Chapter 253: The Gap Between Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment

While Bai Zhenzhen was locked in a fierce battle with the many Qi Refinement experts, Zhang Yu planted the Celestial Spirit Root he’d obtained into his dantian, initiating the fusion between spirit root and flesh.

This time, the Celestial Spirit Root Zhang Yu chose for his Foundation Establishment was the Qi Sea Spirit Root.

Fu Ji advised him, “Different spirit roots produce vastly different outcomes after Foundation Establishment.”

“If you build your foundation with a Battle-Grade Spirit Root, your combat power will skyrocket quickly—but in the long term, a Cultivation-Type Spirit Root has more potential.”

“But since you’ll need to fight right after establishing your foundation, those pure Cultivation-Type Spirit Roots aren’t really a good fit for your current situation.”

“So after weighing all the options, the Qi Sea Spirit Root is still your best choice.”

Zhang Yu agreed with her suggestion.

Nicknamed “Wall-Piercing King,” the Qi Sea Spirit Root’s greatest advantage lay in its wide coverage. It could penetrate walls, buildings, sand, soil, and stone, absorbing spiritual energy over a vast area.

Not only would it boost Zhang Yu’s future mana cultivation efficiency, but it would also enhance his mana recovery during combat.

Choosing to establish his foundation with the Qi Sea Spirit Root offered the best of both worlds—cultivation potential and combat strength.

As Zhang Yu drew the Qi Sea Spirit Root into his dantian, it seemed to sprout like a seed, extending crystalline root-like tendrils that pierced into the surrounding mana.

In an instant, the nearby spiritual energy surged toward him, flooding into his dantian with each breath.

As he continued to channel mana into the Qi Sea Spirit Root, it responded as if stimulated, continuing to sprout and stretch, gradually spreading throughout the dantian.

When Zhang Yu injected all 60 units of his mana into the spirit root, it underwent a dramatic transformation. The crystalline tendrils began to grow outward along his meridians.

The entire Qi Sea Spirit Root began to fuse with his meridians, using his dantian as the origin point. It became one with his body—a new organ.

Boom.

As the fusion deepened, more and more spiritual energy surged toward him, and Zhang Yu could feel his absorption radius expanding rapidly.

From an initial 50 meters… to 60…

Eighty…

A hundred meters!

At this point, Zhang Yu felt like a massive funnel in the heart of the world, wildly devouring all spiritual energy within a hundred-meter radius.

“Now that it’s part of my body… so this is the true power of the Qi Sea Spirit Root?”

With the spirit root fully taking root in his dantian, its tendrils integrated with his meridians, Zhang Yu felt each breath drawing in spiritual energy through every pore of his body.

The flow of spiritual energy and mana through his meridians multiplied in speed.

If previously his mana traveled like a car on a winding mountain path…

Now, it raced like a vehicle on the expressway.

Mana intake, flow, scale, and output all surged.

With this explosive leap in mana efficiency, Zhang Yu’s cultivation underwent a qualitative transformation.

A flash of insight came to him: “Mana… is the engine of the Immortal Path.”

“With this engine supercharged, every technique I use, every passive enhancement from my techniques, will all be amplified.”

“Like slapping a motor onto a bicycle…”

As spiritual energy flooded in, the mana Zhang Yu had spent during the spirit root fusion began to regenerate rapidly.

Even after reaching 100 units, the mana refinement didn’t stop.

Boom!

In a blink, his previous limit shattered—his mana soared past 100.1 and kept climbing.

Clearly, the fusion with the spirit root had also broken his mana ceiling.

Only when his mana surged to 180 did it finally slow, settling at 198.4.

As this overwhelming force filled his body, even his Dao Heart began to stir.

Zhang Yu began visualizing the Sacrificial Ox in his mind and activated his Heart Technique—not the Qi Refinement version, but the Foundation Establishment version granted by Deng Bingding.

Roar!

The Sacrificial Ox in his mind bellowed at the sky, while the surrounding mire churned, dark hands of mud rising to drag it under.

Yet the Sacrificial Ox swelled in size, now covered in cuts from blades and swords, scorched by fire—each wound exuding a sacred glow, faintly radiant with white light.

The white ox stood tall and unyielding amidst the rolling black mud.

Dao Heart Level 10 (100.0%) → Level 11 (0.1%)

With both mana and Dao Heart breaking through, Zhang Yu felt his physical body begin to stir.

His muscles writhed, surging mana converted into Longevity Mana, fueling his training of the Foundation-stage Endless Spring and Autumn Meditation.

His body drank in the Longevity Mana like parched earth, breaking past its limits as his physical strength rose to Level 10.01.

Dao Heart Level: 11 (0.1%)

Mana: 198.4

Body Strength: Level 10.01

Feeling the surging power within him, Zhang Yu knew—he had truly stepped into the Foundation Establishment Realm.

And from now on, his Dao Heart, mana, and physical strength could all continue to grow.

The upper limit of his Dao Heart had increased to Level 20, mana to 1000 units, and body strength to Level 20.

But Zhang Yu didn’t continue refining those stats—for now, rapid gains would be difficult.

What he needed most urgently was a boost in combat power. And the fastest way to achieve that was…

Zhang Yu turned to the Nine Heavens Cloudstride Force in his phone.

