Chapter 52: Foundation Establishment Middle Stage

Time flew by, and nearly five years had passed since Fang Hao entered the Azure Cloud Sect.

On this day, he slowly withdrew his cultivation in his Immortal Cave and let out a soft sigh. His cultivation remained stuck at the Peak of the Foundation Establishment Early Stage; he was just one step away from the Middle Stage, yet he was unable to make the Breakthrough.

"Seven Spiritual Roots... it really is a bottomless pit." Fang Hao gave a bitter smile. Although his combat strength was comparable to the Late Foundation Establishment Stage—having even defeated Zhao Wuji, who was ranked fifth on the dragon ranking—raising his Realm was several times more difficult than for an ordinary person.

Looking at Liang Ling, she was already at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage and firmly held the seventeenth spot on the dragon ranking. Lin Wan had progressed even more rapidly; with a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation, she had actually fought her way to twenty-ninth on the dragon ranking!

"Junior Brother Ning!" Lin Wan’s cheerful voice came from outside the Immortal Cave. "Come out quickly! There’s good news!"

Fang Hao opened the door and saw Lin Wan jumping excitedly: "I’m twenty-ninth on the dragon ranking! I just barely made the cut for the competition quota!"

Liang Ling was also by her side, nodding with a smile: "Congratulations, Junior Sister Lin."

Fang Hao said sincerely, "Senior Sister Lin is amazing! You jumped over twenty spots in just half a year!"

Lin Wan said proudly, "Of course! This young lady is a Genius!" Immediately after, her face fell, "But I still can’t compare to you two monsters..."

Liang Ling said softly, "Junior Brother Ning, do not be anxious. A Breakthrough in Realm needs to happen naturally when the time is right."

Fang Hao nodded: "I understand."

Lin Wan suddenly said, "Oh right! The Sect just announced the competition team lists! Junior Brother Ning, you are in the Core Team!"

Fang Hao was surprised: "The Core Team?"

Liang Ling explained, "The thirty people are divided into three teams. The Core Team has ten people, composed of the top ten on the dragon ranking; the Main Team has ten people, ranks eleven to twenty; and the Support Team has ten people, the bottom ten."

Lin Wan pouted: "I’m in the Support Team... Senior Sister Liang is in the Main Team, and Junior Brother Ning is in the Core Team!"

Fang Hao’s heart stirred. Bao Zhijian was first on the dragon ranking, so he would definitely be the Core Team Captain...

Sure enough, Lin Wan’s next sentence was: "Bao Zhijian is the Core Team Captain! It makes me so mad!"

Liang Ling frowned: "He will surely make things difficult for Junior Brother Ning."

Fang Hao said indifferently, "It’s fine. We will deal with whatever comes."

Three days later, the Sect gathered the competition Disciples for intensive training.

On the Martial Arts Field, thirty Disciples assembled. Bao Zhijian stood proudly at the front, his gaze sweeping over everyone. It lingered on Fang Hao for a moment, flashing with a hint of cold severity.

"Junior Brothers and Sisters," Bao Zhijian said loudly, "The Five Sect Martial Competition concerns the honor of our Sect. I hope everyone will work together to bring glory to the Sect!"

The words were pretty, but everyone could hear the underlying meaning—everyone behave yourselves and don’t cause trouble!

Bao Zhijian began to assign groups. As the Core Team had ten people, he was naturally the Captain. He chose Zhou Yao, who was fourth on the dragon ranking, as the Vice-Captain.

Fang Hao didn’t care.

Bao Zhijian added, "Team battles in the competition require tacit cooperation. From today onwards, each team will train on their own. We will check the results in half a month!"

The crowd dispersed. The Core Team gathered together, the atmosphere subtle.

Bao Zhijian said coolly, "Junior Brother Ning’s combat strength is formidable, so you will be responsible for the main assault." He was clearly giving the most dangerous position to Fang Hao.

Zhou Yao frowned: "Captain, the main assault requires powerful defense. Junior Brother Ning..."

