novelraw Chapter 172 : Dragon Fate Sword Embryo
Chapter 172 : Dragon Fate Sword Embryo
Chapter 172: Dragon Fate Sword Embryo
Ji Yuan did not expect that the first thing Dong Qian did after leaving seclusion was to come see him.
And as soon as they met, she rushed forward and gave him a hug.
Ji Yuan had originally intended to dodge, but looking at his senior sister shedding tears of joy, he ultimately did not avoid it.
He knew that Dong Qian right now just wanted someone to share her excitement and joy with—nothing more.
After the hug, Dong Qian wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and her cheeks slightly flushed as she let go.
"Martial Nephew Ji, tha… thank you."
Dong Qian said with a trembling voice.
"Senior Sister is too polite."
Ji Yuan sat down nearby and smiled as he asked,"How does Foundation Establishment feel?"
Dong Qian sat across from Ji Yuan. At this moment, having successfully established her foundation, even the skin on her face seemed tighter. She no longer had the previous gloominess.
"Feel?"
Dong Qian’s expression gradually returned to calm."Actually, there’s not much of a feeling. How was it for you back then, Martial Nephew Ji?"
"Me?"
Hearing this, Ji Yuan was a bit taken aback. No one had ever asked him such a question before. Thinking back carefully, it seemed that not feeling much was actually normal.
At the time, he had established his foundation just before the opening of the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven, and upon success, the first thing he encountered was Real Person Xuan Shui—of course, now called"Dear Sect Master Martial Uncle"—blocking his door.
Later on came Hua Yaoyue’s rescue.
So, Ji Yuan’s impression of Foundation Establishment was actually tied to the moment Hua Yaoyue accepted him as a disciple.
Because from that moment on, Ji Yuan knew he had backing in the Water Dragon Sect.
"Didn’t feel much either. Before Foundation Establishment, I cultivated all day. After Foundation Establishment, I still cultivate all day."
He almost said,"Might as well not have established it."
"I just thought about it. Actually, there is one feeling—the pressure isn’t as great anymore. Before, I always felt I wouldn’t get to see the sunlight shine through the window lattice for many more years. But now, it seems I can enjoy that sight for several more years."
The lifespan of a Qi Refining cultivator was barely a hundred years, and most didn’t live that long.
But Foundation Establishment cultivators were different.
For those who established their foundation, their lifespan started at around two hundred years.
Dong Qian was deeply touched by this surge in lifespan.
"Then Senior Sister, keep working hard. When you condense a Golden Core, you’ll be able to sit back and watch the vicissitudes of the mortal world,"Ji Yuan smiled.
He had established his foundation at a young age, so he didn’t feel much about lifespan.
"Condensing a Core? That’s too far-fetched. I searched through historical records and haven’t seen many False Spiritual Root cultivators reach Core Formation."
Dong Qian shook her head with a smile."Being able to establish a foundation already makes me very satisfied."
"But I believe Martial Nephew Ji will definitely succeed!"
Ji Yuan glanced at the Panel in his mind. If things progressed smoothly, he indeed had hopes for Core Formation, but whether it would truly work out—
"I’ll do my best."
"Mn."
"In a few days, Sect Master Martial Uncle will summon you to discuss the Foundation Establishment Island Opening. After that, you’ll have a year of free time. Then the sect will assign you tasks."
Ji Yuan reminded.
"Okay, I’ll wait until after I open my island."
"Right, Senior Sister, how many Foundation Establishment Pills did you take in total?"Ji Yuan asked curiously.
He had taken ten. Dong Qian also had a False Spiritual Root, so it should’ve been similar.
It was a simple question, but unexpectedly Dong Qian hesitated for a moment before replying,"Three pills."
"What?"
Ji Yuan was stunned by the answer.
Although he found it hard to believe, he could sense that Dong Qian wasn’t lying.
If she were lying, she wouldn’t have hesitated. Her hesitation likely stemmed from knowing the answer would be too shocking.
"Martial Nephew Ji, please keep this confidential."
Dong Qian slightly lowered her head.
"Don’t worry. I’m the tightest-lipped person you’ll ever meet."
Seeing this, Ji Yuan speculated that this probably involved Dong Qian’s secrets. To succeed with just three Foundation Establishment Pills—One-Pattern Foundation Establishment Pill?
Unlikely.
But if it were Two-Pattern Foundation Establishment Pills, Ji Yuan had only helped her acquire one. Did she have another source?
He didn’t know. After some idle chat, Dong Qian calmed down from her initial excitement and bid farewell, leaving Ji Yuan’s Forgotten Worry Island.
Regarding his old friend’s Foundation Establishment, Ji Yuan felt a bit happy.
