Hao Ren had just sat down to cultivate on top of a boulder, when suddenly, a system notification echoed in his mind, *Ding: Host, it has been detected that you have set out on the path of invincibility. While the system has not given out much tasks to you, it is deemed necessary that you have a direction to proceed. Thus, the system has set a few goals that will help you along the way.*
Hao Ren raised his brow and thought, 'System, I often thought why you did not hand me out the tasks that made me a pampering husband and stuff like that. To think you are still willing to guide me means you are not a dummy.'
*Ding: Host, the tasks systems gives out are based on the needs of the target. To make you the omnipotent husband, system has done what it should. Your wife is six years older that you, how can you pamper her like a child? She is rich and wealthy, how can she still like materialistic things that you might have given her? Love is a mix of seven emotions, it is not as straight as you might think of it.
Everyone has a different path to reach the pinnacle of love. Same applies to your wife.*
Hao Ren nodded in understanding, he might have read a lot of novels in his teenage, or in his past life, but he never wanted to indulge in the silly tasks. Yes, he had a system and mostly he did things because he wanted the rewards, but as he got closer to Han Lingshi, he realized that love was not a click, but more like a brew. It took time to fall in love with someone.
He had a typical proud male mind, when the system enabled him, the young man began to create a name for himself. He did not wish to be the most prominent person, but he did not wish to stay mediocre either. Find the newest release on novel⁂fire.net
He said, 'What are the goals system?'
*Ding: The passive goal is to advance your cultivation realm. Other than that the primary goal is expanding the business, establishing a spy network side by side. For the moment, this is what host should focus on.*
Hao Ren nodded, he was not eager to know everything anymore. He closed his eyes and began to concentrate on the slab of spiritual energy that was hovering in his Dantian. This slab was the reference of his cultivation foundation. The bigger and thicker the foundation, the better the cultivation potential.
The system has given Hao Ren a so-called, perfect foundation. However, when the young man cultivated with Han Lingshi, his golden foundation turned into a better version with purple gold color.
As the young man dwelled on the next step of his cultivation, he understood that to improve his realm he needed to extract the spiritual energy from his foundation and condense it into a core.
The core would then spin inside his Dantian on its own, absorbing the spiritual energy from the nature. When the storage of energy reaches to the level where it condenses into liquid, Hao Ren would reach the peak of golden core realm. The young man focused on cultivation and forgot about everything on the outside.
Han Lingshi was holding a sword in her hand and she was sparring with Tang Zen. The old lady was so well versed in her art that she blocked all the attacks with great ease. She was caring and pointed out the mistakes and the loopholes that Han Lingshi made.
However, she was ruthless, and did not hold back in handing out punishment either. Han Lingshi was covered in bruises, she was hurting in all parts of her body, but she did not stop. These days, she had reached the peak of the spirit gathering realm and her body refinement had improved a lot as well.
Tang Zen parried an attack and hit Han Lingshi's back with a palm chop. The young lady stumbled and fell on the ground. She wanted to get up but her energy was drained. The old lady looked at her and said, "Take a rest for two days, then we will go to a place where you will master your fighting skills."
Han Lingshi nodded while laying on the ground, she was panting but her eyes were firm. Tang Zen looked at her and said, "Xiao Ling, the edge of life and death is where people grow stronger. I wonder if you want to take a shortcut?"
Han Lingshi was surprised, because these people have been treating her like a greenhouse flower. She could not help but ask, "Ma, will the shortcut help me go to the Spirit Shimmer Continent early?
Tang Zen said, "It will depend on you. Do not hold back when we go to that place. I will intervene only when you have exhausted all your means. A cultivator needs to know when they have to use their trump cards. When you fight with me, I can see that you hold back because you hesitate. Someone who wishes to run a nation should not be hesitant."
