The entry for cultivating immortality states that after dying a hundred times, I attained immortalit

When Jiang Bai left the Stele Forest, it was already broad daylight.

The fog on the wasteland had mostly dissipated, but the chilling death aura still lingered like a ghost, slowly drifting along the ground. He walked with unhurried steps, but his divine sense had already quietly spread out. Within a hundred feet around him, no slight movement could escape his perception. Even though those people from the Starfall Pavilion had been left behind, given their temperament, they certainly wouldn't give up so easily.

The bronze ring on my left wrist felt slightly warm.

This ring, which originated from a drug den in Ping'an County, is now connected to him by blood and breath. At this moment, faint dark red patterns appear on the surface of the ring, as if quietly responding to some unknown existence.

Jiang Bai stopped and took out the map he had obtained from Jiang Shi from his pocket.

The map was drawn rather crudely, with only some directions and place names roughly marked. Next to an inconspicuous mark, four small characters were written crookedly: "Yin-Yang Crevice".

Jiang Shi said that he obtained this by chance while collecting herbs. The place where it was hidden was extremely secretive. Even if ordinary cultivators set foot in this place, they would hardly be able to detect its presence. The death aura there was extremely rare. It was as if the death aura drifting from the wasteland would consciously detour here, thus forming a naturally formed "blank area".

After carefully examining the map, Jiang Bai put it away, then looked up to determine the direction. With a slight movement of his body, he rushed off to the southeast.

The Rocky Slope is located on the edge of the wasteland, near the Cliff of Broken Souls.

On this slope, black stones of various sizes are piled up haphazardly, with withered grass growing sparsely between the stones. When the wind blows gently, it makes a rustling sound. At first glance, this place is no different from other wastelands. Jiang Bai stood in front of the slope, his gaze slowly sweeping over the seemingly messy stones.

When ordinary cultivators come to this place, they will at most feel that the place is full of death and the feng shui is not good, and few people stay for long.

But Jiang Bai looked at it more carefully.

He walked around the slope one and a half times before finally stopping in front of a black rock about half a person's height. The rock was shaped like a reclining ox, and its surface was covered with pits formed by weathering. There was an inconspicuous dent on the left side, as if it had been hit by something.

Jiang Bai squatted down and placed his hand on the indentation.

Touching it with my fingertips, I felt only icy coldness; the stone was as hard as iron.

He closed his eyes, mobilized his spiritual power, and activated a trace of the vitality contained in the [Ten Thousand Poisons Sacred Body]. This power slowly seeped into the stone through his palm. At first, it was like water dripping into the sea, without any visible movement.

Three breaths later, the temperature of the stone began to change.

It's not getting hotter, it's getting colder.

The chill, like an icy snake, snaked its way up my arm. Wherever it passed, a faint golden halo appeared on my skin. It turned out that the [Soul-Slaying Sword Intent] was operating on its own, protecting my body. The chill was instantly dissolved without a trace the moment it touched the sword intent.

"Click."

A very soft sound, like a mechanism being turned on.

Jiang Bai slowly opened his eyes and saw several extremely faint lines gradually appearing in the depression of the stone. These lines were as fine as hair, dark red in color, and intertwined to form a palm-sized array.

He followed the patterns of the array and tapped seven times in succession with a unique rhythm.

With each tap, the array pattern lit up a little more.

After the seven dots were completed, the array suddenly emitted a dazzling red light, which then dimmed. The reclining ox stone quietly slid three feet to the left, revealing a dark cave entrance below.

The opening is small, only big enough for one person to pass through.

A cool, damp breeze blew out of the cave. There was no deathly aura in the wind; instead, there was a long-lost sense of freshness. Jiang Bai did not go down immediately. He stood at the edge of the cave entrance and probed into the cave with his divine sense as thin as a thread.

The cave is about ten zhang deep, and at the bottom is a natural stone cave.

The grotto is relatively small, roughly three zhang square, with some stalactites hanging from the ceiling and the ground being flat and dry. The most unique feature here is that the concentration of odor is very low, almost like an environment outside the wilderness. The air is filled with a special "stillness" atmosphere, as if time flows more slowly here.

Jiang Bai leaped down.

He landed lightly without making a sound. After regaining his footing, he looked around. The cave was dimly lit, with only the light from the sky seeping in through the entrance barely illuminating a few places.

There are obvious signs of human excavation on the rock face.

On the west wall, there are a few lines of writing, the characters are blurry and messy, as if they were hastily scratched with a sharp object, but they can still be barely made out.

"When the earth's veins converge, yin and yang are temporarily balanced."

"It can be used to avoid the tide of souls, but it is not advisable to stay there for long."

"It's best to leave quickly if fate allows."

