Chapter 46 Advancement to Foundation Establishment

Inside the Pill Refining Residence on Black Magpie Mountain, Chen Li was beaming with joy. After three months of refining foundation establishment pills, he finally stopped his Alchemy today.

Chen Li was counting the results of these three months of Alchemy: 34 High Grade foundation establishment pills, 123 Medium Grade foundation establishment pills, and 37 Low Grade foundation establishment pills, totaling 194 foundation establishment pills!

After finishing the count, these 194 foundation establishment pills were all packed into exquisite boxes. Chen Li was filled with joy as he prepared to advance to Foundation Establishment.

After spending a month adjusting his physical and mental state, he began to take the foundation establishment pills.

He took out all the High Grade foundation establishment pills and swallowed one, but nothing happened. It was like eating a jellybean; he felt absolutely nothing.

Foundation Establishment first involves transforming the Spiritual Qi of Qi Refining into liquid true essence and storing it within the Dantian. By looking inward at the Dantian, one can tell if the Foundation Establishment was successful.

The greatest change brought by a successful Foundation Establishment is Lifespan; generally, the Lifespan of one at Foundation Establishment can reach between two hundred and two hundred and fifty years.

Chen Li swallowed a second pill. This time, he felt a fluctuation in his Spiritual Qi. He continued to take them, and by the tenth pill, the Spiritual Qi in his body became more active and began to condense on its own, yet it still failed.

Chen Li continued taking them. By the twentieth pill, he felt it still wasn't enough. Refusing to believe it was impossible, he figured if it wasn't working, it just meant it wasn't enough yet.

He kept taking them, and finally, at the thirty-first pill, the Spiritual Qi in his body reached a state of saturation.

Under the medicinal power of the foundation establishment pills, the Spiritual Qi finally transformed into liquid true essence. The liquid Spiritual Qi stored in the Dantian formed a spiritual sea, vast and pure, and his entire body was filled with vitality and power.

At this moment, the fluctuations of Spiritual Qi around the Immortal Cave changed abnormally, as some Spiritual Qi was frantically absorbed into Chen Li's body to become part of the spiritual sea.

Simultaneously, his Physical Body, blood, and bones were purified by the true essence Qi, expelling Mortal Toxins and impurities from his body.

At this stage, he was finally considered to have shed his mortal body and established his Immortal Foundation.

Another day passed, and Chen Li stabilized the aura within his body. Sitting cross-legged in meditation, he opened his eyes and raised his hand to channel the Spiritual Qi in his body. An indescribable power gathered in his hand; he felt like he could take on ten Zhang Ans!

Chen Li emerged from seclusion; this Cultivator with Five Spiritual Roots had finally reached Foundation Establishment!

Reaching this stage meant he had surpassed ninety-nine percent of five-Spiritual Root Cultivators who reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining; the hurdle of Foundation Establishment was an almost insurmountable barrier for those with Five Spiritual Roots.

Outside the Immortal Cave, seemingly sensing the nearby Spiritual Qi fluctuations, Zhu Lingyue waited with Chen Songmei in her arms. Chen Songli and the others were also waiting outside the Immortal Cave for their father to finish his seclusion, offering their congratulations as soon as they saw Chen Li.

Seeing his family waiting for him, Chen Li was very happy and said to Zhu Lingyue, "Madam, you've worked hard these days. Our Chen family has taken another giant leap forward."

Hearing this, Zhu Lingyue naturally knew Chen Li had succeeded in his Foundation Establishment and smiled, "It wasn't hard. Our Chen family has only been able to come this far because of you, husband."

Chen Songli and the others had not yet reached Mid-stage Qi Refining and could not use Divine Sense to probe Chen Li's cultivation level. Since Chen Li claimed to be at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer to the outside world, they assumed he had reached the Late Stage Qi Refining.

The children were also very happy, unaware that they had a father at Foundation Establishment—my Foundation Establishment father!

After the children dispersed, Chen Li and Zhu Lingyue discussed things inside Concentric Heart Hall. Zhu Lingyue asked, "Husband, this time we'll announce to the outside that you've reached the Seventh Level of Qi Refining, right?"

Chen Li nodded and said, "Yes. Right now, we need a stable environment to develop; it's not wise to stand out too much."

Zhu Lingyue understood. "Mhm. I hope our children can grow up steadily over these next few decades."

