Breakthrough at the Foundation Establishment Stage

The moment Su Min achieved Heavenly Path Foundation Establishment, her entire being surged with a force far beyond what could be attained through the paths of Man or Earth. The enhancement to her attributes was overwhelming—and even more valuable was the boon that followed: a divine ability, unique and profound.

Heavenly Dao Insight would never grant such gifts in a frenzy. But the Heavenly Dao? That was a different story. Knowing this, Su Min wasted no time. If she hesitated, the opportunity might slip through her fingers. She crossed her legs and sat down, heart steady, as she prepared to receive the tidal wave of information rushing into her consciousness.

At that moment, her body was wrapped in a radiant glow—light shimmered across her skin like the breath of heaven itself.

"Just like in the game—Heavenly Path Foundation Establishment grants a chance to obtain a special destiny. This is something the Mortal and Earth Paths can never offer. I must choose one that suits me perfectly."

Closing her eyes, she focused on the vast stream of knowledge.

"Found it—this one!"

In that vast sea of information, Su Min felt a unique thread tug at her—an uncanny sense of connection. Since she couldn't consciously choose, she let fate guide her hand.

[Five Elements Sacred Body: Requires Vermilion Bird's Flame (South), Azure Wood of the East, Metal's Sharp Gold of the West, Water's Profound Origin of the North, and Central Wutu Divine Earth —for full awakening..]

[Current Status: Five Element Sacred Body — Blazing Sun Body (Flame Body).]

[Blazing Sun Body: Greatly amplifies the effects of all fire-based abilities.]

"So this awakened something dormant in me... I thought it would be more like a passive blessing, but this is something deeper," she muttered, squinting at her personal interface.

She hadn't expected such a result.

But her smile quickly faded.

"…You've got to be kidding me."

In the game, obtaining the Vermilion Bird's Flame was explained as a preordained bond between the flame and the divine beast, etched into the heavens' will. (A nod to Battle Through the Heavens, naturally.)

But the other four? Far harder to acquire.

"Let me think—where are the others? Those things aren't accessible yet."

In-game, this meant locked regions. Here, it signaled the treasures hadn't yet emerged into the world.

"Still, awakening a rare physique is never a loss. Even if the Flame Body isn't top-tier... and even the Five Element Sacred Body isn't among the absolute elite... it's a massive leap compared to having nothing."

Su Min shrugged it off. After all, those top-tier bodies were usually starter selections for players. She'd chosen immortality instead—great for gaming, perhaps not as flashy here. But in this world, possessing even a single special physique would be enough to make every sect fight over you. That alone made it invaluable. As for the truly supreme constitutions—those were born to dominate entire eras. Yet deep inside, Su Min had a gut feeling… the Five Element Sacred Body was not her ceiling. It was only the beginning.

"The power boost is significant. Hmm? There's more."

Additional knowledge flooded her mind.

[By halting slaughter and protecting the innocent, you've gained Mystic Firewood (Xuanhuomu) Sword Art – First Layer.]

"Finally, a proper technique," she sighed in relief. "Those basic moves I had—while solid—no longer synergize with my current cultivation methods."

This was exactly the kind of upgrade she'd been lacking.

[By aiding the suffering, you've gained the secret art of rejuvenation / Rebirth Art (Fully restores all injuries once per 24 hours).]

"An excellent survival tool—and a new trump card."

But the rewards kept coming. Beyond the Path of Longevity, she'd impacted the other three paths deeply.

[By breaking others' bottlenecks, you've gained the Vermilion Bird's legacy—Feather of the Flame (Plumage).]

[Feather of the Flame: Three feathers in total. Each consumed feather regenerates after 12 hours. Vermilion Bird's feathers can store Vermilion Bird's Flame and synergize with divine abilities.]

"This ties to the Vermilion Bird lineage. But my current inheritance is incomplete—for now, these feathers just work as bombs. Effective, but far from their full potential."

She sighed, twirling a crimson feather. Essentially, these could store three Vermilion Bird-related skills. Currently, only the flame could be infused—limiting them to explosive uses. Still, their power wouldn't disappoint.

"Ugh… my system of power is still incomplete." She let out a quiet sigh. Still—no real harm done.

"This upgrade is monumental. Forget the stat boosts—these new abilities alone elevate my combat prowess. If I faced the fused Flame-Earth Elders now, I'd crush them effortlessly."

A smirk tugged at her lips. Those two had been hard-countered by her originally. A straight fight would've been far messier.

"How long has it been? Twenty years, probably."

