109: The beginning of the retreat

Lin Yucheng carefully placed the thousand-year cloud mist tea leaves into his Storage Pouch.

Months of rushing about, the negotiations at the auction house, and even the dangers of fleeing through the secret passage outside Yang City and slaying enemies with talisman treasures, all seemed to be cut off by this familiar door.

Lin Yucheng carefully handed the sleeping little girl in his arms to his wife.

She carefully held the delicate, jade-like little girl, her gaze then returning to her husband, meticulously examining his dust-laden robes and the lingering fatigue in his brows: “This child is?”

He briefly explained the situation in Xiaomiao Village to Han Yuying and Lin Yongmao.

“She has a ring-shaped jade pendant engraved with the character ‘Zhou’ on her, suspected to be of the Zhou Family Bloodline from Yang City; her Origin is extraordinary.”

He looked at his daughter’s innocent sleeping face, his heart sinking slightly; the Karma with the Zhou Family was likely not small.

“Zhou Family…”

Upon hearing this, Han Yuying’s arms, holding the child, instinctively tightened. The Lin Family’s current situation was already precarious, and adding such a variable was truly unwelcome.

But in the end, she didn’t voice her thoughts, only suppressing her worry in her heart, sighing softly: “She’s a poor child too. Let’s take good care of her first.”

Lin Yongmao stood silently to the side, his heart greatly shaken.

The System’s prompt sound echoed in his mind.

“Ding~”

“System Prompt: A possessor of a High Grade Water Spiritual Root has been detected. Do you wish to extract the Spiritual Root?”

The next condition for evolving the World Tree was a Heavenly Spiritual Root of the Five Elements attribute.

A Heavenly Spiritual Root Cultivator might not even appear among tens of thousands of Cultivators, yet, coincidentally, this little girl before him was a possessor of a Water Heavenly Spiritual Root.

“Father, let me take care of her?” Lin Yongmao offered.

Looking at such a cute little girl, Lin Yongmao genuinely couldn’t bear to harm her. But there was no alternative; his growth was more important.

He planned to take the little girl to Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff, strip her of her Water Heavenly Spiritual Root, and then send her to the Mortal town where the Lin Family resided, allowing her to live out her life free from want.

Even if he didn't do this, he believed his father would likely make the same choice.

Although Lin Yucheng was puzzled, he still agreed to Lin Yongmao’s request.

…

As dusk deepened, the Immortal Cave stone door behind the Lin Family Ancestral Temple remained tightly shut. This place was the Family’s Forbidden Ground.

When Lin Yucheng brought his son to the entrance, the stone door silently slid open, revealing a simple yet spotless stone chamber within.

On the meditation cushion, Lin Xuanbo, with white hair and beard but sharp eyes, slowly opened his eyes. A keen light flickered within them, and the Spiritual Qi of the entire stone chamber subtly fluctuated with him.

“You’ve returned?” The old man’s voice was calm, devoid of emotion, his gaze sweeping over the father and son before finally resting on the jade box in Lin Yucheng’s hand.

Lin Yucheng stepped forward, his demeanor respectful, presenting the Spirit Concentration Pill, Mystic Marrow Liquid, and the dozen or so pieces of thousand-year cloud mist tea one by one:

“Father, the items you needed for your secluded Cultivation, I have fortunately brought them all back.”

Upon seeing the smooth Pill bodies and profound Pill patterns of the three High Grade Spirit Concentration Pills, and smelling the Origin Qi of the Mystic Marrow Liquid and the unique refreshing aroma of the thousand-year cloud mist tea, even Lin Xuanbo, who had Cultivated for hundreds of years and whose Heart-Nature was like an ancient well, couldn't help but feel a ripple in his eyes, giving Lin Yucheng a deep look.

He nodded slightly: “Hmm, well done!”

He carefully put away the Medicinal Pills and Spiritual materials. With these items, his success rate for forming a Golden Core should be very high.

“There’s one more thing,” Lin Yucheng then pulled his son forward, “Yongmao is diligent and has made rapid progress. He has now reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refining Realm and wishes to enter secluded Cultivation for Foundation Establishment.

