Mortal: Starting with the Seven Mysterious Sects, I proved my Dao through sacrifice.

Murong Fan rejected all matchmakers and even his junior sister Qiaoqian's confession. However, the discussions about him in the valley did not diminish. Some said his Dao heart was firm and his future was promising! Others said he was ungrateful for the opportunity. But Murong Fan was not bothered by these idle gossips.

His origins remain a mystery, and he has no parents to protect him. Fortunately, he has a master named Hong Fu who treats him like her own son and has always steadfastly supported him. He firmly believes in his intuition on the path of cultivation.

He knew that only by constantly improving his cultivation could he gain a foothold in this perilous world of cultivation, have the ability to uncover the truth about his origins, and live up to his master's expectations. Therefore, all the discussions from the outside world were nothing more than fleeting clouds on his path of cultivation, unable to shake his resolve to pursue the Dao.

His daily practice remained unchanged: morning breathing exercises, daytime study of techniques and practice of spells, and evening reflections and insights. He poured all his energy into these activities, as if only by immersing himself in the world of cultivation could he find absolute inner peace.

He regards the praise for his "steadfast faith in the Dao" as an affirmation of his efforts, but he also constantly reminds himself that the path of the Dao is long and arduous, and he must never be complacent because of it. As for the ridicule of "missing opportunities and not knowing what is good for him", he simply laughs it off. Everyone's path is different, and what they seek is also different. How can others understand the perseverance and dedication in his heart?

In his view, if a so-called "opportunity" goes against the Great Dao, then it is naturally not a true opportunity, and it is not a pity to give it up. The path he wants to take is a pure path to immortality. He must resolutely abandon any emotional entanglements and worldly disturbances that may disturb his mind and hinder his steps, even if this abandonment will bring temporary criticism and misunderstanding.

This almost self-torturous self-discipline led to a rapid improvement in his cultivation. The spiritual energy within his dantian became increasingly condensed, and its circulation became smoother. Sometimes, when he encountered a bottleneck in his cultivation, he would go alone to the cliff edge of the back mountain, overlook the misty valley, feel the flow of spiritual energy between heaven and earth, and try to find an opportunity for a breakthrough.

Master Hongfu would occasionally visit him, bringing him cultivation pills and psychological counseling. Seeing his diligence, Hongfu's eyes were full of satisfaction, but she would also remind him: "Fan'er, the path of cultivation requires a balance of tension and relaxation. Do not overwork yourself. Although your Dao heart is firm, you also need to know how to balance it and not let cultivation become a burden." Murong Fan would always respectfully agree to her words, naturally understanding his master Hongfu's good intentions.

It wasn't that he was inflexible; it was just that he felt every minute and second was incredibly precious and allowed no room for complacency. He kept his master's words in mind and tried to spend a little time tending to the few spiritual herbs in the courtyard between his cultivation sessions. He would either sit in meditation or water and fertilize them to alleviate his fatigue and give his tense mind a moment of relief.

Within Yellow Maple Valley, the discussions about Murong Fan gradually subsided. After all, in the world of cultivation, strength is the only ever-present topic. As everyone saw Murong Fan's cultivation steadily improving, even showing signs of catching up with several ordinary elders, those who had once mocked him for being "ungrateful" gradually transformed into private envy and apprehension.

Only then did the people of Huangfeng Valley begin to understand that what Murong Fan was pursuing might truly be different from what they were pursuing.

After being rejected that day, Chen Qiaoqian rarely appeared in front of Murong Fan again.

She channeled all her sadness and disappointment into her cultivation, as if secretly wanting to compete with Murong Fan. She began to devote herself to cultivation with fervor. She knew that there was a huge gap between her cultivation and Murong Fan's, but she still wanted to do her best to narrow the gap. This also shows that her feelings for Murong Fan were not diminished by the rejection of her confession.

Occasionally, when she caught a glimpse of Murong Fan during a sect event, she would quickly lower her head, concealing the complex emotions in her eyes, and then silently walk away. An invisible barrier seemed to have formed between them; the camaraderie they once shared as fellow disciples appeared to have faded considerably, leaving only an unspoken distance.

Murong Fan wasn't unaware of this; a strange feeling occasionally flickered in his mind, but he quickly suppressed it. He knew this might be the best outcome; a short, sharp pain was better than a long, drawn-out one, and he believed time would change everything. Now, he could only walk more firmly on his own path to live up to everyone's expectations, and to his own.

Several months later, Murong Fan was practicing his cultivation technique in the cultivation room when he suddenly felt the spiritual energy in his dantian become unusually active, as if something was about to break through. He felt a chill in his heart, knowing that this was a sign that he was about to complete the Foundation Establishment stage.

Murong Fan dared not be careless in the slightest. He immediately focused his mind and guided the restless spiritual energy to circulate slowly along the path of the "Eternal Spring Technique," while also using the "Azure Wood Technique" for auxiliary cultivation. The spiritual energy within his body surged and flowed through his meridians, bringing waves of subtle stinging pain wherever it passed, but more than anything, an unprecedented sense of fullness.

Murong Fan could clearly feel the spiritual energy vortex within his dantian spinning faster and more solidly, showing a faint tendency to liquefy. This was a crucial step in breaking through from the late Foundation Establishment stage to perfection, and also the most dangerous one. A slight misstep could lead to uncontrolled spiritual energy, resulting in anything from qi deviation and a regression in cultivation to severed meridians and becoming a cripple.

