Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: Mid-Foundation Establishment, A Second Spirit Pet
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An icicle, a foot long and three fingers thick, shot straight for Chen Jianghe's head. It was incredibly fast, piercing through the water barrier and arriving in an instant.
Chen Jianghe remained calm. With a thought, a faint light flickered between his brows, and the water rippled, dissolving the incoming icicle into spring water.
*Swish, swish~*
Two more ice arrows shot out from the mouth of the young Frigid Triangular Python.
"Is there no end to this?!"
Chen Jianghe frowned, a look of displeasure on his face.
"Xiao Hei."
*Bang~*
Xiao Hei's thick, short claws shattered the ice arrows. With a single stroke of its limbs, it appeared before the Frigid Triangular Python.
Its small, beady eyes, filled with vicious tyranny, stared at the Frigid Triangular Python, causing it to tremble and turn to flee.
"You little worm, you think you can cause trouble?"
Xiao Hei seized the Frigid Triangular Python in one claw, allowing its sharp fangs to bite into its dark, leathery skin.
*Bang~*
As the Frigid Triangular Python bit down with all its might, the four sharp fangs it was born with shattered, leaving not even a scratch on Xiao Hei's claw.
"Got a rebellious streak, do you?"
Xiao Hei simply gave it a good stretch, instantly clearing the ferocious look from the young python's eyes.
However, Xiao Hei had no intention of letting it off. It lightly swiped a claw, tearing off a piece of the Frigid Triangular Python's flesh.
It took a taste.
"Fourth-grade bloodline demonic beasts sure are tasty."
Xiao Hei glanced back at Chen Jianghe, giving him a look as if asking if he wanted a bite.
"Just don't play it to death."
Chen Jianghe said before leaping out of the spirit spring.
According to the *Illustrated Guide to the Arctic Snow Forest*, a young Frigid Triangular Python would feel a sense of kinship with the first person or demonic beast it saw upon opening its eyes.
That was an absolute lie.
Frigid Triangular Pythons were tyrannical by nature; one couldn't expect the young to be any different.
Xiao Hei was the best at dealing with such demonic beasts. He would let Xiao Hei tame it first, then form a contract himself later.
"It's at the mid-first-order stage right after hatching. The attack power of those icicles and ice arrows is quite impressive. An unsuspecting late-stage Qi Refining cultivator could be killed instantly."
"The author of the *Illustrated Guide to the Arctic Snow Forest* must have had malicious intentions."
"A low fourth-grade bloodline... I'll wait and see. If I can't form a contract, it can serve as a blood source for the Dragon Pattern Red Pine."
Chen Jianghe put these thoughts aside and continued to charge the Azure Wood Immortal Shield Talisman, then cultivated the *Soul Sea Consolidation Scripture*.
His essence, qi, and spirit were now full, and he could take the Ice Heart Obstacle-Breaking Pill to break through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage at any time.
In another half-month, this Azure Wood Immortal Shield Talisman would be fully charged.
At that time, Chen Jianghe would prepare to break through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
Time flew by.
Half a month passed.
As Chen Jianghe finished the final stroke on the semi-finished Azure Wood Immortal Shield Talisman, sealing it and locking in the spiritual energy, a brilliant light flashed.
The mid-second-order Azure Wood Immortal Shield Talisman was successfully created.
After putting the talisman away, Chen Jianghe continued cultivating the *Soul Sea Consolidation Scripture*. Four hours later, he began cultivating the *Myriad Waters True Scripture*.
Ten hours later, Chen Jianghe opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air.
"My essence, qi, and spirit are full, and my condition is at its peak. It's time to break through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage."
Chen Jianghe's heart was calm, composed and unfazed by honor or disgrace.
Even breaking through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage was just an ordinary matter for him.
Limited by his spiritual root talent, every breakthrough in the Foundation Establishment stage required the assistance of spirit pills or natural spiritual treasures.
However, according to his plans, these were all attainable.
Chen Jianghe glanced around but found that neither Xiao Hei nor Maoqiu was in the courtyard, not even the Frigid Triangular Python.
