Chapter 29: Foundation Establishment

Since Han Su began cultivating the “Mystic Fire Ice Heart,” four years have passed. Time flows swiftly in the world of cultivation; after less than a year in seclusion, her new technique had already taken root, and “Mystic Fire Ice Heart” proved itself an upgrade over the Ice-Fire Heart Condensation Art, with a cultivation speed so astonishing it seemed almost unbelievable. By the third year, Han Su had achieved perfect Foundation Establishment. Perfect Foundation Establishment meant she had not relied on any auxiliary pills, such as Foundation Establishment Pills, but had instead purified spiritual energy by herself and accumulated her cultivation entirely through her own efforts. Afterward, Han Su slowed her cultivation pace and began refining the celestial palace she had obtained.

Throughout these four years, Han Su never descended from Spirit Mist Peak. She kept in touch with friends solely through communication jade talismans. She knew that Bai Ke and the others had each made their own progress. As for Su Yunmo and Lu Tanxian, their paths were increasingly diverging from the original storyline, and she had no idea how much had changed.

One day, news came that several great sects had discovered a new secret realm—the Hexi Secret Realm. The elders had already investigated and found it to be a training ground from ancient times, used by major sects to train their disciples. Having been sealed for over ten thousand years, its spiritual herbs were extraordinarily abundant, with ages far exceeding those found elsewhere. Although dangerous, it was not excessively so, and the elders planned for batches of disciples to enter for trials. Four sects would participate: Yaohua Sect, Golden Sword Gate, Azure Sky Sect, and the Proper One Sect.

Due to the unique nature of this secret realm, the various killing moves within would adjust to match the cultivation of the strongest person present. Therefore, Foundation Establishment disciples would go first.

Han Su’s four years of unprecedented seclusion had caused both Lanhe Daoist and Hengbo Daoist considerable concern. Taking advantage of this opportunity, they summoned her to participate in the trial, worried that someone so young might become as withdrawn as Jade Balance Daoist if left too long in solitude. Yet, though Han Su was a twelve-year-old at the second level of Foundation Establishment—a dazzling achievement—she had no real advantage in this trial.

First, Han Su was young, and her cultivation had been achieved through solitary practice; she had never engaged in combat with others and had no experience either in traveling or in magical duels.

Second, she had never studied formations, making her vulnerable in the secret realm.

Third, though her technique was profound and her attacks powerful, her spiritual energy was insufficient for sustained use, as she was only at the second tier of Foundation Establishment.

No matter how they considered it, both Daoists were deeply worried. But if their child wished to walk the path of the Great Dao, she would have to experience all manner of trials for herself; these would strengthen her cultivation and temper her heart. They could not protect her forever; she must witness the world’s dangers herself to continue forward. The Great Dao is merciless—these four words were more familiar to them than to anyone.

Fortunately, Lanhe Daoist’s two disciples who had been training outside returned to the mountain last year. The second disciple, Lin Tao, had achieved peak Foundation Establishment and was preparing for Core Formation. The third disciple, Lin Xiu, was now at the eleventh tier of Foundation Establishment. Hearing of her master’s worries, Lin Xiu offered to accompany her junior sister to the secret realm. With this, the couple felt somewhat reassured. Lin Xiu was intelligent and reserved, knowledgeable in various disciplines, and experienced in countless trials. With her guidance, Han Su would be blessed.

At dawn, Han Su ended her night of meditation and opened her eyes. Since she began cultivating “Mystic Fire Ice Heart,” the longer she practiced, the more she appreciated its benefits. Previously, she had cultivated the Heaven-rank “Mystic Ice Yang God Art,” which focused on ice—nourishing yang with ice, and ice with yang, outwardly icy but inwardly containing yang. It was a cultivation method for those with an unusual ice spiritual root, not specifically designed for dual ice-fire spiritual roots. As time went on, the imbalance between ice and fire energies in her body grew, and her techniques were all ice-based, thus her fire spiritual root was wasted.

Now, her current technique cultivated both ice and fire. The longer she practiced, the more she felt the balance between the two energies within her; they mutually restrained and generated each other, gradually forming a cycle. Over time, she felt her spiritual energy was purer than anyone else’s. Now that she had reached Foundation Establishment, even without meditation, her spiritual power circulated naturally while she slept, endlessly. She finally understood the importance of a suitable cultivation method.