32: Second Life: First Steps on the Immortal Path (Chapter 31)

The elder from the Crimson Flame Sect smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Xu, you are too kind. According to custom, anyone who successfully achieves Foundation Establishment within the camps under the jurisdiction of the Crimson Flame Sect, regardless of their background, is entitled to a congratulatory gift as a token of our goodwill."

As he spoke, the elder handed over a jade box.

Xu Yuan took it and swept his Divine Sense inside. It contained three high-quality Low Grade "Ningyuan Pills," which were helpful for stabilizing the cultivation of the Early Foundation Establishment Stage and were quite valuable.

Clearly, this was a tactic used by the Crimson Flame Sect to win people over.

The other few Foundation Establishment Cultivators among the Loose Cultivators also presented their own congratulatory gifts. Most were Medicinal Pills and Materials suitable for Foundation Establishment Cultivators; they were not particularly precious, but they were appropriate for the occasion.

Everyone exchanged a few pleasantries and asked if Xu Yuan needed a quiet room to stabilize his Realm. Seeing that Xu Yuan politely declined, they tactfully took their leave.

They had come here mainly to show their stance, not to form a deep friendship.

After sending everyone off, the area in front of the Immortal Cave returned to silence.

Liu Yiyi said softly, "They... seem to have noticed something."

Xu Yuan smiled faintly and did not mind, "It does not matter. Even if I only have an incomplete Dao Foundation, I am still a genuine Foundation Establishment Cultivator."

After seeing off the people who came to congratulate him, Xu Yuan began his seclusion, focusing all his efforts on stabilizing his Realm, which appeared unstable due to his incomplete Dao Foundation.

The three Ningyuan Pills gifted by the Crimson Flame Sect indeed proved to be very useful. Their medicinal power was gentle and mellow, and they were quite effective in calming his restless mana and replenishing the Origin Qi lost during the Foundation Establishment.

Liu Yiyi also acted as his Protector, occasionally assisting with her own pure Water and Wood spiritual power. Although the effect was not significant, it could slightly harmonize the fiery irritation caused by Xu Yuan's scorching Dao Foundation.

A month passed, and Xu Yuan's Realm was finally initially stabilized. His mana had completely transformed into the liquid true essence of the Foundation Establishment Stage, with a total amount and purity far exceeding that of the Qi Condensation Stage, and his Divine Sense range had also expanded significantly.

After coming out of seclusion, Xu Yuan began to continue taking on camp missions and going out to earn merit.

After the Foundation Establishment, his strength had truly undergone an earth-shattering change.

First-order Yao Beast herds that previously required a team to cooperate and careful handling to deal with could now be slain by him alone with relative ease.

The speed at which he earned merit was more than ten times faster than during the Qi Condensation Stage!

However, a new problem soon emerged.

Xu Yuan discovered that most of the items he could exchange for were still limited to the scope of the Qi Condensation Stage, or were Medicinal Pills and Materials commonly used in the Foundation Establishment Stage.

As for those Cultivation Techniques truly suitable for Foundation Establishment Cultivators, powerful spells, and astonishingly powerful Spiritual Artifacts, they were either not on the exchange list or showed insufficient permissions.

After inquiring a few times, Xu Yuan finally understood the crux of the matter.

Although the Blackwind Wasteland was pioneered under the leadership of the Burning Sun Upper Sect, the specific management was delegated to subsidiary Sects like the Crimson Flame Sect.

In order to attract and bind Foundation Establishment talent among the Loose Cultivators, the Crimson Flame Sect had long set a rule: all Cultivation Techniques above the Foundation Establishment Stage, core spells, and standard Spiritual Artifacts were only open for exchange to Cultivators who joined the Crimson Flame Sect and became its retainers, and they also needed to establish merit or complete Sect missions to obtain them.

In other words, to obtain subsequent cultivation resources, one had to serve the Crimson Flame Sect.

A deacon from the Crimson Flame Sect had also come to tactfully recruit Xu Yuan, but Xu Yuan politely declined.

For one, Xu Yuan had only condensed an incomplete Dao Foundation, so his potential was limited. The Crimson Flame Sect might not truly value him, and if he went, he might just be treated as an Advanced hired hand, making it difficult to obtain the true Legacy. Secondly, and most importantly, he had been away from home for over twenty years, and now that he had achieved Foundation Establishment, he had the desire to return home.

