Chapter 285

Chapter 285: Foundation Establishment Dan

Drawing the Second Level alchemy skill was for Zhou Luo like a timely rain after a long drought; it came just at the right moment.

Now he was already a second level Pill Master, and he had all the materials needed for Foundation Establishment Dan; refining Foundation Establishment Dan was only one step away.

Because his cultivation was only at Qi Refinement, wanting to cross ranks to refine Second Level Mid Grade Foundation Establishment Dan was still somewhat difficult.

Previously, the lightning talisman had succeeded because he had mastered many skills and his mental strength was powerful, so Second Level Low Grade talismans could be refined; unfortunately, Foundation Establishment Dan was a Second Level Mid Grade potion, and he felt somewhat incapable.

Moreover, the herbs were scarce, leaving no room for error and no margin for mistakes; it was better to hire someone to help enhance his mental strength.

On this matter, Zhou Luo had inquired with Wang Lang long ago.

There was a specific place in Immortal City designed to assist those who devoted themselves to studying skills but lacked sufficient cultivation and mental strength, providing services to enhance mental strength.

Otherwise, those cultivators who had managed to break through to Second Level by luck in their skill talent yet remained at Qi Refinement might find it hard to survive.

For this reason, Zhou Luo deliberately changed into a new outfit and came to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in Immortal City.

This was the largest trading center in Immortal City, standing a full five stories high and covering almost all items in the city.

Following directions, he arrived at a store specializing in this service.

A woman with a beautiful face greeted him and introduced with a smile, "May I ask what kind of service this young master requires?"

According to this woman’s explanation, Zhou Luo learned that this store offered three types of mental strength assistance.

One was directly having a cultivator with exceptionally powerful mental strength preside personally, standing by to assist him in refining pots.

The second was hiring a Foundation Establishment powerhouse to share their mental strength to aid him; the advantage was that the other party didn’t need to be physically present.

The third was a puppet infused with Golden Core mental strength.

This Second Level puppet, having received mental strength imbuement from a Golden Core master, could basically satisfy the needs of most Qi Refinement cultivators.

However, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion only offered rentals, not sales.

Overall, the third option was undoubtedly the best.

He didn’t want his ability to refine Foundation Establishment Dan exposed.

So without hesitation, he chose the third option.

"Very well, young master. The rental price for such a puppet is one hundred spiritual stones per day, requiring five hundred spiritual stones as a deposit. If the puppet is damaged during the period, you’ll need to compensate according to the assessed value," the woman said politely.

"No problem," Zhou Luo paid one thousand spiritual stones in advance.

After setting aside five hundred spiritual stones as a deposit, he planned to rent it for five days first.

With his alchemy skill, five days should be enough to refine it.

"Very well, sir. All is confirmed for you. Coincidentally, we have a puppet idle now. Please follow me," the woman led him to a room.

A human-shaped puppet placed inside the room was covered in all kinds of runic patterns.

The woman began explaining the usage steps to him.

A quarter of an hour later, Zhou Luo was mostly familiar with its functions. He placed it into his storage ring and took it home.

On the fifth day after drawing the Second Level alchemy skill, Zhou Luo informed all his concubines that he was going into Closed-Door Training and must not be disturbed by anyone.

Then he went to his own room, laid down three layers of magical formations, and produced the puppet containing Golden Core mental strength.

Should his refining of Foundation Establishment Dan be exposed, it would likely bring about a lot of trouble, so extreme caution was necessary.

Once everything was prepared, he stood before that Purple Gold furnace, his heart filled with anticipation.

After bathing and changing clothes, he took a deep breath and arranged the three main ingredients and thirty-one auxiliary herbs on a nearby table.

Whoosh—

Flames ignited as he began warming the furnace.

To refine the supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Dan, Zhou Luo specially affixed two upper-level symbols around the furnace to stabilize energies and consumed a clear-minded pill.

Such extravagant measures were likely something only Zhou Luo, possessing the four major skills, could afford.

Immediately afterward, he started adding medicinal herbs in preparation for alchemy.

Refining a second-level potion was not something achieved in a single attempt—it often required several days.

Take Pill Master Sun from before, for instance; he’d spent six or seven days.

Of course, as a top-level Pill Master at Second Level, Zhou Luo needed far less time.

Thanks to his system assistance, his control over alchemy had already been perfected to an exceptional degree.

He began adding materials with practiced ease, his calm and composed demeanor rivaling that of Pill Masters who’d practiced for centuries.

Alchemy consisted of five steps altogether.

Moving through them in methodical sequence, Zhou Luo proceeded steadily, his expression poised and his mind tranquil as still water.

Compared to that Pill Master Sun, his comprehension of Foundation Establishment Dan techniques was both significantly more formidable and profoundly deeper.

Under his fluid, effortless control, the first and second steps were completed within merely one day.

The third step—fusing the medicinal liquids—was where the greatest mental strength toll manifested.

He promptly began controlling the puppet to channel supplementary mental strength.

Guided by his will, the puppet released a surge of immense mental strength into the furnace to assist in the alchemical process according to established protocols.

With the greatest mental burden eased, the subsequent techniques became comparatively straightforward.

A full dozen techniques for liquid fusion flashed through Zhou Luo’s mind.

These techniques represented the very pinnacle comprehended within this world of cultivation—each one originating exclusively from gifted, exceptional Pill Grandmasters.

