Mortal: The Path to Immortality

"The Taiyi Muhua Sutra?" Lu Nanzhu murmured to himself.

"Indeed, the Taiyi Muhua Scripture is a rare cultivation technique with both water and wood attributes."

"A dual-attribute cultivation technique?"

Seeing Lu Nanzhu's puzzled expression, Xiao Suqing explained:

"It is said that in ancient times, ancient cultivators did not confine themselves to cultivating a single attribute of technique. Instead, they cultivated multiple attributes, thus gaining a deeper foundation in their cultivation."

Of course, this would require even more spiritual energy and resources.

Nowadays, due to a shortage of resources, very few cultivators practice multiple attribute techniques.

"Senior means... that I should cultivate a dual-attribute technique to strengthen my foundation? In this way, my foundation can resist the physical body's absorption of spiritual energy?"

Elder Xiao stepped out from behind the curtain and cast an approving glance at Lu Nanzhu.

"That's right. The Taiyi Muhua Scripture is only a dual-attribute cultivation technique. Compared to those techniques that take into account three, four, or even five attributes of spiritual energy, it is easier to cultivate."

Then, Elder Xiao said with some helplessness:

"However... although this method can solve the drawbacks of the 'Wind Spirit Body,' mastering this technique is no easy task. What happens after that depends entirely on your fate."

Lu Nanzhu listened attentively to Elder Xiao's words, seemingly deep in thought.

"Oh, right!"

Lu Nanzhu then took out a jade slip from his storage bag and handed it out:

"Senior, these are the records of the last few Spirit-Seeking Rats. Please take a look."

Elder Xiao took the jade slip and glanced at it casually:

"From now on, you no longer need to worry about this. The verification of the new elixir formula is complete. From now on, I will focus all my efforts on preparing for the condensation of the golden elixir."

I heard you've become a disciple of Uncle Wang? That's good. Uncle Wang is kind and has a good reputation in the sect. It would be excellent for you to study under him.

Although your talent is average, your character is good. Given time, you may well be able to establish a foundation. Do not lose your ambition.

After saying that, he took out several bottles of pills from his sleeve and pushed them in front of Lu Nanzhu.

After listening to Elder Xiao's words of encouragement, Lu Nanzhu accepted the pills, bid farewell to Elder Xiao, and returned to the Abandoned Spirit Valley. He also needed to make some preparations for his Foundation Establishment.

Back in the simple stilted bamboo hut in the valley, Lu Nanzhu took a deep breath to calm his nerves and once again took out the golden book page containing the cultivation technique.

As consciousness probed into it, the entirety of this cultivation technique slowly unfolded within the sea of ​​consciousness. The technique consisted of thirteen levels, with each major advancement allowing cultivation of three levels.

Moreover, one can learn some mysterious supernatural powers even before reaching a certain stage.

For example, if one cultivates to the third level, one can master the technique of "spiritual energy condensing needles," which allows one to condense dozens of "needle-shaped spiritual lights" with excellent speed and armor-piercing ability using spiritual energy; if one cultivates to the fifth level, one can summon "water and wood spiritual armor" to protect the body.

This kind of supernatural power, which combines offense and defense, made Lu Nanzhu's heart burn with desire. The main reason was that Lu Nanzhu was not very knowledgeable at this time. Although he often went to the library, he could only dabble in miscellaneous cultivation techniques and did not have many advanced cultivation methods for practice.

"Although this technique looks quite good, we still need to test it out in practice."

Lu Nanzhu closed his eyes in deep thought. Previously, he had been troubled by the fact that his "Wind Spirit Body" was like a gluttonous beast, plundering the spiritual energy in his meridians, which slowed down his cultivation. Now, with this dual-attribute cultivation technique that strengthens the foundation and nourishes the vital energy, perhaps he could truly, as Elder Xiao said, use the profound origin of multiple attributes to resist the body's absorption of spiritual energy.

To verify his thoughts, Lu Nanzhu immediately sat cross-legged, abandoned his original breathing method of "Changchun Gong", and began a new path of cultivation.

......

Cultivation knows no time, though cold and heat come and go.