Bao Zhijian interrupted, "Junior Brother Ning can defeat enemies above his level, so his defense naturally won’t be a problem." His tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

Fang Hao said calmly, "I can do it."

The other team members looked at each other, not daring to say much.

The intensive training began. Bao Zhijian made things difficult in various ways, making Fang Hao take on the heaviest tasks under the guise of ’the capable should do more work’.

Fang Hao accepted them all and completed them beautifully. Instead, it was Bao Zhijian who lost face several times due to command errors.

Bao Zhijian grew increasingly resentful, intentionally giving wrong instructions during training to try and make Fang Hao look bad.

But Fang Hao had rich combat experience and could always adjust in time to turn danger into safety. Instead, it made Bao Zhijian appear incompetent as a commander.

Zhou Yao couldn’t stand it and said directly, "Captain, the instructions need to be clearer."

Bao Zhijian’s face turned ashen, and he glared fiercely at Fang Hao.

Half a month later, it was the inspection assessment. The three teams practiced team combat.

The Core Team’s performance was... hard to describe. Bao Zhijian’s command was chaotic, and the team members fought for themselves. Although Fang Hao tried his best to compensate, he could not save the overall situation.

In contrast, the Main Team, under Liang Ling’s coordination, cooperated tacitly with orderly offense and defense. The Support Team was also quite decent.

The assessment Elder frowned: "Why is the Core Team so disorganized?"

Bao Zhijian spoke up first: "Elder, please forgive us! Certain team members do not follow instructions and act on their own!" His gaze flicked toward Fang Hao.

Fang Hao said indifferently, "The Captain’s instructions are vague and difficult to execute."

Zhou Yao also said, "That is indeed the case. The Captain needs to improve his command."

Bao Zhijian’s face looked terrible, but he was unable to refute it.

The assessment ended, and the Core Team received the lowest score. Bao Zhijian lost all face, and his hatred for Fang Hao grew even deeper.

That night, Fang Hao was cultivating in his Immortal Cave, but he was still unable to break through. The demand of the Seven Spiritual Roots was too great; the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Bottleneck was as solid as a rock.

"Am I really going to be stuck here?" Fang Hao frowned. With the Five Sect Martial Competition approaching, insufficient cultivation was a major taboo.

At this time, Liang Ling came to visit: "Junior Brother Ning, do you have any concerns?"

Fang Hao sighed, "The Realm is hard to break through."

Liang Ling said softly, "A Seven Spiritual Roots Breakthrough is indeed harder than for ordinary people. But once you break through, your strength will skyrocket."

She took out a Jade Slip: "This is the Breakthrough experience I’ve compiled; perhaps it can serve as a reference."

Fang Hao said gratefully, "Thank you, Senior Sister."

Liang Ling hesitated for a moment and added, "Bao Zhijian... I fear he will act against you during the competition."

Fang Hao nodded: "I understand."

Liang Ling sighed softly: "Be careful." She then drifted away.

Fang Hao flipped through the Jade Slip and benefited greatly. But when he tried to break through, he was still just a hair’s breadth away.

Lin Wan also ran over: "Junior Brother Ning! I’ve been asking around! The other four Sects all have monstrous geniuses!"

She counted on her fingers: "The Heavenly Sword Sect has a sword Dao Genius who defeated a Golden Core at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage! The Xuan Ming Cult Saintess has a Heavenly Spiritual Root! The Chiyang Sect Saint has an exotic fire Body Refining! And then there’s the Beast Taming Sect, who can command a Third-Ranked Demonic Beast!"

Fang Hao was alarmed. These geniuses were each extraordinary! The Five Sect Martial Competition was indeed a gathering of heroes!

Lin Wan said worriedly, "Junior Brother Ning, with your cultivation... will you be at a disadvantage?"

Fang Hao gave a bitter smile: "Indeed. I need to break through as soon as possible."

But breaking through was easier said than done. Fang Hao tried various methods, all to no avail.

On this day, while he was fretting, he suddenly received a message from the Sect Master!

