

Through probing inquiries, it was learned that when faced with the arrival of the decree from the Qingjiang Sect's Wanfa Palace, the Biyun Sect elders ultimately decided to abandon Xu Xiaochun.

There is no right or wrong, only the trade-offs of interests.

However, Xu Xiaochun's escape put the Biyun Sect in a passive position.

Now, Wanfa Palace has officially issued an edict, no longer restricting Qingjiang Sect's actions of seeking justice from Biyun Sect.

This means that the seven agreements that have lasted for thousands of years have automatically become invalid.

Previously, the Wanfa Palace had a law that restricted the seven sects from engaging in sect wars. Even if there were disputes over interests, they had to be resolved in other ways. If a consensus could not be reached in the end, the Wanfa Palace would make the final decision.

Therefore, even though there were occasional disputes among the seven sects over the past thousand years due to various opportunities, they only fought a few times and eventually compromised with each other.

But now, without the sect agreement, a war of annihilation to conquer other sects could really happen.

However, when the Lieyang Sect was wiped out by the Wanfa Palace, the remaining six sects had a premonition and were prepared for it.

They had been infiltrating each other for more than a decade, gaining a deep understanding of each other.

This time, the incident involving Xu Xiaochun of the Biyun Sect just happened to be the trigger.

“Uncle-Master, Senior Brother…” Li Ji’an asked tentatively.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Changfeng couldn't help but sigh, "Alas, I have failed your master in this matter. Faced with the interests of the sect, I had no choice but to sacrifice him. Even if he escapes the sect now, his life is ruined."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji'an silently lowered his head, without offering any comfort to Xiao Changfeng.

It's not that I blame him, it's just that it suits my current situation.

After seeing Xiao Changfeng off, Li Ji'an shook his head slightly. Clearly, what Zou Yan had said back then had come to pass.

The sects were in chaos, and the entire region was in turmoil.

Apart from the Palace of Ten Thousand Laws, there is no other pure land in the Heavenly Azure Domain.

Li Ji'an could already foresee a bloody storm brewing.

Fortunately, as the sect's chief disciple, and still in the early stages of development, I have nothing to worry about for the time being.

Unless the sect is truly destroyed, it will do its best to ensure its own safety.

Not long after Xiao Changfeng left, Lao Huang walked in, looking a little grumpy.

Because Li Ji'an sent him away and then left the sect alone, he was punished by the sect leader.

"Young master, please do not act in this way again."

Li Ji'an smiled and took out a flask of wine from his storage bag and handed it to him.

Old Huang pouted and tilted his head to indicate that he did not accept it.

"Bang." Li Ji'an opened the kettle stopper directly.

In an instant, a spicy, knife-like aroma of liquor wafted out.

"Hmm?" Old Huang's nose twitched, and he involuntarily leaned closer.

"Young master, this wine?" He swallowed hard, unable to resist the temptation any longer, and took it.

After taking two big gulps, Old Huang's eyes widened to the extreme.

This liquor is really strong!
But no spiritual energy was incorporated into it.

However, it is smooth on the palate and goes down the throat, indicating it is a rare treasure aged for at least a century!
"Good wine, good wine."

Li Ji'an smiled and nodded, thus putting the matter aside.

The wine, of course, was poured by him from the Imperial Wine Bureau of the Great Wu Dynasty.

It is the finest tribute wine of the Great Wu Dynasty.

In the cultivation world, most wines are made by dissolving spiritual energy into the wine. Drinking spiritual wine is also for the purpose of cultivation, to promote the absorption of spiritual energy. As for the taste, it is secondary.

Wines from the mortal realm, which are not infused with spiritual energy, may not be of high value, but their taste is the primary criterion for evaluation.

Having reached the pinnacle of his cultivation, Old Huang no longer pursued spirit wines, but instead favored ordinary wines.

Six months later, Li Ji'an had fully recovered, and his magical power, physique, and spirit far surpassed those of his previous life, preparing him to establish his foundation.

The elders of the Dharma Transmission Hall personally delivered top-grade Foundation Establishment Pills and imparted their experience and insights on Foundation Establishment, as well as important precautions.

Before leaving, he hesitated for a moment, then said earnestly:
"Peace, for us cultivators, the Qi Refining stage is merely absorbing spiritual energy and nourishing the body; it is not the true beginning of seeking the Dao. Foundation Building, however, is the foundation for seeking the Dao."