Han Lingshi nodded and then with the help of the old lady she left the garden. She knew that the path of cultivation was not an easy one, but she wanted to tread on it and see how far she could go. In her mind there was still a thought that if nothing worked, she and Hao Ren will come back and grow old together. This was the reason why she was still not able to display her real talent.
This was the reason why Tang Zen came up with this impromptu trip.
Hao Ren was extracting the spiritual energy from his foundation and condensing it into a core. The structure of the core was that of a sphere. It did not have any space inside it, but once the core is condensed, and the cultivator passes the heavenly tribulation, the core will begin to store energy.
Nobody knew how that storage thing worked, but they knew that over the millennials everyone followed the path and that was it.
Hao Ren did not know how many days have passed since he began extracting the foundation and form a core. Xi, who had been watching him from a distance was stunned because she could sense the changes that Hao Ren was going through, however, when she calculated the number of days that went and he was yet to finish extracting his foundation, she could not help but gulp.
Time passed for a cultivator like it was a blink of an eye. The young man spent fifteen days sitting on top of the boulder completely still and shallow breath. Yin was laying around the boulder in her big size form. Beasts below level five would not disturb him, but Yin still felt the urge to protect him.
As a spirit beast, she was having a good time absorbing the essence of moon and stars in abundance.
Xi had been observing Hao Ren and his snake. She was surprised to see that both the master and the beast were growing at an exponential pace.
It was night when Xi suddenly opened her eyes. She looked at the side and found, a vortex of purple mist spinning around Hao Ren. She tried to detect the nature of the purple-gold vortex and was shocked to find that it was the purest and most balanced spiritual energy.
She could not help but gulp, and a calm voice echoed beside her.
"Xiao Xi, it is bad to covet what others have."
Hao Mei appeared beside her and waved her hand to isolate the area from the world. Xi stood up and said, "Miss, I was not coveting, I am just curious."
Hao Mei smiled at her faintly and said, "Wan has been dealt with and Yan will take command here. Make sure you protect him."
Xi nodded and asked, "Young Master is talented and strong. He broke Wan's arm with a punch. By the way, Miss, why does it sound like you are going out again?"
Hao Mei nodded and replied, "We found several evil cults have infiltrated the ranks. So we need to clean them up. If I were to stay here, I will attract attention and that will hinder his plans."
Xi nodded with a thoughtful expression and asked, "Young Miss, may I ask, why did you not show up earlier when Young Master was fighting with Wan?"
Hao Mei smiled, indeed, she had arrived before the fight started but did not appear on purpose. She said, "I wanted to see if this brat has the skills to deal with Wan on his own or was he just throwing his weight around. Thankfully, he has grown up to be self reliant. Now, I can go out with ease."
Xi nodded with a smile, and the two watched Hao Ren slowly rise in the void. Yin raised her head to look at her master, and decided to move aside. The sky was filled with dark clouds, and red lightning was squirming through them as if a snake approaching its prey.
Hao Mei frowned and said, "Fellow daoists, please give me face and do not intervene in this tribulation."
A couple of figures appeared in the void, some distance away from Hao Mei. It was a middle-aged man wearing a silver robe with a phyton printed on his sleeves. He said, "I did not know that a fellow daoist was visiting the Salt Wind City."
Hao Mei smiled and cupped her fist as she said, "City Lord Liang, it is a pleasure to see you here. I heard about your son, please accept my condolences."
The man who appeared in the void was the city lord, Liang Kun.
He asked after nodding, "May I ask what is going on here?"
Hao Mei replied, "My brother wishes to establish a business of his own, he recently opened his first restaurant in the Salt Wind City. Today, he reached the peak of foundation establishment realm and is about to break through the core formation. I hope you do not mind."
Liang Kun nodded and said, "I do not, it was just that the mood in the city had been quite low, This tribulation might be a good thing. Please take care."
That said, the man vanished, but Hao Mei did not give up her guard, because she could sense that something was wrong with this man. Just when she was trying to figure out what it was, the first bolt of lighting appeared.