CHAPTER 34: 34. HIGH-LEVEL FOUNDATION ESTABLISHMENT

Generally speaking, aside from opportunity and luck—the most difficult factors to quantify—a cultivator’s ultimate attainment and speed of progress are determined jointly by their Root Bone, Comprehension, and personal determination.

It is often said that the human heart is unfathomable. Indeed, a person’s determination is also very difficult to measure accurately, especially since the human heart is fickle and may change over time.

Thus, people are more accustomed to evaluating Root Bone and Comprehension.

Most of the time, both Root Bone and Comprehension are congenital, difficult to alter or seize through Acquired means.

Only because of this does the cultivation world avoid becoming a place where lineage and birth determine everything.

It’s still possible for someone from a humble family to become distinguished, rather than children being scouted and plundered by powerful families, snatched from their cradles or even their mothers’ wombs.

However, having experienced the elevation of his Root Bone from Average Stature to a Spiritual Body, Lei Jun believed that with sufficient luck, one could defy fate and change one’s destiny.

He hoped for future opportunities to further improve his Root Bone and Comprehension.

Lei Jun did not insist unreasonably on this.

Besides seizing various opportunities, he focused on his dedicated cultivation.

After bidding farewell to an exceptionally cheerful Tang Xiaotang, Lei Jun returned to the company of the Green Stone Ink, continuously Warming and Nurturing his Dao Foundation and mana.

After Eldest Sister-apprentice Xu Yuanzhen departed Dragon Tiger Mountain once again, she did not return for a long time.

Similarly, Tang Xiaotang, his younger sister-apprentice, entered closed-door cultivation some time later.

With fewer people visiting Lei Jun, he did not mind.

When Master Yuan Mobai gave private lessons at his residence, Wang Guiyuan would visit, often mentioning news from the outside.

Since the incident caused by Xu Yuanzhen the previous year, the main trend within the Celestial Master’s Residence was that the Li Clan disciples were no longer as arrogant or domineering as before.

The high-ranking Li Clan Elders adopted a more conciliatory and low-profile attitude, easing the widespread anger stirred by individuals like Li Ming.

The disparity in treatment between Li Clan disciples and those of other surnames narrowed slightly, and more disciples from other surnames received attention and were entrusted with greater responsibilities.

During the last Transmission Ceremony, when new young disciples were admitted, Lei Jun had been put under "house arrest" by his master.

Among the other disciples of various surnames, Chen Yi, Shangguan Hong, and Guo Yan distinguished themselves.

Chen Yi, in particular, was a typical case.

During the Cloud Sea Immortal Pond incident, Chen Yi entered the Upper Immortal Pond. Not only did he fail to receive the nourishing baptism of the Immortal Pond’s waters, but he was also injured by them.

The injury even adversely affected his Purifying Spirit Body to a certain extent!

Such a loss was not fully compensated even by the precious Scorching Cloud Lotus Seed he acquired in the Upper Immortal Pond.

However, precisely because of this, the Li Clan set up Chen Yi as a model to placate and win over the hearts of disciples from other surnames.

This truly illustrated the old saying that misfortune and fortune go hand in hand.

From then on, Chen Yi received focused cultivation support within the Celestial Master’s Residence. With abundant spiritual medicines, his damaged Spiritual Body was successfully repaired.

Although this delayed his progress from the initial stage to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, the continuous supply of resources ensured Chen Yi was not much slower than Li Ying, Shangguan Hong, and others in reaching the middle stage.

"I heard that Eldest Senior Brother-apprentice and Jingzhen have been giving Junior Brother Chen Yi a lot of guidance lately," Wang Guiyuan said during a casual chat with Lei Jun after a private lesson.

Lei Jun asked, "They don’t mention more people? Is Junior Brother Chen’s master, Master Yao, not concerned about crops from another family growing in his field?"

Wang Guiyuan shook his head, saying, "Speaking of this Junior Brother Chen, he can still discern the situation clearly. I heard he immediately passed on the gifts given to him by Eldest Senior Brother-apprentice to Master Hongyu and Master Yao."

Lei Jun asked, "And then surely Master Yao and the others were generous and bestowed them back to Junior Brother Chen Yi?"

Wang Guiyuan nodded.

It seemed like a mere exchange of hands, a pointless circle.

But what many cared about was this process, not the items themselves.

"However, this Junior Brother Chen, he’s still not very steady," Wang Guiyuan said. "Recently, Eldest Senior Brother-apprentice and Master Ziyang have been placing even more importance on Junior Brother Chen Yi, aiming to make him a new symbol among disciples of other surnames and doubling their efforts to win him over. Junior Brother Chen welcomes all overtures and maintains good relations with everyone, but this might not bode well in the long run."

