Left with no other choice, Lin Huanhuan could only wait for the moment her first meeting with You Yuelan was supposed to occur in the original novel.
‘Something must have gone wrong. I hope things go more smoothly later on.’
Just like that, the days passed one by one.
Lin Huanhuan received a letter from Ye Jinxi:
“Huanhuan, it’s been a long time. Did you miss me? I certainly missed you. Unfortunately, we can’t meet lately, so I hope this letter can soothe your longing.”
Lin Huanhuan rolled her eyes and cursed, “How shameless.” She continued reading: “I have successfully reached the Foundation Establishment realm. Don’t worry, it’s a Heavenly Dao Foundation. My foundation is very special; you would never be able to guess what it is.
There is more good news. I was scouted by an elder and have successfully become her disciple. We are currently practicing near Zhuyueji and probably won’t be able to return for a while. It will likely take a few months.
Anyway, that’s all for now. Remember to think of me, as I will be thinking of you…”
Lin Huanhuan gave a soft snort. “Who has time to think about you? We aren’t close at all, yet you insist on pestering me. It’s annoying as hell. It would be better if you never came back!”
Despite her words, she carefully tucked the letter away. It didn’t mean anything special; she was simply worried that if Ye Jinxi asked about the letter upon her return and found out it had been thrown away, she would come around and cause a scene. It was as simple as that.
Lin Huanhuan then thought, ‘Accepted as a disciple by an elder? That matches the original story. It seems that even without her Ghost Spring Spirit Vein being destroyed, she is still quite excellent and able to catch that elder’s eye.’
‘However, that elder is famously strict. Hehe, she must be undergoing some brutal training right now. What a pity I can’t see it.’
At that thought, Lin Huanhuan’s mood instantly brightened.
Following that, Lin Huanhuan began to focus on her own cultivation. Her nominal Senior Sister, Ling Ling, did not continue to make things difficult for her. In fact, they hardly saw each other at all.
One day, her master, Song Zhuying, sought her out to offer guidance on her cultivation. Lin Huanhuan naturally agreed with pleasure. After all, wasn’t the point of having a master to receive such guidance?
Although her Super Inner Demon could greatly enhance her combat power, the root of that strength was still herself. Only if she became stronger would the boost from the inner demon increase.
It was like a low-grade energy core—even if it were used to power a star-destroying ship, it wouldn’t be able to exert much effectiveness.
“Follow me.”
Song Zhuying led her deep into the Cloud Bamboo Forest. All around them, the bamboo leaves swayed gently, making a soft *sha sha sha* sound.
“We’re here.”
They stopped in a clearing where dappled shadows danced upon the ground.
Lin Huanhuan observed her surroundings with curiosity, trying to find something unique. However, whether it was the spiritual energy or the environment, it seemed no different from any other place. If she had to point out one feature, it was simply that it was an open space.
Seeing the confusion in Lin Huanhuan’s eyes, Song Zhuying smiled faintly. “Don’t overthink it. There’s nothing special about this place. I brought you here simply because it’s an empty space, which makes things a bit more convenient.”
“…Alright.” Lin Huanhuan realized she had been over-analyzing and gave a sheepish smile to hide her embarrassment.
Nearby, Song Zhuying sat down. The surrounding wind seemed to possess an intelligence of its own, instantly converging to form a chair. Song Zhuying sat firmly upon it.
Lin Huanhuan’s eyes widened. What kind of technique was this? She clearly hadn’t felt Song Zhuying use any spiritual energy just now. This meant Song Zhuying hadn’t actually done anything; the wind had truly formed a chair beneath her of its own accord.
‘That is so cool!’
Song Zhuying explained with a smile, “It’s just a small trick, nothing major. You’ll be able to do it in the future, so there’s no need to be envious.”
Lin Huanhuan pursed her lips. Although Song Zhuying hadn’t said it explicitly, how could she not hear the underlying meaning? ‘You’re too weak right now, so there’s no point in being envious. I can’t teach you this yet. You’ll only have the chance to learn it once your strength is sufficient.’
Song Zhuying asked, “Your Dao Foundation is called Golden Wind Bringing Refreshment, right?”
Lin Huanhuan nodded. “Yes, that’s the name. Is there a problem?”
“No, I just intend to explain some basic knowledge regarding Dao Foundations.”
The real lesson was finally beginning. Lin Huanhuan couldn’t help but straighten her back, trying her best to look serious. Unexpectedly, her posture made Song Zhuying chuckle.
“There’s no need to be so formal. You can find a stool and sit down while you listen.”
Lin Huanhuan immediately went to find a stool and sat down obediently.
Song Zhuying began, “As the repository of a cultivator’s entire cultivation, the name of a Dao Foundation is not chosen at random. It usually corresponds to the function of the foundation itself. This creates a conceptual harmony that allows one to achieve twice the result with half the effort.”
“Your Dao Foundation is named Golden Wind Bringing Refreshment. ‘Golden’ likely refers to the primary heavenly treasure you used to shape your foundation, which must have been of the metal element. ‘Wind’ refers to your own path of wind cultivation.”
“The phrase ‘Bringing Refreshment’ can have two interpretations. First, it could mean ‘dealing with enemies,’ which represents offensive techniques. Second, it could mean ‘sending away one’s own impurities,’ resulting in a refreshed mind and body. This would mean its effect is likely restorative.”
“Am I correct? If I’m wrong, let me know. Perhaps there are aspects I haven’t considered.”
After hearing this, Lin Huanhuan’s expression became incredibly solemn, and she nodded repeatedly. “Master, you are entirely correct. It is exactly like my Dao Foundation. There are no errors.”
“That’s good then.”
Song Zhuying smiled and continued, “You should already understand the basics of the Foundation Establishment realm. It involves accumulating spiritual energy and perfecting your Dao Foundation. At this stage, it is no longer a simple contest of spiritual energy, but a contest of who has a higher degree of control over their foundation.”
“A Dao Foundation can be roughly divided into four parts. Think of it like a house: there are the exterior walls, the interior decorations, the load-bearing structures, and most importantly, the core. This is a common way to explain it to make it easier to understand. I figured you wouldn’t enjoy hearing the formal definitions.”
Lin Huanhuan nodded quickly. Listening to plain language was certainly better than listening to archaic jargon.
Song Zhuying continued, “As I just mentioned, cultivation in the Foundation Establishment realm is the process of perfecting and building your Dao Foundation. A foundation that has just been established is naturally dilapidated and can be easily pushed over.”
“When you have completely built the exterior of your Dao Foundation, making it essentially ‘leakless,’ you have entered the Middle Foundation Establishment stage. This stage significantly increases your capacity for spiritual energy and enhances your endurance.”
“And when you have completely renovated the interior of your Dao Foundation, you enter the Late Foundation Establishment stage. This stage involves constantly condensing the spiritual energy within the foundation, primarily to improve its quality.”
“The Late Foundation Establishment stage and the Peak Foundation Establishment stage follow a similar logic. In the late stage, a cycle has already been established within the foundation, allowing it to recover on its own with almost no need to absorb spiritual energy from the outside world.”
“As for the Peak Foundation Establishment stage, this is the largest leap within the realm. Because you have completely mastered your own Dao Foundation, you can communicate with heaven and earth. You can basically manipulate a small portion of causality. If your Dao Foundation is strong enough, you can even mobilize a fraction of the power of time and space.”—