Sixth Layer of Foundation Establishment

Hao Nhien did not explain further. The Ark's Cave Dwelling form opened within the stone cave, and a faint doorway of light appeared beside the wall.

The moment Luu Thanh saw the entrance, his eyes lit up.

"Clan Head, can I..."

"No."

Hao Nhien answered immediately.

Luu Thanh fell silent for a moment, then coughed lightly.

"Actually, I was only going to ask whether you needed someone inside to tend the fire."

"You stay outside and watch the Black Horses, the cave entrance, and the sandstorm. If the sand buries our way out, then we'll really have a problem."

Luu Thanh immediately became serious.

"Understood."

Then he muttered under his breath:

"Still feels like a bit of a shame."

Lanh Hoa turned to look at him.

Luu Thanh immediately lowered his head and went back to turning the meat skewers beside the fire, as though he had never intended anything else from the beginning.

Hao Nhien led Lanh Hoa into the Cave Dwelling.

The howling wind outside the cave immediately seemed to recede into the distance. The space within remained familiar, but after absorbing the enormous amount of spiritual qi at the Heavenly Spirit Merchant Association, the Wood-attributed spiritual qi had clearly become much denser than before. Gentle currents of spiritual qi flowed around them. They could not directly suppress the vicious aura within the beast core, but they did make it easier for Lanh Hoa to keep his meridians and breathing stable.

For a period of comprehension that might last several days, an environment like this was already a tremendous advantage.

Lanh Hoa sat cross-legged, holding the beast core before his chest with both hands.

Hao Nhien sat several steps away.

"Remember one thing."

Lanh Hoa opened his eyes and looked at him.

"Don't treat the power inside that core as something you must swallow into your body. The first thing you need to do is understand how the Fire power inside it circulates."

Hao Nhien pointed at the beast core.

"The Sand Fox King used this power for who knows how many years. Every hunt, every battle, every eruption of Fire power left traces within the core. You don't need to imitate the beast, and you certainly don't need to force yourself onto its path. Just look for whatever inside it suits you."

Lanh Hoa nodded.

Hao Nhien continued:

"The vicious aura left behind may affect your state of mind, but it isn't a living soul. If you feel the beast's killing intent or battle instincts beginning to destabilize your aura, stop absorbing immediately and return to observing it. Don't try to overpower it."

Lanh Hoa looked down at the beast core in his hands.

"This subordinate understands."

Hao Nhien said nothing more.

Lanh Hoa closed his eyes. The Fire-attributed spiritual power within his body slowly flowed into the beast core.

At first, there was no obvious change. Only after several dozen breaths did the red-gold threads of light inside the core begin moving faster. A thin layer of heat spread around Lanh Hoa's hands, causing the nearby air to ripple faintly.

Hao Nhien expanded his spiritual awareness.

He did not use it to intrude upon Lanh Hoa's comprehension. He only monitored the fluctuations of spiritual power, blood and qi, and the condition of his meridians from the outside. If Lanh Hoa's aura truly slipped out of control, Hao Nhien would immediately sever the process before any serious injury could occur.

Time passed slowly.

One shichen, then two.

Only when the light outside the Cave Dwelling had begun to change did the aura around Lanh Hoa finally start fluctuating more violently.

At first, he tried to use his own spiritual power to suppress the Fire power within the beast core. The two forces repeatedly collided, causing the meridians along both arms to stand out beneath his skin. His previously steady breathing gradually grew heavier as well.

Hao Nhien observed for a while longer before speaking.

"Don't force it."

Lanh Hoa did not open his eyes.

"You're trying to make the Sand Fox King's power follow your method by force. That will only make the two sides resist each other."

Hao Nhien watched the rhythm of light brightening and dimming within the core.

"Observe first. See where it compresses its power, where it releases it, when the Fire power gathers, and when it erupts. Only then decide what is worth taking."

Lanh Hoa's breathing gradually slowed.

He stopped trying to suppress the current of Fire power.

At first, the red-gold threads within the beast core seemed chaotic, but after observing them for a long time, Lanh Hoa gradually realized that their movement was not entirely random. The Fire power repeatedly gathered at several points within the core, compressed itself for a brief instant, and only then erupted in waves.

That was also how the Sand Fox King had once used its strength in battle.

