96: Chapter 96 Foundation Grass

"Thank you for clearing up my confusion, Brother Chen!" Qin Changsheng said gratefully.

Chen Erniu waved his hand slightly and said, "This Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth will not be as mild as those in the past. When the time comes, blood will flow like rivers and all living beings will suffer. Whether it be low-Rank Cultivators or middle-to-high-Rank Cultivators, any slight carelessness will lead to the death of their physical bodies and the dissipation of their Dao, turning them into pawns for the Heavenly Dao to reclaim energy."

"If you and I want to survive this Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth, we must Cultivate to the Golden Core, or even the Nascent Soul stage!"

"Only then can we gain a firm foothold and have a slim chance of survival in this catastrophe."

A flash of realization crossed Qin Changsheng's eyes, but his face remained calm as he slowly nodded. "Thank you for the reminder, Brother Chen. I will naturally devote myself to Cultivation."

Chen Erniu slowly stood up and straightened his clothes. "Now that I've said my piece, I should take my leave."

Qin Changsheng looked up at him, a hint of confusion in his tone. "Where is Brother Chen going?"

"Brother Hu, this little brother is going to search for his own Opportunity!" Chen Erniu smiled and continued, "Brother Hu, we part today, and I do not know if we shall meet again. I hope you can Cultivate diligently and return to the Soul Transformation stage soon. I also hope that both of us can survive this Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth. If there is a chance in the future, let us meet here again to discuss the Dao of immortal cultivation."

Qin Changsheng slowly stood up, his expression calm. "Since Brother Chen's mind is made up, I will not try to make you stay. I wish Brother Chen a smooth journey, and may you find your own Opportunity and achieve a Breakthrough in your cultivation soon."

Chen Erniu gave him a deep, meaningful look that contained testing and expectations. Then, without another word, he turned and walked toward the door of the private booth. His steps were steady and resolute, without the slightest hint of lingering.

With a soft "creak," the wooden door was gently pushed open. Chen Erniu's figure slowly disappeared at the threshold, merging into the crowd of Qingyun Tower before gradually fading into the distance.

Qin Changsheng walked to the window and gazed in the direction Chen Erniu had left, remaining silent for a long time.

...

The next morning.

Qin Changsheng controlled Hu Nan to arrive at the Main Sect Hall.

"Disciple Hu Nan pays respects to the Sect Master." Upon entering the hall, Hu Nan bowed deeply toward the main seat of the hall, his tone respectful.

From the main seat, Sect Leader Xuanyangzi slowly looked up. His gaze landed on Hu Nan with a hint of approval in his eyes, and his tone was gentle yet solemn: "Rise."

"Thank you, Sect Master." Hu Nan slowly stood up and stood in the center of the hall with his head lowered.

Sect Leader Xuanyangzi's gaze slowly swept over him, his tone carrying a sense of gratification: "You did well in this Sect Competition!"

"It was just this Disciple's good luck in this Grand Competition!" Hu Nan said modestly.

"Luck is also a part of strength!" Sect Leader Xuanyangzi glanced at Hu Nan and asked, "What Rank is your Spiritual Root?"

"Replying to the Sect Master, this Disciple has a Low Grade Four-Element Spiritual Root!" Hu Nan replied.

As soon as these words were spoken, the smile on Sect Leader Xuanyangzi's face instantly froze. The joy in his eyes vanished without a trace, like a fire extinguished by cold water, and even the warm aura around him turned a few degrees colder.

A Low Grade Four-Element Spiritual Root was an extremely ordinary, even poor, Spiritual Root. The Speed of Spiritual Qi absorption was slow, and there were many cultivation bottlenecks. Ordinary Low Grade Four-Element Spiritual Root Cultivators could reach the Peak of Qi Refining at most, and very few could successfully achieve Foundation Establishment, let alone achieve anything in the future.

The thought of taking Hu Nan as a Personal Disciple was completely dismissed at this moment.

As the Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Sect Leader Xuanyangzi's Personal Disciple would inevitably become the next Sect Head, holding the future of the Heavenly Sword Sect in their hands.

Even if Hu Nan's performance in the Grand Competition was outstanding, the shackles of a Low Grade Four-Element Spiritual Root were too deep and ultimately difficult to break through. If he were taken as a Personal Disciple, not only would it be hard for him to achieve anything, but it would also give people cause to gossip, saying the Sect Master lacked judgment.

However, although he could not take him as a Personal Disciple, Sect Leader Xuanyangzi was still willing to give Hu Nan some guidance.

Sect Leader Xuanyangzi slowly spoke: "What is your current cultivation level?"

"Level 10 Qi Refining Stage!" Hu Nan replied.

"Your cultivation has reached the Level 10 Qi Refining Stage, and you are only one step away from Foundation Establishment. This step may seem simple, but it is actually fraught with danger and is the first watershed on the path of cultivation. Cultivation cannot be rushed; you must proceed step by step to stabilize your Foundation. You must not be eager for quick success, otherwise, it is extremely easy to suffer Qi Deviation and leave behind lifelong hidden troubles."

