Chapter 56



Chapter 56: Living Up to Your Expectations, I’ve Reached the Foundation Building Stage

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Seven days later, when the furnace was about to be opened again, Lu Mingchao felt somewhat nervous.

Whether or not this batch of pills would be a success depended on this moment.

Opening the furnace was an exact science. She had to infuse a large amount of spiritual strength and engage in the final step of bringing the ingredients within the furnace together.

A moment later, she let out a soft grunt. “Rise!”

The cover of the furnace opened itself without Lu Mingchao having to do anything. The rich fragrance of the elixir instantly filled the room.

Lu Mingchao’s spiritual strength had cleared off the dregs of the ingredients within the furnace. What remained was a pile of powder that released a faint silver glow. It looked like moonlight.

That was the Moon Essence Pill.

Lu Mingchao was rather surprised when she estimated the quantity of the final product.

Perhaps because a Level Three furnace had supported the process, Lu Mingchao managed to create two portions of Moon Essence Pill during this batch!

The assistance a good furnace could provide to an alchemist was immense.

Having made the Level Two high-grade recipe, Lu Mingchao also felt that she had gained some insights on her alchemy techniques. After all, she had not gained her current alchemy techniques through practice. Instead, the level of her alchemy techniques had been mysteriously enhanced by her father’s miraculous techniques.

Even though various knowledge, methods, and experiences were etched deeply onto her soul, she did not feel confident, since she had never made any elixirs that were above Level Two in the past.

Now that she had achieved success in creating the elixir, she felt that her alchemy techniques had been solidified. At the same time, she received a huge boost in confidence.

She would be more confident when she made elixirs of a similar level in the future.

******

Lu Xueting had calmed down considerably when she received the Moon Essence Pill and Foundation Building Elixir.

She had been called to the main hall by the clan leader a month and a half ago.

She had thought that the clan leader wanted to ask her about the situation with the herd of Water-Spirit Horses and the horde of Steel Red Bugs. However, she did not expect to hear such an important surprise.

She was already 55 years old. She had reached the ninth-tier of the Foundation Building Stage and had even come in contact with the complete Qi Refining Stage for one or two years. When she had nothing to do, she would imagine what it was like if she had a chance of being a Foundation Building cultivator. However, she did not dare to attempt to advance to the next stage, as doing so without the Foundation Building Elixir was just too risky.

Some years ago, her sister, Lu Ranting, had also had a good chat with her. As someone who had been down that path, Lu Ranting shared a few things that she had learned.

She had come to terms with it.

As the clan was now, there was no way that they could obtain a Foundation Building Elixir. Lu Xueting also did not have the mental state necessary to go through the Foundation Building process without the elixir. Thus, there was nothing she could do but give up on her dreams and make the most of her life.

However, she did not expect the surprise to come so suddenly.

She followed the clan leader’s instructions during the month and a half. Aside from taking care of the two resource points, she spent all of her efforts preparing her body, spiritual strength, and soul. She tried her best to be at her peak condition and prepared for the Foundation Building process.

For this, Lu Mingchao even temporarily lent her the newly built Level Two Cavern Abode so that she could prepare her body and mind in a place with much suitable conditions.

When she received the Foundation Building Elixir and Moon Essence Pill today, she was no longer as excited as she was a month and a half ago.

Chaoxi, Chaohe, and Mingchao gathered at the entrance of the Cavern Abode and imparted her with some of their experiences.

“Xueting, you have to advance when undergoing the Foundation Building process courageously. You have to be more decisive. You have the protection of the Foundation Building Elixir, and you do not have to worry too much.”

“The most important thing is to control your spiritual strength. Try your best and allow your body to accept the cleansing of spiritual strength.”

“You have to consume the Moon Essence Pill before you take the Foundation Building Elixir. There is a full moon today. It is the best opportunity for you to consume both of the elixirs.”

******

Lu Xueting listened to their advice seriously and committed them to her heart.

Seeing that the time was about right, she stepped into the Cavern Abode and started to train.

The three Foundation Building cultivators did not step away. They stayed outside the Cavern Abode and protected the area for her.

The radiant moon hung on the sky. A thick spiritual strength arose from within the Cavern Abode.

Her advancement had begun.

The three people outside the Cavern Abode became nervous. They sat down cross-legged in three corners outside the Cavern Abode and closed their eyes. However, they released their consciousness and remained alert of their surroundings to prevent any despicable or ignorant people from the clan from affecting Lu Xueting’s Foundation Building process. On the other hand, they also paid attention to the situation inside the abode.

At the same time, Lu Qing’s spirit form was also floating above the Caver Abode. He silently paid attention to the changes in the spiritual energy in the surroundings.

Lu Xueting advancing to the Foundation Building Stage was extremely important to the development of the clan.

Not only did her advancement mean that the clan would have another Foundation Building cultivator if she succeeded, but also she would be the first cultivator in Lu Clan to consume a Foundation Building Elixir ever since the clan suffered terrible financial troubles. Before her, Lu Mingchao had advanced to the Foundation Building Stage without the elixir, which was not representative. If Lu Xueting succeeded, it would send a message to the rest of the members of the clan-train well, for the clan could still produce Foundation Building Elixirs!

This would overcome the clan members’ feelings of despair about the clan’s development-the root of the issue!

The strange phenomenon brought about by the Foundation Building process became more and more evident throughout the next few hours. The rest of the cultivators in Yuyan Mountain were also alerted.

The night was not an obstacle to the cultivators. However, they had not managed to get close when the three Foundation Building cultivators stopped them.

After they were told that Lu Xueting had consumed the Foundation Building Elixir and was attempting to advance to the Foundation Building Stage, almost all of the cultivators who had arrived at the scene fell silent.

There was a look of anticipation on their faces.

Without being instructed to, the cultivators surrounded the Cavern Abode and guarded the area for Lu Xueting.

They guarded the area for half a month.

Half a month was a normal duration for the Foundation Building process. Actually, the worries of the people outside the abode had eased considerably by the seventh day.

The first seven days were the riskiest period of the Foundation Building process. The spiritual strength of the cultivator would cleanse their marrow and refine their bones. It would create a good foundation through the cultivator’s physical body. This step was the most difficult, whether or not the cultivator consumed the Foundation Building Elixir or not. This step was also the one that caused the most failures.

Even though Lu Xueting had the protection of the Foundation Building Elixir and would not die if she failed, she would have wasted her opportunity to advance to the Foundation Building Stage and the exorbitant Foundation Building Elixir.

Fortunately, Lu Xueting did not fail after seven days. She continued on her Foundation Building process.

That meant that the most difficult period had passed.

The period after that was for her to retract her spiritual energy, inject it back into her body, and materialize her True Core. Under normal circumstances, not many cultivators would fail at this stage.

Lu Xueting’s luck was not that unfortunate.

On the 16th day, the spiritual energy in the surroundings suddenly retracted and formed a vortex of spiritual strength above the Cavern Abode. The vortex was formless and colorless. It could not be seen. However, all of the cultivators around the abode could sense the vortex of spiritual strength.

A moment later, the vortex was recalled to a single point in the Cavern Abode. Then, everything became peaceful again.

A minute later, a female dressed in flowing white robes emerged from the Cavern Abode.

“Living up to your expectations, I’ve reached the Foundation Building Stage.”

2 s