Lord Shenxiu-Chapter 958: Foundation Establishment

As it turns out, Lu Wen Yuan's luck wasn't bad.

He didn't encounter a situation where, upon arriving at a location, the local cultivation sect immediately broke out into a righteous versus demonic war, or the like...

The preparations he made beforehand proved to be worthwhile.

By securing the twentieth place in the grand competition, he easily received a Foundation Establishment Pill.

And upon obtaining the Foundation Establishment Pill, Lu Wen Yuan, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately announced his closed-door cultivation.

His aptitude couldn't be said to be bad at all, so after consuming two Foundation Establishment Pills, he successfully liquefied the mana within his Dantian, advancing to the Foundation Establishment Stage, extending his life span to two hundred years!

After further closed-door cultivation to consolidate his breakthrough, Lu Wen Yuan leisurely emerged, first visiting the Sect Leader to register, receive the various benefits for disciples of the Foundation Establishment Stage, and exchange his token.

Then, he visited the Task Hall to issue a task, instructing several outer sect disciples to take the news of his successful Foundation Establishment and a letter to the Taiqing Lu Family.

This was to give the Lu Family leverage, using his status as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator of the Dan Ding Sect, to face pressure from those two families more confidently.

Moreover, he guaranteed in the letter that he would strive to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill for the family.

After completing these tasks, Lu Wen Yuan felt a sense of relief, as the ties with his family lessened significantly, preventing them from becoming mental barriers during his cultivation.

"Finally... successfully established the Foundation. From now on, my next goal is the five-hundred-years life span Golden Core!"

...

On this day.

Inside Lu Wen Yuan's new cave dwelling.

Flames roared at the bottom of a Pill Furnace, from which various pill vapors emerged.

Lu Wen Yuan sat cross-legged before the Pill Furnace, his brows slightly furrowed, adjusting the intensity of the fire.

Whoosh whoosh!

At that moment, a Sound Transmission Talisman flew in.

He furrowed his brows, ignored it, and continued harmonizing the dragon and tiger, balancing the medicine's potency, and opening the furnace to collect the pills...

"The second-order inferior Dragon Ginseng Pill is quite effective for Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the early stage to enhance their mana, though its effect diminishes considerably for cultivators in the mid-stage..."

Lu Wen Yuan tasted the pills, nodded, stored away the Pill Furnace, and finally picked up the Sound Transmission Talisman, his expression turning somewhat peculiar: "Is it her?!"

He thought for a moment, tidied his clothes, and walked out of the cave.

Outside the cave, on a Flying Boat, stood several Foundation Establishment cultivators.

One of the women was dressed in a green silk dress, her skin like jade, shining beautifully: "Is this the Junior Brother Lu who has just succeeded in Foundation Establishment?"

"I am Lu Wen Yuan, nice to meet Senior Sister Dongfang Qing and Senior Brother Wang Qiao!"

Lu Wen Yuan slightly bowed.

Dongfang Qing returned the gesture, while Wang Qiao snorted coldly: "Junior Brother Lu has quite a temper, making us wait for so long!"

"I was just refining pills and couldn't spare the time, I ask for your understanding!"

Lu Wen Yuan glanced at Wang Qiao, whose rumored treasured body made him look very ordinary, with triangular eyes and an upturned nose... among cultivators, one with such uniquely unattractive features was rare.

Moreover, he vaguely heard that this person had fallen in love at first sight with Dongfang Qing and seemed to want to become dao companions with her, but Dongfang Qing had never agreed.

In the eyes of gossips, it was like a toad wanting to eat swan meat.

'Taking me as a love rival out of nowhere, bothersome!'

'Pretty women... even more troublesome!' 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Feeling frustrated, Lu Wen Yuan clasped his hands and asked, "What is the matter, Senior Sister?"

"After we become Foundation Establishment cultivators, we generally have itinerant tasks. I recently found out that Junior Brother has established his Foundation, why not join us?" Dongfang Qing asked with a smile.

'Not joining, I prefer staying safely within the sect, cultivating until reaching the Golden Core Stage!'

Lu Wen Yuan rolled his eyes inwardly, knowing that Senior Sister Dongfang was also pressured by Wang Qiao, unable to shake off the clingy person, thus finding more companions to distract.

But he had no intention of being a stand-in shield for others, and immediately refused: "Senior Sister, I do not wish to travel!"

"Hmph, these are the rules of our Dan Ding Sect. Do you wish to defy them?" Wang Qiao snorted coldly.

"I indeed do not wish to undertake this task!"

Lu Wen Yuan nodded: "As far as I know, there's a regulation within the sect that Second-order Alchemists do not need to undertake outside or dangerous tasks. Even mandatory tasks for Foundation Establishment are replaceable with alchemy."

After all, as crucial production talents, it's a risk taking them out to experience battles; what if they perish?

Cultivating one Second-order Alchemist undoubtedly costs more than cultivating ten Foundation Establishment cultivators!

"Second-order? Could it be that Junior Brother is already a Second-order Alchemist?"

Dongfang Qing's eyes lit up.

"After advancing to Foundation Establishment, I've gained some insights; I will apply for the evaluation another day..."

Lu Wen Yuan stated, "Thus, I sincerely cannot comply."

After speaking, he did not care for Dongfang Qing's expression of having something more to say and returned directly to his cave.

"Senior Sister, this boy is ungrateful and cowardly. Let's look for someone else!"

Seeing Lu Wen Yuan wisely retreat, Wang Qiao felt quite pleased.

Moreover, he wasn't foolish; within Dan Ding Sect, a Second-order Alchemist's value is certainly above his current status.

And after all, Lu Wen Yuan wasn't without backing.

If he rashly provoked the other party, he might suffer the loss himself!

"Fine..."

Dongfang Qing sighed regretfully, steering the Magic Boat towards another direction.

...

"Time to evaluate as a Second-order Alchemist; at this stage, crafting pills beneficial to the Foundation Establishment Stage's cultivation makes one a valued asset in the Dan Ding Sect. Safety is assured, allowing for focused cultivation, with occasional aid in refining a few furnaces of pills for the sect..."

Lu Wen Yuan had already planned.

Concerning itinerant tasks, they mainly serve to broaden one's knowledge, search for opportunities, and gain experience in battles, etc.

He believed he had already seized the greatest opportunity, had no need for greed, and, having experienced significant events as a youth, lacked nothing in temperament. As for battles? Even Foundation Establishment cultivators can't withstand his Spirit Talisman bombing tactics, and not to mention, upon reaching Foundation Establishment, the range and potency of retrieved items greatly enhance.

Once equipped, within the Foundation Establishment Stage, he believed he could protect himself adequately.

As for the last point concerning the Core Formation stage's mindset and Heart Demon.

Lu Wen Yuan had considered this aspect, firstly, the mindset challenge during Core Formation wasn't particularly strong, he could handle it.

In this resource-driven cultivation, there really is no need to overly concern oneself with Heart Demon issues before reaching Nascent Soul.

Should actual problems occur, there are corresponding solutions.

For example, the Dan Ding Sect's secret elixir—'Demon Suppressing Pill', renowned for its supreme use in clearing Heart Demon, widely believed to slightly enhance Core Formation chances.

This elixir's rank has already reached third-rank top-quality, and requires a thousand-year Spiritual Medicine, which is beyond his current ability to refine, and also beyond what most Foundation Establishment cultivators can aspire for.

However, he may seek connections to join the Golden Core Ancestor's pill convention, fortuitously encounter, and seize the opportunity...

The resources possessed by Dan Ding Sect suffice to cultivate him to the Core Formation Stage, only the subsequent Nascent Condensation opportunity requires external searching.