Chapter 26: Spirit-Consolidating Powder and Going to Sea

Moonlight was like water.

Inside the cave dwelling.

“I observe Black Ridge, where clear springs surge…”

Fang Qing converted his Qi Ingestion Path true power and silently comprehended Ji Water.

Splash—!

The true power within his body surged violently, and in an instant he broke through a certain bottleneck.

“Finally… Fourth Layer of Qi Ingestion.”

“All those ginseng-green spirit waters were not consumed in vain.”

Fang Qing opened his eyes, his expression slightly uplifted. “With this, my Qi Ingestion Path cultivation method has likewise entered the mid-stage.”

He thought for a moment, then closed his eyes again.

The Dao-Birth Pearl spun lightly. The Ji Water true power around Fang Qing vanished, transforming entirely into black-water true power!

“Water flows and circulates, naturally so…”

With a faint smile, he sensed the black-water true power within his body flowing with the currents. In that instant of breakthrough, his dantian sea of qi expanded another full circle.

“Fifth Layer of Qi Refining already… At this pace, I’m probably even faster than Zha Zhu? Is it because I cultivate essence, qi, and spirit together, and then fully convert them?”

After all, he also cultivated the Horse-Headed Vajra Guardian Divine Art, simultaneously training essence and spirit. This breakthrough had likewise converted its extraordinary power!

“This cultivation speed is a bit too fast. It needs some concealment.”

With that thought, Fang Qing immediately converted part of his black-water true power, causing his aura to fall back down to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining.

After the breakthrough, he felt refreshed and left seclusion, only to see a voice-transmission talisman from Xu Wusu:

“Oh? All the procedures are done? Truly double good fortune.”

…

Moments later, inside a pavilion.

Fang Qing walked in and saw Xu Wusu brewing tea.

“Haha… Junior Brother Fang, I had to make many trips before I managed to apply for the sect decree. With this, you can renovate your own cave dwelling and draw in a water vein, as long as it doesn’t exceed first tier.”

Xu Wusu took out a letter talisman. “Besides that, I contacted Senior Sister Qin from Array Island for you… Senior Sister Qin is a first-tier top-grade formation master and also has hopes of becoming a true disciple. If not for Senior Brother Five Dragons having good relations with her, she really wouldn’t have taken this job.”

“Many thanks.”

A trace of joy appeared on Fang Qing’s face as he accepted the letter talisman. “As for that ‘Spirit-Consolidating Powder,’ I happen to have some ideas…”

This Spirit-Consolidating Powder was one of the ancient pill formulas of the Five Dragons Society. It had the effect of condensing divine sense, but its primary ingredient had long gone extinct on Jade Island.

“For our pill formulas, when a main ingredient goes extinct, we usually collect materials from sea demonic beasts as substitutes… That ‘Seven-Star Grass’—what about using ‘Seven-Star Treasure Fish’ instead?”

“Sigh… We thought of that long ago and even obtained several Seven-Star Treasure Fish to try. But whether fish blood, flesh, or bones… none met the requirements.”

Xu Wusu shook his head in disappointment. Replacing a main ingredient in an ancient pill formula—how could that be simple?

Without hundreds or thousands of experiments and accumulated data… one would have to be a grandmaster of the pill path, fully understanding medicinal transformations, to lock onto viable options.

Even a grandmaster would need to fail several furnaces before success was possible.

“Sigh…”

Fang Qing also showed disappointment.

“Haha, let’s not talk about that… A year has passed, and the results of the twenty-five true disciples who went into seclusion are out.”

Xu Wusu brought up another matter. “Senior Brother Zhang, Senior Sister Can… eight in total succeeded in Foundation Establishment. The rest all failed.”

“Twenty-five, with eight successes? Nearly a thirty percent success rate?”

Fang Qing murmured.

“That’s right. One standard Foundation Establishment Pill increases the chances by thirty percent…” Xu Wusu’s words carried clear implication. “Now that those who failed have all stepped down, preparations for the next round of true disciple competition will begin ahead of schedule…”

This was essentially urging for spirit stones.

“This time, handling the procedures was all thanks to Senior Brother Xu. A small token—please deliver it to the society for me.”

Fang Qing smiled and took out a small pouch of spirit stones.

“Haha, excellent.”

Xu Wusu accepted them, his smile becoming even more sincere, then sighed again. “Foundation Establishment is difficult… Even true disciples—fail once, and they’re permanently recorded separately. Who knows how they’ll repay the borrowed contribution points next, unless the sect shows exceptional mercy and grants a second chance at Foundation Establishment…”

In theory, once someone failed after taking a Foundation Establishment Pill, the sect would abandon them, though exceptions naturally existed.

For example, disciples of Core Formation Ancestors, or direct descendants of powerful inner-sect elders…

Fang Qing was already accustomed to this. Compared to the cruelty of competition in Ancient Shu, this was practically nothing. Even forcibly attempting Foundation Establishment without a pill and dying was still better than consuming human pills, wasn’t it?

“By the way, building a spiritual spring inside a cave dwelling is a major project. Reconstruction takes a long time. Junior Brother, are you planning to rent another cave dwelling?”

Before parting, Xu Wusu asked.

“No. I’m planning to go out to sea and fish… Maybe I’ll catch a spirit fish that can aid in breaking through realms, causing my true power to surge.”

