Cultivation Begins From The Desert - Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Zhou Xuanhao’s Foundation Establishment

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Zhou Xuanhao’s breakthrough attempt to reach the realm of Foundation Establishment was a major event for the entire Zhou clan.

It had been decades since anyone in the Zhou clan had been able to do so. The last Zhou clan cultivator who broke through to the realm of Foundation Establishment without the Foundation Establishment Pill was an elder of the Light generation from more than fifty years ago.

Therefore, after Zhou Xuanhao entered the Closed Door Cultivation room, not only Zhou Yang and Lin Yuting, but even Zhou Xuantai and Zhou Xuanbin stood guard to protect him.

It made sense for them to be so cautious.

When an immortal cultivator was attempting a breakthrough to the realm of Foundation Establishment, not only could he not utilize his mana, but his mind could not be disturbed by any external force. The immortal cultivator was in an extremely vulnerable state.

A full-on attack would not even be necessary. All one needed to do was to make cause some minor disturbance outside Haoyang Cave’s spiritual vein to stir its spiritual Qi and Zhou Xuanhao would fail to break through.

Therefore, before immortal cultivators attempted a breakthrough to the realm of Foundation Establishment, they would first ensure the safety and stability of their surroundings by choosing only their closest and most trusted people to guard outside their Closed Door Cultivation room. Only then would they dare to work towards the breakthrough to the realm of Foundation Establishment without worry.

Usually, there was a time limit for immortal cultivators to make the breakthrough. It could be as short as one month, and as long as three months. If there was no news after that, it was sure to be a failure.

After a month passed since Zhou Xuanhao went into Closed Door Cultivation, the others were still able to calmly meditate as they stood guard without worry.

However, when it was already approaching two months and there were still no movements in the Closed Door Cultivation room. Lin Yuting and Zhou Yang started to grow anxious.

The longer it took to break through to the realm of Foundation Establishment, the lower the success rate. Even if one barely succeeded to break through to the realm of Foundation Establishment after two months, there would still be some residual effects that could hinder one’s future cultivation.

Zhou Yang noticed that his mother was looking more anxious than he was.

“Father didn’t take the Foundation Establishment Pill so it’s normal for him to take a longer time to reach the realm of Foundation Establishment. Mother, you should have confidence in him.”

“I…” Lin Yuting started to speak. But when she saw that her son and two clan brothers were looking at her, she immediately realized that she had lost her composure. She quickly shut her mouth and silently chanted the Clear Heart Incantation to control her anxious emotions. Once she had calmed down, she nodded slightly to show that she understood.

However, when there were still no movements after fifty days, Zhou Yang also started to lose his calm composure.

“Don’t worry. No news is good news. Even if he failed to reach the realm of Foundation Establishment, we would have heard something. If you and your son feel uncomfortable, why don’t you go out and calm yourselves for a moment so that you won’t disturb Brother Xuanhao?”

“Second Uncle is right. No news is good news!”

The voice transmission from Zhou Xuantai startled Zhou Yang but he quickly recovered and nodded in agreement.

Then, he got up and walked to his anxious mother to comfort her. “Mother, we have to believe in Father. He will succeed!”

“Son, I’m so scared. I’m so scared that I won’t be able to see your father again!”

Lin Yuting grabbed her son’s hand tightly. Her pretty face had turned pale and her eyes were filled with fear.

She had always been opposed to Zhou Xuanhao taking the risk to break through to the realm of Foundation Establishment. She had tried to persuade her husband to give up on this dangerous idea, but it was obvious that he did not listen.

As such, she had been quite pessimistic from the start, which only intensified the longer Zhou Xuanhao remained in Closed Door Cultivation. 

“It won’t happen. I believe Father will succeed. Mother, you have to believe in Father too. He won’t let us down!”

It was all Zhou Yang could do to comfort her, although deep down he knew that his father’s attempt to break through to the realm of Foundation Establishment had been anything but smooth sailing.

Despite his simple words, they were enough to bring Lin Yuting back from despair. Even though he knew it wouldn’t be that effective, he firmly grasped her hands with hope.

“That’s right. Xuanhao will not let us down. He has never let me down, and he won’t this time either!”

She muttered to herself and slowly started to calm her nerves.

Time slowly passed and soon, it had been more than two months since Zhou Xuanhao entered the Closed Door Cultivation room.

At this point, even Zhou Xuantai and Zhou Xuanbin were starting to feel uneasy.

In all these years, no one in the Zhou clan had taken more than two months to succeed in breaking through to the realm of Foundation Establishment. Could Zhou Xuanhao break this record?

Finally, after sixty-seven days, the Closed Door Cultivation room that had been quiet all this time finally erupted with an intense burst of spiritual Qi.

“It’s the condensation of spiritual Qi! Is he going to succeed?”

