21: Advancement to Foundation Establishment, the secret realm is about to open.

After understanding the situation, Su Ling waved the three away and returned to his room on his own.

Pei Yan and the others were currently only at the Fourth Level of Qi Refining.

They were even slightly less talented than him.

After all, if it weren't for cultivating the Nine Nether Secret Record, which consumed a massive amount of spiritual energy, with Su Ling's talent and opportunities, he likely would have reached the Fifth or Sixth Level of Qi Refining in over two years.

In three years, he would have at least been able to reach the Seventh Level of Qi Refining, just like Zhong Er.

In two more months, the Cuiye Secret Realm would open.

The three of them had no chance.

He set up an illusion concealment array in the room, silently swallowed a spirit gathering pill, and Su Ling began to condense the spiritual energy within his body.

Improving one's cultivation Realm required going through three stages: accumulation, breaking through, and stabilization.

Cultivating to the Great Perfection of Qi Refining was merely a process of expanding the Dantian and accumulating spiritual energy.

To break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, one had to further condense the spiritual energy within the Dantian, compressing it from a misty state to a liquid state.

Once the liquid spiritual energy filled the entire Dantian, one could begin to assault the shackles of the Dantian.

Until the shackles were broken, the Dantian was transformed into a Qi Sea, the spiritual energy turned into magical power, and the Foundation of the Dao was forged.

Once the Foundation of the Dao was forged, the cultivation base needed to be consolidated as soon as possible, much like a blacksmith forging a sword in the mortal world.

After the sword blank was formed, it still needed to be quenched to increase its hardness and toughness.

Otherwise, the sword blank would be too brittle and prone to breaking.

Only after the Foundation of the Dao was stabilized could it be considered true Foundation Establishment.

What Su Ling was facing at this moment was the stage of repeatedly tempering the sword blank.

The Nine Nether Secret Record provided him with a spiritual energy reserve far exceeding those of the same rank.

But at the same time, it also significantly increased the difficulty of his Foundation Establishment.

Condensing spiritual energy was a slow, grinding process, and Su Ling dared not be the slightest bit lax. He held his hands in a circle, palms facing each other, and devoted himself entirely to the compression and condensation of his spiritual energy.

...

Time flew by, and only three days remained until the Cuiye Secret Realm opened.

The entire Xuanming Sect was filled with a sense of urgency, as if a storm were about to arrive.

The Pill Refining Room, the Artifact Refining Hall, the Artifact Hall, and even the market on the outskirts of the Sect were all overcrowded.

A large number of Foundation Establishment Stage Disciples were spending Spirit Stones and contribution points as if they were nothing.

All just to fully improve their strength in the final stage.

Many Disciples stuck at the Great Perfection of the Tenth Level of Qi Refining flocked to the Pill Refining Room, purchasing Medicinal Pills that could help them break through, striving for one last attempt.

To this end, they were even willing to exchange the contribution points they had worked so hard to accumulate for Spirit Stones to buy Medicinal Pills.

Of course, many among them harbored doubts.

Was the Secret Realm really so easy to deal with?

Whether one could return alive after entering was still an unknown.

To stake everything one owned just to enter the Secret Realm now was a bit too reckless.

However, almost everyone around them was betting everything on it.

Under the influence of this fanatical atmosphere, how many people could remain rational?

Furthermore, the Xuanming Sect was a Demonic Path Sect to begin with.

The philosophy of the weak being prey to the strong was already deeply ingrained.

The Sect Head's decree from three years ago had made many people realize the truth.

The reason the Sect treated Qi Refining Stage Disciples so well, acting like a righteous Sect from the outside world, was actually just because they needed a large number of Foundation Establishment Stage Disciples to serve as cannon fodder to scout the path in the Cuiye Secret Realm.

But even though they understood this, everyone could only sell everything they had to improve their strength.

Currently, Qi Refining Stage Disciples were well protected by the Sect.

But once this batch of Foundation Establishment Stage Disciples returned from the Cuiye Secret Realm with spiritual materials and intelligence.

It was foreseeable that the days ahead for those Disciples who hadn't even reached the Tenth Level of Qi Refining would be absolutely miserable.

Facing this situation, those who were worried were mostly the Disciples from the two most recent batches abducted into the Sect.

After all, not everyone could be like Yu Rong, who possessed a supreme grade mutated Ice Spiritual Root and successfully promoted to Foundation Establishment in less than three years.

Ten days ago, Su Ling finally broke through the shackles and promoted to Foundation Establishment.

