124: Chapter 124 I'll be able to establish my foundation in a few years.

"Senior Sister Jiang, what a rare guest. Please, come in," Hu Nan said.

Jiang Lijuan nodded with a smile and stepped into the small courtyard.

After a few pleasantries, Hu Nan had her sit by the stone table and poured her a cup of clear tea.

Jiang Lijuan took a light sip from the teacup. As she set it down, she said, "Junior Brother Hu, I came today because there is a formal matter I wish to inform you about."

Hu Nan looked up at her, his eyes carrying a hint of confusion. "Please speak, Senior Sister Jiang."

"It's like this," Jiang Lijuan began slowly, explaining everything point by point. "Every year, the Heavenly Sword Sect holds a Foundation Establishment Gathering!"

"This gathering specifically invites us Foundation Establishment Cultivators!"

"Firstly, it's for fellow disciples like us who have just stepped into the Foundation Establishment Stage to get to know each other, Exchange cultivation insights, learn from one another, and compensate for each other's weaknesses. After all, the Foundation Establishment Stage is completely different from the Qi Refinement Stage; more communication can always help one avoid detours."

"Secondly, it's to give us a chance to obtain some cultivation-related Intelligence, such as the distribution of cultivation resources inside and outside the Sect recently, the status of Secret Realms, and so on."

"Furthermore, fellow disciples can take this opportunity to Exchange treasures, Cultivation Techniques, or Materials, each taking what they need to help one another progress faster."

She spoke in great detail, clearly informing Hu Nan of the gathering's organizers, participants, and core objectives.

Qin Changsheng, far away in his Outer Sect courtyard, felt his heart stir slightly upon hearing this.

Originally, Qin Changsheng had planned to attend the Beihai Prefecture gathering at the Qingyun Tower.

He wanted to scout for some news there.

However, those fellow townsmen from Beihai Prefecture were merely Outer Sect Disciples with low cultivation; the Intelligence they could provide Qin Changsheng was very limited.

Moreover, he couldn't obtain any information about treasures from them, nor could he gain any cultivation insights.

But a gathering of Foundation Establishment Cultivators was different.

These people were all Foundation Establishment Cultivators within the Heavenly Sword Sect; their cultivation, talent, and resources were all very powerful.

Whether it was exchanging cultivation insights, trading treasures, or obtaining Intelligence, it would be of great benefit to his subsequent cultivation.

Thinking of this, Qin Changsheng had Hu Nan accept the invitation.

"Thank you, Senior Sister Jiang. I will definitely attend!" Hu Nan said.

Seeing him agree, Jiang Lijuan said, "Three days from now, on the fourth floor of the Qingyun Tower."

Hearing this sentence, Qin Changsheng was also somewhat startled.

Because their Beihai Prefecture hometown gathering was also at the Qingyun Tower, except they had always been in the private rooms on the second floor.

...

Qingyun Tower.

Second-floor private room.

Although it was still morning, more than ten people were already seated here.

These people were all fellow townsmen of Qin Changsheng and Hu Nan.

The reason they had come here so early was to wait for Hu Nan's arrival.

After all, Hu Nan had already reached Foundation Establishment last year.

Furthermore, during the Foundation Establishment Ceremony, he had defeated Lin Hao in a single move and obtained ten thousand Spirit Stones.

If Hu Nan could give them some guidance, they would benefit for a lifetime.

"Speaking of which, Senior Brother Hu is truly impressive. Among us disciples from Beihai Prefecture, no matter which Sect they Cultivate in, he was the first to break through the shackles and step into the Foundation Establishment Stage. He really brought honor to our Beihai Prefecture!"

"Why are you still calling him Senior Brother Hu? It's Martial Uncle Hu now!"

"Right, right, it's Martial Uncle Hu!"

"I knew since we were kids that Martial Uncle Hu would be successful!"

"If I had known Martial Uncle Hu would be this successful, I should have sucked up to him back then!"

The table suddenly became lively as everyone chimed in, every word filled with praise for Hu Nan.

Some said Hu Nan's natural talent was extraordinary, his comprehension far exceeding ordinary people, and his cultivation Speed was thousands of miles a day;

Some said Hu Nan was modest and kind; back when he was in the Outer Sect, he often shared his cultivation insights and helped them solve difficult problems encountered in their cultivation;

Still others lamented that having a fellow townsman like Hu Nan leading the way gave them more confidence and motivation.

However, one person's expression was very poor.

That person was Zhang Han.

Originally, Zhang Han had always considered himself the number one Genius of Beihai Prefecture.

He believed he would definitely achieve great success within the Heavenly Sword Sect.

