Chapter 60: The Great War Rekindled

Half a month later.

Inside Fang Qing’s cave dwelling.

“This change in the situation truly left one dazzled…”

On the stone table, exquisite wine and dishes had been laid out in abundance.

A jade-like hand held a wine pot, filling Fang Qing’s cup to the brim with fruit wine.

A gentle female voice sounded—it was none other than Senior Sister Qin.

“Indeed… Not long ago, the sect had just announced that it would assemble a great army to attack the Heavenly Heart Linked Islands…” Fang Qing recalled the changes of the past few days, the corners of his lips curving slightly upward. “Yet the Zhong Family could not wait to jump out, declaring that our Azure Sea Sect had secretly murdered the Core Formation Ancestor of the Heavenly Heart Linked Islands—Jade Yao Daoist—and that they would help the Heavenly Heart Linked Islands resist us.”

“Now the Small Huan Sea cultivation world is engulfed in warfare on all sides. It is precisely the time for heroes to make their mark.”

Senior Sister Qin spoke with a meaningful undertone.

“Senior Sister has come this time… could it be that you too harbor ambitions for advancement?”

Fang Qing looked at her somewhat pale complexion, not particularly optimistic.

After all, though she had been protected by a Foundation Establishment Pill when she failed to break through, the damage to her vitality was severe.

That she had not fallen in realm like Five Dragons Child had already been extremely fortunate.

And she still wished to seek opportunity on the battlefield—was she not afraid of death?

“That is why I need Junior Brother’s assistance.”

Senior Sister Qin’s eyes shimmered as she poured him another cup of fruit wine.

“Oh? It seems Senior Sister wishes to refine a second-tier ‘Heavenly Heart Return-to-Origin Pill’ to help restore her injuries?” Fang Qing smiled. “That is easy. As long as Senior Sister prepares the medicinal ingredients, I can open the furnace at once. The fee may be owed for now…”

When asking someone to refine pills, one had to provide the materials and the medicinal pool fee—this was the rule.

Even if the refinement failed and the ingredients were destroyed, the pill refiner bore no responsibility.

And if the final number of pills exceeded expectations, should the pill refiner secretly withhold some, the other party could say nothing.

Compared to when he had grumbled during the refinement of the Sea-Transforming Pearl, pill refiners were actually even more unscrupulous…

“Fee?”

Senior Sister Qin’s voice turned sweet and alluring. “I currently must even borrow the materials…”

‘This… is she trying to freeload off me?’

Fang Qing’s eyes widened. But after some thought—if Senior Sister Qin succeeded in Foundation Establishment, removing the word “quasi” from her title as a quasi–second-tier Formation Master would be inevitable.

In the future, any array difficulties he had could be entrusted to her.

“Very well. So be it.”

He sighed. With Xu Hei diligently gathering Spiritual Resources for him in the World of Ancient Shu, his wealth accumulated faster than before. Being financially abundant, he could afford such generosity.

“Many thanks, Junior Brother. Let Senior Sister properly thank you.”

Senior Sister Qin was overjoyed and grasped Fang Qing’s hand.

“This…”

Fang Qing looked at her beautiful face and graceful figure, especially her compliant demeanor—so different from the arrogance she had shown when they first met. The contrast was striking…

…

Pleasant times were, in the end, fleeting.

After obtaining what she desired, Senior Sister Qin immediately went into seclusion to consume the pill, preparing to restore her vitality before returning to the front lines to fight desperately for another Foundation Establishment Pill.

With war upon them, the sect became chaotic overnight. Disciples seeking healing Grand Pills, artifacts, and talismans were everywhere—some even came directly to Fang Qing.

‘This Five Dragons Child truly has thick skin…’

Fang Qing looked at a Sound-Transmitting Talisman in his hand and crushed it outright.

Though he was generous and benevolent, he chose his beneficiaries carefully.

Five Dragons Child was excluded.

Of course, there were also invitations for him to join the battlefield. Fang Qing regarded them all as attempts to harm him, rejecting every one while mentally placing their senders on a blacklist.

Now a True Disciple of the sect, he had gone to great lengths to earn the privilege of avoiding the battlefield. To go now would be to put the cart before the horse.

‘I must quickly cultivate to Peak Qi Refining Ninth Layer and then attempt Foundation Establishment!’

Fang Qing knew that the structure of the Small Huan Sea cultivation world was about to undergo tremendous upheaval. To secure a better position amid the changes required greater strength.

