xīn zhōng kuáng xǐ ， rán ér biǎo miàn shàng ， lín xuān yī rán bǎo chí zhe yī fù dàn rán de biǎo qíng ， xiàng xiǎo yīn hún sù shuō rèn zì jǐ wéi zhǔ de zhǒng zhǒng hǎo chù 。
心中狂喜，然而表面上，林轩依然保持着一副淡然的表情，像小阴魂诉说认自己为主的种种好处。
Heart racing with excitement, Lin Xuan maintained a calm expression on the surface as he explained to Little Yin Soul all the benefits of being his master.
“ níng jù xíng tǐ ， xiū dào chéng xiān 。” lín ér tīng dé pēng rán xīn dòng ， hé kuàng tā xiàn zài yě bié wú xuǎn zé ， zì rán shì gāo xìng wàn fēn de dā yìng le 。
“凝聚形体，修道成仙。”林儿听得怦然心动，何况她现在也别无选择，自然是高兴万分的答应了。
"Forming a body and achieving immortality through cultivation." Lin Er was deeply moved by these words. Given her current situation, she had no other choice but to agree happily.
lín xuān huà pò zì jǐ de shǒu zhǐ ， jiāng yī dī xiān xuè dī xià ， bìng yòng dào fǎ róng rù jìn lín ér de líng hún lǐ ， jié shù le rèn zhǔ yí shì ， jiù suàn tā yǐ hòu néng gòu dù jié chéng wéi guǐ xiān ， yě bì xū tīng mìng yú zì jǐ 。
林轩划破自己的手指，将一滴鲜血滴下，并用道法融入进林儿的灵魂里，结束了认主仪式，就算她以后能够渡劫成为鬼仙，也必须听命于自己。
Lin Xuan pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall into Lin Er's soul, completing the master recognition ritual with Daoist techniques. Even if she could eventually transcend the heavenly tribulation and become an Immortal Ghost, she would still have to obey him.
rán hòu lín xuān qǔ chū yí gè kòng bái de yù tǒng jiǎn ， jiāng yī piān xiū liàn guǐ dào de gōng fǎ fù zhì zài le lǐ miàn ， zhè piān gōng fǎ shì lín xuān ǒu rán suǒ de ， suī rán jǐn shì rù mén ， dàn duì lín ér lái shuō ， zàn shí shì gòu le ， děng zì jǐ zhù jī chéng gōng ， yǐ hòu zài bāng tā xún zhǎo gèng hǎo de gōng fǎ 。
然后林轩取出一个空白的玉筒简，将一篇修炼鬼道的功法复制在了里面，这篇功法是林轩偶然所得，虽然仅是入门，但对林儿来说，暂时是够了，等自己筑基成功，以后再帮她寻找更好的功法。
Next, he took out an empty jade cylinder and copied a cultivation technique for ghost dao inside it. This technique was something Lin Xuan had stumbled upon by chance; although just introductory level, it was sufficient for now. Once he successfully established his foundation, he could help her find better techniques later.
shì qíng chǔ lǐ wán bì ， jiē xià lái ， lín xuān kāi shǐ xiàng zhù jī qī fā qǐ chōng jī 。
事情处理完毕，接下来，林轩开始像筑基期发起冲击。
With the matter settled, Lin Xuan began to push towards the Foundation Establishment stage of cultivation. He chose a secluded room with abundant qi and started practicing. After consuming an upper-grade Essence Cleansing Pill, he sat in meditation to refine his essence.
tā tiāo xuǎn le yī pì jìng qiě líng qì chōng yù de fáng jiān ， kāi shǐ le xiū liàn ， lín xuān fú shí le yī kē jí pǐn xǐ suǐ dān ， rán hòu dǎ zuò liàn qì 。
他挑选了一僻静且灵气充裕的房间，开始了修炼，林轩服食了一颗极品洗髓丹，然后打坐练气。
The legendary medicinal pills were indeed different. Originally, eating high-grade pills was almost ineffective for him, but after downing this top-grade pill, Lin Xuan felt a refreshing coolness. He didn't waste any time and began the grand circulation technique.
