157: Failure to build foundation

The Spiritual Cloud Vortex lasted for half an hour before suddenly collapsing, and a vast amount of Spiritual Qi overflowed, activating the One Yuan Water Dragon Grand Array, which revealed a huge translucent barrier.

"What's going on?"

"Senior Brother, did he succeed or fail?"

With the sudden change, some Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters who were unfamiliar with Breakthrough Foundation Establishment curiously asked.

"He failed!"

A knowledgeable Senior Brother shook his head and sighed, "As far as I know, if one successfully breaks through, the spiritual cloud would last for at least an hour, and it wouldn't collapse so suddenly; instead, it would slowly dissipate."

"Ah?!"

"I heard that Breakthrough Foundation Establishment is extremely perilous. Once a Breakthrough fails, one's Dantian is very likely to shatter, leading to death. Will Senior Sister be alright?"

A young male Cultivator looked towards Jingxin Courtyard, his face filled with worry.

The knowledgeable Senior Brother glanced at him disdainfully, "The situation you're describing is without taking a foundation establishment pill. With a foundation establishment pill protecting the Dantian, even if a Breakthrough fails, it only damages some Origin Qi and won't harm the Foundation."

"Senior Sister is the Sect Master's granddaughter. Do you think she wouldn't have money to buy a foundation establishment pill?"

Mentioning the foundation establishment pill, the knowledgeable Senior Brother felt a longing. For ordinary Disciples like them, Foundation Establishment was the ultimate goal, and the foundation establishment pill was a shortcut to that goal.

With a foundation establishment pill to preserve one's life, one could wholeheartedly attempt to break through without fear, and the improvement in mentality alone could greatly increase the chances of success.

If one could Cultivate to Qi Refining Perfection around the age of sixty, and had an ample supply of foundation establishment pills, breaking through once every three years would allow for ten attempts by the age of ninety, making Foundation Establishment highly probable.

Of course! This was not simple.

Cultivating to Qi Refining Perfection by sixty was already considered a top Genius, and abundant foundation establishment pills were even harder to obtain.

Such strategic resources were almost never sold on the market. Even if one occasionally appeared at an auction, it would cost tens of thousands of Spirit Stones. An ordinary Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator's lifelong savings, even if he lost everything, would probably only be enough to buy one.

Aside from Xiao Ran, who was the granddaughter of a Golden Core True Person, even the direct descendants of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Family would find it difficult to have such conditions.

"Foundation Establishment is so difficult!"

"Even Senior Sister, with her peerless talent, failed. Do people like me really have a chance?"

A middle-aged male Cultivator, who appeared to be in his thirties, looked disheartened, with a trace of despair in his eyes.

He looked thirty, but was actually fifty years old, yet his cultivation was only at Qi Refining fifth layer.

Barring any accidents, his chances of Cultivating to Qi Refining Perfection in this life were very small, let alone Breakthrough Foundation Establishment.

"Hehe~"

"If you think there's no hope, you can always give up, like Liu Xuan, marry and have children, and Cultivate a Family. Wouldn't that be better?"

"No!"

"Heaven never seals off all exits. As long as I work hard to Cultivate, I still have a chance!"

"I just lack an Opportunity!"

... Xiao Ran's failed Breakthrough Foundation Establishment caused quite a stir at White Crane Lake, affecting the Heart-Nature of many Cultivators.

Several Disciples even applied to leave the Sect Enforcement Team, planning to venture into dangerous places in search of that elusive Opportunity.

A few days later.

Liu Xuan calculated the time, figuring Xiao Ran should be well-rested. So he picked a few jade phoenix tree fruits and went to visit her.

Jingxin Courtyard.

Xiao Ran wore a simple white everyday dress, her black hair casually tied back with a ribbon, unadorned, yet exceptionally fresh and refined.

She no longer radiated the same brilliance as before, but to Liu Xuan, she seemed even more beautiful—a beauty that imprinted itself on the Divine Soul, unforgettable at first sight.

A beauty that brings disaster, a beauty that ruins nations, a beauty that makes a king neglect his duties—Liu Xuan finally understood those foolish monarchs.

