Lu Yifang did not answer, but his silence was as good as an answer.

To make Chen Baxing, who had such a fierce reputation among Qi Refining disciples, obediently follow orders, and to move a Foundation Establishment alchemist—a rarity in the cultivation world—to offer a pill-refining promise, only a Golden Core great cultivator could achieve that.

And the only Golden Core great cultivator who happened to need a slot to enter the Lingdu Secret Realm recently was none other than the master of the female lead Su Yier!

Fang Jinyu had not expected that even after shoveling poop for a month, he still couldn't avoid it.

In an instant, Fang Jinyu felt as if he saw his death looming.

Did cannon fodder have no human rights at all?

But the next second, driven by a fierce will to survive, Fang Jinyu came up with an idea.

He said, "Five days won't do, I need ten days. If I stubbornly refuse to give it up, you can't do anything to me, and after I come out of the Lingdu Secret Realm, achieving Foundation Establishment is only a matter of time. By then, as long as I don't stir up trouble and stay in closed-door cultivation year-round, even a Golden Core great cultivator won't be able to make a move against me."

Golden Core cultivators were not allowed to attack Foundation Establishment cultivators of the same sect; this was the bottom line of the Tianling Sect's Nascent Soul stage ancestor.

It was said that in the early days, a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Tianling Sect had offended a Golden Core great cultivator terribly, yet that Foundation Establishment cultivator was still alive and well to this day.

However, Fang Jinyu only said this to buy himself some time.

"That's not—" Lu Shaojun had just begun to refuse when Lu Yifang interrupted him. "Ten days. Fine, as Brother Fang said, I will visit you again in ten days."

In truth, that Golden Core great cultivator had given them half a year; all they needed was to obtain that entry slot before the Lingdu Secret Realm opened.

As for why they had spoken differently earlier, it was simply because they wanted to settle the matter sooner and leave a good impression on that Golden Core great cultivator.

Lu Yifang then took his leave.

"I won't see you out."

Fang Jinyu certainly didn't welcome these two, so naturally, he didn't have a good expression at this moment.

Lu Shaojun looked indignant, as if he had something to say, but Lu Yifang directly dragged him away.

Seeing the two of them leave, Fang Jinyu first suppressed the strong urge to tattle, then restored the door restriction, and followed the train of thought from earlier in his mind, correcting and remedying the errors and omissions in his own cultivation.

‘If I can establish my foundation without a Foundation Establishment Pill, then the crisis before me will resolve itself…’

After all, Foundation Establishment cultivators were not allowed to enter the Lingdu Secret Realm.

And then he could precisely use this entry slot to exchange for the subsequent cultivation formula of Wind Thunder Attraction from the sect leader.

Wind Thunder Attraction was considered a superior-grade cultivation formula of the wind, fire, and lightning triple attributes. Had his predecessor's parents not sacrificed themselves for the sect, his predecessor would never have obtained the Qi Refining chapter of this formula.

Cultivation techniques here were divided only into superior grade and inferior grade. Most cultivators only practiced inferior-grade formulas. Some rogue cultivators, who had no inheritance and stumbled into the immortal path by luck, only had some basic qi circulation mnemonics.

* * *

A night passed, and Fang Jinyu's cultivation still hadn't changed.

This was natural; after all, he had hit a bottleneck.

However, after correcting a few errors, he clearly felt that the circulation of his mana was much smoother.

And this also made Fang Jinyu understand the correct usage of his cheat.

‘The more high-end the task I perform in a day, the greater the help to myself after extraction.’

The feedback from shoveling poop could be said to be minimal.

After all, that was simple physical labor.

And the increase in spellcasting speed also came from Fang Jinyu repeatedly casting spells at the time.

The only notable thing was probably his ability to endure the stench, because that had been extracted over a dozen times.

But all of these combined were far from matching today's "Insight +1"!

* * *

So, on the second day, Fang Jinyu continued his cultivation.

[Today was a day of cultivating but still gaining nothing]

[Extraction obtained: Insight +1]

Because last night's insight was insufficient, he had only corrected a few errors and omissions in his cultivation. But now, with another "Insight +1" appearing, even more detailed essentials of Wind Thunder Attraction appeared in his mind.

