Chapter 111: Advancement to Foundation Establishment (Seeking Recommendations)

  Success, fifteen years have passed. From the beginning to now, it has been exactly fifteen years. Finally grew from a young man who was confused about cultivation to the foundation period. The hardships and difficulties along the way are known only to Leidong himself. The joys and sorrows in between can only be savored by Leidong himself.

  Perhaps it was because he hadn't seen the sun for a long time, his face was somewhat pale. But those eyes were deep and black, as if they had experienced countless years of trials and tribulations. Cultivating immortality is a lonely thing. The further you go, the more time you need to spend in seclusion. If your mind isn't strong enough, you'll often collapse inwardly, to the point of going mad.

  For many years, Lei Dong relied on Biegu Dan to sustain his life, and all the time was spent on cultivation. The long-standing hardships and loneliness tormented his heart while also tempering his will.

  At this moment, he looked thin but his entire body was filled with explosive power. The Heaven and Earth Bridge was fully connected, and the mortal physique gradually transformed into a pre-heavenly body, laying the foundation for immortality. He was no longer an ordinary person and had undergone tremendous changes compared to when he was in the Qi Refining stage.

  Those two or three Foundation Building disciples among the onlookers, when they saw Lei Dong, couldn't help but stare blankly. Lei Dong was a man with quite some reputation in the Ten Thousand Ghosts Abyss. Especially during the battle between Wu Country and Li Family, he had joined forces with Yin Ye's twin geniuses to fight against a three-layer Foundation Building cultivator, and in the end, they actually managed to blow their opponent away.

  It was originally said that Lei Dong had gathered a large amount of elixirs and middle-grade spirit stones during the tenth layer of the Qi Refining stage, intending to break through the Qi Refining stage by closing his life and death. However, many people secretly did not think highly of this. Perhaps he had calculated that his resources were sufficient, but the problem was that the gap between the tenth layer of the Qi Refining stage and the first layer of the Foundation Building stage was too large. Cultivation was not just about resources alone. Closing oneself off for a long time was a comprehensive test of one's temperament, willpower, and more. The longer the closed-door meditation lasted, the easier it was for people to collapse.

  Throughout history, countless people have gone mad and lost their minds during prolonged isolation, unable to withstand the mental torment. Many who practice isolation start with short periods and gradually increase them, cultivating willpower and getting used to solitude.

  It was also at this time that when he saw Lei Dong move out of the pass in an instant, he actually had a solid foundation, and was naturally very surprised.

  The only one who had confidence in Leidong was Ding Wenyuan. Unbeknownst to Leidong, during the year he was closed off in the Xiao Yin Cave, Ding Wenyuan was almost always cultivating the Yin Evil Great Method not far from him. Originally, when Ding Wenyuan found it hard to persist, she would turn back and see Leidong sitting cross-legged on the ground, his face firm and unyielding. She would quietly return and continue to endure, cultivating the Yin Evil Great Method day after day. Therefore, she understood better than anyone else that her junior brother was willing to pay a great deal of effort and hardship for the sake of his strength. In a certain sense, Ding Wenyuan's diligence stemmed from Leidong's serious dedication to cultivation.

  Lei's eyes swept across, glancing over those Foundation Building disciples. He only paused briefly on two of them before his gaze fell on Ding Wanyan behind the crowd. Their eyes met, and without a word, they understood each other.

  This time's seclusion not only brought tremendous progress and breakthrough in cultivation, but also a thorough tempering and baptism of the soul for Lei Dong. It was only in that endless and boundless time, in the darkness.

  Wash away all the superficiality and impatience with loneliness, and you can slowly see your true heart. You can also appreciate the kindness of your teacher sister to yourself. And you can slightly glimpse her inner world.

  Finally, Lei Dong's gaze fell on the person holding his hand, Lei Qing'er. At this time, she was already 12 or 13 years old, a little girl he hadn't seen in many years. It seemed like the first time he saw Ding Yuanyan, she was just as big. Lei Qing'er blinked her shiny black eyes, staring at this brother who was both familiar and strange. After a long while, with a childish tone, she asked: "Brother, I can't see through your cultivation, have you successfully built your foundation?"

  Lei Dong was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing. Without any movement, he appeared in front of her, revealing a slightly stiff smile, and pinched her somewhat chubby cheeks with his hand. His voice was a bit hoarse and awkward: "I didn't expect that my family's Qing Er would also know how to build a foundation. Wow, I couldn't tell that you've already reached the sixth layer of Qi Refining! You're progressing pretty quickly!"

