Chapter Twelve: The Hope of Foundation Establishment

On the northern slope of Mount Tianyuan lies a dense forest, shrouded all year round in miasma. Venomous creatures and fierce beasts dwell within, making it a place where the slightest misstep for an ordinary person could result in their body dissolving into a pool of blood upon contact with the fog.

Deep within this forest, a young man sat cross-legged. His appearance was unremarkable, clad in coarse, rustic garb, looking every bit an ordinary mortal. Yet his entire being radiated an aura of otherworldly grace, the air of one steeped in the mysteries of cultivation. To remain so at ease in such a perilous place—if not an immortal from the heavens, then surely a cultivator of exceptional prowess.

This youth was Su Fan. He recalled the day Red Swallow had struck at him with casual force; seizing the moment, Su Fan had feigned injury and fallen, landing inside a hidden cave. The blow had indeed been formidable: upon landing, he coughed up blood and lost consciousness. Fortunately, the jade pendant he carried had healed his wounds, leaving him with no lasting harm.

As for Red Swallow and her companions searching for him, Su Fan was unaware. After leaving the cave and passing through this forest, he discovered that the spiritual energy here was even richer than at the Tianyuan Sect’s sanctuary, and so he decided to stay and cultivate.

Now, Su Fan’s fingers wove incantations, his eyes half-closed. His hair drifted about his shoulders though not a breeze stirred. He softly uttered a single word: “Condense.”

At once, Su Fan’s body began to rapidly wither and shrivel; his hair turned from black to white, and wrinkles creased his face. In moments, his features became unrecognizable, his skin clinging tight to bone, his clothing hanging loosely, arms desiccated yet still forming seals. Suddenly, a stream of white energy burst from his crown and circled his body.

Su Fan’s entire form trembled violently—he was clearly enduring excruciating pain, but he did not stop. He knew that halting now would forever sever his path to cultivation. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to persevere. The white energy spun around him, and his body’s decay quickened: white hair fell away, his skin split and flaked off in pieces, and with a muffled bang, his clothes turned to ash.

In the space of a breath, Su Fan’s flesh was gone, leaving only a skeleton. Before the bones floated a gleaming jade pendant. The white glow intensified, splitting into countless threads that attached themselves to the skeleton. In a flash, the white energy turned crimson, swirling like a mist of blood about the bones.

The skeleton itself darkened from white to gray, swaying as if about to collapse. At the very brink of destruction, the jade pendant underwent a strange transformation. It began to emit a deep red light, growing ever brighter, enveloping the skeleton in a rich crimson glow. The red mist slowly drifted away from the bones, hovering nearby without dispersing.

The pendant rose, spinning above the skull. Instantly, spiritual energy from dozens of miles around converged atop the skeleton’s crown, forming a vortex. The bones were slowly drawn in. Suddenly, the pendant shot a ray of red light into the skeleton, and spiritual power surged into it.

Moments later, the bones regained their luster and, at a speed visible to the naked eye, flesh and blood returned, restoring Su Fan’s form in an instant. Yet he now looked deathly pale, his spirit depleted. He breathed a single word: “Time.” All the red energy swirling around him was drawn into his body through his fingertips.

Su Fan slowly opened his eyes and murmured, “With the jade pendant’s help, I reached the ninth stage of Qi Refinement three years ago, but despite countless attempts, I’ve failed to form a Foundation.”

He took out the pendant, scrutinizing it, but found nothing new.

Then, a thought struck him. He recalled reading in the sect’s jade scrolls that upon reaching the ninth level of Qi Refinement, one would awaken a mysterious power: divine sense.

With this sense, one could perceive the subtlest things, and those of great cultivation could sense the slightest movement within a hundred miles. As a cultivator advanced, this sense grew ever stronger. Legends spoke of the truly powerful who could kill with a mere thought.

That day, the man in yellow riding the multicolored crane seemed to possess this very power.

With this in mind, Su Fan followed the method described in the jade scroll, focusing his divine sense on the pendant. Suddenly, his vision spun violently, and a wave of dizziness overwhelmed him. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a crystalline world—there was no earth or sky, nothing but a void. He continued to search with his divine sense.

