Gateway of Immortality

Upon hearing Sect Leader Yu’s command, Qin Sang dared not hesitate. He quickly opened his mouth wide and swallowed the dragon pearl. Then, he immediately sat cross-legged, calming his mind and entering a meditative state.

Once the dragon pearl entered his stomach, a crimson glow surged from Qin Sang’s body. He resembled a cooked prawn, his entire body turning red as his flesh and blood radiated intense heat, making the air inside the cave dwelling hot and stifling.

As time passed, the red glow around him grew even more intense, and the air inside the cave seemed to ripple from the rising temperature.

The features on Qin Sang’s face gradually twisted, as if he were enduring unimaginable pain. Beads of sweat the size of pearls formed on his forehead, streaming down like rain, wetting the ground around him.

Sect Leader Yu stood to the side, watching coldly, showing no intention of intervening.

The pain inside Qin Sang's body grew more excruciating, to the point where his body began trembling uncontrollably, making it difficult for him to maintain his cross-legged posture. Still, he kept his eyes tightly shut, clenching his teeth, determined to hold on.

Boom!

A muffled sound rang out, and a part of Qin Sang’s arm suddenly burst open, flesh torn apart. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that his meridians had ruptured. A flash of red light passed through, as the medicinal energy of the Dragon Ginseng surged out like a rainbow.

At the same time, black impurities began oozing from Qin Sang's skin, but they were immediately scorched by the intense heat, hardening on the surface of his body.

For a disciple at the Qi Refining Realm, the medicinal energy of the Dragon Ginseng was still too potent. Normally, one would consume only a small amount of its green liquid at a time, slowly refining it to temper the body, cleanse the impurities, and improve one’s constitution. Only after the body had adapted to the Dragon Ginseng’s power could they attempt to consume the dragon pearl and break through.

However, the Spiritual Infant grandmaster was in a hurry, and Sect Leader Yu didn’t dare delay. Thus, he decided to refine the entire herb and let Qin Sang consume it all at once. If Qin Sang could master the Sutra of the Profound Jade Cauldron, surely he could endure this level of pain, right?

Moreover, with his personal supervision, no major mishaps would occur.

Soon, a series of loud bangs echoed through the cave.

Qin Sang’s body was riddled with wounds, but each time Sect Leader Yu intervened just in time, using nearly half a bottle of spiritual healing liquid to help Qin Sang endure this ordeal.

Qin Sang, on the other hand, felt as if he had been thrown into a furnace. It was as if his flesh, blood, and marrow were being scraped away by sharp blades, then seared by intense flames, scorching him both inside and out.

Only the occasional cool sensation from the spiritual liquid dripped on his body offered him a brief moment of relief.

Endure!

This was his only chance in this lifetime. If he gave up halfway because he couldn’t bear the pain, he knew he would never forgive himself.

Finally, no more impurities seeped from Qin Sang's body. The crimson light gradually dimmed and receded into his body. Just as it was about to disappear completely, Sect Leader Yu directed the remaining medicinal energy into Qin Sang’s body, repeating the process once more.

Perhaps he had become numb to the pain, as Qin Sang’s expression remained calm. Only when his meridians shattered did his body twitch slightly, and even then, the spasms grew smaller with each rupture.

At last, Qin Sang’s body completely stabilized. His breathing became slow and steady, as if he were simply in his usual state of cultivation.

Sect Leader Yu suddenly flashed to Qin Sang’s side, sprinkling the remaining spiritual liquid over him. With a wave of spiritual power, he directed the energy throughout Qin Sang’s body, ensuring that even his hidden injuries were fully healed.

Seeing that Qin Sang's condition had finally stabilized, Sect Leader Yu nodded in satisfaction. Without a word, he pushed open the door of the cave dwelling and stepped outside.