Within the Azure Sea Sect, that meant only Foundation Establishment.

…

After Fang Qing entered seclusion, the Small Huan Sea cultivation world grew exceedingly tumultuous.

Because the Azure Sea Sect had prepared long in advance—and had secretly plotted against Jade Yao Daoist—their campaign against the Heavenly Heart Linked Islands proceeded with extraordinary smoothness. In less than a year, Five-Tusked Great Ships sailed to the main island of the Heavenly Heart Linked Islands. Two Core Formation Ancestors joined forces to break its grand array. The Heavenly Heart Linked Islands were declared destroyed.

After this battle, all cultivators suddenly realized that the Azure Sea Sect’s Sect Master—Sect Master Linghu—had somehow secretly succeeded in forming his Core.

No wonder the Azure Sea Sect had dared launch war.

After annihilating the Heavenly Heart Linked Islands, not only did the Azure Sea Sect feast richly—even the Loose Cultivators who followed along in the dirty work amassed great fortunes. During this period, an unknown number of Foundation Establishment Pills and Foundation Establishment Spiritual Items flowed into the open. It was a gluttonous banquet.

Fang Qing secluded himself for two years. Riding their victory, the Azure Sea Sect listed three great crimes of the Zhong Family of Taibai Island and brazenly launched an assault, breaking through seven islands in one breath and dyeing a thousand miles of sea red with blood.

Unexpectedly, the Zhong Family sheltered the surviving cultivators of the Heavenly Heart Linked Islands and secretly colluded with a third-tier great demon of the sea, locking the Azure Sea Sect army in a stalemate. The two sides fought battle after battle.

Among the new generation of Foundation Establishment cultivators, several began to distinguish themselves—such as Life-Reaping Sword Cui Zhe and Ice-Soul Scion Zhong Lingxiu.

Time flew. In the blink of an eye, it was the third year of Fang Qing’s seclusion.

…

Inside the cave dwelling.

A gentle breeze stirred, and a clear spring murmured.

Upon Fang Qing’s body, bright streams of water gathered, making his jade-like face appear ever more moist and translucent…

Splash!

Within his Dantian Sea of Qi, Observing Black Ridge circulated. At last, his Ji Water True Power broke through once more, reaching the ninth layer of Qi Ingestion!

“Finally… the ninth layer of the Qi Ingestion Path.”

Fang Qing opened his eyes, somewhat moved.

Throughout his secluded cultivation, aside from occasionally traveling to the World of Ancient Shu to receive Spiritual Resources from Xu Hei and issue instructions, he remained within his cave dwelling, consuming Qi Refining Powder and refining its medicinal power.

With nearly unlimited pills, he completed Commentary on the Water Classic in the second year.

But Fang Qing was not satisfied. He converted the perfected Commentary on the Water Classic entirely into Primordial Qi, storing it within the Dao-Birth Pearl, then devoted himself wholeheartedly to cultivating Observing Black Ridge.

At last, today, both the Qi Refining Path and the Qi Ingestion Path had reached the ninth layer!

“Dao-Birth Pearl… transform!”

With a thought, the Dao-Birth Pearl spun lightly. His True Power instantly shifted into the aura of Black-Water Spiritual Power at Peak Qi Refining Ninth Layer.

“I have reached… a certain limit.”

He exhaled slowly, sensing the Primordial Qi stored within the Dao-Birth Pearl, and sighed.

This was not the Dao-Birth Pearl reaching its limit, but rather his Dantian Sea of Qi and physical body reaching theirs.

If he did not convert and store the ninth-layer Qi Ingestion True Power but instead added it entirely onto his Qi Refining cultivation, even his second-tier body refinement technique would fail to bear the strain—he would inevitably explode and die.

To expand capacity, only successful Foundation Establishment would suffice.

“The Dao scriptures say: ‘The Dao Foundation is the beginning of the Purple Palace…’”

“As for Foundation Establishment, there are not so many intricacies. When the Three Talents are perfected, condense Qi into liquid and that is sufficient… The various Foundation Establishment secrets and predecessors’ notes in the Heavenly Book Pavilion—I have read all that I can.”

Fang Qing flicked his sleeve and rose, leaving seclusion.

Upon exiting his cave dwelling, Pill Island appeared exceptionally deserted.

With the front lines tense, nearly all who could be mobilized had been sent out.

Within the entire Azure Sea Sect, perhaps only their twenty-five True Disciples were more leisurely than the Foundation Establishment Elders.