chuán shuō zhōng de dān yào jiù shì bù tóng ， yuán běn lín xuān chī shàng pǐn dān yě kuài méi xiào le ， kě jí pǐn dān yī xià dù ， jiù gǎn jué dào le yī gǔ bīng liáng de qīng liú ， lín xuān bù gǎn dài màn ， kāi shǐ zuò dà zhōu tiān xún huán 。
传说中的丹药就是不同，原本林轩吃上品丹也快没效了，可极品丹一下肚，就感觉到了一股冰凉的清流，林轩不敢怠慢，开始做大周天循环。
After fully refining the drug's effects, he felt that his cultivation had improved slightly despite not having reached Foundation Establishment.
dài yào lì quán bù liàn huà yǐ hòu ， lín xuān gǎn jué zì jǐ yǐ jīng hěn jiǔ méi yǒu tí shēng de xiū wèi yòu zēng qiáng le yì diǎn 。
待药力全部炼化以后，林轩感觉自己已经很久没有提升的修为又增强了一点。
He wasn’t disappointed; this was expected. In the immortal cultivation world, no ordinary person had ever reached the Foundation Establishment stage in tens of thousands of years. Even with a miraculous top-grade pill, things wouldn't be smooth sailing for him either.
bìng méi yǒu zhù jī chéng gōng ， dàn lín xuān yě bù jǔ sàng ， zhè běn lái jiù shì yì liào zhī zhōng ， xiū zhēn jiè shù wàn nián lái ， hái cóng lái méi yǒu pǔ tōng rén néng gòu dá dào zhù jī qī de jìng jiè ， zì jǐ suī rán yǒu nì tiān de jí pǐn dān ， dàn kěn dìng yě bú huì yī fān fēng shùn 。
并没有筑基成功，但林轩也不沮丧，这本来就是意料之中，修真界数万年来，还从来没有普通人能够达到筑基期的境界，自己虽然有逆天的极品丹，但肯定也不会一番风顺。
Continuing to practice, more than three months passed.
jì xù xiū liàn 。 sān yuè yǒu yú 。
继续修炼。三月有余。
The door creaked open after nearly a hundred days of closure. Lin Xuan stepped out.
zhī ya yī shēng ， jǐn bì le jìn bǎi tiān de mén zhōng yú bèi tuī kāi ， lín xuān zǒu le chū lái 。
吱呀一声，紧闭了近百天的门终于被推开，林轩走了出来。
"Mistress!"
“ shào yé ！”
“少爷！”
A sweet voice called out. Turning around, he saw Little Yin Soul floating over. Compared to before, her form was clearer and she no longer feared sunlight. It seemed that during these hundred days, she had made significant progress in ghost dao cultivation.
yuè ěr de jiāo hū chuán rù ěr duǒ 。 lín xuān huí guò tóu ， jiù kàn jiàn xiǎo yīn hún piāo le guò lái ， yǔ yǐ qián xiāng bǐ ， lín ér de xíng tài xiǎn de gèng jiā qīng xī 。 ér qiě bù jù yáng guāng le ， kàn lái zhè bǎi tiān lái ， tā xiū liàn guǐ dào ， yě yǒu bù cuò de jìn zhǎn 。
悦耳的娇呼传入耳朵。林轩回过头，就看见小阴魂飘了过来，与以前相比，林儿的形态显得更加清晰。而且不惧阳光了，看来这百天来，她修炼鬼道，也有不错的进展。
"Have you successfully established your foundation?"
“ nín zhù jī chéng gōng le ？”
“您筑基成功了？”
Lin Xuan nodded. The difficulties faced by those without a spirit root were beyond imagination. Qin Yan could easily establish her foundation with just a middle-grade pill, but for him, he almost finished an entire furnace of top-grade pills before barely succeeding.
