From Fanwu to Xinghai

Chapter 32 The Method of Foundation Building

At dawn, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the training grounds of the inner sect of the Qingyun Sect.

Lin Chen had been standing there for an hour.

He tried to sense the flow of time using the methods described in his father's manuscript. At first, the feeling was vague, like looking at something through a layer of fog. But as he practiced more, the fog gradually dissipated.

Time... is flowing.

He had his eyes closed, yet he could "see" everything around him. The path of sunlight shooting through the clouds, the wisps of spiritual energy drifting in the air, the movements of the disciples practicing in the distance. All of these were broken down into countless slices of time, slowly unfolding in his consciousness.

This is a completely new way of perceiving.

Ordinary cultivators perceive the world through their five senses and divine sense. But the Time Guardians can directly perceive the structure of time.

"You've been standing here for a long time."

Lin Yuan's voice came from behind.

Lin Chen opened his eyes and turned around. Lin Yuan was leaning against a stone pillar by the training ground, playing with a fallen leaf in his hand, looking relaxed.

"What are you practicing?" Lin Yuan walked over. "I sense that the flow of time around you is a bit strange."

"The cultivation method left by my father," Lin Chen didn't hide anything, "time perception."

Lin Yuan paused for a moment.

"You've seen his manuscript?"

"I read it." Lin Chen looked at him. "Including the part about you."

Lin Yuan didn't speak, but his eyes became somewhat complicated.

"He said you came from the future," Lin Chen continued, "and that last time... I died."

"yes."

"How did you die?"

Lin Yuan remained silent for a long time, so long that Lin Chen thought he wouldn't answer.

"Foundation Establishment stage." Lin Yuan finally spoke, his voice slightly hoarse. "When you were breaking through to Foundation Establishment, you were ambushed by the Dark Blade Pavilion. They've been tracking the bloodline of the Time Guardians, and after your father left, you became their sole target."

Lin Chen's heart tightened.

"That time, I was late." Lin Yuan's voice was very soft, as if he were talking about something from a long time ago. "When I arrived, you were already..."

He didn't finish speaking.

But Lin Chen understood.

"So this time, you came early."

"Yes." Lin Yuan looked up at him. "And this time, I won't let the same thing happen again."

Their eyes met in mid-air, and something unspoken was conveyed. It wasn't something that could be expressed in words, but rather a deeper resonance between blood ties and a shared sense of mission.

"Teach me," Lin Chen said.

"What?"

"You have more experience than I do in cultivating the Time Guardian," Lin Chen said. "Father's manuscripts are the foundation, but you've experienced it firsthand; you know which methods are effective and which are risky."

Lin Yuan was stunned for a moment, then a smile appeared on his lips.

"You're quite direct."

"Time is of the essence, there's no need to beat around the bush," Lin Chen said. "The higher-dimensional agents have arrived, I must break through to the Foundation Establishment stage as soon as possible."

Lin Yuan gathered up the fallen leaves and stood up straight.

"Okay," he said, "but I have one condition."

"explain."

"When you break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, you must have me protect you." Lin Yuan's eyes turned serious. "Last time, you were ambushed during your breakthrough. This time, I must ensure your safety."

Lin Chen looked at him and nodded.

"make a deal."

In the days that followed, Lin Chen entered a frenzied training mode.

During the day, he practiced time perception according to the methods in his father's manuscript, gradually expanding from initially only being able to perceive the flow of time within a three-zhang radius around him to ten zhang, twenty zhang, fifty zhang...

At night, he practiced the inner sect technique of the Qingyun Sect, "Qingyun Qi-Guiding Technique," drawing spiritual energy into his body to temper his meridians and accumulate the spiritual power needed for a breakthrough.

Lin Yuan would come every day to guide him in the unique cultivation techniques of the Time Guardians.

"Perceiving time isn't about seeing with your eyes, but about 'touching' the texture of time with your consciousness," Lin Yuan said. "It's like touching fabric with your hand; you can feel its texture."

"When time slows down, don't try to fight its inertia; go with it, like swimming, using its momentum while exerting your own influence."

"Time freezing is an advanced technique, which you can't do yet, but you can practice 'time stasis' first. Slow down the flow of time for a small object, rather than stopping it completely."

These techniques were also written in his father's manuscript, but Lin Yuan's explanations were more specific and practical. He would point out Lin Chen's mistakes in practice, share his own experiences and lessons learned, and remind him of the risks that needed special attention.

"Time-manipulation abilities come at a price," Lin Yuan repeatedly emphasized. "Each use consumes a portion of your lifespan. Although the cost per use is small, it adds up over time, so it cannot be abused."

"Then how do we determine when to use it and when not to use it?"

"It's very simple," Lin Yuan said. "Ask yourself: Is this something I'd give my life for?"

Lin Chen remembered those words.

On the seventh day, Lin Chen's time perception broke through.

He can clearly perceive the flow of time within a radius of 100 feet, and can arbitrarily accelerate or decelerate the flow of time in a small area within this range.

More importantly, he successfully cast "time freeze" for the first time, freezing a falling leaf in mid-air for a full three seconds.

