Deep into the night, Luo Chen returned to his cave residence on Tianlan Peak. Bai Meiling had already prepared dinner for him, which had been specially arranged by Sima Huiniang with second-tier demonic beast meat and high-quality second-tier spirit rice. Even the side dishes were vegetables infused with spirit energy. In the past, Luo Chen rarely paid attention to dinner. He was usually too immersed in cultivation or alchemy, often eating just once a day. During especially busy stretches, he would go without food or drink altogether. After all, a Foundation Establishment cultivator could easily sustain themselves on spirit energy alone. But things were different now. At least for the time being, he needed to return to a proper diet. He had no other choice. The Divine Ghost Heartmirror simulation had severely injured his divine soul and exhausted him far too much, and the lingering effects were serious. Earlier at the auction, he’d already noticed something was off; his thoughts were too scattered, and his emotions too unstable. Even minor things could startle him or send his emotions plunging. Especially when facing that Golden Core Adept—he hadn’t been able to withstand even the slightest pressure. This isn’t good. I have to recover, Luo Chen thought after finishing the last bite of his dinner. Afterward, he asked Bai Meiling about her research on the Soul-Gathering Banner. She reported little progress, which he acknowledged with a nod before heading into his meditation chamber. He was not going to cultivate. His state was not fit for that. Instead, he took out a jade pendant and gently rubbed its smooth surface. Fairy Ruthless’s request to produce over a thousand Jade Dew pills per year within just ten years would have overwhelmed any ordinary alchemist, especially considering that Jade Dew was one of the most difficult second-tier pills to refine. But to him, it wasn’t much of a challenge. With the status panel, investing a little time and effort would significantly boost his success rate. That was why he had dared to demand a supreme-grade cauldron and second-tier earth fire without hesitation. He had full confidence in meeting the expectations. What he hadn’t expected was for the other party to agree so easily. Alchemy insights, the Divine Ice Jade, a supreme-grade cauldron, second-tier earth fire, and even a top-grade cave residence were arranged for him. It seems they’re in quite a hurry. Given the appearance of that Jade Cauldron sword orb at the auction... perhaps the Ice Fortress will soon take a side in the coming war. Well, for now, these matters have little to do with me. If they want a stable supply of Jade Dew pills, they’ll be sure to offer protection in return. Luo Chen’s lips curved faintly as he tucked the Divine Ice Jade into his storage pouch. For what he was about to do next, its presence would not be suitable. He took out a small incense burner along with a piece of tree core. He shaved off a small sliver and placed it inside the burner. A wisp of Foundation Establishment true fire gently flowed from his fingertip. Under the true fire’s burn, the piece of Xuyang Tree core began to smolder slowly. Wisps of uniquely fragrant smoke drifted out. Luo Chen cleared his mind, relaxed his thoughts, and inhaled every bit of the smoke. A gentle warmth slowly spread through his entire body. In the vast expanse of his sea of consciousness, it felt as if a tree bathed in morning sunlight was beginning to stretch its branches and leaves. The Warm Yang Incense was restorative for the divine soul. Its effect was slow but steady; its scent was soft and long-lasting. The next morning, Luo Chen awoke from his soft bed, stretched lazily, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he wandered into the main hall. Bai Meiling was still fast asleep in the Ghost Mill. She had never been much of an early riser. Luo Chen did not use Cleanse. Instead, he simply splashed water on his face and gave it a quick wipe. Activating the formation, he stepped outside his cave residence. A cool morning breeze brushed past his face, fresh and clear. There, waiting quietly in the soft light of dawn, stood a solitary figure. It was Min Longyu. Luo Chen wasn’t the least bit surprised by the sight. He had asked Sima Huiniang yesterday to tell Min Longyu to stop by. What he hadn’t expected was that the man would arrive so early. Clearly, he had been anxious ever since learning that the Foundation Establishment pill had been gifted to Sima Huiniang at the auction. But that urgency... was just for show. "President, I—" Min Longyu called out. "Don't rush," Luo Chen interrupted calmly. "Let me finish this set of forms first." Min Longyu swallowed his words and remained silent. In front of him, Luo Chen began a slow, flowing martial routine under the rising sun. Each movement was deliberate and smooth, as steady as the shifting of clouds. This was the Five Organs Nourishment Fist, a form from the Wang Secret Manual focused on internal wellness rather than power. Its goal was to condition the meridians, nurture the five vital energies, and maintain harmony in the body. Wang Yuan had trained in it since his youth. After becoming a grandmaster in martial arts, he had refined it repeatedly. Upon entering the path of cultivation, he had integrated Qi Refinement concepts and spirit energy wellness concepts into it. It was this persistent practice that had allowed him to develop techniques like Five Qi Convergence and Return of the Five Qi. Luo Chen had studied those deeper techniques, but his foundation wasn’t sufficient to master them just yet. Still, diligent practice would serve him well in the long run. After completing