"This Martial Uncle." The woman finally caught her breath, pondered Feng Zikang's age for a moment, and then reluctantly uttered the title, a note of concession in her voice.

She appeared several years older than the fifteen or sixteen-year-old Feng Zikang, yet the low status of an Outer Sect disciple forbade any transgression of seniority.

"I am Outer Sect disciple Su Huijuan, paying respects to Martial Uncle!"

She prostrated herself on the ground, meticulously performing a full kowtow.

Courtesy demands a request. Feng Zikang was not one to soften simply because someone was polite to him. He nodded, too weary to bother introducing himself.

A vast chasm existed between Inner and Outer Sect disciples. This Su Huijuan, having just entered the sect, was already at the second layer of Qi Condensation; there had to be a reason she was still listed as an Outer Sect disciple.

"No need for formalities. What is it you require of me?"

Feng Zikang asked dismissively, his perfunctory attitude evident on his face.

Su Huijuan felt a chill in her heart. She had just witnessed Feng Zikang’s intimidating aura near the ancient battlefield entrance, which had frightened the supervising disciple into a state of utter collapse. Admiring him from afar, she had impulsively followed, though her actual purpose remained quite vague. Seeing Feng Zikang’s coldness, however, brought a slight wave of disappointment.

"I saw Martial Uncle instructing that supervising disciple just now, and I felt profoundly grateful. That is why I came to offer my thanks."

This explanation lacked conviction. Feng Zikang shook his head. "I was not instructing that supervising disciple, nor is there anything worth thanking me for. If you witnessed him bullying the weak and acting the fool, that has nothing to do with me. You need not thank me!"

Seeing him turn to leave, Su Huijuan grew anxious. "Martial Uncle, wait!"

Feng Zikang turned back, his annoyance deepening, though his expression remained perfectly placid. "Is there something else?"

His cultivation had reached a critical point; he was eager to focus on stabilizing his realm and preparing for Foundation Establishment. He genuinely had no desire to waste time on these lower-tier disciples. Although the girl was reasonably attractive and seemed to carry some history, he held no interest.

Su Huijuan had joined the Dragon-Tiger Mountain School of the Military Arts with a definite objective. Otherwise, she wouldn't be burning with urgency, wanting to seize every second to cultivate. Unfortunately, her inherent spoiled nature, though slightly tempered by hardships, had not improved much. After months in the Military Arts faction, not only had her cultivation stagnated, but her relationships with other disciples had deteriorated, leaving her increasingly helpless.

Encountering Feng Zikang now felt like grasping a lifeline—whether by spiritual intuition or sheer bewilderment.

"Martial Uncle, this disciple has been under the gate of the Military Arts for three months, yet I cannot grasp the method of cultivation. Seeing Martial Uncle’s profound cultivation, I venture to request guidance."

Feng Zikang scoffed. "Outer Sect disciples spend decades without receiving the true transmission. If one lacks such patience for the Dao, what is the point of cultivation?"

He had no mind to speak further with the girl. He mounted his sword light and turned, flying away.

Su Huijuan froze. She had humbled herself and pleaded softly—a first for her. To be so coldly rejected, without even a proper explanation, only to have him sweep away, fueled her sense of humiliation and resentment.

Gritting her teeth, she resolved herself and sprinted after the departing sword light. That light was swift. Although she was at the second layer of Qi Condensation, having returned to the Post-Heaven state from the Pre-Heaven state and possessing a resilient body, she could not possibly keep up. Moreover, the path was rugged and choked with thorns; her reckless pursuit tore her robes in several places, leaving scratches on her face and hands.

Finally, catching sight of Feng Zikang descending from his sword light into a small bamboo grove far ahead, Su Huijuan was overjoyed. She tumbled and scrambled along the rough path until she reached him.

Feng Zikang stepped into the thatched hut, meticulously counting his spoils. Huo Zhongguang’s gains included two items particularly useful for Foundation Establishment: Gold Essence Ore Sand and the Spiritual Profound Fruit. During Foundation Establishment, the Great Reincarnation Disk would naturally assign the Five Elements objects needed for the process after completing the Merit Task. However, using superior materials found personally would undoubtedly yield greater benefits upon establishing the foundation.

These rare Five Elements materials were not easily acquired. Huo Zhongguang had followed the records of the Ten Directions Demonic Dao Reincarnation Secret Tome to obtain these things, giving him a considerable advantage during his Foundation Establishment.