He released his divine sense.
He discovered them by the spirit field, where Xiao Hei and Maoqiu were forcing soil into the Frigid Triangular Python's mouth, trying to teach it how to burrow underground in the spirit field.
Just like an earthworm.
So it could till and loosen the soil of the spirit field.
But since the spirit field was already planted with Immortal Crystal Rice and didn't need tilling, they were making the young Frigid Triangular Python practice on other patches of land.
Maoqiu, being nimble, used its paws to pry open the young Frigid Triangular Python's mouth while Xiao Hei used its spiritual power to dig up soil and shove it in.
To get it accustomed to a life of eating dirt.
Watching the young python, which had hatched only half a month ago, under Xiao Hei and Maoqiu's training, the coldness in its serpentine eyes had faded, replaced entirely by fear and terror. Its gaze was clear and misty, looking weak, pitiful, and helpless.
"The Frigid Triangular Python has a very high-grade bloodline. It's one thing that it doesn't suppress Xiao Hei, but why doesn't it suppress Maoqiu either?"
Chen Jianghe was a little puzzled.
Logically, even though Maoqiu was a second-order spirit beast, under the pressure of the bloodline, it should still feel some aversion to the Frigid Triangular Python.
In the wild, Maoqiu's first reaction to the young Frigid Triangular Python would be fear and awe, and its second would be to devour this high-bloodline but weak demonic beast.
This would enhance its own cultivation and purify its bloodline.
They would never get along.
The innate bloodline suppression would make Maoqiu feel uncomfortable.
"It seems Maoqiu, having been educated by Xiao Hei, has developed some resistance to bloodline suppression."
Chen Jianghe thought to himself.
He didn't stop Xiao Hei and Maoqiu from training the Frigid Triangular Python. This was for its own good.
After all, if it was going to follow Chen Jianghe, how could it not have a useful skill?
Being an innate ice-attribute demonic beast was not a problem.
As long as it was 'willing to learn,' it could still master the skills of an earthworm.
Chen Jianghe stood up, walked out from the shade of the Dragon Pattern Red Pine, and returned to his cultivation chamber. He was ready to break through.
In the cultivation chamber.
Chen Jianghe sat cross-legged. In eight positions around him were eight Spirit Gathering Pills, ready for his breakthrough.
In his hand, he held a jade bottle.
He poured out an Ice Heart Obstacle-Breaking Pill and put the bottle away.
The cultivation method in the Foundation Establishment stage wasn't too different from the Qi Refining stage. In the early stages, one focused on cultivating spiritual power, making the spiritual power in the dantian more robust.
The only difference was that Qi Refining cultivated gaseous spiritual power, while Foundation Establishment cultivated liquid spiritual power.
The mid-Foundation Establishment stage was largely the same as the early stage, focusing on increasing the quantity of spiritual power and its overall robustness.
But there were also differences.
One had to improve the purity of the liquid spiritual power to a certain extent.
This laid the groundwork for late-Foundation Establishment cultivation.
However, one didn't need to take Dust-Settling Pills to refine the spiritual power.
Generally, after reaching the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, rogue cultivators would begin to cultivate their spirit and physical body.
When their spiritual cultivation reached the mid-Foundation Establishment level, which meant cultivating a spiritual art to the fifth level.
they would construct a spiritual platform deep within their sea of consciousness to store their divine sense.
This would cause a qualitative leap in their divine sense, allowing them to use it to strip impurities from their spiritual power.
Chen Jianghe's soul was extraordinary. He had already formed a spiritual platform in his sea of consciousness back in the first level of Qi Refining.
Furthermore, there was an imprint of Xiao Hei on this spiritual platform.
When his physical body cultivation reached the fifth level, his body tempering cultivation would also reach the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. At that time, he would once again expel impurities from his body, enhancing its strength and immunity.
This would allow him to accommodate even more spiritual power.
However, during the breakthrough to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, the instantaneous condensation of a drop of spiritual power would be difficult for the physical body and soul to bear.
