Chapter 275 Foundation Establishment Level Nine

Jia Yu sighed softly to herself, feeling a sense of approaching old age.

As a cultivator in the Chaoyuan stage, his understanding of the Wood element could not have reached this level.

For a junior in the Foundation Establishment stage to comprehend the technique to this extent, even the predecessor who created the technique probably never expected this situation.

A glint of hope flashed in his eyes. Only by continuously producing cultivators like him could the sect become stronger.

Thanks to the accumulation of knowledge and experience by many predecessors, Golden Core cultivators were born. In the future, the sect may be able to become a Nascent Soul sect!

He landed slowly, his voice soft and without making a sound.

Ji An, who was practicing the Green Wood Everlasting Spring Technique, felt a slight vibration. He slowly stopped practicing, and the strange phenomenon he had experienced during cultivation disappeared without a trace, like a beautiful woman in a dream.

The morning sun was already shining overhead, its golden light casting a solemn glow over everything.

"Uncle-Master, you've arrived! Please forgive my rudeness."

Thinking I shouldn't waste time, I also practiced for a while.

Ji An smiled gently, his tone very humble.

If it weren't for the other party's help, he wouldn't have received the ancestor's extra favor.

"It's good that you can seize every spare moment to improve your cultivation. The sect needs cultivators like you."

Jia Yu nodded slightly, opened the protective barrier, pushed open the door, and turned his head to say:

"Did Senior Brother Lin Qiubai say that the cultivation technique and divine intent you have now comprehended are extremely useful for opening up the Wood Palace?!"

Ji An was taken aback. "No."

He only knew that the general direction of cultivation during the Chaoyuan stage was to open up the divine palace, refine the spiritual energy, and nurture the five elements. He had never come into contact with the specific cultivation method, and he had never seen this kind of cultivation method in the Transmission Hall.

As he spoke, he took off the pendant from his neck and put it into his storage bag, then stepped up the stairs and entered the main hall.

He glanced around and found that the guardian spirit beast, Rock Ancestor, was not there.

The two sat down, and Ji An began to speak:

"Uncle-Master, could you explain how to establish the Mu Clan?"

Jia Yu smiled and shook her head:

"If your cultivation level is not high enough, contacting more profound methods will only increase your troubles. Once you break through to the Chaoyuan stage, the ancestor will personally explain the path of cultivation to you."

My explanation might not be clear enough, and could even have a negative impact on you.

He hasn't even established his own Mu Clan yet; he only has theoretical knowledge. How can he teach disciples?

He held out his hand. "Give me the jade token. You came here in such a hurry today, so I'll take care of things for you."

There's no need to ask; the disciple will definitely go through the process of exchanging for the Qi Cultivation Pill.

Ji An chuckled twice and handed over the pale gold plaque.

"The sooner it's confirmed, the more at ease I'll feel."

My master also knows that my lifespan is nearing its end, and he only hopes that he can break through to the Chaoyuan stage as soon as possible so that she will have no regrets.

"He does have filial piety, that's good. The sect should have another lineage of Chaoyuan stage inheritors in the future."

You were already in the late Foundation Establishment stage and needed to train disciples for the sect, but now we're not assigning you any disciple-recruiting tasks.

Once you break through to the Chaoyuan stage and the demonic calamity ends, you will be selecting disciples.

“No problem, the sect’s needs are my mission,” Ji An said, then changed the subject, “Why haven’t Senior Brother Liu Yu and Senior Sister Ge Luoying arranged for them to take on disciples?”

Taking on apprentices isn't necessarily a bad thing; teaching and learning go hand in hand, and he should also gain new insights.

Besides, it's impossible for a cultivator to constantly give instructions to his disciples.

You only need to set aside two or three hours each month to answer questions they encounter in their spiritual practice; it doesn't waste much time at all.

"They are cultivators who excel in combat, and their requirements are different from yours."

Furthermore, with the demonic calamity erupting, the task of recruiting disciples will be postponed until after the war.

Jia Yu placed the jade tablet on the spirit plate and manipulated it for a while, then said:

"The exchange process has been successfully completed. You are the sixth disciple to receive the Peiyuan Pill."

After deducting 24,000 minor merits, the remaining 26,000 minor merits owed to the sect must be repaid within five years. You must remember this clearly.

"Understood, disciple can guarantee that I will repay it within five years."

Ji An put away the jade token, feeling uneasy, and said:

"It's a bit risky. I wonder if there are any channels outside the sect to purchase the Qi Cultivation Pill?"

If the alchemist makes even the slightest mistake, he won't be able to obtain the pills, which is something he doesn't want to see.

"I understand your concerns, but don't worry, the sect is seeking a solution."

Jia Yu repeated the old ancestor's instructions.

"Then I'm relieved. But there's still one more question: has the number of Mystic Wood Gathering Spirit Pills I can exchange for increased each year?"

Ji An asked, "I only have about seventy pills left, enough to last me for more than six months."

Without a sufficient supply of elixirs, the cultivation speed will inevitably be slower.

The sect suffered many casualties in the Canglan Secret Realm and Mingfeng Mountain Immortal City. It is unknown whether any late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators who practiced the Wood Element Technique perished.