"Senior Sister, these are jade phoenix tree fruits I grew. They have the effect of removing Heart Demons and calming the mind. Would you like to try one?"

Liu Xuan handed over a fruit basket containing ten jade phoenix tree fruits.

The jade phoenix tree was only one step away from reaching the second rank. The current jade phoenix tree fruits were top-grade first-rank, and among the best of top-grade first-rank.

"Oh?"

"You can also grow spiritual fruits? Then I must try them."

Xiao Ran seemed to be in a good mood, completely unaffected by the failed Breakthrough.

She picked up a jade-colored parasol fruit, carefully examining the flame-like patterns on it, and asked curiously:

"I've never seen this fruit before. How do you eat it?"

"I coincidentally bought the sapling from the Nether Fire Sect. You can eat it directly," Liu Xuan explained.

Xiao Ran nodded slightly and tentatively took a small bite. Her eyes immediately lit up.

"Delicious!"

After finishing one, she closed her eyes, feeling her Divine Soul become ethereal, all distracting thoughts vanishing without a trace. The recovery speed of the Divine Soul damage caused by the failed Breakthrough even accelerated a bit.

After a moment of adjustment, she opened her eyes and looked at Liu Xuan, "You are thoughtful. Thank you!"

"As long as Senior Sister likes it!" Liu Xuan said with a smile.

After chatting for a while, Liu Xuan asked, "What are Senior Sister's plans for the future? Will you continue secluded Cultivation, or do you have other arrangements?"

Although Xiao Ran was unparalleled in beauty, Liu Xuan still hoped she would continue her secluded Cultivation. With her on the island, it was inconvenient for him to do anything.

'It's a pity. True Person Xiao values me so much, why doesn't he bestow Senior Sister upon me in marriage like Ancestor Qingyun did?'

'If Xiao Ran became my Dao Companion, wouldn't everything be fine?'

Liu Xuan didn't believe Xiao Changfeng couldn't see his core needs, yet he didn't give him a woman. He was truly inconsiderate!

"Secluded Cultivation is unnecessary. I need to recuperate for two years, recovering my Origin Qi while digesting the experience from this failed Breakthrough."

"I plan to focus on Alchemy for two years, honing my Heart-Nature, and striving for a successful Breakthrough next time."

Xiao Ran's cultivation had already reached Qi Refining Perfection. Polishing her magical power had little meaning; instead, there was still room for improvement in her Heart-Nature and Divine Soul comprehension.

"Heart-Nature and Divine Soul are of great help in breaking through a Realm, and skills like Alchemy and talisman drawing both have a refining effect on them. If one can prematurely develop Divine Sense, it can greatly increase the chances of a Breakthrough."

Xiao Ran's hand flashed with light, and an ancient Secret Manual appeared. She handed it to Liu Xuan, "This is 'Soul Nurturing and Thought Forging Art,' which helps Qi Refining Cultivators develop Divine Sense prematurely. You can read it when you have time."

Xiao Ran intentionally guided Liu Xuan. She didn't know that Liu Xuan had already developed Divine Sense long ago and could now use it skillfully.

"Thank you, Senior Sister!"

Liu Xuan put away the Secret Manual and bowed in thanks. Regardless of whether it was useful or not, he appreciated Xiao Ran's kind intention.

Xiao Ran waved her hand, "You should go back first. I need to sort out the issues from this failed Breakthrough, so I won't chat with you any longer."

"Alright!"

"I wish Senior Sister a successful Breakthrough next time, to forge a dao foundation, and become a Foundation Establishment Ancestor!"

Liu Xuan bid farewell and left. On his way back, he flipped through the Soul Nurturing and Thought Forging Art that Xiao Ran had given him. It was a good item, but useless to him; he could only give it to his Dao Companion or children later.

'In a few days, I should also be Breakthrough Physical Body Foundation Establishment. I hope I don't fail too!'

He had just broken through to Qi Refining ninth layer, and his Body Refining was at Perfection. There were no records of Body Refining Physical Body Foundation Establishment in this world's experience. Although the Cultivation Technique described it as almost certainly successful, he still felt a little worried.