At the end of the signature, a damaged symbol stands silently. It seems to be a mysterious mark left behind by a formation master, but unfortunately, it is too worn to be recognized.

Jiang Bai slowly raised his hand, gently stroking the characters. His fingertips instantly felt a cold, rough texture. He realized that whoever carved these characters must have been quite knowledgeable about formations or earth veins to perceive the unique characteristics of this place caused by the convergence of earth veins. At this moment, yin and yang energies harmoniously blended, and death energy could not penetrate even a fraction. This area was like a pure land in a wasteland, isolated from the world.

However, the phrase "not suitable for long-term residence" carries a clear warning.

Jiang Bai sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and concentrated.

He gently released his senses, carefully appreciating the flow of energy within the cave. Sure enough, deep underground, a small yet stable fluctuation of spiritual energy quietly surged—the power of the earth's veins flowing slowly. This force counteracted the deathly aura on the surface of the wasteland, creating a buffer zone here.

Like a tranquil backwater in a river, the water flows here, swirling gently, forming a relatively calm area.

"That's enough."

Jiang Bai opened his eyes, a resolute glint in them.

This grotto is very hidden and stable, with relatively thin death energy inside. It is located at a ley line node, and the spiritual energy fluctuations generated during the foundation building process will be partially concealed by the power of the ley lines. Although it cannot completely block out any activity, it is the best option that can be found at present.

Having determined the location for building the foundation, Jiang Bai did not rush to begin.

He silently recited the command and brought up the system interface.

A pale blue light screen appeared in his consciousness, displaying several task information. The status of the first link in the "Early Foundation Building" task chain, "Foundation Construction", was now "Submittable".

—Seven days of survival in the wasteland where bones are buried.

He had actually completed this task long ago, but he hadn't submitted it yet.

Jiang Baiyi had a thought and chose to submit.

Ripples appeared on the light screen, and lines of text emerged:

The quest "Foundation Building" has been completed.

Survival duration: 8 days and 16 hours

[Rating: Top Grade]

[Rewards being distributed...]

[Gained: Foundation Building Auxiliary Insight ×1]

[Use immediately?]

Jiang Bai chose "yes" without hesitation.

In an instant, an indescribable warm current surged into his mind.

This is not a specific formula for any particular martial art, nor is it a personal experience or insight gained during practice. Rather, it is something more mysterious, acting as both a guide and a confirmation.

Jiang Bai closed his eyes, letting the warm current flow through his soul.

Before his eyes appeared the trajectory of his journey.

In the poisonous dens of Ping'an County, he struggled to survive; in the Black Wind Valley secret realm, he triumphed over the strong with the weak; on the desolate continent, he risked his life to collect all nine poisons; yesterday, he slew the Yin soldiers with his sword, and his soul intent began to take shape. Scene after scene flashed through his mind like lightning. Every life-or-death test, every rebirth from the brink of death, every difficult choice was connected by an invisible thread.

At one end of the line is the frail and helpless boy who was poisoned by his third uncle.

At the other end of the line stood Jiang Bai, now standing tall on the wasteland, possessing the [Ten Thousand Poisons Holy Body] and wielding the [Soul-Slaying Sword Intent].

The warm current grew increasingly intense, eventually transforming into a sudden realization that exploded in his heart like a thunderclap:

My path doesn't need to follow the rules.

My foundation does not require imitating those of the past.

Heaven and earth are not heartless, but they regard all things as insignificant as grass. If they dare not even set foot on their own path, how can they fight for that sliver of life to seek longevity?

Forged with poison as its core, it possesses an immortal body. Having undergone tempering by countless poisons and enduring numerous life-or-death trials, its form is no longer ordinary, but has transformed into an existence flowing with poison, resembling a tangible, vengeful ghost.

With the soul as its blade, it cuts through the thickets of thorns ahead. As the sword intent protects the body, resentment and venom surge forth. Within the soul lies both a sharp blade for decisive killing and a bulwark to protect one's original intentions.

As for life and death...

Jiang Bai's lips curled into a smile that was almost mocking.

Would someone who has died fourteen times still be afraid of death?

What he fears most is dying meaninglessly, and never being able to return after death. However, as long as Breath exists and the system still exists, death is merely a choice, a transaction, for him.

Trading one life for one entry is worth it.

It's worth risking your life to glimpse a glimmer of hope.

I will walk my own path.

Jiang Bai opened his eyes, his gaze shining brightly.

The previous confusion and hesitation, like looking at flowers through fog, have now completely disappeared. The weariness and hidden wounds accumulated in my soul due to repeated deaths have become more real and firm under this thorough understanding.

Like a piece of refined iron that is constantly hammered and forged, eventually all impurities are removed, revealing its inner sharpness.

Now that the principles are clear, the next step is to put them into practice.

