Time passed, and unaware of the flow of years in the mine, Shu Han had been sitting there for three months. During these three months, Master Mystical Dragon, looking at Shu Han who still hadn't successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, was growing increasingly annoyed.

"Damn it, who was it that told me that opportunity is more important than talent? Pah! This kid has consumed so much of my Golden Core essence, yet he still hasn't achieved Foundation Establishment! I must have been crazy to have chosen this mixed-spirit-rooted kid. Any random dog from the White Feathers Sect would be stronger than him."

After another three days, Shu Han finally awoke from his immersive cultivation. A wave of spiritual might rippled from his body. His magic power was solid and ample, his foundation firm and profound, and his body had undergone a metamorphosis as if he had become a new person.

"Is this the Foundation Establishment stage?"

Shu Han couldn't help but feel a surprised joy, the sensation of distended meridians had also disappeared.

"What else could it be? I've put in so much effort."

Shu Han turned to see the illusory Master Mystical Dragon. Master Mystical Dragon didn't have a physical body, but Shu Han could tell from his illusory face that his mood was extremely bad. He hastily bowed respectfully, saying, "Thank you, senior. Your great kindness and virtue, I will never forget."

"Forget about never forgetting, let's just forget each other in this world of cultivation. Damn it, if someone like you can form the Golden Core, I'll smash my head into the top-grade spirit stone."

Shu Han was taken aback, "Why would senior say such a thing?"

Master Mystical Dragon said irritably, "Forget it, consider it as a three-month charity work. Now, go away, and come back to me with the Golden Core!"

Three months? I was in closed-door cultivation for three months?

Shu Han didn't understand where Master Mystical Dragon's anger was coming from. Just as he was about to say goodbye, before he could utter a word, he was flung away by the illusory sleeve of Master Mystical Dragon.

In an instant, space seemed to flow in front of his eyes. With a swoosh, he burst out of the pile of dirt into the sky.

The intense sunlight, the clear air, the moist earth. Shu Han couldn't help but feel exhilarated as he sat on the ground.

After staying underground for so long, Shu Han realized how wonderful life above ground was. He lay on the grassy field, in high spirits, but his mind started to ponder.

On this trip to the mine, his cultivation had finally reached the Foundation Establishment stage. He clenched his fist, feeling the profound magic power all around him, like a mighty river. He estimated he had reached the middle stage of the early Foundation Establishment. Moreover, his magic power felt incredibly solid, and only now, having the comparison, did he realize how hollow his previous magic power was. That must be the side effect of forcibly increasing his cultivation level with elixirs.

Then, he started to think about his belongings. The Eight Treasure Kirin Armor, Extreme Cold Mystical Iron Shield, and the captured Green Dragon Spear and Thunderbolt Giant Axe were all damaged in the mine. Now, except for the Flowing Boots on his feet, he didn't have a single top-grade magical tool. However, all of these didn't matter. The most important thing was that he had lost the Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation!

That day, during his fight with the two Foundation Establishment cultivators, the Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation was protecting Shangguan Ruolin, and it must be with her now.

Shu Han felt guilty. The Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation, at this point, wasn't powerful enough for a Foundation Establishment cultivator like him. But it was a relic left by his master, and he planned to return it to his master's clan someday.

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Three months had passed, and Shangguan Ruolin must have returned to the Sky Palace Sect. Was he supposed to go to the Sky Palace Sect to retrieve the Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation?

Just thinking about it gave Shu Han a headache. He began to search the storage bag of the grey-robed elder. After killing him with the Four Phases Array Plate, Shu Han collected a black small sword and a black claw from his remains. He didn't yet have a personal magical treasure, so he might as well use the old man's magical treasures in the meantime. Otherwise, he would be unarmed when fighting against others.

Without a magical treasure, the deterrence power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator drops significantly.

Upon opening the grey-robed elder's storage bag, Shu Han easily found the black claw and the black small sword, along with a secret manual of a technique called "Black Wind Mysterious Technique".

