Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

In the following months, clan leader Lin Shanhe was busy secretly shrinking and transferring the resources and power of the Qingfu Alliance.

Lin Zhao then stayed at Qingxi Mountain to protect his grandfather as he attempted to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Over a month, spiritual energy gathered and swirled above the cave.

Until one day at noon, a beam of blue light shot into the sky from the cave, stirring up the clouds and mist on the mountaintop, and lasted for several hours before slowly subsiding.

The stone door to the cave opened, and Grandfather stepped out.

His beard and hair were still gray, but the signs of aging on his face had faded considerably, and his skin had a subtle, jade-like luster. His aura was harmonious and serene.

Grandfather successfully established his foundation, although it was only a low-grade Dao Foundation, and his cultivation could not improve any further. However, his lifespan increased greatly, and his magical power underwent a qualitative change. For the Lin family, the birth of the second Foundation Establishment cultivator was a great joy.

Lin Zhao himself moved into the new cave dwelling arranged for him by the clan chief.

The cave dwelling is located on the sunny side of the mountain, offering a wide view, but the concentration of spiritual energy is only at the upper level of the first rank.

The spiritual energy of the family's spiritual veins was previously used by my grandfather during his foundation building phase.

Lin Zhao simply smiled at this, sat cross-legged on the futon, and with each breath, spiritual energy flowed into his dantian like a trickle, which was better than nothing.

-----

Soon after, someone from the Second Elder's lineage requested an audience.

The newcomer was a middle-aged cultivator with a stern face and a posture as straight as a javelin, named Lin Zhengfeng.

Lin Zhao remembered him; when he followed the Second Elder to hunt second-tier demonic beasts, there were two people behind him, and this person was one of them.

Now, his cultivation has reached the tenth level of Qi Refining, but his aura is restless and faintly carries a bloody smell, which is somewhat similar to Liu Yifeng.

Lin Zhao understood.

The Blood Fiend Sword Technique originated from the demonic path and emphasizes using battle to sustain itself and using killing to hone its sword.

As for Lin Zhengfeng's cultivation level... it was probably forcibly increased by the Second Elder before his death, using his own cultivation as a guide and some kind of secret method.

This is a demonic method that damages the very foundation of the body, but it may also be a choice made by the Second Elder himself.

Lin Zhengfeng didn't say anything more, but respectfully presented a plain white jade slip—the very token that Lin Zhao had left for the Second Elder years ago.

Lin Zhao took the jade slip and immersed his consciousness into it. The first half of the jade slip contained the original versions of the "Celestial Sword Path" and the "Four Elements Sword Dragon" that he had left behind years ago.

The latter half is the complete "Blood Fiend Sword Manual," the culmination of the Second Elder's life's work, as well as the secret technique for breaking through the tenth level of Qi Refining and the Foundation Establishment stage.

After carefully studying it, Lin Zhao said to Lin Zhengfeng, "Come back in half a month."

Lin Zhengfeng remained silent, only offering a fist salute before turning and leaving, his back straight and tall. This reflected the character of the Second Elder's lineage of swordsmen.

In the days that followed, Lin Zhao began to improve the Blood Fiend Sword Technique.

With his current knowledge and vision within the sect, improving a secret technique for building a low-grade Dao foundation is not a difficult task.

Combining his own swordsmanship with some demonic techniques he obtained from Liu Yifeng,

In just ten days, he deduced an improved version, which could increase the success rate of Foundation Establishment to about 20% when Foundation Establishment Pills are available at the tenth level of Qi Refining.

But he wasn't entirely satisfied.

After a moment of contemplation, Lin Zhao sat cross-legged in the quiet room, closed his eyes, and focused his mind on his dantian.

"Blue Lotus".

He murmured in his heart, and the Azure Lotus Dao Foundation trembled slightly. Strands of pale blue azure lotus power emanated from it, not to enhance his attack, but to slowly flow into his sea of ​​consciousness.

In an instant, Lin Zhao felt as if his thoughts had been cleansed and elevated, entering a state of clarity and sharpness.

This was the result of his gradual mastery of the Heavenly Forest Spirit, and he also slowly developed the abilities of a superior Dao Foundation.

This state lasted for a whole day.