Murong Fan gritted his teeth, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his face pale from excessive concentration. He repeatedly assaulted that invisible barrier, each strike feeling like a heavy hammer blow to his heart, causing his blood to surge. Yet his gaze grew ever more resolute, showing no sign of retreat.

After an unknown amount of time, just when he felt his spiritual energy was about to be exhausted and his mind was about to give out, a soft "crack" sound suddenly came from his dantian, as if something had shattered.

Then an indescribable sour and refreshing sensation spread throughout the body. After the sour and refreshing sensation subsided, the originally restless spiritual energy instantly became docile, forming a more condensed and deeper vortex in the dantian. In fact, wisps of liquid spiritual energy began to condense within it!

"Done!" Murong Fan was overjoyed, his heart finally at ease. He slowly finished his practice, exhaling a long breath of turbid air, which contained faint black impurities, clearly the stagnation expelled from his body during the breakthrough. He opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings, and his entire aura subtly changed, becoming more composed and unfathomable.

Murong Fan clenched his fist. At this moment, he could clearly feel the surging power within his body, which was much stronger than that of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage and at least 30% stronger than that of the late-Foundation Establishment stage! Moreover, the quality of his spiritual power had also undergone a qualitative leap, making it much easier to control.

"Foundation Establishment complete! Foundation Establishment complete!" Murong Fan murmured to himself, his eyes filled with excitement and anticipation. Reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment meant that he had reached the end of the Foundation Establishment stage, and the next step was to break through to the legendary Golden Core path!

Although he knew that the path to the Golden Core was fraught with difficulties and that countless geniuses had perished at this stage, he felt no fear whatsoever. Instead, he was filled with longing. With his Heavenly Spiritual Root, he would naturally be one step ahead of ordinary people. With the support of the sect and the assistance of the altar, the Golden Core was only a matter of time. However, he intended to shorten the time required to cultivate the Golden Core as much as possible.

Just then, a knock came from outside his cave, along with his master Hong Fu's voice, tinged with surprise: "Fan'er, have you broken through?"

Murong Fan's heart skipped a beat; his master's senses were indeed sharp. He quickly got up, opened the cave door, and saw Hong Fu standing outside with a gratified smile on her face.

"Disciple greets Master!" Murong Fan bowed respectfully.

Hong Fu waved her hand, carefully examined him, and her smile deepened: "Not bad, not bad! In just a few months, you have already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. Such talent and perseverance are truly rare. It seems that my previous worries were unnecessary."

"I owe my success today entirely to my master's meticulous guidance and unwavering support!" Murong Fan said humbly.

Hong Fu smiled and nodded: "I am truly pleased that you have such a mindset. The completion of Foundation Establishment is just a new beginning. The real test lies in the path to Golden Core. You must not become complacent because of this. You still need to cultivate diligently and stabilize your realm."

"Disciple understands, and will certainly live up to Master's high expectations!" Murong Fan nodded emphatically, his eyes filled with determination. He knew that reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment was only a small step towards the Great Dao, and the road ahead was still long, but he was already prepared.

All the past turmoil and emotions have now transformed into his driving force, spurring him to continuously advance towards higher goals. After experiencing all of this, his Dao heart has become purer and more unbreakable.

"This disciple has reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. I humbly request Master's permission to travel and cultivate, so as to broaden my horizons and improve my cultivation!" Hong Fu looked at this outstanding disciple. As someone who had been through it all, she naturally understood Murong Fan's thoughts and ideas.

"Going out to cultivate is certainly feasible, but you must be extra careful, keep a low profile, and avoid being ostentatious." Hong Fu pondered for a moment, then took out a jade slip and a small array plate from her storage bag and handed them to Murong Fan: "This is a fragment of the 'Qingyuan Sword Manual' by my martial uncle Li Huayuan. Although it is incomplete, it still contains profound sword principles and may be of some help to you. You should also take this 'Concealing Breath Array Plate' with you. In times of crisis, it can conceal your aura for self-defense."

Upon hearing the name "Qingyuan Sword Manual," he thought to himself, "Why didn't my master reveal this sword manual sooner? Little did he know that the altar sacrifice took me a tremendous amount of effort to upgrade and obtain. However, to keep the altar's secret, he still chose to accept it."

Murong Fan accepted the jade slip with both hands, feeling its smooth texture and the ancient, unadorned array plate. A warm feeling welled up in his heart, and he bowed again, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Master! This disciple will act cautiously and return as soon as possible!" Hong Fu looked at his resolute eyes, nodded with satisfaction, and then instructed, "Don't rush things on this trip. Observe more, comprehend more. Everything in the world can lead to the Dao. If you encounter danger, survival is paramount. The sect will always be your support."

Murong Fan heeded Hong Fu's teachings, his gaze fixed on the rolling mountains outside the cave, his heart filled with longing for the unknown world and a determination to explore it! He knew that this journey was not only to improve his cultivation, but also to find an opportunity to break through to the Golden Core stage. He packed his simple belongings, carefully storing the jade slip and array plate given to him by his master close to his body, and checked his commonly used magical artifacts and pills again to ensure everything was in order.

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