Although it was only three seconds, it meant that he had already touched the threshold of time manipulation.

"Very good." Lin Yuan nodded. "You've basically mastered the first stage; you can begin the second stage of cultivation."

"What is the second phase?"

"Manipulating local time," Lin Yuan said, "is not just about perception and minor adjustments, but about truly changing the flow of time within a certain area. For example, making a day inside a room equal to an hour outside."

Lin Chen gasped.

"Is... this possible?"

"Possibly, but very difficult," Lin Yuan said. "And the energy expenditure would be enormous. With your current cultivation level, you could only maintain the time difference for a maximum of one hour, and the range couldn't exceed one zhang."

"That's enough." Lin Chen's eyes lit up. "If I can extend the breakthrough process during Foundation Establishment, I can leave a more complete time imprint in my Dao Foundation."

Lin Yuan was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.

"You certainly know how to apply what you've learned," he said. "That's right, this is the core technique for the Time Guardian's foundation building. It was written in Father's manuscripts, wasn't it?"

"I wrote it down, but I didn't explain the specifics of how to do it."

"Then I'll teach you," Lin Yuan said. "But before that, you need to raise your cultivation to the ninth level of the Qi Refining stage. You're at the seventh level now, two levels short."

Improving his cultivation level was not difficult for Lin Chen.

He had his father's manuscripts for guidance, Lin Yuan's personal instruction, the high-quality resources of the Qingyun Sect's inner sect, and his own unremitting efforts.

Day 10, Qi-inducing period, eighth floor.

Day 15, Qi-inducing period, level 9.

This speed is astonishing in the entire history of the Qingyun Sect.

Fang Zhiyuan looked at Lin Chen during the practical lesson, his gaze growing increasingly complex. He had taught for twenty years and seen countless geniuses, but Lin Chen was the first he had ever met.

"Your progress is too fast," Fang Zhiyuan called out to Lin Chen after class, "It's abnormally fast."

"I've simply been working harder."

"Effort?" Fang Zhiyuan shook his head. "Effort can only explain part of it. The quality of your spiritual energy, your combat instincts, your understanding of spiritual techniques—these cannot be explained by effort alone."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "You carry the aura of time."

Lin Chen felt a chill run down his spine.

Elder Fang…

"Don't be nervous," Fang Zhiyuan waved his hand. "I've taught for twenty years and seen all sorts of students. Some have dragon energy, some have sword intent, some have the fragrance of elixirs. You have the aura of time, which is rare, but not unheard of."

"You've seen it before?"

"Thirty years ago," Fang Zhiyuan's gaze became somewhat distant, "there was a student who resembled you a lot. He also suddenly appeared at the Qingyun Sect, also progressed rapidly, and also carried the scent of time."

Lin Chen's heart raced.

"That student..."

"His name is Lin Yuan," Fang Zhiyuan said. "He shares your surname, but that was thirty years ago, so it shouldn't have anything to do with you."

Lin Chen fell silent.

Lin Yuan thirty years ago, that was his father.

It turns out that my father also cultivated in the Qingyun Sect back then, and was also Fang Zhiyuan's student.

"What happened to Lin Yuan after that?" he asked.

"He's gone." Fang Zhiyuan sighed. "He left suddenly one night, without saying goodbye, without leaving a message, as if he had never been there."

He looked at Lin Chen with a meaningful gaze.

"I hope you won't repeat his mistakes."

Lin Chen nodded solemnly.

"This disciple understands."

Back at Yunshejiqi, Lin Chen told Lin Yuan what Fang Zhiyuan had said.

After listening, young Lin Yuan remained silent for a long time.

"So he's been cultivating here for eight years..." he said softly, "longer than I thought."

"You know my father?" Lin Chen asked. "I mean, in your timeline."

"I knew him," Lin Yuan said, "but that was a long time later. In my timeline, your father left before you were born, and you never met him. It wasn't until later, when we met in the river of time, that he told me everything."

"To meet in the river of time?"

"Time Guardians can communicate across timelines in the river of time," Lin Yuan said. "That's a very late-game ability; you can't do that now."

Lin Chen seemed to be deep in thought.

"So, Father might still be alive, somewhere in some timeline."

"Possibly," Lin Yuan didn't deny it, "but finding him would be very difficult. The passage of time is too vast, and he's deliberately concealing his tracks."

Why?

"Because someone is hunting him down," Lin Yuan said. "The Dark Blade Pavilion, and other forces. The bloodline of the Time Guardian is very valuable to many."

Lin Chen remembered Fang Zhiyuan's words.

"I won't let them succeed," he said, "whether it's against me or against my father."

Lin Yuan looked at him, a sense of relief in his eyes.

"I know," he said. "That's one of the reasons I came back."

On the eighteenth day, Lin Chen prepared to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

His Qi Refining Stage 9 has been stabilized, his spiritual energy is well-accumulated, and his time perception has reached the required level. More importantly, he can now maintain the "time freeze" technique mentioned in his father's manuscript for ten breaths.

"Are you ready?" Lin Yuan asked.

Lin Chen nodded.