Feng Zikang took the remaining items without hesitation.

He even considered whether he should gather all the Five Elements himself before attempting Foundation Establishment, as they would surely be superior to what the Great Reincarnation Disk provided.

Among rogue cultivators without the Disk’s aid, collecting the Five Elements to forge their own foundation was mandatory. Ghost King Tu had spent considerable effort acquiring only a small amount, all used up for her and Ben Li'er’s Foundation Establishment. However, she knew where to find several of these items. If Feng Zikang wished, she could lead the way.

Feng Zikang pondered this, then summoned Ghost King Tu to inquire in detail.

She, too, clicked her tongue in amazement upon seeing the Gold Essence Ore Sand and Spiritual Profound Fruit on the table, claiming that the Wood and Metal items she had obtained previously were inferior to these.

"For the remaining three—Water, Fire, and Earth—I used the True Water of Tianyi for Water. That is hidden at the bottom of the East Sea, so it wasn't difficult to obtain."

Since she lived near the East Sea, retrieving a Water element treasure from the seabed was relatively easy. "As for Fire, my choice was lacking. I used Cannon Heart Rock Fire..."

Feng Zikang recalled obtaining this very item in the Mangcang wilderness, but Earth Core Rock Fire was not particularly special; he suspected even the Hundred Weapons Workshop might stock it. If he could find a better Fire element treasure, like the True Fire of the Sun, it would be preferable, but his current cultivation level prevented him from absorbing the solar true fire surrounding the Fusang Wood—a pity.

"But the Earth element item I used was truly excellent," Ghost King Tu said with a hint of pride. "It was Nine Heavens Breathing Soil!"

"Oh?"

This was indeed a high-grade treasure. Feng Zikang’s interest piqued, but Ghost King Tu had only managed to acquire a small amount, which even Zhu Li'er didn't use for her Foundation Establishment.

"I obtained it over a hundred years ago by chance on a desolate island in the sea. That place was extremely dangerous. If Young Master is interested, this old one is willing to guide the way, though I fear the Young Master’s current cultivation..."

Ghost King Tu clearly had ulterior motives, trying to provoke him into a death trap. Feng Zikang, however, was unconcerned. If he truly needed something, no dragon's pool or tiger's den would deter him.

"I understand," Feng Zikang nodded. "This matter is not urgent. Starting tomorrow, I will enter seclusion in the Mysterious Realm to consolidate my realm. After improving my mind techniques and divine abilities, I will undertake the Foundation Establishment Merit Task. Only after completing the promotion Merit Task will I consider seeking out these Five Elements treasures!"

Feng Zikang proceeded step by step, leaving no margin for error, thus avoiding Ghost King Tu's goading. He waved his hand, signaling her to withdraw. Suddenly, his brow furrowed as he sensed someone rushing into the bamboo grove area.

"It’s that Su Huijuan again." Feng Zikang shook his head. The girl certainly had tenacity, following him all the way here.

"Martial Uncle! This disciple sincerely begs for your instruction, please have mercy, Martial Uncle!"

A short while later, Su Huijuan's cries echoed from outside the door. Feng Zikang sighed and stepped out to see her kneeling on the ground, her clothes tattered and her face pale, truly a pathetic sight.

"Our Dragon-Tiger Mountain Military Arts faction has countless masters. I am merely a third-generation disciple. Why must you cling to me so persistently?"

Feng Zikang spoke the truth. After all, he was only at the Qi Condensation stage. Though currently outstanding among third-generation disciples, he was far inferior to the second generation. Most second-generation disciples were already at Foundation Establishment or higher; the exceptional ones, like Yuan Buhuan and Ye Tiansheng, were already in the mid-to-late stages of Core Formation. Compared to them, Feng Zikang’s gap was significant.

If she were truly sincere about cultivation, she should kneel before the secret realm entrance on Sunset Peak; there might be a slim chance.

The path of immortality is fraught with thorns, but if one's resolve for the Dao is firm, even poor aptitude or some hindrance will eventually yield a chance of survival.

Su Huijuan was momentarily speechless. She didn't know what folly had possessed her, but somehow, she felt this junior Martial Uncle possessed the ability to help her.

It was as if some unseen force was pulling her.

"Oh?"

