107: Chapter 66 The Third Transformation of Magic Power!

Inside Yanfa Hall, the Golden Core Master's voice rang out like a bell or chime.

Every word transformed into golden runes, drifting above the great hall.

Chen Xuan sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, listening with closed eyes.

His breathing gradually synchronized with the rhythm of the Golden Core Master's lecture.

The mana within his body circulated on its own, and the Nine-Turn Sea-Steaming Method began the steaming of its third turn.

His Dantian Qi Sea was like a boiling spirit spring; mana surged and steamed, and Impurities dissipated as green smoke amidst the high heat.

This was the key to polishing his Dao foundation.

The first turn steamed away thirty percent of the Impurities, the second turn steamed away another twenty percent, and after the third turn, his mana would be as pure as glaze.

However, every steaming required a massive influx of Spiritual Qi, and ordinary Cultivators had to rest for several months after completing one turn.

Chen Xuan was different.

His Innate Sword Bone was resonating, and the Sword Intent hidden within his bones guided his mana to circulate in an orderly fashion.

The speed of the steaming was more than three times faster than that of ordinary Cultivators.

The Golden Core Master finished a section of the Dao and suddenly paused.

His gaze fell upon Chen Xuan, and he nodded slightly.

"This child's Dao foundation is solid, his Comprehension Ability is extraordinary, and his future is promising."

The surrounding Qi Refining Disciples looked over one after another.

Chen Xuan remained unmoved, continuing to meditate with his eyes closed.

His Divine Sense probed into his Dantian, observing every detail of the mana steaming.

The third turn was already more than halfway through.

More than half of the mana in his Qi Sea had been steamed away, and the remaining portion was as dense as mercury, emitting a faint cyan light.

After steaming for a while longer, the third turn would be complete.

Chen Xuan silently recited the incantation of the Nine-Turn Sea-Steaming Method in his heart, guiding his mana to accelerate its circulation once more.

Just then, he felt a gaze land upon him.

It was not the gaze of the Golden Core Master.

It was a line of sight from the corner of the great hall, cold, sticky, like a venomous snake spying on its prey.

Chen Xuan did not open his eyes.

His Divine Sense quietly spread out, capturing the owner of that gaze.

Zhang Fan.

He sat in the most secluded corner of the great hall, head lowered, appearing to listen to the lecture earnestly.

But his eyes lifted from time to time, looking toward Chen Xuan's direction.

In those eyes, there was hatred, killing intent, and something else Chen Xuan could not understand.

It looked like a struggle.

Chen Xuan retracted his Divine Sense and sneered in his heart.

He recalled the commentary of the heavenly book golden decree: Good Zhang Fan and Evil Zhang Fan were fighting day and night.

Sitting in Yanfa Hall at this moment, he did not know which one it was.

The lecture ended.

The Disciples dispersed one after another. Chen Xuan stood up and walked toward the entrance of the great hall.

Liu Lili was waiting not far away, holding a spirit fruit, beckoning with a smile.

"Junior Brother, over here."

Chen Xuan walked over and took the spirit fruit, taking a bite.

The juice was sweet, and the Spiritual Qi dissolved in his mouth, sliding down his throat into his Dantian.

The Spiritual Qi needed for the third turn of sea-steaming was nearly half replenished by this one spirit fruit.

"Senior Sister, where did you get this spirit fruit?"

Liu Lili proudly shook the Storage Pouch in her hand.

"Senior Sister Wen Yao gave it to me, saying it is a specialty of the Qingcang Sect that she brought back from her last experience."

"Fourth Senior Sister is back?"

"Mm, she just returned this morning and even asked about you."

Chen Xuan nodded, his gaze passing over Liu Lili to look at the entrance of the great hall.

Zhang Fan was walking out from there.

He was keeping his head low, walking in a hurry, as if he did not want to be seen.

Chen Xuan called out to him.

"Senior Brother Zhang."

Zhang Fan's footsteps paused, and he slowly turned around.

His face wore a gentle smile, showing no signs of anything unusual.

"Junior Brother Yun, is something the matter?"

Chen Xuan stared into his eyes, wanting to see something in them.

Those eyes were very calm, like a stagnant pool of water.

There was no killing intent, no hatred, not even the greed he had when looking at Liu Lili.

This was not Evil Zhang Fan.

This was Good Zhang Fan.

"Senior Brother, about the matter of helping with the fight you mentioned last time, I have considered it."

