Cultivation: I Can Steal Lifespan from Spirit Beasts

Chapter 143: Foundation Establishment

“This…”

Wang Ba couldn’t help but look up at Bai Yu, stunned.

Bai Yu avoided his gaze, pouring himself another bowl of wine as he spoke casually.

“Elder Lu said the materials given to you are extremely precious. For a Qi Refining cultivator to use them… well, anyone would feel the heartache of waste. It is better to simply give you a chance to reach Foundation Establishment so you can utilize these resources properly.”

“But the warning stands: if there are no results… you do not want to experience the methods of the Blood Bone Path or the Profound Puppet Path.”

“Yes, Wang Ba understands! I will definitely not disappoint Senior Bai and Elder Lu,” Wang Ba said, bowing his head respectfully.

“Alright, take it and keep it safe. You’re lucky there aren’t many people in the Sect skilled at raising Spirit Poultry; otherwise, this opportunity would never have fallen to you.”

“Yes, yes. It is also thanks to Senior’s care.”

The atmosphere quickly returned to the casual rhythm of drinking.

Due to the matters of Spirit Poultry cultivation and the Black Crystal Peach Spirit Wine, Bai Yu had visited many times, and the two had become familiar over the years. With fine wine as company, they chatted idly.

However, it was mostly Bai Yu talking while Wang Ba listened, occasionally interjecting with a question.

“What a pity,” Bai Yu sighed suddenly. “The peace at the Eastern Sage Outpost probably won’t last much longer.”

Wang Ba’s heart stirred. “What is the reason for this?”

“The Incense Path outside is relentless, and the remnants of the Eastern Sage Sect show themselves from time to time. Everyone in the Sect has their own concerns and rivalries, so the outpost here has been stagnant for years.”

“However… now that Elder Lu has succeeded and left seclusion, he will naturally use the Incense Path to establish his authority,” Bai Yu explained.

Wang Ba understood immediately. A sense of regret filled him; it seemed the quiet days were truly coming to an end.

“Of course, you don’t need to worry. Even if there are mandatory tasks or conscriptions, they have nothing to do with you now. Your primary task remains cultivating Spirit Poultry.”

Seeing Wang Ba’s concern, Bai Yu offered reassurance.

Wang Ba relaxed slightly. The fact that Lu Yuansheng had specifically gifted him a Foundation Establishment Pill suggested he was valued. Lu likely wouldn’t send him to his death needlessly.

However, recalling Lu Yuansheng’s fickle personality and ruthless methods, Wang Ba couldn’t help but doubt his own conclusion. If it were anyone else, he might have confidence, but with Lu Yuansheng, nothing was certain.

Still, to be honest, if the man wanted to harm him, there was no need to tamper with a pill.

After finishing the wine and running out of topics, Bai Yu gave instructions on the precautions for using the Foundation Establishment Pill and leisurely departed.

Only then did Bu Chan bring over the dishes.

Approaching thirty, she was like a ripe spirit berry—lush, vibrant, and bursting with life. Yet, at this moment, her eyes held deep worry.

“Senior Brother, what did he want with you this time?”

“Hehe, it’s a good thing.”

Wang Ba smiled and pushed the box containing the Foundation Establishment Pill toward her.

Bu Chan opened it, and shock flashed through her beautiful eyes.

“This… is a Foundation Establishment Pill?!”

“Mm. Counting the one that kid Shen Fu gave us, we have exactly enough for one each.”

Wang Ba stated his plan matter-of-factly.

Hearing this, Bu Chan didn’t hesitate. She shook her head firmly. “If Senior Brother is going to attempt the Foundation Establishment barrier, it is best to take both pills.”

“Hehe, no need. Do you not trust me? One is enough…”

“If Senior Brother doesn’t want me to worry, then take both,” she interrupted, her gaze steely. “I am only at the seventh layer of Qi Refining. I am still far from Foundation Establishment.”

With the aid of Second-Order spirit plants and an uninterrupted supply of Spirit Poultry essence, Bu Chan’s cultivation had advanced rapidly over the past seven years, despite her average aptitude.

“No need…” Wang Ba waved his hand repeatedly.

He possessed the ability of Lifespan Breakthrough. Moreover, having cultivated for so long without relying on pills, his foundation was solid and pure. In the vast Heavenly Gate Sect, few peers could compare to him.

Using even one Foundation Establishment Pill was already being overly cautious.

But Bu Chan was resolute. “Has Senior Brother not heard that even a lion uses its full strength to catch a rabbit? On the path of cultivation, how can there be the slightest negligence? Moreover, Fellow Daoist Yu’s fate is still fresh in our minds. Has Senior Brother forgotten?”

“That’s different. He suffered from an Inner Demon backlash. I cultivate… mmm…”

Wang Ba couldn’t finish his sentence.

Feeling the softness on his lips, the warmth of her body, and the faint fragrance filling his senses, his startled heart gave way to a surge of impulse.

“I don’t want you to be like Fellow Daoist Yu…” Bu Chan whispered as their lips parted.

“I know.”

Wang Ba swept his sleeve, using Spiritual Energy to deposit the pills into his Storage Bag. Then, he scooped the ripe spirit berry into his arms and carried her toward the bedroom.