"They will!" Chen Li's eyes were incredibly firm.

...

The next day, at the Immortal Teaching Room in Immortal Learning Tower, Chen Li came to check on the learning progress of Chen Songli and the others.

Some sat upright and serious, while others were eager to try. Chen Li spoke, "Who wants to be the first to talk about what they've gained?"

Chen Songli was again the first to raise her hand. Chen Li let her go first, and she said, "Father, I spent a year comprehending Second-Rank formation patterns. I also discussed it with Mother and created a Second-Rank Formation."

After speaking, Chen Songli took out a Second-Rank offensive Formation from her Storage Pouch.

Chen Li scanned it with his Divine Sense; it was indeed a Second-Rank offensive Formation. He said, "Not bad, Songli! Your talent in the Dao of Formations is almost as good as mine!"

Happy to receive Chen Li's praise, Chen Songli added, "Father, I also studied the Soul Suppressing Art and have reached Minor Achievement."

Chen Songli then demonstrated her Minor Achievement in the Soul Suppressing Art. When Chen Li probed with his Foundation Establishment Divine Sense, it indeed showed a defensive effect.

"Songli, you've done well. You've studied a lot and gained much!" Chen Li praised her generously.

After checking Chen Songli's progress, he saw Chen Songxuan looking eager and said, "Song Xuan, tell me what you've achieved."

Chen Songxuan brought out a Puppet and said, "Father, this is a Sowing Puppet I made. It's already being used for sowing on our Black Magpie Mountain, and the results are quite good. It has freed up a lot of Uncle Niu's time!"

Chen Li had also made some low-rank Puppets before, so he asked, "Song Xuan, the key to the art of Puppets lies in how to make a pile of lifeless objects function. The control 'imprint' of this Puppet also requires comprehension; it must have some connection with Formations, right?"

"Father is wise. During my studies, this part was indeed very difficult, but compared to comprehending Formation patterns, I was still able to figure this out."

Chen Li asked more questions about the Puppet, such as the energy consumption, material selection, and how they were assembled. Seeing that Chen Songxuan could answer them all, it seemed he had truly mastered it.

Chen Li felt quite gratified and praised him, "Song Xuan has also studied seriously and gained a lot."

Next was the second son, Chen Songyan, which made Chen Li frown.

Chen Songyan said somewhat diffidently, "Father, my Insect Rearing Art is still in the egg-hatching stage. I cast spells on them every once in a while, but I still need to wait for the eggs to hatch before moving on to the rearing stage."

Chen Li nodded, but his brow furrowed as he asked, "Song Yan, I know a bit about this Insect Rearing Art. The hatching stage can be accelerated, for example, by improving the environment, and the spellcasting phase can also be adjusted. Have you tried any of that?"

Chen Songyan was a bit nervous. Over the past year and a half, aside from casting spells to keep the eggs alive, he had often been engrossed in mortal Storybooks and hadn't thought of any extra methods. He replied vaguely, "Father, I... I didn't seem to think of that."

Chen Li questioned him further and found that Chen Songyan's answers were stumbling. Knowing that Chen Songyan hadn't been cultivating properly, he said, "From now on, you will live here at Immortal Learning Tower. I will teach you the Insect Rearing Art myself, and we will practice it together!"

Now that Chen Li was at Foundation Establishment, he had plenty of time to forcibly straighten out this second son who had grown crooked.

Hearing Chen Li's words, the second son looked utterly dejected, but not daring to argue, he could only comply.

Finally, the fourth son, Chen Songxiao, felt a pang of panic seeing what happened to the second son.

He had studied the Pulse Seeking Art seriously for a year. When Chen Li called his name, he said very earnestly, "Father, I have memorized all the relevant books for the Pulse Seeking Technique, and I've practiced most of the incantations and techniques. However, the Pulse Seeking Technique might still require some Pulse Seeking Magical Artifacts, like the star fixing plate, which we don't have at home right now."

After speaking, Chen Songxiao demonstrated the hand seals and techniques of the Pulse Seeking Art. Chen Li also asked some questions and found that he had indeed studied seriously. Chen Li praised him as well, "Songxiao, you've done well too. I will buy the star fixing plate and other Pulse Seeking Magical Artifacts for you!"

"Thank you, Father."