Book 2: Chapter 46: The Pine Leaf Mouse's Foundation Establishment

Vol 2 Chapter 46: The Pine Leaf Mouse's Foundation Establishment After countless trials, Lin Jing and the Dragon Carp finally succeeded in refining the Longevity Foundation Pill! However, due to its complex recipe and the rarity of its ingredients, not to mention its tailored design, finding a test subject for the pill was impossible. The pill was uniquely crafted for the Pine Leaf Mouse—where else could one find another Pine Leaf Mouse with a life-bound Red Leaf? Thus, only Senior Pine, a Nascent Soul-level entity of the plant world, could evaluate the pill's quality. Not by consuming it, of course, but by examining it with its profound cultivation and understanding of botanical properties. "Let me see." Lin Jing emerged from his cave, his face radiant with satisfaction. Behind him, the Dragon Carp lay motionless inside the cauldron, completely exhausted. Lin Jing himself was drained but determined to witness the Pine Leaf Mouse's evolution. The Longevity Foundation Pill, the size of a sugar pellet, was jet-black in color. Senior Pine examined it, its silence weighing heavily on the group. “Minimal toxicity, almost negligible.” “The scent alone could extend a mortal’s lifespan by a hundred years.” “Perfectly balanced medicinal properties—seamless, natural.” “It’s undeniably an exceptional Foundation Establishment Pill, though the color is rather unappealing—it looks like a poison pill.” “Appearance doesn’t matter,” Lin Jing said with a laugh. “The pill’s color is determined by its ingredients. The complex materials must’ve caused this shade. As long as the pill works, that’s all that matters, right, Pine Leaf Mouse?” Lin Jing turned expectantly to the Pine Leaf Mouse. After nearly five years of cultivation, it was finally time for Foundation Establishment. For a Beast Tamer, the advancement of their spirit beast was as significant as their own breakthrough. The Pine Leaf Mouse hesitated, staring at the ominous-looking pill. However, it nodded resolutely, unwilling to let Lin Jing’s months of effort go to waste. “Senior Pine will safeguard you; there’s no need to worry,” Lin Jing reassured it, tossing the pill into its paws. The Pine Leaf Mouse caught the Longevity Foundation Pill, its tiny hands trembling slightly. Although it trusted Lin Jing and the Dragon Carp, the black color of the pill was unsettling. With a gulp, it swallowed its fears. “Squeak!” The Pine Leaf Mouse let out a determined cry. Its preparation was perfect—it had been resting and storing energy for this moment. With a deep breath, it tossed off its little robe, which fluttered onto a tree branch outside the cave, and swallowed the pill in one swift motion. The world seemed to pause. The wind ceased, and time itself felt frozen. Even Senior Pine watched silently as the Pine Leaf Mouse sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation. “It will succeed,” Lin Jing whispered, though his clenched fists betrayed his nervousness. With a resounding boom, the Longevity Foundation Pill’s immense medicinal power activated. The Pine Leaf Mouse’s body began to transform as the pill compressed its Everlasting Emperor’s True Energy. Waves of qi burst forth, forming spiraling vortices that surged into the heavens. Leaves and grass trembled across the mountain. The tyrannical true energy compressed into a radiant green meteor, coalescing within the Pine Leaf Mouse’s body. Its inner world seemed to be reborn—a vast expanse of spiritual mist filled the air, and raindrops formed from the mist, merging into glowing white lakes. These spirit rains nurtured the nascent world, integrating with every corner, initiating the crucial transformation of Qi into True Essence. It was the hallmark of Foundation Establishment, where True Qi condensed into True Essence within the spiritual sea. Through their bloodline contract, Lin Jing’s consciousness projected into the Pine Leaf Mouse’s inner world. He witnessed the birth of a spiritual sea, its waters rising from one foot to a hundred, then a thousand feet, expanding into an unfathomable depth. It was as if Lin Jing had entered an entirely new realm, his senses absorbed and overwhelmed. “Foundation Establishment involves the liquefaction of