Ding, ding, ding!
A faint, crisp knocking sound resonated from within Shen Mo's body.
Each knock echoed deep within his mind and soul.
Shen Mo kept his eyes tightly shut, continuously circulating the Inferno Hell Annihilation Manual.
With each moment of forging, his breath rotated, condensed, and sublimated bit by bit!
Transitioning from the Qi Condensation Realm to the Foundation Establishment Realm is a qualitative leap.
A transformation, a rebirth!
Three days later.
Above the spiritual energy vortex, the Dao foundation had fully formed.
The platform, infused with the five elements and five colors, was radiant and flawless.
It was a masterpiece, as if the grandest creation of heaven and earth.
The moment the Dao foundation fully formed, it suddenly pressed down on the spiritual energy vortex!
Like the weighty Mountain descending from the sky.
Boom!
The spiritual energy vortex was subjected to immense pressure. The spiritual energy within it immediately began to compress.
The lowest layer of spiritual energy was the first to change.
It started to transform from a gaseous state to a liquid state. This process was long and tedious.
Another three days passed.
The first drop of liquid spiritual energy appeared. Its appearance was like the prelude to a downpour after the clouds part.
All the gaseous spiritual energy stored within the vortex rapidly converted to liquid spiritual energy.
Second drop, third drop, fourth drop...
Until the spiritual energy vortex completely disappeared, transforming into a small pool.
The pool shimmered, about the size of a spring.
The weighty Dao foundation now floated above the pool like a wooden boat.
At that moment, Shen Mo suddenly opened his eyes.
Boom!
An astonishing aura burst forth like the rising sun. The surrounding dust was blown away, pushing out of the courtyard.
Within a ten-meter radius around Shen Mo, there wasn't a speck of dust.
He finally showed a look of joy.
"This is the Foundation Establishment Realm!"
He felt the liquid spiritual energy in his dantian and was overjoyed.
Shen Mo picked up the Thunder Sword and used the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique on a wooden stake in the yard.
Boom!
A flash of lightning and sword light passed by.
The wooden stake exploded into hundreds of pieces. Shen Mo was even more satisfied.
This wooden stake had been specially made for him.
It was made of ironwood, extremely hard. Only a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator could break it.
Just this piece of ironwood alone cost thirty low-grade spirit stones.
Ordinary cultivators couldn't afford such a luxury.
But now, as a disciple of the Sect Master, Shen Mo had a small fortune.
If the stake broke, it broke. Knowing his current strength was worth it.
Shen Mo looked at his life panel. Nothing else had changed.
But under his fate, a new entry appeared: [Fortune-Blessed (Temporary)].
This had appeared after he became Murong Yue's disciple.
As he continued reading, he discovered a new opportunity.
[Recent Opportunity: Go to the mountaintop courtyard of Qingxuan Sect to meet your master Murong Yue, revealing that you have forged a perfect Dao foundation platform. Murong Yue, delighted, will reward you with abundant cultivation resources and grant you special access to the Qingxuan Cave.]
Shen Mo chuckled to himself.
He had intended to go see Murong Yue immediately.
Having forged a perfect Dao foundation platform and entered the Foundation Establishment Realm, this was great news to share with his master first.
Learning of this would undoubtedly make Murong Yue treasure him even more.
His safety would be further ensured.
"Qingxuan Cave? What kind of place is that? I've never heard of it before."
With curiosity, Shen Mo headed straight to the mountaintop courtyard.
Along the way, he saw disciples with joyful expressions, excitedly discussing various news.
Shen Mo casually grabbed a disciple to inquire.
Upon realizing it was him, the disciple didn't dare show the slightest impatience and answered truthfully.
After getting the information, Shen Mo let him go.
"A lot has happened in the past few days while I was breaking through."
"Zhao Ting and Luo Shengnan's families encountered issues, forcing them to leave the sect and return home."
"Qingxuan Cave showed signs of opening early yesterday... It's a rare cave that opens once every fifty years, where the spiritual energy has condensed into liquid droplets. Cultivating inside for a day is equivalent to consuming ten bottles of Foundation Stabilizing Pills!"
Shen Mo clicked his tongue in amazement.
Foundation Stabilizing Pills are low-grade Xuan-level pills that stabilize the Dao foundation.
Foundation Establishment cultivators use these pills, and the more they consume, the faster their realm improves.
"Only Foundation Establishment cultivators can enter Qingxuan Cave. Those below the Foundation Establishment Realm would explode and die upon entering."
"And there isn't much spiritual liquid inside, so older, potential-exhausted Foundation Establishment cultivators aren't eligible to enter. This means only the four true disciples can enter Qingxuan Cave."
"At such a crucial time, Zhao Ting and Luo Shengnan's families encountered problems, forcing them to leave."
"If there isn't some manipulation behind this, it would be truly strange."
"It seems Murong Yue must be worried about this as well."
Shen Mo quickened his pace and arrived at the mountaintop courtyard.
Today, Murong Yue was dressed in a gradient blue-purple tight-fitting palace dress, with pleated skirts falling to her calves, exposing her fair and slender legs and ankles.
However, compared to their last meeting, Murong Yue's brows were furrowed with even more worry.
She didn't even notice Shen Mo's arrival and was muttering to herself.
"... The early opening of Qingxuan Cave should be good news, but why is this happening..."
"Luo Shengnan's father is critically ill. She left for home three days ago, missing the opportunity to enter Qingxuan Cave."
"Zhao Ting's family is under attack from hostile forces, forcing him to leave the sect and return home."
"Now, only Liu Yunxuan and Song Junjie can enter Qingxuan Cave, but they..."
"Sigh, if only Shen Mo were in the Foundation Establishment Realm."
Shen Mo scratched his head and called out repeatedly, "Master? Master?"
Murong Yue hadn't expected anyone to overhear her muttering.
Shen Mo's sudden voice startled her. Seeing it was her beloved disciple, she calmed down.
Murong Yue, with a stern face, said, "Don't scare me like that again!"
Shen Mo couldn't help but laugh. 'I didn't mean to scare you.'
"What brings you here today? If it's nothing important, I will surely reprimand you!" Murong Yue's face turned even more serious.
Seeing her expression, Shen Mo guessed her thoughts and smiled knowingly.
As the Sect Master of Qingxuan Sect, Murong Yue had never lost her composure in front of others.
This time, she lost her composure in front of her disciple. She surely wanted to find an excuse to discipline him to maintain her authority as a master.
"Too bad, this time you won't get to punish me, and you might even lose your composure again."
Shen Mo chuckled inwardly and said, "Master, I have forged a perfect Dao foundation platform and entered the Foundation Establishment Realm!"
Murong Yue looked completely incredulous, "Impossible! I just gave you the Dark Flame Crystal six days ago. How could you have collected the other four superior-grade Xuan-level treasures in just six days?"
After saying this, she seemed to realize something and comforted, "I know you want to ease my worries, but don't use such means."
"I've always disliked liars."
Shen Mo didn't explain and just looked at her.
Seeing no panic on her disciple's face, Murong Yue was taken aback.
Could it be true? She quickly extended her hand to check Shen Mo's lower abdomen.
Her cold hand suddenly pressing against his firm abs made him let out a low, muffled sound.
Murong Yue asked, "Hmm? What's wrong?"
Shen Mo struggled for a moment before replying, "...Master's hand is too cold."