69: Chapter 69 Elder's Foundation Establishment Failure

Snap.

A sound like tearing silk suddenly rang out in the air of the Jingsi Courtyard.

Deacon Wang said in a low, excited voice, "Elder Qian has begun his Breakthrough!"

Everyone craned their necks to watch, not daring to breathe too hard.

Inside the Spirit Cave, Xia Shaoxin's body shuddered violently as he felt immense pressure.

These five Spirit Caves on the summit of Xueyan Cliff were essentially one large cave.

Connected by a Formation, the Spirit Caves were also boiling as Elder Qian put his all into attempting Foundation Establishment.

He had once been nearly crippled by the Spirit Cave, so naturally, he was unwilling to be injured again.

At this moment, regardless of the consequences, he swallowed a three-flower spirit gathering pill, hoping it would make his body more compatible with the Spiritual Qi and reduce the pain.

Unexpectedly, this backfired.

Usually, the Spiritual Qi in the Spirit Cave was very mild with little impact, but now, having taken the Medicinal Pill, it became even more turbulent.

The Spiritual Qi moved through his body, bringing not only a strong sense of expansion but also stabbing pain.

If he could not hold on, his body would be blown apart by the Spiritual Qi, his meridians would be completely ruined, and the best-case scenario would be surviving but losing all his cultivation.

He realized the severity of the situation and was absolutely unwilling to end up in such a state.

First, he popped a qi and blood pill.

Then, he ate a three-corpse three-insect body refining pill.

He did not know if it would work; he was just grasping at straws in a panic.

At this point, he could no longer autonomously control the Circulating the Heavenly Cycle of the Spiritual Qi, because a massive amount of Spiritual Qi was circulating along his meridians on its own, as if there were a giant water pump inside his body.

All he could do was endure.

He forced himself to hold on and not let his body explode.

Snap—

Outside the courtyard, all five Spirit Caves rang out simultaneously.

The air seemed to solidify, compressed to the limit, ready to burst at any moment.

Xia Shaoxin felt as if his Divine Soul might have already left his body, and he lost consciousness.

His skin was calm, but the muscles beneath seemed to have melted.

Boom—

A blasting sound rang out outside the courtyard.

The door to the best Spirit Cave suddenly opened.

"Elder Qian has come out!" Deacon Wang shouted, rushing over in three steps, but he slammed on the brakes, freezing in place at the entrance.

Everyone followed close behind, and looking over Deacon Wang's shoulder, they saw an old man with silver hair and wide sleeves in the courtyard, frantically kicking his feet on the ground as if his feet had been scalded.

It was none other than Elder Qian Yunchang of Xueyan Cliff!

Everyone was dumbfounded.

What was going on?

Had the Foundation Establishment succeeded? Was this an involuntary, dancing celebration?

Elder Qian suddenly extended his palm and struck out violently; with a snap, a large rock in the courtyard shattered in response.

Then he opened his mouth toward the sky, as if something was stuffed inside, preventing him from speaking.

Liu Tingting squeezed to the front, took one look, and her heart shattered. Gritting her teeth, she whispered, "Master's Foundation Establishment failed. His bodily acupoints are blocked by excessive Spiritual Qi, and he is trying to save himself."

When everyone heard this, it was like a bolt of lightning striking them.

Elder Qian was the person with the most hope for Foundation Establishment in the Chiyan Sect in hundreds of years, yet he had actually failed!

The promised rise of the Sect, the Xueyan Cliff Disciples benefiting—it had all gone down the drain.

Deacon Wang said tremblingly, "How should we help him?"

Liu Tingting had already rushed up, opened her palm, and struck Elder Qian Yunchang's back violently.

Boom—

Liu Tingting was sent flying a zhang away by the massive rebound force.

Everyone was helpless.

Just then, a low roar suddenly came from behind: "Let me!"

A figure knocked aside the people blocking the courtyard entrance, flew behind Elder Qian Yunchang, pressed his palm against his back, and shouted, "Junior Brother, I will assist you!"

It was Sect Leader Wu Yin.

Elder Qian Yunchang going into seclusion to seek a Breakthrough was a major event for the Sect; he had set up a Magical Artifact in the Spirit Cave, prepared to send out a message when he reached the Breakthrough so that everyone could come to act as Protector.

Who could have expected that Elder Qian would have an accident? When he suddenly sent out an alarm in the middle of the night, the Sect Head, who had already gone to sleep, felt uneasy and rushed over.

