Chapter 55: Dao Transformation

Inside the Cave Dwelling.

Fang Qing walked about casually, occasionally checking against the jade slip as he planted small sky-blue flags in various corners of the Cave Dwelling.

After finishing everything and confirming there were no mistakes, he took out a white jade array disk from his Storage Pouch. Seeing the Mid-Grade Spirit Stone embedded within it, a trace of pain flashed across his face, yet he still formed a hand seal resolutely: “Rise!”

Clatter!

Amid rippling water-light, the walls of the Cave Dwelling seemed to gather countless surging waves before they swiftly sank back down and vanished.

“Low-Grade First Tier—Heavenly Billow Array!”

“This array can withstand the attacks of several Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivators for a long time, and it has another marvelous function—it can block Divine Sense probing! Even if the opponent’s Divine Sense is extremely strong, it will issue a warning. Among Low-Grade First Tier arrays, it counts as a fine product. It’s several streets stronger than that so-called Minor Lost Traces Array.”

This entire grand array and its method of deployment had come from Array Island’s Senior Sister Qin, which Fang Qing had exchanged for several Second-Tier pills.

Of course, Senior Sister Qin had also given him a considerable discount, as a gesture of sincerity for their previous reconciliation.

“As I am now… it’s already difficult for me to leave.”

On Jade Island’s side, Fang Qing feared that the moment he stepped out of the Azure Sea Sect, a Foundation Establishment cultivator might conceal their identity and rob him!

After all, as a True Disciple, he certainly carried a Standard Foundation Establishment Pill on him!

One could not overestimate a cultivator’s moral integrity.

Thus, the best method was to remain within the sect until his attempt at Foundation Establishment was over.

That rendered Fang Qing’s previous tactic—casually accepting a mission and slipping out of the sect to disappear—completely unworkable.

So the best choice had become using an array to guard his Cave Dwelling, then traversing directly from within it!

“With this array, even Foundation Establishment Divine Sense will be blocked and warned against… If a Foundation Establishment cultivator from this sect were to attack a True Disciple’s Cave Dwelling without cause, they would suffer severe punishment under sect rules. Generally, they wouldn’t dare.”

“And as for the Core Formation Ancestor? Not long ago, Sect Master Linghu announced he would step down and enter seclusion to comprehend the mysteries of Core Formation… I suspect he went to refine the Tide-Birth Pearl. That Blue Wave Fairy, Ruan Zhixuan, will certainly protect him. And once Sect Master Linghu succeeds, he’ll have to secretly ambush the Zhong Family Ancestor and Jade Yao Daoist. He won’t have time to bother with me.”

“Furthermore, before each traversal, I use Plum Blossom Divination in advance to divine fortune and misfortune. It’s impossible for me to be caught at precisely the wrong moment.”

Having settled his thoughts and completed a divination for safety, Fang Qing no longer hesitated. With a movement of his mind, his figure vanished instantly.

The Seven Profound Azure Wave Array of the Azure Sea Sect continued operating as usual, without the slightest anomaly…

……

Ancient Shu.

Fang Qing converted all the Black-Water True Power of the Commentary on the Water Classic at Peak Qi Refining Ninth Layer into Primordial Qi and stored it within the Dao-Birth Pearl. His own cultivation was replaced with the Seventh Layer of Qi Ingestion from Observing Black Ridge.

“On the Qi Refining path, once the True Power at Qi Refining Ninth Layer accumulates to completion, I can attempt Foundation Establishment… it’s almost guaranteed, and there’s even a fallback.”

“But on this side, forging the Dao Foundation through the Qi Ingestion path—that’s the real trouble.”

He sighed.

Qi Ingestion techniques were inherently more profound than those of the Qi Refining path, involving the Dao attainment of Ji Water. The descriptions of Dao Foundation in Observing Black Ridge were even more abstruse, relying entirely on the cultivator’s own comprehension.

“When the time comes, even if I achieve Foundation Establishment on the Qi Refining path and convert the Foundation Establishment True Power over… there certainly won’t be a shortage of True Power for forging the Dao Foundation here, but other aspects will be lacking.”

At this thought, Fang Qing took out a jade box. Inside lay a Foundation Establishment Pill!