true qi into true essence, forming a spiritual sea. The body undergoes a complete transformation, and spiritual awareness evolves into divine sense, allowing one to perceive their surroundings with a thought.” “The depth of the spiritual sea corresponds to the range of divine sense,” Senior Pine explained. “For most at the early Foundation Establishment stage, divine sense extends about a hundred feet. Exceptions occur based on bloodline, talent, and cultivation method. Some far exceed this range.” Lin Jing's awareness sank deeper into the Pine Leaf Mouse’s spiritual sea—1,000 feet, 1,500 feet, 2,000 feet. It seemed endless. Outside, the Pine Leaf Mouse’s divine sense expanded rapidly, unconsciously spreading to cover the entire mountain. “At this rate, its strength rivals the mid-Foundation Establishment stage and even approaches the late stage!” “And this... is only the result of a normal breakthrough for a Qi Refining Tenth Stage Pine Leaf Mouse cultivating the Everlasting Emperor’s Longevity Art,” Senior Pine remarked. Meanwhile, the Longevity Foundation Pill began to take effect. Golden-green light enveloped the Pine Leaf Mouse as its inner spiritual rain transformed into gold-green botanical essence. The entire spiritual sea changed color under this miraculous rain, triggering another round of bodily purification. Boom! With a blinding explosion of light, an immense aura burst forth from the Pine Leaf Mouse, signaling a leap in its bloodline. Its transformation was accompanied by a terrifying pressure that jolted the Dragon Carp awake. seaʀᴄh thё NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Dragon Carp darted outside the cave, perching atop a nearby peak to witness the Pine Leaf Mouse’s evolution. Its bloodline trembled as it watched, knowing instinctively that its companion’s life essence was undergoing a metamorphosis far beyond its understanding. The Pine Leaf Mouse’s form was obscured by radiant spiritual light. Even Senior Pine could only vaguely sense that the Pine Leaf Mouse’s bloodline mutation was elevating its life essence to an entirely new level, the direction of which remained unfathomable. Though its final form was still uncertain, one thing was clear—its divine sense had reached a level of near monstrosity. The Pine Leaf Mouse’s divine sense expanded: 200 meters… 300 meters… eventually reaching 1,000 meters—a range typically reserved for those at the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment. But the mouse’s limits were nowhere near this. Its divine sense continued to grow, surpassing 1,100 meters, then 1,500 meters, and finally exploding outward to an incredible 2,000 meters. Even Senior Pine was left awestruck. Such an extraordinary divine sense was far beyond the scope of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators. Only those Golden Core aspirants who artificially simulated a core—a "pseudo-core cultivator"—might achieve such strength. "With divine sense this powerful, it will hold a massive advantage in combat," Senior Pine mused. "This must be a result of its frequent use of rare beast abilities and its reliance on spiritual control, which has built an extraordinarily strong foundation." At last, the Pine Leaf Mouse’s divine sense stopped expanding at the 2,000-meter mark. Simultaneously, the radiant light of its bloodline evolution began to fade. Lin Jing’s consciousness returned to his own body, and he stared in disbelief as the Pine Leaf Mouse slowly rose and opened its eyes. Its clover-like pupils spun wildly, emitting an aura of terrifying power. This was no ordinary Foundation Establishment beast. Yet what left Lin Jing even more stunned was its appearance. While the Pine Leaf Mouse retained its squirrel-like form, with its soft, glossy brown fur, it now looked more like a fusion of animal and plant life. Its triangular ears had transformed into ruby-red leaves, and its bushy tail now resembled a large maple leaf. The name "Maple Leaf Mouse" seemed far more fitting now. The once fragile creature now exuded immense strength. Its body radiated power, and its tail, with leaf-like blades, was sharper than any weapon. Lin Jing couldn’t help but feel that even Yuan Jing’s Demon-Slaying Sword, imbued with sword intent, was less fearsome than the