At least for now, his close friends weren’t falling behind—they were slowly catching up.
"Now that Senior Sister Dong has established her foundation, if anything happens in the future, I can count on her for help."
Before, Dong Qian was still in the Qi Refining stage. With the goal of Foundation Establishment hanging over her, she couldn’t afford to be distracted.
Now that she had succeeded, she was undoubtedly a reliable ally.
Moreover, Dong Qian was cautious enough that Ji Yuan felt reassured entrusting her with certain matters.
After meeting Dong Qian, Ji Yuan returned to Misty Island to cultivate. In recent days, besides refining and improving his Divine Sense in the【Meditation Room】, he had also been comprehending the《Sword Manual》in the【Enlightenment Room】.
In a few months, relying on his extraordinary comprehension, Ji Yuan had grasped more contents from the《Sword Manual》.
With deeper insight, a second sword embryo was beginning to form.
For this second sword embryo, Ji Yuan planned to follow Hua Yaoyue’s advice and go to Pear Blossom River to condense it—it would also be a chance to see if his sword embryo could acquire a trace of Dragon Fate.
But going to Pear Blossom River meant he had to visit Linhai City again.
"Going now——should be safe, right?"
Ji Yuan simply didn’t believe he would encounter Demonic Cultivators again.
Besides, Linhai City now had a Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator from the Water Dragon Sect stationed there—Liu Yuan’s senior sister, the one with the giant sword strapped to her back:"Rou Yi".
If even she couldn’t protect it, then there was only one possibility—
A Golden Core cultivator from the Demonic Sects had come. If that really were the case—Ji Yuan would have nothing to say.
Two days later, just as Ji Yuan was preparing to depart for Pear Blossom River, he received two Messaging Talismans—one shortly after the other.
One was from Han Feiyu.
"Ji Brother, I heard Junior Sister Dong recently also succeeded in Foundation Establishment. Are you free soon? How about coming over for a visit?"
Han Feiyu’s island was called"Luohun Island", hence he was also called Island Lord of Luohun Island.
His island was situated to the west of the main island of the Water Dragon Sect—grand and imposing in construction.
He had even recruited several female Qi Refining cultivators as attendants, displaying all the airs of a"Foundation Establishment Cultivator".
Ji Yuan had only been there once, during his Island Inauguration Celebration. After that, he never visited again.
But now, Han Feiyu seemed a bit too selective.
Previously, during the Water Dragon Sect’s Mutual Aid Association, Han Feiyu didn’t participate—which was understandable, since those people had never treated him kindly.
But after his Foundation Establishment, he also distanced himself from Dong Qian.
Though Dong Qian never explicitly mentioned this to Ji Yuan—
He had noticed. Ever since Han Feiyu established his foundation, he had no further contact with Dong Qian.
Now that Dong Qian had just established her foundation, Han Feiyu suddenly suggested a gathering.
It was a bit too obvious——
Ji Yuan understood and respected it. In the cultivation world, people like Han Feiyu weren’t rare—in fact, they were quite common. Social relations were essentially exchanges of interest.
A Qi Refining Dong Qian had no use for Han Feiyu, so he distanced himself.
Now a Foundation Establishment Dong Qian could be helpful to him again, so of course he wanted to draw closer. Ji Yuan didn’t even need to hear it—he could guess:
When Dong Qian opened her island, Han Feiyu would surely present her with a grand gift—
As compensation for the earlier estrangement.
"Not at all, not at all."
Ji Yuan chuckled and brushed it off, neither agreeing to go nor refusing.
The other messaging talisman was from Du Wanyi. She probably heard about Dong Qian’s Foundation Establishment, so she messaged Ji Yuan to ask whether he was on Forgotten Worry Island, and if so, she would come find him.
Ji Yuan thought for a moment—one or two days wouldn’t make much difference.
So he took the lead and returned to Forgotten Worry Island, where he met Du Wanyi.
"So, Second Sister has finally made up her mind to attempt Foundation Establishment?"
Ji Yuan asked with a smile.
Back when Du Wanyi came out of the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven, Ji Yuan had already refined eight Foundation Establishment Pills for her.
In the last two years, Ji Yuan also used the excuse of helping her to buy two One-Pattern Foundation Establishment Pills.
Of course, Du Wanyi only paid for one.
The other one was still on credit.
She was able to afford even that one because of the two Peak Qi Refining storage pouches she picked up in the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven.
In the Qi Refining Stage, someone as wealthy as Dong Qian—perhaps only she could be found.
So now Du Wanyi had a total of ten Foundation Establishment Pills on her. In other words, she had long since had enough to attempt Foundation Establishment.
When she didn’t have enough pills before, Du Wanyi was quite anxious, but once she had enough, she became less urgent.