lín xuān diǎn diǎn tóu ， méi yǒu líng gēn xiū xiān ， suǒ huì zāo yù dì kùn nán ， hái zhēn shì wài rén wú fǎ xiǎng xiàng de ， ruò shì huàn zuò qín yán 。 yǒu yī kē zhōng pǐn dān yě néng qīng sōng zhù jī ， kě zì jǐ 。 nì tiān de jí pǐn dān jī hū chī wán yī zhěng lú ， cái miǎn qiǎng chéng gōng 。
林轩点点头，没有灵根修仙，所会遭遇地困难，还真是外人无法想象的，若是换做秦妍。有一颗中品丹也能轻松筑基，可自己。逆天的极品丹几乎吃完一整炉，才勉强成功。
---
wǎng shì bù kān huí shǒu ， suǒ jīng guò de jiān nán kùn kǔ ， lín xuān yǐ jīng bù qù xiǎng le ， qīng qīng niē le yī xià quán tou 。 gǎn shòu zhe chōng pèi dì líng lì ， kǔ zǒng suàn shì méi yǒu bái shòu ， xiàn zài tā yǐ jīng shì zhù jī qī de xiū zhēn zhě 。
往事不堪回首，所经过的艰难困苦，林轩已经不去想了，轻轻捏了一下拳头。感受着充沛地灵力，苦总算是没有白受，现在他已经是筑基期的修真者。
Recalling the past was painful. Lin Xuan didn't dwell on the hardships; instead, he clenched his fist and felt the abundant qi. All the hard work hadn’t been in vain—he was now a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
“ shào yé ， zěn me le ， nǐ bù kāi
“少爷，怎么了，你不开
"Mistress, what's wrong? You're not feeling well."
lín ér bīng xuě cōng míng ， yī yǎn jiù kàn chū le lín xuān yīn mái de xīn qíng ， dāng rán ， zhè yě shì yīn wèi liǎng rén yǒu zhǔ pú qì yuē ， lín xuān bù yòng fán shì dōu zài tā miàn qián yǐn cáng de yuán gù 。
林儿冰雪聪明，一眼就看出了林轩阴霾的心情，当然，这也是因为两人有主仆契约，林轩不用凡事都在她面前隐藏的缘故。
Lin Er, clever as she was, could tell that Lin Xuan was gloomy. As they had a master-servant contract, he didn't need to hide everything from her.
“ méi shì 。”
“没事。”
"Nothing," he shook his head. He was worried about future cultivation. While entering the Foundation Establishment stage was good, for someone without a spirit root like him, it was even harder.
lín xuān yáo le yáo tóu 。 tā shì wèi yǐ hòu de xiū liàn fán xīn ， jìn rù le zhù jī qī dāng rán shì hǎo shì ， kě lín xuān fā xiàn duì yú méi yǒu líng gēn de zì jǐ ， xiū liàn gèng nán le 。
林轩摇了摇头。他是为以后的修炼烦心，进入了筑基期当然是好事，可林轩发现对于没有灵根的自己，修炼更难了。
With previous experience, Lin Xuan knew that mere effort wasn’t enough; ordinary cultivators needed to consume large amounts of pills to achieve anything.
yǒu le yǐ qián de jīng yàn ， lín xuān zhī dào guāng * nǔ lì shì bù gòu de ， pǔ tōng rén xiū zhēn ， bì xū yǒu dà liàng dān yào fú shí 。 fǒu zé bù kě néng yǒu shén me chéng guǒ 。
有了以前的经验，林轩知道光*努力是不够的，普通人修真，必须有大量丹药服食。否则不可能有什么成果。
Although he still had some top-grade Essence Cleansing Pills and thousands more in his storage ring as waste pills, the type of pills required for each cultivation stage varied. Even with these top-grade pills, they wouldn't help his current cultivation level at all.
suī rán jí pǐn xǐ suǐ dān hái yǒu jǐ kē 。 chǔ wù jiè zhǐ zhōng dì fèi dān gèng shèng yú shù qiān lì ， kě xiū zhēn de měi gè jìng jiè 。 xū yào yòng dào dì dān yào shì bù yí yàng de ， jiù suàn shì jí pǐn xǐ suǐ dān ， xiàn zài zì jǐ fú shí ， yě bú huì duì xiū wèi yǒu sī háo de bāng zhù 。
虽然极品洗髓丹还有几颗。储物戒指中地废丹更剩余数千粒，可修真的每个境界。需要用到地丹药是不一样的，就算是极品洗髓丹，现在自己服食，也不会对修为有丝毫的帮助。
At the Foundation Establishment stage, two types of pills were needed: Base Foundation Pill and Cultivation Root Pill.
