Chapter 77: Heaven-Escape Sword Art |
"So that was it...when Qi Ingestion Path cultivators forged their Dao Foundation, there was actually something similar to a Foundation Establishment Pill formula—a ‘Dao Foundation Pill Formula’?"
"With this pill scripture, even if this trip to the Blessed Land yielded nothing else, it would already be enough."
Fang Qing silently contemplated the pill scripture and gained greatly from it.
"For Qi Ingestion Path cultivators, the most orthodox path of cultivation was actually to comprehend the Dao and thereby form the Dao Foundation"...through perceiving the Great Dao and condensing one’s Dao attainment to refine the Dao Foundation, generating the most suitable and mysterious foundation for oneself...this was the method of ancient cultivators, long abandoned in the present age."
"If I wanted to comprehend the Dao and forge the Dao Foundation, that was basically impossible...or rather, it had been wrong from the very beginning. But the ancient method was not good either: entry was difficult, progress slow...so it was gradually replaced by the modern method."
"Looking at it this way, could the Great Sun True Explanation in my hand actually be an ancient method? No wonder it could no longer be cultivated..."
"Besides that, there was the method where a cultivator at the Ninth Layer of Qi Ingestion, at peak completion, relied on external objects to form the Dao Foundation! That required several specific spiritual items; just any one would not do..."
For example, Fang Qing still had a large quantity of Zhen Water spiritual materials, many taken from Second-Tier demonic beasts.
In the World of Ancient Shu, those would definitely count as Zhen Water Dao Foundation spiritual items—but could they allow a Ninth Layer Qi Ingestion cultivator of Zhen Water to forge a Dao Foundation solely with them?
Fang Qing had once tried searching on Jade Island for Ji Water Dao Foundation spiritual items, but that likewise required compatibility—alignment on the level of cultivation image and profound intent.
For example, the Dao Foundation he cultivated from Observing Black Ridge was Enduring Sweet Rain. The Ji Water spiritual items that could assist in breakthrough were Sweet Origin Spring Water, Earth-Gushing Origin Water, and Heavenly Wind Spiritual Spring...
But even Second-Tier Ice-Soul Spirit Water, or Third-Tier Ice-Soul Spirit Water, would not work.
Judging such matters required one’s own Dao attainment.
Previously, Fang Qing had only vaguely grasped this. Today, after reading this pill scripture, he finally understood the essentials.
"The final type was the Dao Foundation Pill. Its main ingredient was the Dao Foundation of a Dao Foundation demonic beast"...somewhat similar to the Second-Tier Demon Core of the Qi Refining Path, but Second-Tier demonic beasts here lacked the profound mystery of a Dao Foundation, so the effect would be much weaker."
"But the Dao Foundation Pill had many variations. The bloodiest was the Human Pill method"...and the one with the highest success rate was digging out the Immortal Foundation of a cultivator with the same Dao Foundation to refine into a pill. For example, I cultivate Ji Water Enduring Sweet Rain...if I could capture a cultivator with the Enduring Sweet Rain Dao Foundation, excavate his Immortal Foundation to refine a pill, and swallow it, my probability of breaking through to Dao Foundation would be almost ninety-nine percent!"
"But if it were another Ji Water Dao Foundation cultivator, the effect would probably be only forty to fifty percent!"
"And if replaced with a Ninth Layer Qi Ingestion Ji Water cultivator, even using the Human Pill method to devour all his True Power, it would probably be only twenty to thirty percent...ah, that was equivalent to a Foundation Establishment Pill. No wonder the Human Pill method flourished in the World of Ancient Shu..."
"As for an orthodox Dao Foundation Pill, the main ingredient was still the Immortal Foundation of a Dao Foundation demonic being...slightly inferior to that of a Dao Foundation cultivator, but if one could encounter one compatible with one’s own Dao Foundation, that would truly be striking great fortune..."
Fang Qing pondered silently. Participating Origin Random Notes had given him tremendous inspiration in pill refinement.
