Free Web NovelChapter 98: Chapter 98: The Scenery of Foundation Establishment
If it weren’t for the extremely gratifying and continuous improvement of the [Fire-tailed Golden Rat Treasure Seed] suppressing his discontent, ’I’d have eventually snuck up behind that annoying, rosacea-nosed old man and given him a good whack.’
But then again, through the continuous extracting of Essence Blood from Wasted Pills, the [Fire-tailed Golden Rat Treasure Seed] had already completed its Spirit Stealing up to the Third Layer.
The three Demon Beast Talents it provided were an exact match for those recorded in the Study of the Wild Demonic Spirit Beasts. freeweɓnøvel.com
They were still [Limb Hardening], [Fire Tail Flame Wave], and [Spiritual Tracking]!
Lin Changheng had originally planned to choose the Fire Element [Fire Tail Flame Wave], not the Gold Element [Limb Hardening], to enhance the Spiritual Charm of his Fire Spirit Root.
This would help his Fire Spirit Root transform into a Middle Grade Spirit Root sooner, aiding him in breaking through the bottleneck of Middle Stage Qi Cultivation.
As it turned out, the existence of the crimson powder had completely worn away the bottleneck, causing Lin Changheng’s plans to change.
In the end, he decided to choose [Limb Hardening], which offered better survival capabilities.
It was a known fact that while Cultivators were powerful, able to send out their Magical Artifacts to claim heads from a great distance, the toughness of their physical bodies still couldn’t match the strength of their Magical Power. Though they were no weaker than the martial arts masters of the mortal world, they still gave off a sense of physical frailty.
The [limb hardening technique], however, could compensate for this weakness.
With a thought, Lin Changheng immediately activated the Abnormal Technique to test it. He felt a bone-piercing Golden Sharp Qi course through his limbs.
The surface of his skin was the first to change.
His originally warm, soft skin visibly lost its color, first turning ashen gray, then settling into the cold, hard color of Profound Iron.
Then, fine lines spread across his skin, resembling the forging patterns that naturally form on a quenched metal surface. Their crisscrossing network gave off a faint, matte luster.
When he tapped it lightly, it rang out—CLANG! CLANG!—like the sound of metal striking metal.
Swiping at it with the Lower Grade Spiritual Artifact, the [Wandering Bee Blade], only left a shallow white mark. Only after infusing the blade with Magical Power did it manage to create a small cut.
He then took out the Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact he had seized from the Chen Family Cultivator, the [Meat-Cutting Scythe]. It broke through his defenses instantly, drawing blood. When infused with Magical Power, it sliced open his skin with ease, leaving a deep wound.
Fortunately, Lin Changheng had the [Self-Healing Technique: Tongming] from the Wood Puppet Fox. He recovered quickly, the wound disappearing without a trace.
He came to a conclusion. ’A genuine Lower Grade Spiritual Artifact can’t break my defenses without being infused with Magical Power. Other types of damage are unavoidable, but their impact can be partially mitigated.’
Now that the [Fire-tailed Golden Rat Treasure Seed] had accumulated three layers, the [limb hardening technique: Tongming] achieved a multiplied effect.
Lower Grade Spiritual Artifacts could no longer harm him!
Even a Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact couldn’t break his defenses if it wasn’t infused with Magical Power! Of course, such a scenario would never happen in a real battle, but it still demonstrated the sheer toughness of his body.
’Truly powerful!’
’If I decide to pursue Body Forging in the future, this should provide an excellent foundation and point me in the right direction.’
...
That evening, Fugui hosted a banquet, inviting Lin Changheng and Bai Fengxian to catch up.
For the past few years, Xu Fugui had been stationed elsewhere, serving under his father-in-law and accumulating merits.
His status had risen quickly, and he had entered the upper echelons.
Bai Fengxian, however, had refused Fugui’s invitation to go with him. His family had grown—he’d had two children with Spirit Roots. The financial pressure had increased dramatically, and he needed to fight to earn Spirit Stones to build a foundation for his offspring.
So, he decided to go to the pioneering front lines.
Unable to persuade him, Lin Changheng and Xu Fugui worked together to secure him a position as a squad leader.
The risk was about the same, but the compensation and potential rewards would be considerably greater.