zhù jī qī yòng dào de dān yào yǒu liǎng zhǒng ， zhù jī dān yǔ gù běn péi yuán dān 。
筑基期用到的丹药有两种，筑基丹与固本培元丹。
The Base Foundation Pill worked similarly to an Essence Cleansing Pill for a Flexible Spirit Period cultivator, while the Cultivation Root Pill, as its name suggested, could strengthen the body, expand meridians, and allow more qi to be stored. It was auxiliary in nature.
qí zhōng zhù jī dān de zuò yòng lèi sì yú xǐ suǐ dān duì líng dòng qī xiū zhēn zhě dì gōng xiào ， ér gù běn péi yuán dān cóng míng zì jiù kě yǐ tīng chū lái ， tā kě yǐ qiáng shēn jiàn tǐ ， kuò chōng jīng mài ， ràng xiū shì de tǐ nèi néng gòu róng nà gèng duō de líng lì ， shǔ yú fǔ zhù xìng zhì 。
其中筑基丹的作用类似于洗髓丹对灵动期修真者地功效，而固本培元丹从名字就可以听出来，它可以强身健体，扩充经脉，让修士的体内能够容纳更多的灵力，属于辅助性质。
Don’t underestimate it; although the Foundation Establishment stage was one level higher, it still served as a foundation for the long journey of cultivation.
qiān wàn bú yào xiǎo kàn le ， zhù jī qī suī rán gāo le yí gè jìng jiè ， dàn qí shí yī rán shì zài wèi màn cháng de xiū xiān zhī lù dǎ jī chǔ 。
千万不要小看了，筑基期虽然高了一个境界，但其实依然是在为漫长的修仙之路打基础。
It was said that consuming more Cultivation Root Pills increased the chances of entering the Condensation Core Stage, but this was just legend and meaningless to Lin Xuan. That was too far away; he had only just established his foundation.
jù shuō duō fú shí gù běn péi yuán dān ， kě yǐ tí gāo jìn rù níng dān qī de jī lǜ ， dāng rán ， jǐn jǐn shì chuán shuō ér yǐ ， ér qiě duì yú lín xuān lái shuō ， yě méi yǒu shén me yì yì ， nà tài yáo yuǎn le ， tā cái gāng gāng zhù jī 。
据说多服食固本培元丹，可以提高进入凝丹期的几率，当然，仅仅是传说而已，而且对于林轩来说，也没有什么意义，那太遥远了，他才刚刚筑基。
Despite not having a spirit root, Lin Xuan harbored grand ambitions and wouldn’t settle for merely establishing his foundation. He aimed to push towards higher cultivation stages.
lín xuān suī rán méi yǒu líng gēn ， dàn què xiōng huái dà zhì ， jué bú huì jǐn jǐn mǎn zú yú zhù jī ， hái yào xiàng gèng gāo de xiū zhēn céng cì ， fā qǐ chōng jī 。
林轩虽然没有灵根，但却胸怀大志，绝不会仅仅满足于筑基，还要像更高的修真层次，发起冲击。
Now that he had the technique, *Nine Heavens Profound Art*, all that was missing were the corresponding pills for cultivation.
rú jīn gōng fǎ yǒu le ，《 jiǔ tiān xuán gōng 》 shén miào wú bǐ ， suǒ huò quē de ， jiù shì pèi hé xiū liàn de dān yào 。
如今功法有了，《九天玄功》神妙无比，所或缺的，就是配合修炼的丹药。
Unlike other cultivators, Lin Xuan possessed the ability to purify waste pills into miraculous medicinal pills.
yǔ bié de xiū zhēn zhě bù tóng ， lín xuān yōng yǒu tí chún dì běn lǐng ， zhǐ xū yào fèi dān ， jiù kě yǐ nòng chū shén miào wú bǐ de dān yào lái 。
与别的修真者不同，林轩拥有提纯地本领，只需要废丹，就可以弄出神妙无比的丹药来。
But where could he find these waste pills?