Sect Leader Xuanyangzi's tone was solemn and meticulous. Every word was a gem, representing the essence of the path of cultivation.

"In your daily Cultivation, you focus too much on the accumulation of spiritual power, but neglect the refinement of spiritual power and the tempering of your Heart-Nature."

"From the Peak of Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment, the core lies in condensing the scattered spiritual power in the body into thick Foundation Establishment spiritual power, while stabilizing the mind and suppressing Heart Demons. In the future, you need to take time to sit in meditation, temper your Heart-Nature, and stabilize your Foundation."

"In addition, when you Cultivate, you must have no stray thoughts and discard all impetuousness and desire. Only when the mind and spirit are one can you better absorb the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and comprehend the Dao of immortal cultivation."

Hu Nan listened intently, nodding slightly from time to time with a respectful expression, as if he were truly concentrating on comprehending Sect Leader Xuanyangzi's guidance.

Sect Leader Xuanyangzi changed the subject and spoke of the key difficulty of Foundation Establishment: "However, this Seat has one thing to tell you truthfully. You possess a low-Rank Spiritual Root. Although you have relied on your own perseverance and talent to make your cultivation Speed far exceed your peers, the shackles of a low-Rank Spiritual Root are ultimately difficult to overcome!"

"The probability of a low-Rank Spiritual Root achieving Foundation Establishment is much lower than that of a high-Rank Spiritual Root, less than ten percent."

"Sect Master, is there any way to increase the chances of Foundation Establishment?" Hu Nan asked.

Sect Leader Xuanyangzi slowly said, "You don't need to be too anxious. Although it is extremely difficult for a low-Rank Spiritual Root to achieve Foundation Establishment, it is not impossible!"

"Please enlighten me, Sect Master!" Hu Nan said hurriedly.

Sect Leader Xuanyangzi gently stroked his beard, his expression becoming solemn: "If you want to increase your success rate of Foundation Establishment, there are currently two paths to take. One is to rely on a foundation establishment pill, and the other is to find a special Spiritual Plant. These two external items are key to assisting low-Rank Spiritual Root Cultivators in Foundation Establishment and are both indispensable. If you can obtain both at the same time, you will have an eighty to ninety percent certainty of Foundation Establishment."

Hu Nan quickly followed up: "I wonder what specific uses this foundation establishment pill and Spiritual Plant have? And how should this Disciple obtain them?"

Sect Leader Xuanyangzi sat in his chair and then said, "This foundation establishment pill is also divided into grades. Different grades of foundation establishment pills increase the probability of Foundation Establishment by vast margins. An ordinary Low Grade foundation establishment pill can only increase the Foundation Establishment rate by ten percent, which is of little use to someone with a Low Grade Four-Element Spiritual Root like you;"

"A Medium Grade foundation establishment pill only offers a twenty percent chance!"

"A High Grade foundation establishment pill, however, has thick medicinal effects. It can nourish the Spiritual Root and refine spiritual power, directly increasing the Foundation Establishment rate by forty percent. If you can find a Top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, the medicinal effect is even more Heaven-Defying; it can completely nourish the shortcomings of your Spiritual Root, significantly reduce the dangers of Foundation Establishment, and increase the Foundation Establishment rate by sixty percent."

After speaking, Sect Leader Xuanyangzi's tone deepened as he added, "It's just that foundation establishment pills are extremely rare. The higher the grade, the greater the difficulty of refining, and the rarer the required Materials."

"Within the Sect, we only have Medium Grade foundation establishment pills. High Grade and Top-grade Foundation Establishment Pills are very hard to come by!"

"Sect Master, what is this Spiritual Plant?" Hu Nan asked again.

As for the foundation establishment pill, Qin Changsheng didn't care much.

After all, Qin Changsheng already had a High Grade foundation establishment pill in his hand.

"This plant is called the foundation condensing herb." Sect Leader Xuanyangzi spoke slowly, his tone carrying a hint of regret. "Although the foundation condensing herb is not a top-tier Heaven And Earth Treasure, it has a unique effect. It specifically nourishes low-Rank Spiritual Roots and assists Cultivators in refining spiritual power. After taking it, it can steadily increase the success rate of Foundation Establishment by thirty percent. If it can be taken together with a Medium Grade foundation establishment pill, your Foundation Establishment probability can be increased to over fifty percent, which is enough to barely compensate for the shortcomings of your Spiritual Root."

At this point, Sect Leader Xuanyangzi's expression became increasingly solemn: "However, the foundation condensing herb is extremely rare. It is impossible to find in ordinary mountains and forests. It can only be found in ancient Secret Realms or Forbidden Grounds where the Spiritual Qi is extremely dense."