However, this possibility is not very high, as most of these cultivators are alchemists or something similar.

"Let me check the disciple information for you," Jia Yu said after probing the spirit plate with his divine sense for a moment.

“There is an alchemist who has voluntarily given up his right to exchange pills every year. I can make the decision to give you an exchange quota of 24 pills.”

In six months, you can come and exchange your Profound Wood Gathering Spirit Pill.

This means that the alchemist felt there was no hope of advancing further, so he gave up his cultivation.

"Thank you, Uncle-Master."

Ji An smiled slightly. He has an annual exchange quota of 48, and Liu Suyun can help him exchange 10. If he gets another 24, he will have enough for more than half a year.

"There's no credit for exchanging pills. You still owe the sect a lot of debt, kid. If you don't have a lot of income, you won't have an easy time."

Jia Yu reminded him that he understood the situation at Crimson Flame Peak. Although there were many second-tier spiritual plants, it would take three to five years for the spiritual fruit trees to bear fruit, and they might not be able to repay their debts in time.

"I have my own plans for repaying the sect's debts."

Second-grade low-quality pine nuts and Xuan Ye sword bamboo leaves are produced every year, and second-grade medium-quality spirit peach trees have a good chance of bearing fruit within five years. If all else fails, top-grade jade dew golden bud tea can also be submitted.

Over the years, I've built up a lot of connections. If I grit my teeth and borrow from everyone, I can always scrape together enough to pay off my debts.

Besides, who knows how many more second-tier spirit trees can be cultivated in five years, and the resources of Crimson Flame Peak will only become more abundant.

After chatting for a while, Ji An got up to say goodbye and left.

The following day, Ji An rode his flying shuttle to Jade Dragon Peak.

This mountain is covered with Azure Dragon Trees, making it the main production area of ​​Azure Dragon Trees for the sect, and also the training ground for Senior Sister Zhong Yuefei.

Inside the cave, Zhong Yuefei smiled faintly:

"It's strange that my junior brother didn't spend his time cultivating on Crimson Flame Peak."

This junior's characteristic of remaining "completely still" is well-known among those close to him.

"It's been a long time since I visited my senior sister. A few days ago, the Tianyuan pears ripened, so I sent some to her to taste."

Ji An presented a gift box containing four top-grade first-tier Heavenly Origin Pears. This kind of spiritual fruit is also very good for cultivators who practice wood-based techniques.

“I can’t accept something for nothing,” Zhong Yuefei chuckled, covering her mouth. “Junior brother, just say what you need to say.”

If a hermit is being unusually attentive, it must be because he wants something from you.

"Hehe," Ji An chuckled twice, showing no embarrassment at having his thoughts exposed, and generously explained his purpose:

"Senior Sister, I would like to purchase some Mystic Wood Spirit Gathering Pills from you every year. Is that alright?"

Ningcui Cliff has two alchemists in the sect who can refine this kind of pill.

Now, because his lifespan is running out, Master can refine far fewer pills than before, so he has no choice but to ask this senior sister for help.

"Of course, I wonder what spiritual item you'd be willing to offer in exchange, Junior Brother?"

Zhong Yuefei readily agreed. As her alchemy experience improved, her success rate in refining the Xuanmu Gathering Spirit Pill approached 80%.

Having completed the sect's missions, he had accumulated quite a few pills after consuming them himself.

Most of the late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators in the sect who practice the Wood Element Technique are alchemists. These pills are either handed over to the Treasure Pavilion in exchange for minor cultivation techniques, or traded through various channels to obtain spiritual herbs.

Alchemists, of course, like to hoard high-grade spiritual herbs.

Now that my junior brother wants to ask for help, I can help him, especially since he is a junior brother with a bright future.

"Currently, among the various products from Crimson Flame Peak, Senior Sister can only use various spiritual fruits."

Second-tier low-grade Jade Vine Fruit, Earth Spirit Fruit, and Heavenly Origin Pear can all be traded. The Dragon Blood Tree has also reached the second-tier low-grade level, so Senior Sister can also use it if she wants that kind of spiritual fruit in the future. Second-tier mid-grade spiritual peaches that have blossomed and borne fruit can also be traded.

Ji An started by making empty promises; he had potential, but no concrete results.

Zhong Yuefei immediately saw through the trickery and chuckled:

"So, junior brother is trying to get something for nothing?"

Ji An gave a forced smile and explained:

"How can it be considered getting something for nothing? Are all those second-tier spirit trees on Crimson Flame Peak fake?"

He paused, then said in a deep voice:

"To be honest, Senior Sister, I saw Master yesterday. At my urging, she took the Longevity Pill, hoping that she could see me break through to the Chaoyuan stage before she dies."

As he spoke, he released the spiritual pressure of the eighth level of Foundation Establishment, and then quickly withdrew it.

Zhong Yuefei's eyes gleamed as if she had seen a priceless treasure, and she exclaimed in a low voice:

"If I remember correctly, it's only been three years since my junior brother reached the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, right?"

Breaking through a minor realm in the late Foundation Establishment stage in three years is something even cultivators with Earth-grade aptitude cannot do!