As the power of the Azure Lotus slowly receded, Lin Zhao opened his eyes, his face slightly pale, and a sense of emptiness washing over him. He couldn't use too much of the Azure Lotus power at once.

He successfully created a brand new secret technique based on the existing secret techniques—Blood Fiend Dragon!

This technique can temporarily transform the cultivator's entire essence, energy, and spirit into a domineering and unparalleled sword-wielding demonic dragon. When attacking an enemy, if the dragon manages to kill them, it can devour their blood and spiritual power, not only increasing its power but also nourishing itself.

To some extent, it can increase the success rate and potential of the foundation during foundation building! If the target's vitality is strong enough, such as a second-tier demon beast,

There is even a slight possibility that, after Foundation Establishment, the lower-grade Dao Foundation will move closer to the middle-grade.

However, the price is extremely cruel. If the demonic dragon fails to "drink blood" and return, it will dissipate on its own, and the caster will also suffer a collapse of their foundation due to the depletion of their essence, energy, and spirit, resulting in certain death.

This is a typical demonic art of life-or-death struggle, and it places extremely high demands on the cultivator's willpower. One must use a strong will to control the demonic dragon, otherwise one will suffer a backlash.

"Either kill and devour the enemy to strengthen yourself, or perish together."

Lin Zhao spoke softly, her tone complex.

This was the limit of what he could do for this sword technique.

He sealed the improved Blood Fiend Sword Technique and the Blood Fiend Demon Dragon Secret Technique back into the white jade slip.

At the same time, with a thought, he completely erased those ideas about "Heavenly Sword Path" that he had retained from his youth.

Looking back now, how arrogant and ignorant we were to call it "Celestial Swordsmanship".

He even created the Heavenly Lin Zhao. If he hadn't later comprehended the sword intent, he probably would have been assimilated by the Heavenly Lin Zhao.

He has gradually resolved this issue.

However, he still erased the Celestial Sword Path to prevent it from harming others. Not to mention the difficulty of cultivating the Celestial Sword Path, the probability of it causing demonic possession is even higher than that of the Blood Fiend Sword Technique.

It is very easy to transform into Tao and depart.

After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, he understood his own insignificance even more, and stopped talking about creating the Celestial Sword Dao. Instead, he set a small goal first—Core Formation.

Half a month later, Lin Zhengfeng arrived as promised.

Lin Zhao handed the jade slip to him and simply said, "I will find another way to get the Foundation Establishment Pill. You will have to figure out the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Material yourselves."

Lin Zhengfeng gave Lin Zhao a deep look, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and turned to leave.

Lin Zhao has already settled the karmic debts related to the Second Elder's lineage.

A few days later, the clan chief sent a message inviting Lin Zhao to a secret meeting at a natural cave 500 miles away from Qingfeng Market.

The cave entrance was hidden, and the interior revealed a hidden world, clearly indicating that it had been used multiple times.

When Lin Zhao followed the clan leader into the cave, several Foundation Establishment auras were already lingering inside.

Lin Shanhe, the head of the Lin family.

The newly appointed grandfather was prominently listed.

The middle-aged cultivator in black robes was none other than Lin Yuanfeng, a hidden member of the Lin family who had been arranged to enter the Black Fiend Pavilion by the second-generation patriarch and had now reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

The other is Shen Qianshan, a newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Po Jun Demon Hunting Team.

The last one is Qin, a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Qin family, whose expression is complicated. He was tricked by the Lin family back then, indirectly helping the Lin family to produce a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Later, he was pulled in to form an alliance and establish the Azure Talisman Alliance.

With Lin Zhao added, the six Foundation Establishment cultivators present here now constitute a formidable force that cannot be ignored.

The Qin family and Shen Qianshan were clearly surprised that the Lin family, whom they had always thought only had one Foundation Establishment cultivator, was able to send four Foundation Establishment cultivators to the scene! Especially the unfathomable Lin Zhao, which made them secretly alarmed.

The secret meeting proceeded without much trouble.

The Qin family has always been opportunistic, changing their stance with the wind.

Shen Qianshan, having just entered the Foundation Establishment stage, yearns for a stable second-tier spiritual vein as his foundation.

Lin Yuanfeng did not hold a high position in the sect and hoped to be transferred outside the sect to gain real power in a certain area.

The clan leader had already communicated in advance, and the Lin family's plan was just right to provide what they each needed.