Chapter 72: Peak of Qi Refining

Ever since settling into the underground factory, Lu Yan had thrown himself entirely into cultivation.

In just two days, he broke through to the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining. Five days later, he pushed past the bottleneck and entered the Seventh Layer.

In a mere half month, Lu Yan had covered a path that most rogue cultivators couldn’t traverse in their entire lives, reaching the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining—the recognized peak of the realm.

Once one reached the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining, the opportunity to break into the Foundation Establishment Realm appeared. Most rogue cultivators at this stage would go to great lengths to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill, hoping to use it as leverage to cross that monumental threshold.

But disciples of major sects, in pursuit of a perfect Foundation Establishment, would continue to cultivate toward the Eleventh or even Twelfth Layer.

Like the previous stages of Qi Refining, these extra layers were all about the slow accumulation of mana. Yet, each step past the Tenth Layer demanded an overwhelming amount of resources.

Just the leap from the Tenth to Eleventh Layer required enough resources to raise several other cultivators to the Tenth Layer. The Twelfth Layer? Even more staggering.

Even among the disciples of the Azure Phoenix Sect, most stopped at the Eleventh Layer.

Only the truly outstanding disciples—those destined to become personal disciples of the sect’s Elders—would push to the Twelfth Layer to deepen their foundations.

For a disciple who started cultivating from a young age, reaching the Twelfth Layer before turning twenty-five already marked them as a genius. Upon breaking into Foundation Establishment, they would almost certainly be chosen as a personal disciple, which showed just how rare and difficult it was.

So how long did it take Lu Yan to go from the Sixth Layer to the Twelfth Layer in the Cyberpunk version?

Just a month and a half!

With the immense supply of Spirit Energy in the underground factory, Lu Yan’s mana had grown more than tenfold in just six weeks, and his cultivation had soared to the Twelfth Layer of Qi Refining—just one step away from Foundation Establishment.

Thanks to the abundant Spirit Energy, he no longer needed to circulate his spiritual orbits. He simply absorbed and assimilated the energy.

Under this virtually unrestricted acceleration, his cultivation speed was nothing short of monstrous. Even Nascent Soul cultivators starting over through possession wouldn’t be this fast.

If word of this reached the Xianxia version, this factory would become a battlefield, with even Soul Formation cultivators vying for it.

Yet now, this place had become Lu Yan’s personal Cybernetic Blessed Land.

Inside the underground factory, Lu Yan slowly exhaled a breath and ended today’s cultivation session.

The massive vortex of Spirit Energy swirling through the factory gradually calmed as he ceased absorbing it. Blue energy once again filled the vast space.

A flicker passed through Lu Yan’s eyes, and a virtual progress bar appeared in his vision:

[Version Update Progress: 25.7%]

In a month and a half, the update had progressed to just over a quarter. Lu Yan estimated his stay in this version would last around six months.

Though the duration had doubled, it was still within a controllable range.

Over the past six weeks, Lu Yan hadn’t spent all his time cultivating.

Due to the violent nature of industrial-grade Spirit Energy, he had to rest periodically to avoid losing control over his rapidly expanding mana.

During these breaks, he renovated the underground factory, dismantling the corroded production lines and storing them in the warehouse. What remained was an enormous cultivation space.

Now that his mana was nearing the peak capacity of the Qi Refining Realm, it was time to consider Foundation Establishment.

This was the first real hurdle in a cultivator’s journey. Prior to it, most stages of Qi Refining could be overcome with time or resources—but Foundation Establishment was a different beast entirely.

For sect disciples, this marked the division between outer and inner sect.

For rogue cultivators, stepping into Foundation Establishment was like entering another world.

A Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator could be hired as an honored guest by various powers or become an outer elder of a mid-sized sect, enjoying respectable treatment.

They might even seize a spiritual vein and establish a cultivation clan that would last for centuries.

Foundation Establishment cultivators could live up to three hundred years, a stark contrast to the mere 120 years of a Qi Refining cultivator.

To take this transformative step from mortal to immortal, most cultivators chose to rely on the powerful effects of a Foundation Establishment Pill.

