Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan

Chapter 65: Foundation Establishment (Support Requested~)

”Are you ready?” Li Shiqing asked, somewhat nervously.

Yesterday, Li Zhirui found Li Shiqing and indicated that he wanted to go into seclusion to attempt Foundation Establishment, applying for the Foundation Establishment Pill the family had purchased two years prior.

However, on the day Li Zhirui began his seclusion, Li Shiqing was still not entirely reassured, ”How about waiting a few more years? Youʼre not even twenty-five yet, accumulating more over a few years could lead to a higher chance of success in making the breakthrough.”

Although Li Shiqing wanted someone to take over as the Clan Leader soon so he could have more time to go into seclusion and seek the chance to break through to the Golden Core stage, he couldnʼt help but worry when Li Zhirui was actually about to make an attempt.

”Clan Leader Grandfather rest assured,” Li Zhirui said with an easy smile. ”Iʼm fully prepared, thereʼs no need to waste a few more years.”

”Moreover, since I dare to attempt Foundation Establishment, naturally I have some confidence in succeeding, so thereʼs no need for Clan Leader Grandfather to worry so much.”

Li Shiqing, looking at the determined Li Zhirui, eventually said, ”Go then, I believe you can do it!”

Li Zhirui gave a light smile, bowed respectfully, and turned to leave.

After returning to the small courtyard, Li Zhirui activated the Formation to ensure he wouldnʼt be disturbed by the outside world, then took out a large number of Spirit Stones and placed them around to avoid a deficit of Spiritual Energy during his breakthrough.

He then told Da Qing that he was going into seclusion and that he might not be able to accompany it for a long time, asking it to take good care of itself.

With all preparations in place, Li Zhirui began to adjust his state, ensuring that his spirit, vitality, and mind were at their peak.

Having started his cultivation at the age of eight, and now after over a decade, all of Li Zhiruiʼs prior efforts were for this day.

”Hu——”

Li Zhirui sat cross-legged, his eyes slightly closed, circulating his Cultivation Technique and, following the experience of his predecessors, slowly compressed the mana within his body.

Itʼs worth noting that the distinctive difference between a Qi Cultivation Cultivator and a Foundation Establishment Cultivator is the form of mana, with the former being gaseous and the latter liquid; their respective advantages and disadvantages need not be elaborated upon.

The process of Foundation Establishment is actually about compressing the gaseous mana within the body and condensing it into a higher-order liquid mana.

It took Li Zhirui over a month to compress the mana in his Dantian to the utmost extreme.

He knew that he had come to a critical juncture; if he could further compress the mana successfully, then he would succeed!

But now, Li Zhirui wasnʼt as excited as he had imagined. With a calm face, he opened the jade bottle containing the Foundation Establishment Pill in front of him, poured out the heavily fragrant pill, and then, without any hesitation, swallowed the Foundation Establishment Pill.

The moment the Foundation Establishment Pill entered his mouth, it transformed into an extremely pure stream of Spiritual Energy and, under Li Zhiruiʼs full control, followed the pathways of his meridians, refined into mana, and slowly flowed into his Dantian.

The primary function of the Foundation Establishment Pill isnʼt actually its Spiritual Energy, but rather to protect the fragile Dantian and meridians during the transformation of mana. This way, even if the breakthrough fails, the cultivatorʼs foundation wonʼt be damaged.

As the overwhelming mana surged into his Dantian, it stirred the mana that Li Zhirui had already compressed to the limit.

Drip!

A faint dripping sound emanated from the Dantian.

The first drop of liquid mana was born!

This acted like a switch; the fog that had filled the entire Dantian space became a constant, fine drizzle, ultimately forming a small puddle in the Dantian.

Boom!

Suddenly, from Li Zhiruiʼs empty Dantian, a terrifying suction force erupted, drawing the surrounding Spiritual Energy towards him like mad, eventually forming a small Spirit Qi Vortex around his body, absorbing Spiritual Energy with a voracious hunger.

Luckily, Li Zhirui had the foresight to place a large number of Spirit Stones nearby before he went into seclusion; otherwise, they wouldnʼt have been sufficient for his absorption.

