Chapter 114: Chapter 95: Foundation Establishment Perfection
During this time, Chen Sheng had become a recluse, rarely taking a single step outside the Military Preparation Camp. He poured all his focus into his frantic cultivation.
Even the invitations sent by Madam Yang were politely declined with the excuse of his cultivation. At such a critical moment in his push for a higher realm, even a peerless beauty had to yield to his Martial Dao prospects.
His hard work was paying off.
With the dual assistance of the Golden Jade Ointment and Primordial Marrow Pills, his progress remained at an astonishing level, even as cultivation became increasingly difficult in the later stages.
He was now infinitely close to the peak of the Marrow Transformation Realm. The Force throughout his body was perfectly unified and incredibly condensed—he could even project it outward for more than a foot! Such a profound foundation naturally brought with it a rising tide of strength.
The crucial hurdle now before Chen Sheng was breaking through to the Innate Realm!
The requirements for breaking into the Innate Realm were extremely strict.
The primary requirement was to prepare the foundational item: Innate Spiritual Qi. But he had already received this from Xu Shenzhi, so he had no need to worry.
Secondly, one needed to select a core Cultivation Technique that led directly to the Innate Realm and master its rudiments. Only then could one guide their body through its Transformed metamorphosis.
Chen Sheng had been hesitant about which Cultivation Technique to choose.
He already possessed the advanced version of the Golden Bell Body Refining Technique, obtained from the Demon Monk Shanxin—the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique.
However, Captain Nie had once warned him that it was best not to practice Buddhist Cultivation Techniques beyond the Foundation Establishment stage, lest he be influenced by them or fall prey to unknown hidden dangers.
But if he were to abandon this technique, he would have to ask Wu Kuang to request an Innate Cultivation Technique from the Prefecture City’s Government Office in exchange for merit.
Fortunately, while Chen Sheng had been agonizing over the decision a few days prior, the ’Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil’ Celestial Book provided him with guidance.
’My name is Chen Sheng. By the time you read this, my regret is absolute... Because of Nie Yuanliu’s past advice, I was wary of Buddhist Cultivation Techniques and ended up casting aside the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique like a worn-out shoe, choosing instead to practice an Innate Cultivation Technique granted by the Prefecture City.
’What I couldn’t accept, however, was that the technique from the Prefecture City was far inferior in both profundity and potential to the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique. I only learned later that Nie Yuanliu’s claim about Buddhist Cultivation Techniques clouding the mind was just something he had heard his clan elders mention.
’In truth, Buddhist Cultivation Techniques pose no significant problem as long as one doesn’t practice them beyond the fourth realm. Furthermore, the Golden Bell Body Refining Technique wasn’t even created by the Buddhist Sect. Its origin is a once-famous Body Refining Profound Skill that was later modified by a high-ranking Buddhist monk and subsequently categorized as a Buddhist Cultivation Technique.
’Therefore, practicing this technique carries none of the risks of having one’s mind clouded by the Buddhist Sect.
’But what I regret most of all is this: refining the ’Nine Nether Yin Fiend’—one of the top-ranked items on the Earth Fiend list—requires an unbelievably immense foundation of qi and blood to withstand.
’But because I practiced the Innate Cultivation Technique from the Government Office, my foundation was insufficient. In the end, I had to waste years searching for other Spiritual Objects to compensate for my lack of qi and blood, squandering who knows how much time for nothing.
’Moreover, the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique and the Golden Bell Body Refining Technique share the same roots. If I had practiced it, my previous profound foundation would have allowed me to easily overcome the initial learning curve, saving me a great deal of painstaking training time. Every time I thought about the truth I learned later, I was filled with endless regret. But alas, in this world...’
This guidance from the Celestial Book completely dispelled Chen Sheng’s doubts. Instead of asking Wu Kuang to apply for a different Cultivation Technique, he solidified his determination to master the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique.
After several days of deep study, he felt more and more that this technique was extraordinary.
It was not a mere Body Refining Technique; it stressed the "dual cultivation of the internal and external, with Qi Force and physical Force moving as one." Though progress might be slower than with some quick-success techniques, it built an exceptionally solid foundation, held immense potential, and was terrifyingly powerful.
More importantly, by using this as his main technique to break through to the Innate Realm and all the way to its peak, he would never need to switch to another Cultivation Technique. It was, in other words, a clear path forward, taken one steady step at a time.
[Golden Bell Body Refining Technique: Perfected (2000/2000)]
Just as Chen Sheng, with his mind free of all distractions, polished the last trace of his qi and blood to perfection, the status of the Golden Bell Body Refining Technique on his panel finally leaped to "Perfected."
