Chapter 73: Seclusion to Establish Foundation!

Two months later.

Lin Chang’an, who had made thorough preparations, bathed and burned incense, donned a brand-new magical robe, and even specifically chose an auspicious hour before leaving the house.

He made his way directly to Yun Yao’s training ground.

As soon as he arrived, the formation of the training ground slowly opened. Yun Yao was dressed in a white fitted outfit today, her complexion noticeably more rosy than before, seemingly fully recovered from her injuries.

“Fellow Daoist Yun.”

Looking at Lin Chang’an, a flicker of unusual emotion passed through Yun Yao’s eyes, as if she had noticed something special about Lin Chang’an today.

This made Lin Chang’an smile a bit awkwardly. He cupped his fists and said, “Fellow Daoist Yun, just seeking some good fortune.”

Even among cultivators, seeking good fortune was something many would do before undertaking something important.

“Let’s go.”

Yun Yao nodded slightly. She didn’t reject such behavior. The flicker in her eyes earlier was merely because Lin Chang’an’s spirited appearance today had brought a familiar scene to her mind.

When first entering the cultivation world, Lin Chang’an had been full of youthful vigor, and within the carriage, her eyes had sparkled with dreams of becoming an immortal, soaring freely like a bird, no longer bound by anything.

Little did she expect, even after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, it was merely a larger birdcage.

As for Lin Chang’an, today the expression between his brows brimmed with that very same spirit from when he had first entered the cultivation world.

This made Yun Yao sigh inwardly. Once Lin Chang’an established his foundation, he would likely, just like her, come to realize that the cultivation world held even broader skies, and a Foundation Establishment cultivator was still nothing more than an ant.

Shaking her head, Yun Yao’s expression turned stern as she led Lin Chang’an to the foot of the Immortal City.

“Fellow Daoist Lin, this place is a temporary closed-door cultivation chamber rented out by Tianxuan City. The spiritual energy here is dense enough to support a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. Go select a cave chamber first. Three days from now, when the pill is complete, you must immediately go into seclusion to break through!”

Yun Yao wished to avoid any accidents. She deliberately arranged for the pill to be handed over just before the breakthrough, so no one would have the chance to scheme after the Foundation Establishment Pill.

“Thank you, Fellow Daoist Yun.”

Lin Chang’an gratefully cupped his fists. He naturally understood Yun Yao’s intention.

Yun Yao then turned around and flew off toward the mountain range.

This scene made Lin Chang’an inwardly yearn and nod to himself.

“Foundation Establishment cultivators can fly through the air. I can do it too.”

With resolute light in his eyes, Lin Chang’an turned and sought out the steward here, preparing to rent a cave chamber for his breakthrough.

He was naturally familiar with this place—or rather, who in Tianxuan City didn’t know about this place?

In just a few short years, countless Foundation Establishment cultivators had emerged from these chambers, while even more cultivators left sorrowfully.

For rogue cultivators, merely preparing for Foundation Establishment meant they were already dragons among men. To even obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill and come here for seclusion was rarer than a phoenix feather or qilin horn.

To succeed in Foundation Establishment—truly like ten thousand soldiers crossing a single-log bridge.

Back in Bamboo Mountain Marketplace, how many Foundation Establishment cultivators were there in total?

“Tianxuan City truly has dense spiritual energy and endless Foundation Establishment cultivators.”

Coming from a small place like Bamboo Mountain Marketplace, Lin Chang’an understood well the weight that Foundation Establishment cultivators carried.

A small pond or lake simply couldn’t compare in terms of resources and environment.

...

Three days later.

“Fellow Daoist Lin, it seems no one’s come out recently.”

Lin Chang’an held the jade token for another chamber, waiting for one of the few specially numbered cave chambers ahead.

Unexpectedly, after three days, no one had come out. He hadn’t anticipated that so many were undergoing Foundation Establishment.

“Seems I’m not fated with those chambers.”

Lin Chang’an shook his head helplessly, glancing at the ‘Nineteen’ jade token in his hand. He had actually been waiting for the chambers with the tokens: Nine, Six, Five, and Three.

In the cultivation world, these four numbers carried different symbolic meanings.

‘Nine’ symbolized nobility and longevity.

‘Six’ symbolized smooth success.

‘Five’ symbolized yin-yang balance.

‘Three’ symbolized completeness and harmony.

“Nineteen it is then. May everything go smoothly.”

Though outwardly calm, Lin Chang’an couldn’t quiet his mind. It wasn’t that his mentality was poor, but that Foundation Establishment meant too much to him.

Though he had a golden finger, it didn’t grant him immortality. After sixty, his vitality would wane, and his cultivation progress would stall.

“But I’m only fifty-four now. Even if I fail, it’s fine. With my ability, I can prepare for another Foundation Establishment.”

Lin Chang’an thought silently. However, if he missed this chance, next time he would have to go into hiding.

As anxiety crept in while he waited, finally, by noon, a familiar figure appeared atop the mountain peak.

“Fellow Daoist Lin.”

Yun Yao, dressed in white, descended from the sky. In that moment, Lin Chang’an’s eyes lit up, joy radiating from between his brows—he thought Yun Yao looked truly beautiful for the first time.

Of course, he wasn’t talking about the Foundation Establishment Pill!

“Two Foundation Establishment Pills, one of them premium!”

As soon as she landed, Yun Yao’s voice came through sound transmission, making Lin Chang’an’s eyes flash with excitement.

A premium Foundation Establishment Pill was worth nearly ten thousand spirit stones and increased success chances by around thirty percent, compared to twenty percent for a regular pill.

