Chapter Fifty-Nine: Breaking Through to the Foundation Establishment Stage (Part One)

Lin Yanghao was no longer foolish enough to participate in the so-called Newcomers’ Tournament of the Cultivation World. Back when he stood on the back of the Golden Sun Roc, the Moonlit Illusion Wolf had already warned him that their next target was to eliminate those arriving for the tournament. Therefore, Lin Yanghao decided his top priority had to be to increase his strength. From what those spirit beasts said, it seemed they intended to conquer the cultivation world, and with his current abilities, he couldn’t even guarantee his own survival.

He withdrew his fireball spell. Although his improvement in this art had been modest, Lin Yanghao understood that cultivation was never achieved in a day. The path to immortality was one of defying destiny, and it devoured time. Later on, a single period of seclusion could last several years, even decades. Only by enduring countless hardships and overcoming adversity could one forge their true self and ascend the great Dao. Moreover, Lin Yanghao knew his five-element spiritual roots were considered useless, making his journey far more arduous than that of others.

“I’ve never seriously cultivated before. This time, I must dedicate myself to proper seclusion and training.” With that, Lin Yanghao gathered ample food and water, for he had not yet formed his foundation and thus could not live without sustenance.

Continuing his cultivation according to the Chaos Divine Spirit Manual, Lin Yanghao produced a few low-grade spirit stones and activated his technique. Though he had few stones left, the ambient spiritual energy between heaven and earth could no longer satisfy his needs, so he was forced to use his remaining stones.

Spiritual energy once more slowly flowed from his dantian throughout his meridians.

One cycle, two cycles…

After several cycles, Lin Yanghao couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Using the spirit stones, his absorption speed was more than ten times faster than before. Feeling the spiritual energy in his body steadily increase, and with the peerless Chaos Divine Spirit Manual guiding him, Lin Yanghao brimmed with hope for the future.

Fifty cycles.

One hundred cycles.

A soft crack startled him out of his meditation. Opening his eyes, he realized the spirit stone had been completely drained. This phenomenon filled Lin Yanghao with amazement; in the past, a single low-grade spirit stone could last him half a month, yet now it had been exhausted in just one day. How could he not be surprised?

When the spiritual energy returned to his dantian, Lin Yanghao quickly examined it with his divine sense. He was overjoyed to find the energy within had doubled. He thought, “If I use up my remaining nine spirit stones, my dantian should be nearly full.”

A month later.

Lin Yanghao opened his eyes, his face radiant with excitement. After a month of cultivation, his dantian was finally filled with spiritual energy.

By the tenth day of his training, Lin Yanghao’s spirit stones had all been depleted, yet he was still some distance from perfection. Only a few Purification Pills remained. Relying on them and another twenty days of diligent cultivation, his perseverance was rewarded—the spiritual energy in his dantian finally reached fullness.

Stepping out of the cave and seeing dust blanketing both the entrance and the inner chamber, Lin Yanghao felt a tinge of loneliness. After living in the Seven Luminaries Sect for so long, he had grown accustomed to sect life and now found solitude somewhat unsettling.

While Lin Yanghao immersed himself in harsh cultivation, Wang Shaohui, still in the Seven Luminaries Sect, was far from calm.

“What did you say? Lin Yanghao is missing?” Wang Shaohui exclaimed.

“Yes, boss. The outer disciples who went to the Newcomers’ Tournament are either dead or on the run. Even our Spirit-Charging Elder was badly wounded by the Moonlit Illusion Wolf, one of the Four Great Demon Kings, and barely managed to return to the sect with the few surviving disciples and Elder Li using a secret technique.”

“So, is Lin Yanghao dead or not?”

“Boss, with all those spirit beasts, what chance did Lin Yanghao have to escape? He’s definitely dead.”

“He got off easy, dying so quickly,” Wang Shaohui sighed.

“Boss, I also heard that the Beast Realm may attack soon. If that happens, we’ll all be finished.” The underling glanced around before speaking in a conspiratorial whisper.

Their voices were too low for anyone to hear what followed.

...

“Fireball! Swift!” Lin Yanghao formed hand seals, sending forth a fireball.

A resounding crack—the ancient tree before him fell and was instantly engulfed in flames, reduced to ashes in moments.

A satisfied smile appeared on Lin Yanghao’s face. The results pleased him greatly. His fireball spell, once weak and feeble, was now powerful. Over the past month, aside from daily cultivation of the Chaos Divine Spirit Manual, he had also diligently honed his fireball technique, finally mastering it. The fire-elemental beast core he used had also been completely depleted.

Now, with everything prepared, all that remained was to form his foundation. This secluded place was perfect—free from disturbance, and Lin Yanghao felt full confidence. After a month’s relentless effort, though he had not yet broken through the first level of the Chaos Divine Spirit Manual, he had reached the lower-stage realm, which corresponded precisely to the Foundation Establishment period. He was now certain of his success.

Inside the cave, Lin Yanghao suddenly opened his eyes. After several days consolidating his cultivation, he had finally reached the optimal moment for Foundation Establishment. His divine sense swept the surroundings—spiritual energy was abundant. Satisfied, he nodded, then took the Foundation Establishment Pill and swallowed it.

It was essential to have sufficient ambient spiritual energy during Foundation Establishment; otherwise, constructing the Dao platform could be interrupted and all previous effort lost.

As the pill entered his stomach, the spiritual energy in his dantian surged violently. Lin Yanghao knew this was the precursor to Foundation Establishment.

The spiritual energy in his body grew ever more intense, to the point where he felt he might burst. The spiritual energy from heaven and earth rushed madly toward him, making the energy within his dantian even more turbulent. Pressed by the overwhelming force, Lin Yanghao found it hard to breathe.

“Am I about to be torn apart from within? If I’m exploded by spiritual energy, I’ll be the first in history!” The thought flashed across Lin Yanghao’s mind.