After all, they were the sect’s hope—and only had ten years of freedom…

Whoosh!

Fang Qing extended a hand and caught a pink Sound-Transmitting Talisman. After listening briefly, he frowned. “Senior Sister Qin… is also preparing for Foundation Establishment?”

In the frontline sea battles, the Zhong Family had somehow enlisted a third-tier great demon to aid them.

When demonic beasts reached the Qi Refining stage, they gradually awakened intelligence.

At the second tier, comparable to Foundation Establishment, they possessed considerable intellect—able to communicate, cooperate, flee, and set traps…

Third-tier demonic beasts at Core Formation were even more intelligent, said to rival ordinary humans.

At the third tier, they were Demon Kings, able to command an entire sea region with numerous second- and first-tier demonic beasts under them.

That third-tier demonic beast had driven countless low-tier demonic beasts to assault the Azure Sea Sect’s lines.

Senior Sister Qin, as a quasi–second-tier Formation Master, was of great use at the front. This time she had laid arrays to ambush and kill a second-tier demonic beast, luckily excavating a Demon Core!

Using the Demon Core and the beast’s corpse, she exchanged them for great battle merits, redeemed a Foundation Establishment Pill from the sect, and returned to seclusion.

Unfortunately, after returning, she discovered that Fang Qing was still in seclusion. They did not meet; she left a message and began her breakthrough.

“I hope she succeeds… otherwise would not my investment go to waste?”

“Senior Sister Qin became a quasi–second-tier Formation Master and had already condensed Divine Sense… Last time she was only slightly short. This time, she should succeed.”

Fang Qing rode his Green-Leaf Flying Vessel to a high peak on the main island.

This was one of the core locations of the Seven Profound Azure Wave Array, where Spiritual Qi was denser and cave dwellings had been constructed.

Before the many cave dwellings stood a hall named ‘Profound Heart.’

Fang Qing entered the hall, where a duty disciple came forward to greet him. “Senior Brother…”

“You blind fellow—this is True Disciple Fang Qing.”

Before he could finish, another disciple at the eighth layer of Qi Refining approached. “True Disciple Fang, have you come to rent a cave dwelling?”

“Indeed. I wish to rent a third-tier cave dwelling. As a True Disciple, I have this authority, correct?”

Fang Qing produced his disciple token. He recognized this person as the son of a certain Foundation Establishment cultivator, surnamed Liu.

To remain in the sect during wartime naturally required connections.

“Of course! If Senior Brother is entering seclusion, could it be that you are about to…?” Junior Brother Liu asked respectfully.

“Indeed. After years of seclusion, I have finally perfected Qi Refining and will attempt Foundation Establishment.”

Fang Qing had nothing to conceal.

“Then I congratulate Senior Brother in advance on attaining the Great Dao.” Junior Brother Liu swiftly completed the procedures and produced a token. “Among the third-tier cave dwellings, Jia-Shen and Jia-Xu remain vacant. Senior Brother may choose either.”

“Then Jia-Shen.”

Fang Qing took the Jia-Shen token and left Profound Heart Hall.

“Senior Brother Liu? That was the True Disciple of Pill Island? It is said he was previously obscure, then suddenly rose to defeat Five Dragons Child and Gong Susu… Of the twenty-five True Disciples, some have already established foundations, others have gained great renown. Only he remained silent—so it was for Foundation Establishment.”

A nearby junior disciple spoke with envy.

“After all, he is a second-tier pill refiner.” Senior Brother Liu smiled. “Recently, quite a few senior brothers and sisters from the battlefield have returned with Foundation Establishment Pills to enter seclusion… The Foundation Establishment Pill is the foremost spiritual item for Foundation Establishment—far superior to others. If we ever gain such opportunity, we must choose the Foundation Establishment Pill. We must not imitate Five Dragons Child, who dared to use other Foundation Establishment Spiritual Items to make up the numbers in his second attempt. Now he has failed utterly and become a laughingstock—likely to remain in the sect refining pills to repay debts for life…”

After a second failure at Foundation Establishment, unless one were a direct descendant of a Core Formation Ancestor, a third chance was impossible.

Of course, self-attempted Foundation Establishment was another matter—but that path meant success or death, impossible without immense perseverance and resolve.

For someone like Five Dragons Child, at least a quasi–second-tier Pill Master and likely to become a true second-tier Pill Master, he would probably be reduced to a tool for pill refinement by the sect, refining pills for life—only in old age perhaps released to propagate a family line…