If he could further comprehend it, perhaps refining the Foundation Establishment Pills in his possession through Level Refinement into Dao Foundation Pills would carry greater hope.
"At worst, the effect would be somewhat inferior...but refining a few more would suffice."
"Perhaps there was even a way to transform a Zhen Water Grand Pill into a Ji Water Grand Pill...I had some ideas now..."
"This wave wasn’t a loss..."
Fang Qing let out a long breath and turned his attention back to Murong Jiu.
The Smoke-Wave Blessed Land was truly vast. He had contemplated the pill scripture for three days, yet Murong Jiu still had not reached the core.
Of course, even if he reached the core, Murong Jiu would certainly not dare enter. At most, he would linger at the periphery and try his luck.
Several days later.
Murong Jiu looked at the sword peak that rose abruptly ahead, straight toward the heavens, and took a deep breath. "The core of the Blessed Land..."
Aside from his initial gains, these past days had seen him fighting repeatedly, killing who knew how many Qi Ingestion experts, yet only finding some five-metal ores.
With no other choice, he had come to the core of the Smoke-Wave Blessed Land.
At the foot of the mountain stood a stone stele.
"Sword-Hiding Peak...those who come may climb. Upon reaching a certain number of steps, one will be transmitted to the true treasure vault and obtain treasures, Dao formulas, even the inheritance of Smoke-Wave Master?"
Inside the Profound Azure Cave, Fang Qing looked at the inscription. "This Smoke-Wave Master was such a good person? Just come and receive gifts?"
"Never mind. Let Murong Jiu try. It’s not like I’m going personally..."
With his command, Murong Jiu immediately stepped onto the steps of Sword-Hiding Peak.
Boom!
Murong Jiu’s expression changed, pain flickering across his face.
He forced himself to look up and saw scattered cultivators above, as well as Dao Foundation major cultivators at the mountainside.
At the summit, faintly seated cross-legged, was a single person—it was that Tian family scion, Tian Jinchen!
"A successor truly had good fortune. Was he sent directly to the summit upon entering the Blessed Land?"
Murong Jiu inwardly grumbled and stepped forward.
Upon ascending the second step, the surrounding pressure intensified.
Crash!
Suddenly, Murong Jiu shifted aside, dodging a Qi Ingestion loose cultivator rolling down from above.
"Combat must be forbidden here. Otherwise, it would trigger counterattacks from sword qi..."
"I wonder how many steps are needed for the reward..."
Murong Jiu glanced toward the mountainside and saw a Dao Foundation major cultivator unable to endure, tumbling down the steps.
Fang Qing actually recognized this person—it was Pi Xiuyuan!
Yet Pi Xiuyuan let out a cry and did not roll down the mountain. Instead, his figure suddenly vanished...
"There must be a reward at the mountainside position?"
Fang Qing glanced at the mountainside, then at Murong Jiu, and shook his head.
Though this man had cultivated to the Ninth Layer of Qi Ingestion among loose cultivators, and his aptitude and comprehension were not poor, that was all.
Compared to Dao Foundation cultivators, he lacked in both aptitude and destiny.
Sure enough, after climbing several dozen more steps, Murong Jiu gradually weakened.
Gritting his teeth, he ascended one more step.
Suddenly!
A tremendous force surged forth. Murong Jiu could no longer endure and rolled down the steps.
Yet inexplicably, his figure flashed and disappeared midair.
"Oh? There was even a consolation prize?"
Fang Qing chuckled, knowing Murong Jiu had probably just met the threshold for a reward—or perhaps the requirements for Qi Ingestion cultivators differed from those of Dao Foundation cultivators?
Taking over Murong Jiu’s perspective, he found himself before an ancient hall.
The hall was entirely golden. Golden-armored soldiers stood in two rows around it, solemn and majestic.
"Metal-Origin Hall?"
Fang Qing looked at the plaque and slowly read its name.
Before his eyes, the golden hall thundered open, revealing endless treasure light within.
In a flash, he glimpsed several Ji Water spiritual items!
