Chapter 19: Breaking the Shackles
The cavern's dim light had become a familiar companion. Days blurred into nights as Lin Xuan cultivated, drilled his arts, and refined his control over qi until each breath felt like a blade being honed.
Pill by pill, his strength climbed — until the familiar barrier loomed before him.
> [Qi Condensation – Stage 9: Peak]
The next step was the Foundation Establishment Realm. And Lin Xuan intended to make that step in a way none of his enemies would forget.
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The Bait
He sifted through Liang Feixu's stores, setting aside the rarest herbs for one purpose: Foundation Establishment Pills. The normal formula would suffice for most cultivators, but Lin Xuan's divine physique demanded far more potency to shatter the barrier.
Which meant only one option: upgrade everything.
> [Upgrade Talent Activated]
Spirit-Grade Spirit Root → Celestial-Grade Spirit Root of Heaven's Breath
High Heaven-Grade Golden Lotus → Celestial-Grade Primordial Lotus of Dawn
Foundation Marrow Beast Core → Celestial-Grade True Marrow Dragon Core
By the time he finished, the ingredients themselves radiated an oppressive qi pressure, making the cavern's air dense and difficult to breathe.
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The Forge of Heaven
He lit the furnace with a flame that merged his three affinities, weaving fire for heat, lightning for precision, and space to stabilize the violent energies.
The herbs melted into pure essence, the beast core fusing into the brew with a deep, resonant hum. Every second felt like walking the edge of a sword — one mistake and the furnace would explode.
Finally, the mixture condensed, compressing into a single, perfect pill that shone with an inner light like a newborn star.
> [Celestial-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill]
Its potency was terrifying. Its qi signature was impossible to hide. Which was exactly the point.
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Drawing the Wolves
When Lin Xuan stepped out of the cavern, pill in hand, he didn't try to mask his presence. Instead, he released a surge of qi, letting the pill's aura flood the valley.
It took less than ten breaths.
Figures emerged from the treeline, dozens at first, then more. Rogue cultivators, mercenaries, and even a few from rival sects, all with greed blazing in their eyes.
High above, Qiu Wansheng's disciples circled like hawks, their master watching from a distance.
One man barked, "Hand over the pill and I might leave you in one piece!"
Lin Xuan smiled coldly. "If you want it…" He tossed the pill into his mouth. "…come and take it."
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Heaven Descends
The moment the pill dissolved, the heavens roared. Clouds swirled into a vortex, lightning arcs thick as tree trunks writhing within.
> [Foundation Establishment Tribulation – Activated]
The first bolt came down like a divine blade, striking Lin Xuan dead center — and exploding outward in a wave that scorched the ground for thirty meters.
The nearest pursuers screamed as lightning ripped through them, bodies charring where they stood.
The second bolt split into five branches, lancing outward to impale those trying to retreat.
Panic erupted. "It's targeting everyone in range!"
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The Breakthrough
Lin Xuan stood at the heart of the storm, Aegis of Shifting Skies flaring with each strike, absorbing enough of the force to keep him standing while the rest burned.
Inside, the celestial-grade pill's power surged through him, battering the barrier between realms until it shattered like glass.
> [Foundation Establishment – Early Stage]
The final bolt came down — and Lin Xuan directed it. His spear thrust upward, guiding the lightning into a knot of survivors. The blast threw bodies in all directions.
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The Cleanup
When the clouds dispersed, the valley was littered with corpses and smoking craters. A few stragglers still breathed, crawling away.
Lin Xuan stepped toward them, spear in hand. The Stormfang Pike crackled with residual lightning as he struck, each blow swift and final.
When it was over, he stood alone amid the silence, his armor scorched but intact. His qi was denser, sharper — the power of a new realm flowing in every motion.
High above, Qiu Wansheng's distant silhouette faded back into the horizon.
Lin Xuan knew this wasn't the end. It was only the first statement: come for me if you dare.