This would breed distracting thoughts.
Therefore, the Ice Heart Obstacle-Breaking Pill was needed to suppress these thoughts, stabilize the dantian, and prevent the birth of inner demons.
Within his dantian, forty-nine drops of dark, translucent spiritual power floated, bringing Chen Jianghe's cultivation to the brink of a breakthrough.
If he didn't break through, he couldn't condense any more Foundation Establishment spiritual power.
The next moment.
Chen Jianghe took a sharp breath. The eight Spirit Gathering Pills flew up, and a vast amount of spiritual energy surged into his mouth.
Such immense spiritual energy bypassed his Spirit Tower acupoint and entered his dantian directly, causing his skin to turn blood-red, as if he were about to explode.
The spiritual platform in his sea of consciousness trembled slightly. The imprint flickered with a green light, instantly suppressing the platform and making it as stable as Mount Tai.
Chen Jianghe's mind was clear of distractions. Although his spiritual platform was stable and no stray thoughts arose, his physical body was on the verge of collapse.
He couldn't afford to save this Ice Heart Obstacle-Breaking Pill.
He swallowed the Ice Heart Obstacle-Breaking Pill, suppressing distracting thoughts and instantly stabilizing the walls of his dantian.
At that moment, the red hue on Chen Jianghe's skin faded. He began circulating the fifth level of the *Myriad Waters True Scripture*.
He refined the vast spiritual energy, condensing the fiftieth drop of spiritual power.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
As the fiftieth drop of spiritual power condensed, his dantian trembled and emitted a deep, muffled hum, like the tolling of a great bell.
His dantian expanded, and its walls were reinforced.
Mid-Foundation Establishment was achieved!
Another fourteen hours passed before Chen Jianghe refined the last trace of spiritual energy from the eight Spirit Gathering Pills and slowly ceased his cultivation.
In just a few days, he had refined the vast spiritual energy of eight Spirit Gathering Pills.
Without the Ice Heart Obstacle-Breaking Pill, his sea of consciousness would have fallen into chaos, and his dantian would have exploded, leading to his death.
Chen Jianghe opened his eyes, feeling the vastness of the spiritual power in his dantian, and nodded in satisfaction.
Although he had only added one drop of spiritual power, his dantian was now more stable and indestructible than before.
This meant that he could now wield his spiritual power with greater speed and force.
Early-Foundation Establishment was like channeling spiritual power through a tube the thickness of a finger, whereas mid-Foundation Establishment was like using a tube as thick as a fist.
The difference in strength was clear at a glance.
The improvement in his spiritual power realm also made his mental strength more profound.
It also had some auxiliary benefits for his spiritual cultivation.
"Two hundred thirty-seven zhang and three chi. It seems the cultivation breakthrough had a slight effect on my spirit."
His divine sense could extend two hundred thirty-seven zhang and three chi, but he didn't feel on the verge of a breakthrough. This further convinced Chen Jianghe that he probably needed to reach two hundred forty-nine zhang before his spiritual cultivation would break through.
"The spiritual platform in my sea of consciousness has long been formed. In a year at most, my spiritual cultivation will definitely break through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. Everything will fall into place."
"It's just that my physical body is still at the fourth level of body tempering. I need to plan carefully. Before entering the mystic realm, I must reach the fifth level of body tempering to match my cultivation realm."
A trinity, advancing in unison.
Only then could he compare to the Core Formation prospects from the sects.
Even sect disciples found it difficult to form a core. Out of dozens of Core Formation prospects, it was hard for even one to succeed. If he didn't have the foundation to match those sect disciples, Chen Jianghe's path to Core Formation would be even more arduous, like ascending to the heavens—a complete fantasy.
He stood up, walked out of the cultivation chamber, stretched, and breathed in the dense spiritual energy.
After cultivating for nearly eighty-two years, he had finally reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
With his current talisman crafting skills and cultivation realm, creating mid-second-order talismans would be much easier.
The charging speed would also increase significantly.