But he hadn't expected that after more than ten years, he would still be at the Fourth Level of Qi Refining, his cultivation not having progressed in the slightest.

Meanwhile, Hu Nan, whom he had always looked down upon, had been advancing triumphantly.

First, he won the championship of the Sect Competition.

Immediately after, he broke through to Foundation Establishment, becoming a high-and-mighty Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

"Thud, thud, thud..." Just then, a series of hurried footsteps approached.

Seeing this, Zhao Lei quickly opened the door of the private room.

The light from outside flooded in, allowing everyone to clearly see the scene outside the door.

They saw several Foundation Establishment Cultivators wearing Purple Robes walking toward the upper floor.

These people were all newly promoted Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and Hu Nan was among them.

The group walked slowly, conversing in low voices with relaxed tones, as if discussing recent cultivation trifles or exploring matters related to the upcoming Foundation Establishment Gathering.

"Hmph, so what if he reached Foundation Establishment? What's the big deal? Walking with his head held so high, he clearly looks down on us fellow townsmen who are still in the Qi Refining Stage."

"Exactly. Back in Beihai Prefecture, I didn't see him being this arrogant. Now that he's just reached Foundation Establishment, he's thrown us fellow townsmen to the back of his mind."

"What's so great about Foundation Establishment?"

"He's only just reached Foundation Establishment, and he's already putting on airs with us!"

"With such big airs, does he think he's already reached Core Formation?"

As everyone watched Hu Nan walk up to the fourth floor, their expressions were very poor.

Originally, they thought they could curry favor with Hu Nan during the gathering.

They even hoped to receive some rewards from Hu Nan.

But they hadn't expected that Hu Nan had no intention of participating in their Beihai Prefecture hometown gathering at all, and didn't even bother to greet them.

This meant they couldn't get any benefits at all.

"Pah, so what if he's reached Foundation Establishment? In a few years, I can reach Foundation Establishment too!" Zhang Han's face became even more unsightly.

...

Qingyun Tower, fourth floor.

The private rooms on the fourth floor were more spacious and elegant than those on the second floor.

In the center of the room stood a huge Carved Round Table, already surrounded by people. They were all recently promoted Foundation Establishment Cultivators, talking amongst themselves in low voices. The atmosphere held both the harmony of peers and a trace of subtle rivalry.

Hu Nan pushed the door open gently and entered. His gaze slowly swept across the people in the room, a flash of indifference in his eyes.

He saw many people seated in the room, most of whom were newly promoted Foundation Establishment Cultivators he had recently heard of. They were either exchanging pleasantries or closing their eyes to regulate their breathing, all possessing a composed demeanor. Clearly, they were all individuals with solid Foundations.

Just as his gaze drifted, a cold stare suddenly locked onto him. That gaze was mixed with undisguised hostility and even a hint of bone-chilling killing intent, making the surrounding air seem to cool instantly.

Hu Nan looked up and saw Lin Hao sitting at the head of the round table, dressed in a magnificent Cultivator's robe.

The reason Lin Hao hated Hu Nan so much was that he had always considered his own talent extraordinary and held himself high within the Sect.

But he hadn't expected that since the Outer Sect Grand Competition began, he had always been suppressed by Hu Nan.

Not only was he humiliated by Hu Nan at the Outer Sect Grand Competition, but he was also humiliated by Hu Nan at last year's Foundation Establishment Ceremony.

"Brother Hu, please sit. We were just waiting for you," Senior Brother Wu Yong stood up and said with a smile.

Hu Nan nodded in acknowledgment and walked slowly to an empty seat to sit down.

The other Foundation Establishment Cultivators also found seats and sat down one after another.

Once Hu Nan and the others were settled, Senior Brother Wu Yong slowly raised his hand to signal for silence. The low-voiced conversations in the room instantly dissipated, and all eyes converged on him.

Senior Brother Wu Yong spoke: "Since all fellow Daoists have arrived, let the Foundation Establishment Gathering begin!"

"The core of this gathering is for fellow Daoists to Exchange cultivation insights, learn from one another, and assist each other in subsequent cultivation. I shall start by offering my humble opinions first, sharing my cultivation insights from the past year. I hope fellow Daoists will not hesitate to grant me your guidance."

With that, Senior Brother Wu Yong began to speak slowly, sharing his cultivation realizations in detail.

From the entry into Cultivation Techniques to the stabilization techniques of Major Achievement, and even the precautions to avoid Qi Deviation in daily cultivation, every word was sincere, all based on his own solid cultivation experience.

He spoke meticulously, and everyone at the table listened intently, nodding in agreement from time to time. Some even quietly raised their hands to record notes, fearing they might miss a key point.