### Chapter 176: Attempting Foundation Establishment

If the conditions are just right—having all the necessary pills, being in a relatively safe location, and having someone to guard over you—it's possible to attempt breaking through to Foundation Establishment on the spot.

Meng Guan and Wei Fan, for example, both entered a meditation room alone when they attempted their breakthroughs, seeking the moment of opportunity within that confined space.

But He Song was different.

With the Mist Veil Formation concealing his presence, he didn't need to confine himself to a small meditation room like Meng Guan or Wei Fan to find the right moment.

On the contrary.

He Song could even walk freely within the range covered by the Mist Veil Formation.

Even if he walked several miles away, he could sit down at any time and attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment.

It wasn't that He Song didn't value his safety.

Rather, it was because he could manipulate the Mist Veil Formation to envelop himself at any moment.

Being inside the Mist Veil Formation, with a Minor Spirit Gathering Formation in his cave residence providing spiritual energy, naturally meant that He Song's attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment wouldn't cause any disturbances.

The Minor Spirit Gathering Formation supplying the spirit fields.

And the one supporting He Song's daily cultivation.

Within the range of the Mist Veil Formation, there were two Minor Spirit Gathering Formations, more than enough to allow He Song to break through without needing to absorb spiritual energy from surrounding areas.

In this way, even if someone arrived at the location while He Song was attempting to break through, they wouldn't be able to detect that he was nearby, working on his Foundation Establishment.

Under these circumstances, as long as He Song stayed within the vicinity of his cave residence, he didn't need to worry about his safety.

Walking down from the small hill.

Step by step, He Song approached the nearby river.

He didn't know the name of this river, but judging by the fact that no boats had ever appeared on its surface, it was likely that there were no ordinary people living upstream or downstream.

Or perhaps there had been in the past, but the area had since been abandoned.

Not curious about the matter, He Song stood by the riverbank, listening to the sound of the flowing water and the occasional splash of fish leaping out of the water. His mind quickly calmed.

However.

After standing there for a long time.

He Song shook his head and opened his eyes.

"The opportunity for Foundation Establishment can wait. I'll take it slow. It should come within the next few days."

"When Old Meng and Brother Wei broke through, they entered a meditation room and succeeded after a few days."

"Likewise, within a few days, an opportunity for Foundation Establishment should arise."

"If not, then I'll just wait a little longer."

Casually picking up a smooth stone from the riverside and tossing it into the river, He Song watched as ripples spread across the water's surface. His mood relaxed along with the splashing waves.

Foundation Establishment.

You can't rush it.

The opportunity for Foundation Establishment.

Isn't something that appears just because you're anxious for it.

After realizing this, He Song's urgency to break through diminished somewhat.

He was a Longevity Practitioner.

As long as he wasn't killed, he could live forever.

Live until the end of time, until the seas dried up and the stones crumbled, until the oceans turned to mulberry fields, until the stars shifted in the sky.

In the vast expanse of time, all he could do was continuously grow stronger and ensure his personal safety.

At the same time, if he could live comfortably, that would be even better.

Moreover.

As a Longevity Practitioner.

He didn't need to rush.

His time was always sufficient.

After his mood gradually calmed, He Song casually picked up another smooth stone, preparing to throw it forward, but he faintly felt that something about this particular stone was off.

It was too round.

Even though smooth stones were naturally rounded.

But this level of roundness was abnormal.

Just as He Song was puzzled and brought the stone closer to inspect it, what he saw made him pause in surprise.

"What is this? A round white smooth stone? Or a round piece of white jade? Or… is it an egg?"

Holding the object that looked like both white jade and an egg up to examine it closely, He Song thought for a long time but couldn't determine whether it was a smooth stone, a piece of white jade, or an egg.

The object was elliptical, its surface as white and clean as jade. Shaking it produced no sound, and when held up to the sunlight, there was a shadow in the center—but it was impossible to tell how the shadow was formed.

Was it an impurity in the smooth stone?

Or an impurity in the jade?

Or… was it a yolk?

After pondering for a moment, He Song's eyes suddenly lit up.

If the surface didn't reveal anything, then he'd use the Spirit Eye Technique.

For cultivators, everything that didn't contain spiritual energy was considered trash.

But even a random smooth stone on the side of the road—if it contained spiritual energy—was considered a Spirit Stone to cultivators.

A flash of spiritual light.

He Song's expression shifted.

It was an egg!

Although the spiritual energy contained within the egg was quite faint, it was still present. Furthermore, using the Spirit Eye Technique, He Song could see signs of life within the egg.

This meant.

That this egg might hatch into something.

Holding the egg up to inspect it carefully, He Song ultimately couldn't determine what kind of egg it was. However, after thinking it over, he looked around and, finding no other eggs, decided to take this mysterious egg back to his cave residence.

