Dao of The Demonic Cultivator

An hour later, the third furnace was also declared a success. Thus, Chu Xuan refined two Foundation Establishment Blood Pills.

Adding on the one Foundation Establishment Pill he had obtained from Ouyang Hao's storage bag, he now had three chances to challenge the Foundation Establishment stage!

"One Foundation Establishment Pill can approximately increase the success rate of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage by about thirty percent. With three chances, I am certain to succeed!"

Chu Xuan was exceedingly solemn.

The Path to Foundation Establishment is the first threshold that all Qi Refining stage cultivators must overcome since embarking on the path of cultivation.

Yet, of all Qi Refining stage cultivators, at least eighty percent are barred at this threshold.

If Foundation Establishment Pills were plentiful, Chu Xuan felt, the number of cultivators advancing to the Foundation Establishment stage could well be seventy to eighty percent.

But the path of cultivation is so merciless. Resources are scarce, yet the number of cultivators pursuing immortality is ever increasing.

If you advance, then I cannot. It is for this reason that Demonic Dao cultivators have come into being.

Chu Xuan shook his head, casting these miscellaneous thoughts out of his mind. He handed over Ouyang Hao's corpse to the likes of Long, Hu, Bao, and other corpse puppets for consumption. And instructed them to diligently guard the Haotai Hotel.

The flesh and blood of a Qi Refining Eighth Layer cultivator is a great nourishment for them. After consuming it, they should all be able to advance by about one level.

(Perhaps some wonder why not turn him into a corpse puppet. Because the condition for refining the puppet must be that he is alive.)

He then began to adjust his body and mind. Having continuously refined pills for several days, he felt mentally exhausted.

In such a state, challenging the Foundation Establishment stage was clearly not an optimal choice. He would adjust everything to the best condition before attempting the breakthrough.

Three days later.

Chu Xuan opened his eyes, his spirit tremendously revitalized. He took out a Foundation Establishment Pill and swallowed it in one gulp.

Buzz!

Under the guidance of his will, the power of the medicine surged like a great river, violently coursing through his limbs and bones. Round after round, the medicinal power swiftly transformed into Spiritual Qi.

The medicinal power contained in Foundation Establishment stage pills was far more formidable than that of the Qi Refining stage.

The moment he took the pill, Chu Xuan even felt as if his entire body was on the verge of bursting.

After running more than a dozen Great Heavenly Circuits, the newly born Spiritual Qi, under his guidance, rushed straight towards his Sea of Qi.

Buzz, buzz, buzz!

Within the Sea of Qi, the Spiritual Qi had already expanded to its limit. Now, with a massive influx of Spiritual Qi, an intense sensation of swelling and pain emerged immediately.

This was precisely the function of the Foundation Establishment Pill. Pouring a substantial amount of Spiritual Qi into an already brimming Sea of Qi in one go, forcing the gaseous Spiritual Qi to liquefy.

However, anyone familiar with physics knows that to liquefy a relatively inert gas requires immense pressure.

If it doesn't succeed at once, it must be attempted again and again, until the medicinal power of the Foundation Establishment Pill is entirely depleted. If the Spiritual Qi still cannot be liquefied, then more external medicinal power is required—meaning a second Foundation Establishment Pill.

Thus, the process is fraught with hardship. This is also the reason why many cultivators are unable to surpass this threshold.

Chu Xuan sat in meditation, repeatedly driving Spiritual Qi into his Sea of Qi.

Failure, failure, failure...

Initially, he could still feel intense pain. But as time passed, the pain gradually numbed. He seemed to be mechanically compressing the Spiritual Qi.

Five days later, at one moment, he suddenly felt his body loosen. The external pressure had vanished. Chu Xuan examined his own body. It wasn't that the Spiritual Qi had been liquefied. Rather, the medicinal power of the Foundation Establishment Pill had been exhausted.

Chu Xuan was not surprised. Instead, he picked up a Foundation Establishment Blood Pill between his fingers, slapped it into his mouth, and continued to compress the Spiritual Qi.

Another five days passed.

Just like before, the medicinal power was depleted again. Chu Xuan did not hesitate; he immediately consumed the second Foundation Establishment Blood Pill. He was neither disappointed nor discouraged. On the contrary, he was eager to try again.