He was even capable of creating high-second-order talismans now, although charging them would be incredibly slow.
However, he didn't mind that.
Materials for high-second-order talismans were hard to find. Crafting even one could serve as a trump card.
Most importantly, even Luo Xiyue and Gao Peiyao were in great need of the high-second-order talismans he could create.
It was true they were at the late-Foundation Establishment stage, but if they hadn't comprehended a supreme escape art, their speed would be far inferior to those late-Foundation Establishment cultivators who had.
But with a high-second-order escape talisman, the situation would be different.
One must understand that a high-second-order talisman contained a supreme art of a late-Foundation Establishment cultivator, whether it was an escape art, an attack, or a defense.
"Luo Xiyue once said that when I reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, she would give me the legacies for two types of high-second-order talismans. In return, I would have to give her ten high-second-order talismans, which would also cancel out a debt of six thousand spirit stones."
"Creating high-second-order talismans is possible, but the materials are too hard to find."
"When the time comes, I'll need to discuss it thoroughly with Luo Xiyue."
"For now, it's time to form a contract with that young python."
Chen Jianghe swept his divine sense over the area and found Xiao Hei in the courtyard, holding the young Frigid Triangular Python.
He walked out of the front hall and into the courtyard.
He saw Xiao Hei helping the young Frigid Triangular Python with its metabolism, causing the Dragon Pattern Red Pine to sway as if in gratitude.
The young Frigid Triangular Python hadn't grown scales yet, and its pale green skin was covered in yellowish soil.
There were even bits of dirt in its mouth.
However, the four shattered fangs had grown back, even sharper than before, though they had lost their icy sheen.
Because they were covered in dark yellow soil.
From this, one could see that the young Frigid Triangular Python was a diligent and eager-to-learn spirit beast. Despite being an ice-attribute demonic beast, it was doing the work of an earth-attribute one.
It was trying to break its innate barriers through diligent effort.
It was a good spirit beast worth nurturing.
Chen Jianghe walked under the Dragon Pattern Red Pine and watched as Xiao Hei bled the young Frigid Triangular Python. The once tyrannical and ferocious young python was now extremely listless.
"Xiao Hei, won't this decrease the purity of the young Frigid Triangular Python's bloodline?" Chen Jianghe asked with concern.
This was a young beast with a low fourth-grade bloodline. If nurtured properly, it had a high chance of becoming a third-order spirit beast in the future.
"Don't worry, it won't."
Xiao Hei slapped the young Frigid Triangular Python on its triangular head. Its terrified eyes glazed over for a moment, and it instantly opened its mouth, but dared not flick its tongue.
"See? Frequent bloodletting helps it grow. Not only have its lost fangs grown back, but it's also grown two rows of small teeth."
*Smack~*
"Isn't that right?"
The young Frigid Triangular Python, its head hanging low, instantly perked up and nodded vigorously, strongly agreeing with Xiao Hei's words.
But the young Frigid Triangular Python's aura was growing weaker and weaker.
Chen Jianghe saw that due to excessive blood loss, the young Frigid Triangular Python was no longer just listless; its life force was starting to drain away.
"Uh... I let out a bit too much blood."
Xiao Hei grabbed a handful of dirt, mixed it with spiritual power, and applied it to the young Frigid Triangular Python to stop the bleeding.
Chen Jianghe was completely stunned by the sight.
What a rustic way to stop bleeding.
But it was very effective!
"Xiao Hei, can I form a contract with it now and take it as a spirit pet?" Chen Jianghe asked.
The young Frigid Triangular Python was not yet his spirit beast.
As long as it didn't die, he wouldn't feel bad even if it was bled dry.
Especially a rebellious one like this, which dared to attack him on sight. If it didn't suffer a bit, it would be difficult to discipline later.
*Smack~*
"*Squeak squeak~*"
Xiao Hei slapped the young Frigid Triangular Python's drooping triangular head and muttered something.
It made a sound that Chen Jianghe couldn't understand.