Jiang Bai took out several items from his storage bag and placed them on the ground one by one.

Half a bottle of Condensed Jade Liquid, in the dim light, gleamed with a warm, milky white luster like mutton fat.

A ghostly grass, its leaves a deep blue, with a ghostly light flowing between its veins, exuding a refreshing fragrance.

There are also some auxiliary medicinal materials, such as 300-year-old blood ginseng, cold jade marrow with yin properties, and 100-year-old Poria cocos to harmonize the medicinal properties.

These are all the assets he accumulated in the desolate state.

Jiang Baixian picked up the Yin Soul Grass.

This herb is extremely poisonous, and even ordinary cultivators must be extremely cautious to avoid having their souls corrupted by the evil spirit power it contains. However, after Jiang Bai placed it in his right palm, nine dark golden poisonous patterns appeared on their own, absorbing all the cold evil power into his body and digesting it, turning it into nourishment for his own soul.

He flicked a wisp of poisonous fire from his fingertip.

The flames were dark red, but their temperature was abnormally low. This was exactly the "Yin Poison Fire" described in the "Hundred Poisons Tempering Technique," which was very suitable for refining Yin-attribute spiritual materials.

The Yin Soul Grass slowly melted in the poisonous fire.

The leaves transformed into a deep blue sap, the impurities within which, under the slow refining of the poisonous fire, dissipated as wisps of smoke. Half an hour later, the sap condensed into three drops, suspended in the center of the flames, each drop crystal clear, as if nebulae were flowing within them.

Jiang Bai took out a jade bottle and carefully put away the three drops of "Soul Stabilizing Liquid".

Next is the main ingredient.

He took out the jade cauldron he had obtained from the cave of the Black Swamp Hermit. The cauldron was only the size of a palm, and its entire body was emerald green. The body of the cauldron was carved with intricate cloud patterns. It was a high-grade yellow-rank alchemy artifact.

The Condensing Essence Jade Liquid was slowly poured into the cauldron. The milky white liquid meandered at the bottom of the cauldron like a babbling brook. Jiang Bai flicked his fingers, and two drops of Soul-Stabilizing Liquid fell down. The dark blue and milky white liquids collided but did not immediately merge, as if two stars were floating inside the cauldron.

Jiang Bai pricked his fingertip, forcing out a drop of blood.

This blood was dark gold in color. When it was put into the cauldron, it made a faint "sizzling" sound, like hot oil hitting cold water. The essence blood spread rapidly, forcibly drawing the Condensing Essence Jade Liquid and the Soul Stabilizing Liquid together.

Blood ginseng slices, cold jade marrow powder, poria cocos juice... one by one, the auxiliary medicines were added.

Jiang Bai took a deep breath and placed his hands lightly on either side of the jade cauldron.

[Symbiotic Coexistence of Toxic Pests] Operating at full capacity!

This is not simply a matter of controlling the fire, but rather using its own poisonous power as a guide to coordinate the fierce conflict between the medicinal properties in the cauldron. The nine poisonous patterns on its chest alternate between light and dark, as if playing a unique rhythm, which is transmitted to the cauldron through its palms.

The liquid inside the cauldron began to churn violently.

Milky white, dark blue, dark gold, crimson... a variety of colors intertwine and collide violently, emitting a rich and unique medicinal fragrance with a faint fishy smell. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Jiang Bai's forehead as he concentrated intently. Each time the medicinal liquid churned, he had to use his superb poison power to guide, suppress, and integrate it.

The slightest mistake could ruin this invaluable drop of spiritual liquid, or even harm the user.

Time passed little by little.

The only sounds in the cave were the bubbling of the medicinal liquid and Jiang Bai's long, steady breathing.

Half a day passed.

The medicinal liquid in the cauldron gradually slowed its churning and eventually calmed down, its color settling into a dark gold. Thick as honey, it flowed slowly and quietly settled at the bottom of the cauldron, its surface surrounded by a faint shimmering light. The strange medicinal fragrance was subtly contained, and could only be detected by getting close to the rim of the cauldron.

"Poisonous Spirit Liquid, it's done."

Jiang Baishou raised his hands and slowly exhaled a wisp of turbid air. His face was slightly pale. Such precise control must have greatly depleted his mental energy.

But there was joy in his eyes.

This batch of spiritual liquid was refined according to the ancient method recorded in the "True Blood Poison Pattern Foundation Building Chapter". Its medicinal properties are both domineering and pure, which is very suitable for his method of building a foundation with poison. Taking it during the foundation building period can provide a large amount of spiritual power and further tap the potential of the [Ten Thousand Poisons Sacred Body] and consolidate the newly generated poison patterns.

He did not take it immediately.

Instead, sit cross-legged with your palms facing upwards and begin to regulate your breathing.

