met free Chapter 94: Foundation Establishment Perfection
Chapter 94: Foundation Establishment Perfection
Looking at the two well-behaved children, Li Wu was very pleased. He smiled and took out two jade pendants from his sleeve, handing them to the two children:
Hello everyone.
Lu Sui looked closely and saw that the two jade pendants had a faint spiritual light flowing on them, and they were clearly two magic artifacts of the Qi Refining level.
Moreover, the quality is not low; it's not the kind of mass-produced goods.
"Brother Li, this...this is too precious!" Lu Sui quickly declined.
Li Wu waved his hand and laughed:
They're nothing special, just two protective jade pendants that can withstand a full-force attack from a Qi Refining cultivator.
"Brother Lu, please don't refuse. It's a gift given to the child as a token of our meeting; there's no reason to take it back."
These two trinkets were obtained by Li Wu from Qing Shi Men, and they are not considered particularly valuable to Qing Shi Men at present.
Seeing that Li Wu was adamant, Lu Sui had no choice but to let the two children accept the gifts.
Seeing that Li Wu was adamant, Lu Sui had no choice but to let the two children accept the gifts.
Although the two children did not know the jade pendant's value, they were also attracted by its warm, luminous light. Holding the pendant with great affection, they thanked it again in their childish voices.
"Thank you, Uncle Li."
So cute!
Li Wu pinched the two soft cheeks, which felt very comfortable.
At this moment, Zhao Nanxu also walked over and looked at Li Wu in surprise, saying:
"Fellow Daoist Li has broken through to the late Foundation Establishment stage?"
Zhao Nanxu has now broken through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, but he can no longer see through Li Wu's specific realm, so he guesses that Li Wu has already reached the late-Foundation Establishment stage.
Upon hearing this, Li Wuwei nodded slightly and said:
"The Biyang Sect gave me several lightning-attribute spiritual items, which allowed me to break through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Nanxu nodded. Compared to the Zhao family, the Biyang Sect was a behemoth, so it was normal for them to possess some lightning-attribute spiritual objects.
Li Wu glanced at Zhao Nanxu and said:
"Fellow Daoist Zhao has also reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage? Did you take the Foundation Establishment Pill I gave you back then?"
Zhao Nanxu shook her head and said:
"I haven't taken it yet. I plan to take it in two years, when I'm ready to break through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment."
"That's how it should be."
Li Wu nodded, agreeing with Zhao Nanxu's approach.
The Foundation Establishment Pill that Li Wu gave her was brought from Jade Forest Mountain. It was extremely effective and undoubtedly the best choice for breaking through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment.
Li Wu chatted with Lu Sui about everyday matters for a while, and seeing that it was getting late, he got up to say goodbye.
Lu Sui did not linger, and cupped his hands in greeting:
"Take care, Brother Li."
Li Wu summoned lightning and vanished into the sky in the blink of an eye.
Zhao Nanxu stood at the village entrance, watching the silvery-white light disappear into the distance, before finally turning her gaze away.
"This Li Wu's cultivation speed is truly astonishing," she murmured to herself.
Lu Sui stood to the side, holding the twins, and smiled:
"Brother Li's talent is beyond our reach, but it is already rare that he remembers us old friends."
He had known Li Wu since they were mortals, and even after Li Wu broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, he never neglected him.
It is evident that Li Wu was a person who valued relationships.
Zhao Nanxu nodded slightly and said no more.
…………
When Li Wu returned to Qing Shi Men, it was already night.
The stone gate appeared exceptionally tranquil in the moonlight, with several lamps hanging on either side of the lintel, emitting a soft glow.
Upon seeing their sect leader return, the disciples guarding the mountain quickly bowed in greeting.
Li Wuwei nodded slightly and headed straight for the General Affairs Hall.
As expected, He Yu was still here handling general affairs.
Hearing the commotion, He Yu looked up and saw Li Wu standing in front of her. She quickly stood up and said:
"Sect Leader."
Li Wuwei nodded slightly, sat down in the chair, and asked:
"Brother Lu, have you sent a disciple to become your apprentice?"
Upon hearing this, He Yu smiled slightly and said:
"Is the sect leader referring to that little girl named Lu Xiaomiao?"
Li Wu nodded.
