Chapter 66: Foundation Establishment
The sinister energy from the ink-wash painting - though he had suppressed it using his soul power and blood essence, had already broken through the barrier again in such a short time. This meant the evil energy seeping from the painting was even more intense, becoming almost unbearable.
"Grandfather, don’t go near it!" Mu Lichuan's tone was unusually stern as he vanished from Mu Xiaoran's sight.
Mu Xiaoran also sensed the faint traces of evil energy, his face instantly paling. Remembering how his great-grandson had nearly died from exhaustion before, fury burned in his heart. Whoever sent this painting should be the one to deal with it, why should his own child bear the responsibility?
Mu Lichuan had no idea what was happening outside. The moment he opened the door, the overwhelming evil energy hit him like a tidal wave. "Pfft—" Bright red blood sprayed from his throat.
He knew that sealing the evil energy in the painting required a powerful cultivator. Yet, he wasn’t even a beginner, let alone capable of handling this. Relying on his own strength was impossible. The problem was, he had no idea where to find other cultivators or if they would even help.
"I’ll risk it!" Mu Lichuan gritted his teeth and made his decision. He drew out a drop of his heart’s blood, then retrieved a sealing talisman from his spatial storage. Channeling his soul power and dragon energy, he forcibly sealed the evil-infested painting once more.
By the time Mu Xiaoran noticed the evil energy had vanished and rushed to his great-grandson’s room, he found the young man completely unconscious, his face as pale as paper, his breathing nearly undetectable. The ink-wash painting lay rolled up in a corner as if it had never caused any trouble.
"Lichuan? Lichuan?" Mu Xiaoran didn’t dare move his great-grandson recklessly. Though there were no visible injuries, he couldn’t tell if the boy’s spiritual energy had been completely drained, overused, or worse - corrupted by the evil energy.
Mu Lichuan struggled to open his eyes and forced a weak smile. "Grandfather, I’m just tired. I need to cultivate. For the next while, don’t let anyone disturb me."
Though he hadn’t yet reached Foundation Establishment, his spatial storage held plenty of elixirs. Using his mental energy, he retrieved a Spirit Qi Pill and swallowed it. Instantly, the immense spiritual energy surged through his narrow meridians, causing tiny blood vessels on his skin to rupture. The young man sitting cross-legged on the ground contorted in pain.
"Let me in!" Mi Shen was also suffering. No matter what, he hadn’t expected the ink-wash painting to act up again, leaving him powerless to resolve it.
Mu Xiaoran replied with a cold laugh, "Young Master Mi, our Lichuan is unworthy of your concern. Please leave and take this painting with you. Don’t harm my Lichuan again."
If it were within his abilities, he wouldn’t stop his grandson. Cultivators believed in karma - good deeds led to good results. But going against one’s conscience would invite inner demons during breakthroughs, risking utter annihilation.
"Mr. Mu, I apologize for the trouble I’ve caused Lichuan." Mi Shen understood that no matter what he said now, the old man wouldn’t forgive him.
Mu Xiaoran replied indifferently, "No need for apologies. Just stay far away from Lichuan." Since the young man refused to believe in the supernatural, there was no point explaining further.
Mi Shen’s handsome face darkened. Ever since the boy had mentioned the painting’s abnormality, he had secretly investigated his second uncle—only to uncover suspicious dealings with strange individuals.
"I’m sorry." Those were the only words he could muster. But a painting like this couldn’t be suppressed by just anyone.
Just as Mu Xiaoran expected more arguments, Mi Shen turned and left, easing the old man’s tension. Though he spoke confidently, the other was the "Crown Prince of the Capital." An old man like him had no power to oppose him—if anything, Mi Shen could make their lives in the capital impossible.
Mu Lichuan knew he couldn’t afford to faint. Gritting through the pain, he guided the spiritual energy to expand his meridians. Though the agony was unbearable for most, he had endured soul refinement in his past life, this was nothing.
The Spirit Qi Pill contained an overwhelming amount of energy, nearly causing his body to explode. But thanks to the dragon energy protecting him, his damaged meridians slowly repaired themselves, which was an unexpected blessing.
His soul power, different from spiritual energy, worked in tandem with it. Under the guidance of the golden light, his meridians healed at an accelerated pace.
Crack… crack… Once all his meridians were restored, he felt strands of true qi forming in his dantian. Whoosh— The qi of his mortal flesh had been wholly purified into spiritual energy. Joy surged through him, he had successfully reached Foundation Establishment, even on a planet with such thin spiritual energy!
____
Mu Xiaoran had waited for a month. The weather had turned cooler, but his great-grandson still hadn’t emerged. Though he knew cultivators could seclude themselves for decades, even centuries, the wait was agonizing.
"This…" He had once built his own foundation. Though his remaining spiritual energy was meager, the Life-Extending Pill had only sustained his life. Yet, he could still sense the gathering spiritual energy, his face lit up with excitement.
A few days later, movement came from the room, followed by his great-grandson’s voice reassuring him before freshening up.
Foundation Establishment marked the true threshold of cultivation, the transition from a mortal body to a spiritual one. The process expelled all bodily impurities. When Mu Lichuan opened his eyes, he found himself covered in black filth, a foul stench emanating from his limbs.
He knew he had succeeded. After multiple thorough washes, he had shed his mortal constraints.
Still, he understood his rapid progress required stabilization. A shaky foundation could lead to unforeseen disasters.
When he finally stepped out, refreshed, he saw his overjoyed great-grandfather.
"Grandfather, I succeeded." He didn’t know how long he had been in seclusion, but the gains were immense.
Mu Xiaoran, though already sensing it, beamed at the confirmation. "Good, good, good!" He couldn’t even form coherent words in his delight.
Who dared call the Mu family’s young master a waste? What waste could surpass a genius? In less than half a year, he had gone from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment. If others knew, they’d call him a "monster."
"Grandfather, I worried you." Now, suppressing the painting’s evil energy would be far easier.
A major realm leap meant greater resistance to sinister forces.
"Lichuan, even though you’ve built your foundation, advancing too quickly isn’t good. You must consolidate your progress steadily, it’ll benefit your future breakthroughs." Mu Xiaoran spoke gravely. He didn’t want his great-grandson rushing ahead, risking irreversible consequences at higher realms.
Mu Lichuan nodded. "Don’t worry, Grandfather. I know what to do." He had studied cultivation texts thoroughly and wouldn’t jeopardize his foundation.
After a meal - Foundation Establishment didn’t yet exempt him from mortal food, he returned to his room, only to find the painting missing. Frowning, he didn’t want it circulating elsewhere.
"Grandfather…" Seeing the old man peacefully watering plants in the courtyard eased his mind.
Mu Xiaoran sighed inwardly. "Mi Shen took the painting back." Since he had brought this trouble, he should deal with the consequences.
"He…" The boy didn’t finish. He knew Mi Shen’s obsession with the painting.
To him, the man must be under some gu curse, why else cling to a painting so desperately? If the evil energy drained his luck and vitality, it would affect the nation’s fortune, bringing calamities upon the people.
"Lichuan, you’re grown now. Do what you must." Mu Xiaoran felt his own actions might hinder his great-grandson’s growth.
"Thank you, Grandfather." With that, the boy dashed off.
____
After Mi Shen ordered the painting discarded, it kept returning to his villa - no matter how far it was thrown away.
"Bring all the so-called ‘masters’ from the Reformation Bureau here." Now at the bureau, Mi Shen held the ink-wash painting. Though he felt nothing unusual, an inexplicable discomfort lingered.
When the experts saw the rolled-up painting, their eyes widened in shock. "Who suppressed this?"
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