Chapter Two: Advancing the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid

After quickly finishing dinner in the dining hall, Chen Xiao hurried off into the night toward the back hills of the Xiao residence.

The place where he lived was always busy with people coming and going, clearly not suitable for private matters.

He chose a clean slab of bluestone and sat down, letting his consciousness sink gradually into his mind.

The advance message for Swallow Return Strike was still there, proof that what had happened before had not been an illusion.

[Would you like to advance it?]

"No!"

Suppressing the tremor in his heart, Chen Xiao rejected it without hesitation.

First, because of its follow-up condition: he would have to stop Xiao Yan from climbing over Xiao Xun'er’s wall.

But Xiao Xun'er had not even come to the Xiao family yet, so it would probably be impossible to complete that follow-up in the short term. There was no need to waste his one and only chance to advance it.

Second, a Mystic-level advanced battle technique was far too high-end for the Dou Qi stage. Even if he advanced it, he still could not cultivate it.

"Are there limits to this advance? And if I complete the follow-up, will it refresh?"

Chen Xiao realized that this was probably the so-called golden finger, only it had appeared far too abruptly and came with no instructions at all. He could only grope his way forward for now.

Recalling the scene that had triggered the advance earlier, a faint guess formed in Chen Xiao’s mind.

At once, he steadied his breath and focused his mind, thinking of the foundation-building spirit liquid that the Medicine Venerate had prepared for Xiao Yan.

On the Dou Qi Continent, cultivation in the Dou Qi stage progressed extremely slowly. Because the meridians were too fragile and for other reasons, external aids generally could not be used. One could only gather qi day after day.

However, there were exceptions. Certain enormous sects and powers, and certain highly revered alchemists, were able to develop special medicines that accelerated cultivation in the Dou Qi stage.

The Medicine Venerate’s foundation-building spirit liquid belonged to that category.

If he could use such spirit liquid to assist him, Chen Xiao’s cultivation in the Dou Qi stage would undoubtedly speed up greatly, saving a tremendous amount of time.

Just as he was thinking this, the advance information in his mind suddenly changed.

[Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid: Second-Grade Pill, can be advanced!]

[Follow-up after advance: Become friends with Xiao Yan.]

[Current advances available: One!]

[Would you like to advance it?]

Even a physical item can be advanced?

Chen Xiao gradually figured out the conditions for this advance to appear. It seemed to be triggered whenever one desired something.

But he still did not understand the so-called follow-up. Why was the follow-up to Swallow Return Strike stopping Xiao Yan from climbing a wall, while the follow-up to foundation-building spirit liquid was becoming friends with Xiao Yan?

He had some guesses, but he was not certain.

Still, it did not matter. The night was long, and Chen Xiao had plenty of time to study it slowly.

Temporarily suppressing the urge to advance the foundation-building spirit liquid at once, Chen Xiao once again chose "no."

"Battle techniques are possible, pills are possible. Then what about cultivation methods? Flame Mantra, the one Han Feng has longed for?"

[Flame Mantra: Yellow-Grade low-level cultivation method, can be advanced!]

[Follow-up after advance: Revive Yao Chen!]

It really can?!

Chen Xiao’s eyes lit up, delighted by how powerful this advance turned out to be.

Flame Mantra—that was the very foundation of Xiao Huo Huo’s rise to greatness.

Its allure needed no further explanation.

Even so, Chen Xiao still refused.

In the Dou Qi stage, a cultivation method was of no use.

Moreover, its follow-up was far too difficult. Even if everything went smoothly, it would still be impossible to achieve in less than ten or eight years.

Besides, Chen Xiao himself did not yet know what attributes he would possess in the future. There was no need to waste an advance opportunity on it.

"Great Heaven Creation Palm?"

A new thought flashed through his mind, and he recalled a battle technique that left a particularly deep impression in his memory.

[Great Heaven Creation Palm: Heaven-Grade battle technique, cannot be advanced!]

"As expected, there are limits. Heaven-grade won’t do. Then what about Earth-grade... Triple Thousand Lightning Movement?"

[Triple Thousand Lightning Movement: Earth-Grade low-level movement battle technique, cannot be advanced!]

Earth-grade won’t do either!

Chen Xiao tried several more Earth-grade cultivation methods and battle techniques that had stood out in his memory, as well as pills above the sixth grade. As expected, none of them worked.

