Foundation Establishment Is Just That Simple

“So this is the Celestial Trial of Heaven and Earth?”

Xiao Qingpei had thought that the Celestial Trial of Heaven and Earth would be much like the sect’s own trial for immortals—three or five rounds of questioning, asking why one sought the Way, why one pursued cultivation, and why one participated in the trial; then a thorough investigation into one’s origins, family background, ancestry, aptitude for cultivation, and spiritual roots. That was why there were books entirely devoted to the trial: they contained the standard answers to those first three questions, and as long as one answered accordingly without error, success was assured.

Who could have predicted that the Celestial Trial of Heaven and Earth would be nothing more than an all-encompassing, dense miasma of yin energy!

Phoenix Suppressing Spiritual Wood is of the yang element, its nature fierce. Though it’s not the finest among spiritual woods, its explosive quality makes it the material of choice for crafting blasting talismans. But after the appearance of the Celestial Trial, the Phoenix Suppressing Spiritual Wood here seemed to have instantaneously changed its very nature.

Wherever the chilling yin energy passed, it left a trail of hoarfrost. Yet it had little effect on Xiao Qingpei, for the path he cultivated was precisely the Way of the Great Yin.

Thus, Xiao Qingpei found the trial astonishingly easy. In but a short while, he sensed a tremendous transformation within himself, as if a withered branch had been injected with new life, causing it to put forth roots and bud once more!

His body showed little outward change, but when he perceived his appearance with his spiritual sense, he was momentarily stunned.

He had crossed over into this world only three years prior, but his physical body was already twenty-seven years old. Three years had passed; his mind remained youthful, but his form had become that of a man nearing his forties—a “quasi-middle-aged man,” so to speak.

Yet now, his features had grown a full decade younger! There was even a hint of boyishness upon his face.

“So this is the wondrous effect of nourishing life?”

Xiao Qingpei was amazed. Cultivators who passed the sect’s trial and broke through to the Foundation Establishment Realm did not grow younger, let alone experience such a dramatic reversal as he had, returning straight to the bloom of youth!

As the yin energy dissipated, Xiao Qingpei’s gaze swept around and landed upon the nearby spiritual woods.

All around, everything was a vibrant green, bursting with life. Such a flourishing scene might befit any other plant, but it was wholly out of place for Phoenix Suppressing Spiritual Wood.

Xiao Qingpei snapped off a small branch, examined it with his spiritual sense, and realized that its fiery attribute had been neutralized, leaving behind this appearance.

Without a second thought, he turned and left.

The Celestial Trial of Heaven and Earth had passed so swiftly that, as Xiao Qingpei returned to Fengqing Town, the golden-red radiance still lingered in the sky.

He did not pause to gaze at it. Instead, he returned to his residence, gathered all he could carry, shrouded himself in mist, and rode a cloud of blue-grey vapor away, as if accompanied by the wind.

Having broken through in cultivation and undergone such a dramatic change in appearance, Xiao Qingpei knew it was impossible for him to remain in Fengqing Town.

Leaving was the wisest choice.

Besides, though he had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, it was but the very first level. The head of the Linwu Sect, by contrast, was at the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment!

Whether he sought justice for the wrongs done to his parents or closure for his own bitter fate, he would have to wait a while longer.

“And I won’t have to wait too long…”

Xiao Qingpei mused. Having chosen to cultivate the Way of the Great Yin, he had already mapped out his path ahead.

The traditional method of grinding away at daily cultivation was clearly not for him. Besides, it would be a waste of his two great “talents”!

“Heaven Rewards Diligence with Basic Welfare” and “Death Befalls This Taoist Only After Others”—these two talents could be used together. He could first use the latter to “enlighten” a ghostly being, letting it roam as it pleased, while he himself made good use of the former to rack up “+1” enhancements.

Doubling a “1” yields little, but what if what’s being doubled isn’t “10” or “20”, but rather “50”?

When Xiao Qian emerged earlier, Xiao Qingpei’s incomplete Way of the Great Yin—half of the “Profound Commentary on Nourishing Life by the Great Yin”—had allowed him, in one day’s cultivation, to reap the benefit of nearly two months of hard work!

And that was without the doubled returns from “Heaven Rewards Diligence with Basic Welfare”!

Otherwise, Xiao Qingpei could never have broken through from the third stage of high-level Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment in just a few days.

“This is the proper way to use my golden finger!”

Xiao Qingpei was full of vigor.

As for that system which had bound itself to the wrong person and handed over a magic treasure for nothing, he had already pushed it to the back of his mind.

“Still, I need to be cautious when enlightening ghosts…” Xiao Qingpei reminded himself. His success in resolving “Xiao Qian possessed by the Grandmother” had involved no small measure of luck.

He couldn’t count on being so lucky every time!

“I’ll find an antique object around fifty years old and try enlightening it first.” Xiao Qingpei made his decision, halving the age of the intended medium.

Although he had followed the Linwu Sect to the Azure Cliff Mountains, Xiao Qingpei was not unfamiliar with the Great Yao Dynasty. The sects kept incredibly detailed geomantic maps, after all.

Not only maps, but information about the important families within the various courts was also well known.

It wasn’t out of boredom that Xiao Qingpei had memorized these things; the Linwu Sect required all disciples to do so, and those who failed were not permitted to leave the sect at will.

This practice was not unique to the Linwu Sect; most cultivation sects had similar rules.

Riding his cloud, Xiao Qingpei soon reached the outskirts of a county town. He was just about to descend and begin his search when a familiar “ding-dong” sounded unexpectedly.

“Having completed your novice mission, you have fully adapted to the Protagonist Fuyao System, and you understand that you are the Heaven’s Mandated True Female. Therefore, you have set a lofty goal for yourself: to ascend the immortal path, step by step, to the very pinnacle of this cultivation world!”

Xiao Qingpei, who nearly became the first Foundation Establishment cultivator to fall off his cloud: “…”

Thank you, but his name wasn’t Zhao Gao!

And what’s this about adapting, anyway?

Also, what nonsense is this about being the Heaven’s Mandated True Female?

It was all delivered with an air of solemn nonsense, but couldn’t it at least make some attempt at plausibility?

For a brief moment, Xiao Qingpei could hardly contain the urge to complain.

He had never encountered a system so utterly ridiculous!

Then again, this was his first encounter with a system at all…

While Xiao Qingpei was busy grumbling internally, the Protagonist Fuyao System was not idle either; that groggy, synthetic voice droned on.