He Yu put down the jade slip in his hand, stood up and poured Li Wu a cup of spiritual tea, saying:
"That child does have spiritual roots, but they are four spiritual roots, so her aptitude is not considered very good. However, she has a calm temperament and is quite opinionated despite her young age. So I took her in as a disciple. She usually helps me with some of the sect's affairs and she learns very quickly."
"A disciple under a formal name?" Li Wu took a sip of tea.
He Yu nodded and explained:
"As the sect leader knows, I am currently very busy and have no time to personally teach disciples. I accept them as nominal disciples and have other disciples teach them on a regular basis. I will give them some pointers when I have time, so it won't be a problem."
Li Wuwei nodded slightly; He Yu was indeed busy these days.
Qing Shi Men is now the undisputed number one sect in Youyang County. Countless matters, from the allocation of cultivation resources for the disciples to the sect's daily expenses, from external affairs to internal discipline, all depend on her.
Li Wu nodded and said:
"Brother Lu entrusted this to Qingshimen, so I can't be negligent. I hope you understand."
"Don't worry, Sect Leader, I will make proper arrangements," He Yu said solemnly.
Li Wu hummed in agreement and then asked:
"Has anything happened in the sect lately?"
He Yu pondered for a moment, then said:
"Nothing major, but there is a minor matter that the sect leader should perhaps know."
"explain."
"A few days ago, the Sun family from the county town sent people to pay their respects at the mountain, saying that they wanted to send several disciples from their clan to my Qingshi Gate for cultivation, and were willing to pay a considerable amount of spirit stones every year."
Li Wu raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.
There are many large and small cultivation families in Youyang County. Most of these families are affiliated with major sects, sending their children with spiritual roots to these sects for cultivation. This not only cultivates talent for the family but also strengthens the relationship with the sects.
However, most of them belong to the Qi Refining family.
The Sun family is a genuine Foundation Establishment family, although the Sun family patriarch was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage.
Li Wu leaned back in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, and after a moment of contemplation, he said:
"How many people do they want to send?"
"They say there are three people, two men and one woman, all with good spiritual roots and talents, and one of them even has three spiritual roots."
"Three spiritual roots?" Li Wu raised an eyebrow.
Three spiritual roots might not be anything special in a sect like Biyang Sect, but in a remote place like Youyang County, it's already considered exceptional talent.
Li Wuwei nodded slightly and said:
"It seems the Sun family has really gone all out this time."
He Yu nodded and said:
"What is the sect leader's decision? To accept or not to accept?"
Li Wu did not answer immediately, but asked:
"Are there any other families wishing to send their children here?"
He Yu understood and said:
"The sect leader is right. Several smaller families have sent their visiting cards in the past few days, but the Sun family is the only Foundation Establishment family among them, and their sincerity is the greatest."
"Since the Sun family is sincere, there's no need to turn them away."
Li Wu put down his teacup and said calmly:
"However, the rules must be made clear: once you enter the Qing Shi Sect, you become a disciple of the Qing Shi Sect. You must not interfere with your cultivation in the affairs of the sect, and you must not use the power of the sect to bully others."
Upon hearing this, He Yu nodded and said:
"Don't worry, Sect Leader, I've already given instructions. The Sun family replied that everything is being done in accordance with the sect rules, without any objections."
Li Wu hummed in agreement and then said:
"These family members should be treated the same as other disciples. There is no need to treat them differently or deliberately neglect them."
"Yes."
He Yu agreed and wrote a few strokes on the jade slip.
After discussing the matter, Li Wu got up and returned to his cave.
This time, he plans to go into seclusion on Qingshi Mountain to cultivate until he reaches the peak of Foundation Establishment.
Li Wu returned to his cave dwelling, sat cross-legged on a futon, and took out the [Mysterious Thunder Strike Wood].
The moment the jade box was opened, a rich aura of lightning-attribute spiritual energy spread out, and faint lightning flashed in the cave, with a subtle rumbling sound reverberating in the air.
This piece of lightning-struck wood is a deep purple color, about the size of a palm, with faint lightning patterns visible between the wood grain.
"This spiritual object possesses a truly rich spiritual energy of thunder."