What she told Ji Yuan was that since there was still time, she might as well perfect her Peak Qi Refining cultivation.
When she reached a perfectly rounded state, attempting Foundation Establishment would surely succeed in one go.
"Yes, since Senior Sister Dong has already established her foundation, I can no longer suppress the urge in my heart."
Du Wanyi admitted this matter straightforwardly.
"That’s good. The sooner you establish your foundation, the more at ease you’ll be."
Ji Yuan maintained his cheerful demeanor.
Whether it was Du Wanyi saying she wouldn’t establish her foundation for the time being, or now saying she would, Ji Yuan simply agreed.
Not meddling in others' choices and lives—Ji Yuan believed this was a virtue.
Dong Qian was already 41, and Du Wanyi was now 38, slightly younger. Logically, she could wait a bit longer, but now that the thought of Foundation Establishment had arisen, there was no need to delay further.
"Mm, I plan to enter seclusion on Water Dragon Island in a couple of days. When I come out, I’ll come find you again, Fourth Brother."
Du Wanyi said with a smile.
"Alright..."
Ji Yuan smiled and was about to nod, but suddenly seemed to remember something. The smile on his face paused slightly, though it quickly returned to normal.
Du Wanyi didn’t notice anything.
"This——Second Sister, take this."
Seeing that Du Wanyi was about to leave, Ji Yuan extended his hand to pass over a jade bottle.
"Fourth Brother, what is this?"
Inside the jade bottle lay two round Foundation Establishment Pills—one Two-Pattern and one One-Pattern.
"I already have ten Foundation Establishment Pills. That should be enough."
"Take it. Better to be prepared. If you don’t end up using these two, all the better. Just return them to me after you come out of seclusion.
If you do use them, then once you’ve established your foundation, Second Sister, you’ll owe me a debt."
Ji Yuan said with a smile.
After a slight hesitation, Du Wanyi accepted them.
"Alright. I’ll repay the debt by selling myself to you when the time comes."
"But Fourth Brother, where did you get so many Foundation Establishment Pills?"
"The previous two were bought for you with Spirit Stones. As for these two——didn’t I kill two Demonic Cultivators earlier? Got them from their storage pouches. Demonic Cultivators, after all, are filthy rich."
Ji Yuan said this as if it were perfectly natural.
"That’s true."
After stowing the two Foundation Establishment Pills, Du Wanyi exchanged a few more words, then took her leave.
Ji Yuan escorted her off the island, and only turned back toward Forgotten Worry Island after her figure disappeared from sight.
As for those two Foundation Establishment Pills, just as Ji Yuan said earlier, it would be best if she didn’t use them. But if she did—whether or not she paid him back later didn’t really matter.
Because Ji Yuan never forgot the words Du Wanyi said when she first returned from the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven.
Not knowing she had already reached Foundation Establishment, she had said she would share one Millennium Illusory Spirit Grass with him.
When he hesitated, she even said she’d give him both.
Those few words alone were worth far more than just two Foundation Establishment Pills.
That thought passed quickly through Ji Yuan’s mind, and he didn’t dwell on it, because his head was now full of something else entirely.
Du Wanyi just said she would enter seclusion on Water Dragon Island.
Why Water Dragon Island?
Because within the Water Dragon Sect, the place with the most abundant Spiritual Energy was that very island. So all the cultivation rooms built by the sect were on Water Dragon Island.
Normally, sect disciples—whether they were breaking through from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment, or attempting minor breakthroughs in the Foundation Establishment Stage—would all do so in those cultivation rooms on Water Dragon Island.
The reason Ji Yuan had broken through on Four Directions Island was firstly because he happened to be there refining Foundation Establishment Pills.
Secondly, it was an emergency—he couldn’t afford to relocate.
Otherwise, under normal circumstances, even if one refined Foundation Establishment Pills on Four Directions Island, they would still choose to go to Water Dragon Island for the actual breakthrough.
But what about Dong Qian?
Ji Yuan clearly remembered that she succeeded in establishing her foundation right there on Four Directions Island. She refined three Foundation Establishment Pills and succeeded. On top of that, she had been repeatedly asking Ji Yuan to help her buy more Foundation Establishment Pills.
Putting these clues together, even a fool would guess she likely had some special method or opportunity in the art of pill refinement.
As for the specifics, he didn’t know.
That matter settled.
Du Wanyi would need at least several months to succeed in her Foundation Establishment, so Ji Yuan planned to head to Pear Blossom River to condense his second sword embryo.
Leaving Water Dragon Sect, he rode the Sky-Slicer Boat toward the southeast.