It had not maintained its power at the highest level at all times. Instead, it accumulated strength while moving and waited for the right moment before erupting with everything at once.

Lanh Hoa's own style had always been extremely direct. Every saber strike was solid, heavy, and powerful, but because of that, his spiritual power was often released too evenly. He did not lack strength. What he lacked was a transition between accumulation and eruption.

After several hours, his breathing began to change.

His spiritual power no longer flowed continuously outward. Instead, it gradually withdrew into his meridians. Each time the current passed through his arms, it condensed briefly before continuing onward.

Hao Nhien noticed the change.

He said nothing more.

This was no longer something that needed guidance from someone beside him.

Lanh Hoa had to walk the rest of the path himself.

By the end of the first day, his aura showed no sign of breaking through, but his condition had become much more stable.

Hao Nhien waited several more shichen. Once he confirmed that Lanh Hoa was no longer fighting against the power inside the core and that his meridians showed no signs of damage, he finally rose and left the Cave Dwelling.

Luu Thanh was sitting outside the cave. The moment he saw Hao Nhien emerge, he turned his head.

"How is it, Clan Head?"

"Too early to tell."

Hao Nhien sat down beside the fire.

"But at least he's moving in the right direction."

Luu Thanh looked toward the entrance of the Cave Dwelling for a while.

"So we just leave Uncle Lanh inside?"

"Yes. We can't go anywhere while the sandstorm lasts anyway. Since we have the time, let him comprehend it slowly."

Luu Thanh nodded.

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For the next two days, the sandstorm showed no sign of stopping.

From time to time, Hao Nhien entered the Cave Dwelling to check on Lanh Hoa. For the most part, he remained in the same seated position, but the aura around him became increasingly condensed. The beast core in his hands also gradually lost its original brightness.

By the third day, a small crack had appeared across its surface.

This time, Hao Nhien stayed longer.

Lanh Hoa's spiritual power had already reached a state close to overflowing. His accumulation at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment had been deep enough for years. What he had lacked was simply something that could let him see how to take the next step. Comprehending the beast core did not directly push his cultivation upward, but it allowed the Fire power within his meridians to circulate according to a new rhythm, one that was more condensed and more efficient.

Once the way his power circulated changed, the bottleneck that had once seemed so thick began to fluctuate.

A faint crack came from the beast core in Lanh Hoa's hands.

Another fracture appeared.

The remaining Fire power spilled out from the core.

This time, Lanh Hoa did not absorb all of it. He guided only the portion compatible with himself into his meridians, ignored the more chaotic fluctuations, and slowly merged the suitable energy into his own spiritual power.

His aura at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment rose and fell repeatedly.

With each circulation, the fluctuations around him grew slightly stronger.

Hao Nhien watched for a long time.

Only after confirming that Lanh Hoa's meridians remained stable did he finally relax.

What was happening now was no longer the beast core pulling Lanh Hoa along.

It was Lanh Hoa's own years of accumulation using this opportunity to break through the bottleneck.

By the afternoon of the following day, the yellow sand covering the outside world had finally begun to thin.

The violent roar of the wind gradually weakened into long whistles passing through the gaps in the rocks. Sand still pattered down from the cave entrance, but light had begun to appear outside.

Hao Nhien stepped out of the shelter.

The desert had nearly changed shape after the great storm. Some old dunes had disappeared, while new stretches of sand had formed over places that had once been flat ground. Farther away, dark stone outcrops stood clearly beneath a sky still veiled by a thin layer of yellow dust.

Luu Thanh sat near the cave entrance, holding a dry twig and idly stirring the nearly dead embers.

Hao Nhien observed the outside for a while before speaking.

"Luu Thanh."

The young man immediately looked up.

"The storm has weakened. Go around this mountain range and take a look."

Luu Thanh rose.

"Scout the route?"

"And gather information."

Hao Nhien looked toward the rocky gaps outside.

"A storm this large probably drove other groups into these mountains for shelter as well. If you meet anyone, ask whether anything has changed in the Western Wastes recently, especially anything involving the Heavenly Eye."

He looked at Luu Thanh.

"Stay around this area and don't go too far. Don't act rashly, and don't reveal who we are."

Luu Thanh nodded.

"Understood. I'll make a round and come back."

He slung his bow across his back and quickly left the cave. His figure disappeared behind the dark gray rocks, leaving only a few shallow footprints across the fresh sand.

