CHAPTER 47: 47. FOUNDATION ESTABLISHMENT PERFECTION? THIRD HEAVENLY LAYER ALTAR!

Yuan Mobai was courteous, and Lu Zhaoqing was even more so. "How can Elder Yuan say such a thing? Your presence graces our Qingxiao Temple with honor and splendor."

Lei Jun followed his own Master’s form of address and called him Master.

Before leaving the mountains, Lei Jun had heard from Wang Guiyuan that Lu Zhaoqing, the Temple Master of Qingxiao Temple, was a True Inheritance of the Celestial Master Mansion from the same generation as Yuan Mobai.

Of course, Lu Zhaoqing was not a direct disciple of the previous generation’s Celestial Master, as he possessed another lineage within the Mansion. Furthermore, in terms of both Cultivation and ultimate development, he was far behind Yuan Mobai.

Moreover, from his early years until now, he had always been somewhat closer to Elder Ziyang.

Nevertheless, Yuan Mobai had cultivated many good relationships. In the past few years, his interactions with Elder Ziyang had even increased, and he certainly had no conflicts with Lu Zhaoqing.

The latter’s attitude was peaceful, showing no signs of any problematic mindset.

The people of Qingxiao Temple warmly welcomed Lei Jun and his Master to stay.

Yuan Mobai, humble and open-minded, returned the kindness. He even held a few lectures on the Tao at the temple, which enchanted the audience so much that they wished Elder Yuan would stay for a decade or two.

Upon hearing the news, even disciples from the Purple Cloud Sect and other Taoist Sects in the Yunxiao Mountain Range rushed over to attend the lectures.

Lei Jun, on the other hand, was not as conspicuous.

He was content with the leisure.

First, he visited the distant Qingxiao Mountain to explore the Cold Spring mentioned by Xu Yuanzhen.

Indeed, at the bottom of the seemingly inconspicuous Cold Spring, strands of Spiritual Nature emanated, which resonated with the Huo Sui Yang Yu within Lei Jun’s body, both resisting and leaping for joy.

But it would take some time before it truly transformed into the usable Water Marrow Yin Fish.

Yuan Mobai had left a magical power prohibition here for monitoring. To prevent it from becoming a case of "no three hundred taels of silver buried here"—a dead giveaway—he hadn’t used too much mana.

Lei Jun reined in his mind, neither hastening nor delaying, waiting for the fruit to ripen and fall naturally, focusing on his own cultivation for now.

Within his body, on the Tao Foundation Altar, besides the opened eight gates and erected six screens, five law halls stood in opposition. The sixth virtual law hall also shone brightly, already having taken shape and merely awaiting final affirmation.

「One day」

Lei Jun sat silently in his own room.

As the radiance dissipated from the Tao Foundation Altar, the sixth law hall was also completely affirmed. He had reached Perfection in the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Lei Jun opened his eyes, his gaze serene. He let out a long breath, a smile appearing on his face.

After sitting quietly and Warming and Nurturing his Tao Foundation for a while, he bathed and changed his clothes, cleaned his mouth and hands, and arranged the Altar for Rituals.

Now at the Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Realm, Lei Jun, even without using the Vermilion Peak Pen, could achieve a 100% success rate in drawing his life-bound Divine Strike and Wind Riding Talismans.

When it came to crafting other Spirit Talismans, he similarly had at least a 90% success rate.

With the blessings from Shenhu Hall and Shoudu Hall, the life-bound Divine Strike and Wind Riding Talismans Lei Jun drew were also more powerful than when he was at the higher stages of Foundation Establishment.

About twenty percent stronger,

Lei Jun observed. He nodded slightly and added, "However, it’s still within the category of inferior Basic Spirit Talismans."

The Talisman Scripture, which Lei Jun and the other Transcension Ritual disciples were currently studying, generally referred to such talismans as Basic Spirit Talismans—like the Golden Barrier Talisman, Wind Riding Talisman, Divine Strike Talisman, Thunderclap Talisman, Blazing Flame Talisman, Purifying Heart Talisman, and Soul Containing Talisman.

Aside from tools like the pen, ink, and paper, the efficacy of a Spirit Talisman was primarily determined by the Talisman Crafting cultivator’s own Cultivation.

Spirit Talismans drawn by a Second Heavenly Layer Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator are known as inferior Basic Spirit Talismans.

Generally speaking, even at the Perfection stage of Foundation Establishment, although the power of the talismans can be slightly enhanced, they still fall within the category of inferior Basic Spirit Talismans.

Only when a Third Heavenly Layer Altar Stage cultivator draws a Basic Spirit Talisman can it reach the quality of a medium-grade one.

Currently, Lei Jun could not surpass this threshold using an ordinary brush.

So, he took out the Vermilion Peak Pen.

He lit incense and prayed to heaven, his pen strokes stirring like dragons and snakes.

He empowered the talisman.

The talisman was complete.

The life-bound Divine Strike Talisman—medium-grade!

A medium-grade Basic Spirit Talisman, which normally required a Third Heavenly Layer Altar Stage cultivator to create, was successfully made!

Lei Jun nodded slightly and continued.

Next, he attempted to draw talismans other than his life-bound ones.

Unfortunately, these were still inferior Basic Spirit Talismans.

"For non-life-bound talismans to reach medium-grade, it seems the Third Heavenly Layer realm is indeed necessary," Lei Jun mused.

He was not discouraged; on the contrary, he felt a surge of anticipation. "Then what if I use the Vermilion Peak Pen to draw life-bound Talismans when I reach the Third Heavenly Layer?"

He took out the Soul Containing Talisman he had always carefully preserved. He examined the layer of Misty Cloud Crystals on it, which could assist a Second Heavenly Layer cultivator in breaking through to the Third Heavenly Layer, and then went to see Yuan Mobai.

Thus, a waterfall cascaded down the mountainside, striking the pond below with great force.

Yuan Mobai sat by the pond, watching Lei Jun, who was seated on the water’s surface.

Under the influence of mana, Lei Jun floated above the water without sinking, sitting as upright as if on solid ground.

Suddenly, influenced by his mana, the pond water coiled upwards into the air, lifting his body with it.

Beneath him, faint light began to coalesce, gradually forming lines that sketched themselves into the air, dividing the pond water.

As water sprayed in all directions, a shimmering Three-tiered Dharma Altar, seemingly made of light and water, appeared beneath Lei Jun. It stood roughly twelve feet high, with a square bottom layer, an octagonal middle layer, and a perfectly round top layer.

Then, the water constituting the Dharma Altar fell back into the pond.

Yet the Dharma Altar did not dissipate.

But just at that moment, flames suddenly erupted from beneath the Altar.

Invisible, illusory Yin Fire.

The Heavenly Moat Tribulation had arrived as expected.

The Yin Fire rose from below, seeking to burn away the illusory Dharma Altar, destroy Lei Jun’s foundation of mana, and even claim his very life.

On Lei Jun’s own Tao Foundation Altar within his body, flames also sprang forth at this moment. They simultaneously assailed his Tao foundation, physical body, and Spiritual Soul—the Yin Fire was omnipresent.

Yuan Mobai sat still, calmly observing.

This hurdle could only be overcome by oneself; no one else could help.

Even in the Daoist Holy Land Celestial Master Mansion, Sect elders could only watch during the Tribulation Crossing. They could not intervene and could only attempt to save the person’s life afterward—a task that was exceedingly difficult.

Moreover, even if one were saved, having fallen into demon and their life force declining, the person was also ruined, with no chance for recovery.