Only then did Feng Zikang truly examine her. He saw grief etched on her face, yet her brows and eyes were filled with the vitality of peach blossoms—strikingly beautiful and distinctly different from ordinary women.

"So that's it." Feng Zikang nodded. It turned out this woman was a vessel of intense emotion—among the Seven Emotions and Six Desires, the emotion of qing (affection/passion) is the most captivating, capable of driving one to obsession at its peak. This woman's qing was overwhelmingly strong, explaining why she was so easily lured by external devils and why she might inexplicably develop an affinity for him, the avatar of the Formless Heavenly Demon.

This is a good cauldron.

The source of the Formless Heavenly Demon's power actually derived from people's hearts. It was through various emotional fluctuations that inner demons were born. Now, Feng Zikang, having possessed a new body, was naturally different from a standard Formless Heavenly Demon. However, absorbing the inner demons from people's hearts to strengthen himself was indeed a method of cultivation.

In the East Sea Fishing Village, he had once attempted to stimulate the power of an ordinary youth, Little Doggy, by amplifying his inner demon. This made him a hero overnight, though it would cause Little Doggy to age prematurely, likely living no more than thirty years.

"Rage." At that time, Little Doggy's emotion was the grief and indignation of youth. Only by infinitely magnifying this emotion could it complement the Blood Qi amplification technique, granting him a night of strength to beat up the villain who insulted his sister and slay the monster threatening the village!

This eruption of inner demons benefited the tier of his own power. While the absolute increase in strength was small, the power of the inner demons absorbed from the cauldron refined his demonic energy and demonic seed, making them purer.

"It’s just right. Since I must establish my foundation, the demonic seed is almost mature. It's time to plant the demonic fetus. Occasionally engaging in demonic deeds is necessary to display the methods of my Formless Heavenly Demon."

Feng Zikang sneered internally, but outwardly, he nodded toward Su Huijuan.

"Since you are so sincere, very well."

He smiled faintly, gentle as a spring breeze. "Tell me what puzzles you have. You may ask me anything. However, I will be entering seclusion tomorrow, so don't come looking for me again after that."

Chapter 117: A Small Interlude at the Threshold of Foundation Establishment

Su Huijuan rejoiced. After months in Dragon-Tiger Mountain, due to her stubborn temper and sharp tongue, no one had ever spoken to her with such gentle kindness. Feng Zikang's mild demeanor made her feel she had found support.

"Martial Uncle, please allow me to explain,"

Before she could speak, she began to weep.

It turned out Su Huijuan was also from a cultivation family. Spoiled since childhood, she already had a fiancé, a childhood sweetheart, to whom she was betrothed. Unfortunately, this fiancé possessed a crippled meridian and could not cultivate. Deeply committed to her love, she refused to sever the bond.

Who knew that the Young Sect Master of the Xuantian Sect, captivated by her beauty, came to propose marriage, coercing her father to break the original engagement and betroth her to him instead. Su Huijuan vehemently refused but was locked up by her father, the wedding date set. She fled in the night to find her beloved, only to discover he had already left home, his whereabouts unknown. With her family pursuing her fiercely, she had no choice but to steal the family heirloom, the Golden Bell Lock, and a Military Token, haphazardly fleeing to the Dragon-Tiger Mountain Military Arts faction. Using the token from when an Outer Sect disciple, she entered the sect as a mere Outer Sect disciple.

She had initially hoped that by leveraging the authority of the Military Arts faction, the Xuantian Sect would not dare cause trouble. However, upon receiving news, the Xuantian Sect members went to her home to pressure them, demanding they hand over Su Huijuan or face consequences. Fearing this, she sought help from the Outer Sect instructors, but they refused to assist her.

Desperate, Su Huijuan forced herself into rigorous training but made no progress, growing increasingly anxious.

"Oh." Feng Zikang nodded. Bearing heavy responsibilities and worried about her family, coupled with a naturally spoiled temperament, her impatience was somewhat understandable.

"So, what worries you is not truly the issue of cultivation, is it?"

Feng Zikang had long perceived that the young woman had hidden concerns. Indeed, the emotion of qing was torturing her; how could she progress in cultivation while so agitated?

Her entanglement with him in the Dragon-Tiger Mountain Military Arts faction was merely an attempt to find a backer for help.