Abruptly, a domineering voice rang out: “Boy, don’t bother probing. There’s nothing here. Only me.”

Su Fan was startled. “Where is this place? Who are you?”

The voice replied angrily, “Who am I? You’re not worthy to know.”

Finding this place exceedingly strange, Su Fan tried to withdraw his divine sense, but the voice hurriedly continued, “I am also a cultivator, betrayed and trapped here. I don’t know what this place is either, only that I’ve been here a very long time.”

Su Fan smiled silently, gazing into the void.

The voice thundered, “You think I’m lying to you?”

Su Fan smiled faintly. “Does senior take me for a fool? When I was forming my Foundation just now, you intervened, injecting your essence into me. That created a fleeting connection, allowing me to sense your presence. Yet, we are strangers—why would you save me?”

As soon as he finished speaking, a white shadow flashed before Su Fan, vaguely taking human shape. “Listen well, boy. My name is Lan Yifeng.”

Seeing Su Fan unmoved, the shadow sighed. “You’re right. Moments ago, I tried to seize your body, but you severed our connection without hesitation. Your body is too inferior for me to possess. Then I saw the pendant channeling pure spiritual energy into you—I suppose it recognizes you as its master. I was pleased at first, but when you failed to form your Foundation and faced death, I had no choice but to expend my essence to stabilize you. Boy, out here in the wilderness, if you die, how will I ever escape? When will I find someone else the pendant will recognize? At least I acted quickly, but now I’ve spent much of my essence and may not endure the ravages of time.”

Su Fan spoke up, “Senior, I am forever grateful for your saving grace. Yet, with my poor talent and shallow cultivation, how can I hope to save you?”

Lan Yifeng snorted. “You save me? If I had to count on you, I’d never see the light of day again.”

Su Fan gave a bitter smile. “Then what would you have me do, senior?”

Lan Yifeng replied sternly, “With your current cultivation, you can barely protect yourself in this world. As long as you survive, there’s hope for me. You must work quickly to improve your strength.”

Su Fan suddenly asked, “May I ask why you were betrayed? What is this pendant, and what makes it so extraordinary?”

Lan Yifeng sighed. “I won’t hide it from you. Years ago, I joined a group seeking treasure in an ancient ruin. Ultimately, I obtained this pendant, which contains its own inner world. The others grew greedy and conspired to kill me for it. I killed two and wounded one before being overwhelmed. I destroyed my body, wounded them, and fled here with my nascent soul. When I thought I was safe and tried to leave the pendant, I found it had been sealed. As for what other secrets it holds, I do not know... Wait, someone is coming. Withdraw your divine sense at once.”

At that, Su Fan quickly drew back his sense and resumed his meditation in the forest.

A moment later, a young man flew to Su Fan’s side on a sword. This youth was dressed in blue, handsome and upright, bearing the air of a righteous cultivator. He smiled, “I am Ling Yuan. May I ask your name, friend?”

“Su Fan,” Su Fan replied calmly, betraying nothing. Ling Yuan took no offense—such caution was natural among cultivators.

After a pause, Ling Yuan continued, “Su Fan, two days ago I discovered an ancient tomb a hundred miles outside Mount Tianyuan. My cultivation is insufficient to enter and claim its treasures. I had intended to seek help from the Tianyuan Sect, but finding you here, I thought perhaps together we could retrieve what lies within.”

Seeing Su Fan’s expression unchanged, Ling Yuan added, “I suspect the tomb may contain Foundation Establishment Pills.”

Su Fan was about to refuse when Lan Yifeng’s voice sounded in his mind, “Those pills would help restore my soul. Go with him.”

Su Fan replied mentally, “What are Foundation Establishment Pills?”

“They are special elixirs refined by major sects to aid disciples in forming their Foundation. With your poor talent, you may never succeed without one.”

Su Fan’s heart stirred. “Ling Yuan, may I consider your proposal? In three days, meet me at the Yingchuan Ferry at the foot of Mount Tianyuan—I will give you my answer.”

Ling Yuan sighed, “As you wish, friend.” With that, he mounted his sword and flew off into the distance.