“As expected… according to the alchemical classification on this side, this should be a rare Zhen Water grand pill!”

Zhen Water, also known as Great Sea Water! It corresponded quite well to the Second-Tier Horned Serpent Demon Core that served as the main ingredient of the Foundation Establishment Pill.

“Both share Water Virtue. It should be barely usable, at least to compensate for the depletion of Essence–Qi–Spirit…”

“For my Qi Refining Foundation Establishment, it would be better to use the Ice-Heart Vein-Protecting Pill. This Foundation Establishment Pill can be used when the Qi Ingestion path advances to Dao Foundation…”

Fang Qing conceived a plan.

As for how Qi Ingestion cultivators forged a Dao Foundation? He truly knew nothing, having only vaguely heard rumors—most relied on Human Pills.

If not using a Human Pill, one had to comprehend the Dao, or search for specific Ji Water Dao Foundation spiritual items to assist.

“I still need Dao scriptures from this side, especially alchemy texts…”

“If I can merge the alchemical traditions of both worlds, perhaps I could even modify this ‘Foundation Establishment Pill’ through Level Refinement into a grand pill suited for breaking through Observing Black Ridge?”

Ever since advancing to a Second-Tier Pill Master, most of the alchemy books on the fourth floor of the Heavenly Book Pavilion in the Azure Sea Sect had been open to him.

Fang Qing’s alchemy had progressed by leaps and bounds.

And the deeper he studied, the more he realized how vast and profound the Water-Method Pill Refinement truly was.

Even completed pills could be placed back into a pool for further refinement, divided into four major schools: Reduction, Leveling, Fusion, and Elevation.

The so-called ‘Reduction Refinement’ lowered a pill’s grade. For example, a Second-Tier Spirit-Feeding Pill might cause indigestion if swallowed by a First-Tier Horned Serpent. Through Reduction Refinement, one could turn a single Second-Tier Spirit-Feeding Pill into several Low-Grade First-Tier pills, then feed them to the serpent.

‘Fusion Refinement’ was the opposite—combining several Low-Grade First-Tier Spirit-Feeding Pills into a Second-Tier pill, or elevating several Low-Grade Second-Tier pills into Mid-Grade or Top-Grade.

‘Elevation Refinement’ involved adding other precious materials to raise a pill’s grade. For instance, a Low-Grade First-Tier Spirit-Feeding Pill could be re-refined with an additional Second-Tier ingredient into a Second-Tier pill of a different type—possibly even one suitable for cultivators.

‘Level Refinement’ adjusted a pill’s medicinal properties slightly without altering its grade. Of course, transforming a Water-aspected pill into a Fire-aspected one remained impossible.

With Fang Qing’s current ability, asking him to Level Refine a Foundation Establishment Pill was simply too much.

However, he could wait until he achieved Foundation Establishment on his side before returning here to search for higher-tier alchemical texts and inheritances to find a method.

“Wait? Perhaps I could directly find a Zhen Water technique, then swallow the Foundation Establishment Pill to advance to Dao Foundation. That would be quite harmonious.”

“As expected… with the Dao-Birth Pearl, one can truly cheat.”

Fang Qing’s thoughts cleared, and he was overjoyed.

“It’s just that… good techniques are rare, and those without pitfalls are even rarer.”

“Qi Ingestion techniques require comprehension and Dao attainment… My Ji Water attainment is decent, but Zhen Water is average. All of this must be carefully considered. Even if I forcefully raise myself to Qi Ingestion Ninth Layer through empowerment, whether I can forge a Dao Foundation—even with a Foundation Establishment Pill—remains unknown.”

“For now, I should advance on both fronts. Collect alchemy texts, and search for Zhen Water techniques as well.”

……

Returning to Ancient Shu gave Fang Qing a completely different feeling.

“The cultivation world has settled down. The mortal authorities have begun recruiting refugees and reclaiming farmland… Ba Commandery has been in chaos for so long, and now it’s finally stabilized.”

He rode his artifact to Floating Boat Market, gazing at the white clouds drifting like boats, and could not help but sigh inwardly.

Back then, Li Rulong and he had stepped onto the Qi Ingestion path here.

