Chapter 158 – Time to Buckle Down!

  For several days, Jun De stayed inside his residence and ignored the world beyond his courtyard, which faded away, replaced by a haze of rest and recovery. The smell of flowers and blooming plum trees drifted through his courtyard, and the gentle murmur of water from the Koi pond allowed him to relax in his favourite chair.

  Jun De kept expecting someone else to knock on his gate, whether it was Shen Ruolan finally returning or Bai Xuelian realizing that she would prefer to see him again instead of cultivating, but neither appeared.

  He enjoyed those quiet days seated in his favourite wooden chair, with his feet up on the stone table as he watched the clouds pass overhead. He didn’t cultivate, or paint, or even do much else besides eat, sleep and daydream.

  The exhaustion that clung to him after his recent ‘exertions’ had run deeper than just physical fatigue; it involved the transfer and refinement of the Qi in his Dantian through Dual Cultivation. It had not only improved Mu Yanyu’s health and Lin Yue’s progress, but his own as well.

  But every time he circulated his Qi, it felt slightly off-balance. Each breakthrough would take time to refine and steady, and after three days, Jun De’s strength had mostly returned. The chaotic tide of energy within him began to smooth out, and his aura once more settled into its regular calm.

  On the fifth morning, as a layer of mist covered the ground of the Inner Sect and Jun De had just been enjoying breakfast, when the array at his gate shimmered briefly to announce a visitor. With a wave of his hand, Jun De parted it to allow Shen Weifeng, the Former Outer Sect Elder, to enter.

  His friend and mentor appeared as he always did, composed and wise, while still bearing the weight of authority and confidence that had come from decades of cultivation.

  His cultivation was showing signs of improvement, inching closer to the later stage of Foundation Establishment, although Shen Weifeng admitted that it would be years before he reached it.

  Shen Weifeng’s sharp eyes took in Jun De’s appearance, along with his breakthrough in cultivation, and nodded.

  “I believe you have been idle long enough, Jun De. It’s time you returned to training if you want to beat Zhang Yuehai at the Inner Sect Ranking Competition.” Shen Weifeng said as he sat at Jun De’s table and poured himself a cup of tea from the pot that was steaming in front of him.

  “It may have been delayed, but you can be sure that he won’t have forgotten about you. Yuehai may not be one for intense training, but he’s talented and has the weight of the Zhang Clan behind him.”

  “He doesn’t seem like one to forget a grudge, either.” Jun De muttered, recalling how he had punched the young man in a fit of anger on board the flying ship. It had been a turbulent time, and he had lost control of his emotions for a moment.

  “Yes, you can bet he will want to settle that debt as well.” Shen Weifeng nodded. He studied Jun De for a moment, and a faint approving smile touched his lips.

  “You’ve made progress this past year. Your spiritual Energy has thickened, a sign that your recent breakthrough is consolidating well. If you continue at this pace, you should reach Foundation Establishment before the Inner Sect Ranking Competition.”

  Jun De’s eyes widened slightly.

  “Foundation Establishment before the competition? That’s only half a year away!”

  Shen Weifeng nodded.

  “You’ve tempered your body and mind. Your meridians have already begun the transformation to allow the passage of stronger spiritual energy. You only lack a final push, a period of focused cultivation without any distractions.”

  Shen Weifeng’s tone sharpened subtly at the last words, though he didn’t elaborate on what he meant by ‘distractions.’

  He didn’t need to, as Jun De could read between the lines. If he wanted to reach Foundation Establishment, he couldn’t have anyone unexpectedly showing up at his door or sending messages to him for ‘healing sessions.’

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Jun De thought about it for a moment, then inclined his head.

  “I understand. I have to help Elder Mu for the moment, but I’ll speak to her about Secluded Mediation.”

  “Good.” Shen Weifeng replied with a single word as he leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard.

  His formerly all white hair had darkened as his cultivation progressed, regaining some of his longevity. Shen Weifeng was in his seventies, which was old for a mortal, but a Qi Condensation Cultivator of the 10th level could live for over a hundred years.

  Foundation Establishment Cultivators, on the other hand, could live for hundreds. If Shen Weifeng kept his high pace of cultivation, he could possibly double or even triple his current lifespan.