He arrived just as Elder Qian Yunchang's Foundation Establishment failed and his bodily acupoints were sealed.

The human body has nine orifices, which are nine large openings, the main thoroughfares for the entry and exit of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

Once they are sealed shut, death will quickly follow.

The other Inner Sect Disciples were only at the Lower Stage of Qi Refining or Middle Stage, so they could not help at all.

Sect Leader Wu Yin pressed against his back, using internal energy to push, strike, and tap, but it was useless; instead, he was jolted back three steps.

Elder Qian Yunchang turned his head, and everyone realized with horror that his eyes were tightly shut, his earlobes were curled up, and his nose looked as if it had been flattened by an invisible clip.

He stumbled, scurrying around the Jingsi Courtyard.

Everyone's hearts turned icy cold.

Liu Tingting's eyes turned red, and two lines of tears immediately gushed out.

"I am so useless..."

Even the Sect Head could not do it; no one could save him.

Just at this moment, Xia Shaoxin finally could not endure that power any longer; he opened his mouth and let out a loud shout, "Ah!"

A vigorous force rushed out violently from the various acupoints of his body, knocking the door open.

He felt like a burning fireball, about to be roasted into charcoal.

Once the door opened, the pressure inside the Spirit Cave was greatly reduced. His body could move, so he leaped up, intending to rush out the door for some air.

He happened to collide with Elder Qian Yunchang.

With a loud boom.

Elder Qian Yunchang let out a loud roar of "Wah," and a ball of white qi sprayed from his mouth.

A small tree a zhang away snapped with a crack.

Xia Shaoxin was also sent flying from the collision and landed heavily on the ground. The intense heat seemed to be sucked away by the earth, and as the night breeze blew, he felt incredibly comfortable.

With infinite power surging through his body, he climbed up from the ground. He shook his arms, and with a snap in the air, he shed a ten-thousand-jin burden.

Then he hurriedly sat down and activated his Cultivation Technique to digest the remaining Spiritual Qi in his body.

Elder Qian Yunchang also sat opposite him, activating his Cultivation Technique. Before long, he opened his eyes and saw Xia Shaoxin.

"Was it you who bumped into me just now?"

Xia Shaoxin opened his eyes, regained his senses, and hurriedly said, "Disciple was in the Spirit Cave, controlled by powerful Spiritual Qi and unable to move. I collided with Elder, please forgive me."

Elder Qian Yunchang nodded with a smile, "You saved my life."

"Oh?" Xia Shaoxin did not understand.

Seeing that Elder Qian Yunchang could speak, Sect Leader Wu Yin walked over hurriedly, "Junior Brother, are you alright?"

"The second strike just now was your doing, Senior Brother? Many thanks."

Elder Qian Yunchang sighed, "Senior Brother, I... failed."

"Few people can succeed in Foundation Establishment on the first try. It does not matter; try again when you are better prepared next time," Sect Leader Wu Yin comforted him.

Elder Qian Yunchang's eyes dimmed.

Would there be a next time?

This time, almost all resources had been used. To gather enough resources again, he feared he would have already reached the end of his natural life.

Liu Tingting's tears had not yet dried on her face. She trotted over, looking at Elder Qian Yunchang with eager eyes, and asked, "Master, are you really alright?"

Elder Qian Yunchang showed a gentle look, "The first strike just now must have been you, right? Your strength was insufficient, which instead could have easily gotten you into trouble."

Liu Tingting said anxiously, "I am not in trouble, I am fine, how are you?"

Her eyes were full of longing.

Elder Qian Yunchang shook his head bitterly, "My body is fine, I did not damage my Dao foundation, it is just that my True Qi was congested for a bit too long and needs time to recover."

Liu Tingting broke into a smile through her tears; that was good, that was good.

Elder Qian Yunchang then turned his gaze to Xia Shaoxin.

"Are you a Disciple of my Xueyan Cliff? I have not seen you before."

Xia Shaoxin hurriedly said, "I only came to Xueyan Cliff the year before last."

"He is a Bug Catcher from Dawu Mountain who spent one thousand taels of silver to become a Utility Disciple. I do not know how, but he actually succeeded in Qi Refining," Senior Brother Chen Jingrao suddenly spoke up.

Sect Leader Wu Yin said in surprise, "Bug Catchers can also practice Qi Refining? That is quite rare!"

The Sect Head did not know that his own Sect had produced a Bug Catcher Disciple.