After the lesson on the basics of swordsmanship—which resulted in Lu Chenge receiving an instantaneous mastery of the Absolute Edge Sword Intent—Lu Chenge understood the crucial nature of expansion. The wealth and power he had acquired were breathtaking, but he felt an instinctive desire, guided by the System's underlying logic, to grow his roster.
"Wei An, stay here and focus on your Qi circulation. Use the Foundation Pill I gave you yesterday," he instructed. "I need to take a brief trip down the mountain to the Outer Sect Halls."
Wei An bowed deeply. "Yes, Master. I will work hard!"
🔍 Scouting the Prospects
Lu Chenge used his newly mastered Heavenly Void Transposition Art (which he carefully disguised as mere rapid walking) to reach the sprawling Outer Sect Halls in moments. The air was thick with the energy of hundreds of hopeful young cultivators undergoing rudimentary training and endless chores.
He strolled through the grounds, his Perfected Foundation Establishment aura unconsciously suppressing the lesser cultivators. He wasn't looking for the most talented—Wei An proved talent was irrelevant to the return—he was looking for a Designated Target.
He passed a cocky youth with high-grade roots boasting about his rapid progress.
[Target Identified: Disciple – Lin Bao. Status: Talented, Arrogant. Spiritual Roots: Earth-Grade, High Tier. Compatibility: Moderate.]
Lu Chenge walked on. High compatibility felt too easy. He was looking for someone who genuinely needed the gift, perhaps another outcast.
He found him near the storage sheds: a boy named Mu Yun, tasked with scrubbing mildew off old wood. Mu Yun was stocky, quiet, and possessed a surprisingly serious expression for his age. His assessment was brutal:
[Target Identified: Disciple – Mu Yun. Status: Low Potential, Diligent. Spiritual Roots: Trash-Grade, Lower Tier (Dormant Fire Element). Compatibility: High.]
Trash-Grade, Lu Chenge mused. Even worse than Wei An's Mortal-Grade. This was perfect. If the system amplified the impact of a gift on such poor roots, the return might be even more profound.
He approached the boy. "Young man, what is your name?"
Mu Yun jumped, startled by the sudden appearance of a dignified Inner-Sect Elder. He quickly wiped his hands on his trousers. "Mu Yun, sir. Outer-Sect Disciple."
"I am Elder Lu Chenge," he announced. "I observed your diligent work ethic. I am seeking a second disciple. Are you willing to cultivate under my guidance?"
Mu Yun's jaw dropped. Cultivation slots under Inner-Sect Elders were intensely competitive. He immediately knelt. "Master Lu, I am willing! But... my roots are poor."
"Talent is merely one path," Lu Chenge replied, already pulling out the most appropriate contribution he could imagine—a resource that specifically targeted dormant elemental roots.
🔥 Contribution 3: Elemental Awakening
From his vast, System-acquired treasury of pills, Lu Chenge selected a single Tier 3 Primordial Fire Seed Pill. This pill was not only incredibly rare but was specifically designed to forcefully awaken dormant elemental roots, a process that usually required extreme risk.
He handed it to Mu Yun. "Take this, Mu Yun. It is a Fire Seed Pill. It will be painful, but it will awaken what lies dormant within you. It is your entrance gift."
[Host Contribution Detected: 1 x Tier 3 Primordial Fire Seed Pill.] [Contribution Essence: Elemental Awakening and Qi Augmentation.] [Commencing 10,000-Fold Return…] [Return Acquired: 10,000 x Tier 7 Pure Phoenix Flame Pills (Highest Tier).]
Lu Chenge mentally cataloged the overwhelming return, which instantly filled a new quadrant of his pouch with fiery, blazing pills.
The primary System Notification followed instantly, aimed straight at his own power core:
[Host has received 10,000X return of Elemental Awakening and Qi Augmentation Essence. Host's own Foundation Establishment Qi is deemed Unrefined.] [Host's Spiritual Core will now be cleansed and augmented with Pure Fire Essence.] [Cultivation Advance: Host's Perfected Foundation Establishment Qi has been fused with Primordial Phoenix Fire Essence, significantly increasing its purity and allowing an early transition to the Golden Core stage.]
BOOM.
A silent, internal explosion of golden and crimson energy erupted within Lu Chenge. He felt the vast expanse of his Perfected Foundation compress, stabilize, and solidify into a glowing, vibrant Golden Core the size of a pigeon's egg. The energy radiating from him became palpable, dense, and fiery.
He was no longer Peak Foundation Establishment. Lu Chenge had successfully and instantly stepped into the revered Golden Core Realm. He was now an Elder of true power, all while standing in the Outer Sect laundry yard.
Mu Yun, terrified by the sudden surge of golden light emanating from the Elder, shielded his eyes. "Master! Are you hurt?"
Lu Chenge calmly steadied his new power, suppressing the instinct to unleash a wave of Phoenix Fire. The System had worked perfectly. By gifting an elemental spark, he gained an elemental supernova.
"I am fine, Mu Yun," Lu Chenge said, his voice now carrying the deep resonance of the Golden Core realm. He looked at the two tokens in his hand—the old one for Wei An, the new one for Mu Yun. He was building his foundation, one generous act at a time.
"Come. We return to Azure Cloud Peak. Your training—and mine—has just reached a new level."