Fang Jinyu corrected a portion overnight, and his mana circulation immediately became much smoother. If before it had flowed like silt, now it was smooth sailing.

On the third day, it was still Insight +1.

This naturally filled Fang Jinyu with joy, and after a night of correcting errors, the mana within him had reached a level of perfect control. Even the power of the spells he had previously mastered had improved considerably.

If someone like Lu Shaojun were to attack him now, Fang Jinyu could counterattack and kill him even under the rescue attempts of another ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivator.

At this moment, Fang Jinyu already possessed the combat strength of a casual strike from a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

If there was such a concept as a half-step, then Fang Jinyu was now at the half-step Foundation Establishment!

Unfortunately, the fourth day did not repeat the previous gains.

[Today was a day of sublimating the heart with Hundred Flowers Dew.]

[Extraction obtained: Charm +1]

Although a bottle of Hundred Flowers Dew cost twenty spirit stones, it was not a one-time use item; it could be used many times. If used sparingly, it could last one or two years.

‘What use do I have for this useless Charm?’

But Fang Jinyu couldn't help complaining.

Because of all the extractions, what he least wanted to see was the word "Charm." Although this body's appearance was average, Fang Jinyu didn't care what he looked like.

After all, he was cultivating immortality; why bother about appearance?

Everything should be centered on cultivation.

Fortunately, after cultivating the next day, he once again saw the dearly longed-for Insight +1.

Accompanied by the Qi Refining essentials presented in his mind and the continuous evolution of the Wind Thunder Attraction formula, Fang Jinyu finally broke through his own bottleneck, and his previously stagnant mana began to change.

At this moment, Fang Jinyu knew that his breakthrough opportunity had come. With a single Foundation Establishment Pill swallowed, or any other spirit pill that could greatly increase mana, he would inevitably achieve Foundation Establishment!

However, he had none.

So, Fang Jinyu could only circulate his cultivation technique, slowly refining spiritual energy to hone it into his own mana.

[Today was a day of cultivating with minor gains]

[Extraction obtained: Mana +1]

‘Mana?’

Fang Jinyu was stunned for a moment, then felt as if he had consumed a superior-grade pill, with the mana inside him surging.

Thus, he hurriedly continued to circulate his cultivation technique.

Then, naturally, the mana began to transform, and with it, a process of marrow cleansing and rebirth began.

This process was like being reborn.

So when the marrow cleansing ended, Fang Jinyu's lifespan had already surpassed that of ordinary people.

Foundation Establishment stage, lifespan of two hundred.

Fang Jinyu couldn't help but reveal a smile.

His idea was indeed feasible—breaking through without relying on a Foundation Establishment Pill, thoroughly understanding his own cultivation technique, remedying and correcting cultivation flaws, then accumulating mana, and breaking through naturally once all conditions were met!

Feeling the ceaselessly circulating mana within him, Fang Jinyu hurriedly cycled the Wind Thunder Attraction formula to stabilize it.

Because it was a natural breakthrough, Fang Jinyu didn't need to consolidate his cultivation at all.

A moment later, after familiarizing himself with Foundation Establishment mana, Fang Jinyu opened his eyes and, without pausing, left his cave dwelling, riding his talisman tool toward the Tianling Peak where the sect leader resided.

Fang Jinyu also had a talisman tool.

This was a type of immortal tool inferior to spirit tools, and easier for Qi Refining cultivators to master.

And on this trip to see the sect leader, in addition to handing over this entry slot that had brought him danger, Fang Jinyu also planned to lodge a complaint!

Of course, he wouldn't complain about the master of the female lead Su Yier; first, he had no evidence, and second, the other party was a Golden Core great cultivator. What Fang Jinyu wanted to report were those three: Chen Baxing, Lu Shaojun, and Lu Yifang.

He didn't dare offend an alchemist, because an alchemist's network was notoriously strong, especially a Foundation Establishment alchemist, who could even request a Golden Core great cultivator to take action.

But the Tianling Sect dared!