kě fèi dān yòu dào nǎ lǐ qù zhǎo ？
可废丹又到哪里去找？
---
yǐ qián zuò wèi piāo yún gǔ fèi dān fáng de guǎn shì ， zì rán bù yòng dān xīn lái yuán ， kě xiàn zài zì jǐ yǐ shì sàn xiū ， wú mén wú pài 。
以前做为飘云谷废丹房的管事，自然不用担心来源，可现在自己已是散修，无门无派。
As a former manager of Drifting Cloud Valley's waste pill room, he didn’t worry about sources. But now as an independent cultivator with no sect or affiliation, what should he do?
nán dào hái yào zài jiǎ rú yí gè mén pài ？
难道还要再假如一个门派？
Should he join another sect?
lín xuān kāi shǐ zài xīn zhōng sī liáng ， suī rán yǔ yǎn zhōu xiāng bǐ ， yōu zhōu de shuǐ píng yào gāo chū yí gè céng cì ， dàn dà bù fèn de xiū shì ， yī rán shì líng dòng qī ， zì jǐ yǐ zhù jī qī de xiū wèi ， xiǎng yào jiā méng mǒu gè mén pài dào yě bù nán ， shèn zhì kě yǐ shuō shì fēi cháng de shòu huān yíng 。
林轩开始在心中思量，虽然与兖州相比，幽州的水平要高出一个层次，但大部分的修士，依然是灵动期，自己以筑基期的修为，想要加盟某个门派倒也不难，甚至可以说是非常的受欢迎。
Lin Xuan pondered this. While Yi Zhou was more advanced than Youzhou, most cultivators were still in the Flexible Spirit Period. With his Foundation Establishment stage, joining a sect wouldn’t be difficult and would even be highly sought after.
kě lín xuān píng gū zhī hòu ， què jué de zhè shì xià xià zhī cè 。
可林轩评估之后，却觉得这是下下之策。
However, upon evaluating, Lin Xuan decided it wasn't the best option. First, he didn’t want to be bound by rules, and second, not all sects had waste pills for the Foundation Establishment stage. In cultivation worlds, Essence Cleansing Pills were the lowest-grade and easy to find, so sects would unify their production and distribute them to disciples.
yī lái ， zì jǐ bù xiǎng zài shòu shù fù ， èr lái ， jiā méng dì mén pài yě bù yí dìng yǒu zhù jī qī dì fèi dān ， yuán yīn wú tā ， zài xiū xiān jiè ， xǐ suǐ dān shì zuì dī jí de dān yào ， yuán liào yě bǐ jiào hǎo zhǎo ， suǒ yǐ mén pài cái huì tǒng yī liàn zhì ， bìng fā fàng gěi dì zǐ 。
一来，自己不想再受束缚，二来，加盟地门派也不一定有筑基期地废丹，原因无他，在修仙界，洗髓丹是最低级的丹药，原料也比较好找，所以门派才会统一炼制，并发放给弟子。
But Base Foundation Pills required more precious materials, even for a mere level difference. Even Drifting Cloud Valley wouldn’t produce them; instead, they were given as benefits to disciples.
kě zhù jī dān jiù bù tóng le ， bié kàn jǐn jǐn shì gāo le yí gè děng jí ， kě liàn zhì tā dì cái liào jiù yào zhēn guì dé duō ， bié shuō piāo yún gǔ ， jiù suàn shì nà xiē dà pài yě bú huì liàn zhì ， rán hòu zuò wèi fú lì ， fēn fā gěi dì zǐ 。
可筑基丹就不同了，别看仅仅是高了一个等级，可炼制它地材料就要珍贵得多，别说飘云谷，就算是那些大派也不会炼制，然后做为福利，分发给弟子。
Foundation Establishment cultivators needed to seek out medicinal herbs themselves, either refining them or paying alchemists with crystal stones to do it on their behalf.
zhù jī qī xiū shì xiǎng yào dān yào ， xū yào zì jǐ qù xún zhǎo yào cái ， rán hòu yào me zì jǐ liàn zhì ， yào me fù gěi liàn dān shī yí dìng de jīng shí ， qǐng tā men dài wéi liàn zhì 。
筑基期修士想要丹药，需要自己去寻找药材，然后要么自己炼制，要么付给炼丹师一定的晶石，请他们代为炼制。
In short, while sects might have waste Essence Cleansing Pills, they would never have Foundation Establishment stage waste pills.
