Book Pavilion.

“Hum, if young Bubai insists on wanting a better understanding of foundation establishment, there are some books in the Classified section you can read…”

Seated at a table, neatly arranged with a stack of books and scrolls, Bubai sported a wry smile as he rolled up the scroll in his hand.

A bottleneck for a low-level cultivator like him may not pose much difficulties in the eyes of high-level cultivators. It was just a matter of experience.

So, when facing such hurdles in cultivation, the best option was to seek advice from an elder.

Where was there an elder with a wealth of experience? Obviously, there was no one better than the knowledgeable Granny Shu of the Book Pavilion.

Of course, he still had to tread cautiously, concealing his secrets while seeking indirect advice.

With his new ability to store green Qi in his dantian, masking the abnormality of an empty dantian was an easy game, explained away as a Qi-restraining technique if needed.

With this hidden risk gone, he could divulge some facts mixed with falsehood, indirectly seeking guidance for his true situation.

He was uncertain if Granny Shu's astute senses were able to detect anything, but like usual, she refrained from directly addressing the issue but skillfully guided him towards self-discovery.

After his insistence, the books and scrolls on the table were what Granny Shu had recommended to him. Gritting his teeth, he burned his hard-earned contribution points, hoping that the guidance would prove useful.

Alas, most of these texts unfolded as experimental logs, chronicling misguided attempts at breakthroughs through unconventional methods.

Among the experimental logs, one account depicted a cultivator consuming a golden core to break through, a method that demanded the sacrifice of the powerful to create the weak.

Let’s not mention the nigh impossibility for a Qi-refiner to acquire a golden core.

Instead, let’s focus on practicality. The risks were clear as long as a cultivator knew common sense: Consuming any source of exorbitant, uncontrollable energy inevitably led to implosion and death…

Well, unless you are the protagonist. Oh, was he the protagonist? His seed could probably devour the energy, right?

But unlike a bonafide protagonist… no golden core will fall from the heavens and into his lap. So... skip.

In another tale, a cultivator resorted to a secret technique involving the burning of blood and essence to break through.

While the technique was accessible in the room of Qi-refinement techniques, the price was steep and the aftereffects were severe, essentially severing one's own lifeline.

His future was broad and he certainly wasn’t willing to ruin it for a single breakthrough...

A more gruesome narrative unfolded the story of someone sacrificing an entire imperial harem - three thousand beauties - just to ascend, not to heaven but only to Foundation establishment.

If only he could gather three thousand beauties while trapped in a desert…

Of course, many of these were proven cases of success… hence the record.

Alas, most who attempted these extremity were cultivators nearing the end of their lifespan or those trapped in a desperate situation after accumulating a foundation for an extended period. The probability for success was probably the same as being a one-in-a-million genius.

Despite their proven cases of success, these methods offered little practical help for his unique situation. Instead, it served more as a stern warning from the wise old granny.

Old people – sometimes they like to teach lessons in a roundabout way.

Front Desk.

“Hum. Late again?” Granny Shu’s squinted eyes followed the young man as he approached her desk.

Under the weight of her gaze, Bubai wore an expression of embarrassment, “Junior was returning the books to the shelf.”

“Hum.” Granny Shu gave the crafty boy an eye roll before she shut him out from her vision, swaying gently in her chair, “So, did young Bubai find what he is looking for?”

Inwardly relieved, Bubai sighed, seizing the moment to bow respectfully. “Disciple Bubai would be grateful if Shu Po Po could point junior in the right direction once again.”

The rocking ceased as Granny Shu opened her eyes, her lips forming a subtle downturn. “This old lady has always seen you in the light of a scholar. Must this old lady repeat herself?”

Of course he understood her unspoken message. He was just unwilling to give up. Creating a back road for himself was a creed he adhered to whenever possible.

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However, he understood the importance of not overstepping. It seemed he had pushed Granny Shu as far as he could today.

She wasn’t a charity and her pointers thus far had already surpassed the obligations of a mere employer. He was grateful for this, and he shouldn’t jeopardize the relationship due to momentary impatience.

With a wry smile, Bubai bowed his head slightly, “Junior was too hasty.”

“Indeed. Fufu…” A soft smile replaced the frown on Granny Shu’s face, “Patience, young one. Blessings can come from whence you least expect. Nature will take its course in due time.”

Due time he may not have.

He also understood his situation requires patience, just like back in the Cloud Sword Sect.

Normally, he wouldn’t even mind grinding for years as patience was a virtue he possessed.

However, it didn’t mean the world will have the patience for him.

The world, ever in motion, was indifferent to his need for time. Danger loomed on the horizon and can strike in the near future.

Even if his formation apprentice status might shield him from a demotion into the eunuch hall, it can’t protect him from an accidental death on the stage.

Unfortunately, he now had no choice but patience. This wasn’t only due to the influence of Granny Shu’s reprimand, but also partly due to the fact that his contribution points were running low…

“Fufu. So, is young Bubai ready to continue helping this old lady copy some more scriptures? Even in this small, small pavilion, there is still a lot left to do…”

Yes, outside of cultivation, there was still a lot for him to do.

Classified Section.