Li Wuxin exclaimed in admiration that the purity of the lightning-attribute spiritual energy contained in this Xuanlei Strike Wood far surpassed any lightning-attribute spiritual object he had obtained before.
He took a deep breath, held the Xuanlei Strike Wood in his palm, and circulated his internal energy.
Purple lightning surged from the Xuanlei-struck wood, slowly flowing into his dantian along his meridians.
The power of thunder traveled through the meridians, bringing a slight stinging sensation, but after the stinging, it transformed into a warm and nourishing force, nourishing the meridian walls.
He gradually refined the lightning-attribute spiritual energy within the Xuanlei Strike Wood, absorbing it bit by bit into the thunderclouds in his dantian, where it was then slowly transformed by the silvery-white divine lightning.
Time slips away quietly during cultivation.
Sun rises and sets, spring goes and autumn comes.
…………
On this day, lightning suddenly blazed brightly in the cave.
Silvery-white lightning surged from Li Wu's body, illuminating the entire cave as if it were daytime.
Within his dantian, thunderclouds spun rapidly, thunder rumbled, and faint silver-white arcs of electricity danced at the edge of the vortex.
Foundation building complete!
Li Wu opened his eyes, a flash of lightning disappearing from them.
He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, which was mixed with tiny sparks of lightning that crackled in the air.
"Foundation Building is complete," Li Wu murmured to himself.
The next step is the Purple Mansion Realm.
However, to break through to the Purple Mansion Realm, one must go to the Qi Gathering Realm; this world is not an option for now.
"I wonder how things are over there."
Li Wu was forced to hide here by that Xuandu Zhenren, and he has been hiding for two years now.
"It's time to go back."
Li Wu muttered to himself, the image of Xuan Du Zhenren's crimson giant hand that blotted out the sky appearing in his mind, and he still felt lingering fear.
He had personally experienced the oppressive aura of the Purple Mansion True Man.
The suffocating feeling of spiritual energy stagnating and the soul being locked up was like an ant looking up at the sky, where even escaping became a luxury.
…………
Gas extraction area.
The State of Qin.
Li Wu looked around and then fled towards the Qi residence.
Qi Yu was sitting in the courtyard drinking tea. He had already married Ying Yu and was now a true prince consort.
[Longevity Qi] was completely integrated into the fate of the Qin state.
Qi Yu also received the blessing of the Qin state's national fortune, and his cultivation broke through to the late Foundation Establishment stage.
As Qi Yu was flipping through the book in his hand, a streak of silvery-white lightning suddenly flashed across the sky.
The lightning bolt arrived extremely fast; one moment it was on the horizon, and the next it was already above the Qi residence.
Qi Yu suddenly stood up, an expression of disbelief on his face.
As the lightning subsided, a familiar figure landed in the courtyard.
His white robes fluttered in the wind, and the lingering arcs of lightning around him added a touch of fierceness to his handsome face.
"Brother Li... Brother Li?!"
Qi Yu opened his mouth, his voice trembling slightly, then strode forward, punching Li Wu in the shoulder, and said in a deep voice:
"You're still alive, you son of a bitch!"
Li Wu was knocked back half a step by his punch, then chuckled and rubbed his shoulder, jokingly saying:
"What, are you hoping I'll die?"
"Hope for what?!"
Qi Yu's eyes were a little red. He pulled him to sit down on the stone bench and looked him up and down several times.
"Where have you been these past two years? Master Tianxuan searched the entire Qin Kingdom but couldn't find you. We thought you'd been taken by that old bastard Xuandu..."
Halfway through his sentence, Qi Yu suddenly stopped, his gaze falling on Li Wu, his pupils shrinking slightly:
"Brother Li, you... have reached the peak of Foundation Establishment?"
Li Wuwei nodded slightly, offering no further explanation:
"By chance, I hid in a safe place and cultivated for two years."
Qi Yu didn't press further, but simply clicked his tongue in admiration:
"It seems that Brother Li has truly turned misfortune into a blessing in disguise."
Li Wu chuckled lightly, then asked:
"After I disappeared that day, did anything happen?"
Upon hearing this, Qi Yu nodded repeatedly and said:
"After learning of your disappearance, Master Tianxuan traveled throughout the four kingdoms and even the lands of Buddhist practitioners, where he fought against many masters and Mahayana practitioners."