Inside the cave residence.

Placing the recently found egg casually on the table, He Song glanced at the faintly fragrant Spirit Rice nearby and then at the egg in front of him.

Eat it?

Or incubate it?

That was the question.

Eating it would satisfy his appetite.

Incubating it would give him (clueless) little pet.

Judging by the faint spiritual energy contained within the egg, whatever hatched from it probably wouldn't have much intelligence.

Naturally, even if he kept it as a pet and let it roam freely in the cave residence, He Song wouldn't need to worry about his secrets being exposed.

At the same time, he'd have a small pet to guard the place.

Though he wouldn't rely on the pet to fight enemies.

But it could keep him company and relieve boredom during peaceful times.

After some thought.

He Song ultimately decided to try incubating the egg.

If it hatched into something intelligent, he could turn it into a dish.

If it hatched into something less intelligent, he could use a Beast Control Token to bind it as a spirit pet to guard the place.

Beast Control.

Was one of the hundred arts of cultivation.

Beast Control Tokens could be purchased at any Immortal Market.

Though the price was a bit steep for Qi Condensation stage cultivators.

But for He Song now, a single Beast Control Token was a small price to pay for peace of mind.

With a Beast Control Token, he could bind the hatched creature and control its life and death at any time.

Even if it somehow escaped while he wasn't paying attention.

Or if it was captured by someone else who wanted to search its soul for his secrets.

Or if it secretly harbored rebellious thoughts.

As long as he wanted to, he could use the Beast Control Token to completely erase its soul.

The convenience of the Beast Control Token was the fundamental reason why He Song considered incubating the egg.

Given He Song's cautious nature.

For things he couldn't control, he'd rather not touch them at all.

But a spirit pet was something he could fully control.

With a single command from its master.

No matter how unwilling, it had to obey.

Obeying might mean nine deaths and one life.

But disobeying meant ten deaths and no life.

After picking up an egg from the riverside, He Song thought for a moment, found a suitable place for incubation, left it there to hatch slowly, and then immersed himself once again in the process of searching for the opportunity to break through to Foundation Establishment.

Several days later.

At a certain moment.

Standing atop the small hill, gazing into the distance, He Song suddenly felt an urgent desire to begin attempting Foundation Establishment.

Upon realizing this, a flash of joy appeared in his eyes.

After days of waiting.

The opportunity for Foundation Establishment had finally arrived, unexpectedly and without warning.

By now, He Song had six Foundation Establishment Pills.

Additionally, he was inside the Mist Veil Formation, his presence and aura completely concealed, so he didn't need to worry about his safety.

Within the Mist Veil Formation, two Minor Spirit Gathering Formations were providing him with spiritual energy.

This ensured that even if He Song began his Foundation Establishment now, no one—or nothing—would disturb his breakthrough.

As for the egg… To avoid any chance of failure due to the egg during his first Foundation Establishment attempt, He Song had already placed it dozens of miles away in a hidden corner, leaving it there to incubate quietly.

Such an unknown entity, before it hatched and was bound by a Beast Control Token, He Song definitely wouldn't keep it close.

Though a newly born young beast surely wouldn't pose a threat to him.

But now was a critical moment for He Song.

Foundation Establishment.

Wasn't like other times—it couldn't tolerate any unexpected situations.

Atop the small hill.

Facing east, He Song placed a meditation cushion and slowly sat down cross-legged.

Closing his eyes.

Without activating the Earth Scripture, he began to slowly channel all the spiritual energy stored in his body toward his Dantian.

According to the breakthrough experiences shared by Meng Guan, Wei Fan, and other Foundation Establishment True Persons recorded in the library.

To achieve Foundation Establishment, one needed to gather all the spiritual energy in their body into the Dantian.

Once the Dantian was filled to the brim with spiritual energy and all the usable spiritual energy in the body had been channeled into the Dantian.

The process of compressing the abundant spiritual energy in the Dantian could begin.

When the spiritual energy in the Dantian was compressed to the extreme and the first trace of magical power emerged, that would mark the successful completion of Foundation Establishment.

From there, one simply needed to follow the steps, converting all the spiritual energy in the body into magical power, solidifying their cultivation, and then they could emerge from seclusion.

As for the subsequent cultivation after Foundation Establishment.

It was similar to the Qi Condensation stage—absorbing external spiritual energy, converting it into personal magical power, thereby increasing one's strength.

Recalling the Foundation Establishment experiences personally taught by Meng Guan and Wei Fan, as well as the insights he had read in the library.

After reviewing all these experiences and committing the key points to memory.

He Song calmly and steadily began channeling all the usable spiritual energy in his body toward his Dantian.

(End of Chapter)