According to him, Chen Yi had recently taken on a new responsibility.

Under the arrangements of the Young Celestial Master and Elder Ziyang, Chen Yi had recently joined the Hall of Adherence for his training.

The Hall of Adherence, as its name implied, enforced discipline, corrected mistakes, and even dealt out punishments directly.

The Penal Institution in the Tao Boy Court was only one of its subordinate branches.

If Chen Yi, upon joining, could truly wield the power of enforcement with the backing of influential figures, many people would lose sleep.

After all, even back in the Tao Boy Court, he was a prominent figure with numerous allies and enemies.

"Once power is in hand, it’s true, but it’s also a job that offends people," Lei Jun simply remarked. "First, one must see if anyone supports him, and second, whether he himself stands upright."

Lei Jun, who often suspected the worst in others, now had his first thought: if he had not been confined by his master Yuan Mobai, the position Chen Yi now held could very well have been his. Or at least he would have had a share in it. As the sugar-coated shells continued to bombard, the hidden vortex was gradually revealing itself. Of course, Chen Yi might have his own considerations and see it as an opportunity. In Lei Jun’s view, the man was ambitious, daring to fight and strive, with a personality that was both calm and bold, yet he also held grudges. If others wanted to use him as a tool, he might be willing to take the initiative to leverage the situation to achieve his own goals.

"Lei, you are steadier than most," Wang Guiyuan said, looking at Lei Jun with emotion.

Lei Jun said, "Perhaps it’s because I’m a few years older."

Wang Guiyuan laughed. "I can hear it; you’re actually making fun of me for being old."

After the laughter, Wang Guiyuan said seriously, "Apart from Junior Brother Chen Yi’s matter, Master Ziyang, Eldest Senior Brother-apprentice, and Master Shangguan have all made veiled inquiries about you. Even Master Yao has asked Master about you."

Lei Jun asked, "To plead on my behalf?"

Wang Guiyuan nodded. "Master Ziyang and the others want to repair the damage Li Ming and his group did to the Li Family’s reputation and win over the disciples of other surnames. Besides Junior Brother Chen Yi, they will naturally make some gesture towards you."

Even if it was just lip service.

Afterward, Yuan Mobai himself spoke to Lei Jun about this matter. "The initial goal has been achieved," he said. "Don’t overdo it. After you reach the high stage of Foundation Establishment, move back to your own courtyard to live."

Lei Jun replied, "I shall follow Master’s arrangements."

In the future, the Green Stone Ink supply would not cease. Instead, ore extracted from the mine would be delivered to Lei Jun’s residence periodically in fixed amounts, or Lei Jun could collect it himself whenever he wished.

For now, Lei Jun, still at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, continued to stay in the Green Stone Ink Mine beneath Yuan Mobai’s private residence.

Winter passed and spring arrived; the seasons turned.

Cultivating in the mountains, one loses track of time; the years flew by swiftly.

In the blink of an eye, Lei Jun had been on Dragon Tiger Mountain for nearly four years.

Another year-end passed, and it had been two years since Lei Jun formally joined the Celestial Master’s Residence after the Transmission Ceremony.

One day, within the Green Stone Ink Mine, Lei Jun sat cross-legged in meditation.

Looking inward at his Dao Foundation, he saw that within the Eight Gates of the Fortified Wall, six additional curtains had appeared. They were arrayed to the left and right in the front area of the Tao Foundation Altar’s center.

The gathering of the six curtains signified that Lei Jun had successfully reached the high stage of Foundation Establishment!

He spent some time recuperating to stabilize his newly advanced Dao Foundation.

Then he performed an Altar Ritual, set up an incense table, and attempted Talisman Crafting.

At the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, without using the Vermilion Peak Pen, Lei Jun had an eighty percent success rate for crafting life-bound talismans and seventy percent for others.

With the Vermilion Peak Pen, the success rate for life-bound talismans was one hundred percent, and ninety percent for other talismans.

Now that Lei Jun had advanced to the high stage of Foundation Establishment, his success rate for drawing life-bound talismans without the Vermilion Peak Pen was ninety percent, and eighty percent for other talismans.

If he used the Vermilion Peak Pen, both life-bound and other Spirit Talismans had a crafting success rate of a full one hundred percent!

When drawing life-bound talismans, using the Vermilion Peak Pen not only guaranteed a full success rate but also increased speed and saved mana.