Two years later, in a cave in the Abandoned Spirit Valley, Lu Nanzhu, now twenty-two years old, sat cross-legged on a stone bed. The green veins on his body glowed, and blue and green spiritual energy was flowing into his dantian.

Soon, he slowly opened his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. After two years of cultivation, he had not only mastered the Taiyi Muhua Scripture to the third level, but had also broken through to the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.

Just as Elder Xiao had predicted, the spiritual power accumulated by this dual-attribute technique far exceeded that of other techniques of the same level. Its thick and continuous texture actually made the originally domineering and greedy Wind Spirit Body much more docile.

The previously sluggish process of condensing Qi has now become as smooth as flowing water. With each circulation, one can feel the condensation and growth of magical power in the dantian.

Of course, in order to cultivate this technique, Lu Nanzhu consumed a lot more pills, but fortunately he had the Spirit-Gathering Moss to accelerate the ripening of medicinal herbs.

"This solution is truly ingenious!"

Lu Nanzhu stroked the golden page, his curiosity about Elder Xiao growing stronger. You see, even someone as powerful as the Old Monster Qiong of the Hidden Moon Sect couldn't see through the flaws of the "Wind Spirit Body," let alone come up with such a "custom-made" solution.

Elder Xiao is not only proficient in alchemy and spiritual plants, but he is also very knowledgeable about the hidden dangers of this kind of remote Dharma body. His background is definitely not simple.

"I wonder which immortal cultivation family he is? Oh well, we're even now."

Now that the drawbacks of the 'Wind Spirit Body' have been resolved, it's time to hurry up and prepare the Foundation Establishment Pill.

After saying that, Lu Nanzhu suddenly stood up from the stone bed and walked deeper into the cave.

This secluded cave was a secret hideout he opened many years ago to secretly accelerate the ripening of medicinal herbs in order to avoid being noticed by others.

The entrance to the cave was not only covered with thick, withered vines, but a simple array was also set up inside to prevent the spiritual energy from leaking out when the herbs matured.

After passing through the narrow passageway, the space suddenly opened up before them. Although the area was not large, the various spiritual herbs on the "Spirit Moss" were dazzling, intertwining into a magnificent display of light and shadow under the faint glow of the array. Among them were several spiritual herbs used in the refining of Foundation Establishment Pills.

Lu Nanzhu skillfully performed hand seals, picking all the spiritual plants in the area and sealing them into a jade box.

"Preparations are almost complete, it's time to go for that final hurdle," Lu Nanzhu muttered to himself, his eyes revealing a determined look.

A few days later, Lu Nanzhu adjusted his mindset and went to the sect's "Earth Fire House".

At the entrance stone corridor, he unexpectedly encountered Han Yunzhi. The young girl had grown even more charming and lively, and her cultivation had quietly reached the twelfth level of Qi Refining. Upon seeing Lu Nanzhu, she was first taken aback, then her pretty face flushed slightly, and she quickly stepped forward and gracefully bowed.

"Senior Brother Lu, I haven't properly thanked you for saving my life in the forbidden area that day." Her voice was barely audible.

Lu Nanzhu returned the greeting, and after some conversation, she learned that she too had come here to cultivate in seclusion and attempt to break through to the Great Perfection realm. Besides being used for alchemy, the Earth Fire Chamber possessed spiritual energy several times denser than the outside world, making it ideal for breaking through bottlenecks.

Without exchanging further pleasantries, the two paid their dues at the counter with spirit stones and then headed to their respective alchemy rooms.

Lu Nanzhu stayed alone in a closed stone chamber and first took out the alchemy furnace.

Because he had previously needed a lot of elixirs to assist him in studying the Taiyi Muhua Scripture, he accumulated alchemy experience very quickly during the two years of tedious cultivation.

In order to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill, he did not use the "small inkstone" to deduce any of the herbs used in the process. Seeking stability, Lu Nanzhu did not want any variables at this time, but instead followed the requirements of the pill formula to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Three days later, the fire inside the house was still burning.