  Lei Qing'er's face stung from being pinched, and with a slap, she opened his thieving hand: "Of course, Old Ancestor said that Qing'er's talent is better than that stupid brother by who knows how many times." She paused for a moment, then fearing Lei Dong would get angry, she put on a pitiful look and said: "Brother, it won't be long before Qing'er can help you beat the bad guys together."

  "Beat the bad guys?" Lei's mood greatly improved, and he burst out laughing: "You silly girl, our Yin Ye Sect is the number one evil sect in the world. We are the bad guys ourselves. Especially your sister Ding, she's a famous demoness who shakes the eight wildernesses..."

  "You ungrateful little brat!" A thunderous voice boomed in the corridor. Wan Gui Lao Zu's slightly embarrassed yet relieved voice scolded, "You've just reached the foundation stage and come out of seclusion, yet you don't hurry over to pay respects to your master? What are you yelling about? And what nonsense are you spouting? All unrelated people disperse at once! Go cultivate and stop watching the commotion!"

  The sudden appearance of the old ancestor's voice made a group of onlookers quickly bow their heads and run away. The old ancestor's majesty was not to be underestimated. Even Lei Dong, a transcender who should have been proud and arrogant, was both respectful and fearful of the old ancestor.

  Two foundation-building period cultivators, one of whom was Luo Yun, the third senior uncle of Lei Dong's original sect. The other was younger and shorter in stature. Lei Dong found him extremely familiar, yet couldn't quite place him. Just as they were about to quietly withdraw upon hearing the old ancestor's scolding, the old ancestor suddenly blurted out: "Luo Yun, Zhao Jie, go inform the other senior brothers that your eighth junior brother has appeared."

  Those two foundation-building monks nodded hastily and disappeared like ghosts after unfolding their body techniques.

  This news, Leidong also heard it in his ears. He knew that the old ancestor wanted to take him as a true apprentice and ranked eighth. As soon as he heard the old ancestor call that person Zhao Jie, Leidong suddenly remembered that during the 15-year-old entrance exam ten years ago, the short-statured senior brother who disguised himself as a pig to eat a tiger, using Yin Sha Lei and Gui Zu Yin to kill a strong enemy, had arrived. He couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, it was him back then, who gave him an extremely deep impression. He didn't expect that he would also achieve the foundation of building. However, it's also normal, that person named Zhao Jie, was originally Leidong's superior in his previous generation, and after more than 20 years of cultivation, achieving the foundation of building is indeed extraordinary. It's just unknown whether he ranked before or after Shizhi.

  Just thinking about that thrilling yet cunning fight, Lei Dong felt a sense of detachment from the world.

  The old ancestor summoned, and Lei Dong couldn't dare to linger for too long. After nodding in communication with Ding Yuanyan, he then deployed the Ghost Shadow Concealment Technique.

  For the past few years, Lei Dong has devoted most of his energy to improving his cultivation. However, when he had some free time, he would use it to study and practice the "Yin Yang Great Law". Any great law is extremely profound and complex, and it's impossible to truly master it without decades or even hundreds of years of dedication. Although Lei Dong has only scratched the surface of the great law so far, his understanding of the various techniques in the Yin Yang system has still improved significantly compared to before he started practicing.

  Ghost Shadow Shift is actually a subsidiary spell of the Great Netherworld Law. Moreover, with Lei Dong's cultivation entering the foundation-building period, his meridians are all unblocked, and when he uses Ghost Shadow Shift, it becomes even more effortless. In an instant, it's as if he has entered the realm of the Nine Netherworlds, a ghostly apparition that leaves no shadow or trace. Those with slightly lower cultivation can only catch glimpses of the dark, flickering shadows that overlap and shift about.

  In an instant, they arrived at the gate of Laozu's mansion. Guinu personally came to welcome them and led Leidong into the grand hall to pay respects to Laozu.

  As soon as he saw the old ancestor sitting upright on the eerie and sinister throne, wearing a black robe with a cold expression. Lei Dong quickly stepped forward, knelt down and said in a serious tone: "The unfilial son Lei Dong pays his respects to the old ancestor, wishing the old ancestor to ascend to Yuanying soon and shake the eight directions."

  "Hmph!" Wan Gui Lao Zu couldn't help but let out a cold snort: "It's already not bad that you haven't been infuriated to death, yet you still talk about ascending to the Yuan Infant stage and shaking the eight directions." However, between his eyebrows, there was a hint of laughter that he couldn't quite conceal.

  ……

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