I and countless versions of myself simultaneously travel through time.

Every day, Lü Yang was well-fed by Ye Yan. Not only were there plenty of pills, but more importantly, Ye Yan had planted a special "Dao Seed" in him. Through Lü Yang's yin-yang union with those female cultivators, the Dao Seed would quietly absorb a wisp of innate energy and feed it back to Ye Yan.

Lu Yang had sex with hundreds of female cultivators a day, from the Hehuan Hall to the outer sect and then to the inner sect, and his reputation was thoroughly established.

Some say he is a once-in-a-century genius in the art of sexual cultivation, while others say he is the future master of the Hehuan Hall of the Holy Sect. Only Ye Yan knows that he is behind all of this.

He kept it very well hidden, so well that even Lü Yang himself believed that his strength was entirely due to his innate talent.

A year later, Ye Yan was still preparing for this long-running planting project.

During this year, the high-ranking members of the Holy Sect were engaged in a protracted contest with the Sword Pavilion in Jiangnan. The two sides went back and forth, each winning and losing, and were temporarily unable to attend to the trivial matters within their sects.

Taking advantage of the situation, Ye Yan retreated to his cave and focused on his important task.

But his luck lately has been abnormally good, so good that it sends chills down his spine.

He falls down when he goes out, and each fall results in a serious injury; he breaks through in his cultivation, and each breakthrough puts him on the verge of demonic possession, making even drinking water painful and causing him to choke. This isn't just bad luck; someone is manipulating his merit and fortune. In this wretched place called Immortal Pivot, who else but Daoist Hongyun could possess such methods?

Ye Yan sneered, but instead of leaving the cave, he released his avatar.

The avatar still maintains the strength of the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, swaggering around outside and protecting the real body from disasters.

Meanwhile, deep within his cave, he had already begun preparations for breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

To break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, one ultimately needs more than 80% of the skill, and even more so, one or two grades of true skill.

What's the difference between those who make 60% or 70% of their lives and those who are simply sent to their deaths?

This thing is extremely precious and not something you can get easily. Ye Yan decided to harden his heart and start over, dispersing his cultivation.

He dismantled all the cultivation techniques he had previously practiced, dissipated his spiritual energy, and started from scratch, cultivating the second-grade technique he had created himself over the past year. This decision was crazy; dismantling his cultivation and starting over meant that he would lose all his cultivation and have to start all over again.

Ye Yan has a cheat code.

Share directly!

For ordinary disciples, once they fail, they won't even be able to maintain their Qi Refining stage, let alone their Foundation Establishment stage.

But Ye Yan had the confidence to do so. He had Lü Shishu, the shared space, and the experience of being a mortal Ye Yan and Ye Yan from Battle Through the Heavens. He wasn't afraid to start over.

Deep within the cave, Ye Yan sat cross-legged, his spiritual energy surging like a tide.

His cultivation level plummeted to rock bottom after his power dissipated, but he gradually climbed back up from there.

This process is painful and lengthy, like a dull knife repeatedly cutting through the meridians, with each flow of spiritual energy accompanied by tearing pain.

Ye Yan gritted his teeth and persevered, his clothes soaked with sweat, which dripped onto the stone platform and formed a small puddle.

Finally, at some point, he sensed that threshold.

It's not the threshold of Foundation Establishment, but rather half a step towards it. His cultivation is stable at the critical point between the Great Perfection of Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment, just one step away from true Foundation Establishment.

Ye Yan opened his eyes, marking the end of his more than one year of seclusion.

"Hongyun..." he murmured the name in his heart, "I'll remember this grudge, you just wait."

The second-grade cultivation technique that Ye Yan practiced was created through repeated discussions, exchanges, and deductions between him and Ye Yan from the mortal world.

Ye Yan, a mortal, possessed a meticulous understanding of the cultivation technique, while Ye Yan from Battle Through the Heavens had unique insights into the application of power. Combined with his own forty-plus years of experience in the art of survival, the three of them worked together for nearly a year to refine this cultivation technique. This was far more tiring than writing a thesis.

At least academic papers have references and previous work to learn from, but this kind of thing is all about figuring things out on your own; one wrong step and you're doomed.

This second-grade cultivation technique, in theory, can be cultivated all the way to the Golden Core True Monarch level.

