At last, the two of them safely arrived at the small island. The Bingxin growing in the center of the island was blooming quietly, bearing three crystal-clear lotus seeds on its seed pod.
"The Bingxin produces only three lotus seeds per plant. How about we take one each and leave the remaining one for Senior Brother Lin?" Ye Wuji proposed.
Zhao Linger nodded in agreement. Carefully, the two plucked the lotus seeds and put them away. Just as they were preparing to head back, the sound of fighting suddenly echoed from the other side of the island.
Exchanging a glance, the two crept closer to the source of the sound. Through the bushes, they saw Lin Tianyu confronting two other inner sect disciples. Ye Wuji recognized those two disciples as well: one was Li Hu, and the other was Zheng Feng. Both were at Peak Layer 9 Qi Condensation and enjoyed considerable prestige within the inner sect.
"Lin Tianyu, if you know what's good for you, hand over that piece of Gold Essence!" Li Hu said coldly. "We've already gathered all the other materials for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill, and this is the very last ingredient we need."
Wielding his long sword, Lin Tianyu wore a stern expression. "The Foundation Establishment assessment is all about competition, and victory is decided by strength. Why should I hand over the materials I worked so hard to get?"
Zheng Feng sneered wickedly. "Just because the two of us are joining forces, and you're no match for us alone. Besides, this is a mystic realm, and no one knows what happens here. If you don't know what's good for you, don't blame us for being ruthless if an accident happens."
Hearing this, Ye Wuji flew into a rage. These two were clearly trying to bully the outnumbered and were even hinting that they might resort to killing Lin Tianyu. This was a severe violation of the sect rules!
"Senior Sister Zhao, we have to help Senior Brother Lin!" Ye Wuji whispered.
Zhao Linger looked hesitant. "But... the assessment is meant to be a competition. If we help Senior Brother Lin, won't that reduce our own chances of obtaining a Foundation Establishment Pill?"
Resolutely, Ye Wuji shook his head. "I don't object to fair competition, but ganging up on someone and threatening a fellow disciple is definitely not behavior encouraged by the Qingyun Sect. Besides, Senior Brother Lin and I made an agreement long ago to help each other. If Senior Sister has reservations, you can wait here while I go lend Senior Brother Lin a hand."
Without waiting for Zhao Linger to respond, Ye Wuji leaped out of the bushes and arrived at Lin Tianyu's side. "Senior Brother Li, Senior Brother Zheng, two against one—isn't that a bit unfair?"
Upon seeing Ye Wuji, Lin Tianyu was overjoyed. "Junior Brother Wuji, you've come just in time!"
When Li Hu and Zheng Feng saw Ye Wuji, their expressions flickered slightly. A moment later, Li Hu sneered. "Oh, isn't this the country boy who thinks he's untouchable just because he has the Chaos Spiritual Root? A mere Layer 7 Qi Condensation dares to meddle in our business?"
Unfazed, Ye Wuji replied, "Rule Three of the Qingyun Sect: Sparring between fellow disciples must stop at the point of realization and must not endanger lives. Rule Seven: Disciples are not permitted to form cliques for personal gain or bully fellow disciples. Both of your actions have already violated the sect rules."
Zheng Feng scoffed. "Kid, this is a Foundation Establishment assessment, a life-and-death competition! Sect rules? Those are only meant to be followed inside the sect. There are no rules to speak of in the mystic realm—might makes right!"
"You..." Ye Wuji was about to retort when he suddenly saw Zhao Linger emerge as well, stepping over to stand with Lin Tianyu and him.
"Three against two—the tide has turned," Zhao Linger said calmly. "Senior brothers, do you still want to continue?"
Li Hu and Zheng Feng exchanged a glance, clearly not expecting Zhao Linger to help Lin Tianyu and Ye Wuji. After a brief hesitation, Li Hu snorted. "We'll let you off today, but there are only ten Foundation Establishment spots, and who the final victor will be remains to be seen!" With that, the two turned and left.
"Many thanks to both of you for stepping up to help," Lin Tianyu said gratefully. "Especially Junior Sister Zhao, who had no need to get dragged into this yet still chose to stand with us."
Zhao Linger shook her head. "Junior Brother Ye's words just now moved me. The path of immortality is long; if we abandon basic morality, what is the use of attaining even higher cultivation? Besides, while I have no certainty of securing a Foundation Establishment Pill, neither do I wish to see fellow disciples slaughtering one another."
Hearing this, Ye Wuji held even greater respect for Zhao Linger. He retrieved the Bingxin lotus seed from his robes and handed it to Lin Tianyu. "Senior Brother, this is a lotus seed of the Bingxin, one of the materials for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill. Senior Sister Zhao and I took one each, and this third one is for you."
Deeply moved, Lin Tianyu said, "Junior Brother Wuji, Junior Sister Zhao, you two are truly..."