You possess extraordinary talent and exceptional character, with a limitless future and the potential to truly attain enlightenment.

Therefore, I can't help but want to say a few more words to you.

The spiritual resources within the Tiancang Domain are scarce, and nine out of ten cultivators will never have the chance to establish their foundation in this lifetime. Therefore, establishing a foundation is their ultimate wish.

As for the quality of Foundation Establishment, no one cared about it at all. Even among the many disciples of the sects and holy palaces, the quality of Foundation Establishment was judged solely by the amount of liquid qi condensed.

If the amount of condensed vapor and liquid is large, the magical power at the beginning of foundation building will be more abundant, and vice versa.

In the stage of Core Formation, only whether or not the core is formed is related to this; as for the quality of the formed core, it depends more on its purity.

However, all cultivation techniques within the entire Tiancang Domain, no matter how abundant the mana is at the beginning of Foundation Establishment, must be supplemented with Core Formation Treasures to condense the core when forming the Core. Therefore, the Foundation Establishment stage seems to have no special relationship with Core Formation.

Therefore, people generally don't care much about foundation building; as long as they successfully build their foundation, that's enough.

However, after studying martial arts techniques for over three hundred years, I only managed to glimpse a slight discrepancy in a few scattered ancient texts.

It seems that powerful beings in ancient times attached great importance to the foundation-building stage.

In ancient times, the term "foundation building" was originally called "building the foundation of the Dao".

The key lies in this "Tao".

I suspect it might be related to something on a higher level.

However, in my entire life, I have only personally experienced the stage of Core Formation. As for the mysteries of Nascent Soul Transformation, I have never had the opportunity, let alone the chance to come into contact with them. This is merely my speculation and has no substantial verification.

If you aspire to reach even greater heights, you must not be too careless in the Foundation Establishment stage. The jade slip contains all the information about Foundation Establishment from ancient times that I have compiled. You can study and judge it yourself before making a decision.”

The Elder of the Transmission Hall was a renowned Dharma fanatic of the Biyun Sect. He devoted his life to cultivating techniques and had extraordinary insights into the various stages and hurdles of cultivation.

"Thank you, Elder Guan!" Li Ji'an bowed solemnly.

After seeing Elder Guan off, Li Ji calmed down and studied the jade slips he had compiled.

"Hmm?" After reading it through carefully, the last sentence on the jade slip made him pause for a moment.

After looking at the high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill personally delivered by Elder Guan, Li Ji'an had some doubts.

"Without taking Foundation Building Pills, one may be able to forge a foundation that is more in line with the Great Dao!" This is Elder Guan's conjecture based on ancient texts.

There is no evidence, nor any practical evidence.

However, based on the numerous ancient texts recorded in the jade slip, there seems to be a slight possibility.

Li Ji'an also understood the slight hesitation he had before leaving.

Clearly, in Elder Guan's understanding, he most likely agrees that it is more beneficial to cultivate the Great Dao than to take Foundation Establishment Pills.

However, he had no evidence and dared not gamble.

Especially since Li Ji'an is the sect's chief disciple and a future potential cultivator, if he doesn't take the Foundation Establishment Pill and something goes wrong in the future, he can't bear the blame.

That's why he didn't say it explicitly, nor did he try to dissuade him; he simply left the jade slip for Li Ji'an to decide for himself.

"Not taking Foundation Establishment Pills?" Besides the high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill provided by the sect in his hand, Li Ji'an also had top-grade Foundation Establishment Pills that he had prepared for himself in his previous life in his storage bag.

Based on his past experiences of Foundation Establishment and Core Formation, he was certain that, under the same cultivation method, the higher the quality of the Foundation Establishment Pill, the more powerful the magic power at the beginning of Foundation Establishment. This was an analogy to Yan Qingwan.

By analogy with Xiao Changfeng, the conclusion is that even if the opponent's cultivation technique is superior, if he does not take the Foundation Establishment Pill, the strength of his magic power at the beginning of the Foundation Establishment stage will be caught up by himself, whose cultivation technique is inferior to his.

However, the initial stage of foundation building does not necessarily represent the middle and late stages of foundation building.

In his previous life, Xiao Changfeng's initial level of magical power was matched by his consumption of high-quality Foundation Establishment Pills. However, in the later stages of Foundation Establishment, due to the cultivation techniques he practiced and the constant honing of his magical power over the years, Xiao Changfeng's magical power was much stronger and purer than Li Ji'an's. In the end, he successfully condensed a mid-level True Core with two Core Formation Treasures.

