Chapter 241 - 173: Desperate Struggle, Liu Heng’s Return

Chapter 241: Chapter 173: Desperate Struggle, Liu Heng’s Return

Since it was a secret, Chen Xiaorong didn’t press further. Instead, she took out a Storage Bag.

"What’s this?" Zhao Zuo asked curiously.

"The cultivation resources I’ve saved over the years, and some Spirit Stones."

Even without a detailed explanation, Zhao Zuo could imagine what a vast fortune it was. It had to be worth at least several hundred thousand Spirit Stones, and might even contain a few Magical Treasures.

"If I die, I want to entrust these resources to you." Chen Xiaorong’s voice was calm, as if she gave no thought to her own life or death, possessing a unique kind of open-minded acceptance.

"This... doesn’t make sense. Why would you entrust them to me?" Zhao Zuo asked in a bewildered tone, clutching the Storage Bag, which was embroidered with gold and silver thread.

"I’ve made many enemies in the Moyun Sect, but I have no friends. The only people I could entrust my legacy to are probably my Master and Senior Brother Li Ge, but... compared to them, you need these resources more. Besides, you could, just barely, be considered my friend," Chen Xiaorong replied with great seriousness.

"Then why would you die?" Zhao Zuo asked again. He looked at the young woman before him; he could still see traces of joy in her eyes, with no sign of worry, nor did she seem to be in any kind of trouble.

"I’m going to attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm again, rebuild my Heaven and Earth Bridge, and reconstruct the foundation of my Dao."

Her tone was resolute, without a hint of wavering. Even though Zhao Zuo didn’t know much about the Foundation Establishment Realm, he knew that the Heaven and Earth Bridge was a conduit that connected the Mana within one’s body to the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power of the outside world.

Before the Foundation Establishment Realm, the Circulation of Heaven performed by Cultivators is a minor circulation, with a limit on how much Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power can be absorbed and utilized. The purpose of the Heaven and Earth Bridge is to break this limit, increasing the absorption and utilization rate of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power.

They are not two Meridians, but rather Spirit Veins created entirely from condensed Mana, forged within one’s very flesh and blood. Cultivation during the Foundation Establishment Stage consists of nourishing these two Spirit Veins, allowing them to grow until, upon breaking through to the Golden Core Stage, they transform into a Golden Core that takes residence in the Dantian.

This opportunity comes only once on the path of Cultivation. Failure to break through means you cannot try again, let alone self-detonating one’s Heaven and Earth Bridge and overdrafting the body’s potential for a terrifying burst of Energy.

"Are you confident?" Zhao Zuo asked tentatively.

"Of course," Chen Xiaorong nodded.

"Then you don’t need to leave these resources for me." Zhao Zuo handed the Storage Bag back to Chen Xiaorong. The resources inside were undoubtedly immense, but he didn’t want to accept them... or rather, he didn’t want Chen Xiaorong to die. It was a complex emotion; although he didn’t agree with her definition of fairness, he couldn’t help but feel shaken and respectful of her actions.

"Then I won’t give them to you. After all, while there are some risks, I will absolutely not fail."

Chen Xiaorong’s tone was resolute, making it clear she truly believed she would not fail.

When it came to Cultivation, Chen Xiaorong had immense self-confidence. That was why she felt no negativity about losing her Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivation, nor would she let it stop her from moving forward.

Originally, Chen Xiaorong had estimated her plan had about a thirty percent chance of success. Those odds weren’t low, considering she had to rebuild the Heaven and Earth Bridge inside her body.

Now, with the repairs from Suwen, the success rate for the next step of her plan had increased even more. For her, Foundation Establishment held no difficulty. Perhaps this was just how the world worked for a genius.

"Then you should take it back. I’ll be waiting for your good news," Zhao Zuo said.

"No problem. You will definitely hear good news."

After leaving behind her notes on breaking through to Foundation Establishment, Chen Xiaorong left Zhao Zuo’s Cave Mansion.

Zhao Zuo didn’t immediately look at the notes on breaking through to Foundation Establishment. After all, he hadn’t even obtained a Cultivation Technique for the Nourishing Body Realm yet, so the Scroll wasn’t of much help to him at the moment.

’Will it really be so simple for Chen Xiaorong to break through to Foundation Establishment again?’

’No.’ Zhao Zuo shook his head, denying the thought.

This matter... was clearly not going to be that simple. This breakthrough attempt would be a life-or-death gamble, but Chen Xiaorong’s powerful Heart Realm allowed her to firmly believe that she would not fail.

Zhao Zuo also hoped she wouldn’t fail.

Zhao Zuo felt that such a powerful, unyielding Heart Realm was something he could never hope to achieve. Yet, her act of giving him the Storage Bag contradicted her own intense confidence.

It was a bit of a contradiction, but an understandable one.

After all, she was facing her own mortality, and she was two years younger than Zhao Zuo. At the end of the day, she wasn’t some old sage who had seen all the vicissitudes of the world.

’Before I knew it, I’ve turned twenty-seven this year.’

Zhao Zuo sighed to himself. In his past life, at this age, his parents would probably have already been arranging blind dates for him. But in this world, he was all alone, and he even felt a little nostalgic for those days of being pressured to get married.

Zhao Zuo rested for a moment, shaking off his sentimental mood. He changed into a clean Taoist Robe and set out for the Ministry of Affairs Hall. This time, he was going to turn in thirty Lower Grade Magical Artifacts in exchange for three hundred contribution points. He would also use his privilege as an Inner Sect Disciple to exchange for a Clear Dragon Pill, which was used for breaking through to the late period of Qi Cultivation.

He planned to prepare for his breakthrough to the Eighth Layer of the Space Path soon. Zhao Zuo understood... other people’s business was ultimately their own. Only his own strength was the true foundation for achieving real freedom.

After returning to his Cave Mansion, Zhao Zuo took out a Vajra Pill and swallowed it, then began his Body Refining Cultivation. The Sky-Breaking Saber continued to fly around him like a swimming fish, leaving faint green trails in the air. At the current rate he was accumulating experience, he would be able to complete the repairs on the Sky-Breaking Saber in another twenty days.