Cultivating To Immortality

Chapter 763: Myriad Manifestations of the Sword Dao

Spiritual Qi was drawn in, guided into his mouth, transforming into a continuous stream of Spiritual Qi that circulated through his limbs and bones.

Initially, the Spiritual Qi was cold, but upon entering the Zhen Dao Sword Mansion, it became scalding hot.

This change made Song Yan frown slightly.

However, this pain was insignificant compared to the agony of his Qi Sea and Sword Mansion fusing earlier.

As soon as the continuous Spiritual Qi entered the Sword Mansion, it quickly transformed into Sword Qi.

At this moment, his body was like a lake gradually filling with deep water.

Inside the Sword Mansion, the Sword Qi, which had originally been gaseous, became increasingly profound in color and sharper in edge as it condensed, carrying a heavy sense of power in its flow.

Countless tiny streams of Sword Qi converged from his entire body, surrounding the core Dao of Sword Seed. It slowly rotated, forming a vortex of increasingly vast and pure Sword Qi.

Sword Glows were born from this, naturally becoming more and more numerous.

At the same time, the Dao of Sword Seed was undergoing astonishing changes!

The Dao of Sword Seed, having fused with the seven supreme spirits of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, and Thunder, now emitted a dazzling seven-colored light at the center of the vast ocean of Sword Qi.

Supported by a continuous supply of Spiritual Qi and nourished by the repaying kindness of Sword Qi, it began to tremble violently and grow rapidly.

Vibrant green shoots quickly elongated, forming flower buds.

Subsequently, seven-colored light flowed and merged on the flower bud, and finally, a mysterious clear chime, which only Song Yan’s mind could "hear," resounded.

A Dao of Sword Lotus, formed from pure Sword Intent and Dao Heart, proudly bloomed within the Zhen Dao Sword Mansion.

Its petals were not solid, but rather ethereal projections flowing with sharp Sword Qi and profound patterns. Its posture was naturally formed, a manifestation of Song Yan’s flawless Immortal Foundation!

The blooming of this lotus symbolized that the Dao of Sword Foundation had fundamentally taken shape.

At this very moment, an unexpected change occurred!

The Sword Pill Mirage Pearl, which had been quietly suspended in his Sword Mansion, suddenly emitted strong, uncontrollable fluctuations.

It seemed to be attracted by the Dao of Sword Lotus, and with a sudden burst, it shattered, transforming into an extremely brilliant and dazzling spiritual light that was instantly absorbed into the lotus!

Song Yan’s mind was startled, unsure of what was happening.

However, this was the most critical stage of Foundation Establishment, and he could not afford to be distracted by controlling external objects.

The spiritual light transformed from the Mirage Pearl merged into the Dao of Sword Lotus without any hindrance.

At the center of the lotus, amidst the circulating seven-colored light, a faint purplish glow, dreamlike and difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion, quietly appeared.

This purplish glow did not alter the lotus’s appearance or essence, but it added a unique charm to it, with the fluctuations at the edges of the lotus petals faintly carrying a ripple-like sensation of a dream.

Song Yan, in the secluded cultivation chamber, had no time to ponder the reason for the Mirage Pearl’s anomaly.

Because, before his eyes, a sight he had completely not anticipated had appeared again.

Around the Dao Foundation, composed of the ocean of Sword Qi and the Dao of Sword Lotus, countless indescribable profound patterns suddenly emerged in the Void Realm.

These patterns changed endlessly, sometimes like the surging earth, sometimes like the churning sea of clouds.

Mountains and rivers, plants and trees, birds, beasts, and insects.

Infinite phenomena arose and vanished within them, forming a comprehensive and infinitely profound tapestry.

"Dao patterns?"

Song Yan was stunned, having already guessed a part of it.

He had never expected that his Foundation Establishment would also manifest so-called Dao patterns, as the Cultivation Technique he cultivated was merely the most ordinary Qi Condensation Scroll, which would most likely only lead to an ordinary Foundation Establishment.