Reunited at the same table after so many years, the three men, all now past forty, were filled with a mix of nostalgia and emotion.
In terms of appearance, Lin Changheng had changed the least, still looking as if he were in his thirties.
The other two attributed this to him spending his years by the furnace, spared from the scorching sun and the hardships of constant travel. They were quite envious.
Xu Fugui, in contrast, had changed astonishingly.
His once-portly belly was completely gone. His skin, which he had managed to lighten with great effort, was now several shades darker again. Years of hardship had tempered him, giving him a calm, steady demeanor that hinted at a shrewd competence.
His Cultivation had also reached the Eighth Layer of Qi Cultivation.
Lin Changheng had already caught up to him.
But in a twist of fate, Fugui had originally wanted to break through the bottleneck into the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation on his own to preserve his potential for Foundation Establishment, but he was never able to succeed.
He simply couldn’t find the way in.
Later, he sought help from a clan Physician—a practitioner of one of the Hundred Arts—who, after a careful examination, determined that his vital essence was severely depleted due to a lack of self-restraint. This, the Physician concluded, had made his Late Stage bottleneck exceptionally tough and difficult to break through.
Xu Fugui was dejected for a long time. After two months of trying, the bottleneck remained immovable. He had no choice but to accept his fate and consume the Realm-Breaking Elixir previously granted to him by the clan, breaking through to Late Stage Qi Cultivation.
But he also knew that his potential had been severely damaged, and his chance at Foundation Establishment was likely lost forever.
Seeing his dejection, Lin Changheng and his other friends comforted him. They reminded him that his children had outstanding Spirit Roots, with several being Middle Grade. Perhaps one of them could soar to the heavens and, in turn, help their old father achieve Foundation Establishment.
It’s unclear whether their joking words were what prompted him, but Xu Fugui truly began to pour all his efforts into nurturing his children.
As for Bai Fengxian, the burn scars on his face had slowly faded and were no longer as terrifying as before. However, he was under immense pressure now. He had sustained some internal injuries on the pioneering battlefront, causing a patch of his hair to turn white.
The three men clinked their cups, wine sloshing within.
"Brother Lin," Xu Fugui said, downing a cup of wine, his face a mixture of melancholy and emotion. "Perhaps among the three of us, you’re the only one left who still has the potential for Foundation Establishment."
When they first stepped onto the Immortal Dao, everyone could calmly face the possibility of never reaching Foundation Establishment in their lifetime. But after such an arduous journey, having made it all the way to Late Stage Qi Cultivation, it was impossible to maintain that same peace of mind upon hearing such cruel news.
After all, having come so far, being just a single step away, could one truly be resigned to failure?
"That’s right, Brother Lin!" Bai Fengxian said, appearing perfectly calm as he slowly sipped his wine. "I can’t say for sure about Fugui, but I know I’ll definitely never reach Foundation Establishment in this life. I can’t even break into the Late Stage..."
He had endured too much suffering and hardship; the winds and frost of his trials had left their marks, and he had learned to see through many things. But this same man, for some unknown reason, seemed to suddenly relive the joy of his youth when he was first chosen by an Immortal. His eyes reddened, and in a hoarse, earnest voice, he pleaded with Lin Changheng, "I hope, Brother Lin, that you can see the view from Foundation Establishment... for this foolish younger brother of yours."
Xu Fugui chimed in. "That’s right, Brother Lin! Among the three of us brothers, one has to become a Foundation Establishment Ancestor, right? Huh? Hahaha!"
Lin Changheng looked at his two friends’ faces, flickering in the candlelight. Though their features shifted between light and shadow, both were smiling at him. He was momentarily speechless. Finally, he stood up, refilled both their cups, then tilted his head back, drained his own, and gave a firm nod.
"Alright!"
...
「One month later.」
News finally came down from the clan, an announcement made to all its members:
The position of Chief Alchemist at the Xu Family’s Alchemy Shop in the Cyan Spirit District, following deliberation by the upper echelons, would be filled by Alchemist Lin Changheng.
Sent along with it was a secret message: he now had permission to go to the Scripture Hall at any time to receive the Upper Grade Alchemy Inheritance.