She frowned, unsure. Her time in seclusion had been half-sleep, half-cultivation. Time flowed strangely in that desert cave. Everything from twenty years ago still felt like yesterday.

"It's about time I head back. Besides, I've exhausted all the materials I had for Foundation Establishment. The ambient spiritual energy is denser now too… I wonder if anyone else has managed to break through in these twenty years."

She was genuinely curious. Two decades was more than enough for gifted Qi Refining cultivators to step into Foundation Establishment—even without alchemical aid. Of course, their Foundation Establishment was nothing like hers. For one, none of them would've unlocked a special physique. Their attribute boosts would be far weaker. Most importantly, their breakthrough to Golden Core would be exponentially harder.

After all, the Golden Core stage was known as the dividing line between mortals and immortals. Stepping into it meant being regarded as a celestial being by the common folk. But entry into that stage required braving a heavenly tribulation—a trial that made most Foundation Establishment cultivators balk in fear.

Yet that tribulation was also a test. The stronger one endured it, the more power they'd receive from the Heavenly Dao itself. Su Min had only been granted divine abilities because of her Heavenly Dao Insight.

But for most native cultivators in this world, that tribulation would be their one and only chance to earn a divine ability. They'd probably receive a more complete version than hers—but the ceiling of their power would never match hers.

"First stop—Yongzhou City. Let's see how it's changed."

Her secluded cave was deep in the desert, and the nearest civilization was Yongzhou. With a flick of her palm, she blasted open the cavern wall—sunlight poured in as she soared into the sky, leaving her seclusion behind.

===

Hey there! ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ

If you've been following my translations for a while—or even if you just stumbled across one of the novels I work on—you might've noticed that I sometimes drop a link in the comment section of certain chapters. That link usually leads to my personal glossary, where I explain some of the more complex terms and concepts related to cultivation.

But I realized something recently… maybe some of you are reading through the app, not the web version, and copying links there can be a hassle (´･ᴗ･ ` )

So! I decided to upload the glossary directly to my Webnovel account. You can now find it right on my profile, titled:

🌸 The Xianxia Handbook: A Guide to Cultivation and Beyond 🌸

This way, it's easier for you to access, and I can keep updating it whenever I come across new terms, concepts, or explanations I feel are worth sharing. Whether you're new to cultivation novels or just want to deepen your understanding, I hope this helps enhance your reading experience. (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ

I highly recommend adding it to your library and giving it a read—even if you're already a seasoned xianxia reader. Why? Because the handbook includes everything from foundational terms you've probably seen a hundred times, to deeper insights and uncommon concepts you might not have explored yet. It's also a great refresher if you ever feel confused by a term mid-chapter.

The content is a mix of information I've gathered from various sources and my own interpretations after reading way too many cultivation webnovels (∠｀ω´) 📚

For example:

-I wrote an entire section called "The Evolution of Cultivation and the Diversification of Paths", where I explore how cultivation branches beyond just "martial" or "spiritual" types. I also touch on 法修 (Fǎxiū) as spell-based cultivators, 剑修 (Jiànxiū) for weapon users, 音悦修 (Yīnyuè Xiū) for sound cultivation, 道修 (Dàoxiū) for Path-focused cultivators, and 魔修 (Móxiū) for demonic ones. Plus, side paths like talisman masters, beast tamers, and more.

-You'll find discussions on Five Spiritual Roots (五灵根, Wǔ Líng Gēn) and how they're viewed differently in different novels—some say it's the worst, others say it's the best.

-I also dive into Heavenly Tribulations, how they vary depending on the cultivator's path, and what that means for progression.

Basically, I try to "make it make sense" by piecing together bits of knowledge scattered across tons of novels. I've rarely seen any story explain all of this in a consistent and logical order, so I figured... why not try myself?

That said, everything in the handbook reflects my personal understanding, even if I reference or quote from other sources. I try to keep things neutral, general, and easy to understand—especially since different authors interpret terms in very different ways.

You'll also find clarifications for common misconceptions, like:

-Dual Cultivation isn't always about sex—it actually has two forms: one intimate (yes, that one), and one non-intimate focused purely on energy exchange.

-Terms like human furnace or cauldron (炉鼎, lú dǐng)

-Concepts like Takeover or Soul Piercing (common transmigration tropes), which I cover in Chapter 23: Spirit/Soul/God (神, Shén) & Divine Sense

-The Hierarchy of Worlds, the difference between practitioners vs. cultivators, Martial Arts vs. Cultivation, and other common worldbuilding tropes like sects, clans, realms, and more.

All in all, this version is way more comprehensive and accessible than the old comment-linked glossary, so I really recommend you check it out! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