Moreover, the Foundation Establishment Scrolls collected by Yuan Zhen did not mention such an anomaly.

They naturally manifested around Song Yan’s Dao Foundation, as if they were a special mark.

What advantages they held, or what unknown drawbacks they concealed, even Song Yan did not know at this moment.

What was pleasantly surprising was that the Spiritual Qi contained within the High Grade Foundation Establishment Pill completely exceeded Song Yan’s imagination.

For Song Yan, this step, which was described in the Foundation Establishment Scrolls as the most difficult for ordinary Cultivators, was surprisingly effortless.

There was no need for a second Foundation Establishment Pill at all.

At this moment, the Dao patterns had manifested, and the Immortal Dao Foundation was basically established.

Song Yan did not hesitate. With a flick of his finger, he took out hundreds of Spirit Stones from his qiankun bag, and under the vibration of Spiritual Qi, they instantly shattered.

They completely transformed into rich Spiritual Qi, merging with the last surge of Spiritual Qi from the High Grade Foundation Establishment Pill.

A pure and majestic force erupted within his Meridians.

This Spiritual Qi did not directly merge into the ocean of Sword Qi, but precisely flowed into the newly formed Dao of Sword Lotus and the myriad Dao patterns manifesting around it.

Like the finishing touch, the power of the High Grade Foundation Establishment Pill was completely absorbed.

The newly formed Dao Foundation instantly became incomparably solid and firm, with divine light contained within.

The entire Foundation Establishment process was completely perfected and sublimated by this final step, without any flaws!

The Immortal Dao Foundation was finally established!

Buzz!

At this instant, a vast, pure Sword Qi, containing the power of new life, erupted from the lotus, continuously washing over his limbs and bones from the inside out.

Sticky, foul-smelling black grime, mixed with Impurities from his Physical Body and a bit of pill poison, was forced out of his body like a tide by the surging Sword Qi.

His flesh, bones, and Meridians were repeatedly tempered and strengthened by this Sword Qi cleansing.

Washing the Marrow and Cleansing the Tendons, shedding the Mortal coil and exchanging bones!

Not only were old ailments completely gone, but his body became even more transparent than before, and the hidden danger of pill poison was also removed, paving a pure Foundation for future Realm advancements.

When the cultivation was complete, the residual Spiritual Qi in his Meridians was also completely absorbed by the lotus.

"Hoo—"

He gently exhaled a breath of turbid Qi.

A new feeling of power, refinement, and perfect integration with the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth filled his entire body.

He inwardly observed his Zhen Dao Sword Mansion.

The vast ocean of Sword Qi was calm and profound, boundless.

At its center, the Dao of Sword Lotus bloomed quietly, with a dreamlike faint purplish glow lingering in its heart.

Around the lotus and the Qi Sea, the Dao patterns, containing infinite Profound Truth, appeared and disappeared, seemingly integrated with the lotus.

"Finally..."

In the eyes of the world, perhaps this was a very ordinary day, a very ordinary afternoon.

But for Song Yan, it was completely different.

Establishing his Dao Foundation truly meant taking a step on the great path of Immortal Cultivation.

Only through Foundation Establishment could a Cultivator truly symbolize their departure from a Mortal body.

Divine Sense and Spiritual Qi, needless to say.

The Lifespan of a Qi Refining Cultivator was almost no different from that of a Mortal.

However, a Cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Realm had a Lifespan of approximately two hundred forty to two hundred eighty years.

If a Cultivator practiced Cultivation Techniques that extended Lifespan, or used other means of longevity, living for over three hundred years was not too rare.

Perhaps it was for this reason that the ancient Dao Sects and Central Region Cultivators considered the Foundation Establishment Realm as the starting point for seeking immortality and the Dao.

"Ha!"

Even with the effect of the three Pure Moon Talismans, the wild joy in his heart made Song Yan unable to help but laugh a few times.

He couldn’t imagine what he would have laughed like without these few High Grade, second-tier Talismans for calming the mind and concentrating.

A moment later, he composed himself.

