Li Su invested a significant amount of materials in setting up the protective mountain formation for the Li family.
The next day, Li Su set out on his journey.
He was once again heading to Feixian Sect.
(TL: Flying Immortal Sect -> Feixian Sect.)
In recent years, Li Su had visited Feixian Sect multiple times, primarily to send his descendants who had turned 12 years old for cultivation there.
The cultivation of these descendants would also benefit Li Su.
However, the current level of benefit was not substantial.
Nevertheless, as the number of descendants increased in the future, it would become a path for Li Su's cultivation to flourish.
Soon, Li Su arrived at Feixian Sect.
"Senior Brother Li~" The disciple on duty at Feixian Sect became even more enthusiastic upon seeing Li Su.
"Senior Brother Li, long time no see."
The disciple guarding the mountain gate this time was a new member in the Foundation Establishment stage.
These disciples would be rotated every few years.
After all, cultivators spent the majority of their time engrossed in cultivation.
As news spread of Li Su's late Foundation Establishment stage cultivation, the attitude of the disciples in Feixian Sect towards him underwent a significant change.
During their free time, many disciples would discuss Li Su.
Li Su had only established his foundation at the age of 100, but his cultivation had experienced a tremendous leap afterward. Naturally, this easily sparked discussions among cultivators.
Li Su made his way to the Foreign Affairs Hall.
His initial plan was to collect spiritual stones.
Having reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, he now received an additional 200 spiritual stones per month, bringing the total to 600 stones.
"Li Su, have you reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage?" Elder Xue, the head of the Foreign Affairs Hall, blinked his eyes and asked.
Li Su nodded and replied, "Yes, Elder Xue."
Although this elder appeared drowsy most of the time, he was actually a formidable cultivator in the early Golden Core stage.
However, he did not possess the extraordinary abilities depicted in martial arts novels. Rumor had it that Elder Xue had sustained a severe injury in a battle, damaging his foundation and making further progress in this lifetime challenging.
The elder from the Foreign Affairs Hall stared at Li Su with a somewhat surprised expression.
Ten years ago, Li Su reached the seventh level of foundation building.
After a decade, Li Su astonishingly reached the tenth level of foundation building!
Within ten years, he advanced three levels.
If Li Su had a sixth rank or higher spiritual root, he wouldn't be so amazed.
No, even a sixth rank spiritual root would find it difficult; only those with a fifth rank or higher spiritual root could accomplish it.
This is progressing from the seventh to the tenth level of foundation building.
For a sixth rank spiritual root, unless someone uses special methods like nurturing or top cultivation techniques, it isn't advantageous for later growth.
How did Li Su, with his spiritual root, achieve this?
Did Li Su have an incredible encounter?
Could it be a powerful individual's cave or mansion?
"Elder Xue, do I have something on my face?"
Li Su felt somewhat uneasy under Elder Xue's gaze.
"Haha, Li Su, you're doing great! Here are 1,800 spirit stones. You have now reached the peak of foundation building. If you plan to break through to the golden core stage in the future, you can obtain a Concentration Pill, which will aid your advancement."
Elder Xue said.
"Okay, Elder."
Li Su replied.
"Wait until you're prepared to break through before obtaining it. Don't go too early; the Concentration Pill is highly valuable. Going too early might attract unwanted attention."
Elder Xue added.
"Thank you for the reminder, Elder."
Li Su said.
Li Su understood the principle of concealing one's talents and being patient.
The world of cultivation is not always peaceful. In the realm of wandering cultivators, incidents of killing for treasures occur from time to time.
Disciples of the three major sects are generally not to be provoked, and ordinary wandering cultivators cannot afford to provoke them either.
However, one should always be prepared for the worst.
Li Su rarely traveled in the world of cultivation, so he rarely encountered such incidents.
On the other hand, other disciples of the Feixian Sect often explore perilous areas in search of treasures and face such situations more frequently.
Occasionally, disciples of the Feixian Sect also lose contact.
After receiving the spirit stones, Li Su left the Outer Affairs Hall and headed to the Refining Pavilion, hoping to exchange them for materials.
He lacked contribution points or similar currencies, so spirit stones were his only option.
However, as soon as Li Su arrived at the Refining Pavilion, a female cultivator came to notify him.
Li Su recognized this female cultivator as one of the sect leader's attendants.
"Senior Brother Li, the sect leader wishes to see you."
"He wants to see you," the woman said.
The sect leader wants to see him?
Li Su pondered for a moment and followed the female cultivator. They arrived at the main hall of the Feixian Sect under her guidance.
It had been over twenty years since he last saw her, ever since he reached the Foundation Establishment stage at the age of 100.
In those twenty years, she didn't seem to have changed at all.
No, she gave Li Su the impression that she had become even more formidable.
He wondered when she would be able to break through to the Yuan Ying stage.
She was reading a book when he saw her. As soon as she noticed Li Su, she raised her head and examined his face with her bright eyes.
"I didn't expect you to reach the peak of foundation building so quickly. Your spiritual root is so poor that you have always been an outer disciple. If I make you a core disciple, others might not accept it," the sect leader spoke.
"Sect leader, I understand," Li Su replied.
"However, considering your rapid progress in cultivation over these years, I can make an exception. I will accept you as a direct disciple, which means you can enjoy the treatment of a core disciple," the sect leader spoke again.
A direct disciple?
In other words, the sect leader's intention was to bypass some of the Feixian Sect's rules by accepting Li Su as a direct disciple.
For instance, his poor spiritual root prevented him from becoming a core disciple.
Over a hundred years ago, the sect leader could have forced him to become a core disciple, but it wouldn't have been ideal.
Enjoying the treatment of a core disciple while only reaching the Foundation Establishment stage at the age of 100... Li Su would likely be ostracized by all the disciples of the Feixian Sect and might not be able to stay there.
The treatment of a core disciple was indeed good.
Of course, it also came with more obligations and less freedom compared to what Li Su currently had.
However...
What Li Su was thinking about now was...
If he became the sect leader's disciple, it would be equivalent to having her as his master, and in the future...
Could he still ask her to bear his children?