"Senior Brother need say no more," Ye Wuji smiled. "Since that's the case, the three of us should travel together. What was that 'Gold Essence' you mentioned earlier?"
Lin Tianyu produced a small stone that glowed with a golden light. "This is another ingredient for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill, which I found in a cave at the base of the mountain. As far as I know, refining a Foundation Establishment Pill requires four main ingredients: a Bingxin lotus seed, Gold Essence, Fire Spirit Grass, and a drop of rare Demonic Beast essence blood. We already have the first two; as long as we find the Fire Spirit Grass and the essence blood, we can refine the Foundation Establishment Pill."
Zhao Linger nodded. "Earlier in the southern part of the mystic realm, I saw a crimson-red area where Fire Spirit Grass is very likely to grow. As for the Demonic Beast essence blood... there are plenty of high-grade Demonic Beasts in the mystic realm, but hunting them is quite dangerous."
After discussing it, the three decided to go look for the Fire Spirit Grass first, and if they encountered a suitable Demonic Beast along the way, they would figure out a way to obtain its blood. They boarded the Qingyun Flute to return to the lake shore, then set off toward the southern part of the mystic realm.
Along the way, Lin Tianyu recounted in detail his experiences after entering the mystic realm. He had headed straight for the mountain peaks from the start, encountering a few first-tier Demonic Beasts along the way, all of which he easily dispatched. When he discovered the Gold Essence in the cave at the base of the mountain, he happened to run into Li Hu and Zheng Feng. The two had intended to ambush him, but when he caught them, they dropped all pretense and demanded he hand over the Gold Essence.
"I originally thought we were all fellow disciples and they wouldn't go too far," Lin Tianyu sighed. "I never expected them to threaten my life. If not for the two of you appearing in time, I'm afraid I would have suffered a heavy loss."
Ye Wuji's brows furrowed tightly. "Senior Brother, you're right... With no one watching us in the mystic realm, some people might take desperate chances. We must be even more cautious, especially toward other disciples participating in the assessment."
Zhao Linger nodded in agreement. "Indeed, human hearts are unpredictable. For the sake of a Foundation Establishment qualification, some people might stop at nothing."
After walking for about two hours, the three arrived at the southern part of the mystic realm. Just as Zhao Linger had described, everything here was fiery red; patches of crimson bushes grew among the rocks, and a scorching heat washed over them.
"That's Fire Spirit Grass!" Lin Tianyu pointed at a particularly vibrant cluster of red plants ahead. "We must harvest it carefully. The temperature around the Fire Spirit Grass is extremely high, and a moment of carelessness will result in severe burns."
Zhao Linger took out several talismans. "I have Fire-Repelling Talismans, which can temporarily withstand the high heat."
Protected by Zhao Linger's talismans, the three cautiously approached the cluster of Fire Spirit Grass. Just as they were preparing to harvest it, the ground suddenly shook violently.
"Not good!" Lin Tianyu's expression changed drastically. "Something's coming out!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a massive crimson-red beetle burst forth from underground, emitting a piercing screech. The beetle was the size of a water buffalo, its six long legs resembling razor-sharp blades, and its mandibles continuously opening and closing while exuding a corrosive aura.
"It's a Fire Rock Beetle! A high-tier-two Demonic Beast!" Zhao Linger cried out in alarm. "It's guarding the Fire Spirit Grass as its territory!"
Spotting the intruders, the Fire Rock Beetle launched an attack immediately. It opened its mouth to spew a scorching fireball that hurtled straight toward the three of them. Lin Tianyu swung his sword swiftly, his sword qi colliding with the fireball and erupting in a deafening roar.
"Together!" Ye Wuji shouted loudly as his Azure Blade sword leaped from its scabbard, wreathed in multicolored Spiritual Power.
The three cooperated seamlessly: Lin Tianyu took charge of front-line containment, Zhao Linger used talismans for attacks and support, and Ye Wuji looked for an opportunity to deliver a fatal strike. Although powerful, the Fire Rock Beetle gradually lost ground when faced with the joint assault of three cultivators.
After a fierce battle, the Fire Rock Beetle was finally defeated. Lin Tianyu thrust his sword through its abdomen, and Zhao Linger immediately stepped forward, using a special jade bottle to collect some of the beetle's essence blood.
"This essence blood is precisely the material for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill!" Zhao Linger rejoiced. "We're so lucky to have collected everything on the first try."
Each of them gathered some Fire Spirit Grass, retrieved the previously collected materials, and after double-checking everything, prepared to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.
"I have some attainments in talismans, but alchemy is not my strong suit," Zhao Linger said with some hesitation.
Lin Tianyu shook his head as well. "I specialize in swordsmanship, so I'm not familiar with alchemy either."
