Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Lang Tu's death

After failing dozens of times, wasting materials, and countless days, the Foundation Establishment Pills are finally done! He doesn't want to admit, but his talent in Alchemy is truly ordinary .

With the radiant pills in his hand, he only succeeded thanks to senior's insights, using all the resources available and a good refining tool, like the cauldron . Yet even with this accomplishment he still knows that the path of Alchemy is a one filled with difficulties .

The fact that Qin Yu managed to refine Foundation Establishment Pills was all thanks to Sacred Mountain Sect not knowing the method of breaking down waste pills . That's how he had such a huge amount of waste pills from which he collected materials . But never mind that, all that matters is that he succeeded .

Foundation Establishment Pill, as its name implies, it can help a cultivator of 10th layer of Qi Refining to advance and have a breakthrough in his cultivation to Foundation Establishment stage . Although, using pills to advance in stages, his future progress will be affected, and could even damage his foundation, Qin Yu doesn't care . His current cultivation is solely based on a pile of pills . This foundation… he never had it to begin with!

For two hours Qin Yu closed his eyes, and only when it darkened and the Foundation Establishment Pills were bathing in the blue and peaceful light, he opens them .

As the light grows stronger, Qin Yu's features become clearer, with a heroic air surrounding him . Perhaps from not seeing the sun for a whole year, his skin turned so white that it started giving of an ivory like shine . Cultivating alone in this underground place, his temperament was silently changing, becoming more reserved and determined .

As the night passes, the blue light fades .

Qin Yu takes the Little Blue Lamp, but not the pills . He discovered that for the pills to have improved their quality, it requires more time to be showered by the peaceful light the higher their grades .

Second night .

Third night .

As Little Blue Lamp once again retracts its light, Qin Yu's eyes bursts with light, his energy over these three night gradually reached its peak!

The seven Foundation Establishment Pills after absorbing three nights of the serene blue light, their color changed from green to the blue color of the boundless sky, making them appear like a priceless treasure .

Without the slightest hesitation, Qin Yu took one and swallowed .

Today, he will reach Foundation Establishment!

Once it enters his stomach, as if being thrown in a pot, it starts to boil and ignite, in a flash becoming a raging fire . All of the Qi Refining energy flares up, and like a ferocious beast, it charges around violently in his body, bringing about a rending pain .

Qin Yu holding steady, with a clear mind, and just the intent to observe, doesn't interfere at all in this process .

Qi Refining energy like an invisible fog, flows randomly through the flesh and bones, making it boil, and as it collides with itself, it starts to condense into a foundation, allowing to reach the Foundation Establishment stage .

*Boom*

*Boom*

The berserk energy, surging wildly through his bones and limbs, quickly arrives at his Dantian, crashing into it . Qin Yu's whole body suddenly sook from a sudden wind, with his robe flailing around . The critical step was reached!

Reason dictates, that a 10th layer of Qi Refining cultivator after taking a Foundation Establishment Pill, has seventy percent chances of breaking through . And Qin Yu's pills have undergone Little Blue Lamp's purifying process, becoming several times stronger, it has the medicinal properties of almost three original pills in one .

Yet the expected break through didn't come . Qin Yu quickly found that the explosive force of the spiritual energy in his Dantian is beginning to wane . Clearly the foundation wasn't established . If this continues than this breakthrough was a failure .

Qin Yu opens his eyes, grabs a Foundation Establishment Pill, and swallows .

*Boom*

The calming energy, like pouring oil over a fire, starts to rage to an even greater degree, colliding against itself constantly .

His body is assaulted by pain, and yet, the extent of the collisions is still not enough!

Clenching his teeth, Qin Yu grabs a second pill . And another . Even three at once!

After the last ones, he either reaches Foundation Establishment now, or he'll remain at Qi Refining forever .

*Boom*

The exploding medicine's effect causes the berserk energy to exceed its limit, and Qin Yu starts to bleed from his seven apertures .

And yet, he is smiling .

In his Dantian, among the surging energy, the image of the foundation faintly reveals itself . And like a black hole, starts absorbing the surrounding energy .

Within a few breaths, with the vanishing of all the energy, the foundation's image turns vivid, and started spreading a mysterious energy throughout his whole body .

To be accurate, this is actually the first step on the path of cultivation . With this, Qin Yu has truly begun to tread the world of cultivation .

With a whoosh, the wind surrounding him disappears and he stands up, the blood on his pale face has yet to dry . Despite using so many Foundation Establishment Pills, even having seven, besides Qin Yu, there might not be any Qi Refining cultivator as crazy as him .

Only thanks to the refined Strengthening Pill along this year to increas the body's toughness, allowed to receive just these wounds . Or it would have been much worse .

Felling the changing energy inside, the happy Qin Yu could only let a bitter smile thinking about his talent . The fact that he needed ten pills to reach Foundation Establishment shows the true extent of his talent .

But these don't matter, what does, is that he reached Foundation Establishment . His smile quickly turning into a full-blown laugh .