In an instant, a brilliant Golden Light erupted around him. A torrential Force, far more powerful and condensed than ever before, began to circulate through him of its own accord. A faint hum emanated from his limbs and bones, as if a bronze bell had been lightly struck.
With a single thought, Chen Sheng acted without hesitation. Cupping his palms before his Dantian, he followed the introductory Magic Technique of the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique and began guiding the immense Force in his body along a far more profound trajectory.
The next moment, the panel in his consciousness changed.
The words for the perfected Golden Bell Body Refining Technique slowly faded, replaced by the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique.
[Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique: Novice (1/100)]
「A moment later.」
[Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique: Novice (3/100)]
[Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique: Novice (6/100)]
Leveraging the potent, shared-origin foundation he had built with the Golden Bell Body Refining Technique, his initial progress in the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique was far faster than he could have imagined. The numbers on the panel ticked upward at a rate visible to the naked eye.
In just one day, the transition to the new Cultivation Technique was nearly complete.
[Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique: Novice (88/100)]
Chen Sheng knew with perfect clarity that as soon as he fully mastered this initial stage (reaching 100/100), he could use it as a base to channel the Innate Spiritual Qi, condense his Spirit Seed, and formally begin his assault on the transcendent Innate Realm.
At that very moment, a new warning from the ’Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil’ Celestial Book surfaced in his mind:
’My name is Chen Sheng. By the time you read this... because I previously destroyed the Black Snake Water Stronghold and cut off a source of income for the Cyan Flood Dragon Alliance, the water bandits near the Changshan Waters were thrown into a panic and no longer dared to act recklessly. This, in turn, severely damaged the Cyan Flood Dragon Alliance’s interests in this waterway, finally provoking their fury.
’They actually sent an Innate Level expert to forcibly integrate all the water bandits in Changshan, establish a new branch, and rally their forces.
’At first, the Cyan Flood Dragon Alliance tried to set a trap, luring me out of the city with false news about ’Innate Spiritual Qi appearing.’ However, I didn’t fall for it at all, because the process of breaking through to the Innate Realm was not as simple as I had imagined. Although I had asked Wu Kuang about the taboos of breaking through, he himself was only a Foundation Establishment Martial Master. His knowledge was limited, and he lacked any detailed, first-hand experience.
’Furthermore, my preparations were insufficient. I lacked crucial Spiritual Objects to aid the breakthrough and protect my Meridians and organs—things like the ’Vein Protection Pill’ and the ’Profound Organ Spiritual Liquid.’
’Despite my own strong foundation, I relied on sheer momentum and ultimately forced a successful breakthrough into the Innate Realm. But at the critical moment of drawing in the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi to infuse my body and condense the Spirit Seed, my lack of preparation caused the rampaging Primordial Qi to damage my Meridians and internal organs. I suffered hidden injuries that made it impossible to return to my peak state for a short time.
’If I had known this would happen, I would have made thorough preparations in advance. As it turns out, Wu Kuang actually had these Spiritual Objects, which he was saving for his own attempt to reach the Innate Realm. If I had asked, he surely wouldn’t have been stingy, given our relationship. I wouldn’t have had to suffer those hidden injuries and the resulting loss of strength.
’And I certainly wouldn’t have ended up in a dangerous situation shortly after, unable to use my full power due to my injuries when facing the assassination attempt by that Innate Expert from the Cyan Flood Dragon Alliance, ’Yu Qiantong.’
’Unfortunately, there’s no medicine for regret in this world...’
After reading the Celestial Book’s warning, Chen Sheng’s expression turned incredibly grave.
When he destroyed the Black Snake Water Stronghold, he had anticipated that the Cyan Flood Dragon Alliance wouldn’t let the matter rest. He just hadn’t expected them to dispatch an Innate Expert directly.
Although he had participated in the encirclement and killing of the Innate Realm Demon Monk Shanxin, that victory was only achieved through meticulous planning, weakening the target multiple times, and launching a surprise attack with a Blood Evil Demon Talisman.
He knew better than anyone just how difficult a fully healthy Innate Powerhouse was to deal with.
The most fundamental way to safely navigate this crisis was to successfully achieve his own breakthrough to the Innate Realm.
But now, it seemed his path to breakthrough was not going to be a smooth one.
Without adequate preparation, even a forced, successful breakthrough would leave him with hidden vulnerabilities, rendering him unable to exert his full strength for a time and making it difficult to contend with the Cyan Flood Dragon Alliance’s Innate Expert.
Fortunately, he was prepared now.
Once he broke through to the Innate Realm, he would be able to crush this person.
———