Hao Nhien remained near the cave entrance for a while longer.

About half a shichen later, he felt a distinct fluctuation from within the Cave Dwelling.

It was not violent, but it was highly condensed.

Hao Nhien turned his head.

A wave of Fire-attributed spiritual power was continuously rising from within.

The aura fluctuated strongly for only a short time before suddenly drawing inward, like flames that had once spread in every direction being compressed into a sealed furnace.

A short while later, the Cave Dwelling's entrance opened.

Lanh Hoa stepped out.

The middle-aged man still wore the same old desert battle clothes, and the scars across his face had not changed, but the aura around him was clearly different. His spiritual power had not merely increased in quantity. It was denser, and the heat around his body had become deeper and more stable.

Sixth layer of Foundation Establishment.

Hao Nhien studied him for a moment before smiling faintly.

"You did it."

Lanh Hoa walked over to him and raised his right hand.

A dark-red flame appeared in his palm.

It was not large and did not flare high, but its shape was far more stable than before. The Fire power had been compressed into a very small area, with currents of spiritual power rotating evenly within it instead of releasing heat chaotically into the surroundings.

Lanh Hoa studied the flame for several breaths before extinguishing it.

Then he dropped to one knee.

"Clan Head."

His voice was hoarser than usual.

"This subordinate has successfully entered the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment. The way Fire power circulated within the beast core also allowed me to deepen my understanding of my own affinity."

He lowered his head deeply.

"If not for what Clan Head said that day, this subordinate might still believe the fifth layer was already close to my limit."

Hao Nhien stepped forward and helped him up.

"You succeeded because of your own accumulation. The beast core only showed you another path."

Lanh Hoa rose to his feet. His hand clenched once before relaxing again.

Hao Nhien looked at the middle-aged man before him.

"The sixth layer of Foundation Establishment is a major step, but it still isn't the end. Keep moving forward. Whether you move quickly or slowly matters less than whether you continue walking."

Lanh Hoa nodded.

"This subordinate understands."

He paused before continuing.

"From now on, I'll try to go farther, so I'll still have enough strength to follow Clan Head and protect the remaining people of the Fire Qilin Tribe."

Hao Nhien gave a slight nod.

Then he reached into his storage ring.

An ancient sword appeared.

It was one of the usable weapons he had obtained from the hidden chamber of the Heavenly Spirit Merchant Association. The sword was slightly longer than the Tieu Dao Sword, with a somewhat broader blade and a dark reddish-brown body. Several Fire runes along the spine were still relatively intact.

Hao Nhien had already tested spiritual power with these swords while resting. The weapon before him did not suit his style as well as the Fire Spirit Sword, but it was quite compatible with Lanh Hoa's Fire affinity and direct combat style.

He held the sword out.

"Try it."

Lanh Hoa looked at the sword, then at Hao Nhien.

"Clan Head?"

"Of the weapons I obtained, this one still has relatively intact Fire runes. It suits your fighting style."

Hao Nhien pushed the hilt toward him.

"Consider it a gift to celebrate your breakthrough."

Lanh Hoa did not accept it immediately.

"An ancient weapon like this..."

"If it stays in my storage ring, it'll only sit there."

Hao Nhien looked at him.

"It has value only if someone can use it."

Lanh Hoa remained silent for a moment before accepting the sword with both hands.

The instant his Fire-attributed spiritual power entered the hilt, the reddish-brown patterns across the blade lit up one after another. There was no great phenomenon, but the Fire power clearly flowed through the sword more smoothly than it would through an ordinary weapon.

Lanh Hoa stepped toward the cave entrance, sent a portion of his spiritual power into the blade, and slashed at a large rock beside the wall.

A heavy sound rang out.

The blade cut more than half a chi into the stone, and cracks immediately spread to either side. The rock around the cut darkened from the heat, while several small fragments dropped onto the sand.

Lanh Hoa withdrew the sword. His expression clearly changed.

"Clan Head, this sword..."

"From today onward, it's yours."

Hao Nhien cut him off before he could refuse again.

"Don't worry about its value. Just use it well."

Lanh Hoa looked at the sword for another moment before clasping his hands deeply.

"Many thanks, Clan Head."

This time, he did not continue being polite.