Case solved: the limitation of this advance was that only cultivation methods and battle techniques below Earth-grade, and pills below sixth grade, could be advanced.

"The follow-up to advance the Gathering Qi Powder was to join the Misty Cloud Sect and perform well... I think I understand now!"

After one attempt after another, Chen Xiao finally grasped some of the rules.

This so-called advance was a little like causing an effect from its result.

Joining the Misty Cloud Sect and performing well would, by normal logic, indeed seem to give one a chance of receiving Gathering Qi Powder as a reward.

Stopping Xiao Yan from climbing the wall would certainly be discovered by Xiao Xun'er and her guardian, Ling Ying, and would draw their attention. Receiving a Mystic-level advanced battle technique in gratitude was not impossible.

As for reviving Yao Chen, that would be fraught with countless dangers. If one truly managed to do it, the relationship with Yao Chen would surely be deep, and with such a tremendous kindness, there was also a chance of obtaining Flame Mantra.

"What I do not know is whether, as my strength increases or I grow older, these restrictions will change—and whether the number of advances will increase."

And, most importantly, could completing the follow-up refresh the number of advances?

After weighing it for a long time, Chen Xiao finally made up his mind.

"Advance the foundation-building spirit liquid!"

Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth!

Try it once, and everything will become clear.

As for why he was not using this chance to advance something more valuable, there was no need. If the number of advances could refresh, then naturally there was nothing more to say. Even if it could only be advanced this once, Chen Xiao felt that a benefit actually in hand was far more useful than those Mystic-grade methods and battle techniques he could not use for now.

Having awakened the memories of his past life, his foreknowledge was already his greatest advantage. So long as he could quickly pass through the Dou Qi stage, then whether it was the Misty Cloud Sect or Jia Nan Academy, there would be plenty of opportunities to obtain such items.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Chen Xiao felt an odd bulge against his chest. He reached into his robes, and when he drew his hand out again, three icy jade bottles were already lying in his palm.

Something had come into being from nothing—how marvelous was that?!

Chen Xiao was filled with wonder.

He opened one of the jade bottles, and at once a fresh medicinal fragrance rushed into his nose.

Recalling the information about foundation-building spirit liquid, he knew this item was only useful for those below the level of Dou Zhe. By dripping it into clean water and soaking in it during cultivation, one could speed up training, though the medicine’s effect would last only two months.

"Three portions... so that makes half a year’s supply?"

Holding the foundation-building spirit liquid in his hand, Chen Xiao checked the advance information again.

[Follow-up: Become friends with Xiao Yan.]

[Only after completing the follow-up may the next advance be unlocked. Current advances available: Zero!]

Seeing this, Chen Xiao smiled in satisfaction.

This follow-up should not be difficult.

He put away the foundation-building spirit liquid, rose, and returned the bluestone slab to its original place. Only then did he walk back toward his quarters with light, brisk steps.

Next, he fetched a wooden tub, filled it with water, and poured in one bottle of foundation-building spirit liquid. The clear water in the tub immediately turned into green spirit liquid!

Seated cross-legged in the tub, Chen Xiao joined his hands and formed a strange seal before his chest, his eyes closed, his breathing steady and strong.

As cultivation began, faint currents rose from the green liquid in the tub, carrying a hint of emerald color. They slowly ascended, then followed Chen Xiao’s breathing and entered his body.

In an instant, Chen Xiao only felt that his cultivation speed was several times faster than usual!

...

In the blink of an eye, ten days passed.

Morning.

Chen Xiao opened his eyes in the wooden tub. Feeling the Dou Qi within him swell to several times its former amount, he could not help but break into a joyful smile.

"Less than a month since my last breakthrough, and I’ve already reached the fourth stage of Dou Qi. At this pace, before this spirit liquid’s medicinal power is completely gone, I might even be able to push for the fifth stage!"

Over the past ten days, aside from completing his daily tasks, Chen Xiao had spent nearly all his time cultivating.

Only through day after day of effort could one truly make progress!

As for Xiao Yan, Chen Xiao was not in any hurry.

Xiao Yan was no ordinary child. One could not approach him too deliberately, or it would only backfire.

Thus, each day Chen Xiao would merely greet him when they happened to meet in the square, enough to become a familiar face.