It should be understood that in the world of cultivation, those who have reached the Foundation Establishment stage are nothing more than ants compared to those who have reached the Golden Core stage; they are considered normal people.

Only those who have reached the Golden Core stage can be considered to have truly entered the ranks of the strong, but breaking through to the Golden Core stage is by no means easy.

The three forces in Jiangnan, Jiangbei, and Jiangxi are deeply intertwined, each with a Golden Core True Lord in charge.

Do you think they'll let you, an outsider, break through to the Golden Core stage so easily?

Even if there are major sects, they still need to consider how high your residual value is.

Let alone the Golden Core stage, even the Foundation Establishment stage has countless people stuck at the threshold, unable to cross it in their entire lives.

Cultivation techniques below the third rank are not worthy of becoming a True Monarch.

The first-grade true qi is overseas, an opportunity left behind by a primordial immortal. Ye Yan dares not take it, as that place is even more treacherous than the Holy Sect, and going there would be suicide.

There was no way around it; this place was full of pits, and every step felt like walking through a minefield.

Ye Yan has already dispersed his cultivation and started anew, aiming directly for the Golden Core stage with a second-grade technique. As for Xiao Shiye on Hongyun Daoist's side, let him do what he wants. Ye Yan can now leave with peace of mind. His half-step Foundation Establishment strength is already top-tier among Qi Refining disciples, but he still needs to consolidate it.

Ye Yan stepped out of the cave, and his avatar transformed into a stream of light and returned to his body.

He stretched his muscles and bones, which cracked and popped.

This time, he's going to Butian Peak to become a "son-in-law".

The Chen family is basically the standard setup of the Demonic Sect. There is little affection between husband and wife, and the daughter and wife both wish they could kill each other.

Ye Yan was able to secure this "marriage" entirely thanks to a pawn he had laid out beforehand: Chen Xin'an.

Chen Xin'an was a banner spirit of innate Qi, who was refined into a servant by Ye Yan and was loyal only to him.

Through Chen Xin'an's introduction, coupled with Ye Yan's own Qi Refining Perfection level strength, Chen Taihe looked at him with new respect and took the initiative to send him an invitation.

When Ye Yan accepted the invitation, he knew very well that this was just a temporary backer.

Chen Taihe needs a promising son-in-law to consolidate his position and help him break through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment and become a Great True Person.

Ye Yan needs an environment where he can focus on breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Each gets what they need and they make use of each other.

As for devouring Chen Taihe and her daughter, then breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage and taking control of the Chongguang Sect, that's a matter for the future.

Ye Yan only remembered one sentence: A person can only rely on themselves.

Ye Yan rode his sword, a blue sword light streaking across the sky as he flew towards Butian Peak.

When he passed by Lü Yang's cave, he stopped, landed in front of the door, and raised his hand to knock.

The door opened, and Lü Yang bowed respectfully, saying, "Senior Brother Ye."

Ye Yan glanced at him and shook his head, saying, "Junior brother, your breakthrough is too slow."

Lu Yang smiled bitterly. What could he say?

His ability to advance from the first level of Qi Refining to the fifth level within a year is already considered genius-level within the Holy Sect.

But in Ye Yan's eyes, this speed was clearly not enough.

After all, both of them are cheaters.

There's a difference between using cheats on a large scale and a small scale.

Ye Yan took out several porcelain bottles from his pocket and tossed them to Lü Yang: "Dragon Tiger Strengthening Yang Pill, Nourishing Yuan and Strengthening Foundation Powder, Nine-Turn Qi Condensing Pill, here you go."

Lu Yang took the porcelain bottle, a sheepish expression on his face, but eagerly placed it in his storage bag: "Senior brother, how could I accept this..."

Ye Yan waved his hand: "Don't be so polite with me."

Lu Yang declined verbally, but inwardly he was filled with emotion.

His initial good impression of Ye Yan was tinged with some wariness and suspicion. After all, Ye Yan had made him sleep with more than twenty female cultivators from the very beginning, something that would leave a shadow on anyone.

I'm so sick of seeing so much pornography.

But after a year, he realized that while Ye Yan was using him, he was also genuinely helping him. He was never stingy with resources, pills, cultivation techniques, and guidance.

