Chapter 52: Which Elder Are You Under?

The moment Cao Xuan opened his eyes, his essence, energy, and spirit fused together, manifesting the foundation of the Dao—an event equivalent to the singular emergence of his core. To put it plainly, he had just broken through and was unable to restrain his aura.

Chen Qianru was instantly pinned to the ground by the pressure, her eyes rolling back as she stuck out her tongue and groaned, “This... this is... the pressure of a Foundation Establishment protector... Senior Brother, quick... I can’t take it much longer!”

Fortunately, Cao Xuan’s essence, energy, and spirit were abundant, and the Foundation Establishment Pill he had consumed was of the highest grade. Not only was his foundation stable, it also exuded a natural charm. He quickly adapted and managed to suppress his aura.

Spiritual energy had condensed into liquid form, and a golden core was being nurtured within his dantian—this was now Cao Xuan’s cultivation realm.

Feeling the oppressive force dissipate, Chen Qianru got up and patted her chest, then pouted, “Senior Brother, you’re so mean! Did you do that on purpose? If you want to overpower me, just come to my cave residence. There’s no need to do it in the alchemy room.”

Her coquettish tone sent a shiver down Cao Xuan’s spine. “You’re joking, Junior Sister. I just broke through and couldn’t hold back my aura.”

Seizing the moment, Chen Qianru threw herself into his arms, and Cao Xuan caught her. She took his hand and placed it on her chest. “Senior Brother, feel it—see if my heart isn’t pounding from fright!”

He instinctively gave it a gentle squeeze. “It’s certainly soft... and beating fast!”

What he didn’t realize was that Chen Qianru was genuinely shocked, her heart racing.

‘Senior Brother has broken through—he really has!’

‘Not just to the eighth level of Qi Refinement, but all the way to Foundation Establishment!’

‘How can this be? What do I do? The gap between us is growing wider and wider!’

In that instant, panic gripped her. She was at the third level of Qi Refinement, and Cao Xuan had been at the fourth. Now she was at the fourth, yet he had reached Foundation Establishment!

All her previous pride vanished. Her understanding, her alchemy talent—none of it seemed to matter before him.

When people are vulnerable, they often use reactive strategies to protect themselves. Chen Qianru was no exception. Though she had once looked down on Lin Miaoxuan for seducing Cao Xuan with her body, now she suddenly realized that perhaps this was her only way to hold onto him.

Cao Xuan, enchanted by the softness in his hands and invigorated by his recent breakthrough, wasn’t thinking as much as Chen Qianru. He simply felt that this was how things ought to be—wasn’t this the meaning of cultivation? Advancing in cultivation, extending one’s lifespan, enjoying the company of beautiful women—life was indeed looking up.

While holding Chen Qianru, Cao Xuan began to circulate the Green Wood Mantra. As expected, this Qi Refinement technique was no longer suitable for him. To be precise, with his solid Foundation Establishment cultivation, using the Green Wood Mantra was far more effective than in the Qi Refinement stage. However, the spiritual energy he gathered around him, once entering his dantian, vanished like a stone sinking into the sea. It was reminiscent of his early days at the third level of Qi Refinement, when he cultivated with a fourfold tempered spiritual root.

Back then, he had felt only despair—no spirit stones, no cultivation resources; trying to cultivate on his own, the tiny bit of spiritual energy he absorbed barely moved his cultivation forward. With the outer sect examination only half a year away, he was all but powerless.

Now, although the spiritual energy seemed to vanish as before, Cao Xuan understood that, with his ninefold tempered spiritual root, there was no way this was all he could absorb. All he needed was a Foundation Establishment-level cultivation method, and his efficiency would soar.

Still, he knew that after reaching Foundation Establishment, a ninefold spirit root would make him only a minor genius at best. Without the corresponding pills and magical implements, his cultivation speed would inevitably slow down.

“Looks like I’ll have to start gathering resources all over again!”

As he held Chen Qianru, another innocent figure surfaced in his mind—Senior Sister Ye Caixuan from the Alchemy Peak.

Resources for Foundation Establishment should naturally go to cultivators at that stage. While both Lin Miaoxuan and Chen Qianru offered tenfold returns, and he could give them gifts just as well, Cao Xuan understood the dangers of possessing treasures without the strength to protect them. Giving them Foundation Establishment pills was already risky; if he gave too much, and word got out, others might take notice.

It was like playing a game: once your level was high enough to easily slaughter minor monsters, you might lose interest. But if you learned those monsters could drop equipment you actually needed, you might go out of your way to kill them. The cultivator's world was merciless; Cao Xuan didn’t want his reckless generosity to someday lead to the deaths of two beautiful companions.

After Cao Xuan left, Chen Qianru became even more diligent. Some of her distracting thoughts faded away, and with his pills in hand, she threw herself into cultivation with renewed vigor.

...

On Azure Cloud Peak, inside the Azure Cloud Hall, Cao Xuan and the sect master, Yu Qingsong, stared at each other.

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he was now considered a junior member of the sect’s upper echelon. Naturally, he had to pay respects to the sect master, who would assign him the status of personal disciple or sect protector.

As for positions like elder—which could compete for peak lord or even sect master—these required at least late Foundation Establishment, even the very peak, to be eligible.

As a newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivator, Cao Xuan instinctively went to the Hall of Transmission to change his status and gain access to techniques above the Foundation Establishment level.

Why insist on staying in Azure Cloud Sect? Wasn’t it freer to be a rogue cultivator? It was all about the inheritance of the Dao. Elsewhere in Yun Province, even with resources at hand, Cao Xuan wouldn’t know how to proceed with future cultivation.

He was received by a protector from the Hall of Transmission, who, sensing that Cao Xuan’s aura was even deeper and more stable than his own, subconsciously began, “Um, Senior Brother...”

Cao Xuan was caught off guard by this reversal of roles, for he recognized this protector as the same cold-faced man who had almost expelled him half a year ago from the very same hall.

By seniority, he should address this man as “Uncle” just as he did Protector Zhou. But having been preemptively called “Senior Brother,” and sensing the man’s somewhat unsteady Foundation Establishment aura, the atmosphere grew awkward.

Still, Cao Xuan replied respectfully, “Uncle, you jest. I’ve only just broken through to Foundation Establishment and came to see what arrangements the sect will make.”

That single “Uncle” left the Foundation Establishment protector at a loss.

He hadn’t recognized Cao Xuan—though he found him familiar, he dealt with thousands of disciples every year. A fleeting, almost-forgotten encounter with a disciple he had nearly expelled wouldn’t have left any impression.

He, too, felt awkward. He had assumed some senior brother who had been in seclusion was here for business; after all, his own talent was average, and he’d reached Foundation Establishment in middle age. Cao Xuan, so young and with an even deeper aura, must be one of those prodigies.

“Uh... Didn’t your master tell you? Upon reaching Foundation Establishment, you should go directly to Azure Cloud Peak, and the sect master will grant you the status of personal disciple. By the way, under which elder do you study? I’ll prepare your spirit scroll!”