The young Frigid Triangular Python immediately perked up, its teary serpentine eyes looking at Chen Jianghe, full of longing and pleading.
"It should be about ready. Give it a try."
Xiao Hei quite approved of the young Frigid Triangular Python's 'diligent, eager to learn, and positive' attitude.
Although it was a bit more mischievous than Maoqiu had been, with a little training, it had a bright future.
It could become a qualified spirit farmer.
Of course, it might also be skilled at raising aquatic creatures.
Xiao Hei was prepared to teach it all of its survival skills; it was clear he had high hopes for the young Frigid Triangular Python.
Chen Jianghe nodded and took the young Frigid Triangular Python.
Its body, now four chi long, had some weight to it.
Held by Chen Jianghe, the young Frigid Triangular Python was surprisingly docile and cooperative, looking at him as if he were its great savior.
"*Hiss hiss~*"
The young Frigid Triangular Python flicked its tongue at Chen Jianghe to express its gratitude.
*Smack~*
"You dare bare your fangs at me."
Chen Jianghe frowned and slapped the young Frigid Triangular Python hard on its triangular head.
Knocking it out cold.
"What are you doing, two-legger? It was thanking you!"
"Uh... how was I supposed to know that?"
Chen Jianghe tossed the young Frigid Triangular Python aside, scratched his head awkwardly, and muttered blankly.
After waiting for six hours.
The young Frigid Triangular Python woke up. When it looked at Chen Jianghe again, there was no gratitude in its eyes, only fear.
Mist gathered into beads, and tears finally began to fall.
"Ahem... I'm going to take you as my spirit beast now. Don't resist during the contract. You only have one chance. Either become a dragon, or become soup."
Chen Jianghe said with a straight face.
Realizing the young Frigid Triangular Python wouldn't understand, he looked at Xiao Hei, signaling him to translate.
Xiao Hei squeaked a few times.
Chen Jianghe didn't understand what he said either, but he had already taken out a second-order spirit beast pouch and begun the contracting process with the young Frigid Triangular Python.
He squeezed out a drop of blood from between his brows, merged it with the special runes on the second-order spirit beast pouch, and let it fall onto the young Frigid Triangular Python.
The fusion was incredibly smooth.
At that moment, Chen Jianghe established a connection with the young Frigid Triangular Python. The spirit pet contract was successful.
"That smoothly?"
Chen Jianghe had expected some difficulties, but the contract was successfully formed in less than ten breaths.
"Mas...ter, I...words...no...dirt..."
The voice of the young Frigid Triangular Python echoed in Chen Jianghe's mind. The meaning wasn't entirely clear, but he could guess its general intent.
It was probably expressing submission, that it would be obedient, wouldn't be lazy, wanted to eat dirt, and learn how to make a living as soon as possible.
"Very good. From now on, you are my second spirit pet. Follow your turtle grandpa and learn the ways of survival. This is knowledge that other demonic and spirit beasts rarely encounter. You're lucky."
"Uh... seeing as you're long, covered in yellowish dirt and grime, I'll call you Latiao from now on."
In its youth, a Frigid Triangular Python has yet to grow scales, so its body is pale green. As it grows, its skin will turn a deep cyan before it eventually grows snow-white scales.
Because Latiao had been dragged out from underground by Xiao Hei to boost its metabolism, it was covered in yellow soil and black debris.
It looked just like a long spicy stick.
Chen Jianghe formed a hand seal, and water spiritual energy turned into rain, washing Latiao clean. Then he cast the Jade Dew Muscle Growth Incantation to heal its injuries.
As for the fatigue and listlessness from excessive blood loss, that would just have to recover slowly.
Once cleaned, Latiao's pale green, smooth skin was covered in crisscrossing marks.
"I should have called you Loofah. Oh well, Latiao it is."
Chen Jianghe let Xiao Hei take Latiao for training while he carefully observed the Dragon Pattern Red Pine.
This high-second-order spirit plant seemed to be very fond of Latiao's spiritual blood.
