"Thank you for your explanation, Brother Chen!" Qin Changsheng said gratefully.
Chen Erniu waved his hand slightly and said, "This great calamity is far more severe than before. Rivers of blood will flow, and countless lives will be lost. Whether low-level or mid-to-high-level cultivators, the slightest misstep will result in death and destruction, becoming pawns for the Heavenly Dao to reclaim its energy."
"If we want to survive this calamity, we must cultivate to the Golden Core stage, or even the Nascent Soul stage!"
"Only then can we gain a foothold in this catastrophe and have a chance of survival."
A hint of understanding flashed in Qin Changsheng's eyes, but his face remained calm as he slowly nodded, "Thank you for the reminder, Brother Chen. I will dedicate myself to cultivation."
Chen Erniu slowly stood up and straightened his clothes, "Now that we've discussed this, I should take my leave."
Qin Changsheng looked up at him, a hint of doubt in his voice, "Brother Chen, where are you going?"
"Brother Hu, I'm going to seek my own opportunity!" Chen Erniu smiled and continued, "Brother Hu, after today's parting, I don't know if we'll ever meet again. I hope you can focus on your cultivation and return to the Nascent Soul stage soon. I also hope that we can both survive this great calamity and, if there's an opportunity in the future, meet again here to discuss the path of cultivation."
Qin Changsheng slowly stood up, his expression calm. "Since Brother Chen's mind is made up, I won't try to stop you. I wish you a smooth journey and that you find your own opportunity and break through your cultivation level soon."
Chen Erniu gave him a deep look, a look full of meaning, containing both probing and expectation. Then, without saying anything more, he turned and walked towards the door of the private room, his steps steady and resolute, without the slightest hesitation.
With a soft creak, the wooden door to the private room was gently pushed open, and Chen Erniu's figure slowly disappeared through the doorway, merging into the crowd at Qingyun Tower and gradually receding into the distance.
Qin Changsheng walked to the window, gazing in the direction Chen Erniu had gone, remaining silent for a long time.
...
The next morning.
Qin Changsheng, controlling Hu Nan, brought him to the main hall of the sect.
"Disciple Hu Nan greets the Sect Leader." Stepping into the hall, Hu Nan bowed deeply to the main seat, his tone respectful.
On the main seat, Xuan Yangzi slowly raised his eyes, his gaze falling on Hu Nan, a hint of approval in his eyes. His tone was gentle yet solemn: "No need for formalities."
"Thank you, Sect Leader." Hu Nan slowly rose, standing with his head bowed in the center of the hall.
Xuan Yangzi's gaze slowly swept over him, his tone tinged with satisfaction: "You did well in this sect competition!"
"This competition was due to my good fortune!" Hu Nan said modestly.
"Luck is also part of strength!" Xuan Yangzi glanced at Hu Nan and asked, "What level is your spiritual root?"
"Reporting to the Sect Leader, this disciple possesses a low-grade four-elemental spiritual root!" Hu Nan replied.
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yangzi's smile froze instantly. The joy in his eyes vanished as if extinguished by cold water, and even the warm aura around him turned cold.
Low-grade four spiritual roots are extremely common, even inferior, spiritual roots. They absorb spiritual energy slowly and face numerous obstacles in cultivation. For ordinary cultivators with low-grade four spiritual roots, reaching the peak of Qi Refining is already their limit; very few can successfully establish their foundation, let alone achieve anything significant in the future.
His initial thought of taking Hu Nan as a personal disciple vanished completely at that moment.
As the sect master of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Xuan Yangzi's personal disciple would undoubtedly become the sect leader, holding the future of the Heavenly Sword Sect in his hands.
Even though Hu Nan had performed exceptionally well in the competition, the limitations of his low-grade four spiritual roots were too deep, making it difficult for him to break through. Taking him as a personal disciple would not only hinder his progress but also give others grounds for criticism, accusing him of poor judgment.
However, although he couldn't take Hu Nan as a personal disciple, Xuan Yangzi was still willing to offer him some guidance.
Xuan Yangzi slowly asked, "What is your current cultivation level?"
"Qi Refining Level Ten!" Hu Nan replied.
"Your cultivation has now reached the tenth level of Qi Refining, only one step away from Foundation Establishment. This step, seemingly simple, is in fact fraught with danger; it is the first watershed on the path of cultivation. Cultivation cannot be rushed; it must be done step by step, steadily building a solid foundation. Never be impatient for quick results, otherwise, you are highly susceptible to qi deviation, leaving lifelong hidden dangers."
