After obtaining the Foundation Establishment Pill, Qin Xi indeed went into seclusion to attempt his breakthrough as he had said.
North Peak of Yunwu Mountain. There were places with exceptionally abundant spiritual energy. Most of these locations were the cave abodes of high-level cultivators, but a few had been opened up as public cave abodes.
So-called public cave abodes were ones that everyone could use, though one had to pay a not-insignificant rental fee to the sect. However, for the purpose of Foundation Establishment, they were completely free and came with priority rights. These public cave abodes had formations both inside and out, and Foundation Establishment cultivators took turns guarding them. Under normal circumstances, those in seclusion would not be disturbed at all unless they exceeded the set time limit by over a year, making them truly the best places for closed-door cultivation to attempt Foundation Establishment.
Seclusion for Foundation Establishment could be as short as three to five months, or as long as a year. The first two months were used to regulate the body, then one would take the Foundation Establishment Pill, followed by several months to absorb and adapt. If one successfully established their foundation, more time was needed to stabilize the cultivation base. Whether Qin Xi failed or succeeded, this trip would take him half a year to a year before he emerged.
Mo Tiange didn't feel much about it, just a mix of envy and boredom. What she envied was that before Qin Xi left, his expression was calm, completely devoid of worry, as if he was very confident. He must have had some secret method or insight. She herself still needed to spend a year or two to reach Qi Refining Perfection and increase her chances of Foundation Establishment. What bored her was that with Qin Xi gone, she basically had no one to talk to.
Liu Yidao's injuries were quite severe; he would need to stay at North Peak for at least three to five months. With support from her family, Murong Yan had also gone to a public cave abode for seclusion to attempt reaching Qi Refining Perfection. Another familiar person was Senior Brother Zhou, but he, like Qin Xi, had obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill and gone to a public cave abode to attempt his breakthrough. If he wasn't too unlucky to fall into the twelfth level of Qi Refining, he would soon be Uncle-Master Zhou.
As for Jiang Shanghang, the only other person left in their residence, she didn't count him among her acquaintances at all. Ever since the incident of the sect's attempted annexation, not only had this guy stopped acknowledging people, he had become even more gloomy. It was strange—when Jiang Shanghang first entered the sect, he was already at the tenth level of Qi Refining. Now that Qin Xi had gone into seclusion for a breakthrough, why was he, Jiang Shanghang, showing no movement? Of course, she wasn't curious enough to ask Jiang Shanghang; they had no friendship to speak of.
Actually, after returning from this trial, if she wanted to go to a public cave abode for seclusion, she now had the money. The spirit stones from the Qiankun Bags she had obtained added up to over a thousand. The demon beasts she had hunted and sold brought in another thousand or so. Plus, some unimportant materials and spirit tools sold for a few hundred more. Altogether, it was a full three thousand spirit stones. Adding in the pills, some spirit tools that weren't convenient to sell, and materials that might be useful, she was now unprecedentedly wealthy, not inferior to an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator at all. However, she felt it was better to keep a low profile. She hadn't even brought out the Iron-Toothed Crocodile's corpse, so of course she wouldn't do something as extravagant as renting a cave abode.
Thus, her days returned to peace. Cultivating every day, occasionally listening to lectures on the Dao, she didn't even take on any duties from the Duty Hall. Fortunately, after this event, the sect exempted disciples above the seventh level of Qi Refining from miscellaneous tasks, so not taking any on didn't matter.
Having been lectured by her second uncle and lacking social interaction, her cultivation became unprecedentedly focused and free of distractions. Coupled with taking large amounts of pills, she actually spent only three months to cultivate to the Qi Refining Perfection stage. She herself was quite surprised by this, not expecting to have such cultivation speed.
Liu Yidao was still at North Peak. It was said that a certain uncle-master admired him and intended to take him as a disciple.
Hearing this news, Mo Tiange suddenly realized she hadn't seen Liu Yidao for a long time. Thinking more carefully, it seemed they had drifted apart considerably. Feeling somewhat guilty by the end of her thoughts, she decided to find time to visit Liu Yidao. However, this plan ultimately didn't come to fruition because when she went to North Peak, she was stopped. She could only entrust a senior brother to pass on a verbal message and deliver a few unimportant items.
She gradually heard about the reason Jiang Shanghang hadn't attempted Foundation Establishment. It turned out the Jiang Family had an auxiliary pill for Foundation Establishment that could increase the success rate, but it wasn't easy to refine, yielding only a small amount each time. Originally, given Jiang Shanghang's diligence and cultivation level, he should have been able to obtain one. Unfortunately, he had always been looked down upon within the Jiang Family, and the current family head's direct descendant, Jiang Chengxian, was also attempting Foundation Establishment this time. Thus, Jiang Shanghang's share was given to Jiang Chengxian. Jiang Shanghang could only grit his teeth and swallow this outcome. Since Foundation Establishment Pills weren't easy to obtain, he planned to endure until the next batch of pills was produced before attempting his breakthrough.
The above was pure speculation about Jiang Shanghang's thoughts, but having known him for over three years, given his usual personality, it was indeed very likely he thought this way.
Hearing this news, Mo Tiange felt a bit envious. There was actually a pill that could increase the chances of Foundation Establishment! However, since such a pill existed but hadn't been heard of within the sect, it was either because the formula was too complex or the materials too rare, making it impossible to supply ordinary disciples. If even Jiang Shanghang couldn't get something from the Jiang Family, how could she? So, she could only be envious.
When she reached Qi Refining Perfection and cultivation could no longer advance a single step, Mo Tiange went down the mountain.
Although her second uncle had severely reprimanded her last time, ordering her not to see him until she figured things out, Mo Tiange still visited every half month. It was just that her second uncle would say a few words to her before driving her back up the mountain. However, this time was different; she had something very important to say.