Su Huijuan found it hard to articulate. Her mind was a mess, but after running around Dragon-Tiger Mountain for months, she had neither achieved divine abilities nor found a powerful master; most discouragingly, few were willing to pay her any mind. Now, Feng Zikang was her last lifeline, and she could not let him go.

She begged him repeatedly for assistance.

"I understand," Feng Zikang smiled faintly. "What you seek is to resolve the trouble caused by the Xuantian Sect, and then marry your beloved, correct?"

Su Huijuan was overwhelmingly embarrassed by his directness and lowered her head.

"That is easy. I will impart a cultivation technique to you. Cultivate it yourself upon returning; it should take about forty-nine days to reach great success. Afterward, you merely need to find your beloved and cultivate together. A mere Xuantian Sect will be no obstacle!"

Feng Zikang returned to the thatched hut, inscribed a jade slip, and tossed it to Su Huijuan.

"This... this is enough?" Su Huijuan was incredulous. Obtaining the item felt too simple, making it unreal. Her mind felt hazy, as if she were dreaming.

"You will know the effectiveness once you cultivate it yourself," Feng Zikang waved his hand impatiently. "Go now. With this technique, both your wishes are easily achievable. Go!"

He deliberately infused his words with a measure of sternness. Su Huijuan dared not disturb him further. After kowtowing once, she departed.

Feng Zikang gave a cold smile, his meaning profound.

For him, this matter was merely a minor interlude; the urgent priority was cultivation.

He had already reached the peak of the tenth layer of Qi Condensation—the Great Perfection of the Pivot Peak. His realm needed consolidation, but he lacked refinement in his primary mind technique. Since time was ample, he intended to push the Myriad Calculations Mind Technique to the peak of the thirtieth layer, while slowly advancing the Formless Heavenly Demon Mind Technique until it, too, reached the thirtieth layer, enabling the gestation of the demonic fetus.

He deliberated for a long time on whether to pursue Foundation Establishment first or mature the demonic fetus. His final decision was to establish his foundation first. Although the demonic path was his foundation, it was morally dubious and unacceptable in the early stages. The faster his Military Dao cultivation advanced, the more resources and opportunities he could command.

Now that the passage to the Mysterious Realm was open, he spent his days in deep seclusion there, consolidating his cultivation. With the four Divine Demons, Long Que, Rong Xiang'er, and Ghost King Tu present, they could guard him, eliminating the need for secrecy.

Huo Zhongguang, utterly bored, was tasked with sorting through the demonic texts and slowly mapping out the Secret Residence.

The little fox continued to lord over the place, eating when full and sleeping when tired—it seemed indifferent to whatever illusionary environment it was in.

The Wooden Automaton, however, was constantly busy cleaning and tidying, never tiring. Long Que, delighted to see a kin, spent the whole day with it, eventually becoming inseparable.

Time flowed differently in the Mysterious Realm. Several months passed unnoticed.

Unexpectedly, even in this Demonic Realm saturated with demonic energy, the Formless Heavenly Demon Mind Technique was not easy to advance. It seemed cultivating the demonic path relied heavily on external assistance; merely cultivating in isolation without cauldrons resulted in slow progress.

Conversely, the Myriad Calculations Mind Technique, under his repeated refinement, successfully broke through to the thirtieth layer!

This speed of cultivation was terrifying. Huo Zhongguang and Ghost King Tu, possessing some intellect among Feng Zikang’s subordinates, were stunned into silence, able only to marvel at the genius of their brethren who had emerged from the mortal world.

Feng Zikang knew he was no innate genius. His progress was partly due to timely opportunities and partly the result of his deep accumulation and relentless diligence.

The world was vast; the deeper one cultivated, the more insignificant one felt.

When he first furiously embraced the path of the Heavenly Demon, in a hazy state, he never grasped the might of heaven and earth. But after possessing a new body and focusing on cultivation, he increasingly understood the vastness of the Dao.

Between heaven and earth lay great karma and great terror.

A single misstep could lead to eternal damnation. This cautious, ice-treading diligence constantly agitated the demonic nature within him, causing it to erupt periodically.

Feng Zikang held firmly to his goal: to move unimpeded and be constrained by none. The most crucial element was strength; he needed to become continuously stronger! This very urgency propelled his cultivation forward by leaps and bounds, finally bringing him to the threshold of Foundation Establishment.

