Late-Stage Foundation Establishment

Early the next morning, Lin Zhiyue hung a wooden sign that read “Afternoon Tea Suspended for Half a Month” on the corner of a table in the dining hall.

Supervisor Zhao was taken aback when he saw it and asked her what was wrong.

Lin Zhiyue replied that she wanted to enter secluded cultivation to break through to late-stage Foundation Establishment, and also to stabilize her current cultivation.

Supervisor Zhao readily agreed, telling her to focus on her cultivation. He said she could resume selling when she returned, and that he would keep the stall reserved for her.

Cen Xi'er and Liu Fengyao rushed over when they heard the news, each stuffing a bottle of spiritual liquid and a bottle of pills into her arms. Cen Xi'er urged her, “Don't rush, and don't be impatient for fast progress.” Liu Fengyao said, “Once you emerge from seclusion, I'll treat you to a massive feast!”

Lin Zhiyue returned to her courtyard carrying the various bottles and jars. After shutting the door, she sat down on her futon and flipped open 《Wind and Frost Void-Returning Formula》.

Her journey to the secret realm had given her spiritual energy another boost. Coupled with the spiritual seed gathering spiritual energy in her courtyard for all this time, the concentration of spiritual energy in this courtyard halfway up the side peak had more than doubled.

After meditating for an hour, she felt the speed of her circulation cycle accelerating. Under the washing of her spiritual energy, the barrier leading to late-stage Foundation Establishment was already faintly visible.

The next evening, Qi Yan arrived.

When he pushed open the courtyard door, Lin Zhiyue had just stood up from her futon to stretch her legs. Seeing Qi Yan enter, she bowed in greeting.

Qi Yan walked up to her, drew a small white jade bottle from his sleeve, and handed it over.

“Solidifying Essence Pill,” he said in his usual flat tone. “Take one before every breakthrough to stabilize your foundation. For the next few days, use this pill to nourish your meridians.”

Lin Zhiyue took the jade bottle and opened the cap to take a sniff. A crisp, clean medicinal fragrance wafted out, carrying a warm and mellow aura of spiritual energy. Just smelling it made her meridians feel cozy and warm. She tucked the bottle away, looked up at Qi Yan, and nodded earnestly. “Your disciple understands. I will use it carefully.”

Qi Yan did not leave immediately.

He stood in the courtyard and glanced at the spiritual seed beneath the old pine tree in the southeast corner. Over the past half month, it had already sprouted two tender green tips, which glowed with a faint spiritual light in the twilight.

His gaze shifted to Lin Zhiyue's face. He paused for two breaths before speaking, his voice slightly softer than usual. “No rush. Take your time. I am outside.”

Lin Zhiyue was momentarily stunned.

After saying this, Qi Yan turned and left, his pace as unhurried as ever.

His dark green robe swept past the edge of the courtyard gate and disappeared around the corner of the stone steps.

Lin Zhiyue stood in the courtyard, watching his figure vanish. Her fingers tightened slightly around the jade bottle.

She stood by the doorway for a good while before closing the door and returning inside. She placed the Solidifying Essence Pill in the most convenient spot on her desk, sat cross-legged on her futon once more, and settled her mind to circulate her spiritual energy.

The ice- and wind-element spiritual energy flowed slowly along her meridians.

No rush. Take your time.

After five days of nourishment, Lin Zhiyue felt the spiritual energy in her meridians swell to a critical threshold.

She had completely refined the medicinal power of the Solidifying Essence Pill. The walls of her meridians were noticeably tougher than before. Although the flow of spiritual energy during her circulation cycle was a fraction slower than before, every strand of spiritual energy had become far more condensed and heavy.

She chose to make her push for late-stage Foundation Establishment in the early morning—the moment when the spiritual energy in the courtyard was at its densest. The two newly sprouted leaves of the spiritual seed stretched slightly in the morning light.

The breakthrough process was much smoother than her breakthrough to the mid stage.

Sitting cross-legged on her futon, she pushed the spiritual energy circulating in her dantian wave after wave against that barrier.