  “The competition will draw attention from every corner of the Sect. The Elders will be watching closely this year, not merely for strength but also potential. Do not waste the opportunity.” Shen Weifeng hesitated, something that was rare for him to do, before continuing.

  “There is also a rumour that guests will be arriving for the Competition. Before you ask, that’s all I know.” Shen Weifeng explained, holding up a hand to stop Jun De from questioning him further.

  “You have talent, Jun De. Rest time is over.” Shen Weifeng said, and a hint of his strict teacher shone through the older man’s calm expression. Jun De gulped nervously, thinking of the hellish training they had endured together, before nodding quickly.

  “Unfortunately, I need to travel to Yunlai City to visit the Shen Clan; otherwise, I would personally oversee your training. Elder Mu Yanyu is intelligent and supremely talented, but I believe her concern for your well-being will hold her back from pushing your limits.”

  “That’s too bad, I was looking forward to training with you again.” Jun De lied. He paused before speaking again.

  “I know that the Tranquil Cultivation Method will need to be changed when I break through, but it does cover the basics regarding Foundation Establishment. Do you have any advice?” Jun De asked.

  Shen Weifeng ran his hand down his beard as he thought of his own experiences attempting to break through, before he replied.

  “Listen carefully, Jun De.” Shen Weifeng said, and his voice carried the weight of years of cultivation and a number of failed attempts at establishing his foundation.

  “The process of Foundation Establishment is not merely a step forward, of gathering more Qi in your Dantian in order to become more powerful, it is a transformation of your spiritual energy into another form. What you are now will be broken down and rebuilt upon a new, more stable structure.”

  “How far you travel on the path of cultivation will be determined on the foundation you forge.”

  Jun De frowned. He had thought it would be as simple as taking a pill, ingesting large amounts of spiritual energy, and rocketing through the barrier separating him from Foundation Establishment. The Tranquil Cultivation Method had spoken of the process, but Jun De’s understanding of its writings wasn’t the greatest.

  ‘Everything in this world is written as though it were run through a poor translation app.’ Jun De thought to himself. If it weren’t for the fact that there were pictures and diagrams, he would still be trying to reach the 1st level of Qi Condensation.

  Shen Weifeng gestured toward him.

  “Close your eyes and look inward to your Dantian.”

  Jun De obeyed, and his consciousness sank inward, descending through the layers of calm until he reached the core of his being. Within that space, his Dantian shone brightly with golden light.

  The Dawnheart Flame, his permanent tenant that didn’t pay rent, hovered happily in the center, surrounded by ten drops of liquid Qi that rotated slowly around it as though they were planets orbiting the sun.

  “The 10th Level of Qi Condensation is defined by those ten drops of Qi. They are the culmination of all your efforts, the condensation of everything you have drawn from Heaven and Earth.” Shen Weifeng explained as though he could peer inside Jun De’s Dantian as well.

  “You will use those drops to draw in more Qi and expand your inner world. Slowly, they will form a Sea of Qi, a vast ocean within your Dantian. That will be the Sea of Qi upon which your Foundation is built.”

  “But remember, it is not the size of your Sea of Qi that is important, but its purity. Do not rush to expand it recklessly. The more Qi you take in, the harder it will become to refine it. Your task during Foundation Establishment is to make the Sea of Qi flawless.”

  Jun De could feel Shen Weifeng shift beside him as he leaned forward.

  “When the sea is formed, it will not stay liquid for long, so you must refine the Spiritual Energy before allowing it to crystallize. That will be the moment of true danger. Every crack, every impurity in that crystal is a flaw keeping you from progressing.” Shen Weifeng warned.

  “And if I fail to form it perfectly?”

  Shen Weifeng exhaled slowly, and his expression was grave.

  “If you are lucky enough that it stays intact, you can repair it with great effort, along with rare resources and years of patience. Even then, most cultivators never recover what they have lost.”

  Shen Weifeng’s first attempt had failed because his Sea of Qi was too impure to retain its crystallization. It had shattered, and it had only been a chance that he had survived. Each of his subsequent attempts had been worse until he had managed to succeed a short time ago.

  “Your path, Jun De, will depend on your patience and precision. Do not seek speed, but flawlessness. A perfect foundation can support a mountain, a flawed one crumbles beneath its own weight.”

  Jun De stood up from the table and bowed deeply.

  “I understand, thank you.”