“Mmm… but the food isn’t…”

“Not needed. You are what I want to eat most…”

…

The Market. Inside a newly built Top Grade First-Order Cultivation Room.

Wang Ba sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion.

His gaze swept over the Storage Bag brought by Bai Yu once more. The sight of the precious materials inside still filled him with shock.

A whole bag of extremely rare and valuable resources. Among them were Third-Order spirit materials that would make even Golden Core True Persons envious.

These were the materials Wang Ba had requested, ostensibly to cultivate Second-Order Low Grade Spirit Poultry into Middle Grade. In reality, they were intended to help Alpha-Fifteen and Alpha-Sixteen undergo Bloodline Breakthroughs.

Mixed in were treasures to help the Mountain Moving Ape advance again, such as the ‘Third-Order Immortal Jade Monkey Peach’ and ‘Third-Order Formless Immortal.’

This formula came from a Beast Taming cultivator’s notes Wang Ba had acquired. Originally intended for a different ape species, Wang Ba had modified it based on his own knowledge and slipped the ingredients into the list.

He hadn’t expected Bai Yu to approve it all.

No—according to Bai Yu, it was Lu Yuansheng who had nodded.

This gave Wang Ba a clearer understanding of the Heavenly Gate Sect’s determination to cultivate high-grade Spirit Poultry.

However, Wang Ba turned his attention to another Storage Bag.

Inside were two boxes containing Foundation Establishment Pills, along with various supplementary pills to replenish Spiritual Energy.

Despite his confidence, he hadn’t skimped on preparations.

Gradually, he cleared his mind of distracting thoughts. His heart calmed.

Sensing the peak state of his body, he used his weak Divine Sense to guide his Spiritual Energy. No longer restraining it, he allowed the unified energy of the Three Primes to flood his limbs and bones.

Simultaneously, he maximized the room’s Spiritual Qi concentration, his body absorbing the ambient energy greedily.

Unlike most cultivators, Wang Ba’s body had barely touched pills, relying instead on the pure essence of Spirit Poultry daily. Unknowingly, his body had long completed the first step of Foundation Establishment: cleansing the marrow and transforming the meridians.

Thus, after a brief circulation, his physical body had no impurities left to purge and no space to absorb more energy.

Immediately, the Spiritual Energy transformed into waves of gaseous energy, rushing back toward the vortex in his Dantian.

At the same time, the massive influx of external Spiritual Qi was rapidly converted into three streams of Spiritual Energy—green, blue, and yellow—mixing with his own energy and pouring into the vortex.

When his Dantian and physical body could hold no more, Wang Ba acted.

He grasped the Foundation Establishment Pill and his supplementary medicines.

Simultaneously, he summoned the Lifespan Panel and selected an item.

[Consumable Item: Foundation Establishment Bottleneck. Based on comprehensive aptitude and Root Bone, conversion requires 2.4 years.]

He took a deep breath.

[Current Lifespan -2.4 years]

The next second.

He felt the Spiritual Energy in his Dantian begin to rotate at an astonishing speed. The three streams of energy acted like millstones, crushing and grinding the vortex.

A vast amount of Spiritual Energy was drawn into the center.

Finally, his body trembled.

The vortex solidified. Within its center, a drop of liquid Spiritual Energy—tinged blue—slowly condensed.

Soon, more ambient Spiritual Qi was sucked in.

The liquid Spiritual Energy accumulated. Two drops, three drops…

Though they occupied only a corner of his Dantian, these drops seemed to weigh a thousand jun. Wang Ba felt a distinct sense of heaviness in his core.

The second step of Foundation Establishment—Spiritual Energy Purification—was complete.

The rotation slowed, returning to normal. This signaled the end of the Lifespan consumption’s assistance.

Now came the crucial third step.

Using the liquid Spiritual Energy in his Dantian, Wang Ba guided it upward with his strengthening Divine Sense, rushing toward the space between his eyebrows.

This was the seat of the mind and the location of the Yin Spirit Abode.

The moment the drops of Spiritual Energy surged into the Yin Spirit Abode, it fell silent for a heartbeat—then shook violently!

There were no illusions or mental demons, as other cultivators described.

Wang Ba simply felt his mind go blank.

He heard a sound that shook his very soul.

Boom!

The next moment, he looked down.

He saw his own body sitting cross-legged on the cushion below, glowing with brilliant divine light, warm and smooth as jade.

Soul leaving the body!

The third step was a success!

With all three steps completed, Foundation Establishment was achieved.

At this moment, Wang Ba felt no overwhelming joy—only an indescribable sense of release.

He looked back on the past.

For nearly 17 years since stepping onto the path of cultivation as a mortal, he had schemed and struggled just to survive.

He had lived through the fall of the Eastern Sage Sect. He had endured exploitation within the Heavenly Gate Sect.

Though he possessed the ability to transfer Lifespan, a single misstep would have led to eternal damnation.

Walking this path with only average intelligence and aptitude, he had tread on thin ice every step of the way, exhausting every ounce of his ability.

And today.

He had finally established his Foundation!