Chapter 579 - 348: A Perfect Dao Foundation
Upon seeing this, Nangong Chu let out a heavy, cold snort. All three of his eyes snapped open, radiating a chilling killing intent.
A sigh filled with gratification echoed from within an abyssal dungeon—a sunless, lightless place filled with an extremely oppressive aura, clearly meticulously crafted by some mighty being.
"Good... good... good!"
"He’s finally established his foundation..."
"HYEH HYEH HYEH..."
Following the gratified sigh, the being within the dungeon erupted into wild laughter.
"Soon... I’ll finally be able... to get out!"
Meanwhile, Zou Feng had already completed the Five Elements Dual Cultivation’s balancing process, pushing every aspect of his being to its absolute limit.
Even the Ant King’s Heart, which served as his Dual Drive, was showing signs of being overwhelmed, clearly unable to bear the strain of Zou Feng’s current transformation.
Within his Sea of Consciousness, which roiled with explosions like falling stars, Zou Feng stood firm upon a staircase that was continuously extending upward.
He was drawing ever closer to the clearly visible Heavenly Gate.
With every step he took, Zou Feng felt as if another part of him was undergoing a metamorphosis.
It was clear there was a reason why the Dao Foundation Realm was called the Earth Immortal realm in some lesser-known regions.
Compared to the Spiritual Energy Realm, only by entering the Dao Foundation Realm could one be considered to have truly achieved "Transcendence."
Thanks to his ample preparations, it wasn’t long before Zou Feng reached a point level with the Heavenly Gate.
Reaching a point level with the Heavenly Gate was proof enough of how stable the Dao Foundation Zou Feng had forged was.
Many Cultivators, even those who forged a Celestial Tier Dao Foundation, might not be able to "construct" their foundation to be so perfectly level with the Heavenly Gate.
But the staircase didn’t lead directly to the Heavenly Gate; it merely brought him level with it. There were still about five steps to go before he could enter.
Yet this five-step gap didn’t require a "leap" of any sort. A small hop, or even a single large stride, would be enough to cross it.
All in all, his Dao Foundation was exceptionally well-built; crossing into the Heavenly Gate would be no challenge at all.
However, standing at the top of the staircase, Zou Feng’s expression was one of confusion. ’Something feels off.’
Besides, according to his original vision, the staircase was supposed to lead directly to the Heavenly Gate, not leave a five-step gap.
He could cross to the Heavenly Gate in a single stride, but because of that nagging feeling that something was amiss, Zou Feng hesitated.
A moment later, as if he had sensed something, he focused his full attention and stared once more into the void of his Sea of Consciousness.
’Now I know what’s wrong. It’s not that the staircase didn’t reach the Heavenly Gate... it’s that something is watching me.’
Deep within the void of his Sea of Consciousness, he could faintly discern the silhouette of a palace.
’That’s... the Glazed Immortal Palace!’
Ever since becoming the Glazed Immortal Palace’s King of Human Gu, Zou Feng had always been able to sense its presence.
He just never expected to see that damned place again within his Sea of Consciousness while he was establishing his Dao Foundation.
And as he continued to focus his gaze, his sight seemed to pass through the Glazed Immortal Palace, revealing a place that resembled a dungeon.
And from within that dungeon, peals of strange laughter echoed continuously.
Though he was unsure what this dungeon was, or who was cackling within it, the first person that came to Zou Feng’s mind was a certain top-ranking benefactor—Gongyang Marquis!
’Gongyang Marquis was already inextricably linked to the Glazed Immortal Palace. Now, I first see the Glazed Immortal Palace, then immediately a dungeon, and hear that strange laughter coming from inside...’
’It’s perfectly normal that I’d make the connection to Gongyang Marquis.’
’So, is the reason my top benefactor, Gongyang Marquis, hasn’t shown up to meet me is because he’s been locked up in some dungeon?’
’No, I can’t jump to that conclusion. Maybe he’s just in there for closed-door cultivation, lying low, or something...’
’But what the hell is he so happy about?’
’Is it because I’ve established my Dao Foundation?’
Shaking his head, Zou Feng pulled his thoughts back. This was no time for wild speculation.
The most important thing right now was to complete the final step of establishing his Dao Foundation.
’When I think about it, nothing is ever perfect. Even the Heavenly Dao itself is flawed. There’s no reason to get hung up on why the staircase didn’t lead directly to the Heavenly Gate.’