This was the final Foundation-stage Technique Deng Bingding had granted him, alongside the Sacrificial Oxheart Technique and Endless Spring and Autumn Meditation—a so-called pre-military-grade Technique.

Combat Technique — Nine Heavens Cloudstride Force Level 0 (0/1)

Switching his Feathered Tome to Nine Heavens Cloudstride Force, Zhang Yu began cultivating this Foundation-stage-exclusive Technique.

“Created by the same master who invented Limitless Cloud Hands—this Technique also avoids fancy moves, just three in total. That’s perfect for me.”

After cultivating the first round, a flood of images flashed through his mind, and his understanding of the Technique clicked into place.

Nine Heavens Cloudstride Force Level 1 (0/10)

“This Technique and Limitless Cloud Hands are clearly from the same lineage…”

“It’s like it was tailor-made for me. Deng Bingding must’ve done this on purpose.”

By the time Zhang Yu had trained it to Level 5, he could already tell its power surpassed any martial skill he’d used before.

But he didn’t intend to continue training it for now.

Because with every moment he spent cultivating, Bai Zhenzhen’s situation grew more dangerous.

Zhang Yu leapt to his feet and sprinted toward the battlefield where Bai Zhenzhen was.

…

The moment Zhang Yu arrived, he saw Bai Zhenzhen being captured by Zhou Yang.

Though he didn’t recognize Zhou Yang in his altered form, the sight still ignited a storm of murderous rage in Zhang Yu.

All 198.4 units of mana howled within him, erupting as waves of milky-white Formless Cloud Qi.

He didn’t yet unleash Nine Heavens Cloudstride Force—he was keeping that hidden as a trump card. For now, he used only Limitless Cloud Hands.

Once, Zhang Yu’s Cloud Qi barely covered a few meters.

Now, fused with the Qi Sea Spirit Root and having entered the Foundation Establishment Realm, his mana reserves, circulation, and output were leagues beyond the Qi Refinement stage.

In seconds, the Formless Cloud Qi blanketed the battlefield across dozens of meters, rising like a dense mist.

Zhou Yang paused at the sound from the fog—and then saw Zhang Yu stepping out of the clouds.

By then, tendrils of Formless Cloud Qi had silently wrapped around Zhou Yang’s limbs like undercurrents beneath the sea, binding him in place.

Boom!

Zhang Yu struck with a palm.

Zhou Yang reflexively raised his hand in defense, activating the Zhou clan’s Frost Heaven Freezing Field. Palm Force charged with resentment and corpse-cold energy surged toward Zhang Yu.

Their palms collided with a soft thud.

Zhou Yang’s expression changed instantly.

Only after contact did he realize the savage might of the Formless Cloud Qi hidden in Zhang Yu’s strike.

If Zhou Yang’s icy strike was a babbling brook…

Then Zhang Yu’s palm was a raging Yangtze.

The Formless Cloud Qi tore through the freezing aura, invading Zhou Yang’s body, rupturing his meridians, and shattering his bones…

With explosive bursts, Zhou Yang’s right arm disintegrated into a cloud of blood.

Crippled by that one blow, Zhou Yang fell to the ground, trembling.

“F-Foundation Establishment… This is the kind of mana output only a Foundation-stage cultivator can unleash!”

But Zhang Yu treated him like air, walking silently to Bai Zhenzhen’s side and pulling her into his arms.

Seeing her pale face and wounded body, he murmured, “Sorry. I came too late.”

Bai Zhenzhen gave a faint smile. “No. You got here just in time.”

From the moment Zhang Yu arrived to when he crippled Zhou Yang and held Bai Zhenzhen—it all happened in seconds.

In that same brief span, the surrounding Qi Refinement experts hadn’t stopped moving. They surged into the mist, charging toward where they remembered Bai Zhenzhen had been.

Faced with over a dozen peak Qi Refinement attackers, Zhang Yu held Bai Zhenzhen in one arm and gathered strength in the other. Then he struck.

If his earlier palm was just a basic attack to save her fast—

This strike now carried the full power of Back-Dragon Mountain-Flipping Grip and Dragon Elephant Mountain-Crushing Palm.

Though both were merely Qi Refinement martial techniques, under the amplification of Zhang Yu’s Foundation mana and Martial Saint Embryo, the resulting Palm Force was brutally overwhelming.

The air cracked and popped as the cloud sea roared like a dragon.

Ye Mantian felt a titanic beast slam into him through the fog. He met it with both palms at full strength—but was still blown away, crashing into a nearby building.

Staggering upright, he coughed a mouthful of blood. His organs felt ruptured, his bones shattered. With a groan, he dropped to his knees.

Looking up, Ye Mantian saw the mist had been torn apart by the blast, revealing a scene of pure devastation.

None of the elite fighters were left standing.

Some were embedded in broken walls, only limbs visible.

Some lay bloody and unconscious.

Some were nothing but torn limbs and gore.

At the heart of the ruined battlefield stood Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen in his arms.

Ye Mantian stared at him bitterly.

“Foundation Establishment…”

Meanwhile, divine power rained from the sky—Wang Yin’s remote-operation surgical sigils began healing Chi He, Ye Mantian, and the others.

Yet even as their wounds rapidly mended, Chi He, Ye Mantian, and all the surviving cultivators felt a chill in their bones.

None dared move. None dared show even a hint of hostility.

Because from the cold glint in Zhang Yu’s eyes, they all understood one thing:

Move—and die.