The foundation laid by the Solidifying Essence Pill proved its worth now; her meridians did not tremble in the slightest as they bore the impact of the surging spiritual energy.

Cracks appeared in the barrier during the seventh wave.

Half an hour later, the barrier shattered completely. Her liquid spiritual energy abruptly expanded, more than doubling in concentration. The instant it surged from her dantian into her limbs and bones, her entire body warmed up. The ice- and wind-element spiritual energy overflowing from her pores condensed into a layer of fine white frost around her futon, slowly spreading across the floor.

Late-stage Foundation Establishment. Secured.

When Lin Zhiyue opened her eyes, the morning light happened to filter through the gaps in the window lattice, spreading a warm band of light across her desk.

She slowly exhaled a breath of white mist, feeling the thick, steady circulation of spiritual energy in her dantian.

The system's light screen popped up as she stood up to stretch her arms:

【Breakthrough to late-stage Foundation Establishment complete. Reward: Premium Draw Ticket x5 has been distributed.】

She tapped open the card pool for Flowing Green Satin. There were only two pieces left to pull—the emerald bracelet and the high heels.

She decisively tossed in all five tickets.

Blue-white light flashed repeatedly across the screen.

The first piece was a duplicate qipao.

The second piece was a duplicate fan.

The third piece was a duplicate shawl.

The fourth piece—a brilliant green light coalesced into a smooth, translucent emerald bracelet that settled into her palm. Its deep green hue varied beautifully in intensity, gleaming with a warm, jade-like luster under the light. A ring of delicate spiritual runes was faintly visible on its inner surface, feeling cool yet gentle to the touch, like spring water.

【Flowing Green Satin · Emerald Bracelet acquired.】

The fifth piece—the blue-white light condensed into a pair of plain green satin high heels. The uppers were embroidered with intricate silver patterns, and the heels were slender and high. When they landed in her palm, they felt as light as two feathers.

【Flowing Green Satin · High Heels acquired. Full Flowing Green Satin set completed! Set skill 'Drifting Satin Everywhere' has been activated. Effect: Continuously surrounds the user with green satin illusions, producing a brief hallucinogenic effect on higher-stage cultivators. Cooldown: One incense stick's time.】

Lin Zhiyue turned the high heels over to inspect them, then picked up the emerald bracelet and tried it on her left wrist.

The plain green satin heels lightly tapped against the green flagstones of the floor, making a crisp clicking sound.

She retrieved the entire Flowing Green Satin set from her storage space and put it on piece by piece—the qipao fit her perfectly, the hairpin was slipped into her hair, the emerald earrings dangled beside her cheeks, and finally, when she slipped her feet into the high heels, she stood a few inches taller.

Standing by the window, she appraised herself in the morning light. Clad in the Flowing Green Satin, she looked elegant and dignified. The silver frog-closure hairpin in her hair and the emerald bracelet on her wrist complemented each other beautifully, while the dark green patterns on the half-unfurled fan shimmered subtly in the light.

This was the complete polar opposite of the Sweet and Clever Cook's soft sweetness. Wearing this outfit, she naturally carried herself with more poise, looking like a refined young lady who had stepped straight out of an ancient painting.

She closed the fan and stored it back into her space, then reviewed the 'Drifting Satin Everywhere' skill prompt from the system. With movement speed increase and illusory hallucination, both functions were highly practical in actual combat.

After memorizing the details of the skill, she returned the Flowing Green Satin to her space and changed back into her everyday clothes. She pushed open the door, planning to head to the dining hall to let Supervisor Zhao know that afternoon tea was resuming.

Before leaving, she cast a glance at the egg on her desk. The pale gold patterns on its shell were slightly brighter than they had been in the secret realm, and the flow of spiritual energy within it was steady and gentle.

She reached out and lightly touched the shell. The warmth radiating against her fingertips was noticeably stronger than a few days ago, as if it would hatch in just a matter of time. She felt a quiet sense of anticipation for that moment.