As an abundant amount of Spiritual Energy rushed into his body, Li Zhirui also expelled droplets of black, viscous sweat from his body.

This was the cleansing of muscles and marrow every cultivator of the Foundation Establishment stage went through.

When Li Zhirui swallowed the Foundation Establishment Pill, Li Shiqing, Li Shilian, and Li Shiren gathered outside the courtyard.

”Itʼs been almost two months, why is there still no movement from Zhirui, could it be that he...”

Li Shiren hadnʼt finished speaking when he was forcefully slapped by Li Shilian, ”Donʼt talk nonsense!”

But concern also filled Li Shilianʼs eyes. Normally, there should be some activity after a month of seclusion for a breakthrough, but it had been almost two months for Li Zhirui, and it was indeed very unsettling that he was still so quiet.

”I should not have agreed to Zhiruiʼs haste to break through,” Li Shiqing said regretfully.

Just as the three of them were sunk in self-reproach and sorrow, a terrifying suction erupted from Li Zhiruiʼs courtyard.

”This is...” The three were startled, but it was Li Shiqing who finally said, ”Zhirui has succeeded in his breakthrough!”

The Spirit Qi Vortex continued for half an hour before it slowly dissipated, and Li Zhirui, who had gone through this ordeal, saw his mana, which was originally the size of a puddle, now expanded several times over.

As for the cost, well, half of the Spirit Stones he had placed before were now drained of Spiritual Energy.

Half a month later.

Li Zhirui suddenly opened his eyes, a momentum he had never felt before shot up to the sky, this was the pressure that only came after breaking through to Foundation Establishment!

However, because he had just achieved his breakthrough, the pressure was not very strong. If a Golden Core cultivator was to release their pressure in full force, a vast majority of Qi Cultivation cultivators simply couldnʼt withstand it for even a moment.

But Li Zhirui wasnʼt one to aim too high or too far, he did not contemplate such distant matters, knowing only that he had successfully broken through the Foundation Establishment stage and from now on, he would enjoy a lifespan of two hundred forty years.

Li Zhirui just thought of using his Divine Sense, but as his consciousness sank into his Sea of Consciousness to take a look, he discovered an unexpected delight!

His Visualization Skill, which was originally at the third realm, had also attained a breakthrough!

Although, in the past two years, Li Zhirui had shifted his focus to cultivation and refining his mana, he had not given up practicing the Visualization Skill, hence he had managed to reach the third realm before his seclusion.

”What a double blessing!” he exclaimed.

”Ugh! Whatʼs that smell? Why is it so foul!” Just as Li Zhirui was about to get up and share the good news with his elders, a terrifying stench entered his nostrils, nearly making him vomit.

It was then that Li Zhirui realized his body was covered with a thin layer of black mud. Perhaps because several days had passed, the surface had dried up and the smell was somewhat masked.

But with Li Zhiruiʼs movement, the black mud instantly cracked, and the foul stench spread out with it.

With a darkened face, Li Zhirui cast the Cleanse Spell several times and washed himself thoroughly with the Water Condensation Spell several more times until he was sure there was not a trace of foul smell left on him, then he was willing to stop.

”Could I really have had so many impurities in my body?” Li Zhiruiʼs face was a picture of disbelief.

But Li Zhirui had to admit, with the expulsion of these impurities, his body felt unprecedentedly light and relaxed.

Li Zhirui, who always controlled his emotions in front of others, now stepped out with a bright smile on his face.

Li Zhirui loudly announced his joy, ”Clan Leader Grandfather, Iʼve broken through to Foundation Establishment!”

”Good, good, good!” Even though Li Shiqing already knew the outcome, he still couldnʼt help the excitement in his heart, ”The Li family has another Foundation Establishment cultivator now!”

”To celebrate your breakthrough, we will have a banquet on Da Rong Island in three days so that the clan members can also share in this joy.”

Li Zhirui had no objections to this, because he was clear in his heart that this banquet was also intended for the handover of the position of Clan Leader.