"It's done," Elian said, his face lighting up with joy as he gazed at the three Breaking Origin Pills before him.
After exiting his seclusion, he rented a high-grade second-tier cultivation chamber, spending two days adjusting his state of mind in preparation for breaking through to the mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm.
By conventional wisdom, he shouldn't have attempted this so soon. He had only reached Foundation Establishment Stage Three less than a year ago. Even with the aid of spiritual peaches, it would normally take five years of accumulating spiritual energy to reach the peak of the early stage.
However, to accelerate his progress, Elian had specially purchased a Jade Essence Pill from the Tianxu Pavilion.
The Jade Essence Pill, a high-grade second-tier elixir, was refined by Su Mingwei using thousand-year jade essence and Snow Jade Ginseng—rare treasures in their own right. This pill could instantly grant a Foundation Establishment cultivator the equivalent of 20 years of cultivation.
The Tianxu Pavilion had only a few of these precious pills in stock, each priced at a staggering 2,000 spirit stones. Most Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn't dream of spending such a sum.
The pill did have a limitation: it could only be consumed once every 60 years. For this reason, Chen Changxuan, who had taken one decades earlier, could no longer benefit from it even though he now had the means to purchase one.
After consuming the Jade Essence Pill, Elian spent seven days refining its effects, pushing his spiritual energy to the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage. His meridians were now brimming with energy. Without intervention, it would typically take another 20 to 30 years of tedious cultivation to naturally break through to the mid-stage.
This phase of slow progress often led cultivators to lose motivation. Faced with years of stagnant advancement and an unclear path forward, many would become disheartened and complacent. This was why the majority of Foundation Establishment cultivators never advanced beyond the early or middle stages.
The Breaking Origin Pill offered a solution to this dilemma. Unlike pills such as the Foundation Establishment Pill, which softened spiritual energy and protected the meridians, the Breaking Origin Pill violently expanded a cultivator's spiritual energy, forcibly breaking through bottlenecks.
This method bypassed years of refinement. Once a cultivator reached the next stage, they could return to polishing their spiritual energy, ensuring a solid foundation without the drawbacks of artificial advancement.
Elian felt confident. A single Breaking Origin Pill could increase the chances of breaking through by 30%. With three pills in hand, his success was almost guaranteed.
As it turned out, Elian needed only one pill. His naturally broad meridians and sharp, vigorous spiritual energy reacted immediately to the pill's effects. The breakthrough was swift and effortless.
"It's done," he said again, sensing the surge of spiritual energy within him. His reserves had increased by more than 40%.
With this breakthrough, Elian's strength would grow exponentially. Once he polished his spiritual energy, it would rival that of many late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. He would be able to fully unleash the potential of his Purple Radiance Mirror and Purple Sun Furnace.
Moreover, his divine techniques—such as the Heavenly Flame Sword Art and Metal Essence Divine Thunder—would become nearly as powerful in his hands as they were when wielded by the family patriarch.
The greatest gain, however, was the ability to refine the Fiery Void Sword to a high-grade second-tier artifact. Once fully refined, it would radiate a ten-foot sword aura, vastly enhancing its destructive power.
Elian couldn't help but smile at the thought. With the Fiery Void Sword in hand, his combat strength would surpass most late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. He would stand shoulder to shoulder with the family patriarch, capable of taking on multiple opponents at once.
After spending another half-month refining his spiritual energy, Elian finally emerged from seclusion, his heart brimming with anticipation.
However, as he stepped out of the chamber, he noticed several family cultivators waiting for him, their faces solemn.
"What happened?" he asked, a sinking feeling in his chest.
Chen Nianyong, the group's leader, stepped forward with a pained expression.
"Uncle Qinghe… he's passed away."
"What?" Elian froze, his mind blank.
The night was dim and draped in a light rain.
Elian stood before Chen Qinghe's meditation chamber, staring silently at the shrouded figure of his uncle. His eyes closed as he tried to suppress the emotions welling up within him.
"Uncle Qinghe left you a letter," Chen Nianyong said softly, handing over an envelope and a small jade box.
Elian opened the box to find the Foundation Establishment Pill, still radiating a faint azure glow, perfectly intact.
He unfolded the letter and read its contents, his face expressionless.
"To Elian,
Little Elian, you've finally grown up. Almost thirty years have passed, and you've become the pillar of our family.
You are so much stronger than I ever was. I, Qinghe, achieved nothing in my youth. I lacked the courage to attempt Foundation Establishment in my prime and could only help the family manage its affairs in my old age.
In my final days, I tried to break through to Foundation Establishment as a last act of defiance against my fate.
I knew it was impossible. Even with the Foundation Establishment Pill, I couldn't succeed. Rather than waste it to prolong my life, I decided to leave it for someone more deserving.
You're still young, Elian, and too sentimental. But I had to make the wise choice where you could not.
Take this pill back to the family and use it to nurture another Foundation Establishment cultivator. Let this be my final contribution to our clan.
Don't grieve for me. For me, dying in an attempt to achieve Foundation Establishment is far better than waiting for death to come as I wallow in regret.
Learn from my mistakes. When faced with difficult choices, act boldly. Whether you succeed or fail, you will have no regrets.
Hesitation leads only to missed opportunities, regret, and a life of sorrow.
— Qinghe"
Elian closed the letter, his face expressionless as tears silently streamed down his cheeks.
The rain continued to fall that night. Sitting alone on a cliff, Elian played a melancholic melody on his zither, his white robes soaked through. The somber notes of longing for autumn echoed in the misty rain.
He didn't know how long he had been playing when a paper umbrella appeared beside him. Jiang Linglong stood there, dressed in a snow-white gown, silently shielding him from the rain.
The two remained silent, unmoving, until dawn broke and the rain began to fade. Elian finally stilled the strings and murmured, "Thank you."
"Mm," she replied softly.
Without another word, Jiang Linglong turned and walked away, her figure disappearing into the faint morning mist, the paper umbrella still in hand.
...
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I need POWAAA! Gimme Power Stones :D