But using external aid to form one’s foundation would undoubtedly affect future growth. Those who relied on pills had a slim chance of forming a Golden Core—a fact recognized by all sects.

Thus, talented disciples of major sects usually broke through the Eleventh Layer with their own mana and attempted to brute-force their way into Foundation Establishment.

Such cultivators were known as Human Path Foundation Establishers, and they held real hope of one day reaching the Golden Core Realm.

Those who pushed further to the Twelfth Layer could attempt to grasp an intent, and with it, achieve Earth Path Foundation Establishment.

Ji Xingyao, for instance, comprehended the Heaven-Human Sword Intent during the Qi Refining stage and used it to achieve Sword Dao Foundation Establishment, becoming the first of her kind in a century in the Azure Phoenix Sect. Many believed she had the potential to reach the Nascent Soul Realm.

Earth Path Foundation Establishers, as long as they didn’t encounter major setbacks, were practically guaranteed to reach the Golden Core Realm.

In Ji Xingyao’s case, something had gone wrong. She’d been ambushed and wounded her foundation while fleeing into a forbidden zone. Otherwise, she likely would’ve already stepped into the Golden Core Realm.

Above Earth Path Foundation Establishment, there was a legendary tier known as Heaven Path Foundation Establishment—a state achieved by borrowing the power of the Heavenly Dao itself to form a perfect foundation.

But Heaven Path Foundation Establishment was nothing more than myth. Throughout the entire Xianxia version, only legendary Immortals were said to have achieved it, and even that remained unconfirmed.

Recalling all this information about Foundation Establishment, Lu Yan slowly raised his right hand as mana surged into his palm.

The surrounding blue Spirit Energy receded as his immense mana suppressed the entire factory’s energy field, carving out a purified zone at its center.

With a thought, a blazing flame burst into existence, illuminating the entire factory.

It was a First-Rank Low-Grade Spirit Flame Technique, but with Lu Yan’s powerful mana, its destructive force was comparable to that of an offensive spell.

With a flick of his right hand, his Hundred Ghost Banner flew from his storage pouch and landed in his grasp. As it unfurled, over eight hundred ghostly figures and three main spirits emerged, filling the air with ghostly mist.

Controlling over 800 vengeful spirits with a top-grade artifact at the Twelfth Layer of Qi Refining, Lu Yan felt no pressure whatsoever.

He could now finally unleash the banner’s full power.

“My current mana rivals that of most cultivators who break into Foundation Establishment at the peak of the Tenth Layer. With this level of power, as long as I have enough Spirit Energy, Human Path Foundation Establishment is well within reach.

“As for Earth Path Foundation Establishment, which requires comprehension of intent… I still have no clear direction.”

A contemplative look appeared on Lu Yan’s face.

Foundation Establishment would determine the future path of his cultivation. Should he push forward with raw power and gain more benefits in the Cyberpunk version? Or should he slow down and search for a chance at Earth Path Foundation Establishment?

For now, Lu Yan couldn’t decide.

Knock, knock, knock!

Suddenly, a series of urgent knocks echoed from the factory’s massive front door.

Lu Yan’s eyes narrowed. The spirit flame in midair dissipated instantly, and the eight hundred ghosts around him vanished into the Hundred Ghost Banner.

Outside, Quentin was pacing anxiously, his face a mix of rage and terror.

The rusted door creaked open. Quentin inhaled deeply and was about to launch into a tirade—

But the moment he saw Lu Yan, a strange fear gripped him.

Same green robe. Same face. Yet somehow, Lu Yan now exuded a pressure that made Quentin feel like he was standing before a superior-tier Spirit Energy user.

All the words Quentin had prepared got stuck in his throat.

“What is it?”

Lu Yan’s voice was calm and emotionless, yet it sent a shiver down Quentin’s spine.

Quentin wanted to run—but in the end, his poor survival instincts were overcome by rationality.

Wearing a pitiful expression, he opened his mouth and whispered,

“Sir… your Spirit Energy tax is about to be overdue…”

(End of Chapter)