Chapter 914: Ascending Like Crazy
He abruptly halted, noticing a missing member of the Foundation Establishment group—the fawning cultivator. He’d been tricked! The realization struck the peak Golden Core cultivator like a blow. A mere level seven Foundation Establishment cultivator had deceived him? His face paled.
Ye Mo carefully left the circular structure while the peak Golden Core cultivator addressed the others. His Three Birth Chant ensured his departure went unnoticed, though everyone's attention remained fixed on the spirit marrow pond.
He swiftly flew several kilometers to a barren mountain, then used earth travel to descend underground and enter the Golden Page world. The sight of the vast spirit marrow pond filled him with elation. He was rich—immensely rich.
He plunged into the pond, cultivating wholeheartedly. The spirit energy required no conversion, directly nourishing his cultivation base; his meridians opened effortlessly. His gamble had paid off.
Despite his rapidly escalating power, Ye Mo didn't pause to stabilize it. The weakness felt acutely uncomfortable. He consumed a Clear Essence Pill and a Lin Blue Fruit.
The Three Birth Chant’s true power manifested. Ye Mo felt his strength surge dramatically.
Half a day later, a sharp pain signaled the fracturing of his meridians. His cultivation essence condensed, confirming his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment level eight. He immediately consumed another Clear Essence Pill and continued cultivating.
Lost in deep cultivation, he focused solely on his advancement. When the final meridians opened and interconnected, he felt an unprecedented lightness.
He rose and let out a triumphant howl. Foundation Establishment level nine! Yet, he persisted, driven to consolidate his power. He reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, but still didn't stop. He could attempt a Golden Core breakthrough, but prioritized solidifying his foundation.
His recent rapid advancement necessitated consolidation before attempting the Golden Core breakthrough. He consumed several Stalagmite Benefit Pills to counteract the accumulated pill poison before striving for Golden Core.
Once the poison was purged, his peak Foundation Establishment power was firmly established.
Reflecting on his journey—a little over ten years since his transmigration, and he stood on the precipice of Golden Core—he thought of Luo Ying, Qingxue, Xiaoyun, Yimo, Yangzhu, Ye Ling, and even Ye Zifeng and Luo Yue City.
These thoughts strengthened his resolve to reach the peak and reunite with them. This resolve tempered his impulse to immediately pursue the Golden Core breakthrough. A premature attempt could jeopardize his future.
He decided to spend the remaining two and a half months in the valley to hone and stabilize his power. Only after mastering his peak Foundation Establishment would he attempt Golden Core. He knew that a year or two of consolidation would produce a rock-solid foundation, but he lacked the time.
Furthermore, the Golden Page world’s incompleteness made an external breakthrough preferable.
He emerged from the Golden Page world, retrieved the Nine Transformations mask, and applied it. He assumed Tong Dark Face and Sima White Face were absent, but the mask was precaution against encountering the peak Golden Core cultivator again.
He surveyed the area, curious about the spirit marrow pond's fate. He knew retrieving spirit crystals was now impossible, yet a deep desire lingered.
Now at peak Foundation Establishment, he was more than twice as strong. He no longer needed the Blue Python to escape a level four Golden Core cultivator. He believed he could contend with levels one to three, excluding exceptional geniuses.
Returning with increased caution, his fears proved unfounded. The site was ravaged; numerous bodies lay scattered, the pond stripped bare—not a single jade, spirit marrow, or spirit crystal remained. A fierce battle had obviously taken place. He left swiftly.
He realized the desert plain herb valley was surrounded by desert, with precious herbs concentrated near the center. Yet, he headed towards the desert—seeking battle, and the desert's scorpion beasts offered the perfect training ground.
Upon entering the desert, he was immediately surrounded by level three earth scorpions. A trivial challenge, he swiftly dispatched them with Zi Xu. Initially, he used direct strikes, but noticed his sword ray seemed to possess a nascent intelligence.
He immersed himself in cultivating his Zi Xu sword ray, sensing that mastering its intelligence would unlock his Illusion Cloud Sword's fourth strike.