"Second Uncle!"
Ye Jiang, still recuperating from his injuries in the small hut, had grown even more aged. Hearing her voice, he didn't even open his eyes. "What are you here for? Go back and cultivate!"
Mo Tiange didn't give up. "Second Uncle, I've reached Qi Refining Perfection."
Only then did Ye Jiang open his eyes, scrutinizing her before revealing a slight smile. "Three months... that's more like it."
Seeing her second uncle finally not keeping a stern face, Mo Tiange breathed a sigh of relief and sat by the bed as usual. "Second Uncle, are you well?"
"I won't die for the time being." Seeing her worried expression, Ye Jiang's heart finally softened, and he said gently, "Second Uncle's injuries have been good recently. I estimate I can hold on until next year."
Mo Tiange lowered her head, silent. This was indeed good news. Two years ago, her second uncle had said his lifespan was between two and three years. Now, at the very least, it could be confirmed it was the longer one.
"Alright. Since you've reached Qi Refining Perfection, you should strive for Foundation Establishment. Are you prepared for it?"
Mo Tiange shook her head, very confused. "Second Uncle, I can feel that my cultivation base is no longer a problem. But when I think about going into seclusion to attempt Foundation Establishment, I still feel like something is missing."
"Missing something..." Ye Jiang pondered. "Second Uncle explained the insights of Foundation Establishment to you long ago and had you familiarize yourself with the process. Logically, you should be very well prepared—do you have doubts in your heart?"
Hesitating for a moment, Mo Tiange nodded. "When I think about Foundation Establishment, I always feel flustered, with no confidence at all. That's probably it."
Ye Jiang understood. "It seems your own mind isn't prepared. This is a bit difficult to handle. If you force yourself into seclusion to attempt Foundation Establishment with an unstable mindset, your state will also be unstable. An unstable state will affect the success of Foundation Establishment."
"Yes. I haven't been able to make up my mind to go into seclusion immediately. Second Uncle, what should I do?"
Ye Jiang said, "No wonder you feel this way. Most people cultivate to Qi Refining Perfection and wait a long time before obtaining a Foundation Establishment Pill, so they have ample preparation. But because of Second Uncle, you urgently cultivated to Qi Refining Perfection and are about to attempt Foundation Establishment immediately. It is indeed too rushed."
"Then what should I do?"
Ye Jiang closed his eyes, as if thinking.
Mo Tiange watched him anxiously. She knew that although her second uncle's condition was slightly better than expected, his lifespan was only about a year. She wanted her second uncle to see her achieve Foundation Establishment before his death, so he could pass away in peace. Therefore, she couldn't afford to delay this year.
Ye Jiang finally opened his eyes, seeming to have made a decision. He looked at her for a long time before saying slowly, "Tian Ge, leave the mountain and go wander for a while."
"Huh?" Mo Tiange was stunned. Wander? Wouldn't that mean leaving Yunwu Mountain, leaving her second uncle?
Ye Jiang nodded. "That's right. Whenever a cultivator hits a bottleneck or their mind is unsettled, wandering is the best solution."
"But..." Mo Tiange said urgently, "Wouldn't that mean leaving here? Second Uncle, how can I leave you alone here?"
Ye Jiang, however, smiled slightly. "Are you worried Second Uncle will suddenly die here?"
Mo Tiange fell silent. She was indeed afraid of that—afraid her second uncle would pass away before she achieved Foundation Establishment, but even more afraid that when she wasn't there, her second uncle would walk the final stretch of his journey alone.
Ye Jiang sighed. "Don't worry. As one's lifespan approaches its end, a cultivator's sense of heavenly fate grows stronger. Making this decision, Second Uncle feels I can still wait for you to return. Go. If you stay, I'm afraid it will take even more time."
"Second Uncle..."
"Be obedient."
Mo Tiange struggled for a long time but still resolutely shook her head. "No! What if something unexpected happens? I won't go!"
"What if I insist you go?"
"I absolutely won't go!"
Ye Jiang closed his eyes, as if not wanting to argue with her anymore. He knew how stubborn this child was. Back when he was hunting demon beasts and suffered severe injuries, because the wounds were too grave, his companions abandoned him on the road. It was this child who disregarded life and death to run into the forest to find him. In the end, uncle and niece escaped back by a hair's breadth.
"Xiao Tian, take Second Uncle's Primordial Spirit Token with you on the road."
Mo Tiange was startled, only managing to call out blankly, "Second Uncle..."
Ye Jiang closed his eyes and sighed. "If anything happens to Second Uncle, you'll know when you see the Primordial Spirit Token. This way, can you rest assured?"
"I..."
Ye Jiang didn't say anything more to her. He took out a jade token from his bosom, formed a hand seal with his right hand, and murmured an incantation. Moments later, a vivid drop of blood appeared between his eyebrows. His incantation sped up, then with a flick of his finger, the blood drop instantly followed the gesture and sank into the jade token. The token immediately changed from pure white to deep red.
After completing this task, Ye Jiang coughed violently several more times.
"Second Uncle!" Mo Tiange quickly supported him, patting his back.
After a while, Ye Jiang caught his breath, waved his hand, and handed over the token. "If anything happens to me, the Primordial Spirit Essence Blood within will dissipate. Once you see the color change, return immediately."
Mo Tiange silently accepted it. Giving her his Primordial Spirit Token showed her second uncle was also determined.
Ye Jiang waved his hand, signaling her to step back. "Alright. Go back to the sect and report, pack your things, then go out and wander. Remember, open your heart. Don't think about cultivation matters. Return in half a year."
Mo Tiange was silent for a moment before a resolute expression appeared on her face. She nodded. "I understand, Second Uncle."