Breaking through a cultivation realm is not something that can be achieved simply by accumulating enough magical power. Cultivators inevitably encounter bottlenecks, which is the most time-consuming thing. How many cultivators have wasted decades trying to break through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment!

This junior brother not only accumulated magical power quickly, but he also didn't encounter any bottlenecks when he improved, which shocked her greatly.

It took her eight years to break through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and it has been twelve years since she entered the seventh level of Foundation Establishment. She is still honing her magical power to break through the bottleneck.

"Yes, it has been exactly three years. Uncle Jia Yu from the Treasure Pavilion said that based on my understanding of the cultivation techniques and divine intent, breaking through to the Chaoyuan stage will be a natural outcome."

I can currently obtain 80 Mystic Wood Gathering Spirit Pills annually through other channels, but I'm short about 40 each year. Please help me, Senior Sister.

“Junior Brother’s cultivation involves Master’s expectations. I’m willing to help with this. Junior Brother can repay this favor with a mid-grade second-tier spirit peach later.”

Zhong Yuefei understood perfectly well that once the other party broke through to the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, they would no longer need the Profound Wood Gathering Spirit Pill, which was a favor owed to a future cultivator in the Origin Stage.

Although the two are fellow disciples, they haven't interacted much before, so this is a good opportunity to strengthen their connection.

She stood up. "Junior brother, please wait a moment. I'll go get the pills."

A moment later, Zhong Yuefei came out carrying a tray and said:

"These are the Xuanmu Gathering Spirit Pills I've accumulated over the past few years, a total of sixty-four. Junior brother, please take a look."

I'll cover the annual shortage of forty pills; my junior brother only needs to focus on cultivating and improving his cultivation level.

If my junior brother can achieve a breakthrough, not only will our master be happy, but all our fellow disciples will be too.

The opponent has broken through to the eighth level of Foundation Establishment, making him the one with the highest cultivation among all his fellow disciples.

She originally thought that Liu Yu was the most promising cultivator among them to break through to the Chaoyuan stage, but she never expected that there were others who were even more deeply hidden.

Ji An examined the pills and bowed slightly:

"I will remember your support, Senior Sister. How about we calculate the value of the pills according to the minor cultivation level?"

One pill, forty minor exercises.

The spirit peaches will also be used to offset the minor merit points earned from submitting them to the sect. In the future, I will prioritize keeping the portion that my senior sister needs.

Prices set by the sect are acceptable to everyone.

"Of course, that's the fairest way to calculate it."

Zhong Yuefei nodded in satisfaction. In the short term, she might seem to be at a disadvantage, but in the long run, she would be making a huge profit.

My junior brother's need for the Mysterious Wood Gathering Spirit Pill is only a matter of the last three to five years, but she can obtain the Spirit Peach for many years.

After the transaction was completed, the two began to discuss cultivation.

Since they both practiced the Evergreen Spring Technique, they had a lot in common.

Before we knew it, more than an hour had passed, and the two things we had learned had been mutually verified, with each of us gaining something from the other.

Ji An returned to Crimson Flame Peak and began a life of staying indoors.

With all the problems resolved, he only needed to focus on his cultivation.

Practice for three and a half hours each morning and evening, and after each practice, spend another half hour circulating the secret method to cultivate your life force.

He spends the rest of his time tending to the spirit field, refining pills, or cultivating body-refining techniques. He only gets two hours of sleep each day.

Cultivating body-refining techniques requires various external aids to accelerate the process, but he didn't use any of them. He purely used his magical power to nourish his body, treating the technique as a health-preserving exercise.

Spring goes and autumn comes, three years have passed.

On this day, Wei Songtao was directing his disciples to cut down Xuan Yang wood when he suddenly heard a joyful long whistle sweep across the mountains and forests.

Immediately afterwards, a thunderous cry that pierced the clouds and split the rocks reverberated in all directions, and a small black dot swooped down from the sky, heading towards the direction of the icy pool.

"Taozi, what's going on?"

The gray-haired Lingnong put away his logging implements, plopped down on the ground, panting heavily. Controlling the implements consumed too much of his magical power.

"How would I know? Everyone take a 15-minute break to catch your breath, and then we'll get back to work."

Wei Songtao is Wei Songnian's half-brother. He is only twenty years old this year and his aptitude is only of the lower grade. A few years ago, his elder brother helped him get into the sect.

For no other reason than that Crimson Flame Peak needs a steward who can serve them long-term.

After letting out a long howl, Ji An suppressed his excitement and forcefully clenched his fist.

"At the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, only two steps remain before breaking through to the Origin Realm!"

As a cultivator who had practiced body tempering, a soft cracking sound came from his fists.

With an ample supply of elixirs, a deep understanding of the cultivation techniques and divine intent, and the continuous strengthening of his life force which further improved his efficiency in refining spiritual energy, his breakthrough to the ninth level of Foundation Establishment was a natural progression.

After the breakthrough, the immortal veins were further strengthened, and the aptitude was improved once again.

It won't take too long to raise your magical power to the Great Foundation Establishment Perfection realm.

(End of this chapter)