Normally, such a major event as Foundation Establishment required consulting his master, Ye Tiansheng. However, Feng Zikang knew Ye Tiansheng was at a critical juncture in his own training. Even when Feng Zikang was wrongly accused, Ye Tiansheng had only manifested an avatar; it was inconvenient to disturb him now.

Since he had acquaintances on Sunset Peak, he decided to visit Elder Wu and Elder Yun to seek advice on Foundation Establishment.

"You are already at the Great Perfection of the tenth layer of Qi Condensation, and you've cultivated the Myriad Calculations Mind Technique to the thirtieth layer?"

Elder Wu, basking happily in the sun near the Scripture Hall entrance, choked on his tea, coughing violently. His entire skeletal frame rattled, emitting the clanging sound of metal striking metal.

"Good! Good!"

Only after recovering somewhat did he praise him repeatedly.

"Coming here today, Martial Grand-Uncle, is to seek your instruction regarding Foundation Establishment."

Regarding cultivation, perhaps no one on Dragon-Tiger Mountain understood it better than Elder Wu. He nodded. "You came to the right person. Your master is a good man, but he doesn't know how to teach disciples. Compared to that girl from the Water Moon Pavilion, they are complete extremes—one pushes her apprentice too hard, the other is too lax, not even mentioning Foundation Establishment."

He sighed repeatedly and began to detail the critical points of Foundation Establishment to Feng Zikang.

Once a cultivator reaches the tenth layer of Qi Condensation with their mind technique at the twentieth layer or above, they can prepare for Foundation Establishment. Foundation Establishment means building the Dao Base. Sect members have a greater chance with the aid of the Great Reincarnation Disk. Rogue cultivators must rely solely on their own efforts and often fail, wasting their energy.

Foundation Establishment methods generally fall into four categories: Yin-Yang, Three Talents, Four Symbols, and Five Elements. Generally, to ensure a complete set of Five Elements energy for easier future cultivation, unless one possesses a unique cultivation method, the Five Elements Foundation Establishment is chosen.

Five Elements Foundation Establishment requires the Five Elements objects as a foundation. For sect members completing a Foundation Establishment Merit Task, the Great Reincarnation Disk will automatically circulate the Five Elements, refining the five corresponding objects for use. Of course, if one possesses better materials, they can substitute them. Rogue cultivators, naturally, must collect them themselves.

For those relying on the Great Reincarnation Disk for Foundation Establishment, the most crucial step before starting is selecting the difficulty of the promotion Merit Task.

These are the four grades of Dao Base tasks: Divine, Transformation, Origin, and Birth.

The difficulty of this promotion Merit Task determines the level of assistance the Great Reincarnation Disk can provide. Naturally, the higher the level, the better, but high-grade promotion merits are often difficult to complete. For most cultivators eager to establish their foundation quickly, they unhesitatingly choose 'Birth.'

"...About a year ago, Luo Lianxin of the Water Moon Pavilion chose a Divine-grade promotion Merit Task and has not yet returned. It seems she will need another two or three years," Elder Wu mused.

Feng Zikang's heart stirred, and he quietly asked, "In Martial Grand-Uncle's view, which grade of Merit Task should I choose?"

Elder Wu gave him an appreciative look. "I knew you would ask this. You child are clever, unlike Lianxin, who only listens to her master and insists on challenging a Divine-grade task. What good is wasting time?"

"Actually, if she had chosen a Transformation-grade task, she should have finished by now. Why drag it out this long?" Elder Wu sighed mournfully, seemingly regretful.

Mortal-grade tasks were significantly simpler than those of the base grade. Yet, the resulting benefits weren't drastically inferior; even the esteemed General Lu, in his time, had chosen nothing higher than a Mortal-grade assignment.

“So, Great Martial-Uncle, you mean I should choose a Mortal-grade task?”

Given Feng Zikang’s current strength, selecting Foundation Building tasks of the Life or Origin tiers seemed almost too easy—entirely unnecessary. If the Divine grade truly presented such insurmountable difficulty, then choosing the Mortal grade would appear to be the optimal path.

Elder Wu looked up, his eyes bright and clear, yet he chuckled heartily.

“No! You must not choose Mortal-grade!”

He slowly rose to his feet, his joints giving off a series of low pops and cracks. He circled the doorway of the room once, his expression gradually hardening into seriousness.

“You must select a Divine-grade advancement Merit Mission!”