After returning to Guanghan Immortal City, Chen Jinshu quickly purged the poison from her body. The ordeal had also brought unexpected gains, significantly improving her cultivation. Once the issue with the demonic cultivators had been resolved, she took her mother aboard the Nascent Soul elder's spirit ship and returned to the sect.
The first thing she did upon arriving was purchase a courtyard for her mother in the market district. Built upon a branch of the sect's high-grade spiritual vein, the area was rich in spiritual energy. As long as Wu Shuya practiced diligently, there was a strong chance she could one day form her Foundation.
Chen Jinshu even gave her a Foundation Pill. With her family matters settled, her state of mind grew calmer and more focused. Thus began her five-year secluded cultivation.
…
In the blink of an eye, five years passed.
Chen Jinshu was now nearly thirty, though she looked barely any older than when she first entered seclusion. Her cultivation method not only extended her lifespan but also maintained her youthful appearance.
Her lifespan now exceeded that of the average Foundation Establishment cultivator by fifty or sixty years—an advantage earned through years of careful cultivation.
In Ink Plum Garden, the ink plum tree had begun to change, its roots nourished by her music. It was now evolving into a spiritual tree with the potential to develop sentience, though whether it succeeded would depend on its own fate.
Xiao Yin had reached Foundation Establishment four years ago, successfully undergoing a bloodline transformation. Now one-fifth Qingluan, it had been studying inherited racial techniques from the Qingluan sealed within her Phoenix Cry jade pendant.
Chen Jinshu herself had not been idle. She had honed her pill-crafting skills, passing the certification for Upper Grade Tier-Two Alchemists and earning a reputation as a promising young talent within the inner sect.
Each day brought a steady stream of requests for her pills.
The sect had many Foundation Establishment disciples, and most remained at this stage for five or six years. High-grade pills were rare and expensive, but also invaluable for cultivation. Those unable to purchase from the sect would seek private commissions, offering generous compensation and usually surrendering half the successful batch.
Thanks to the Azure Luan's true flame from Xiao Yin, the quality of her pills was excellent, and she was in high demand. However, she maintained her own principles and, like a proper spiritual healer, accepted only one or two commissions each month.
In the bamboo house within her spiritual plant space, Chen Jinshu emerged from a lotus of green spiritual energy. As she sensed the shift in her core, a faint dimple appeared on her cheek.
"Five years… and I've finally reached the peak of Foundation Establishment."
Three years ago, she had discovered a Spirit-Cleansing Herb by chance and used it to purge her Metal spiritual root. Now she was a dual-root cultivator of Fire and Wood.
Even without cleansing that root, her cultivation speed would still have been respectable. Her roots and physique had been refined many times, especially during her time in the Moonlight Pool, where her spiritual roots nearly reached the purity of a single-root cultivator. Her lotus mark had further refined her body over the years.
Still, removing the impure spiritual root had made a tangible difference. She could now better perceive and control Fire and Wood spiritual energies. So it wasn't all that surprising that she reached peak Foundation Establishment in just five years.
Since the destruction of the demonic sect's lair, her senior brothers Zheng Shaosi and Xie Mofeng had both advanced to the Golden Core stage. The remaining senior brothers and sisters were close behind. Chen Jinshu had an edge thanks to her purified roots and planned to form her core within ten years.
"Master is said to emerge from seclusion today. I mustn't be late."
She rose quickly, layering a sheer veil over her deep blue sect robes. The light fabric gave her a more ethereal look, though it was not just for appearance—it was a rare defensive garment she had managed to purchase after much effort. If she ever encountered those venomous insects again, she wouldn't be caught unprepared.
Upon leaving the spiritual plant space, she noticed several transmission slips hovering outside her door.
She collected and examined them one by one.
The first was from her second uncle. He and his wife had settled down in a new immortal city many miles away. Both had successfully formed their Foundations and no longer planned to return to the Ning family.
"Staying away from trouble is probably for the best. They can finally enjoy a peaceful life."
With a lifespan of over two hundred years for Foundation Establishment cultivators—possibly more if their realm increased—their future seemed bright, as long as no misfortune befell them.
Two more slips were requests for alchemy commissions from inner sect disciples, offering rare spiritual herbs as payment.
The last was a letter from her mother, saying she had set out to travel in search of resources. Ever since Wu Shuya had established her Foundation the previous year, she had become quite restless, often journeying across distant lands, eager to see the vast world of mountains and seas.
"Now that she's no longer burdened, she finally feels free."
Chen Jinshu smiled and stored the letters away. She was still considering whether to accept the two pill requests.
Just then, her waist token flashed with light.
"Junior Sister, Master has emerged and summoned us all!"
"Got it, Senior Brother. I'm on my way."
Without delay, Chen Jinshu leapt onto Xiao Yin and headed straight for Biyi Palace. Now that her cultivation had reached the late Foundation stage, she no longer restricted Xiao Yin's movement within the sect. Most inner disciples already knew it was her spirit beast and treated it with respect.
When she arrived at the outer hall, the other disciples were already seated in orderly rows.
"Disciple Chen Jinshu greets Master."
She bowed respectfully to the elegant woman sipping tea across from her.
"Jinshu, you're here. Come, sit. I've gathered you all today to share something important. I will soon begin my tribulation." Shui Huanmeng's smile was serene, her presence as graceful as ever, yet now tinged with a quiet maturity.
Chen Jinshu blinked in surprise and quickly found her seat. She watched her master closely, feeling that something had changed about her, though it was hard to describe. It was as if she had become both more distant and more profound.
"When you reach the Nascent Soul stage, you'll face three tribulations. I've already passed two. Now, only the Karmic Trial remains."
At this, Shui Huanmeng's expression turned wistful. The Karmic Trial was the most difficult of the three. Some passed it in a moment. Others took a year. Some struggled for decades. And some never succeeded, spending their entire lives trapped by it.
"I've prepared core formation aids for all of you. Since Shaosi and Mofeng have already formed their cores, I've prepared treasures suitable for them. I don't know when we'll meet again after this. I can no longer see what lies ahead."
Worry flickered across everyone's eyes.
"But don't fret. The Karmic Trial doesn't take your life. At most, it keeps you trapped. If one dies during it, then it was simply the end of their lifespan."
Shui Huanmeng chuckled softly, trying to ease the tension in the room. Then she handed out boxes containing precious items for their future breakthroughs.
"Thank you, Master."
Chen Jinshu looked at the box in front of her and felt a pang in her chest. Though she had not spent decades with her master, those years of instruction had given her the most growth she had ever known.
"Master… is there really no other way? Must you undergo the trial?"
"'Undergoing the trial' is just a phrase. We are not immortals. It simply means surrendering one's cultivation and memories to the Dao."
"Of course, there are those who pass the trial and suddenly gain enlightenment. Some are even guided by the Heavenly Dao and ascend directly."
In this realm, the path to ascension came after surpassing the Nascent Soul and enduring all three tribulations. Though extremely rare, enlightenment and ascension did happen once every few thousand years.
Still, some claimed that the ascended left behind no trace, wiped clean by the Heavenly Dao itself. So when Shui Huanmeng spoke of such possibilities, none of them could feel truly hopeful. The atmosphere remained heavy. Just as someone was about to ask more, a faint glow began to radiate from Shui Huanmeng's body.
"My dear disciples… my tribulation has begun. If fate allows, we will meet again."
Her gaze swept lovingly across their faces, and then, before their eyes, she vanished.
"Master!"
All eight disciples called out at once, voices filled with alarm.