Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

Five months later, Taifu Mountain was adorned with lanterns and streamers.

From early dawn, waves of envoys from various Cultivation Families and Sects arrived here like a stream of water to congratulate the Zhao Family on the union of a new couple.

The Foundation Establishment Ancestor of the Zhao Family, Zhao Jijian, personally took the lead to stand at the foot of Taifu Mountain to welcome each fellow Foundation Establishment Daoist, accompanied by a member of the Ge family who had reached Foundation Establishment Perfection.

On that day, with the arrival of a Golden Core True Immortal from the Ge family, the festive atmosphere on Taifu Mountain instantly reached its climax.

Thereafter, all Cultivation Forces within a thousand miles around Taifu Mountain knew that the Zhao family had formed an alliance with the high branches of the Elixir Saint Ge Family.

In the same year, Zhao Jijian stepped down from the position of Family Head, and Zhao Xuan'an smoothly took over.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Two years later, Zhao Sheng advanced to Qi Refining Perfection. In that year, Zhao Xuan'an had another son, named Zhao Tongxian.

...

Heavenly Pillar Mountain, Zhao's Secret Mansion.

When Zhao Sheng once again set foot on the slope, the first thing that caught his eye was an ancient spiritual peach tree, over three zhang tall and lush with foliage.

It shone with spirit light, its jade leaves and emerald branches surrounded by swirling clouds and mist, at first glance revealing its extraordinary and remarkable essence, like the fabled trees of the Spirit Realm.

Zhao Keru was busy working in the medicine field; upon seeing Zhao Sheng, he joked, "Zhao Chonghe, what brings such a busy person like you to the secret mansion?"

Zhao Sheng approached the edge of the medicine field and said with a smile, "I'm here to bring you a treasure, I'm sure you'll like it."

"What treasure? Hurry up and bring it out." Zhao Keru's eyes sparkled with excitement, urging him on immediately.

He knew Zhao Chonghe had high standards, and anything he called a treasure must be extraordinary.

Zhao Sheng smiled slightly and with a flip of his wrist, a small red-gold tripod with three legs and six ears covered in Spiritual Text appeared in his palm.

"A Spirit Artifact Elixir Cauldron?!"

Zhao Keru exclaimed in surprise, his gaze fixed on the alchemy furnace, unable to look away.

He rushed out of the medicine field in a few steps, snatching the Spirit Artifact Elixir Cauldron and fondling it with admiration.

"This cauldron is called Nine Extinguishing, a Mid-grade Spirit Artifact. Within it are nine strands of extinguishing winds that can refine and purify the impurities in Elixir Pills, enhancing the grade of Spirit Pills," explained Zhao Sheng with a smile.

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This Nine Extinguishing Spirit Cauldron was one of the dowries that Ge Feng'er brought with her in her marriage.

Since Zhao Keru was the only Second-Order Alchemist in the Zhao Family, Zhao Sheng brought it along while coming to the secret mansion for his own Foundation Establishment.

"Wait here, I'll refine a batch first then we'll talk."

After saying that, Zhao Keru turned and walked away, completely forgetting about Zhao Sheng's presence.

Zhao Sheng shook his head with a smile, not minding it, because he knew that Zhao Keru was obsessed with alchemy, and such behavior was quite normal for him.

Only a moment passed when Zhao Xuanjing suddenly ran out of a cave, and upon seeing Zhao Sheng, he cheerfully said, "Uncle Seven, you've finally come."

"Eh, you're in such a hurry, could it be you've found a sweetheart in Pocket World City?" Zhao Sheng teased, seeing his mood.

Zhao Xuanjing's face turned bright red on the spot as he defended, "Uncle Seven, you wrong me. I was just happy to see you, that's all."

"Hehe!" Zhao Sheng simply laughed without a word.

Compared to the romantically inclined Zhao Xuan'an, Zhao Xuanjing was a purely innocent young man.

Poor him, already in his thirties yet because he has been stationed at the secret mansion all year round, he hadn't even experienced the taste of a woman.

Seeing Zhao Xuanjing's growing embarrassment, Zhao Sheng dropped the teasing and earnestly advised, "Xuanjing, you must be more cautious in Pocket World City. You're too straightforward and honest; be careful not to be deceived by others."