Fang Hao hurried to the Sect Master’s Hall. Yun Qingyang looked at him with a smile: "Fang Hao, the competition is imminent. Is your cultivation going smoothly?"

Fang Hao said shamefully, "This Disciple is dull; I am stuck at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage."

Yun Qingyang nodded: "A Seven Spiritual Roots Breakthrough does indeed require an Opportunity."

He took out an object: "This is a ’Seven-Colored Spirit Lotus Seed’. It can help you balance your seven elements and break through the Bottleneck."

Fang Hao was greatly shocked: "Sect Master! This is too precious!"

A Seven-Colored Spirit Lotus Seed was a fourth-grade Spirit Medicine! It was worth a fortune!

Yun Qingyang laughed: "The future of the Sect depends on geniuses like you. Cultivate well and do not fail our expectations."

Fang Hao was moved to tears: "I will certainly not fail the Sect Master’s high expectations!"

Returning to his Immortal Cave, Fang Hao immediately swallowed the lotus seed.

The seed entered his belly and transformed into seven strands of pure Spiritual Qi, merging into his seven-element Spiritual Root! The originally restless Spiritual Qi gradually balanced out, and the Bottleneck began to loosen!

"It’s working!" Fang Hao was overjoyed and fully operated the Myriad Manifestations Heaven Swallowing Art!

The seven elements of Spiritual Qi circulated and generated each other, forming a perfect balance! The Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Bottleneck shattered with a bang!

"I’ve broken through!" Fang Hao let out a long whistle as his aura surged! He had officially stepped into the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage!

With the Seven Spiritual Roots Breakthrough, his strength doubled! Fang Hao only felt his Spiritual Qi surging and his Divine Sense expanding greatly! Both the Ethereal Art and the Myriad Manifestations Heaven Swallowing Art had progressed!

"Finally... I’m at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage!" Fang Hao was incredibly excited. After five years of bitter cultivation, he had finally taken a step forward!

After he emerged from seclusion, Liang Ling and Lin Wan arrived immediately.

"Junior Brother Ning! You broke through?" Liang Ling was pleasantly surprised.

Lin Wan jumped around: "That’s great! Now we don’t have to fear Bao Zhijian!"

Fang Hao smiled: "I broke through by luck."

Liang Ling felt his aura and said in surprise, "This Spiritual Qi... it’s comparable to the Peak of the Late Foundation Establishment Stage!"

Fang Hao nodded: "The gains from a Seven Spiritual Roots Breakthrough are greater."

While the three were celebrating, Bao Zhijian walked over with some people and said with a cold laugh, "Fang Hao, I heard you broke through? Foundation Establishment Middle Stage... Heh, you’ll still be at the bottom of the competition!"

Fang Hao said indifferently, "No need for Senior Brother Bao to worry."

Bao Zhijian snorted coldly: "Don’t drag us down at the competition!" He then flicked his sleeve and left.

Lin Wan said angrily, "What a nuisance! He only knows how to throw cold water!"

Liang Ling said softly, "The more he acts like this, the more it shows he is wary of you."

Fang Hao nodded. Bao Zhijian’s hostility was instead proof of his progress.

A few days later, the competition drew near. The Sect distributed equipment: a Protective Dharma Robe and a bottle of Qi Recovery Pills for each person.

Bao Zhijian intentionally skimped on Fang Hao’s share, giving him the worst Dharma robe and the fewest Medicinal Pills.

Fang Hao did not argue or fight; he silently accepted them. Strength was the foundation; external items were not to be relied upon.

The night before departure, Fang Hao sat quietly to regulate his breathing. In five years of bitter cultivation, from a handyman to fifth on the dragon ranking, only he knew the hardships involved.

"Five Sect Martial Competition... here I come!" A light of confidence shone in Fang Hao’s eyes.

No matter how many difficulties lay ahead, he would forge ahead without looking back.

The path to immortality is long; only by having a firm Dao Heart can one go far.

Tomorrow, a new journey was about to begin.