Lu Yang has grown from a clueless newcomer into a seasoned veteran who knows the rules of the Demonic Sect like the back of his hand.

A Qi Refining Level 5 cultivation isn't considered high, but the reason someone survives in the Holy Sect isn't because of their cultivation level, but because of their intellect.

Lü Yang could only sigh.

Senior Brother Ye truly possesses astonishing power!

"Senior brother is going to the Foundation Establishment Realm to participate in the battle for Dao, preparing to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage." Ye Yan patted Lü Yang on the shoulder. "Junior brother, you have to do your best."

Lü Yang knew that Ye Yan would not harm him.

Lü Yang's Book of a Hundred Generations has been reopened, and he will eventually become a deity.

That is, the Venerable Master of the Mysterious Pivot and the Dao of Change!

Ye Yan had seen this cause and effect clearly from the beginning. Just like Han Li in the mortal world who eventually became a Dao Ancestor, the little green bottle in his hands was just an ordinary object that he could use at will. This was the benefit of trust, relying on each other's own strength.

Besides, this wretched place will eventually be taken over by Wu Tianyou, who will blast all the Golden Core cultivators of the Five Domains out, and ultimately he will be the sole ruler of the Five Domains, controlling everything.

His investment in Lü Yang is an investment in the future.

Lu Yang's face lit up with joy, and he cupped his hands, saying, "Congratulations, Senior Brother! I wish you success in seizing the Dao and a speedy Foundation Establishment!"

Ye Yan shook his head: "No matter what, you must intensify your cultivation. Show no mercy to the people of the Sword Pavilion. These so-called righteous sects are nothing but hypocrisy. They say one thing but do something even dirtier than the Demonic Sect behind the scenes."

Lü Yang was deeply moved.

He had previously encountered disciples of the Sword Pavilion during a trial organized by his sect. He initially thought they were some upright and honorable sect, but after fighting them, he discovered that these people were outwardly respectable but secretly used all sorts of underhanded tricks, such as murder and robbery, betraying their companions, and selling out their fellow disciples. They were capable of anything.

Especially that Yun Miaozhen.

This completely changed his worldview...

You can know a person's face but not their heart, especially in this wretched place.

"Come on, I'll take you to Butian Peak to broaden your horizons." Ye Yan grabbed Lü Yang, and the two flew towards Butian Peak on their swords.

During the flight, Lü Yang took out his disciple token to check his contribution points. He was shocked to find that his pitiful contribution points were almost depleted.

Lü Yang sighed, "Senior brother, I'm losing more and more contribution points lately."

The Holy Sect's basic contribution points are only 50 per month, which is simply not enough.

Pills cost contribution points, cultivation techniques cost contribution points, and even staying in the cave for an extra day costs contribution points, and the cheapest of these only costs 100 contribution points.

Aside from the resources Ye Yan gave him, Lü Yang saved up for all his other expenses by completing tasks.

But the mission rewards were barely enough to fill a tooth gap.

"That's easy, give me your disciple token." Ye Yan stretched out his hand.

Lü Yang handed it over.

Ye Yan took the token, gently ran his finger across the back of it, infusing it with spiritual energy, and then handed it back.

Lu Yang looked down and saw that the contribution points on the token had changed from a pitiful "86" to "3000".

His eyes widened like saucers, and before he could even feel happy, he saw a line of smaller characters below.

[Minimum interest-bearing loan, interest rate 0.5% per day, 4000 points to be repaid at maturity].

Lü Yang: "..."

"Senior brother, did you lend me a loan?" Lu Yang's voice changed.

Ye Yan nodded: "Yes, the Holy Sect's loan business has low interest rates. You can use it first. I will personally recommend it to you. As for whether you should repay the extra 1000, you know what to do, Junior Brother."

Lu Yang looked down at the glaring words "[Butian Peak Industries]" on the token and cursed inwardly.

This Holy Ancestor is truly a beast!

Even when lending money, they still label the token as "industry," but he is a person, not an industry!

But he still had to wear a grateful smile and cup his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Ye Yan smiled slightly, accelerated on his sword, and flew towards Butian Peak.

Behind him, Lü Yang gripped the token so tightly his teeth were practically grinding to powder.

Fine, I'll be a deadbeat for life. If I can't do it in this life, what does it have to do with my next life?