The Limits of the Foundation Period

It was unbelievable to everyone present that someone would actually question the Dao Sect's dao. Even Liu Boxian did not expect this.

When Qin Ran spoke to Li Shiyin earlier, they were just joking around, but they never imagined that Li Shiyin would take her master's words so seriously and actually try to find flaws in the Dao Sect's dao heritage.

...And so she was expelled from the Dao Sect.

It felt as preposterous as if the heavens were trying to feed you, but you thought the food was poisoned.

After being taken advantage of by Li Shiyin for a while, Qin Ran forcibly pulled her off of him and asked seriously, "So how did your enlightenment feel?"

"Hmm..." Li Shiyin tilted her head and thought for a while, then shook her head and replied, "I don't know. But I feel like I gained a lot."

As expected of you...

"Can you elaborate on what exactly you gained?" Qin Ran asked again.

"Just...my cultivation base is more solid now," Li Shiyin said.

*Sigh*... Foolish disciple, it was pointless asking her.

"Master?"

But just as Qin Ran was feeling exasperated, his stubborn disciple suddenly called out to him. He looked over and saw her gesturing for him to come closer so she could whisper to him.

He looked at her askance, suspecting she wanted to be sly and take advantage of him again.

"Oh come on!" Seeing Qin Ran's look, Li Shiyin became impatient. She grabbed Qin Ran's hand and pulled it to her chest, saying, "Come over here!"

Only then did Qin Ran hesitantly lean in.

"Master..." Li Shiyin whispered into Qin Ran's ear, her hot breath making his ear tingle. "You've always been exploring the limits of cultivation, right? I have a feeling that I'm about to reach the limit of Foundation Building!"

"Hm?" Qin Ran immediately forgot about his tingling, burning ear. He quickly turned to look at Li Shiyin. Staring into each other's eyes at extremely close range, he asked excitedly, "Really?"

"Yes!" Li Shiyin's bright eyes steadily looked into her master's deep ones as she nodded earnestly and said, "I feel like I'm pouring water into a bottle, and the bottle is about to be completely filled. It's going to be full, just like that. I have an innate sense that I'm reaching the limit of Foundation Building."

Qin Ran had calculated the limit for Foundation Building before, and had glimpsed it himself, but he had never felt that sense. In his plans, if he formed his core at fifty, he could have touched the limit of Foundation Building. But due to various reasons, he ended up forming his core at twenty-five instead.

Hearing Li Shiyin's description, Qin Ran was unable to contain his excitement. Looking at his foolish disciple's bright eyes, he was thrilled. He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead.

He held her in his arms, tilted his head back, and pressed his lips to her forehead with his eyes closed, murmuring, "How wonderful...that's great..."

He could no longer attain that level of cultivation, but his foolish disciple could enter that realm.

Li Shiyin hugged Qin Ran back, her forehead still wet. She was elated inside.

Sounding drunk, she softly replied, "Master, Shiyin realized long ago that realms are what they need, not what Shiyin needs. Master, Shiyin will become the most powerful."

Realms constrain mediocrity, but she, Li Shiyin, is a genius.

"Yes, Shiyin is the most powerful."

The two of them embraced for a while. Long Qiqi's throat became hoarse from coughing nearby, but neither of them noticed. Left with no choice, Long Qiqi went over and gave Qin Ran's calf a hard kick.

One kick wasn't enough. It took two or three kicks to make Qin Ran feel the pain. He came to his senses and saw Long Qiqi. He asked, "Why did you kick me?"

"Because you two were oblivious to propriety!" Long Qiqi gave him another kick and gestured around them. "Broad daylight, under the clear sky, a man and woman alone together, hugging and snuggling - disgusting! Blech! Disgusting!"

"Cough..." Only then did Qin Ran let go of Li Shiyin and glance around. He saw that Liu Boxian was not far away, looking towards the Dao Sect.

But Liu Boxian's appearance made it obvious he had been standing there for quite some time.

Qin Ran's old face turned red. He said to Liu Boxian, "Uncle Master?"

As if just coming to his senses, Liu Boxian looked back at them. Seeing Qin Ran's radiant expression and Li Shiyin's flushed face, he couldn't figure out the attacker-receiver dynamic between the master and disciple.

"Oh, please continue. Don't mind me," he said understandingly. Young people get excited sometimes.

"Ha ha." Qin Ran laughed awkwardly, then quickly asked, "Uncle Master, did you need something from us?"

"Nothing else..." Since they showed no intention of passionately embracing again, Liu Boxian brought up what he wanted to ask. "I just wanted to ask your precious (emphasis) disciple which one of them is currently undergoing their tribulation?"

Li Shiyin was very open about it. Even though she had separated from Qin Ran, she was still clutching his arm. Hearing Liu Boxian's question, she replied, "It's obviously Wenjin! This is the Golden Core tribulation! I haven't formed my core yet."

"I see..." Since Li Shiyin had come out during the tribulation, it could only be Tian Wenjin. Liu Boxian nodded and asked further, "Then who was it before?"

"It was Senior Martial Brother Liu Baixuan before..."

"What happened with Liu Baixuan?" Liu Boxian hurriedly followed up.

"Senior Martial Brother Liu has reached the Nascent Soul stage! He's currently stabilizing his cultivation through meditation," Li Shiyin said with a laugh. "Congratulations Uncle Master! Now Wenjin has formed her core, and Senior Martial Brother Liu is at the Nascent Soul stage. Sword Peak has suddenly gained so much!"

"Hahaha..." Even a Nascent Soul old monster like Liu Boxian couldn't help showing joy at the two pieces of good news. He burst into hearty laughter and repeatedly said, "Wonderful!"

"Congratulations Uncle Master!" Qin Ran offered his congratulations again as well.

"Eh? Master?" Just then, Li Shiyin noticed something amiss. She tugged Qin Ran's arm and asked, "Why do you call Senior Uncle Master, uncle master?"

"Uncle Master is of the same generation as my master, so I call him uncle master. What's wrong with that?" Qin Ran asked back.

"Then why do I call him uncle master?" Li Shiyin didn't understand.

"Because you and Wenjin, Liu Baixuan are martial siblings of the same batch, so you call him uncle master," Qin Ran explained.

Li Shiyin repeatedly shook her head, unable to comprehend it.

"Cultivators have long lives. This kind of thing is very normal. Just address him however is appropriate," Qin Ran said.

"Alright..."

Li Shiyin was the first to enter and the first to come out of the Dao Sect. Not long after, Ximen Wushang came out, followed closely by Qi Yuan, and then Ye Qingxuan...

Apart from Li Shiyin being expelled for questioning the Dao Sect's dao heritage, the others' length of stay could reflect their comprehension ability and cultivation base.

Not long after Yao Qingke came out, someone else started undergoing tribulation inside the Dao Sect. Judging from the situation, it was likely Lu Junxing undergoing his Nascent Soul tribulation.

After that, Tian Wenjin came out having reached the Golden Core stage, followed by Liu Baixuan at the Nascent Soul stage. Once Dong Zhongyuan also came out, only Lu Junxing remained inside the Dao Sect.

By now, it had been a month since they had first knocked on the Dao Sect's door.

After waiting another two days without any sign of Lu Junxing coming out, Liu Boxian judged that he might need to be in seclusion for a year or two. Those waiting outside the Dao Sect gradually dispersed after that.

Dan Peak's group also packed up and returned to Dan Peak.