He carefully secured the sword across his back. His movements were slightly slower than usual, enough for Hao Nhien to see how much he truly valued the new weapon.

The two of them stepped out of the cave together.

The sky after the storm had become brighter. The evening wind blew gently across the sand, and distant mountain ranges gradually came back into view beneath the thin veil of dust.

Both men looked southwest.

That was where the Fire Qilin Tribe lay.

Not long afterward, a sharp whistle came from beyond the rocky ridge.

A figure quickly leaped across several jagged stones and ran toward the cave.

Luu Thanh had returned.

His robe was covered in sand, but his aura remained steady. The moment he saw Hao Nhien and Lanh Hoa standing outside the cave, he hurried over.

"Clan Head."

He clasped his hands toward Hao Nhien, then turned to Lanh Hoa.

His gaze immediately stopped.

Luu Thanh observed the aura around Lanh Hoa for a moment, then looked at the new sword on his back.

"Uncle Lanh, it looks like quite a lot happened in the cave while I was gone."

Lanh Hoa nodded.

"I broke through."

Luu Thanh laughed.

"Sixth layer of Foundation Establishment?"

"Yes."

"Congratulations, Uncle Lanh."

Luu Thanh looked at the sword on his back.

"And you even got a new weapon. If anyone says Uncle Lanh only knows how to put brute force behind a straight slash from now on, I'll definitely..."

Lanh Hoa glanced at him.

Luu Thanh paused for half a beat before correcting himself.

"...definitely say that even a straight slash has its own reasoning."

Hao Nhien burst out laughing.

Then he looked at the bow on Luu Thanh's back.

"You have a Wind affinity. If you encounter an opportunity suited to you in the future, pay attention to it yourself. If I come across something that suits you, I won't keep it from you."

Luu Thanh paused.

The smile on his face softened slightly.

"Yes, Clan Head."

This time, he made no joke and simply nodded firmly.

Then his expression quickly turned serious.

"I have news."

Hao Nhien looked at him.

"Speak."

"There really are quite a few people sheltering from the storm around this mountain range. I met three groups, all from smaller tribes. They're heading to the same place."

Luu Thanh looked southwest.

"Heavenly Eye Forward City."

Lanh Hoa's gaze immediately turned colder.

Luu Thanh continued.

"It's not Heavenly Eye City deeper inside their territory. It's a newly built forward city. According to the people I met, most tribes that want to enter the area controlled by the Heavenly Eye have to pass through there first. New arrivals have their backgrounds registered, their population counted, housing assigned, and their young people assessed for combat ability."

Hao Nhien remembered what Cat Thanh had told him.

"How far?"

"About two days if we continue in our current direction. It isn't directly on the route back to the Fire Qilin Tribe, but it's only about half a day's detour. If we keep heading southwest, even if we don't enter the city, we'll still pass through the area under its influence."

Hao Nhien thought for a while before speaking.

"We'll stop there."

Lanh Hoa frowned slightly.

Hao Nhien looked at both men.

"We need to know what the Heavenly Eye is doing. We also need to see whether we can find any traces of Duong Long or other Fire Qilin members operating there."

Lanh Hoa nodded.

"This subordinate understands."

Hao Nhien continued.

"Once we get close to the Forward City, neither of you calls me Clan Head. Don't mention the Fire Qilin Tribe or the Sand Thunder Tribe. We're just three wandering beast hunters whose route was disrupted by the sandstorm, stopping at the city to replenish water and ask for directions."

Luu Thanh looked at Lanh Hoa, then at Hao Nhien.

"Three wandering beast hunters should be easy enough."

Hao Nhien looked at him.

"You're the one I'm most worried about."

Luu Thanh immediately straightened.

"Once we're near the city, I'll talk less."

Lanh Hoa replied flatly:

"Difficult."

Luu Thanh turned toward him.

"Uncle Lanh, you just reached the sixth layer and you're already using your cultivation to bully people?"

Lanh Hoa did not answer.

Hao Nhien shook his head with a smile, then turned back into the cave to gather the few remaining things.

Before long, the three men led their Black Horses out of the shelter.

The sandstorm had passed, but the marks it left behind stretched across the desert. New dunes covered old routes, and the evening wind continuously reshaped the surface of the sand.

The three Black Horses turned southwest.

Somewhere about two days away, Heavenly Eye Forward City was waiting ahead.