’I’ve already pushed myself to the absolute limit in establishing this Dao Foundation.’
’Besides, who says you can’t walk where there are no stairs?’
At this thought, Zou Feng chose not to jump or take a large stride. Instead, he stepped directly into the void.
Yet with that one step, a new stair instantly materialized in the void where there had been no path before.
Zou Feng’s foot landed squarely on the newly formed step.
He then continued his unhurried stroll, and each step he took created another stair before him.
In the end, as if on a casual walk, Zou Feng strode steadily into the Heavenly Gate.
Beyond the Heavenly Gate was clearly another world, but the light was so blindingly intense that he couldn’t yet see it clearly.
BOOM—
Another explosion rocked his Sea of Consciousness, and Zou Feng’s eyes snapped open.
A quick glance revealed that he was floating in the sky above Hongxing Inn. The nearby mountain peaks were crowded with disciples who had come to watch the spectacle.
In the past, floating like this would have required him to use a Cultivation Skill or other Skills, consuming a great deal of Spiritual Qi.
Now, however, floating felt as if he were born to fly—effortless and perfectly natural.
Effortlessly flying through the sky and moving through the earth were just basic abilities. After reaching the Dao Foundation Realm, the bearing of an Immortal manifested in countless subtle details.
Zou Feng could even freely manipulate the power of the Five Elements in the surrounding space, bending it to his will.
But since he had never specifically practiced a Five Elements Skill, his efficiency in manipulating these powers was lower than that of other Cultivators.
Looking down, Zou Feng could instantly see the reason for Xiaolv’s weakness in the courtyard below.
With a casual wave of his hand, he sent out a stream of Spiritual Qi, instantly revitalizing Xiaolv.
Whether it was the perceptive ability that seemed to see through a person completely, or the power to casually convert Spiritual Qi into precisely the energy someone needed—these abilities were, in the truest sense, Divine Skills.
If Zou Feng were to use the Cultivation Skills and Skills he had practiced before, they too could now be called Divine Skills.
Of course, this wasn’t just a change in name; they had been genuinely and substantially enhanced.
Upon entering the Dao Foundation Realm, one becomes a Core Disciple of the Pinnacle Celestial Immortal Sect, a fact that spoke volumes.
Outer Sect Disciples were cannon fodder, and Inner Sect Disciples were just higher-grade cannon fodder. Core Disciples, however, were part of the regular army; the Pinnacle Celestial Immortal Sect would not "sacrifice" them lightly.
When campaigning in the Outer Realm, they could even serve as squad leaders, possessing a certain degree of decision-making authority.
"Congratulations, Brother Zou, on establishing your Dao Foundation!!"
"Congratulations, Brother Zou, on forging a Celestial Tier Dao Foundation! Our Pinnacle Celestial Immortal Sect will one day have another True Inheritor!"
The next moment, a deafening wave of congratulations erupted from the surroundings.
As for how so many disciples could tell he had forged a Celestial Tier Dao Foundation, the signs were actually quite easy to read.
Those who spontaneously ascend into the sky, unconsciously, while forming their Foundation Establishment Dao Foundation have almost certainly forged a Celestial Tier Dao Foundation.
One could also judge by the person’s condition.
The better their spiritual state, the higher the quality of their forged Dao Foundation.
The reason was simple: the better the quality of the Dao Foundation, the less energy was expended when crossing the Heavenly Gate.
After all, simply walking into the Heavenly Gate or hopping in with a small jump was a world apart from needing a long running start before using every last ounce of strength to leap through.
As for the pathetic Yellow Tier Dao Foundation, even upon success, the person would be utterly exhausted, as if they had just recovered from a major illness, and would require a long period of recuperation.
"Hmph. As expected of my husband!"
Amid the normal chorus of congratulations, a dissonant voice suddenly cut through.
Zou Feng didn’t need to look to know it was Liu Chenyu.
By saying this now, she was practically making a public declaration of ownership, and the crowd was instantly silenced.
The expressions on many of the disciples’ faces turned incredibly awkward.
"Liu Chenyu, there’s a limit to being shameless!"
"If it weren’t for the Sect’s rules, you’d probably try to make every male disciple in the Pinnacle Celestial Immortal Sect your husband, wouldn’t you?"
A sharp rebuke rang out. Then, Jiang Wanzhao—who had at some point transformed into a cool, mature beauty—appeared, standing in direct opposition to Liu Chenyu.