He took out hundreds of Spirit Stones from his qiankun bag again, converting them into Spiritual Qi, which, along with the Spiritual Qi gathered by the Spirit Gathering Sword Array, helped stabilize his Realm.

These Spirit Stones were originally intended for accumulating cultivation to quickly reach Qi Refining Perfection, but with the help of the Mirage Pearl later, they were naturally saved.

So Song Yan used them for consolidating his Dao Foundation earlier and for stabilizing his Realm now.

With Foundation Establishment complete, his mood was incomparably joyful, so a few Spirit Stones, if used, were used.

His current spirit had a bit of the carefree demeanor of, "Heaven created my talent, it must be useful; a thousand pieces of gold scattered will return again."

In the misty Spiritual Qi of the quiet room and the lingering clear moonlight, Song Yan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clear.

The Insightful Void Sword Eye was not operating, but a sharp edge was contained deep within his eyes.

Just then, a pungent stench wafted over.

He looked down and saw the black-gray grime and Impurities on his body that had been flushed out by the Sword Qi of the Dao of Sword Lotus.

"Ugh."

Xiao Song, who loved cleanliness, immediately wanted to leave seclusion and wash up in the Immortal Cave’s spiritual spring.

However, he remembered that Xiao Ju was also in his Immortal Cave now, so that would be inappropriate.

Thus, he had no choice but to use Spiritual Qi in the secluded cultivation chamber, condense a water curtain, carefully wash himself, and change into a clean Daoist robe.

Afterward, he sat down cross-legged again and composed his mind.

Having successfully broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, the Heart Demon he had always worried about did not appear, perhaps because of the protection of the three Pure Moon Talismans and his thorough preparation.

However, the matter of the Heart Demon was always a hidden danger and needed to be resolved as soon as possible.

He had only used one High Grade, improved Foundation Establishment Pill for his Foundation Establishment.

There was still one Medium Grade and five ordinary Foundation Establishment Pills given by Qin Xijun that he hadn’t used, so he put them away for now.

They might be useful later if Xiao Ju or any of his Junior Brothers needed to undergo Foundation Establishment.

Having been promoted to Foundation Establishment, he had too many things to do, one step at a time.

The first thing was to re-refine the several Flying Swords in his hand.

After the Foundation Establishment Realm, both his Divine Sense and the Sword Qi in his Zhen Dao Sword Mansion had undergone a qualitative leap. Re-refining the Flying Swords would make them even more agile to wield.

Of course, his Lifebound Flying Sword was already integrated with his Dao Foundation, so there was no need for this extra step.

After re-refining the three Flying Swords—Lord Lin, Lianli, and Tiyue—one by one, a day had already passed.

It is worth mentioning that since Song Yan had now broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, his Lifebound Flying Sword naturally also changed.

Thus, under the natural operation and nurturing of the Tai Xu Sword Nurturing Seal, the grade of the Unmoored Boat also rose accordingly, reaching the level of a Top Grade Spiritual Artifact, and it was still continuously growing.

Putting away all the Flying Swords, he did not rush to leave seclusion. He picked up the Dharma Transmission Wooden Figure, and with a thought of his Divine Sense, he entered it again.

However, the familiar feeling returned.

He was still unable to Cultivate the Dao Technique recorded in the Dharma Transmission Wooden Figure, perhaps because his Spiritual Qi was unstable after just achieving Foundation Establishment, or because his cultivation at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment was simply not enough.

However, he could now clearly see the detailed content and name of this Dao Technique.

"Six Void Skyfall Sword Finger."

The profound runes inside the wooden figure were no longer obscure and difficult to discern, but clearly condensed and combined, ultimately forming a complete Legacy.

Its core content was precisely the entire content of the Dao Technique contained within the Dharma Transmission Wooden Figure.

It was indeed a pity that he couldn’t Cultivate it for now, but Song Yan was in a joyful mood, so he just wanted to see the Profound Truth of this art.

His mind was completely immersed in it, carefully comprehending its subtle Profound Truth.