Both of them looked at Ye Wuji. Ye Wuji pondered for a moment. "I learned some alchemy basics following Elder Xuanyang. Although I'm not proficient, refining a simple pill should be no problem. However, we'll need a pill furnace."
Lin Tianyu slapped his forehead in realization. "I saw a few pill furnaces in the cave at the base of the mountain! At the time, I thought they were just ordinary objects and didn't pay much attention. It seems this assessment really is meant for us to gather materials ourselves and then refine the Foundation Establishment Pill."
The three immediately returned to the cave at the base of the mountain. Sure enough, several small pill furnaces sat inside the cave, accompanied by fire-starting stones and some basic alchemy tools.
Ye Wuji inspected the pill furnaces and discovered that they were elementary ones specially prepared by the Qingyun Sect for the assessment. Although their quality was low, they were sufficient for refining basic pills.
"I'll try one furnace first," Ye Wuji told his two companions. "If it succeeds, I'll refine them for you individually."
Following the method taught by Elder Xuanyang, Ye Wuji first used a fire-starting stone to ignite the flame beneath the pill furnace, then adjusted the heat and added the Gold Essence, Fire Spirit Grass, and Bingxin lotus seed in sequence, finally adding the essence blood of the Fire Rock Beetle. The entire process required extremely delicate control of Spiritual Power and patient waiting.
Two hours later, a crisp "clink" sounded from within the pill furnace, signifying that the pill had formed. Opening the pill furnace with utmost care, Ye Wuji saw a crystal-clear pill radiating multicolored light resting quietly inside.
"It succeeded!" Ye Wuji said with pleasant surprise.
Next, he continuously refined two more furnaces; although there were a few twists and turns during the process, both ultimately succeeded. Each of the three held a Foundation Establishment Pill, beside themselves with joy.
"We can take the Foundation Establishment Pill right now and begin our breakthrough," Lin Tianyu proposed. "However, the breakthrough takes time. If we're disturbed during the process, it could all come to nothing, or worse, lead to a deviation in our cultivation."
Zhao Linger looked around. "This cave is secluded, and with the three of us looking out for each other, it's a great place to break through. However, there might be other disciples in the mystic realm still searching for materials, so we must remain vigilant."
After discussing it, the three decided to take turns keeping watch, with the other two protecting whichever person was undergoing the breakthrough. They would start with Lin Tianyu, who had the highest cultivation, followed by Zhao Linger, and finally Ye Wuji.
Lin Tianyu swallowed the Foundation Establishment Pill, sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing, and began the breakthrough process. Foundation Establishment was the first major hurdle for a Qi Condensation cultivator; one needed to construct a solid "foundation platform" within the dantian to lay the groundwork for future cultivation. This process was hazardous and protracted—once failed, the best outcome was regressing in cultivation, while the worst led to a deviation.
Roughly four hours later, a burst of intense spiritual light suddenly erupted from Lin Tianyu's body before gradually stabilizing. Opening his eyes, he wore a look of joy. "It worked! I am now an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator!"
Ye Wuji and Zhao Linger congratulated him. Next, Zhao Linger swallowed the Foundation Establishment Pill and began her breakthrough process. Her breakthrough went much smoother than Lin Tianyu's, finishing in three hours and successfully advancing to early-stage Foundation Establishment as well.
At last, it was Ye Wuji's turn. He felt somewhat nervous; after all, his cultivation was the lowest among the three at only Layer 7 Qi Condensation, a considerable distance away from Foundation Establishment. Yet with the help of the Foundation Establishment Pill, coupled with the advantage of his Chaos Spiritual Root, theoretically he should succeed.
"Junior Brother Wuji, relax your mindset and follow the cultivation method step by step. Don't be impatient," Lin Tianyu encouraged.
Zhao Linger also smiled and said, "We will stand guard and won't let anyone disturb you."
Taking a deep breath, Ye Wuji swallowed the Foundation Establishment Pill. Once swallowed, the pill immediately transformed into a warm current flowing through his body. Following the method described in the Hunyuan Formula, he guided this current to circulate through his meridians, ultimately converging in his dantian.
Inside his dantian, a miniature "foundation platform" began to form, with multicolored Spiritual Power circulating within it. Ye Wuji carefully controlled the flow of Spiritual Power to ensure the platform remained stable and balanced. This process proved far more difficult than he had imagined, nearly spiraling out of control several times, but fortunately, he managed to steady it in the end.
Unaware of how much time had passed, Ye Wuji felt that the foundation platform in his dantian had basically taken shape, save for the final step—unifying the Spiritual Power to completely solidify the platform. At this critical juncture, the sounds of fighting and screaming suddenly echoed from outside the cave.
"Not good!" Lin Tianyu whispered. "Someone is fighting outside, and it sounds intense."
Zhao Linger's expression turned grave. "We must protect Junior Brother Wuji so he can complete his breakthrough. You stay and watch over him here, and I'll go outside to check the situation."