With that, Zhao Sheng stuffed a bunch of talismans, including the Invisibility Talisman, Concentrating God Talisman, and Illusion Shadow Escape Talisman, into Zhao Xuanjing's hands, also patting his arm and saying, "Go on then! Don't forget to return on time in a month."

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"Hmm," Zhao Xuanjing nodded.

Suddenly, as if just remembering something, he hurriedly said, "Uncle Qi, can I have that Dragon Ball? Little Gold is about to undergo transformation, and I think the Dragon Ball could help it transform faster."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Sheng was startled and immediately shook his head in refusal, "No, I have another important use for that Dragon Ball."

"Oh," Zhao Xuanjing sounded somewhat disappointed.

The "Little Gold" he mentioned was a golden ring spirit worm over seven zhang long, with the greatest potential among its group.

If it were to succeed in this transformation, it would surpass the ten-zhang limit and advance to a second-order spiritual insect.

If it could continue to transform, once Little Gold's body length exceeded a hundred zhang, a newborn Mountain Dragon would be born as a result.

After Zhao Xuanjing left the secret mansion with disappointment, Zhao Sheng floated beneath the spiritual peach tree and sat down cross-legged.

Sensing the rich and quintessential Water Spiritual Energy around him, Zhao Sheng nodded in satisfaction, then closed his eyes and started running the Mystical Spirit Skill, beginning to refine the Spiritual Energy bit by bit.

One month later, on the day Zhao Xuanjing returned to the secret mansion, Zhao Sheng had finally reached his own limit, his spiritual power cultivation had reached an impasse.

That day, he handed over the Storage Bag to Zhao Keru and his son Zhao Xuanjing and took care of all the affairs.

Finally, he sat down cross-legged under the spiritual peach tree and began to close his eyes in concentration.

Zhao Sheng did not attempt a breakthrough immediately but continuously recalled the three major steps of Foundation Establishment.

According to records of predecessors, advancing from Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment included three steps: "Qi, Body, Spirit." The first step was the transformation and liquefaction of spiritual power, the second step was cleansing the body with spiritual power and greatly increasing Life Span, and the final step was to break the Purple Mansion to condense the Divine Sense.

Only after completing all three steps could one be considered to have succeeded in Foundation Establishment.

Breaking the Purple Mansion was the most dangerous step, with nine out of ten attempting Foundation Establishment failing at this point.

If failed, the cultivator would at best suffer major spiritual damage, or at worst, lose normal cognitive functions and become an idiot.

Zhao Sheng's closed eyes suddenly shot open, reflecting his belief that he must succeed or die trying.

He was not afraid of death, as a failure meant he could simply try again in the next life.

Taking out a Foundation Establishment Pill, Zhao Sheng swallowed it without hesitation.

There was a "boom" as if a volcano had erupted within his Qi Sea.

In an instant, streams of incredibly pure Spiritual Energy surged into his Core Energy Sea, blending into the Spirit Power Vortex.

The Spirit Power Vortex, already expanded to its limit, instantly broke through his body, not only swelling by half again but also more than doubling in speed.

"Hmm!"

Zhao Sheng couldn't help but groan, but his spiritual power, far stronger than that of the average cultivator, immediately took control of the about-to-lose-control Spirit Power Vortex, beginning to refine the incoming Spiritual Energy with all his might.

After who knows how many rotations, eventually, a drop of transparent "Spirit Liquid" finally formed at the bottom of the cloud-mist-like Spirit Power Vortex.

Once the first drop of liquefied spiritual power appeared, the irreversible transformation of spiritual power began. In the blink of an eye, a second drop, a third drop... Numerous drops of liquefied spiritual power rapidly took shape.

At this step, the gaseous Spirit Power Vortex collapsed thunderously.

Within a few breaths, a greatly reduced and "delicate" Spirit Liquid Vortex suddenly formed in the depths of the Dantian.

After the spiritual power transformation was completed, Zhao Sheng silently ran the Mystical Spirit Skill over and over, and with the flow of liquid spiritual power washing through his limbs and bones and the Extraordinary Meridians with each pass.

He could clearly feel his cells growing stronger, meridians and bones fortifying, and his blood and marrow turning even more vibrant red with each immersion in spiritual power.

Zhao Sheng knew this was the Refining process, a rebirth from the marrow.

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