Although the name of this art contained "Sword," its activation method was not through an actual Flying Sword, but a profound and mysterious finger technique.

His mind stirred slightly, his sleeves moved without wind, and a sharp Sleeve Green Snake Sword Qi silently condensed on his fingertip.

"The Sword Qi of Sleeve Green Snake is agile, ever-changing, condensed, and sharp."

"The might of Sword Dao True Essence is indomitable, with terrifying explosive power."

"Perhaps... I can learn from the operational principles of this Six Void Skyfall Sword Finger to make these two even more formidable."

As soon as this thought arose, it took root in his heart like a seed.

However, he also deeply knew that such Fusion and innovation would definitely not be achieved overnight, and for now, he could only think about it.

He would have to wait until he had mastered the Six Void Skyfall Sword Finger and his Foundation was stable before carefully deducing and experimenting.

He exited the Dharma Transmission Wooden Figure.

Song Yan finally inwardly observed his Zhen Dao Sword Mansion, where the blooming lotus slowly floated.

Upon it, a unique and splendid Sword Qi, dreamlike and difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion, emitted a faint purplish glow.

Recalling it, this successful Foundation Establishment was actually a thrilling but ultimately safe experience.

The "thrill" was when the Mirage Sword Pill suddenly shattered during Foundation Establishment, and a never-before-seen wisp of purple Qi merged into the lotus.

At that critical moment of Breakthrough, he had no time to delve into it, and only now could he carefully comprehend its Profound Truth.

Now the Mirage Sword Pill had disappeared, completely losing contact with him.

It seemed that it had indeed been refined into the lotus.

What was going on...? That Senior in a Straw Raincoat never said this would happen.

Song Yan was utterly bewildered... A thousand miles away in Nanhong City.

Under an old locust tree at the alley entrance, there was an inconspicuous clay figurine stall.

On the stall, dozens of clay figurines were arranged in two rows, including sword-wielding rangers, basket-carrying ladies, and adorable children holding carp.

Approaching, there was a bitter, earthy scent of unfired clay.

The weather was a bit misty and rainy, so no children came to visit. Instead, there was a fisherman wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, sitting in front of the stall.

He held an unfired clay figurine of a swordsman between his fingers.

The clay figurine had clear, open features, with a wine gourd hanging diagonally at its waist, and it was the only unpainted white blank on the stall.

The Old Man in a Straw Raincoat was chatting idly with the clay figurine artisan when he suddenly seemed to sense something and paused slightly.

"How strange."

That wisp of aura belonging to the Mirage Pearl had completely dissipated, yet it wasn’t refined or destroyed.

Instead, it was as if it had sunk into some bottomless abyss, so deep that even his cultivation Realm could not trace it.

"What trick is that kid surnamed Song playing?"

...Inside the secluded cultivation chamber, Song Yan roughly sorted things out, then with a thought of his mind, he conjured the liangyi pearl and entered the Liangyi Realm.

The scene within the Realm remained the same, a vast expanse of heaven and earth in only black and white, boundless.

The most obvious change within it was that the central area now matched the scene inside his Sword Mansion.

A gigantic Dao of Sword Lotus, flowing with Sword Qi, stood prominently, its petals adorned with profound and deep patterns, and its lotus heart also contained a wisp of faint purplish glow.

Around the lotus, countless illusory images of mountains, rivers, plants, trees, clouds, thunder, birds, and beasts appeared and disappeared, forming a comprehensive pattern.

"It’s synchronized, indeed..."

Song Yan was not surprised by this.

With his Dao Foundation established, since this Liangyi Realm was a place for visualization and projection, it was only natural for it to change accordingly.

He withdrew his gaze from the Dao Lotus and habitually scanned the distant boundaries.

Previously, the edges of this world were a misty, chaotic black and white, unclear.

However, this time, when he lifted his gaze and looked towards that distant place, an indescribable shock instantly seized his mind!

It was a vast, unimaginably expansive ink-wash pattern that almost covered the entire sky!