"However, in the end, they all came to nothing."
Li Wuwei nodded slightly, then asked:
"What is the current situation of the Qin state?"
When Qi Yu heard Li Wu ask about this, the smile on his face faded slightly. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said in a deep voice:
"After True Master Xuandu made his move that day, True Master Tianxuan set up a large array on the border of Qin State. Within a radius of a thousand miles, he would immediately detect any aura of the Purple Mansion level approaching."
"What about the four countries?" Li Wu asked.
"The troops have retreated."
Qi Yu put down his teacup, his tone carrying a hint of satisfaction:
"Three days after you left, the cultivators from the four countries completely withdrew."
Li Wu raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised:
"You're just withdrawing like that?"
"Otherwise what?"
Qi Yu shrugged and said with a grin:
"The Heavenly Mystery Immortal was suspended in the sky above the Qin Kingdom at that time, turning over in the clouds for seven days and seven nights. None of the Purple Mansion Immortals from the four kingdoms dared to show their faces."
"As for Foundation Establishment cultivators... they couldn't even withstand a single move from a True Immortal Tianxuan. Are they just going to stay and wait to die?"
Li Wuwei nodded slightly, which made sense.
True Person Tianxuan cultivates the [She Lei] technique and is a Great True Person who has perfected all five methods, placing him at the top level among those in the Purple Mansion Realm. Although the Purple Mansion True Persons from the four kingdoms outnumbered each other, none of them wanted to be the first to confront such a ruthless individual head-on.
"but……"
Qi Yu changed the subject, lowering his voice to say:
"Although the four kingdoms have withdrawn their troops, their underhanded tactics have not stopped. In the past six months, there have been many unfamiliar cultivators in Qin territory. On the surface, they are wandering cultivators, but you can probably guess what they are doing in secret."
Li Wu's gaze narrowed slightly, and he said calmly:
"Gathering intelligence and waiting for the right opportunity to act?"
"That's right."
Qi Yu nodded:
"Brother Zichu has already cleared out several groups, but they are too numerous to kill. The four kingdoms are determined to keep a close eye on Qin, both because they are worried about the Three Qi of Fortune, Longevity and Prosperity, and also because they are looking for your presence, Brother Li."
After all, for the current Taoist traditions of the four kingdoms, Li Wubu's death would cause them sleepless nights and loss of appetite.
Li Wu naturally understood this as well.
The Four Kingdoms Purple Mansion can tolerate two Purple Mansion True Persons, Tianxuan True Person and Pei Xiyan, but they will never tolerate a third Purple Mansion True Person from a different Thunder Attribute lineage.
"Now that I have reached the Foundation Establishment stage, I am only one step away from breaking through to the Purple Mansion realm." A flash of lightning appeared in Li Wu's eyes.
Qi Yu nodded slightly and said:
"Once Brother Li breaks through to the Purple Mansion realm, he will have gathered the three Purple Mansion True Persons: Divine Thunder, Tremor Thunder, and Social Thunder, and will be able to open the Jade Pivot Palace."
"At that time, all unfavorable situations can be reversed."
Li Wu nodded and immediately stood up, saying:
"Time waits for no one. I shall go to the Dragon Palace Thunder Pool now to prepare for my breakthrough to the Purple Mansion realm."
However, Qi Yu said in a deep voice:
"Brother Li, you must be extremely careful on your journey to the Dragon Palace. As far as I know, many Purple Mansion True Persons from the four Daoist lineages are watching the East Sea, waiting for your aura to appear."
Although Li Wu has been missing for a long time, even Master Xuandu doesn't know how Li Wu suddenly disappeared back then.
Therefore, even the Four Kingdoms Purple Mansion Immortals dared not be careless, still clinging to the belief that Li Wu was not dead.
After all, once Li Wu returns, he will definitely go to the Dragon Palace to break through to the Purple Mansion Realm, so they only need to guard the East Sea.
Upon hearing this, Li Wu frowned slightly, pondering to himself:
"Even if I stay in Qin, it won't be long before the other Purple Mansion True Persons know about my appearance."
Therefore, no matter what, Li Wu must set off for the East Sea immediately.
With this in mind, Li Wu immediately bid farewell to Qi Yu and headed towards the East Sea.