This far exceeded Lin Chang’an’s expectations, filling him with joy.

“Thank you, Fellow Daoist Yun.”

Many saw this scene, their eyes full of envy. Most who came here were either here to establish foundation or related to someone inside.

Seeing another person receive a Foundation Establishment Pill naturally stirred jealousy.

“Fellow Daoist Lin, may you attain the Eternal Evergreen Path!”

It was rare, but the usually ice-cold Yun Yao even offered a congratulatory phrase.

However, Lin Chang’an had no mind for such things at the moment. His gaze was locked on the jade bottle Yun Yao handed over.

One had to admit, Yun Yao’s consideration as a woman was meticulous. The two Foundation Establishment Pills were placed in a single jade bottle—no one would expect there were two inside.

“May Fellow Daoist attain the Foundation Establishment.”

Suddenly, the surrounding cultivators spoke up, startling Lin Chang’an, but once he saw they were offering congratulations, he finally broke into a smile.

It wasn’t that he was nervous, but rather that he had experienced too much—so long as an opportunity didn’t become actual strength, it would never truly be his.

Just like Ghost Three Blades back then, or the story he had heard in the past three days—some time ago, a hapless cultivator had their Foundation Establishment Pill forcefully traded away by a major sect under the guise of power and authority.

“Fellow Daoist Lin, this is also a second-rank Spirit-Calming Incense, used for focus and mental clarity.”

Yun Yao handed over another item, prompting Lin Chang’an to gratefully cup his fists.

“Fellow Daoist Yun, I, Lin Chang’an, will remember your kindness today.”

...

As the sound of the cave chamber’s door closing echoed, Lin Chang’an finally relaxed once inside the dim chamber, and the tension in his heart eased.

“Everything went smoothly at last—no mishaps.”

At this moment, Lin Chang’an’s face was all smiles. With the chamber door sealed, even a Golden Core cultivator couldn’t easily shake it.

These chambers at the foot of the mountain were built into the mountainside, making them part of the entire Immortal City’s defensive system.

Now that he could fully put his mind at ease, Lin Chang’an finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He had harbored many concerns along the way—worrying about how many Foundation Establishment Pills would form, and fearing unforeseen accidents.

Who would’ve thought everything would go off without a hitch?

This even made Lin Chang’an secretly wonder—could it be that he wasn’t the protagonist?

“Now to adjust my state and prepare for seclusion to break through to Foundation Establishment!”

Taking a deep breath, Lin Chang’an retrieved the Foundation Establishment Pills from his storage pouch.

As he opened the two jade bottles, three Foundation Establishment Pills floated out—two of them radiating clearly more intense spiritual light.

“Three Foundation Establishment Pills—two of them premium. There’s no reason I won’t succeed!”

With determined eyes, Lin Chang’an sat down cross-legged and began adjusting his state, lighting a first-rank Spirit-Calming Incense he had prepared.

As for the second-rank Spirit-Calming Incense gifted by Yun Yao, he would use it only when it came time to break through.

...

At that moment outside, Yun Yao’s cold eyes stared at the vanishing figure, and she couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

Meeting again after more than a decade, she hadn’t expected her old friend Lin Chang’an to reach this stage.

It was beyond her expectations.

Just then, two figures appeared.

“Senior Yun.”

“Heh heh, Junior Sister Yun is certainly quick. This Senior Brother was merely chatting. Since you don’t want to trade the premium Foundation Establishment Pill, then so be it. How could Senior Brother force you?”

The speaker was none other than Huang Yuntian, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, his face wearing a completely fake smile, with Huang Shaohai standing behind him, cupping his fists respectfully.

Yet upon seeing this father and son duo, Yun Yao directly showed a look of disdain and gave a cold sneer.

“Senior Brother Huang, the forced trade of a rogue cultivator’s Foundation Establishment Pill a few days ago has been widely discussed. If you weren’t the patriarch’s kin, do you think you’d be qualified to speak with me?”

In front of outsiders, Yun Yao always wore a cold and proud expression—completely the image of a Golden Core cultivator’s disciple—despising this kind of spoiled second-generation arrogance.

Yet within Yun Yao’s heart, she wished she could bring more enemies upon the Palace of Blazing Fire and the Huang Clan.

“Junior Sister!”

“Senior Brother Huang Yuntian!”

As the two locked eyes, they eventually sensed the terrifying chill from Yun Yao and Huang Yuntian gave a fake smile, choosing to temporarily back down.

“Shaohai still needs to enter seclusion to establish foundation. We’ll take our leave now.”

With false pleasantries, Huang Yuntian turned to leave, but cold light flickered in his eyes.

Hmph! Be arrogant! Be proud!

Once the Ancestor reveals his true strength, let’s see how arrogant and proud Yun Yao can still be!

At his side, Huang Shaohai appeared respectful, but after turning around, there was clear anger between his brows.

“Father, that premium Foundation Establishment Pill!”

“Silence! With your high-grade spiritual root aptitude, aren’t two Foundation Establishment Pills enough?”

The father and son exchanged through sound transmission. Huang Shaohai’s face turned gloomy, filled with resentment toward the cultivator who had stolen his premium Foundation Establishment Pill.

Once he completed Foundation Establishment—if he found out who it was—this matter wouldn’t be over!

“Seclusion!”

Upon entering the chamber, Huang Shaohai angrily pulled out four jade tokens. The numbers on them were: Nine, Six, Five, and Three.

Two months before his seclusion, he had already reserved these four most auspicious-numbered chambers.

This was the benefit of status. Though he would only use one chamber, he could occupy four.

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