Xuan Yangzi's tone was solemn and meticulous, every word a gem, the essence of the path of cultivation.
"In your daily cultivation, you focus too much on accumulating spiritual energy, neglecting the refinement of that energy and the tempering of your character."
"From the peak of Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment, the core lies in condensing the scattered spiritual energy within your body into a robust Foundation Establishment spiritual energy, while simultaneously stabilizing your mind and suppressing inner demons. In the future, you need to set aside time for quiet meditation to temper your character and solidify your foundation."
"Furthermore, during cultivation, you must be free of distractions, abandoning all restlessness and desires. Only with a unified mind and spirit can you better absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and comprehend the path of cultivation."
Hu Nan listened attentively, nodding slightly from time to time, his expression respectful, as if he were truly immersing himself in Xuan Yangzi's guidance.
Xuan Yangzi changed the subject, addressing the crucial challenge of Foundation Establishment: "However, there is something I must tell you truthfully. You possess a low-grade spiritual root. Although your cultivation speed far surpasses your peers thanks to your perseverance and talent, the limitations of a low-grade spiritual root are ultimately difficult to overcome!"
"The probability of Foundation Establishment for low-grade spiritual roots is far lower than for high-grade spiritual roots, less than ten percent."
"Sect Leader, is there any way to increase the chances of Foundation Establishment?" Hu Nan asked.
Xuan Yangzi slowly replied, "You don't need to be too anxious. Although Foundation Establishment for low-grade spiritual roots is extremely difficult, it's not impossible!"
"Please enlighten me, Sect Leader!" Hu Nan quickly said.
Xuan Yangzi stroked his beard, his expression becoming solemn: "To increase your success rate in Foundation Establishment, there are two paths you can take. One is to use Foundation Establishment Pills, and the other is to find a special spiritual herb. Both of these external aids are crucial for assisting low-level spiritual root cultivators in Foundation Establishment; neither can be lacking. If you can obtain both, your chances of success will be eighty or ninety percent."
Hu Nan quickly pressed for details: "What are the specific uses of these Foundation Establishment Pills and spiritual herbs? How can I obtain them?"
Xuan Yangzi sat down in his chair before explaining: "Foundation Establishment Pills also come in different grades. The probability of success varies drastically depending on the grade. Ordinary low-grade Foundation Establishment Pills only increase the success rate by 10%, which is negligible for someone with low-grade four spiritual roots like you."
"Mid-grade Foundation Establishment Pills only offer a 20% chance!"
"A superior-grade Foundation Establishment Pill has a powerful medicinal effect, nourishing spiritual roots and refining spiritual power, directly increasing the Foundation Establishment rate by forty percent; if one can find a top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, its effects are even more miraculous, thoroughly nourishing your spiritual root's weaknesses, greatly reducing the dangers of Foundation Establishment, and increasing the rate by sixty percent."
After speaking, Xuan Yangzi's tone turned slightly somber, adding, "However, Foundation Establishment Pills are extremely rare. The higher the grade, the greater the difficulty in refining them, and the rarer the required materials."
"Even within the sect, there are only mid-grade Foundation Establishment Pills; superior-grade and top-grade Foundation Establishment Pills are very difficult to find!"
"Sect Leader, what is this spiritual herb?" Hu Nan asked again.
Qin Changsheng didn't care much about the Foundation Establishment Pill.
After all, Qin Changsheng already possessed a superior-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.
"This herb is called Foundation Condensation Grass," Xuan Yangzi said slowly, his tone tinged with regret. "While Foundation Condensation Grass isn't a top-grade natural treasure, it possesses unique benefits. It specifically nourishes low-level spiritual roots, assisting cultivators in condensing spiritual power. After consumption, it can reliably increase the success rate of Foundation Establishment by thirty percent. If taken in combination with a mid-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, your probability of Foundation Establishment can be increased to over fifty percent, enough to barely compensate for the shortcomings of your spiritual roots."
At this point, Xuan Yangzi's expression grew even more solemn: "However, Foundation Condensation Grass is extremely rare, almost impossible to find in ordinary mountains and forests. Only in ancient secret realms or forbidden areas with extremely rich spiritual energy can one have a chance of finding it."