Chen Xuan's tone was flat.

"The Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range is too dangerous, and my cultivation is insufficient, so I won't be going."

Zhang Fan's smile did not change in the slightest.

"Junior Brother is right; it was my lack of consideration."

"Then that's that; I'll be going first."

He cupped his hands and turned to leave.

His footsteps were still hurried, as if he were fleeing from something.

Liu Lili watched his back, frowning.

"Junior Brother, don't you think Zhang Fan is acting strange?"

"Strange how?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it." Liu Lili shook her head. "It just feels like he's become a different person."

Chen Xuan did not respond.

He, of course, knew that Zhang Fan had changed.

He had become two people.

The two walked out of Yanfa Hall side by side, following the bluestone path toward Conquest Hall.

The spirit trees by the roadside were in full bloom, and petals drifted down, covering the ground in pink and white.

Liu Lili reached out to catch a petal and sniffed it at the tip of her nose.

"Junior Brother, your three turns of sea-steaming are almost complete, right?"

"Almost, it will be at Perfection in another half month."

"Then when are you planning to attempt Foundation Establishment?"

Chen Xuan was silent for a moment.

"Wait a bit longer."

He needed to wait for the auction results of the ascension spirit liquid to see if that Spirit Medicine capable of improving Spiritual Root Aptitude was truly effective.

If it was effective, his Low Grade Spiritual Root could be improved to Medium Grade or even High Grade.

Only then would he have a better chance at attempting Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment.

Liu Lili nodded and did not ask further.

She believed Chen Xuan had his own plans.

The two parted ways at the entrance of Conquest Hall.

Liu Lili went to find Senior Sister Wen Yao, and Chen Xuan returned to his Immortal Cave.

He closed the door, sat down at the desk, and took out the wordless heavenly book.

Golden tadpole scripts emerged.

[Today's Fortune: Lesser Auspicious.]

[Today's Heavenly Secret: Tianliang.]

[Today's Destiny: Sword Cultivator.]

[Lesser Auspicious: Good Zhang Fan's benevolent thoughts are strengthening, and evil thoughts are temporarily retreating. Within three days, he will head to the Zhang Family Charity Hall in Bihai Immortal City, which may be an opportunity to come into contact with the ancient buddha fragment.]

[Lesser Auspicious: Intelligence from the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce will arrive within three days, containing clues to Maitreya's hiding place in the Southern Region.]

[Medium Ominous: If you report the matter of Zhang Fan being eroded by Maitreya at this time, the Zhang family might silence you, and you would suffer for lack of evidence.]

Chen Xuan finished reading and put away the heavenly book.

He would wait.

Wait for the news from the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce, and wait for Zhang Fan to reveal more flaws.

At the same time, he continued to polish his Dao foundation.

The third turn of sea-steaming required a massive amount of Spiritual Qi; he set up a Spirit Gathering Array in his Immortal Cave and took out several dozen Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, placing them by his side.

The Spiritual Qi in the Spirit Stones was drawn by the Formation, turning into white mist that enveloped him.

Chen Xuan closed his eyes and circulated his Cultivation Technique, and his Dantian Qi Sea boiled once more.

Steaming, condensing, steaming again, condensing again.

With every cycle, his mana became one point purer.

Impurities turned into green smoke and drifted out from the top of his head, filling the Immortal Cave.

When the third turn of sea-steaming reached Perfection, he opened his eyes.

The mana in his Dantian was only forty percent of what it had been, but every drop was as heavy as a thousand jun, gleaming with a jade-like luster.

This was the Dao foundation.

Solid, pure, without a single impurity.

Chen Xuan stood up and stretched his limbs.

His bones crackled, and the resonance of his Innate Sword Bone was even stronger.

He felt that his attainment in the Dao of the sword had improved a fraction.

Sword Light Differentiation could now split into nine rays, each with seventy percent of the power of the original.

Combining the nine into one was "Nine Heavens Unity," and its power was comparable to a full-strength strike from a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Coupled with the Mountain Lifting Divine Ability, he had the strength to fight even against a Foundation Establishment Perfection Cultivator.

But it was not enough.

Among Maitreya's followers, there were Golden Core Masters.

Among the elders of the Zhang family, there were also Golden Core Masters.

He was a Qi Refining Cultivator; no matter how strong he was, he was still just in the Qi Refining stage.

He had to reach Foundation Establishment as soon as possible.