They chose Yun Shejiqi's underground secret chamber. It was a private cultivation space for every inner disciple, with a spiritual energy concentration 30% higher than outside, and excellent soundproofing, so they wouldn't be disturbed by the outside world.

Qin Mo stood guard at the entrance to the secret chamber, holding a long sword, his eyes wary.

Lin Yuan stood beside Lin Chen, forming hand seals to create a time barrier around the secret chamber.

"This is the protective spell of the Time Guardians," he said. "Within this barrier, any external attack will be slowed down by time, giving us time to react."

Thank you.

"You're welcome," Lin Yuan said. "Let's begin."

Lin Chen sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.

Following the method of the "Azure Cloud Qi Guiding Technique," he guided the spiritual energy within his body to circulate along his meridians. The spiritual energy was like a river, surging through the meridians, growing stronger with each complete cycle.

When his spiritual energy circulated for the ninety-ninth time, he sensed it. That barrier that hindered his cultivation advancement.

The threshold of the foundation-building stage.

For an ordinary cultivator to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, they need to use their spiritual power to break through the barrier in one go, and then condense their Dao foundation the moment the barrier collapses.

But the Time Guardians are different.

Following the method in his father's manuscript, Lin Chen activated the Time River Imprint between his eyebrows while breaking through the barrier.

Time freezes, then it starts.

Everything around me slowed down instantly. The flow of spiritual energy, the tremors of the barriers, even my own heartbeat.

In this elongated moment, he had ample time to do one thing: to inscribe the mark of time in the foundation of the Dao.

He "saw" his dantian. It was originally a chaotic void, but now, under the impact of spiritual energy, it began to condense, forming a blurry platform.

That was the prototype of the Dao Foundation.

Lin Chen concentrated his mind and guided the power of the River of Time imprint into his dantian, engraving the first imprint on the nascent Dao foundation.

It was a golden line, like a microcosm of the river of time, winding and twisting, yet containing a certain pattern.

Then came the second, the third...

With each mark he made, he could feel his Dao foundation becoming more stable and unique.

However, the time-suspension effect is also enormous.

He could feel his lifespan slipping away. It wasn't the obvious kind of aging, but an indescribable weariness, as if something was being drawn away from the depths of his body.

"Don't be greedy," Lin Yuan's voice came from afar. "Seven inscriptions are enough; any more and your body won't be able to handle it."

Lin Chen gritted his teeth and carved the seventh mark.

Then, he released the freeze of time.

boom!

The suppressed spiritual power erupted instantly, the barrier collapsed in an instant, and the surging spiritual power poured into the dantian, merging with the Dao foundation engraved with the mark of time.

An unprecedented sense of power surged through my entire body.

Lin Chen opened his eyes, a golden light flashing in his pupils.

Foundation building phase, breakthrough achieved.

"How are you feeling?" Lin Yuan asked.

Lin Chen stood up and stretched his body.

"Very strong," he said. "Much stronger than the Qi-cultivation stage."

This is not an exaggeration. The difference between the Foundation Establishment stage and the Qi Refining stage is like the difference between an adult and an infant. The quality, quantity, and control precision of spiritual energy all undergo a qualitative leap.

More importantly, he sensed that the seven time imprints within his Dao foundation were slowly operating, resonating with the river of time.

"Let's test your time manipulation," Lin Yuan said. "Let's see what changes occur."

Lin Chen nodded, closed his eyes, and reactivated his time perception.

Then, he was shocked.

Previously, he could only sense the flow of time within a radius of a hundred feet. Now, that range has expanded to a thousand feet, almost covering the entire inner sect area.

Even more astonishingly, he discovered that he could manipulate time with greater precision.

Previously, time slowing down could only slow down everything within a certain area simultaneously. Now, he can selectively slow down certain things while keeping others at normal speed.

"This is the effect of Time Foundation Building," Lin Yuan said. "Your Dao foundation resonates with the laws of time, greatly enhancing your time-related abilities."

"What was the price?" Lin Chen asked. "I feel my lifespan has been significantly depleted."

"About three years," Lin Yuan said. "The longer the time freeze lasts, the more marks are etched, and the more lifespan is consumed. You etched seven marks, consuming three years, which is quite worthwhile."

Lin Chen nodded.

He was willing to pay the price of three years of his lifespan to achieve a breakthrough in the Foundation Establishment stage and a qualitative leap in his time management abilities.

"What do we do next?" he asked.

"Consolidate your cultivation and continue practicing," Lin Yuan said. "The Foundation Establishment stage is just the beginning; there's a long road ahead."

He paused, then looked north.

"Besides, we don't have much time left."

On the very night that Lin Chen broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, news spread throughout the inner sect of the Qingyun Sect.

Yanhuang Pass is in dire need of help.

The Thunder Legion was completely wiped out, its commander was killed in battle, and its northern border was breached.

Even more terrifying, a chilling description came from the mouths of the wounded who escaped:

"They are not human."

"It's not a demonic beast either."

"It's... something we can't understand."

Lin Chen stood in Yun Shejiqi's courtyard, listening to the distant sound of bells, and clenched his fists.

The agents of the higher-dimensional civilization have finally bared their fangs.

He had just broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage and was preparing to face this storm.