Blood and qi surge like a tide, spiritual energy flows like a starry river, and the soul remains as firm as a rock.

He needs to adjust himself to his most perfect peak condition.

When adjusting his breathing, Jiang Bai did not completely shut down his senses.

[Killing Intent Perception] maintained a basic state of alertness. [Soul-Slaying Sword Intent] was like an invisible water film surrounding his body within three feet. This film could both block external interference and make him exceptionally sensitive to any changes in the external atmosphere.

Just as he was about to reach his perfect state, a thought suddenly struck him.

It wasn't direct killing intent, but rather... chaos.

The flow of death energy on the wasteland became increasingly active, containing an aura of restlessness. Further away, several unfamiliar auras lingered and explored the edge of the wasteland, as if searching for something.

One of the spiritual energy fluctuations carried the cold and rigid aura unique to the black-robed man from the Starfall Pavilion. Even though he tried his best to conceal it, the Soul-Slaying Sword Intent still keenly detected the soul energy fluctuations and ultimately revealed a flaw.

Another aura, tinged with bloodlust and violence, was remarkably similar to that of the Blood Fang Village cultivators, with a resemblance of about 70-80%.

What Jiang was most alarmed about was that, beyond these auras, there existed an extremely subtle and chilling divine sense in the far north. Like a giant whale surfacing to breathe, it briefly swept across the entire wasteland before immediately receding.

That divine sense was at a level far exceeding Foundation Establishment.

Jiang Bai opened his eyes, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"As expected, they just won't stop."

He muttered to himself.

The Starfall Pavilion is collecting compass fragments, and perhaps it is also searching for this "intruder." The lingering spirits of Bloodfang Village are probably sensing his activities in the wasteland. That high-level divine sense either belongs to someone of higher status in the Starfall Pavilion, or it is one of the old monsters in the Wasteland who were awakened by the anomalies here.

"The movements of Foundation Establishment cannot be concealed."

Jiang Bai knew that if he started the Foundation Establishment process, it would cause fluctuations in spiritual energy and perhaps even celestial phenomena. These situations would be like lighthouses in the night sky, attracting all the demons and monsters around him.

Under normal circumstances, he might have dared to take a gamble and rely on the advantageous location of the grotto and his own skills to withstand the attack.

During the Foundation Establishment process, especially when using an extremely powerful ancient method like the "True Blood Poison Pattern Foundation Establishment Chapter," a period of weakness is inevitable. At that time, spiritual energy transforms like a babbling brook, poison patterns recombine like nimble threads, and the soul transforms like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. These three elements intertwine, making this the most dangerous stage where even the slightest distraction is unacceptable.

If we were besieged at that time...

Jiang Bai shook his head.

Even with the Soul-Slaying Sword Intent protecting him like a sturdy shield, and the Myriad Poisons Sacred Body supporting him like a rock, the risks were still incredibly high. He could only gamble with his life, but he absolutely could not fall into such a hopeless and suicidal predicament.

His gaze fell on the map in the storage bag, the map he had obtained from Madam Qingluo, which marked the location of the Poisonous Dragon's Nest.

"Let's go there first."

Jiang Bai made a decision.

There is no doubt that the Poisonous Dragon's Nest is a dangerous place, but its advantage lies in the clear objective and the controllability of the enemy. If one can obtain the Poisonous Dragon's remains, poison crystals, or other resources beneficial to Foundation Establishment or combat, one can not only enrich one's own resources but also unravel this clue, avoiding being disturbed by troubles from the rear at the crucial moment of Foundation Establishment.

This is a comprehensive test of one's pre-Foundation Establishment strength. Dealing with the potential threat of the lingering poisonous dragon, which may resemble a Foundation Establishment expert, is a perfect opportunity to hone the synergy between the [Ten Thousand Poisons Sacred Body] and the [Soul-Slaying Sword Intent], refining the state to a truly integrated level.

Having figured this out, Jiang Bai no longer hesitated.

He carefully sealed the refined Poison Base Spirit Liquid into a specially made cold jade bottle and stored it away. Then he carefully inspected the cave again to ensure that there were no obvious traces or odors left behind.

Finally, he glanced at the inscription "Not suitable for long-term residence" on the stone wall and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"It is indeed not a place to stay for long."

"But the next time I come, it will be the time to break through to a higher realm."

Jiang Bai's figure flickered, and he emerged from the cave entrance like a wisp of smoke. With a flick of his hand, spiritual energy surged like a tide, pushing the reclining ox stone back to its original position. The array patterns disappeared, and everything returned to its original state, as if no one had ever stepped into this place.

After determining the direction, he activated [Shadow Stealth] and disappeared in the direction of the Poisonous Dragon's Nest.