https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-33-What-Exactly-is-a-Second-Rank-Opportunity-/12586155/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-35-35-The-Top-Lottery-Ticket-Appears-Again-/12586157/
Chapter 34: 34. Building a Higher Foundation
Chapter 34: 34. Building a Higher Foundation
Generally speaking, aside from opportunities and luck, which are the most challenging factors to quantify, a cultivator's height of cultivation and rate of progress are determined by their root bone, understanding, and personal willpower.
It is often said that the human heart is inscrutable, and indeed, a person's willpower can be equally difficult to measure accurately, especially since it is prone to change over time.
As such, people tend to focus more on assessing one's root bone and understanding.
Most of the time, root bone and understanding are innate qualities that are difficult to alter or acquire through posterior means.
It is only because of this that the cultivation world in this realm does not solely rely on one's lineage to determine their fate.
Even those of humble backgrounds still have a chance to rise to prominence, rather than having their talents scouted, investigated, and plundered by prominent clans even before they leave the cradle or their mother's womb.
However, after experiencing the enhancement of his root bone from that of an average person to the level of a spirit body, Lei Jun believed that when it came to opportunities and luck, having good fortune to a certain extent could defy the heavens and change one's destiny.
He hoped that in the future, there would be more opportunities to further enhance his root bone and understanding.
Lei Jun did not obsessively pursue these enhancements, though.
Aside from paying attention to grasping various opportunities, he continued to focus on his own cultivation.
After seeing off Tang Xiaotang, whose mood had greatly improved, Lei Jun returned to spending time with Qing Shimomo. He continued to nurture and cultivate his Dao foundation and spiritual power.
After Elder Sister Xu Yuanzhen left the mountain again, she remained absent for a long time.
Later on, Little Sister Tang Xiaotang went into seclusion for cultivation.
As fewer people came to visit Lei Jun, he didn't mind and continued on his path.
Yuan Mobai came to the private residence to teach, and Wang Guiyuan visited him from time to time, often bringing news from the outside world.
Ever since Elder Sister Xu caused a ruckus last year, the prevailing attitude within the residence in the following days was that the Li family's disciples were not as high-profile or arrogant as before.
The high-ranking elders of the Li family in the residence mostly adopted a conciliatory and low-key attitude to ease the agitated emotions caused by Li Ming and the others.
The gap in treatment between the Li family disciples and the outsiders narrowed slightly, and more outsider disciples received attention and favor.
During the last transmission ceremony, many new young disciples joined, and Lei Jun was put under "house arrest" by his master.
Among the other outsider disciples, Chen Yi, Shangguan Hong, and Guo Yan stood out.
Chen Yi was particularly noteworthy.
During the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool incident, Chen Yi entered the Upper Immortal Pool, but instead of being nourished and baptized by the pool's water, he was scalded by it.
To a certain extent, it even damaged his Clear Sky Spirit Body!
Such a loss couldn't be made up for, even with the treasure, the Blazing Cloud Lotus Seed, that he obtained from the Upper Immortal Pool.
However, it was precisely because of this that the Li family decided to placate and rally the outsider disciples by making an example of Chen Yi.
This situation perfectly embodied the old saying, "Fortune and misfortune depend on each other."
From then on, Chen Yi received special attention and cultivation from the residence. With a large amount of spiritual medicine to aid him, he successfully repaired his damaged spirit body.
Although this delayed his progress from the initial stage of foundation building to the middle stage, with the subsequent continuous supply of resources, Chen Yi caught up swiftly. He reached the middle stage of foundation building not long after Li Ying, Shangguan Hong, and the others.
"I heard that the Senior Brother and Zhang Jingzhen have been guiding Junior Brother Chen Yi a lot lately."
During a break from the private lesson, Wang Guiyuan chatted with Lei Jun casually.
Lei Jun asked, "Aren't you going to mention more people? Doesn't Chen Yi's master, Yao, mind that someone else's crops are growing in his field?"
Wang Guiyuan shook his head. "Speaking of Chen Yi, he's actually quite sensible. I heard that he immediately handed over the gifts given by Senior Brother to Hongyu and Master Yao."
"Then Master Yao and the others must be very generous to give them back to Chen Yi?" Lei Jun asked.
Wang Guiyuan nodded.
It seemed like the gifts had gone through a roundabout journey.
But what many people cared about was this process, rather than the gifts themselves.
"However, this Junior Brother Chen is still not stable enough."
