Chapter 143: First Level of Foundation Establishment

Bai Qingzhou slowly opened his eyes. What greeted him was a scene of utter chaos; the entire cave was littered with talismans, medicinal pills, quilts, and mats, all scattered by the force of his breakthrough.

He looked down at his palms, clenching his fists to feel a surge of immense power coursing through them.

"Is this... the feeling of a Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

A wave of overwhelming joy filled his heart and mind. A smile crept onto his face, growing wider until it erupted into a wild, unrestrained laugh that echoed throughout the cave.

"I succeeded! From now on, I am a Foundation Establishment cultivator!"

He stood up slowly, looking down at his body, only to find it covered in a layer of black, foul-smelling grime. His nose twitched at the pungent stench. Upon reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, the body is tempered anew, forcing out all internal impurities and toxins, which now coated his skin.

"So, these are the impurities that have been hiding within me all along?" Bai Qingzhou murmured, eyeing the black sludge with curiosity.

He tore off his tattered robes, exposing his bare skin, and navigated this unfamiliar body toward the cave entrance. He felt weightless, as if he could drift away with every step. With a mere thought, his feet lifted off the ground; he was hovering. Without the need for any magical artifacts, a Foundation Establishment cultivator could fly naturally.

Floating to the cave wall, he focused his intent on the "Breath-Concealing Talisman" he had placed there. It peeled away as if plucked by an invisible hand and drifted into his palm.

"So this is the external projection of spiritual energy? Truly impressive!" He was delighted. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could project his internal energy to manipulate objects, manifest protective shields, or launch attacks.

Pushing aside the debris blocking the entrance, Bai Qingzhou looked out at the world. The sun was bright, and the woods were lush and green. Filled with heroic ambition, he let out a loud shout and leaped, completely naked, down toward the pool below.

"Splash!"

He landed directly in the spring water. The cool, clear water washed away the grime. It felt as though the water itself was infused with spiritual energy, caressing every inch of his skin, bringing him immense comfort.

"Refreshing..." Bai Qingzhou swept his hair back, styling it into a slicked-back look with a soft sigh.

He scrubbed his body thoroughly, cleaning away the filth. As the dirt vanished, he realized his skin had become fairer, smooth and supple, much like that of a newborn infant. Looking at his reflection in the water, he used a sliver of spiritual energy to form a blade, carefully shaving his beard and trimming his long hair. When he looked again, he appeared as a youth of eighteen.

"Becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator has even made me look younger..."

He closed his eyes to sense his internal state. All his spiritual energy had gathered in his dantian, and compared to the loose, scattered energy of the Qi Refining stage, its potency was now several times greater. He practiced circulating his energy in the water and found that he could trigger spells almost instantaneously—his thoughts were now as fast as his actions.

Feeling the power within, he marveled, "No wonder they say the gap between Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment is like heaven and earth. The density of the spiritual energy alone is worlds apart."

He felt certain that if he were to face his former self—at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining—he could easily overpower him, perhaps even finishing the fight within ten rounds.

"To think that Sect Master Li once defeated a Foundation Establishment cultivator while only at the ninth level of Qi Refining... how on earth did he manage it? The disparity should be insurmountable..." The memory of that legendary feat left him in awe.

"Awoo!"

Just as he was lost in thought, a wolf-like beast appeared by the pool. Bai Qingzhou glanced over and recognized it: a Wild Wind Wolf, a low-level Tier 1 beast. When he used to sell meat at the Luogu Market, he had hunted many of these in the Beast Forest.

Bai Qingzhou smiled, leaped out of the water, and walked toward the beast, completely naked. The Wild Wind Wolf, seeing a human walking toward it unprotected, snarled, its eyes turning red as it crouched low, drool dripping from its jaws.

Bai Qingzhou remained unfazed, continuing his slow, steady pace.

"Awoo!"

The wolf pounced, its sharp fangs aiming for his cheek. Bai Qingzhou didn't move an inch; he simply raised his arm to block the beast's gaping maw.

"Clang!"

It sounded as if the wolf had bitten into a slab of solid iron. The beast's teeth could not advance a single millimeter. The desperate bite of a Tier 1 beast was entirely incapable of causing him harm.

"This is the defense a Foundation Establishment cultivator should have! Heh!" Bai Qingzhou was pleased. With a flick of his right hand, he tossed the wolf high into the air, and as it fell back down, he landed a single kick that sent it crashing into the stone wall, ending its life instantly.

Looking at the carcass, he felt no desire to skin it or harvest its meat; such meager profits were beneath him now. Channeling energy into his feet, he rose into the air and flew back toward the cave.

He changed into a clean robe, packed his pills and miscellaneous items into his storage bag, and took one final look at the place that had been his home for over half a year. With no lingering attachment, he leaped out.

He soared into the sky. Usually, Qi Refining cultivators avoided flying in the Beast Forest, as encountering a Tier 2 beast or a flying Tier 1 beast would be a death sentence. But for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, this was no longer a concern. Even against a Tier 2 beast, he could now hold his own.

Flying at this altitude for the first time, with birds and clouds beneath him, Bai Qingzhou felt a sense of liberation, as if a fish had leaped over the dragon's gate, and the entire world was now within his reach. The wind rushed against his face, and every pore in his body reveled in the joy of his new status.

"I have finally reached the Foundation Establishment stage!"