yě jiù shì shuō ， mén pài lǐ yǒu xǐ suǐ dān de fèi dān ， dàn jué bú huì yǒu zhù jī qī de fèi dān 。
也就是说，门派里有洗髓丹的废丹，但绝不会有筑基期的废丹。
Even if there were any, Lin Xuan’s status as a Foundation Establishment cultivator applying for the waste pill room management position would surely draw unwanted attention. Other cultivators weren’t fools; with a little thought, they would realize something was amiss. He wouldn’t risk such trouble.
ér qiě tuì yī wàn bù shuō ， jiù suàn shì yǒu ， kě lín xuān yǐ yí gè zhù jī qī xiū shì de shēn fèn ， qù shēn qǐng guǎn lǐ fèi dān fáng ， hái bù yǐn qǐ páng rén chà yì de mù guāng ， qí tā xiū xiān zhě yòu bú shì bái chī ， zhǐ yào shāo yī níng sī ， jiù huì xǐng wù lǐ miàn kěn dìng yǒu māo nì ， lín xuān kě bù huì gàn zhè zhǒng zhǔ dòng zhāo rě má fán de shǎ shì 。
而且退一万步说，就算是有，可林轩以一个筑基期修士的身份，去申请管理废丹房，还不引起旁人诧异的目光，其他修仙者又不是白痴，只要稍一凝思，就会醒悟里面肯定有猫腻，林轩可不会干这种主动招惹麻烦的傻事。
"Er, let's go."
“ ér ， zǒu le 。”
“儿，走了。”
Despite encountering difficulties in future cultivation, Lin Xuan believed he could find solutions. Little Yin Soul transformed into a beam of white light and flew into his sleeve.
suī rán yǐ hòu de xiū liàn yù dào le nán tí ， dàn lín xuān xiāng xìn zì jǐ huì xiǎng chū jiě jué de zhǔ yì ， xiǎo yīn hún huà wèi yī lǚ bái guāng ， fēi jìn lín xuān de yī xiù lǐ miàn 。
虽然以后的修炼遇到了难题，但林轩相信自己会想出解决的主意，小阴魂化为一缕白光，飞进林轩的衣袖里面。
Then, Lin Xuan’s figure flickered as he left the manor. With his flying weapon, he headed towards the more magnificent and colorful world of cultivation that awaited him.
Heart racing with excitement, Lin Xuan maintained a calm expression on the surface as he explained to Little Yin Soul all the benefits of being his master.
"Forming a body and achieving immortality through cultivation." Lin Er was deeply moved by these words. Given her current situation, she had no other choice but to agree happily.
Lin Xuan pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall into Lin Er's soul, completing the master recognition ritual with Daoist techniques. Even if she could eventually transcend the heavenly tribulation and become an Immortal Ghost, she would still have to obey him.
Next, he took out an empty jade cylinder and copied a cultivation technique for ghost dao inside it. This technique was something Lin Xuan had stumbled upon by chance; although just introductory level, it was sufficient for now. Once he successfully established his foundation, he could help her find better techniques later.
With the matter settled, Lin Xuan began to push towards the Foundation Establishment stage of cultivation. He chose a secluded room with abundant qi and started practicing. After consuming an upper-grade Essence Cleansing Pill, he sat in meditation to refine his essence.
The legendary medicinal pills were indeed different. Originally, eating high-grade pills was almost ineffective for him, but after downing this top-grade pill, Lin Xuan felt a refreshing coolness. He didn't waste any time and began the grand circulation technique.
After fully refining the drug's effects, he felt that his cultivation had improved slightly despite not having reached Foundation Establishment.
He wasn’t disappointed; this was expected. In the immortal cultivation world, no ordinary person had ever reached the Foundation Establishment stage in tens of thousands of years. Even with a miraculous top-grade pill, things wouldn't be smooth sailing for him either.
Continuing to practice, more than three months passed.
The door creaked open after nearly a hundred days of closure. Lin Xuan stepped out.