Fang Qing spoke truthfully.

“Going to sea to fish—do you have a fleet?”

Xu Wusu smiled, not taking it too seriously.

Every Azure Sea Sect cultivator knew that the ocean was full of boundless opportunities. So why did so many still refuse to go to sea?

Wasn’t it because the deeper the sea, the greater the danger?

With bad luck, running into a third-tier or even fourth-tier demonic beast—even a Core Formation Ancestor might not return alive!

“No fleet. I prefer acting alone.”

Fang Qing naturally wouldn’t form a team. If he went alone, he could still flee to Ancient Shu in danger.

If he formed a group, not to mention command issues, even hiding would be difficult.

‘If I go alone and avoid the deep sea, the risks are still manageable… and I can conveniently make another nominal windfall.’

For cultivators, capturing high-tier spirit fish at sea was likewise a shortcut to sudden wealth!

Of course, far more ended up buried in fish bellies, yet it still couldn’t stop more and more cultivators from venturing out to explore and capture—Hua Lianhua, for instance, had even formed his own fleet without sect organization.

Fang Qing didn’t actually need to catch high-tier spirit fish—he just needed an excuse for sudden wealth.

…

Whoosh—whoosh.

Sea winds howled, utterly different from the tranquility of lakes.

“Great Sea Water corresponds to Zhen Water. Compared to Ji Water, it truly has its own profound mysteries…”

A lone leaf-like sea boat drifted on the vast ocean as Fang Qing silently experienced the capricious moods of great sea water.

“The cultivation of the Qi Ingestion Path seems to emphasize ‘Dao attainment’ more—or rather… comprehension of water virtue.”

“So troublesome. As expected, it’s still not as straightforward as the Qi Refining Path, which can advance boldly…”

After pondering for a long time without gaining insight, he took out a pill formula and studied it silently.

It was precisely the Spirit-Consolidating Powder formula obtained from the Five Dragons Society!

“Qi Refining Path pills are mainly divided into waters, powders, pellets, and pills… each with its strengths, each with different refining techniques.”

“This Spirit-Consolidating Powder is even more difficult to refine than spirit waters.”

Fang Qing sighed softly.

It was now the seventh day since his discussion with Xu Wusu.

After obtaining the letter talisman, he immediately went to Array Island to meet Senior Sister Qin.

She truly possessed exceptional formation skills and had even studied geomancy on her own, so there was no need to find others to draw in water veins.

After inspecting Fang Qing’s cave dwelling, she immediately proposed a renovation plan.

Thus, Fang Qing handed the cave dwelling over to Senior Sister Qin and packed up his belongings to go out to sea.

Fishing was only a cover—his real focus remained his own cultivation.

After daily cultivation, he turned his thoughts again to pill formulas.

“This ancient Spirit-Consolidating Powder formula has actually already been mostly solved by the Five Dragons Society. The vast majority of materials can be found on Jade Island or replaced. Only this ‘Seven-Star Grass’ truly has no solution…”

At this thought, Fang Qing smiled mysteriously and patted his storage pouch.

A jade box opened, revealing a strange spirit herb inside. On its spiritual leaves were star-like patterns—it was none other than Seven-Star Grass.

“Among the Five Dragons Society’s pill formulas beneficial to divine sense, only this Spirit-Consolidating Powder had its main ingredient found on the Ancient Shu side… Next, once the spirit pool is completed, I can try refining it myself.”

For such an important pill, Fang Qing would be a fool to refine it at Cold Spring Peak, let alone hand it to the Five Dragons Society.

Naturally, he had to refine it himself and consume it himself—that was the proper way!

Sunrise and sunset, tides rising and falling…

Fang Qing sat cross-legged on the boat. Every day, he spent two fixed hours on Qi Refining and cultivation methods, and another hour refining his body with the Horse-Headed Vajra Guardian Divine Art.

The remaining time was spent reading assorted texts and pill classics, researching ancient pill formulas.

For occasional leisure, he half-reclined on the fishing boat, casting his line into the sea.

He knew his limits and never ventured into dangerous deep waters, only circling several safe sea areas near Jade Island that had already been explored.

As a result, although the harvest was sparse, there was no real danger.

This day—

Splash!

Feeling the fishing rod tremble, Fang Qing’s face lit up as he forcefully reeled it in.

A jade-bodied treasure fish burst from the sea surface and was easily caught in his hand.

The treasure fish opened its bloody maw, filled with saw-like sharp teeth, biting down on Fang Qing’s hand with grinding sounds, yet it couldn’t even break his skin.

“Jade Splendor Treasure Fish? Not bad luck today…”

Seeing this, Fang Qing exerted a bit of strength with his palm, a smile appearing on his face.

This fish was the main ingredient for refining Jade Splendor Spirit Water and ranked relatively high among treasure fish in value.

Of course, it was only a half-demon and had not yet entered a tier, so it couldn’t break through his low-grade first-tier body-refining defense at all.

“If I encountered a low-grade or even mid-grade first-tier spirit fish… it wouldn’t be so easy. The human body isn’t suited for underwater combat, unless one cultivates special techniques, like water lightning and the like…”

Within the sect, there were specialized fisher cultivators whose cultivation methods, spells, and artifacts were all tailored for underwater fishing, making them extremely formidable at capturing spirit fish.

Of course, when danger struck, they also died very quickly…