Metal generates Water? In this Metal-Virtue Blessed Land, there were indeed many Water-Virtue spiritual items.
But according to the World of Ancient Shu, should it not be Metal overcoming Water? Mutual generation and mutual overcoming?
Fang Qing’s heart stirred, and a vast voice echoed by his ear: "Fifty steps upon Sword-Hiding Peak...bestowed one cultivation formula!"
"Wait...could it be exchanged for Ji Water spiritual items?"
Murong Jiu spoke, but to no avail.
A golden light flashed and entered Murong Jiu’s brow.
Fang Qing read it and found it to be a Lou Metal cultivation method titled Metal-Origin Body, cultivating the Dao Foundation Golden Silk Garment, capable of reaching late-stage Dao Foundation at most.
"Dammit...I already had too many cultivation methods. What I needed now were Ji Water spiritual items! The hexagram clearly showed great fortune..."
"Could it be...it wasn’t meant for Murong Jiu, but for Xu Hei?"
Fang Qing grumbled, but then noticed something amiss.
"Hm? Why wasn’t Murong Jiu being sent out yet? Could the restriction be broken?"
Crash!
Suddenly, something terrifying occurred.
Golden pillars around the Metal-Origin Hall collapsed. The plaza split open as if a giant beast had opened its maw, devouring the golden-armored soldiers.
The hall tilted, doors flung open, as though it would collapse at any moment...
Crash...
Endless treasure light surged forth: artifacts, cultivation mnemonics, even...flying swords!
"This...someone outside must be attacking this place!"
"It must be a Purple Palace cultivator, intending to uproot everything...wait! Fortune lies within danger! Haha, the great-fortune hexagram has arrived!"
Fang Qing rejoiced and directly controlled Murong Jiu to charge forward. Several pitch-black great hands shot out, frantically scooping up the various lights.
Whoosh!
A radiant flying sword landed quietly in Murong Jiu’s palm, spiritual and lively like a fish, still struggling.
Murong Jiu cast a spell to suppress it, then seized another streak of golden light.
This golden light entered his brow.
Boom!
Ten times more cultivation mnemonics than before flooded Murong Jiu’s Sea of Consciousness. It was a Purple Palace Dao formula titled Heaven-Escape Sword Art, cultivating the Dao Foundation chapter Sharp Radiance! Most importantly...it contained chapters from Dao Foundation all the way to Purple Palace!
"I’ve struck it rich...with this and a flying sword, I’ll be a sword cultivator lord in the future!"
Fang Qing was overjoyed, yet he did not forget his original purpose. Seizing the moment, he grabbed a bowl.
Within the bowl was a pool of spiritual water. A breeze blew across it, producing a mournful sound.
"No mistake—it was Heavenly Wind Spiritual Spring!"
At that moment, the Metal-Origin Hall gave a mournful cry and collapsed, revealing a formation base within.
At the center of the formation base was an object.
Unremarkable in appearance, it seemed like an ordinary clod of earth by the roadside, or perhaps part of a clay figurine.
"What was this...?"
Fang Qing found his gaze drawn involuntarily and controlled Murong Jiu to step forward.
At the summit of Sword-Hiding Peak.
Tian Jinchen’s eyes flashed sharply. "I have received my master’s mantle...this grudge will surely be repaid!"
He was about to rise when he felt something wrong in his nose and mouth. Wiping, he found his hands smeared with black blood.
Not only that, the black blood transformed into wriggling worms.
"I...I..."
Subconsciously forming a sword seal, he struck the Sword-Hiding Peak beneath him.
Boom!
The mountain shook. Countless rocks tumbled down, sweeping all the Qi Ingestion and Dao Foundation cultivators still climbing from the mountain.
Then...the peak burst into brilliance. Thousands of golden lights converged into one body, and surging sword qi shot skyward!
Its sword light was splendid as brocade clouds, proud as a roaming dragon!
It was one of the forty-nine swords of the World of Ancient Shu, the personal sword of Smoke-Wave Master——Must All Be Drunk!