mouse’s newly transformed body. "The life-bound Red Leaf has truly become part of its form," Lin Jing marveled. "And this strength... It has just reached Foundation Establishment but could already challenge the peak of this realm. This is the mark of an Unmatched Demon King Bloodline!" "My Longevity Blood, infused into the Divine Pine Pinecone, has also granted it unparalleled vitality. Its lifespan now..." Senior Pine suddenly froze, its eyes widening. The Pine Leaf Mouse’s evolution wasn’t finished yet. As the light in its Glazed Immortal Eyes rotated, a tree-like substance began to grow across its body. This substance radiated immense life force, forming the image of a divine tree around the mouse. BOOM! In an instant, the Pine Leaf Mouse vanished, replaced by a towering colossus over thirty meters tall, its entire form composed of wood. The Squirrel Colossus maintained the mouse’s basic appearance, but its body was now like a mountain, bristling with branches laden with countless pinecones. It was as if the mouse itself had become a divine tree spanning heaven and earth. "This is impossible!" Senior Pine exclaimed, aghast. "It didn’t just integrate its Red Leaf—it's also fully assimilated my pinecones into its being!" Senior Pine struggled to comprehend. As a plant-Nascent Soul cultivator, it had expected the Red Leaf’s integration, but its own power being refined and absorbed by the mouse was beyond belief. According to Lin Jing’s theories, the pinecones were only meant to provide energy for Foundation Establishment. "Is this the power of its eyes?" As the Glazed Immortal Eyes glowed brighter, the pinecones on the colossus began to vanish, converging into the mouse’s forehead. A golden pinecone emerged, resembling a third eye embedded in its brow, exuding an extraordinary and divine aura. BOOM! The colossus emitted a wave of terrifying energy. The vegetation across the mountain began to wither, their life force siphoned into the giant form. Even Senior Pine felt its vitality threatened by this devouring force. The gathered life essence temporarily elevated the Pine Leaf Mouse’s bloodline, producing an overwhelming pressure that caused the Dragon Carp—barely awakened—to faint once more. "This... this is the True Form of a Demon King!" Senior Pine shouted, finally understanding the phenomenon before it. "What is a Demon King’s True Form?" Lin Jing asked, stunned by the transformation. He could sense the Pine Leaf Mouse’s unconscious state as it adapted to its bloodline’s evolution, but this new form was entirely unexpected. Senior Pine took a deep breath and explained: "For human cultivators, once they reach the Nascent Soul stage, they can manifest a Nascent Soul Avatar to enhance the power of their techniques. A Demon King’s True Form is a similar ability. However, unlike the Nascent Soul Avatar, which any Nascent Soul cultivator can achieve, the True Form is an innate racial gift. Only the most exalted Demon Kings possess it. It’s a rare transformation even more coveted than the so-called divine physiques of your human race." "In this state, the bloodline enhancement is immense. A Demon King in its True Form could force even Half-Divines to retreat. The bloodline strength in this state rivals that of Emperor-tier bloodlines!" "Even more remarkable is that this racial gift evolves with cultivation, potentially advancing to a Demon Emperor’s True Form or even a Demon Sovereign’s True Form." Senior Pine murmured, "But a Demon King’s True Form is typically innate. I’ve never heard of it being acquired postnatally. Could this be because it’s a rare beast? Regardless, this single Pine Leaf Mouse, at the early Foundation Establishment stage, could now dominate most so-called geniuses on the Genius Rankings." "With its unmatched Demon King Bloodline and the Demon King’s True Form, even a Demon Emperor Bloodline would struggle against it!" At that moment, completely absorbed in the Pine Leaf Mouse’s transformation, Lin Jing failed to notice that his own cultivation had quietly advanced to the Eleventh Stage of Qi Refinement. The spiritual energy feedback from the Pine Leaf Mouse’s evolution had even pushed him close to the Twelfth Stage—a feat yet to be influenced by the still-unbroken Ice Soul Gu in his body!