For some reason, perhaps it was the destiny ordained by the cosmos, or maybe it was merely a premonition. He always felt, this time, it would surely succeed.

Sure enough, the moment he swallowed the Foundation Establishment Blood Pill, he felt an anomaly in his Sea of Qi. The formidable Spiritual Qi repeatedly collided and compressed.

At the bottom of the Sea of Qi, those countless times compressed Spiritual Qi finally showed signs of liquefaction. At a certain moment, tiny droplets the size of rice grains appeared.

Drip!

The droplet fell to the bottom of the Sea of Qi. Its emergence seemed to trigger a chain reaction. Immediately, a large amount of Spiritual Qi began to liquefy.

Drip, drip!

In an instant, the bottom of the Sea of Qi accumulated into a small puddle. Within it, lay quietly a dozen droplets of liquefied Spiritual Qi! Chu Xuan felt complete relaxation throughout his body.

Boom!

At this moment, his aura surged explosively. A powerful aura swept across the rooftop, radiating vigorously in all directions. Dust was cleansed away.

Within a kilometer radius of the Haotai Hotel, a fierce wind blew at this moment.

The returning Long, Hu, and Bao were suddenly startled, looking towards the rooftop with reverence.

At this moment, Chu Xuan suddenly opened his eyes. A flash of brilliance in his eyes, filled with an awe-inspiring power.

"Foundation Establishment stage!"

He clenched his fists, his face alight with excitement.

Foundation Establishment stage cultivators can fly without the aid of external objects, utilizing light-escaping techniques. Of course, most Foundation Establishment stage cultivators still use external aids, as it doesn't consume their own Spiritual Qi.

Additionally, there's an improvement in lifespan. Qi Refining stage cultivators have a lifespan similar to ordinary humans, around a hundred years. But for Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, their lifespan skyrockets to two hundred years.

Of course, the most important aspect is that Foundation Establishment stage cultivators can cultivate Foundation Establishment stage techniques and spells. They can also refine their lifebound magic tool!

The so-called lifebound magic tool must be nurtured together with the soul and essence blood, making its manipulation as natural as moving one's own limbs. Its power far surpasses those ordinary magic tools that do not integrate the soul, providing a significant enhancement.

Moreover, a lifebound magic tool shares the cultivator's fortunes and misfortunes. As the cultivator's realm advances, so too does the grade of the lifebound magic tool. It is akin to a piece of equipment that grows by itself.

These factors are fundamentally why Foundation Establishment stage cultivators are far superior to Qi Refining stage cultivators.

"Lifebound magic tools are very important; I must carefully choose and refine one myself," Chu Xuan decided not to use a ready-made magic tool, opting instead to craft his own.

Although this approach is more cumbersome, it ensures a deeper understanding and mastery of his lifebound magic tool. Later on, this would make it much easier to wield.

Chu Xuan took out a copy of the Blood Evil Demon Refining Scripture and carefully perused it. The first section of the Blood Evil Demon Refining Scripture discussed various methods for crafting magic tools.

"Soul Haunting Spear, Spirit Breaking Knife, Life Snatching Sword, Shadowless Blade..."

Various magic tools flashed before his eyes.

Some magic tools specialized in attacking the soul. Some excelled at breaking through Spiritual Qi. Some targeted the heart and vital organs. Some were traceless and ghost-like.

Each had its unique uses.

After much deliberation of his fighting style, Chu Xuan finally chose a magic tool.

"Evil Soul Chain, it shall be you."

The Evil Soul Chain required Yin Evil Steel as the primary material, supplemented by White Bone Bamboo, Intoxicating Vine, and five other materials. It would ultimately be imbued with a powerful, fierce soul.

After thirty-six days of continuous refinement, the Evil Soul Chain could be forged. Once activated, it could not only unleash a powerful, soul-lashing flying chain but also command the fierce soul to battle alongside.

A single magic tool, yet it could deliver double the effect. This was the formidable aspect of the Evil Soul Chain.

Furthermore, as strength increased, an even more powerful soul could replace the existing one in the Evil Soul Chain, doubling its strength.

"Yin Evil Steel... If this were on the Mystic Azure Realm, under the threat of orthodox sects, it would indeed be difficult to find. But here, it couldn't be easier."

Chu Xuan suddenly smiled.