Wang Guiyuan continued, "Recently, Senior Brother and Master Ziyang have been paying more attention to Chen Yi, intending to cultivate him as a new figure among the outsider disciples. They are redoubling their efforts to win him over, and Chen Yi is accepting favors from all sides. If this continues, it might not end well."
"As he said, Chen Yi has taken on a new role lately."
Arranged by Shitian Master and Elder Ziyang, Chen Yi has recently joined the Zhijie Hall for a trial.
As the name suggests, the Zhijie Hall enforces discipline, conducts reviews, and even imposes punishments.
The Discipline Institute back in the Daotong Academy was just one of its subordinate branches.
With Chen Yi's involvement and the potential to exercise disciplinary power backed by influential figures, many would find it hard to rest easy.
After all, even during his time at the Daotong Academy, he was a prominent figure with a web of grudges.
"It's a position that will offend people sooner or later, depending on whether he has the backing of influential figures and how he conducts himself."
Lei Jun commented briefly, "It depends on whether he has the support of others and whether he himself stands firm."
Lei Jun, who often assumed the worst of others, first thought: 'If Master Yuan Mobai hadn't put me under 'house arrest,' this position would likely be mine, or at least partially mine.'
Amidst the bombardment of flattery and favors, hidden vortices gradually emerged.
Of course, Chen Yi might have his own considerations and viewed this as an opportunity.
In Lei Jun's opinion, Chen Yi was ambitious, daring, and possessed a calm yet bold personality, but he also held grudges.
While others wanted to use him as a knife, he might be willing to take the initiative and ride the wave to achieve his goals.
"You, on the other hand, are more level-headed, Lei." Wang Guiyuan remarked as he looked at Lei Jun.
Lei Jun replied, "Maybe it's because I'm a few years older."
Wang Guiyuan laughed, "I can tell that you're actually making fun of my age."
After laughing, Wang Guiyuan turned serious, "Aside from Chen Yi's matter, Elder Ziyang, Senior Brother, and Master Shangguan have all indirectly inquired about you, and even Master Yao has asked your master about you."
Lei Jun asked, "Are they pleading for me?"
Wang Guiyuan nodded, "Elder Ziyang and the others are now trying to make up for the damage that Li Ming and the others caused to the Li family's reputation. They want to win over the outsider disciples, so aside from Chen Yi, they will naturally show some favor to you as well."
Even if it was just lip service.
Later, Yuan Mobai himself brought up the matter to Lei Jun:
"We've achieved our initial goal, and we shouldn't overdo it. After you reach the high stage of foundation building, you can move back to your own residence."
"I'll follow Master's arrangement," Lei Jun replied.
In the future, Qing Shimomo would continue its supply, but instead of directly providing the refined spiritual stones, they would send the raw stones from the mine to Lei Jun's residence, or Lei Jun could collect them whenever he wanted.
For now, Lei Jun, who had only reached the middle stage of foundation building, continued to stay in the Qing Shimomo mine under Yuan Mobai's private residence.
As winter turned to spring, the seasons changed.
In the mountains, where time seemed to stand still, the years flew by.
In the blink of an eye, four years had passed since Lei Jun arrived at Dragon and Tiger Mountain.
Another year had gone by, and it had been two years since Lei Jun officially joined the transmission ceremony and entered the mansion.
On this day, Lei Jun sat cross-legged in the Qing Shimomo mine.
He examined his inner self, and within the city walls of the eight gates of his Dao foundation, six more curtains were added, lined up on either side in the central area in front of the Dao foundation altar.
The presence of all six curtains signified Lei Jun's successful advancement to the high stage of foundation building!
He took some time to adjust and stabilize his enhanced Dao foundation.
Then, he prepared an altar and incense burner and attempted to create talismans.
At the middle stage of foundation building, Lei Jun achieved an 80% success rate in creating talismans with his life force without using a vermillion brush. For other talismans, his success rate was 70%.
When using a vermillion brush, he achieved a 100% success rate with his life force talismans and a 90% success rate with other talismans.
Now that Lei Jun had advanced to the high stage of foundation building, without using a vermillion brush, he achieved a 90% success rate with his life force talismans and an 80% success rate with other talismans.
However, when using a vermillion brush, regardless of whether it was his life force talisman or other spiritual talismans, he achieved a remarkable 100% success rate! Moreover, when drawing his life force talisman, he could not only guarantee a perfect success rate but also increase his speed and conserve his spiritual power.
(End of Chapter)
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