'Who would expect that I, Qin Yu, will one day also reach Foundation Establishment!'

His eyes landing on the Little Blue Lamp, a weird feeling creeps on his heart . As if this lamp is looking back . But soon this feeling vanishes, and the lamp seems the same as always .

Qin Yu restrains his smile, and puts the Little Blue Lamp back in his chest .

Taking a pill, he begins to recover his health .

After four hours he stretches his body, wipes the bloodstains from his face and begins ascending the stone steps .

This year, each time he advanced a layer, he tried to opening the door to the facility . Among the repeated tries, only when he was at the 10th layer of Qi Refining there was a slight response from the formation, giving him hope . Perhaps todays the day he will leave .

With the recovering of his health and energy, along the way, he began focusing all his will and power . Once he arrived with no hesitation, he uses the newly acquired Foundation Establishment energy to activate the restriction on the door .

The familiar dreadful suction came once again and left him dry on energy . This time the unshakable formation starts to respond, and like a stone thrown in a lake, ripples began to appear .

Enduring the stab of pain in his head, Qin Yu, with an unwavering gaze look suddenly heard a sound . A black light from within the fog was flying over, not having time to react, it landed on his chest .

A powerful force knocked against him, throwing him backwards and rolling on the stairs, puking blood along the way .

With a violent cough, he difficulty took out the Little Blue Lamp, that was now sporting a finger sized dark and round nail . If it weren't for the lamp, the nail would have pierced his heart and kill him .

After a nervous examination, Little Blue Lamp seems undamaged, and with a carefree smile looks towards the entrance . Despite the formation still being there, the terrible restriction is now gone . He knows that he can now leave this place!

Time, is the world's most terrifying power . Not only could it hold Cang Mang prisoner, it could even make this vicious formation weaker . This is also attributed to the Sacred Mountain Sect not maintaining this formation over hundreds of years, letting it decline in power .

Touching the round nail, an odd information appeared in his head: Corpse Sealing Nail, demonic item, but can use energy to activate it .

Like this, the magic item can be used . On the condition that it hasn't been refine by anyone, or it can't be used before the previous owner's brand is removed .

The Corpse Sealing Nail's power also fell at its lowest . If not, even with Little Blue Lamp protecting him, the force would have been enough to destroy his insides .

The one who set this place up was very careful . Even if by some chance there was someone who could open the formation, the weak state that would result is enough for the Corpse Sealing Nail to kill him .

Qin Yu coughed twice, wiped the blood from his mouth and smeared it on the nail, showing a pleased look when it was absorbed . Most demonic items could only be refined by blood, the blood spilled today at least wasn't wasted .

Using the dazzling pill in his hand, with its tremendous effects, helped recovering hid body and energy in six hours .

Soon it will be dark, and he can go out .

In the deep and quiet night, Qin Yu comes out from the mist, raised his head and gaze at the moon, which shines upon the youngster's smiling face .

Making sure there are no people around, Qin Yu took a step and like a shadow, disappears in the night .

Soon, Lang Tu's courtyard appears before him .

Good brother, sharing fortunes and enduring hardships, if there are trustworthy people on this world, Lang Tu definitely is one . Even if he can't tell him about the Little Blue Lamp, he still decided to give him some pills .

With light steps and graceful movements like a swan, he enters the courtyard . Even though he didn't learn any techniques, the Foundation Establishment energy is enough to make his actions subtle . Reaching this strength with my body, Tu Dou will definitely be surprised!

Thinking about the expression on Lang Tu's face, Qin Yu started to smile, but the next instant his expression froze . The whole courtyard looks ruined and deserted for a long time, Lang Tu's stone pillars used each day for training lay collapsed on the ground, covered in weeds . In front of the house the stone table with bench has dried bloodstains on it that shines under the moonlight .

Qin Yu's face turned pale . Forcing himself from thinking random thoughts, he cautiously looked around, turned his body and left the courtyard . His shadow speeding moves in the darkness close to the ground and very quickly another courtyard appears .

"If you don't want to die don't move!"

The cold and low voice coming from beneath the black hood behind him, made the startled outer sect disciple break in cold sweat .

"Where is the person in the courtyard three li southeast from here?"

The outer sect disciple slightly recalled, and with even more fear, "S-senior…"

The hand on his neck tightened, "Talk!"

"I'll talk! I'll talk! That person is dead for almost three months!"

The black hood person slightly stiffened, "What was his name!"

Sensing the bone piercing coldness behind his back, the disciple's heart almost collapsed, crying said: "Lang Tu, he's called Lang Tu!"

Qin Yu gasped for breath, his chest rising each time, like it wanted to burst open .

Dead… Lang Tu is dead…

After a long time, he recovered and hissed: "Who killed him?"

The disciple shook his head, "Don't know, I really don't know!"

His fearful face started to show nervousness .

Qin Yu drew closer, "Tell me, and this night will only be a nightmare, or not at will become real . " The tone was calm yet each word contained a coldness that reached the bones!