"As Elder Guan said, the quality of Foundation Establishment has nothing to do with the quality of Core Formation. Could it be related to Nascent Soul Transformation?" Li Ji'an was somewhat conflicted.

"Hoo~" After a long while, Li Ji'an, who was holding the Foundation Establishment Pill, slowly opened his eyes, his mind made up.

Although Elder Guan's words have a certain degree of credibility.

However, there was ultimately no substantial verification.

He had personally verified in his previous life that the higher the quality of the Foundation Establishment Pill, the greater the strength of one's magical power at the beginning of Foundation Establishment.

This is an advantage in any case.

Admittedly, given the cultivation techniques he has practiced in this life, as well as his physical and spiritual condition, he has a higher success rate in establishing his foundation than Xiao Changfeng did in his previous life, even without taking Foundation Establishment Pills. However, there are still risks involved.

It's not that he's completely unwilling to take any risks, but he simply can't afford to take risks for an uncertain possibility.

If Elder Guan's guess is true, and the Foundation Establishment Pill affects higher levels of cultivation, I can simply try again later.

Three days later, Li Ji'an focused his mind and devoted himself to breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

At the same time, Elder Guan kept a close eye on the changes in spiritual pressure above the cave where Li Ji'an was breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Half a month later, sensing the surge in spiritual pressure above the cave, Elder Guan sighed and shook his head.

He understood Li Ji'an's choice.

After all, this is the mainstream.

If Elder Changfeng hadn't been unable to wait in line for the Foundation Establishment Pill back then, he wouldn't have been able to attempt the Foundation Establishment stage without taking it.

"I hope that Master Changfeng can verify this conjecture for me!"

He looked towards Xiao Changfeng's cave dwelling, filled with anticipation.

A month later, Li Ji'an successfully established his foundation, and his magical power doubled.

In this life, he achieved Foundation Establishment at the age of twenty-four, thirteen years earlier than in his previous life when he achieved it at thirty-seven.

After a month of consolidation, he finally emerged from seclusion and had his own cave dwelling.

The chief disciple's cave dwelling is located in the main peak area of ​​a third-grade high-quality spiritual vein. It is two to three times larger than the cave dwelling on Dan Ding Peak. The spiritual energy inside is as dense as mist, and it is protected by a third-grade array, making it the safest place in the entire sect.

Following sect custom, Li Ji'an held a small celebration for his Foundation Establishment in his cave, which attracted many junior brothers and sisters.

The main purpose is not to celebrate, but to share insights and experiences.

However, the sect specially invited the younger generation of several major forces in Cangyun Prefecture to participate in the occasion of Li Ji'an's foundation-building celebration.

With the sect war about to begin, the Biyun Sect, as the top sect in Cangyun Prefecture, will inevitably once again draw in other forces within the prefecture.

At this time, by taking advantage of Li Ji'an's foundation-building celebration, we can also take this opportunity to mobilize the major forces in advance.

"Congratulations on your successful Foundation Establishment, Senior Brother Li!" Yao Rui no longer harbored any hostility towards Li Ji'an. Especially now, sensing the immense magical power he possessed after achieving Foundation Establishment, she felt even greater admiration for him.

She is now at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, but her physical body is still slightly lacking. In order to make her magic power more abundant after Foundation Establishment, she has been trying to find ways to strengthen her physique.

"Junior Sister Yao, you're too kind. Your Foundation Establishment is just around the corner, and I will congratulate you then as well," Li Ji'an said with a gentle smile.

Of the three true disciples, Yao Rui is still far ahead, while Hu Zaiyi and Shen Xingchen are lagging behind, barely reaching the ninth level of Qi Refining.

It will probably take another year or two for his magical power to be honed and perfected.

As for the inner disciples of the same generation, most of them have not yet reached the late stage of Qi Refining, and the day when they truly establish their foundation is even more distant.

Just like Li Ji'an's previous life, Xiao Changfeng, as an inner disciple, only succeeded in establishing his foundation at the age of thirty-six.

Moreover, that was because they couldn't wait for the Foundation Establishment Pill, and didn't want to wait any longer, so they forcibly refused to take the Foundation Establishment Pill to attempt Foundation Establishment.

Ordinary disciples, however, lack that kind of ambition; they might be forty years old by the time they reach the Foundation Establishment Pill.

(End of this chapter)