Now, things had changed, and people were no longer the same.

‘That fortune-telling old blind man is still somewhat suspicious… He not only possessed Secret Treasury Domain techniques, but also specifically divined Li Rulong’s fate and pointed out his Dragon Aura.’

‘He even reminded me about the issue of techniques devouring each other.’

‘Although that’s his trade… it was perhaps a bit too coincidental?’

Fang Qing remained vigilant and cast a divination for himself. The result was ‘Moderate Fortune.’

‘Mm, not dangerous.’

‘Now that this market has reopened, I hope the old blind man is still inside.’

Floating Boat Market had opened and closed multiple times; the Loose Cultivators within had likely changed several rounds.

Fang Qing held little hope that the old blind man would still be there.

Yet when he passed beneath the archway and stepped into the market, he still saw that stall.

The old blind man’s eyes remained as before—two hollow black pits staring vacantly ahead. Before him sat a yellow bone bowl.

Fang Qing did not stand on ceremony. He walked to the stall and sat down.

“So it’s you… Little friend, your cultivation is remarkable. You’ve already reached the Seventh Layer of Qi Ingestion. Dao Foundation lies within reach.”

The old blind man ‘saw’ Fang Qing and smiled brightly, revealing a mouthful of yellowed, blackened teeth.

“I never expected you, sir, to have escaped the great calamity as well. Now you can finally cultivate in peace.”

Fang Qing wore an expression of someone who had survived disaster. “It’s just a pity about Li Rulong.”

“Him? He got what he wished for—he forged a Dao Foundation and slipped into the demon race. Perhaps he has another future ahead. From now on, like a flying dragon soaring in the heavens, who can say?”

The old blind man sneered.

“Li Rulong… reached Dao Foundation?” Fang Qing was startled. “So quickly?”

At the same time, he grew even more vigilant. Plum Blossom Divination operated swiftly, yet he received no ominous sign.

‘This old blind man doesn’t seem like a high-level cultivator crushing the weak like that Ragged Old Daoist… but he knows many secrets. He must have quite a story.’

“A Dao Foundation is the foundation of the Purple Palace—mysterious beyond words… But Li Rulong’s lifespan was sufficient, his fate flourishing. He slew great enemies, swallowed a Human Pill. His destiny reached this point; the mere barrier of Dao Foundation could be broken with a flick of a finger…”

The old blind man shook his head. “But you, little friend… when breaking through to Dao Foundation, you must be exceedingly cautious. For ordinary Loose Cultivators like us, even after completing Qi Ingestion Ninth Layer and finding a spiritual item aligned with one’s life, breaking through Dao Foundation is still a narrow escape from death. A single misstep, and one may undergo Dao Transformation…”

“Dao Transformation?” Fang Qing frowned.

“‘Where is there to speak of death? One entrusts the body to the mountain slopes.’” The old blind man replied leisurely. “We Qi Ingestion cultivators swallow the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, temper ourselves, and pursue the Great Dao—yet the Great Dao also pursues us. If we fail to break through a major realm, we manifest as spiritual objects to nourish heaven and earth. This is called ‘Dao Transformation,’ also known as ‘Returning the Dao to Heaven and Earth.’ For Qi Ingestion and Dao Foundation cultivators, it is manageable. But if a Purple Palace cultivator falls, they may transform into a treasure land, or into a natural disaster… or… directly undergo Dao Transformation into a terrifying evil being, bringing calamity upon a region!”

“Many thanks for your guidance, sir. But why guide me?”

Fang Qing sincerely bowed, making no mention of any Spiritual Resources as compensation.

“Alas… When this old blind man was young, he wandered everywhere and thus encountered great calamity… In middle age, I read faces and fortunes for others, yet could not divine my own fate. Only recently did I know I was nearing death, and faintly gained some insight… Back then in the Secret Treasury Domain, being able to survive and even obtain this precious bowl and mnemonic verse… meant I took on karmic debt. Sooner or later, I must repay them with a Vajra, a Guardian…”

Fear appeared on the old blind man’s face. “This old blind man does not wish to implicate himself, so I can only widely form good connections, hoping that among you, one person can break through Dao Foundation and bear this karmic burden for me…”