He used to go out with the Supreme-Grade Magical Artifact Thunder Falcon Boat leading the way. Now that he had been in Foundation Establishment for a few years, plus had made some money back in Linhai City, affording a Spiritual Artifact-grade flying boat was perfectly reasonable.
Heading southward, once he crossed over Yunyu Marshlands and saw that grand river flowing mightily, Ji Yuan knew he had reached his destination.
Pear Blossom River.
Back when he had guarded Linhai City, Ji Yuan had watched the sun rise over Pear Blossom River’s surface more times than he could count. So he was quite familiar with these waters.
But he never would have imagined that this great river had been formed when a True Dragon crashed into the earth.
Of course, the actual impact probably didn’t form much of it—most of it was excavated later.
Ji Yuan didn’t know exactly where that strand of Dragon Energy was. To be safe, he intentionally came near Linhai City. That way,
even if he failed to condense his flying sword embryo, at least his safety would be guaranteed.
If anything happened, he could still call upon his senior brothers and sisters within Linhai City.
Ji Yuan first rode the flying boat up and down both sides of Pear Blossom River a few times, but unfortunately, he couldn’t find a suitable location.
Both sides of the river had many market towns. And even if there wasn’t a market, there would be some gathering place for cultivators—just like mortal villages.
In that case, the only option left was to set up a formation.
With a formation for protection, things would be much safer, and at least he wouldn’t have to worry about being disturbed.
Among the two formations he carried, Ji Yuan naturally chose the less lethal trapping formation, the Stellar Whirl Cloud Barrier Formation. That way, if any cultivator accidentally wandered in, at worst they’d be trapped. If he used the Stardust Illusion-Kill Formation, they might be killed.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Ji Yuan followed Pear Blossom River upstream for several dozen li before finally choosing a foggy swamp. There, he summoned the Cave Dwelling and activated the Stellar Whirl Cloud Barrier Formation.
The place was already foggy, so even after setting up the formation, it wasn’t noticeable.
Once all preparations were done, he stuck over ten talismans onto his body—purifying, stabilizing his mind,
defense, protection—everything was covered.
He took out a Meditation Cushion and sat cross-legged inside the Cave Dwelling, focusing his mind to circulate the Spiritual Energy in his dantian through his meridians.
At the same time, he silently began comprehending the Sword Manual.
Who knew how much time passed—it felt like both an instant and forever. In that trance-like state, Ji Yuan began to sense the water flow of the heavens converging toward him.
Still threadlike, but flowing continuously.
Just like spiritual energy, the cultivation technique circulated by Ji Yuan was drawn into his body. After circulating through his meridians for one major cycle, it finally converged within his Dantian.
Water fortune entered the Dantian.
The sword embryo Ji Yuan originally possessed seemed to sense something as well—it became active and spun incessantly.
As for the newly condensed second sword embryo, it appeared slightly slower.
Water fortune entered his body, yet even after half a day, Ji Yuan could not discern the shape of a sword.
Only after two full days had passed did he perceive the form of a flying sword within that clustered water fortune. Moreover – this second flying sword’s sword embryo indeed appeared somewhat different from the first.
Within this water-fortune-condensed sword embryo, there seemed to be faint traces of golden patterns.
"Is this the Dragon Fortune that Master spoke of?"
Seeing a great opportunity, Ji Yuan grew eager and immediately accelerated his absorption speed, fully absorbing the water fortune of the Pear Blossom River.
Three days.
Four days.
Five days——after five days, the condensation of his second sword embryo could be considered complete. However, the blood aura mentioned by Hua Yaoyue still hadn’t appeared on the river’s surface.
Ji Yuan didn’t stop there. Instead, he continued absorbing water fortune, attempting to imbue the first flying sword with Dragon Fortune as well.
Thus passed another two days.
Before Ji Yuan could complete the modification of his first flying sword, he suddenly noticed something off with the water fortune he was absorbing—there was a faint reddish tinge to it.
Moreover, as soon as this water fortune entered his body, he felt a surge of agitation in his mindset.
Not good, the blood aura has surfaced!
Ji Yuan immediately ceased his technique’s circulation. While suppressing the agitation in his heart, his Divine Sense swept outward.
The river’s surface remained as usual—no abnormalities were detected. However, within his formation, two cultivators had accidentally strayed in.
One old, one young. The elder was at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, while the younger man was at the sixth layer of Qi Refining.
At first, Ji Yuan didn’t think much of it, assuming they had merely wandered into his formation by mistake. But just as he was about to withdraw his Divine Sense, he suddenly heard the younger man lower his voice and say:
"I dug up our Shui Family’s ancestral grave. According to the secret manual unearthed from it, there’s a True Dragon hidden beneath the Pear Blossom River!"
"What?!"
"There’s really a True Dragon?!"
The old man exclaimed in shock.