Don't try to cultivate immortality; mortals live longer than immortals.

"Host, you are very strong. I admit that the potential of your Heavenly Spiritual Root far exceeded my expectations." Lingyun's voice returned to your ears, carrying a complex sense of admiration: "But I still have to remind you that pride comes before a fall, and humility brings benefits. This principle applies to both being a person and cultivating immortality. Never be complacent and keep a low profile. Only by keeping a low profile can you ensure your safety on your path to immortality."

"Oh, I was just saying that casually. I don't really want to eat 1,800 of them. It was just a joke," Duan Xuan said with a slight smile.

"That's good." Lingyun's voice was much lighter. "I was just worried that you wouldn't be able to keep your composure. After all, pride is a great enemy of cultivation."

"Don't worry, with my precious Yun'er guiding me, how could I possibly do something so arrogant and foolish?"

"Who...who is your baby? Don't talk nonsense." Lingyun retorted somewhat weakly, and for some reason felt that her CPU was running much faster.

This left Duan Xuan completely bewildered. He had only made a casual joke, but the girl's reaction was so outrageous. Could it be that she had actually fallen for him?

But Lingyun is clearly just a system!

For a moment, Duan Xuan was also a little confused.

He then decided to put that problem aside and focus on building his foundation.

Although I took the Foundation Building Pill with great ease and without feeling any pressure, I must not be careless. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

……

And just like that, the afternoon passed by.

Duan Xuan stopped cultivating and played games to relax after dinner. He washed up and went to bed at 10 o'clock sharp, drifting off to sleep peacefully.

Nothing happened that night, and the next morning...

"The sun shines brightly, the flowers smile at me, the birds chirp 'Good morning, good morning,' why are you carrying your schoolbag to school..."

Perhaps because he was in a good mood, Duan Xuan sang a children's song on his way to class. At this moment, the spiritual energy of the nine Foundation Establishment Pills condensed into a liquid nascent form in his dantian, but he steadily suppressed it under his bottleneck without leaking out at all. Even his cultivation aura remained at the peak of Qi Refining, without any flaws.

Of course, the absence of pressure is the most important factor.

He arrived quickly and walked into the classroom as usual. He had just found an empty seat when a gentle voice came from beside him.

"Good morning, Ah Xuan."

Fairy Yaoguang walked over with her books and sat down naturally next to him. Her gaze fell on Duan Xuan, carrying a hint of scrutiny and barely perceptible attention: "Well, did you take the Foundation Establishment Pills that the logistics department issued yesterday?"

"no."

Duan Xuan had already prepared his response for this situation. He deliberately put on an honest and naive appearance, scratched his head, and said with a sincere look, "This is a serious matter, I plan to postpone it for a couple of days."

"Hmm." Jiang Yaoguang was quite satisfied with this result, thinking to herself that this kid was indeed steady and mature, unlike Zhou Ran, who was always so flamboyant and unrestrained. However, on the surface, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why?"

"After all, it's Foundation Establishment, so there's still some concern."

Duan Xuan earnestly expressed his concerns, his acting skills were superb: "After returning yesterday, I browsed the campus forum for a while and came across several posts related to this. I also went to the Jump Music App and searched for some related short videos, all of which said that one should be cautious when consuming Foundation Establishment Pills."

Duan Xuan smiled, his smile was so warm and comforting: "I think the posts and videos made good points. This is something we can't be careless about. First, calm your mind and wait until your energy and spirit are in their best condition before taking it slowly. That way, you should be able to take a few more pills."

"Hmm, that makes sense."

Jiang Yaoguang nodded in agreement and said, "Your plan is good. Adjusting your mindset and condition first is indeed the safest approach. Foundation Establishment Pills are very potent, especially for those at the peak of Qi Refining, making it very easy to break through. Even if you, Duan Xuan, have good aptitude, you must not be careless. Be cautious and try to take as many pills as possible."

"Yes, that's exactly right."

Duan Xuan continued acting, then asked, "Yaoguang, have you taken one?"

Upon hearing this, Fairy Yaoguang smiled faintly, her tone as natural as casual conversation: "I haven't eaten either, I plan to wait a bit longer."

She was already a Golden Core cultivator, and one of the strongest among them. Foundation Establishment Pills were completely useless to her. Applying for them yesterday was just for show, so she naturally wouldn't take them. Of course, she wouldn't tell Duan Xuan about these things.

After all, the mission must be kept secret!

If the secret is leaked, the breach of contract penalty alone will bankrupt him.

"Hey, what are you two talking about? Why are you so affectionate?"

Just then, Zhou Ran walked into the classroom and immediately came over without hesitation. He put his arm around Duan Xuan's shoulder and glanced back and forth between him and Jiang Yaoguang, with a hint of wanting to gossip.

"none of your business."

Duan Xuan slapped his hand away. The two were close friends, so his tone was natural and casual: "Let's talk about some personal matters."

Beside her, Jiang Yaoguang also closed her book, turned her head to look out the window, clearly not wanting to talk to him or pay him any attention.

Zhou Ran had only said it casually, but their reaction ignited his gossip-loving spirit. He reluctantly withdrew his hand, muttering to himself:

"That's strange. When did Duan Xuan get so close to Jiang Yaoguang? They never really talked before, but now they're chatting so intimately without even telling us?"

So this guy started wildly speculating in his mind: "During my last trip to the Azure Sky Cultivation World, is there some story between them that I don't know?"

Could it be that the two of them were going to secretly start dating back then?

Ah Xuan is dating Jiang Yaoguang!

This thought involuntarily surfaced in Zhou Ran's mind.

But then he immediately shook his head, denying the guess.

How so?

Zhou Ran and Duan Xuan were too familiar with each other, having grown up together since childhood. Jiang Yaoguang was indeed good, beautiful, and strong, but her aloof and cold personality didn't seem to be the type Duan Xuan would like.

But it's hard to say, what if Ah Xuan changes his taste?

While pondering, Zhou Ran unconsciously tapped his pen on the table, a habitual little action of his.

But he forgot that he was now a cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Refining. With that thought in mind, he unconsciously used too much force in his hands.

then……

boom!

A loud crash reached his ears. After being riddled with holes, the desk in front of him could no longer hold on and split in two, crashing to the floor.

The students, who had been listening attentively to the lesson, all turned around and their eyes fell on him.

Zhou Ran: "..."

Duan Xuan: "..."

Fairy Yaoguang: "..."

The students were completely bewildered when their homeroom teacher, Tang Ya, roared, "Zhou Ran, how dare you! Do you think that just because I'm lecturing here, I can't handle you?"