When the lid of the last batch of pills was lifted, twenty-seven round, crystal-clear Foundation Establishment Pills, emitting a faint, exotic fragrance, lay quietly at the bottom of the furnace. Including the one bestowed by the sect, his storage bag now contained a total of twenty-eight divine medicines, enough to make outer sect disciples fight tooth and nail for them.

"A success rate of 60%? That's beyond my expectations." Lu Nanzhu looked at the glowing pills with smug satisfaction.

Then, after a moment's thought, he shook his head helplessly.

"It's a pity I used too much force; I've made so many, but I can't sell them..."

After calming himself down, he sat cross-legged again. He took out the first Foundation Establishment Pill, glanced at it, and then popped it into his mouth.

In an instant, Lu Nanzhu felt his meridians filled with countless medicinal powers, which even his meridians, tempered by the "Legend of Fuyao," could hardly bear.

The medicinal power surged like a river bursting its banks, rushing through the meridians, trying to find an outlet.

Lu Nanzhu quickly activated the "Taiyi Muhua Scripture" to regulate the flow of the medicinal power, allowing it to gradually penetrate into his body.

Gradually, Lu Nanzhu's pores opened, and the viscous, foul-smelling, dark red substance was forcibly expelled from his body by his magic. Then, this medicinal power was channeled into his meridians, widening and strengthening the already strong meridians, making them even more resilient.

Finally, Lu Nanzhu suddenly realized that he could detect extremely subtle spiritual energy flow in the air.

This process of "removing the hair and cleansing the marrow" continued in this way.

I don't know how many days have passed.

Finally, the blue and green spiritual energy clusters gathered in Lu Nanzhu's dantian seemed to be "overburdened" and collapsed into drops of dew, which then condensed back into his dantian.

Tick, tick.

As the first drop of magical power, "dewdrop," condensed in his dantian, Lu Nanzhu's aura suddenly changed, and the spiritual light that had been floating on his body surface completely subsided.

At that moment, he felt a "boom" in his mind, and his divine sense expanded several times in an instant. He could clearly perceive the dust that was originally imperceptible in the underground house, the water droplets seeping from the rock walls, and even the flames burning in the alchemy furnace.

"call--"

Lu Nanzhu let out a long sigh of relief, slowly stood up, and felt the fullness of the power within his body.

"Is this what Foundation Establishment is?"

He looked down at himself; a thick layer of dark red grime clung to his skin, emitting a nauseating stench.

Lu Nanzhu immediately cast a simple water arrow spell, and cool magical power emanated from his body, washing away the filth completely.

After washing, the skin had a jade-like texture, and even some old wounds on the body disappeared without a trace in this transformation.

After packing my things, I pushed open the heavy stone door, and the mountain wind howled in.

Lu Nanzhu stepped out of the stone steps of the Earth Fire House; it was just getting light.

"Greetings, Uncle-Master!"

The two Qi Refining stage disciples guarding the two sides of the stone corridor, who were originally dozing off, suddenly shivered when they were hit by the Foundation Establishment stage pressure emanating from Lu Nanzhu.

Lu Nanzhu walked between the two, slightly raised his hand to indicate that they didn't need to be so formal, and then turned and left.

Not far away, under an old locust tree, a pale yellow figure stood awkwardly.

Han Yunzhi was staring blankly at the entrance of the Earth Fire House when she saw Lu Nanzhu come out. She subconsciously took half a step forward, but before she could call out "Brother Lu" from her lips, she stopped herself.

She stared blankly at Lu Nanzhu as he approached.

"Congratulations... Uncle Lu, you have accomplished your mission." Han Yunzhi's pretty face paled slightly, and she lowered her head somewhat awkwardly, her slender fingers tightly clasped together as she bowed.

Lu Nanzhu looked at the girl he had once saved with a calm expression. He walked closer and slightly raised his hand, using his spiritual power to lift her up.

"Miss Han, there's no need for such formalities. The difference in cultivation level is merely a matter of taking one step first or one step later. With your talent, you will surely be able to establish your foundation in time."

Lu Nanzhu gently comforted him.

"May I ask what brings you here, young lady, to wait for me?"