He spent another seven days consolidating his Foundation of the Dao before coming out of seclusion.

When he pushed open his door, he happened to run into Yu Rong returning from outside.

Originally, Su Ling had assumed that someone as exceptionally talented as Yu Rong would be an arrogant young man.

Unexpectedly, upon sensing each other's strength, it was Yu Rong who took the initiative to greet Su Ling.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they tacitly went their separate ways.

The spirit gathering pill that Su Ling had previously purchased was almost completely consumed.

At this moment, he was in the Pill Refining Room purchasing Medicinal Pills.

Looking at the price tokens placed in front of the counter, Su Ling couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile.

"spirit gathering pill, one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones each."

"Qi Condensing Pill, ninety Low-Grade Spirit Stones each."

"rejuvenation pill, ninety Low-Grade Spirit Stones each."

Compared to the previous price, it had risen by nearly four times.

Apart from these three relatively common Foundation Establishment Stage Medicinal Pills, the price increase for other higher-quality Medicinal Pills reached as much as five times.

The most expensive was undoubtedly the Foundation Establishment Pill, which could increase the probability of Foundation Establishment.

The price had risen directly from one thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones each three years ago to sixty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones each.

And it was unavailable even if one had the money!

Su Ling had anticipated that the prices of these Medicinal Pills would rise.

But he never expected that it would be so exaggerated.

Fortunately, with the Nine Nether Secret Record which pointed directly to the Golden Core Dao, his Foundation Establishment process was very smooth.

However, there would likely be no time to Cultivate inside the Secret Realm, so he only needed to replenish some Qi Condensing Pills, rejuvenation pills, and pills for avoiding obstacles and detoxifying.

Leaving the Pill Refining Room with a rather painful heart, Su Ling went to the Artifact Refining Hall and the Artifact Hall once more.

The prices of the Magical Artifacts in the Artifact Refining Hall, and the Talismans and Formation Plates in the Artifact Hall, had all risen to varying degrees.

In terms of Magical Artifacts, Su Ling had the black iron flying sword and the mysterious armor shield that he had repaired in advance.

In the end, he only purchased one auxiliary Magical Artifact, the wind-riding boots.

Unfortunately, his research on breath concealment talisman was not deep, and his success rate in drawing them was not high, so he could only spend Spirit Stones to replenish about twenty breath concealment talisman.

After careful consideration, he used his contribution points to exchange for a Five Elements defensive Formation Plate.

When he left the Artifact Hall, only five Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and about two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones remained in Su Ling's Storage Pouch.

It could be considered the poorest he had been in three years.

"Junior Brother Su, congratulations on your successful Foundation Establishment."

When returning to the outer Sect courtyard, Su Ling was very surprised.

It was Senior Brother Han Yu, from whom he had once purchased Talismans, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

Although Han Yu did not seem to display his spiritual energy, with Su Ling's current Divine Sense, he keenly perceived that Han Yu was also at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage.

Moreover, the stability of his magical power was even greater than his own.

It seemed that Han Yu had promoted to Foundation Establishment for quite some time.

"Senior Brother Han, congratulations to you as well. I wonder why you are here..."

Su Ling cupped his hands in a salute and asked curiously.

The Cuiye Secret Realm was about to open, and the entire Sect was busy because of it.

After promoting to the Foundation Establishment Stage, Su Ling had not rushed to report to the Sect, so he had not yet changed his token or entered the inner Sect.

Furthermore, even if he had reported it under the current circumstances.

It was estimated that the Sect deacons wouldn't have time to arrange small matters like changing residences.

Even Yu Rong, who had already become an Inner Sect Disciple, was still living here.

Since Han Yu, who was at the Foundation Establishment Stage, had come, if he wasn't looking for Yu Rong, he must be looking for him.

Han Yu walked over with his hands behind his back, came in front of Su Ling, and smiled, "Several years ago, Junior Brother Su and I hit it off at first sight..."

"Now you and I are both in the Foundation Establishment Stage, and the Cuiye Secret Realm is about to open."

"I have contacted several fellow Disciples, and we intend to display our ambitions within the Secret Realm. Therefore, I have come specifically to invite Junior Brother Su to join us in this great undertaking."

Upon hearing this, a strange look couldn't help but rise in Su Ling's eyes.

Since when were Demonic Path Disciples so harmonious?

To actually talk about a great undertaking?

It would be a stroke of good fortune if they didn't stab each other in the back.

Su Ling still remembered Chen Ping's fate vividly.