Mortal: I'm in Tianxing City, intelligence updates daily.

"Oh, Yuheng Academy, then he's just an outer disciple." The young woman in palace attire said dismissively, smelling the spiritual tea at her lips.

"That's right, but this person has already reached the thirteenth level of Qi Refining and is currently in seclusion breaking through the Foundation Establishment bottleneck."

Upon hearing this, the young woman in palace attire put down her teacup and, without saying a word, rhythmically tapped the tea table with her fingers.

The girl in red stood to the side, not daring to breathe.

After pondering for a moment, the young woman in palace attire said, "Continue to investigate. If this person succeeds in establishing his foundation, do not provoke that little slut again."

"Then...how do we explain this to Senior Yu?"

"What's there to explain? Yu Bochen, that hypocrite, wants to forcibly take a concubine, but is afraid of ruining his reputation, so he wants me to be the villain. I've already lost a top-grade magic weapon and a capable assistant, and spent a lot of spirit stones to hire a rogue cultivator. That's enough to repay the favor. Why should I care about a cultivator who's about to die?"

"Yes, this servant will take care of it right away."

After speaking, the girl in red slowly left the room.

......

Tianxing City, the secluded meditation room at the Daowen Cliff.

After Li Shizhou took the Foundation Establishment Pill, the incredibly rich medicinal power began to fill his abdomen.

Since receiving the "Spiritual Illumination Scripture" in the Transmission Hall, he had studied the Foundation Establishment method countless times and had already mastered it. So he began to circulate and absorb it with ease.

After only the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Li Shizhou felt waves of intense pain all over his body. This was the Foundation Establishment Pill cleansing his marrow and changing his meridians.

However, the pain this time was far less intense than when I took the Blood Spirit Fruit last time.

Half a day passed, and the medicinal effects of the first Foundation Establishment Pill were fully absorbed. Li Shizhou didn't even break a sweat.

The true essence in his dantian showed no signs of liquefaction, but his cultivation had already reached the peak of Qi Refining and could not be increased by even a fraction. A small amount of impurities had also been eliminated from his body.

Li Shizhou took out another Foundation Building Pill and swallowed it.

This time, the effects of cleansing the marrow and changing the meridians were gone. The original gaseous true essence in the dantian began to surge violently, like a gale before a storm.

He was overjoyed and quickly focused his attention on absorbing the medicine's effects.

Another half day passed, and the gaseous true essence in the dantian was about to liquefy, and the medicinal power of the second Foundation Establishment Pill had been completely refined.

With six Foundation Establishment Pills in hand and four remaining, Li Shizhou took out the third one without hesitation.

Finally, under the influence of the third Foundation Establishment Pill, the true essence in his dantian gradually transformed into a liquid state.

This means that he has finally entered the Foundation Establishment stage.

In the original book, Han Laomo had a pseudo-spiritual root and took eight Foundation Establishment Pills to advance to the next level.

To be on the safe side, Li Shizhou prepared six pills, but unexpectedly, he succeeded with only three.

This is thanks to his three spiritual roots, plus the Blood Spirit Fruit which improved his aptitude.

After successfully advancing to the next level, Li Shizhou did not get up immediately, but continued to meditate to consolidate his cultivation.

It was a full ten days before he emerged from his seclusion to return the restriction token.

At this moment, the old monk in charge was leaning back in his chair, engrossed in reading a book. Hearing footsteps, he looked up at Li Shizhou.

"You're out so quickly, Junior Brother, you've broken through this time..."

Before he could finish speaking, the old cultivator sensed the cultivation aura emanating from Li Shizhou and immediately put down his book and stood up.

He respectfully asked, "Is Martial Uncle going to return the restriction token?"

Li Shizhou nodded and placed the identity jade token and the restriction token on the table together.

A moment later, the old cultivator presented his identity jade token with both hands: "Uncle-Master, that's settled, five merit points have been deducted."

Thank you.

After speaking, Li Shizhou turned and left.

Once he had walked away, the old monk sat down again, looked at the books on the table, and immediately felt bored.

......

After leaving the Asking Cliff, Li Shizhou went straight to the Inner Affairs Hall.

Now that I have successfully advanced, I will naturally need to change my identity jade token and receive a new cave dwelling.

I still need to go to the Transmission Hall to receive the follow-up cultivation techniques.

Once the matter was settled, Li Shizhou, still worried about Zhuo Ruting, rushed to Yuheng Courtyard without stopping.

Once they arrived at the destination and the restrictions were lifted, the courtyard was no different from usual.

Pushing open the stone door, a stunningly beautiful female cultivator in a blue dress sat cross-legged on the bed, cultivating, with a hint of worry between her brows.

Seeing that Zhuo Ruting was safe and sound, his heart finally settled down.

"Brother Shizhou, you've broken through!"

Upon seeing Li Shizhou enter, the worried look on Zhuo Ruting's face instantly vanished, and she happily lifted her skirt, got out of bed, and threw herself into his arms.

"Okay, get ready, we're going to the new cave dwelling," Li Shizhou said in her ear.

"Okay, I'll pack up now."

......

Li Shizhou's new cave dwelling is located on the fifty-third floor of the sacred mountain in Tianxing City.

After leaving Yuheng Academy, the two rode in a flying chariot for a quarter of an hour, and a huge array of light screens, seventy or eighty feet in length and width, appeared before them.

Compared to the cave dwellings of his previous servant disciples, this one was worlds apart.

Li Shizhou took out a new Star Palace Jade Tablet and cast a spell, causing a crack several feet wide to appear in the light barrier.

The new Dongfu's outer courtyard alone covers fifty or sixty acres, with a crystal-clear stream flowing through it.

Many pavilions and towers were built against the mountain in the courtyard.

A courtyard of about seven or eight acres was built on the flat land to the left.

This is a residence prepared for the servants of Foundation Establishment cultivators, large enough to accommodate dozens of people.

In the very center is a stone path ten feet wide, paved with jade.

He put his arm around Zhuo Ruting's slender waist and stepped off the flying carriage. The two walked along the stone path, admiring the scenery, until they arrived at a bronze-colored pavilion.

This pavilion has three floors and is about five zhang tall, with half of it embedded in the mountain.

As soon as you pass through the light curtain at the entrance of the attic, you are greeted by a surge of spiritual energy that invigorates your spirit.

Behind the attic are several passageways and seven or eight stone chambers, each quite spacious.

This is where Li Shizhou will live and cultivate in the future.

The interior furnishings appear simple, but are actually quite elaborate, with numerous moonstones inlaid on the top.

He didn't have high requirements for his residence to begin with, so he was naturally very satisfied with this one.

Once the array in the main stone chamber is opened, it becomes clear that the chamber is about an acre in size.

One of the main stone walls was chiseled through, creating a large hole about ten feet high and wide. Outside the hole is an open-air viewing platform.

The two stepped onto the terrace and were greeted by an extremely expansive view, encompassing half of Tianxing City, with the boundless blue sea stretching into the distance, a sight that was truly breathtaking.

In the future, whenever you have free time, enjoying wine and tea here while watching the sunset would be a truly elegant pastime.

After lingering on the terrace for a while, Zhuo Ruting began to choose a stone chamber as her residence. After all, cultivators should avoid being disturbed by others during their cultivation, and it is best to have an independent place to live if conditions permit.

Li Shizhou then began to comprehend the cultivation technique he had received that day.

Although he has now advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage, he has only just begun to establish himself in the cultivation world.

The path of spiritual cultivation is long and arduous.

Occasional enjoyment can regulate one's mood, but one must never become complacent.