At the same time, he made a hand seal, and two bolts of lightning flew towards the Dragon Palace and Jade Forest Mountain.
The Four Kingdoms Purple Mansion Immortal's reaction was faster than Li Wu had anticipated.
He had only been setting up his lightning for half an incense stick's time when he felt the sky ahead suddenly darken and several mountains appear out of thin air.
Block his path.
Li Wutong's pupils shrank slightly, the lightning subsided, and he hovered in mid-air.
"Li Wu".
An aged voice rang out, its direction indiscernible, as if coming from all directions:
"I've been waiting here for a long time."
Li Wu's expression remained unchanged. He took out all his magical artifacts at once and unleashed his full power of silver-white lightning around his body.
He didn't rush to act, but instead raised his head, looked around, and said loudly:
"Of the four kingdoms' Purple Mansions, only one has come?"
As soon as he finished speaking, streaks of light appeared in the sky, gradually approaching and eventually taking on human shapes.
In an instant, Li Wu was sealed off by a vast net of interwoven supernatural powers, and images of mountains, rivers, ice, and seas of fire appeared out of thin air.
Looking at these images, Li Wu remained unusually calm, and smiled indifferently:
"Six True Immortals! You killed a Foundation Establishment cultivator like me, and now six Purple Mansion True Immortals have come! I have quite the nerve."
At this moment, Qi Shaoning spoke up:
"Li Wu, letting you break through to the Foundation Establishment stage was already a huge mistake. Today, there is no way I will let you leave."
Li Wu looked up and saw that the person speaking was surrounded by a chilling aura, causing Li Wu to frown slightly and say:
"So you are the patriarch of the Qi family?"
"Did you eat Ning Miao?"
Upon hearing the name, Qi Shaoning's face showed a thoughtful expression, and after a moment he said:
"My disciple is quite talented, but unfortunately he is unruly and has a very special destiny. He was unfortunately converted by Buddhist monks."
Upon hearing this, Li Wu laughed in anger, even though Ning Miao had clearly been taken advantage of by him.
It's clear that the Purple Mansion Immortals here have all eaten people, or know that others have eaten people.
But they insist on pretending that they never ate people.
This attitude made Li Wu want to laugh.
He held a long halberd, with the Thunder Sound Flying Sword swirling around him, and he fully activated the [Divine Thunder], causing thunderclouds to slowly gather above his head.
He infused his voice with spiritual energy, hoping it would travel as far as possible, and said:
"You Purple Mansion Immortals are truly hypocrites! You've already taken your own disciples, so why do you have to pretend to be so virtuous?"
The six figures in the sky each occupied a different area, blocking all of Li Wu's escape routes.
Qi Shaoning's face darkened immediately after Li Wu exposed him in public. His aura grew even colder, and fine ice crystals condensed in the air and fell down.
"You ignorant brat, spouting nonsense!"
His voice was low, but carried a hint of embarrassment and anger.
"I, Qi Shaoning, have cultivated for hundreds of years. Why should I explain anything to a Foundation Establishment cultivator like you?"
Li Wu chuckled, brandishing his halberd, lightning crackling across its blade.
"Getting angry out of embarrassment? Looks like I was right."
Another True Person of the Purple Mansion slowly spoke.
This man had a gaunt face, wore a yellow robe, and had a faint, ethereal mountain silhouette floating behind him. His name was Yue Chongshan.
"Li Wu, you are exceptionally talented. You have reached the Foundation Establishment stage in just a few decades of cultivation. Given time, you may very well achieve the Purple Mansion stage."
Yue Chongshan spoke in a calm tone, as if advising a younger generation:
"But you bear the lineage of the Divine Thunder, and the lineages of the four kingdoms cannot tolerate you. This is the general trend, and it cannot be changed by human power."
"If you surrender, we may spare your life, but cripple your cultivation and send you back to the mortal world to live out your remaining days."
"To strip them of their cultivation?"
Li Wu seemed to have heard a joke, and said loudly:
"If I were to become a mortal, I fear I would never even see the sun rise tomorrow. The real man has certainly made a good calculation."
Yue Chongshan sighed, as if he truly felt sorry for Li Wu:
"In that case, there's nothing more to say."
Before the words were even finished, the six Purple Mansion True Persons attacked simultaneously.