Your Spell Version is Too Low!

Inside the quiet room of the Side Hall, the storm had passed, and all was calm.

Qi Yun was completely unaware that because of him, three Foundation Establishment Masters had nearly come to blows.

In the end, a True Monarch had to intervene to mediate, finally calming the three of them down.

At this moment, he was completely focused, carefully savoring the various mysteries of having just entered the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, the "Realm of Divine Soul."

His Heart and Spirit sank into his Ancestral Acupoint. The slowly rotating Divine Soul, which glowed with a faint platinum luster, emitted fluctuations that were far stronger, more condensed, and more unified than when the Three Souls were separate.

’Three Souls Unite, the Divine Soul returns to its acupoint... My Divine Sense has multiplied, my Heart Thought flows freely, and my perception of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Mechanism and my own Daoist Skills has become sharper and more profound.

’So, this is the power of the Peak of Qi Refining...’

Qi Yun slowly raised his hands, his gaze profound as he stared at the fine lines on his palms.

It was as if he could see through his flesh and blood, witnessing the flowing True Essence within intertwine and resonate with the new, formless Power of the Divine Soul.

Eight years had passed. From struggling to survive in the Outer Mansion to making a name for himself in the Inner Mansion, from the life-or-death battles in the Pot Valley Yin Ruins to the treachery of the Divine Silkworm Sect’s remains and the undercurrents beneath Black Death Peak...

He had finally, step by step,

climbed to the peak of the Qi Refining Realm!

’This road has been paved with blades and shadows, a life lived on the brink of death.

’It really... hasn’t been easy.’

Qi Yun tilted his head back slightly and let out a long, silent breath, releasing the Muddy Qi that had been pent up in his chest for so long.

The various hardships, near-death experiences, and treacherous schemes of the past eight years flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

In the end, they culminated in a complex, soft sigh and a look of grim determination.

He knew in his heart that a journey of a hundred miles is only half-done at ninety.

The Qi Refining Ninth Layer seemed to be the summit of the Qi Refining Realm, a vantage point from which to look down on the path he had traveled.

But ahead lay a path to the heavens that was even more difficult, more perilous, yet also far more vast.

"The road ahead will be even harder," he muttered, his gaze regaining its clarity and calm.

The Qi Refining Ninth Layer was the peak of the Qi Refining Realm.

There was no such thing as a tenth layer beyond it.

The next step was to forge a Dao Foundation.

To achieve [Perfection]!

And to forge a Dao Foundation, the first order of business was to determine the direction of one’s own Dao path and collect Foundation Establishment Objects that were compatible with it.

This process was arguably the first true chasm on the path of cultivation.

There were two difficulties, both fraught with immense peril:

First, Foundation Establishment Objects were rare and difficult to find.

The Spiritual Objects that could be used as materials to construct a Dao Foundation were, without exception, blessed by the Essence of Heaven and Earth.

They contained a unique Daoist Intent and were rarely seen.

To find Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects that perfectly matched one’s chosen Dao path and were mutually complementary was even more difficult.

It required not only heaven-defying luck but also massive resources and a precise eye.

Second, Foundation Establishment Methods were incredibly precious. Foundation Establishment Objects were not like common clay that you could simply knead and shape as you pleased.

Without a corresponding, profound Foundation Establishment Method and unique refining techniques, it would be impossible to perfectly fuse these Spiritual Objects of differing attributes and immense power, transforming conflict into harmony, and ultimately forging a stable and powerful Dao Foundation.

Such Dharma Gates were core secrets that Sects and Noble Families would never pass on to outsiders. Acquiring one was sometimes even more difficult than finding the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects themselves.

’I already have a lead on a Foundation Establishment Method.’ The image of Elder Master Deng Yin flashed through Qi Yun’s mind, and his heart settled slightly.

’The most crucial thing I’m missing now are the Foundation Establishment Objects that fit my Dao path...’

Slowly turning the Platinum Buddha Beads on his wrist, Qi Yun took stock of the Foundation Establishment Objects he already possessed.

The Dao Foundation he wanted to forge was called: [Primordial Heaven Extreme Skill Dao Foundation].