Logically, Latiao was only at the mid-first-order stage. Its spiritual blood didn't contain much spiritual energy and shouldn't be that tempting to the Dragon Pattern Red Pine.
"It seems Latiao's bloodline grade is so high that it compensates for its lack of cultivation. Good. I'll have Ruxu refine a few batches of Qi and Blood Pills to help Latiao recover and improve its metabolism."
"But I have to remind Xiao Hei that the metabolism boost needs to be moderate. Too much blood loss will affect Latiao's foundation."
As Chen Jianghe thought this, his divine sense touched the formation jade pendant, preparing to leave a message for Luo Xiyue to discuss the matter of the high-second-order talisman legacies.
He had already reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
It was time to get the high-second-order talisman legacies from Luo Xiyue.
Moreover, he was now qualified to inquire about more matters concerning the mystic realm and even trade resources with Luo Xiyue.
He didn't believe that Luo Xiyue didn't possess any absorbable natural spiritual treasures.
Even if she didn't, Gao Peiyao probably would.
By reaching the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, he could create high-second-order talismans.
A Talisman Grandmaster was certainly qualified to trade with a sect disciple like Gao Peiyao.
"Hm?"
Just as Chen Jianghe was about to leave a message for Luo Xiyue, a message came from Jiang Ruxu. A beam of light shot toward the messaging bamboo.
Jiang Ruxu's voice sounded.
She was 'out of seclusion'.
Chen Jianghe thought for a moment, then went to the Clear Sound Pavilion to discuss alchemy matters with Jiang Ruxu.
Zhou Xiaoxuan refining the Ice Heart Obstacle-Breaking Pill was surely to trade this divine breakthrough pill for resources outside the sect.
No matter what she wanted to do.
As long as Zhou Xiaoxuan could reach the late-Foundation Establishment stage by the age of eighty, she would be of great use to Chen Jianghe.
Therefore, he could make some appropriate investments in her early on.
To prepare for his future plans.
The reason he valued Zhou Xiaoxuan was that during their conversation at the Thousand Mountains Restaurant, he had obtained a piece of information about the mystic realm.
The mystic realm controlled by the Tiannan Sect opened once every thirty years. The location varied each time, and the conditions within the realm were also different.
However, each Tiannan Sect disciple had at most two opportunities to enter the mystic realm.
But there was one condition: Perfected Foundation Establishment disciples could not enter. This meant that if you participated in the trial this time...
...and wanted to participate in the next one, you had to suppress your cultivation and prevent yourself from breaking through to Perfected Foundation Establishment.
Generally, very few sect disciples would suppress their cultivation.
Even if they gained nothing in the mystic realm, they wouldn't suppress their cultivation and make no progress for thirty years.
Thirty years was a long time.
When a Foundation Establishment cultivator reached one hundred and fifty years old, they would begin to enter their later years. At that point, forming a core would be almost hopeless.
Who would dare to waste these thirty years?
The mystic realm would open in another seven or eight years. Gao Peiyao would be ninety-seven years old when she participated in the trial this time.
If she waited thirty years to participate a second time, she would be one hundred and twenty-seven.
Wasting thirty years of her life would only increase the difficulty of forming a core.
Few cultivators were that irrational.
Of course, there were also sect disciples who had no hope of forming a core themselves and chose to help others obtain the opportunity. They would suppress their cultivation and choose to enter the mystic realm trial a second time.
According to Zhou Xiaoxuan, this time there were three sect disciples who had suppressed their cultivation for thirty years to re-enter the mystic realm trial and seek a Core Formation opportunity for their junior brothers and sisters of the same lineage.
For others, thirty years was extremely precious.
But for Chen Jianghe, it was just right. He might not even reach Perfected Foundation Establishment in thirty years.
He had a good chance of getting a spot from Zhou Xiaoxuan to enter the mystic realm trial again.
By that time, his preparations would be more than sufficient.
The possibility of obtaining a Core Formation opportunity would be even greater.
Of course, he hoped even more to obtain the Core Formation opportunity in this trial, so he wouldn't have to take such risks again in the future.