After casually flipping through it, Shu Han sighed. As expected, it was junk and not comparable to the Mystical Dragon Triple Rotation Divine Art. But even junk seemed attractive to Shu Han now. After all, not every technique was as exploding as the Mystical Dragon Triple Rotation Divine Art.

Thinking of this, Shu Han started to feel a headache. He knew that he had to start planning for his subsequent cultivation advancement. He remembered the Bai Family Artifact Refining Manual. There was only one Foundation Establishment stage pill recipe that could help improve cultivation, called the Great Essence Pill.

He would have to follow the old path of pill consumption for advancement again. Although this would lead to hollow magic power, Shu Han had no other options. Without the aid of pills, he might as well just drop dead on the spot.

The recipe for the Great Essence Pill was ready, and none of the medicinal ingredients were rare. But Foundation Establishment stage pills were not like Qi Refining stage pills. The failure rate was much higher. To produce a stable output of pills, Shu Han had to get a decent alchemy furnace and a stable source of fire.

The alchemy furnace was not a problem; Shu Han wasn't short on spirit stones. The fire source, however, was more difficult.

For the Foundation Establishment stage pills, a cultivator's pill fire could no longer meet the temperature requirement. A more stable and fiercer earthly fire source was needed. But earthly fire sources were all occupied by various sects. Shu Han thought it seemed that he had to join a sect to steadily progress in his cultivation. Or he could get the legendary heavenly fire!

Shu Han shook his head. Heavenly fire was so rare, it was more realistic to join a sect. Then, he turned his attention to the two magical treasures.

The black sword was called the Pursuing Sword. Its appearance was actually average. It was probably a magical treasure that the grey-robed elder had forged himself. It was an ordinary magical treasure for an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The classification of magical treasures is not the same as magical tools, and their quality is basically determined by the cultivator's cultivation level.

Shu Han cut his finger with the Pursuing Sword, and the blood that gushed out was immediately absorbed by the sword.

Suddenly, Shu Han felt a sense of connection with his mind, as if the Pursuing Sword was another arm of his.

This feeling was very strange. When Shu Han had a thought, the Pursuing Sword immediately enlarged, turned into a black light, and cut down a dozen trees around him.

Shu Han was delighted. This Pursuing Sword was even more powerful than the Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation, and it was faster, making it difficult to defend against. Fortunately, the fight had taken place at the bottom of the mine that day. The flying sword wasn't good at maneuvering in such a place, otherwise, Shu Han wouldn't have been able to deal with the grey-robed elder so easily. He then turned his attention to this peculiarly shaped black claw.

As soon as Shu Han claimed it with a drop of blood, the black claw directly entered his hand.

"This must be that old man's personal magical treasure, let's see what it does!"

Shu Han had a thought, and countless black gases rose from his right hand, enveloping his whole body.

"This black gas can actually shield spiritual sense! No wonder I didn't have any reaction when the old man approached me in the mine tunnel that day."

Then, he stretched out his right hand. A large black claw flew out from his hand.

Crack!

A giant boulder the size of a house was effortlessly lifted high by the black claw. With a bit of force from Shu Han, it was immediately crushed into powder.

"What terrifying power!"

Shu Han was overjoyed. He thought to himself that he was fortunate not to have been caught by the claw that day.

Suddenly, Shu Han heard a commotion from the direction of the woods. This place was near the Heaven-grade vein of the White Feathers Sect, it wouldn't be the White Feathers Sect disciples patrolling the mountain, would it?

Shu Han quickly jumped onto the branches of a tree, the black claw in his hand released a black gas that enveloped him as he silently observed the movement over there. Then he heard a familiar voice.

"You bunch of ignorant Qi refining cultivators, if you dare to chase me again, I'll really turn against you!"

Shu Han was surprised and delighted. Was this Senior Shangguan Ruolin? But why did her tone sound so strange?