I have a cultivation simulator

Chapter 62 The middle stage of foundation building

The so-called bottleneck or constraint is a problem that every cultivator must face.

The path of cultivation is fraught with bottlenecks and obstacles, but most of these are minor, such as the transition from Foundation Establishment Level 1 to Level 2, or from Level 2 to Level 3.

Essentially, they are all in the early stages of foundation building, which is a minor bottleneck that can be overcome over time.

However, some major bottlenecks cannot be overcome by time alone. Many early Foundation Establishment cultivators remain at the peak of the third level of Foundation Establishment, and even as they enter old age and their blood and energy decline, they never manage to advance to the middle level of Foundation Establishment.

[To overcome such a major bottleneck, luck plays a crucial role. Some peak Foundation Establishment Stage 3 cultivators, after being stuck for only two or three years, inexplicably manage to break through.]

Furthermore, spiritual roots are of great help in overcoming bottlenecks at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages. Cultivators with Heavenly Spiritual Roots will not encounter any bottlenecks during the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stage, making their cultivation path smooth and unobstructed.

[This is something to pay attention to only when the core is formed.]

[After soaking in the Azure Moon Pool, your spiritual root talent has reached the intermediate level.]

However, those with mid-grade spiritual roots find cultivation at the Foundation Establishment level somewhat difficult. You only managed to approach the cultivation speed of those with high-grade spiritual roots by frequently consuming pills.

Nearly half of Foundation Establishment stage cultivators possess superior-grade spiritual root talents.

"Let's wait two more years and see."

You thought to yourself.

Although you only have a mid-grade spiritual root, you are young; you are only forty-six years old.

Normally, cultivators with Heavenly Spiritual Roots reach Foundation Establishment around the age of forty.

[You've not only reached Foundation Establishment, but you're at the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage.]

The maximum lifespan for a Foundation Establishment cultivator is 240 years, and most Foundation Establishment cultivators can live past 200 years old.

It seems you have plenty of time left.

In the thirty-first year, at the age of forty-seven, you learn of a secret surveillance.

Ruan Hu of Beast Taming Mountain failed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Although he was protected by a Foundation Establishment Pill and did not die on the spot, he was severely injured.

"Ruanhu..."

[Your thoughts are in turmoil. In the previous two simulations, Ruan Hu ultimately became a Foundation Establishment cultivator of Beast Taming Mountain, riding a Dark Demon Eagle, a pet with a low-grade bloodline, with unparalleled power.]

[However, in this simulation, because of you, you secretly intercepted the Dark Demon Eagle, causing Ruan Hu to lose this great opportunity, which triggered a series of reactions, ultimately leading to his failure to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.]

In fact, Ruan Hu's failure to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage and his impending death from old age is a good thing for you.

At the auction, Ruan Hu clearly noticed the abnormality of the Dark Demon Eagle Egg. After you won it at a high price, Ruan Hu looked completely dejected.

You can't guarantee that Ruan Hu won't recognize the Dark Demon Eagle egg, or the Dark Demon Eagle that hatched from it.

In this situation, if the other party successfully enters the Foundation Establishment stage and then learns that you have a Dark Demon Eagle... even without any evidence, it would still be a potential threat.

[For example, he felt that you bullied him back then, using your Foundation Establishment cultivation status to force him to stop competing for the Black Wind Egg, etc.]

Of course, this possibility is low, but even if it is low, it is still a potential problem.

[Now that the opponent has failed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, and is likely to die of old age within the next few decades, it's equivalent to completely eliminating this potential threat for you.]

"Fellow Daoist Ruanhu, you can leave in peace. In the next simulation, I won't let that Dark Demon Eagle Egg appear at the auction for you to see, lest you be distraught."

You thought to yourself silently.

With the experience gained from this simulation, you have thoroughly memorized the aura of that dark demon eagle egg. For the next simulation, there's no need to wait for the auction.

[It was taken directly from the Ouyang family before the auction.]