the entire set, Luo Chen casually glanced at his status panel. Wang Secret Manual: Proficient (147/200) At some point, his level had improved again. A new achievement point had been quietly added. A light sheen of sweat coated his skin. With a casual flick of his sleeve, he cast Cleanse, leaving himself refreshed and spotless. Then he strolled over to stand one zhang away from Min Longyu. Under the man’s hopeful gaze, Luo Chen asked flatly, "You came for the Foundation Establishment pill?" Min Longyu nodded eagerly. Ever since Sima Huiniang bid for the pill, he had assumed it would be given to him. But she had deferred the decision to Luo Chen, claiming it was up to the president once he came out of seclusion. Thus, he had waited until Luo Chen came out of seclusion... only to learn that the pill had already been awarded to Sima Huiniang the day before. She had even told him to speak to Luo Chen himself. And here he was for the Great Dao, for Foundation Establishment. Luo Chen looked at him calmly. "You don’t need to worry. I swore an oath, and I will find you Foundation Establishment spirit medicine within three years. I’m not the kind of person who breaks promises. But I truly doubt your determination to reach Foundation Establishment." Min Longyu was stunned, and he declared firmly, "My will to establish a foundation is firm. Heaven and earth can bear witness!" "Really?" Luo Chen looked at him with a half-smile. "When faced with life and the Great Dao, are you certain you’ll press forward without a trace of hesitation?" Before Min Longyu could respond, a pill the size of a longan fruit appeared, held between Luo Chen's index and middle fingers. Luo Chen spoke softly, his voice laced with an almost enchanting persuasion, and without Min Longyu noticing, threads of spirit consciousness surreptitiously slipped into his mind. "This is the Foundation Establishment pill you wanted. I’ve obtained it for you, but I feel like you're not quite worthy. A miracle pill shouldn’t be wasted on you. Rather than wait for you to fail and injure yourself, I might as well destroy it now, so you don’t suffer worse." As he spoke, his fingers slowly applied pressure, and cracks began forming along the pill’s surface. Seeing this, Min Longyu’s eyes turned bloodshot. "No! Don’t! You can’t do this..." Instinctively, he stepped forward with difficulty, and his hand reached out involuntarily toward Luo Chen. “You’d really strike at me for this?” Luo Chen asked coldly. “Have you thought this through? I’m a Foundation Establishment Initiate. Do you understand the consequences?" Min Longyu's steps instantly grew unbearably heavy. He couldn’t do it! As the pill in Luo Chen’s fingers began to crack, his raised hand faltered and dropped. His eyes shut tight in agony as a torrent of memories surged from the depths of his mind, vivid and merciless. In Gaoling Plains, beneath the stone forest, Min Longyu sat cross-legged with a smug expression on his face. That Luo Chen isn’t of the mundane world. Wang Haichao and the others might not even be his match. Even if I help them kill everyone in the Luo Tian Society, what does it benefit me? Rather than make a powerful enemy, I’ll remain neutral and let them go. I’ll wait for the Foundation Establishment trial to end. Even if Wang Haichao questions me, I can handle it. If Luo Chen wins, I can use this as merit to join him. With his magnanimity, he’ll surely accept me! Besides, Wang Haichao might not even keep his word and get me the Foundation Establishment pill. Zhou Qing stood in the clouds above Dahe Market, along the Lancang River, gazing down at Min Longyu. "The Lianyun Trade Alliance has issued an urgent call. I must return. Min Longyu, will you come with me?" Min Longyu hesitated, then shook his head. "No, I don’t think so." “Think it over. The Lianyun Trade Alliance won't be stingy for just one or two Foundation Establishment pills. If you perform great feats in this battle with your formation mastery, I will personally request a Foundation Establishment pill for you.” Zhou Qing seemed reluctant to let him go. But unfortunately, Min Longyu still refused. Zhou Qing could only leave with his people, regretfully. After they left, Min Longyu let out a contemptuous laugh. “The Lianyun Trade Alliance can’t even protect itself. Why should I wade into that mess? Foundation Establishment pill? I’d love to have one, but I’d like to live to enjoy it too!” Scene after scene replayed. With his mastery of formations, Min Longyu had managed to thrive in the cultivation world. Over the years, he had come across opportunities to obtain Foundation Establishment pills three or four times. But every time, for one reason or another, he had chosen not to risk his life and ultimately missed the chance. Luo Chen didn’t know what was going through his mind now. He only knew that in his Divine Ghost Heartmirror simulation, Min Longyu’s first attempt at Foundation Establishment failed! The Divine Ghost Heartmirror simulation wasn’t a prophetic treasure that could foretell the future. Luo Chen wouldn’t overly depend on its simulated outcomes. But he knew clearly that this treasure’s simulations were based on his own experiences and extrapolations built on his memory and judgments about people and things he knew. In other words, he believed Min Longyu’s first attempt at Foundation Establishment was highly likely to fail in real life, too. It was odd. Min Longyu had prepared for Foundation Establishment for many years, and his preparations were no less thorough than Luo Chen’s own. And yet, Luo Chen just felt that he might fail. Perhaps it was because he lacked true confidence, like what Luo Chen had seen