"Mistress!"
A sweet voice called out. Turning around, he saw Little Yin Soul floating over. Compared to before, her form was clearer and she no longer feared sunlight. It seemed that during these hundred days, she had made significant progress in ghost dao cultivation.
"Have you successfully established your foundation?"
Lin Xuan nodded. The difficulties faced by those without a spirit root were beyond imagination. Qin Yan could easily establish her foundation with just a middle-grade pill, but for him, he almost finished an entire furnace of top-grade pills before barely succeeding.
---
Recalling the past was painful. Lin Xuan didn't dwell on the hardships; instead, he clenched his fist and felt the abundant qi. All the hard work hadn’t been in vain—he was now a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"Mistress, what's wrong? You're not feeling well."
Lin Er, clever as she was, could tell that Lin Xuan was gloomy. As they had a master-servant contract, he didn't need to hide everything from her.
"Nothing," he shook his head. He was worried about future cultivation. While entering the Foundation Establishment stage was good, for someone without a spirit root like him, it was even harder.
With previous experience, Lin Xuan knew that mere effort wasn’t enough; ordinary cultivators needed to consume large amounts of pills to achieve anything.
Although he still had some top-grade Essence Cleansing Pills and thousands more in his storage ring as waste pills, the type of pills required for each cultivation stage varied. Even with these top-grade pills, they wouldn't help his current cultivation level at all.
At the Foundation Establishment stage, two types of pills were needed: Base Foundation Pill and Cultivation Root Pill.
The Base Foundation Pill worked similarly to an Essence Cleansing Pill for a Flexible Spirit Period cultivator, while the Cultivation Root Pill, as its name suggested, could strengthen the body, expand meridians, and allow more qi to be stored. It was auxiliary in nature.
Don’t underestimate it; although the Foundation Establishment stage was one level higher, it still served as a foundation for the long journey of cultivation.
It was said that consuming more Cultivation Root Pills increased the chances of entering the Condensation Core Stage, but this was just legend and meaningless to Lin Xuan. That was too far away; he had only just established his foundation.
Despite not having a spirit root, Lin Xuan harbored grand ambitions and wouldn’t settle for merely establishing his foundation. He aimed to push towards higher cultivation stages.
Now that he had the technique, *Nine Heavens Profound Art*, all that was missing were the corresponding pills for cultivation.
Unlike other cultivators, Lin Xuan possessed the ability to purify waste pills into miraculous medicinal pills.
But where could he find these waste pills?
---
As a former manager of Drifting Cloud Valley's waste pill room, he didn’t worry about sources. But now as an independent cultivator with no sect or affiliation, what should he do?
Should he join another sect?
Lin Xuan pondered this. While Yi Zhou was more advanced than Youzhou, most cultivators were still in the Flexible Spirit Period. With his Foundation Establishment stage, joining a sect wouldn’t be difficult and would even be highly sought after.
However, upon evaluating, Lin Xuan decided it wasn't the best option. First, he didn’t want to be bound by rules, and second, not all sects had waste pills for the Foundation Establishment stage. In cultivation worlds, Essence Cleansing Pills were the lowest-grade and easy to find, so sects would unify their production and distribute them to disciples.
But Base Foundation Pills required more precious materials, even for a mere level difference. Even Drifting Cloud Valley wouldn’t produce them; instead, they were given as benefits to disciples.
Foundation Establishment cultivators needed to seek out medicinal herbs themselves, either refining them or paying alchemists with crystal stones to do it on their behalf.
In short, while sects might have waste Essence Cleansing Pills, they would never have Foundation Establishment stage waste pills.
Even if there were any, Lin Xuan’s status as a Foundation Establishment cultivator applying for the waste pill room management position would surely draw unwanted attention. Other cultivators weren’t fools; with a little thought, they would realize something was amiss. He wouldn’t risk such trouble.
"Er, let's go."
Despite encountering difficulties in future cultivation, Lin Xuan believed he could find solutions. Little Yin Soul transformed into a beam of white light and flew into his sleeve.
Then, Lin Xuan’s figure flickered as he left the manor. With his flying weapon, he headed towards the more magnificent and colorful world of cultivation that awaited him.