Turning back to glance at the cave dwelling, Sect Leader Yu's face revealed a trace of envy—not toward Qin Sang, but toward Sage Mawu.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Having a strong backing truly made all the difference. Even a furnace cauldron’s breakthrough was blessed with a Spiritual Infant grandmaster’s gift of Dragon Ginseng, with someone like him, the sect leader, serving as a protector.

Sect Leader Yu sighed, feeling a pang of sorrow, before he mounted his sword and flew away.

…

One month later.

After a whole month of silence, a burst of eerie laughter suddenly echoed within the cave dwelling. It started quietly, but in the pitch-black darkness, it sounded especially sinister.

The laughter grew louder and louder, escalating into uncontrollable, maniacal laughter.

The person inside the cave dwelling seemed to have lost their mind, laughing so hard they could hardly catch their breath. Tears and snot flew everywhere as they bent over, unable to stand upright, finally stopping only after breaking into a fit of coughing.

There was a rustling sound.

A luminous pearl lit up the cave dwelling, revealing Qin Sang, who climbed up from the ground and donned a brand-new robe. His eyes were exceptionally bright.

Finally.

I have successfully reached the Foundation Building Realm!

Qin Sang used his inner vision to examine himself. The most noticeable change was in his Qihai. During the breakthrough process, the spiritual power within his Qihai, which had originally been in a gaseous state, had thickened and eventually liquefied at the moment of his success.

Then, like a black hole, Qin Sang's body frantically absorbed the spiritual power from the cave dwelling. In the top-grade cave dwelling on Shaohua Mountain, the spiritual power continuously poured into him, filling his Qihai once more before finally coming to a halt.

The quantity and quality of spiritual power within him were leagues beyond what they had been during the Qi Refining Realm—like night and day.

Another significant change was that his primordial spirit had become more solid, and his spiritual consciousness had grown stronger. Not only did his perception range increase several fold compared to when he was in the Qi Refining Realm, but now his spiritual consciousness could leave his body without relying on external objects. Against weaker barriers, he could even break through them purely with his spiritual consciousness.

No longer would he need to clumsily use the Qi Perception Technique. A simple sweep of his spiritual consciousness was enough to detect the fluctuations of spiritual power in others and discern their cultivation level.

In short, the benefits were boundless.

“Come forth!”

With a low shout, a dark light flashed, and the ebony sword hovered before Qin Sang, trembling slightly, as if congratulating its master on his successful breakthrough.

Feeling overjoyed, Qin Sang activated the Zhixuan Sword Art. A flash of green light appeared, and the ebony sword danced in mid-air, eventually transforming into a vibrant green lotus, which lingered for a while before dissipating.

After all this, Qin Sang realized that only a small portion of the spiritual power in his Qihai had been consumed. It was still full, and from now on, he wouldn’t need to be so cautious about conserving his sword qi.

However, his mastery of the sword was still lacking. He hadn’t yet reached the point where he could transform sword qi into a rainbow or fly with his sword.

After thoroughly enjoying himself, Qin Sang finally calmed his inner excitement.

Once he regained his composure, Qin Sang was forced to return to reality. The smile on his face and the excitement in his eyes faded. Everything he had gained came from the deal he had made to become a furnace cauldron.

He had accepted the benefits from powerful members of his sect, and there was no backing out of the agreement. Not only did he have to fulfill his role, but he had to do it well to ensure their satisfaction.

Qin Sang didn’t rush to inform Sect Leader Yu about his successful Foundation Building breakthrough. After a brief period of rest, he immediately began cultivating the Sutra of the Profound Jade Cauldron. He was only one step away—once the Jade Cauldron took shape and the Jade Liquid filled it, his cultivation would be complete.

He had long since prepared himself mentally for his role as a cauldron.

…

Sect Leader Peak’s great hall.

Sect Leader Yu was discussing sect affairs with several Foundation Building Realm stewards when a Sound Transmission Talisman suddenly flew into the hall. After reading it, a look of joy spread across Sect Leader Yu’s face. He gave orders to the others to continue with their duties before flying out of the hall on his sword, heading straight for Shaohua Mountain.