21: What does it mean to build a foundation just to lay the foundation?

“Brothers, I feel like something is wrong!

“The 'Huan Meng's' operations seem to be even bigger than we imagined?”

Midnight Gao Sou was already feeling that something was amiss.

They all thought that the Young man in black from Duan Kong Cave must be an important character in the plot.

He would directly run through the entire main storyline, one of the top few people in the entire Xuanhuan World.

Only then could he exhale Qi like a sword and instantly kill Midnight Gao Sou with one strike.

But now it seems... he is actually just at the bottom of the Cultivation World?

What a joke!

[Gao Sou, first open the interface; each Realm has a detailed introduction, let's take a look.]

[That's right, I think the Huan Meng might have weakened the 'Mortal' Realm, so the later Realms seem numerous, but they're actually just that.]

[Maybe this Mortal is actually just an ordinary person who hasn't practiced martial arts?]

Midnight Gao Sou's mind also stirred.

Each Realm was summarized in a single sentence, but that was clearly not enough.

He quickly expanded it, wanting to know the detailed situation.

First, there was the Mortal:

[In the entire Xuanhuan World, the largest demographic is Mortals.

[The characteristic of Mortals is that they do not possess the ability to absorb Spiritual Qi.

[Mortals have a Lifespan of only one hundred years; even if they are learned scholars or Supreme Martial Forest masters, they will eventually turn to dust.

[The combat power of Mortals also has limits; they are thoroughly 'flesh and blood,' unable to resist weapons, unable to resist disease.

[Typical Mortals include: civil and military officials in the imperial court, Martial Arts Great Masters who roam the Jianghu, farmers cultivating the fields, artisans smelting and forging iron in workshops...]

As the text continuously appeared and flickered, corresponding images also emerged.

Those were individual Mortals.

There was a mighty general in armor, holding a sharp weapon.

There was a Jianghu expert in white clothes, leaping back and forth on rooftops and walls.

There were also brilliant strategists, prime ministers who seemed to see through everything.

Similarly, there were also wailing infants and white-haired old people on the verge of death.

“Is this what a Mortal is?”

Midnight Gao Sou felt a sense of trance.

Because the characters appearing in the images almost covered everything in human civilization.

If all these were Mortals... didn't that mean everyone was a Mortal?

“Yes, we are originally Mortals.”

Midnight Gao Sou suddenly laughed.

Indeed, in real society, everyone is the same, all carbon-based life forms, with the same physiological characteristics, differing only in minor details.

However, he did not know that in the Xuanhuan World.

Those Cultivators who could absorb Spiritual Qi and begin Cultivation, although they had not formed reproductive isolation, were already completely different from Mortals internally.

Long Lifespan, powerful physique, incredible abilities—everything made Cultivators vastly different from Mortals.

“Brothers, let's look at this Qi Refining.”

Midnight Gao Sou then checked Qi Refining.

[Qi Refining, the beginning of the Cultivation path.

[Cultivation, also known as Immortal Cultivation, is the process of seeking the Dao of Immortals and exploring Xuanhuan power.

[A Qi Refining Cultivator can already perform basic Spiritual Qi absorption, storing Spiritual Qi within their body, continuously improving their physique, tempering their Meridians, refining their internal organs, and gradually transcending the mundane.

[Qi Refining is divided into nine stages; starting from the first stage, one gradually cultivates to the ninth stage, with each stage being twice as strong as the previous one.

[A Qi Refining Cultivator can possess steel-like bones and iron skin, impervious to blades and spears, fearless of cannon fire, and can also release Spiritual Qi to form deadly offensive techniques.

[A Qi Refining Cultivator has a Lifespan of two hundred years.]

The Qi Refining Realm video then played.

Hundreds of Martial Forest experts stood majestically, besieging a white-robed Cultivator.

The Cultivator snorted coldly, drew his sword, stirred the airflow, and conjured a Dragon-like tornado, instantly killing hundreds of Martial Forest experts with one strike!

[A Qi Refining Cultivator can intentionally slaughter the strongest among Mortals without breaking a sweat.]

“Holy crap! A Qi Refining Cultivator is this strong!”

Midnight Gao Sou's eyes widened.

Fearless of blades and spears, fearless of cannon fire, and able to release Spiritual Qi to form area-of-effect attacks.

Even the top Martial Arts Great Masters among Mortals were like chicks before the Qi Refining Realm, instantly killed with one blow!

“Is this Xuanhuan? Is this Cultivation? It's too amazing!”

Midnight Gao Sou felt his entire body buzzing with excitement.

The bullet comments also exploded:

[Holy crap, the Huan Meng really dares to give these stats?!]

[A Qi Refining Cultivator instantly kills peak human experts? Without any interaction? Then what are we playing for?]

[That's right, isn't Gao Sou in Qi Refining now? Wouldn't he just clear the game invincibly? What's there to play?]

The bullet comments were buzzing with discussion.

They felt that the strength of Qi Refining was so formidable that players wouldn't need to make any extra moves.

Just one casual sword strike could instantly kill a Martial Arts master.

Then what was there to play?

Wouldn't it just be an invincible sweep?

“Don't forget, there are still Realms after Qi Refining!”

Midnight Gao Sou suppressed his excitement.

He also really wanted to experience the formidable strength of Qi Refining in the game.

But he was also very curious about the Realms after Qi Refining.

What kind of existences would they be?

[That's right, there are still Realms!]

[Holy crap, an existence that can instantly kill peak martial artists is only the beginning of Cultivation?]

[What a joke? In other games, this would be considered a deus ex machina, wouldn't it?]

[Hehe, last year's Wuxia champion, players could only fight four at the end of leveling, and they still needed skilled operation, but here you start by instantly killing hundreds of peak martial artists?]

[No, is the Huan Meng just giving out random data? Won't this collapse?]

If it were a Wuxia World, such values would definitely cause a massive collapse.

However, this was the charm of Xuanhuan.

A vast world, a massive population, and an seemingly endless amount of Cultivation Technique Opportunities.

There is always someone stronger, and there are always heavens beyond the heavens, and people beyond people.

The entire Xuanhuan World is constantly moving forward, as if the end of the road is never in sight.

Don't think you're strong, because there's always someone stronger than you.

Those old monsters who have lived for thousands, tens of thousands of years, or even since the world's inception, are like heavy mountains pressing on the shoulders of later generations, forcing them to constantly grow stronger; no matter how strong, it's never too much.

“Come, Brothers, let's look at the introduction to the Foundation Establishment Realm.”

“Huh? Holy crap, what does it mean by 'stage of laying the foundation'?”

Midnight Gao Sou had just checked the introduction when his eyes suddenly widened.

The Qi Refining Realm was already formidable enough.

When he saw Foundation Establishment, he thought it was a final Realm.

Similar to the top experts in Wuxia games, of whom there are only a handful in the entire Jianghu.

But... [Foundation Establishment, the stage where a Cultivator solidifies their foundation after officially stepping onto the Cultivation path.]

Solidifying the foundation?

Holy crap, you're telling me this is just the foundation?

Then how many Realms are there in this Xuanhuan World, and how strong are the people at the top?