Time flies like a fleeting horse, and in the blink of an eye, three years have passed swiftly. Many new disciples have joined the sect, their eyes filled with passion and dreams of the future. The sect's grand competition has also given rise to countless new talents, with dark horses emerging one after another, standing tall among their peers. However, there is one disciple who has become a nightmare for many—this person wears a straw hat and leads a black cow spirit beast, a veritable tumor in the grand competition! If one encounters this individual and fails to defeat him in one blow, one must be prepared to engage in a battle of wits for an entire hour. Many watching disciples have found themselves haunted by nightmares at night, their blankets filled with visions of straw hats! Those who faced him lamented their fate, with even some ninth-layer Qi Refining seniors conceding defeat, showcasing his ferocity. Yet, due to the prolonged nature of his battles, he suffers significant physical and mental exhaustion each year, consistently falling short of the top five hundred, much to the dismay of onlookers. However, this is merely the gossip of lower-tier disciples; the real hot topic each year revolves around the top one hundred in the sect's rankings, igniting the ambition of countless disciples. This is also the true purpose of the Wuyun Sect, using inner disciples to stimulate these dark horses, though the ultimate prize for the victor remains unknown—outer disciples certainly cannot claim it. Only through the continuous infusion of fresh blood can the sect ensure its longevity, and each year's grand competition allows many disciples to break through in their battles.
In the Yuzhu Mountain Range, at a low altitude, a person and a cow stealthily approached the sect's main hall, flying at a leisurely pace. "Old cow, a full three thousand contribution points!" Chen Xun licked his lips and whispered. "Moo!" The big black cow stiffened, its body trembling with excitement, wondering how many good things this could be exchanged for. Yet, its expression was somewhat dim; most of these contribution points were earned through Chen Xun's countless injuries. "What are you thinking, old cow? Let's exchange for the Foundation Establishment Dan recipe!" "Moo~" A celestial sword whizzed past them from below; they dared not fly too high, fearing a collision with some elder or high-ranking cultivator, which would lead to dire consequences. Chen Xun had even calculated the safe flying distance.
In the Contribution Hall, there was a high platform that was almost empty, reserved for Foundation Establishment elders, and the recipe for the Foundation Establishment Dan was located there. "Reporting to Master Uncle, I am here to exchange for the Foundation Establishment Dan recipe," Chen Xun said, bowing his head and clasping his hands, handing the Bagua token to a gaunt man on the platform, whose face resembled that of a zombie, with prominent bones jutting out. His expression was cold as he gazed at Chen Xun, a disciple of the eighth layer of Qi Refining, indeed possessing three thousand contribution points. "This recipe is meant for Foundation Establishment cultivators; what use do you have for it? There are no Foundation Establishment spiritual herbs available for exchange within the sect," the gaunt man questioned, his eyes piercing through to the heart, "Even Qi Refining disciples cannot refine it; you better give me a reason." This Foundation Establishment Dan recipe was merely a token gesture by the sect, a fleeting hope for those in Qi Refining, as a clever woman cannot cook without rice.
"To give myself some comfort, I wish to go on the journey to South Dipper Mountain," Chen Xun replied. "Then you cannot exchange contributions for such a useless item," the gaunt man retorted. "Master Uncle may not know, but I was once a loose cultivator. This item is my obsession; seeing it feels like the Foundation Establishment is right before my eyes..." Chen Xun's voice trembled, his bowing head lowering further, as if the tattered straw hat he wore was lamenting the injustice of fate. "Very well," the gaunt man nodded, adding, "But think carefully; the journey to South Dipper Mountain in six months will not be easy." Chen Xun's eyes widened in surprise; this zombie-like Master Uncle turned out to be warm-hearted. He replied solemnly, "I will not regret it." The gaunt man looked deeply at Chen Xun, took out a recipe, and the contribution points in the Bagua token were completely cleared. "Thank you, Master Uncle," Chen Xun said, accepting the token with both hands, turning to lead the big black cow away.
They flew on their swords, quickly returning to the Medicine Valley. The big black cow had even set up traps in many places; if any intruders entered, every detail would change. "Moo~" The big black cow called out to Chen Xun, indicating that no one had come. "Let's go!" Chen Xun's eyes sparkled with joy as he rushed into the cave, hastily taking out the Foundation Establishment Dan recipe. "Heavenly Fruit, Moon Spirit Fruit, Black Rod Flower, Ice Swallow Grass, Cold Spirit Grass..." Chen Xun murmured, his eyes widening with each name, having never heard of or seen most of them, with only a few spiritual herbs being familiar. The Foundation Establishment Dan required a total of twenty-seven auxiliary herbs and three main herbs: Earth Soul Vine, Sun Ginseng Lotus, and Nanmu Leaf. "Moo?" The big black cow leaned in to examine closely, but none of the spiritual herbs were found in their Medicine Valley.
"Foundation Establishment, transforming the dantian into liquid, giving birth to divine consciousness, and endless wonders," Chen Xun sighed, feeling envious, wanting to experience what divine consciousness was like, having heard it was more powerful than the five senses. "Moo?" "If we truly spend a hundred years on Foundation Establishment, the Wuyun Sect will have no place for us." Chen Xun spoke each word deliberately, looking at the big black cow, his gaze firm. "In six months, to the secret realm of South Dipper Mountain, we shall go!" "Moo!" The big black cow rose with a roar, its eyes ignited with fighting spirit. All the cultivation sects in the Qian Kingdom would send disciples; that would be the true battlefield. "We need to go out every day to gather information; we must start preparing," Chen Xun said, as they knew nothing about South Dipper Mountain, not even its location. The man and the cow slowly gazed toward the cave entrance, a hint of murderous intent flickering in their eyes; it seemed this time they were truly ready to take action.
... Six months later, the sound of bells echoed throughout the Wuyun Sect, with figures from various peaks flying on their swords, their expressions cold and resolute as they headed toward the Master Peak. The long-awaited journey to the South Dipper Mountain secret realm, which occurs every twenty years in the Qian Kingdom, was finally about to begin. The elders and disciples from each peak wore hopeful expressions. If they reaped abundant rewards, it would undoubtedly elevate the sect to new heights; many small sects had risen due to the journey to South Dipper Mountain. This year, the number of applicants was exceptionally high, reaching several thousand, but only those ranked in the top two thousand of the sect's grand competition had a chance. Many elders wore gloomy expressions, feeling hopeless. They packed their bags and slowly made their way down the mountain, where numerous markets built by the Wuyun Sect awaited, serving as a place for many cultivators to exchange ideas. The outer sect's affairs hall would assign them positions, waiting for time to pass, ultimately turning into a handful of yellow earth, perhaps never to be remembered by anyone.
However, within the inner sect, an unwritten rule circulated: no inner disciples were allowed to participate in the journey to South Dipper Mountain, as they would receive their Foundation Establishment Dan. In a certain Medicine Valley of the Wuyun Sect, within a cave, the walls were cracked, and the ground was piled with a pit, above which sat a large black pot, continuously emitting thick medicinal vapors. The pit still contained some charcoal, crackling and sizzling, but the cave was now empty. Today, the sky was clear and azure, with no clouds in sight, distant mountains cloaked in shades of blue, and a gentle breeze bringing warmth. Chen Xun and the big black cow walked out of the Medicine Valley with expressionless faces, beginning their flight on swords, heading straight for the Master Peak.