You arrived at the Danlou courtyard and glanced at the dark demon eagle, which had grown to over a meter tall.

At this moment, the dark demonic eagle exudes a profound aura, having grown to the late stage of the first tier, comparable to a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator.

In terms of speed of flight, it is no less than that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment stage cultivator.

Recently, quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators have taken notice of this spirit pet and have started to probe you, asking if you're willing to sell it.

[After spending some time with the Dark Eagle and developing a bond with it, you arrived at the underground space of the Pill Tower.]

In addition to the three floors on the surface, the Danlou also has an underground floor.

In a 200-square-meter underground space, inside a wooden tub, Ye Feng sat with his eyes closed.

The wooden barrel contained a viscous liquid with abundant water-based spiritual energy, which Ye Feng naturally absorbed.

"As expected of the Water Spirit Body, even without any consciousness, it can absorb water-based spiritual energy on its own and passively cultivate..."

You looked at Ye Feng and sighed inwardly.

More than ten years ago, you captured Ye Feng and learned that he possessed the aptitude of the Water Spirit Body.

Originally, you planned to sell it to other forces through the black market in exchange for valuable resources, such as Core Formation spiritual items.

However, he later obtained the entire inheritance of the Mountain and Sea Sect, which included a secret technique that could awaken such a precious body ahead of time.

Although Ye Feng possesses the Water Spirit Body, he has not yet awakened it. Even if he were to sell it, the price would be lowered.

If you can fully awaken Ye Feng's Water Spirit Body, its value will definitely increase dramatically.

For the past ten years or so, you have been using the secret techniques of the Mountain and Sea Sect to nurture Ye Feng's Water Spirit Body, and now it is close to full awakening.

Of course, Ye Feng was unaware of everything you did. For the past ten years, the other party has never woken up and has remained in a coma.

Even so, during the awakening of the Water Spirit Body, Ye Feng's ability to absorb and release water-based spiritual energy naturally allowed his cultivation to reach the sixth level of Qi Refining.

"In about another year, we'll be fully awakened..."

[You checked the document and came to a conclusion.]

......

[In the thirty-second year, you are forty-eight years old, and have been stuck at the peak of the third level of Foundation Establishment for three years.]

You still haven't sensed any opportunity for a breakthrough.

[Are you absolutely certain that you're not one of those incredibly lucky cultivators who can inexplicably break through a bottleneck in three or four years?]

[With a slight thought, you take out a pill.]

[This is a mid-grade, second-tier breakthrough pill, capable of helping Foundation Establishment cultivators break through the bottleneck from the early to mid-stages.]

Breakthrough Pills are rare and expensive resources, and are seldom sold on the market, especially mid-grade second-tier Breakthrough Pills.

Of course, obtaining a Breakthrough Pill is not difficult for you. Even if you can't refine it yourself, you can ask your fellow guests in the Pill Hall for help.

However, the essence of breakthrough pills lies in burning a cultivator's potential to break through bottlenecks.

In other words, consuming a Breakthrough Pill will deplete one's potential.

This is also why, three years ago, even knowing you were facing a bottleneck, you still refused to take the Breakthrough Pill.

[You were planning to attempt to reach the Core Formation stage during this simulation. Taking the Breakthrough Pill too early would be detrimental to your Core Formation attempt.]

However, after three or four years of stagnation, you realize that without the help of Breakthrough Pills, you might remain stuck in the early stages of Foundation Establishment for decades.

At that time, you won't even have the chance to attempt to reach the Core Formation stage, let alone the Core Formation stage.

Even if you take the Breakthrough Pill, which will burn your potential, it will only affect you within this simulation.

When the next simulation comes, everything will return to normal, but your cultivation level and everything else will be inherited.

Even if you fail to break through to the Core Formation stage in this simulation, your foundation will only grow stronger in the next simulation, and the one after that, increasing your chances of success.

You have consumed the Breakthrough Pill.

[Half a month later, you successfully entered the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.]