This Dao Foundation was one of the fifty-three Upper Grade Dao Foundations in the Wuji Holy Sect’s collection.

It required seven Foundation Establishment Objects to be forged.

And these seven Foundation Establishment Objects belonged to Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements.

He already had two Foundation Establishment Objects, [Taiyin Mother Qi] and [Taibai Molt], as well as a clue to a third.

In other words, in the best-case scenario,

he was still missing four Foundation Establishment Objects.

’By that count, I’ve tentatively covered Metal, Water, and Yin. That means I’m still missing... Yang, Wood, Earth, and Fire—four Foundation Establishment Objects.’

At this thought, Qi Yun couldn’t help but scratch his eyebrow.

’That’s... quite a lot.’

His brows furrowed slightly as he realized the gravity of the situation.

Foundation Establishment Objects were already rare and hard to find; the appearance of a single one could cause a storm of blood.

Now he needed to gather seven of them, and the difficulty was by no means simple addition.

’Relying on myself to search aimlessly is clearly out of the question.’ He was very self-aware.

Although he now had a Peak of Qi Refining Cultivation and was considered a significant figure among the Inner Mansion Disciples, he had been in the Holy Sect for too short a time—just a few years at most. His foundation was too shallow, and his connections, channels, and information network were far inferior to those of the veteran true disciples who had been operating for many years.

As for fortuitous encounters and luck, those things were ethereal and couldn’t be relied upon.

’My only backer is my master.’ He thought of Elder Master Deng Yin, but Qi Yun was also aware that the Elder Master did not have much of his lifespan left and had his own concerns and unfinished business.

His resources might be substantial, but he couldn’t possibly conjure up multiple perfect Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects with different attributes out of thin air for him.

It was already a tremendous kindness for the Elder Master to help him plan for a suitable Foundation Establishment Method and to intervene when he was in danger.

To ask for more would be ungrateful.

He couldn’t just wait for the Elder Master to solve every problem he encountered.

’It seems conventional methods offer little hope. I’ll have to resort to unconventional means...’ Qi Yun’s eyes flickered.

’If all else fails, I’ll have to try my luck in the [Shiyi Realm],’ he thought to himself.

The [Shiyi Realm] itself was formed from the Foundation Establishment Realm Heaven of a Foundation Establishment Master.

Therefore, within these fragmented worlds, there was a certain probability that some of the [Foundation Establishment Objects] used by that Master during their Foundation Establishment would remain, or be recreated by tracing back to their origin.

After being nurtured by "Mirror Heaven" for long eons and steeped in Dao Rhyme, these Spiritual Objects

would sometimes even give rise to unique mutations, making them even more valuable.

Of course, the probability was not high, and the [Shiyi Realm] was fraught with peril.

How to locate, enter, and safely exit a [Shiyi Realm] was in itself a profound field of study and a scarce resource.

’But no matter what, it’s still a lead.’

’Only a Demon Dao titan like the Holy Sect, with its deep foundations and ancient heritage, would possess the Secret Skills to guide, locate, and to some extent control a large number of [Shiyi Realms], using them as special trial grounds to temper disciples and search for resources.

’Ordinary small sects and minor factions probably don’t even know which way the gate to a [Shiyi Realm] opens, and even if they did, they wouldn’t have the ability to utilize them stably.’

Thinking of this, Qi Yun gained a deeper appreciation for the advantages of being in the Holy Sect.

It’s good to have a big tree for shade, even if that tree is also full of competition and danger.

But it at least provided a platform and resources that ordinary Loose Cultivators and cultivators from small sects could hardly imagine.

’Looks like, aside from continuing to stabilize my cultivation and familiarizing myself with the use of the Power of the Divine Soul, I also need to find a way to learn more about the [Shiyi Realm].

’And... how to obtain the qualifications to enter,’ Qi Yun silently calculated.

...

「A few days later, in Qi Yun’s private residence.」

Ning Feng had the same familiar, casual look about him, sitting carelessly on a stone stool, one leg habitually crossed over the other and swinging leisurely.

He was just about to tease his "big client" Qi Yun about his recent production speed, as he usually did.

However, when his Divine Sense inadvertently swept over Qi Yun, a deep, heavy aura suddenly surged toward him.