Moreover, Liu Yiyi also needed to prepare for Foundation Establishment, and remaining in the perilous Wasteland was not the best choice.

Seeing that Xu Yuan refused, the Crimson Flame Sect did not force him.

Therefore, Xu Yuan settled his mind, no longer pursuing those profound Legacies he could not touch for the time being, but instead focused his goal on the most practical thing—exchanging for a Foundation Establishment Pill for Liu Yiyi!

Relying on his Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, he took on various dangerous missions even more frantically, venturing deep into the Wasteland, hunting Yao Beasts, and collecting Spirit Medicine.

Liu Yiyi stayed in the camp, continuing to study medicine and refine Medicinal Pills, occasionally taking on some auxiliary tasks, while providing logistical support for Xu Yuan.

The husband and wife worked with one heart. After nearly another year of hard work, with Xu Yuan's Foundation Establishment Stage strength, he easily saved up the 100,000 merit points needed to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Without any hesitation, Xu Yuan immediately exchanged for the Foundation Establishment Pill and turned to hand it directly to Liu Yiyi.

Liu Yiyi took the jade box and carefully tucked it into her bosom. She was still only at the Eighth Level of Qi Condensation, so it was still too early for her to achieve Foundation Establishment; exchanging for this Foundation Establishment Pill was just to prepare for the future.

After obtaining the Foundation Establishment Pill, Xu Yuan and Liu Yiyi had no more attachments, so they immediately boarded the spirit boat leaving the Blackwind Wasteland and embarked on their return journey.

The spirit boat flew for several days, crossing vast mountains and forests.

After arriving at the market near the Crimson Flame Sect's mountain gate, the massive spirit boat slowly landed.

The spirit boat landed at the Crimson Flame Sect market. Xu Yuan was eager to return home and did not even have time to feel the different prosperity of this market compared to the Wasteland camp.

He wrapped his arm around Liu Yiyi's waist and said softly, "Hold onto me tightly."

Liu Yiyi was slightly stunned, then her cheeks turned slightly red, and she obediently snuggled into his arms.

The next moment, the Foundation Establishment Stage true essence within Xu Yuan's body roared into operation. Scorching spiritual light rose around his body. With a stomp of his feet, he carried Liu Yiyi and transformed into a dazzling fiery rainbow, soaring into the sky and flying straight towards the direction of Thousand Cloud City!

Many Cultivators in the market were startled by this sudden Foundation Establishment Spiritual Pressure and escape light. They all looked up, their eyes revealing envy or awe.

"Tsk, which Foundation Establishment Senior is this, in such a hurry?"

"Looking at the direction, they are heading east. It hasn't been peaceful over there recently..."

"A Foundation Establishment Cultivator has their own confidence; how can we small Qi Condensation Cultivators fathom it."

The discussion was quickly left behind.

Xu Yuan pushed his escape light to the limit. The speed was far from comparable to his time in the Qi Condensation Stage. The gale howled in his ears, and the mountains and rivers beneath his feet retreated rapidly.

Xu Yuan looked at the familiar yet strange scenery flying past below, and his heart was filled with deep emotion.

After more than twenty years, he had finally returned with the Realm of Foundation Establishment!

Xu Yuan fully activated his Divine Sense, vigilantly scanning the front and surroundings.

His experiences in the Blackwind Wasteland had given Xu Yuan the good habit of always remaining vigilant, but the strength of the Foundation Establishment Stage gave him enough self-confidence.

If anyone really didn't have eyes and dared to block his way, he wouldn't mind letting them taste the Foundation Establishment True Fire.

Perhaps it was because his escape light was too fast and his aura was not concealed at all, but he surprisingly did not encounter any trouble along the way.

Thousand Cloud City!

Xu Yuan was excited and was about to speed up when his brows suddenly furrowed!

Before he even approached the city gate, the violent spiritual power fluctuations and rumbling sounds coming from the city caused his expression to change drastically!

That was clearly the commotion of Foundation Establishment Cultivators fighting to the death!

Xu Yuan's heart sank sharply, and a sense of foreboding shrouded his heart. He put Liu Yiyi down.

"Husband?"

Liu Yiyi also sensed the commotion in the city, and her face carried a trace of worry.

"Wait for me."

After saying this, Xu Yuan increased his speed to the limit and turned into a streak of light, rushing into the city.