Seated at the table, Bubai delicately manipulated the formation ball in his hand, breathing a sigh of relief upon imprinting the final stroke, watching the symbol pulsate, emanating a faint, golden glow, “Phew. This should be another success.”

Turning the ball over, he examined the ink-drawn placeholder for the groove, strategically leaving a small portion on the edge to delineate the starting point of his Qi-gathering array's activator symbol.

Before long, the symbols on the ball began to illuminate, confirming the successful creation of another basic light node.

As the light faded away, Bubai placed the completed ball beside another similar one, “Now, I just need to confirm my design on the provided task ball.”

Only after ensuring his design worked flawlessly could he proceed to implementing the design on his remaining formation balls, transforming them into actual products that held the promise of being exchanged for contribution points and a reimbursement of supplies.

“But that should be it for the night.”

Though he felt oddly well-rested, it had been a hectic cycle of reading, copying, and intense formation practice over a full day and night. Even the ink on his copied scroll had unknowingly dried a long time ago.

So, it was time for a genuine rest, even if his body feels like it didn’t need it.

East District.

As the rising sun’s glow crept over the roofs of the sandstone buildings once more, Bubai maneuvered across the rooftops with relaxed and stable movements, taking the ground route whenever he needed to avoid exerting himself too much.

Occasionally, he silently greeted the passing women draped in black, usually exchanging only a fleeting glance before the other consciously veered away from him.

Bubai didn’t mind, nor did he feel shame over his current face. He just silently continued his trip across the roofs, deliberately staying in their vision.

Sometimes, hiding too much would attract suspicion. So, it was best to deliberately reveal a flaw.

These law enforcers’ patrol weren’t just a spontaneous event.

Patrolling and monitoring go hand in hand. Their observations during patrols would be logged into reports, archived for the inspection of the higher-echelon when needed.

Though Bubai seemed to have reached an impasse in his cultivation, he knew his breakthrough will come sooner or later.

At that time, a foundation establishment phenomenon would definitely be seen across the sect. Perhaps the spectacle would even be linked back to his current identity.

Normally, this should not be a problem, but suspicions may arise if there were no previous reports of any signs of his strength growth.

A cultivator doesn’t just establish a foundation out of nowhere. There should be a formal acquisition of proper methods, followed by a gradual increment in strength.

Otherwise, the sudden surge without precedent could invite suspicion that the cultivator had some heaven-defying treasure or inheritance.

Bubai certainly didn’t have any secrets that others should covet. He just wanted to be an honest bloke who broke through after immense effort invested in dual cultivation.

So, these flaws were all in preparation for his forthcoming breakthrough.

On top of this, the slow pace of his trip was done intentionally for scouting purposes. Scouting wasn’t something that could be done in a day or two, and he must keep his data updated in order to pick the best time to take his hidden identity out for a walk.

Finally, there was still a hidden issue he was trying to untangle – the connection between his two identities.

Despite his fairly thorough preparations, he still needed to introduce more falsities to confound those who actually take the time to pay attention to the smallest details in patrol reports.

If his Liang persona could effortlessly traverse the rooftops, his Ah Niu identity had to showcase his limitations and incapability in crossing certain gaps.

The other identity was unrestrained and unkempt. So, his current identity must preserve its clean, humble image.

All of this were just inconspicuous details, but it can be critical to the preservation of his identity. Only strategically sprinkling breadcrumbs like these could he ensure no one could find-

“Meow you are!” From an alley below, a cat abruptly prowled up onto the rooftop, almost prompting Bubai’s instinctive reaction to dodge!

With plenty of law enforcers patrolling in daylight, displaying abnormal speed would raise suspicions after all the “weaknesses” he had shown.

Fortunately, Bubai suppressed the urge, allowing the cat to pounce onto him and cling.

“Meow? Why did yummy fish become ugly fish?” Miss Meow tilted her head, observing Bubai's face with her nose twitching cutely as she sniffed around.

Bubai glanced down at the catwoman, donning an ugly smile, “Miss, you’ve got the wrong person.”

“Meow?” The cat buried her face into his neck. Lick. Lick…

Licking her lips, Miss Meow nodded, rubbing against his face, “Meow can’t be wrong! Meow is yummy fish taste!”

“…” Oh Merlin. Can simple actions like this really confirm this identity?!

It seems the methods he applied to mask his smell weren’t adept enough.

Sweeping his gaze around, Bubai noticed some lines of sight connecting with him. Oh no, please don’t recognize his identity!

“Yes, yes, I have some yummy fish for you…” Coaxing the cat, Bubai began making his way towards a dark alley.

“Meow! Yummy fish went meow for days and didn’t feed meow!” Miss Meow's paw patted him on the face, “Bad fish!”

Indeed. Due to his recent busy schedule and the fact that he kept his Liang mask in cold storage, he hadn't gone to feed the cat. He really didn’t expect her to actually find him under his other identity directly!

The tracking methods of cultivators, more so beasts, can’t be underestimated. His little tricks only mitigated some risk, but it was best to consider establishing additional safety nets.

But first, time to bribe the cat with some fish to keep her mouth shut.

“Itadakimeow!”