"Holy fuck... you... you fucking reached the Qi Refining Ninth Layer?!"

Ning Feng reacted as if a nail had suddenly been jabbed into his rear. He jolted, his crossed leg instantly dropped, and he shot bolt upright as if pulled by an invisible force.

His eyes went wide, his mouth hung slightly open, and the usual roguish look on his face was completely replaced by shock and a hint of imperceptible awe.

From the way he acted, if he weren’t still sitting in his chair, he probably would have stood up and performed a deep bow to Qi Yun on the spot.

Qi Refining Ninth Layer, the Realm of Divine Soul!

Among the thousands of True Cultivator Disciples in the Inner Mansion, this was absolutely top-tier!

The only ones who were solidly above this Realm were the Great Perfection Qi Refining Cultivators—those as elusive as divine dragons, who spent their years in seclusion, single-mindedly focused on how to break through the Foundation Establishment Celestial Gate.

It could be said that the Qi Refining Ninth Layer was already one of the "pinnacle combatants" among the Inner Mansion Disciples who could move about freely.

Ning Feng recalled that when he first met Qi Yun, the latter was only at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

How many years had it been?

This cultivation speed was like riding a cloud-piercing arrow—simply unheard of!

Seeing Ning Feng’s exaggerated reaction, Qi Yun just smiled faintly and gestured for him not to make such a fuss.

"Just a lucky breakthrough, nothing worth mentioning.

I sought you out this time because there’s something I’d like you to help me inquire about."

Hearing that Qi Yun had a task for him, Ning Feng instantly snapped back to his senses. The shock on his face quickly transformed into the shrewdness and warmth unique to a merchant.

His eyes darted about as his mind began to race.

’This is an incredibly thick golden thigh with astonishing potential!’

’Peak of Qi Refining, with a good chance at Foundation Establishment in the future.’ 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

’If I don’t latch on now, when will I ever get another chance?’

At this thought, he immediately slapped his chest resoundingly, his face wreathed in smiles as he spoke with great enthusiasm:

"Of course! Since you’re asking, what’s there to even talk about?

Anything can be arranged!

As long as it’s something I, Ning Feng, can do, I’ll get it done, no questions asked!"

Qi Yun was not surprised by his reaction. The Cultivation Realm was like this—strength was revered above all.

He didn’t stand on ceremony either, directly taking out a prepared paper slip and handing it over.

"I want you to help me find out which of the many [Shiyi Realms] controlled by the Sect might contain Foundation Establishment Objects with these two elemental attributes, or any solid leads related to them."

Ning Feng took the slip of paper curiously. The moment he touched it, he knew it was high-quality Talisman Paper. He carefully unfolded it and saw two simple words written on the white surface with powerful strokes:

Yang, Fire!

Inquiring about the [Shiyi Realms] was already difficult, let alone pinpointing specific elemental attributes for Foundation Establishment Objects... This was no ordinary task.

But looking at the profound aura of the Qi Yun before him, and then thinking about his terrifying promotion speed and what his future might hold...

Ning Feng hesitated for only a brief moment before snapping the paper shut and solemnly putting it away.

"Leads on Yang and Fire attribute Foundation Establishment Objects, right? Leave it to me!"

"But, as you know, information about the [Shiyi Realms] is always in high demand.

"Especially when it involves Foundation Establishment Objects. Inquiring about it will probably take some time and... this." He rubbed his fingers together, making the universal gesture for "payment."

"Name your price in Holy Essence," Qi Yun said calmly. Thanks to his "Resentful Spirit Talisman Factory" and previous savings, his purse was quite full.

For Foundation Establishment Objects, no expense was too great.

"You got it! With those words from you, I’ll go mobilize my entire network right now!" Ning Feng’s face lit up, and he stood up, full of energy.

"I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything!"

After speaking, he cupped his fists at Qi Yun and then left in a flurry.

He looked even more dedicated than if he were running his own errands.

Watching Ning Feng’s departing figure, Qi Yun’s gaze returned to the tabletop. He unconsciously tapped his finger in the empty air where the words "Yang" and "Fire" had been.

’I hope there’s good news...’

...