in Duan Feng’s attempt at Foundation Establishment. Or maybe being too prepared had made him overly cautious. As the saying goes, the older the fox, the smaller the courage. So many years of relentless striving had eroded Min Longyu’s brave and forward-pressing heart. He couldn’t do what Luo Chen had done back then, rising against all odds, forging a path of survival even when surrounded by malicious eyes and hidden dangers. Even if a Foundation Establishment Initiate blocked his path, Luo Chen would still dare to challenge them head-on! Luo Chen didn’t want to give him a precious Foundation Establishment pill only to hear him say, “I hesitated.” So, drawing on what he had learned from Miao Wen and the Divine Ghost Heartmirror, Luo Chen quietly invoked the Soul-Intimidation, not as an overt technique, but as a calculated probe. His externalized spirit consciousness allowed him to bypass the usual method of channeling it through his gaze. It descended in absolute silence. Against someone whose cultivation was lower, it could be devastating to slip past their mental defenses, catching them entirely off guard. And now, standing just one zhang away, Luo Chen pressed forward with his voice, low and cold. "Once again, a Foundation Establishment pill lies before you," he said. "Are you still going to back down? What is truly in your heart?" Under those deep, unfathomable eyes, Min Longyu’s body trembled. His expression contorted, as if something long buried had been dragged back into the light. In his memory, beneath the towering cliffs of Danxia Peak... An elder held the young Min Longyu’s hand, staring up at the towering mountain peak. "This is Danxia Peak, the ancestral land of our Min family at its most glorious. Longyu, you are the most gifted of our family. One day, you must achieve Foundation Establishment and lead the Min family back to Danxia Peak." Min Longyu lifted his head, eyes wide. "Grandfather, I will reach the Foundation Establishment, and I will definitely lead the Min family back to Danxia Peak!" Time flew by, and decades passed. The Min family dwindled, its members scattered, never again regaining their former glory. Min Longyu, now a cultivator at the ninth stage of Qi Refinement, once stood atop a quiet ridge, watching the mortal remnants of his family living in a makeshift valley camp. His gaze was filled with pain. In the end, he turned and left. "For the family, I must reach Foundation Establishment, but for Foundation Establishment, I must abandon the family. Wait for me!" And so the wait stretched on for ten years. When he returned to Tianlan Immortal City, the mortal members of the Min family were long gone. Without a cultivator’s protection, they could never have survived near the city. With a heavy heart, Min Longyu, under Luo Chen’s guidance, returned once more to Danxia Peak. I haven’t achieved Foundation Establishment, but I did come back. So, does that mean I fulfilled my childhood vow? Such is the unpredictability of life. Yet a voice echoed within his chest. "I still haven’t achieved Foundation Establishment!" The morning wind swept through the mountains, whispering through the trees and mountain streams. Min Longyu’s eyes snapped open. He extended his hand decisively. The longan-sized pill shattered between Luo Chen’s fingers. Its fragments crumbled into powder and were scattered by the wind. Luo Chen flicked his hand, letting the last specks fall to the earth. He looked at Min Longyu with a faint, unreadable smile. "Such boldness," he said lightly. "To raise your hand against me. Have you forgotten the oath you swore, that you would never betray me?" The outstretched hand froze in midair. Min Longyu’s eyes filled with pain, but his whole being seemed transformed, and his expression was now resolute. "Luo Chen, it was you who broke the promise first. How could you accuse me of breaking an oath!" For a heartbeat, silence reigned. Then, Luo Chen burst into laughter. His laughter was clear and untainted by any sinister undertone. Min Longyu was stunned. "Alright then. I believe in your determination for the Foundation Establishment now. You even dared to strike a Foundation Establishment Initiate, tsk tsk." As Min Longyu stood dumbfounded, Luo Chen flipped his wrist. A jade box appeared in his hand. "This is your Foundation Establishment pill," he said coolly. "After your breakthrough, go find Sima Huiniang and settle the remaining five thousand spirit stones." Min Longyu stared at the jade box in a daze, his chest rising and falling with each breath. Emotions surged within him like crashing waves, threatening to overwhelm his composure. What was Luo Chen up to just now? Bored and messing around? That can't be! He was never the prankster type. Every action he takes, whether or not it seems meaningful, is always targeted and deliberate. A heart set on Foundation Establishment… a heart set on the Great Dao… Slowly, Min Longyu began to realize what was going on. What Luo Chen had just tested wasn’t his strength, and it wasn’t his obedience. It was his resolve. When Min Longyu finally opened his mouth, there was a tightness in his throat that made his voice quiver. "President…" Yet Luo Chen didn’t respond. He tilted his head slightly, rolling his neck as though working out some tension, and his gaze never met Min Longyu’s. "You probably haven’t yet rented a second-tier cave residence for your breakthrough. I’ll be moving out soon, but this cave residence still has two months left on the lease. He glanced back briefly, voice steady but distant. "Take the next couple of days to pack up and get familiar with the environment. You’ll be using this cave residence for your seclusion."