The Myriad Rivers Convergence Art settled within Kai, a completed network humming with potential. His Level 7 Qi felt different – incredibly stable, responsive, flowing without impediment through pathways meticulously widened and reinforced over weeks of dedicated effort. The lingering tenderness from past injuries had faded, replaced by a feeling of resilient integration. He hadn't just patched the cracks; he'd rebuilt the entire river system, readying it for a greater flood. The system notification confirmed his mastery of the Qi Condensation stages, adding a crucial addendum: [Host foundation stability significantly increased. Reaching Peak Qi Condensation (Level 9) is now the immediate prerequisite before utilizing Foundation Establishment assistance.]

  The path was clear, illuminated by the system's cold logic, yet the final steps remained arduous. Foundation Establishment demanded not just quality, but quantity – a sea of Qi condensed to its absolute peak. His current Level 7, however stable, was insufficient. The shimmering, ethereal sphere representing the Foundation Establishment Assistance 'Pill' pulsed in his dimension storage, a promise contingent on reaching that final summit of his current realm.

  Months. Reaching Level 9 conventionally, even with his enhanced pathways soaking up the rich Inner Sect Qi, could take months. Time was a luxury Jian Feng’s simmering hatred likely wouldn't afford him. Acceleration was not just desirable; it was necessary.

  He reviewed his assets. System Points: a meager 15, left over after preparing his courtyard defenses. Spirit Stones: approximately 295 Mid-Grade, his primary capital reserve. The Outer Sect shop provided a trickle, but far too slow for his current needs.

  He needed potent cultivation aids, specifically tailored for the final push through Qi Condensation Levels 8 and 9. The System Store, Vendor Level 2, held the answers, provided he could pay the price.

  [System Store Search: Qi Condensation Leveling Pills, Rapid Advancement (Level 7-9)]

  [Results Found:

  Azure Cloud Harmonizing Pill (High Grade): Pill formulated specifically for Azure Cloud Art users. Boosts cultivation speed by ~30% for 48 hours, aids consolidation between minor levels (7-9). Cost: 150 Points.

  Concentrated Qi Pill (System Synthesized): Direct infusion of pure Qi, good for pushing past minor bottlenecks. Cost: 50 Points.]

  The Harmonizing Pill seemed perfect, designed for his core technique. The Concentrated Qi Pills would provide the necessary bursts to break through the level thresholds. He calculated rapidly. Two Harmonizing Pills to cover the sustained push, perhaps four Concentrated Qi Pills for the breakthroughs themselves. Applying his 7% Vendor Level 2 discount:

  Harmonizing Pill: 150 * 0.93 = 139.5, system rounds to 140 points each. (x2 = 280 points)

  Concentrated Qi Pill: 50 * 0.93 = 46.5, system rounds to 47 points each. (x4 = 188 points)

  Total required: 280 + 188 = 468 System Points.

  He currently had only 15 points. He needed 453 more.

  [Access System Balance: Convert Mid-Grade Spirit Stones to System Points.]

  [Conversion Rate: 1 Mid-Grade Spirit Stone = 100 System Points.]

  [Convert 4 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones?]

  Yes. [-4 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. Balance: 291]

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  [+400 System Points. Current Balance: 15 + 400 = 415 Points.]

  Still short. He needed 53 more points (468 - 415). He initiated the purchase.

  [Purchase: Azure Cloud Harmonizing Pill (High Grade) x 2. Cost: 280 Points.]

  [Purchase: Concentrated Qi Pill x 4. Cost: 188 Points.]

  [Total Cost: 468 Points. Current Balance: 415 Points.]

  [Insufficient Funds! Applying 53 Points to System Credit. Debt: 53 Points.]

  Kai accepted the debt without hesitation. This investment was non-negotiable. The pills materialized in his storage. He retrieved one Harmonizing Pill immediately, its smooth surface radiating a gentle, resonant energy. He swallowed it.

  A warm, vitalizing force spread through him, perfectly complementing the flow of his Azure Cloud Art. The rich ambient Qi of the Inner Sect seemed to actively surge towards him, drawn in and refined at a pace far exceeding his normal cultivation, channeled flawlessly by the Myriad Rivers network.