Zhou Xuantai, who had the highest cultivation level among those present, was the first to sense the change in spiritual Qi. His face changed drastically as he stood up from the ground and looked at the Closed Door Cultivation room in shock.

“It’s indeed the condensation of spiritual Qi! This is the final stage right before reaching the realm of Foundation Establishment. As long as he can survive the condensation and refine the turbulent spiritual Qi into the True Essence of Foundation Establishment, he will be able to succeed in reaching Foundation Establishment!”

Zhou Xuanbin also stood up from the ground and looked at the Closed Door Cultivation room solemnly. His eyes flashed with deep envy.

This was the realm of Foundation Establishment that they had always been dreaming of reaching.

Once Zhou Xuanhao succeeded, it would not only mean that the Zhou clan would have one more Foundation Establishment cultivator, but also that Zhou Xuanhao, the oldest cultivator of the Xuan generation would be the one who would live the longest among them.

Moreover, Zhou Xuanhao’s son, Zhou Yang, also had a high chance of becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator. So Zhou Xuanbin felt a little jealous.

What an enviable family!

He looked at Zhou Yang and Lin Yuting who were hugging each other and cheering. Only he knew the feelings in his heart.

“Mother, it’s a success. Father has succeeded in reaching the realm of Foundation Establishment!”

Zhou Yang hugged his mother’s shoulders tightly. The worry in his eyes had disappeared and his face looked excited.

“Son, pinch me. I’m not dreaming, right? I’m afraid this is just a dream!”

Lin Yuting also held her son’s shoulders tightly, almost stunned.

The surprise came too suddenly.

Who would have thought that after more than two months, Zhou Xuanhao would be able to successfully reach the realm of Foundation Establishment without taking the Foundation Establishment Pill!

Such an achievement was something the entire immortal cultivation world, even in the far west, would deem as a rare and bizarre event that could only happen once in decades.

Boom!

On the third day after the start of the condensation of spiritual Qi and seventy days since Zhou Xuanhao made his attempt, the Closed Door Cultivation room finally opened outwards.

Zhou Xuanhao walked out wearing a green robe and a smile on his face as Zhou Yang and the others stared at him with widened eyes.

Zhou Xuanhao was almost a hundred years old. Before this, his skin was loose and wrinkled while almost half his hair had become white. he looked like an elderly person in the mortal world.

But now that he had successfully reached the realm of Foundation Establishment, his lifespan had greatly increased and his appearance had been rejuvenated to make him look like a middle-aged man in his forties.

The others almost couldn’t recognize him.

“Father!”

“Xuanhao!”

Zhou Yang and Lin Yuting finally came back to their senses. They rushed forward and hugged him tightly.

“Fifth Brother, Eighth Sister, let’s go out first. The clan leader and the rest of the clan are still waiting for news from us!”

Zhou Xuantai looked at Zhou Yang and his family who were hugging each other tightly. He smiled slightly and gave Zhou Xuanbin and Zhou Xuanyan a look. The three of them quietly left the stone room.

Zhou Xuanhao’s success was a joyous occasion for the entire Zhou clan.

After receiving the news, the clan leader immediately flew over from Yuquan Peak on his flying sword. He must see it with his own eyes.

Upon arrival, the clan leader walked straight into Hao Yang Cave and was immediately greeted by Zhou Yang’s family who was all smiles.

“Xuantai and the others told me that you spent more than two months to successfully reach the realm of Foundation Establishment. Honestly, I thought that there must have been a mistake. I had to be sure, especially with Xuanyu, so here I am!”

The aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator from Zhou Xuanhao’s body could not be faked. When Zhou Minghan saw it, the last bit of worry in his heart completely disappeared.

Zhou Xuanhao chuckled and said, “Well, even I still have a hard time believing it as well. If I was given the choice again, I would take it!”

Zhou Minghan let out a long sigh and said, “Luck is also a kind of strength. We, immortal cultivators, cultivate for our entire lives and will always encounter all kinds of opportunities. Some people seize the opportunities and ride the wind. Some people miss the opportunities and bury them!”

Zhou Yang was listening as well and Zhou Minghan’s words made him realize something.

He thought of the Foundation Establishment Meeting that the clan leader had once told him. The Zhou clan would definitely use up their savings to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill during that time.

If he couldn’t break through to Qi Refinement Level 9 before then, wouldn’t he miss an opportunity?

His heart tightened and he suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of urgency.

He was only one step away from Qi Refinement Level 9. Technically speaking, he still had quite a bit of time to break through.

But who knew if there would be any hiccups along the way?

What if the time for the Foundation Establishment Meeting was suddenly moved forward?

“I heard that when many seniors in the immortal cultivation world faced a bottleneck, they chose to travel and cultivate to temper their minds and broaden their horizons. It seems that the trip to the marketplace is inevitable.. Perhaps my opportunity to break through lies there!”