Now, those profound insights were etched deep into his consciousness.

It would be no exaggeration to state that Zhou Luo was, at this moment, likely the greatest Second Level Pill Master in existence.

Another day passed, and the liquids fused seamlessly; the next step involved guiding the pill formula.

This stage demanded especially deep insight into alchemy’s essence.

But Zhou Luo encountered no obstacles whatsoever—countless pill formula techniques lay before him for choosing.

Opting for the very finest technique, he proceeded toward fusion.

Boom—

After one more day, a dazzling spiritual light suddenly blossomed within the Purple Gold furnace, while a dense wave of medicinal aroma filled the air.

It had reached the final step of alchemy, Pill Formation!

Zhou Luo’s eyes blazed intensely, his expression solemn, as he released a large amount of spiritual energy from both hands, while his mental strength enveloped the entire furnace.

"Rise!"

With a loud shout, he formed the pill formula gestures with both hands and unleashed his technique.

Buzz—

Under his control, a brilliant colorful glow shot upward, and a wave of searing heat rushed forward, generating immense momentum.

If not for the formation barrier, it might have disturbed the people outside.

Above the furnace, surprisingly, seven-colored auspicious clouds appeared, their lights flickering, as dreamy and illusory.

Zhou Luo was overjoyed.

Such a phenomenon must surely be of the Ultimate Foundation Establishment Dan.

He directed his mental strength into the furnace and retrieved all three pills from within.

Upon close inspection, he saw that among the three Foundation Establishment Dans, one was smooth and bright-colored all over, even bearing five Dao patterns.

The other two Foundation Establishment Dans each had only four Dao patterns.

A normal Average-grade Foundation Establishment Dan usually has four Dao patterns, increasing the probability of Foundation Establishment by twenty percent.

A High-grade Foundation Establishment Dan has four and a half Dao patterns, increasing the probability by twenty-five percent.

As for the Ultimate Foundation Establishment Dan, it bears five Dao patterns, increasing the probability by thirty percent, breaking the inherent limitations of the pill, which could be considered rare to see.

Currently, Zhou Luo had actually managed to concoct an Ultimate Foundation Establishment Dan.

If this spread, it would likely not only shake the Immortal City but also cause a stir throughout the Qinyuan Domain.

He was not at all surprised by such an outcome.

After all, he was a Second Level top-level Pill Master, and the preparation had been so thorough; it was only right.

Thus, not only was Foundation Establishment hopeful for him, but he could also save two regular Foundation Establishment Dans for his wife and children.

He carefully stored the three Foundation Establishment Dans and had already begun planning how to undergo Foundation Establishment next.

Since it was for Foundation Establishment, he would certainly go to the core area of Qinyuan City.

That was where almost everyone would choose to go; it was said that the Li Family members who had obtained the Foundation Establishment Dans a few years ago were there.

Before that, he needed to first break through to the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refinement, and then prepare appropriately.

After all, Foundation Establishment takes at least a few years, so he had to ensure that nothing would go wrong at home during that time.

Especially now, as the Lu Family’s attacks were becoming increasingly fierce, the Lin Family might not be able to hold out.

He hoped that the Lin Family would be defeated, but did not wish for them to be occupied by the Lu Family before he had successfully established his foundation.

Therefore, prior to his Closed-Door Training, he had to make some preparations.

The first preparation naturally was Little White.

Next, he would be in Closed-Door Training in the city’s core area with a Golden Core master overseeing it; there was certainly no danger.

So he planned to send Little White to Jiang City.

A while ago, Lin Xi had already Delivered the Message saying that the situation in Jiang City was becoming increasingly perilous.

With Little White stationed there to protect his wife and children without revealing its strength, it shouldn’t be a problem.

As long as Jiang City did not fall, he could take this opportunity to take control of the city, so that even if the Lin Family were defeated, he would still have a foothold.

As for Maple Leaf City, being the Lin Family’s last line of defense, Zhou Luo believed that as long as their Foundation Establishment ancestor was not dead, it should hold out for quite a long time; no need to worry for the time being.

The only concern was the spiritual mine.

Although Xu Changsheng Delivered the Message saying that it was fine for now, after all, it wasn’t a city-like place without a formation barrier.

If the Lu Family launched a forcible attack, defeat would be certain.

Therefore, Zhou Luo decided to write a letter so that if the situation turned dire, they would retreat as soon as possible.

Immediately after, he returned the puppet to the Treasure Pavilion.

This alchemy process took three days and cost only three hundred spiritual stones.

Truth be told, this puppet was quite helpful, but he would likely not need it in the future.

Because after successfully establishing his foundation, he would no longer be restricted by mental strength and could freely concoct Second Level items.

Unless he acquired a Third Level skill sometime in the future.

However, he didn’t know if this Immortal City had a puppet with Nascent Soul mental strength.

One month later.

Zhou Luo had basically implemented all the previous arrangements; Little White hadn’t left yet temporarily.

He intended to have Little White go to Jiang City after he himself entered Closed-Door Training.

During this period, Zhou Luo stayed at Yao Wu’s courtyard every day, engaging in dual cultivation, solely to break through to the peak of ninth level of Qi Refinement as quickly as possible.

Time passed in the blink of an eye.

Nine months later, Yao Wu was nearing her due date.

For this child, Zhou Luo held great expectations.