Chapter Thirty-Seven: One Step Further

“As expected!” Xu Zhe smiled faintly.

At first glance, these plastic tubes looked like a writhing mass of tangled earthworms, slowly squirming. On the transparent walls of the tubes, there were still faint traces of dragon’s blood, barely discernible to the naked eye, being gradually drawn in, converging bit by bit. When enough had gathered to become visible, it seeped down through the crack at the bottom, dripping onto the ground.

And after that final drop, there was truly nothing left.

The inside of the tubes was completely emptied, not a trace remained. Only then did the plastic tubes seem to react, accelerating their squirming, growing frenzied, until they writhed in agony like a potful of earthworms scalded with boiling water—struggling violently and shaking the entire sleeping pod.

“How interesting. Just a trace of dragon’s blood left on the tube walls was almost enough to let these plastic tubes evolve into living creatures. Pity something had already drained it all away,” Xu Zhe said, shaking his head.

At this moment, the transparent tubes returned to normal, collapsed into a limp, lifeless heap, and became utterly inert once more.

Xu Zhe withdrew his gaze, sweeping it toward the bottoms of the other sleeping pods—and was momentarily taken aback.

There were exactly a hundred sleeping pods here, and at the base of each was a crack. Some were clearly old, some looked more recent, but his own pod’s crack was still fresh.

“According to what others have said, before a prodigy awakens, these sleeping pods have protective mechanisms. There was once a prodigy who woke and tried to break open his pod to awaken the others, but failed—the pods simply couldn’t be broken. So, only after awakening does the pod lose its protection, allowing a crack to form and the remaining beast blood in the tubes to be drained away. Which brings up the question…”

A brilliant smile bloomed on Xu Zhe’s face as his gaze locked onto a patch of grass beside a giant boulder. “After absorbing spiritual energy for ten thousand years and the blood of a hundred kinds of demon beasts, what sort of extraordinary treasure will emerge?”

This time, Xu Zhe strolled forward unhurriedly and placed his hand lightly atop the giant boulder.

With a bang, the entire boulder shattered, the ground cracking open with a web of fissures.

“Come out!”

Xu Zhe stomped hard on the earth. Instantly, sand and soil erupted into the air as a surge of dense spiritual energy exploded from underground. A lustrous, crystalline orb shot skyward, sweeping up all the spiritual energy, darting madly through the air, repeatedly slamming into the array barrier with muffled booms.

“Is that a Primal Earth Elemental Vein?”

Xu Zhe was stunned, unable to believe his eyes.

According to ancient records, the Primal Earth Elemental Vein was a force of the five elements born in primordial chaos at the dawn of the world. After countless ages of accumulation, even a piece the size of a thumb could form a spiritual vein, spawning a vein of spiritual stone.

But the one before him was the size of a fist—equivalent to dozens of giant earth spirit mines.

Even in the Celestial Domain, such a treasure would drive countless factions into bloody conflict; even the clans of Immortal Emperors would be envious.

After all, a Primal Earth Elemental Vein was so rare it was only ever found as remnants in ancient ruins.

“I’d thought there might be a spirit-devouring beast or a sentient herb hiding underground, but it turns out to be a spiritual treasure of the earth—perfect for nourishing my earth spiritual root.” Xu Zhe felt a thrill of surprise and delight. In a flash, he soared into the air, reaching for the still-rampaging Primal Earth Elemental Vein.

Yet as soon as he grabbed it, Xu Zhe was abruptly slammed from midair to the ground. With a thunderous crash, his entire arm and the Primal Earth Elemental Vein plunged into the earth, blasting out a massive pit.

“I was careless, didn’t dodge in time.”

Xu Zhe propped himself up, covered in dust and looking rather bedraggled. In his excitement, he had forgotten that while the Primal Earth Elemental Vein looked small, its actual weight was like a mountain range. In that fist-sized lump was the weight of dozens of mountains.

With his current cultivation, brute force alone was not enough to subdue it. Left with no choice, he quickly gathered a blade of energy at his fingertips, drew upon the power of the array shield in this area, and inscribed binding seals to encase the Primal Earth Elemental Vein.

Next, he sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began rapidly circulating the “Manual of Righteous Qi and Demon Sealing.”

Spiritual energy from all around rushed in, forming a vortex above Xu Zhe’s head that poured into his body.

Half an hour later, the spiritual energy within his dantian had noticeably increased, beginning to condense into clouds. The previously condensed mass of cloud-like energy was now growing rapidly, visibly thickening.

An hour passed, then two…

Soon, all the spiritual energy within him had condensed into clouds, filling his dantian, yet he could not break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

This surprised Xu Zhe. According to the divisions of cultivation, once all spiritual energy was condensed into clouds, one could step into Foundation Establishment with a single thought.

Why didn’t it work for him?

He could clearly sense there was still a subtle gap before the breakthrough.

“Not enough spiritual energy? Don’t tell me I have to condense these clouds again? Wouldn’t that be forming a Golden Core?”

Xu Zhe was baffled, unable to make sense of it. Nevertheless, he followed the method of the “Manual of Righteous Qi and Demon Sealing,” further compressing a portion of the cloud-like energy.

An hour later, a cluster of spiritual cloud tinged with faint gold appeared within his dantian.

“So that’s it. The first condensation forms clouds from spiritual energy; the second compression transforms it into Righteous Qi as described in the Manual, and only then can I truly enter the Foundation Establishment stage.”

Xu Zhe understood at last and focused his attention entirely on cultivation.

Six hours later, dawn had broken, and the sun blazed high in the sky.

Only then did Xu Zhe slowly open his eyes and exhale a turbid breath.

Inside his dantian, a vast expanse of golden, cloud-like spiritual energy flowed through his meridians. His entire being radiated uprightness, and with his impossibly handsome face, anyone who saw him would know at a glance he was a man of integrity.

“I’ve finally stepped into Foundation Establishment. Previously, I underestimated myself. With this second condensation of spiritual energy, I am now unrivaled among those below Foundation Establishment. On paper, I could take on a hundred opponents with ease.”

A faint smile flickered at Xu Zhe’s lips.

“And I can go even further.”

Muttering to himself, Xu Zhe’s gaze fell on the Primal Earth Elemental Vein still bound at his side. Spiritual energy surged through his arm, his physical strength rising steadily.

In a flash, as the Primal Earth Elemental Vein let down its guard, Xu Zhe’s arm became a blur. He seized it and, opening his mouth wide, swallowed it whole.

Boom—

A terrifying aura erupted from within Xu Zhe, forming a violent shockwave that swept across the area. Wildflowers, stones, and all one hundred sleeping pods were thrown into the air, tumbling wildly.

Xu Zhe sat unmoved, steady as a boulder.

Within his body, all five spiritual roots trembled, but the earth spiritual root blazed with unprecedented brilliance, ravenously drawing in the Primal Earth Elemental Vein—equivalent to dozens of great mountain ranges—and devouring it relentlessly.

…

At the same time, at the border of the Valley of Prodigies.

An elderly man in a scholar’s robe slipped furtively across the boundary array, stepping into the valley from outside.

In the sunlight, his bald head gleamed, reflecting the light, with a few wisps of white hair fluttering around his scalp.

“Hm? What’s causing such a commotion?”

Landing, the old man paused, gazing toward the depths of the valley.

“Well, since I’m passing by, I might as well take a look. If some rare treasure is being born, I can bring it to Tianhe City as a gift for my future granddaughter’s husband.”

…

[Apologies for yesterday’s missed update—I was out of town, meeting my future in-laws for the first time. Single readers are probably fuming at this point! Today’s updates are back on schedule; expect another chapter tonight.]