It’s just… he’s quite hesitant about his Cultivation Technique choice. Han Yuying’s 'Evergreen Spiritual Rhyme Art' is good for nurturing, but it doesn't quite suit his immense strength and offensive needs. We specifically came to ask for your guidance.”

Lin Xuanbo’s gaze fell on Lin Yongmao. He stroked his long beard, a hint of almost imperceptible satisfaction showing in his eyes: “Good! Such progress!”

After a moment of contemplation, he didn't immediately respond about the Cultivation Technique. Instead, he said to Lin Yongmao: “I observe that you are full of spirit and Qi, and your Foundation is very solid. For you, the difficulty in the Foundation Establishment hurdle lies not in the accumulation and compression-liquefaction of Spiritual Power, but in the clarity of your Heart-Nature.”

Lin Yongmao nodded thoughtfully. It seemed that his grandfather also didn't have a suitable Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivation Technique for him to Cultivate, but his guidance was invaluable.

“Since the Spirit Concentration Pill has arrived, I will officially enter isolated secluded Cultivation starting tonight! I will not emerge until I form a Golden Core! During my secluded Cultivation, you two will decide all Family matters yourselves, and maintain caution and self-restraint!”

His gaze once again fell on Lin Yongmao, carrying deep meaning: “Foundation Establishment is the new beginning of your Dao path; ensure your Foundation is perfectly complete! As for the Cultivation Technique, rushing it now will be useless and only add to your troubles.”

“Yes! Grandson will remember!” Lin Yongmao’s heart was greatly shaken, and he bowed deeply.

Lin Xuanbo finally waved his hand, and the Restriction light in the stone chamber silently flowed.

The father and son solemnly exited the Immortal Cave.

The heavy stone door slowly descended, completely sealing off inside from outside, leaving only the faint hum of Spirit Stones and Formation operation echoing in the corridor.

That night, starlight cast its pure glow, enveloping two silent Immortal Caves that were brewing immense changes.

One was the Ancestral Cave deep within the Lin Family, its aura vast and profound.

Lin Xuanbo sat cross-legged at the core of the Immortal Cave, his face as calm as water, his eyes gently closed as if in stillness, fully operating his Cultivation Technique, adjusting the surging Spiritual Power within his body, holding it back from erupting.

The other was Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff, where Lin Yongmao resided on the mountainside.

Lin Yongmao sat upright in the stone house, his breathing and Spiritual Power circulation completely unified.

He did not rush to consume the High Grade Foundation Establishment Pill. Instead, he formed profound magical seals with his hands, continuously circulating the Mystic Spirit Body Tempering Art. His entire body’s Qi and Blood surged like a great river, exuding a powerful sense of strength.

At the same time, in his Sea of Consciousness, he repeatedly “visualized” the Profound Truth of the growth of all things manifested by the Shennong System, integrating the withering and flourishing of grass and trees, the cycles of Heaven and Earth, the suppleness of water, and the firmness of mountains into his mind.

Three days of refining his Heart-Nature, using stillness to control movement, was to make the most perfect preparations for knocking open the door to Foundation Establishment!

The All Grass and Trees Are Soldiers Formation on Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff was fully activated, especially the Iron Heart Willow Tree, which had long formed an impenetrable defensive barrier.

As for the affairs on Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff, he entrusted everything to Moon Toad Rabbit Black Slave and Gold-Eating Beast Little Pine.

Lin Yongmao had made thorough preparations for his Foundation Establishment.

His current Divine Sense Realm had already reached the middle layer of the Foundation Establishment Stage. Now, he was just one step away from continuously compressing and liquefying the gaseous Spiritual Power within his body.

“Whoosh~”

Lin Yongmao exhaled a mouthful of turbid Qi and swallowed the High Grade Foundation Establishment Pill before him.

A large amount of pure Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi began to erupt while still in his mouth, and Lin Yongmao quickly swallowed the Medicinal Pill into his abdomen.

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi continuously washed his Meridians. For ordinary people, this was a very painful process, but for Lin Yongmao, it was not that unbearable.

He had diligently Cultivated the Mystic Spirit Body Tempering Art, forging tough Meridians long ago, so now, this Spiritual Qi washing his Physical Body was actually nothing to him.

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi surged like a torrent into Lin Yongmao’s Dantian.