  He plunged into intensive cultivation. His courtyard became his world. Days blurred into nights, marked only by the changing light outside his meditation room window and the consumption of basic Nutrient Paste Bricks to sustain his body. He burned through Mind-Calming Incense sticks to maintain absolute focus. The Harmonizing Pill provided a powerful, sustained boost, while the Concentrated Qi Pills were used strategically as he felt the barriers between levels approach.

  Ten days of relentless, resource-fueled effort yielded the first major result. A surge of energy, a distinct expansion within his Dantian.

  [Host Cultivation Detected: Qi Condensation Level 8 Achieved!]

  He allowed himself only a brief moment of satisfaction before consuming the second Harmonizing Pill and driving onwards. Level 9 required significantly more accumulated Qi. Another week passed in the same focused grind, pushing his limits, absorbing, refining, circulating. The efficiency of the Myriad Rivers Art was crucial, preventing energy wastage and pathway strain despite the accelerated pace. Finally, the culmination arrived – a feeling of absolute fullness within his Dantian, a saturation point where no more Qi Condensation energy could seemingly fit.

  [Host Cultivation Detected: Qi Condensation Level 9 (Peak) Achieved!]

  He had reached the summit. Peak Qi Condensation. The power thrumming within him felt immense, qualitatively denser and more potent than Level 7, perfectly stabilized by his preparatory work. Now, and only now, was he truly ready for the leap.

  He spent a full day consolidating this new level, allowing his body and spirit to acclimate. He then addressed the lingering debt.

  [Access System Balance: Convert Mid-Grade Spirit Stones to System Points.]

  [Convert 1 Mid-Grade Spirit Stone?]

  Yes. [-1 Mid-Grade Spirit Stone. Balance: 290]

  [+100 System Points. Current Balance: 0 (after pill purchase) + 100 = 100 Points.]

  [Apply points to debt. System Debt: 53 Points. Paying 53 Points.]

  [System Debt: 0 Points.]

  [Remaining System Points Balance: 100 - 53 = 47 Points.]

  Debt cleared. Resources stable. He felt a sense of completion, of readiness. He ensured the Warding Flags were active, felt the grounding pulse of the Earth-Node Anchor beneath him. Lighting a fresh stick of Mind-Calming Incense, he sank into his final preparatory meditation, achieving a state of profound tranquility.

  He reached for the optimization analysis the system offered now that the Myriad Rivers Art was mastered.

  [Perform Basic Optimization Analysis for Foundation Establishment Sequence? Cost: 5 System Points.]

  Yes.

  [Analysis Complete. Suggestion: Implement 'Harmonic Resonance Breathing' pattern during initial Qi coalescence phase. Minor adjustment to Pillar formation sequence prioritizing core stability node...]

  [Accept Optimization Guidance? Cost deducted: 5 Points.]

  Accept.

  [System Points Balance: 47 - 5 = 42 Points]

  [Optimized Breakthrough Sequence uploaded to Host consciousness.]

  The final piece slotted into place. With unwavering resolve, Kai focused his intent on his dimension storage, on the shimmering sphere of foundational energy.

  Consume Foundation Establishment Assistance 'Pill'.

  The sphere dissolved. The torrent of pure, stabilizing power surged into his Dantian, meeting the brimming sea of Peak Level 9 Qi. Guided by the optimized sequence, anchored by the Earth Node, contained within the flawless network of the Myriad Rivers Art, the transformation began.

  The pressure was immense, the internal forces terrifying, but the process felt controlled, guided. The 'pill's' energy was a perfect scaffold, preventing catastrophic failure, while his own preparation ensured the foundation was solid enough to bear the strain. He focused on the formation of the Pillar, sculpting the coalescing Qi with intense concentration, feeling it lock into place, connecting his Dantian to the deeper energies of the world.

  A profound shift occurred. A qualitative leap.

  [System Notification: Congratulations, Host! Foundation Establishment Realm Level 1 Achieved!]

  [System Notification: Physical body undergoing minor refinement due to realm advancement. Meridians adapting to higher energy throughput. Spiritual Sense significantly enhanced.]

  Kai opened his eyes. The world seemed sharper, brighter. He felt the tangible thrum of Foundation Establishment Qi circulating within him – potent, pure, stable. He had done it. He had navigated the treacherous path, leveraging his system, his resources, and his own relentless effort to cross the threshold into a new realm of power. The Inner Sect, Jian Feng, the future – they all looked different from this new vantage point.