"System! Breakthrough!"
The moment Lam Minh's voice faded, a blazing red notification, completely different from before, appeared before his eyes.
[WARNING! BREAKING THROUGH A MAJOR REALM FROM QI REFINING TO FOUNDATION ESTABLISHMENT IS A DANGEROUS PROCESS. THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE BODY'S STRUCTURE AND THE SPIRIT. THE PROCESS WILL CAUSE EXTREME PAIN. IS THE HOST CERTAIN THEY WISH TO PROCEED?]
Lam Minh sneered. "Pain? I'm addicted to the feeling of being torn apart, and you're threatening me with pain? Begin!"
[CONFIRMED. CONSUMING 20,000 IMMORTALITY POINTS. BEGINNING METAMORPHOSIS – FOUNDATION ESTABLISHMENT REALM!]
Instantly, an earth-shattering change occurred inside Lam Minh's body.
The "sea of qi" in his dantian, which had been tranquil, suddenly began to boil like a volcano about to erupt. All the spiritual energy he had accumulated during the Qi Refining Realm began to compress at a frantic pace.
If breaking through the minor realms before was like compressing a sponge with one's hands, this time, it was like using a thousand-ton hydraulic press to compress a block of metal.
"Aaaaaaargh!"
Lam Minh couldn't help but let out a groan. A pain originating from his dantian spread throughout his entire body. It wasn't the pain of the flesh, but a pain from deep within, as if billions of cells were being crushed and regenerated at the same time. He bit his lip so hard that it drew blood, and sweat poured out, drenching the hospital bed.
He quickly sat cross-legged, using all his experience and willpower to control the qi compression. He knew that if he failed, the best-case scenario was his dantian shattering, turning him into a cripple. The worst-case scenario was qi deviation, causing his body to explode.
The qi in his dantian was compressed more and more, transitioning from a gaseous state to a liquid, and then from a liquid, it continued to solidify. It was like a star forming in a miniature universe.
At the same time, a portion of the energy from the compression process began to radiate outwards, no longer flowing through the meridians, but seeping directly into every cell, every muscle fiber, every bone in his body.
This was the "Foundation Establishment" process – rebuilding the foundation.
His skin began to turn bright red like a boiled shrimp. The impurities hidden deep within his body, which the Marrow Cleansing in the Qi Refining Realm couldn't completely remove, were now being forced out, forming a layer of filthy, blackish scales that emitted an indescribably foul stench.
His muscles twitched continuously, and his bones let out soft cracking sounds. His body was being reconstructed on a completely new level. Strength, speed, endurance, recovery ability... all of them were skyrocketing exponentially.
But the pain also increased correspondingly. Lam Minh's consciousness began to grow hazy.
No! I have to stay awake!
With the last of his consciousness, he bit down hard on the tip of his tongue. The sharp pain brought him back to his senses for a moment. He continued to focus on his dantian.
The energy mass had been compressed to its absolute limit. It was now only the size of a pea, but it contained a terrifying power.
"Final step! Core Formation!"
He focused all his spiritual energy and squeezed one last time.
HUMMM!
A humming sound echoed from deep within his body. The condensed energy mass finally solidified, forming a small inner core, milky white in color, its surface not smooth but slightly rough.
This was the Primary Core. The foundation of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
The moment the Primary Core formed, it began to spin automatically, creating a powerful suction force. The spiritual energy from the surrounding environment, which was very thin, began to be frantically drawn into it, flowing through his expanded meridians and merging into the Primary Core, causing it to gradually become shinier.
At the same time, the Primary Core also began to radiate a pure, warm energy, nourishing his entire body in return. The cells damaged during the breakthrough were quickly healed, becoming stronger and more vibrant than before.
The intense pain gradually disappeared, replaced by an unprecedented feeling of refreshment and lightness.
Lam Minh slowly exhaled a long breath. The breath he exhaled was milky white, traveling more than a meter before dissipating.
He opened his eyes. The hospital room looked completely different to him. He could clearly see every speck of dust floating in the air. He could clearly hear the heartbeat of the nurse on duty in the hallway several dozen meters away. He could smell the cotton balls in the first-aid kit in the corner of the room.
His senses had been enhanced to an unbelievable degree.
He looked down at his body. The layer of black filth had peeled off. The skin underneath was as fair and smooth as a baby's, but when he tensed it slightly, it became as hard as steel. His physique hadn't changed much, but the lines of his muscles had become more perfect, hiding an explosive power.
He stood up and gently swung his arm. A small sound of tearing air was heard. He could feel the qi in his body flowing with ease, controllable with just a thought.
"This... is this the power of the Foundation Establishment Realm?"
He couldn't help but marvel. Compared to now, his Peak Qi Refining self was just a child. The difference was like heaven and earth. If he were to face that Mid-stage Foundation Establishment creature again now, he was confident he could tear it apart with his bare hands, without even needing the [Invulnerability] state.
He looked at his system panel.
[Name: Lam Minh]
[Cultivation: Early Foundation Establishment Realm]
[Immortality Points: 50]
[Next Goal: Mid-stage Foundation Establishment (0/40,000)]
"God dammit! 40,000 points!" He couldn't help but curse again. This path of grinding truly had no end.
But he wasn't discouraged. He was now at a starting line that no one from Earth in his previous life could have ever dreamed of reaching.
He looked at the foul-smelling filth on his body and the bed, and grimaced. "Gotta clean this up. Otherwise, the nurse will come in tomorrow morning and think someone died in here."
He tiptoed into the bathroom and rinsed his body. Looking at himself in the mirror—a completely new person, a completely new power, a completely new future—Lam Minh broke into a confident smile.
Madakaros... you just wait. The party is just getting started.