A young man in a green Daoist robe with long hair stood at the entrance of the cave, holding a gleaming long sword and sneering: "Rule number seven of the Qingyun Sect: disciples are strictly forbidden from forming cliques for private gain or bullying their fellow disciples. You junior brothers have quite a lot of nerve, daring to forcibly seize Foundation Establishment Pills in the secret realm!"
"H-Han... Senior Brother Han?" Li Hu's expression changed drastically, his voice carrying obvious fear. "Why are you here?"
Ye Wuji recognized this suddenly appearing young man—Han Tianrui, an inner sect core disciple of the Qingyun Sect, Elder Xuanyang's other personal disciple, and a cultivator at the Late-stage Foundation Establishment who was renowned among the younger generation of the Qingyun Sect.
Han Tianrui gave a cold laugh: "The Sect Master anticipated long ago that someone would take desperate chances in the secret realm, so he secretly sent several core disciples into the secret realm to oversee things. I saw everything you did crystal clear."
Li Hu and the others turned pale. They had gotten themselves into huge trouble this time. The Qingyun Sect's rules were extremely strict, and their actions had violated multiple rules; upon returning, they would undoubtedly face severe punishment.
Han Tianrui's gaze swept over the group, finally landing on Ye Wuji: "You must be Ye Wuji, right? Master mentioned you, saying your aptitude is extraordinary, and it is indeed true. To advance from Layer 7 Qi Condensation to successful Foundation Establishment in just half a year is truly astonishing progress."
Ye Wuji bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Senior Brother Han."
Han Tianrui nodded slightly, then turned to Li Hu and the others: "All of you, come back with me immediately to see the Sect Master and face your punishment!"
Looking ashen-faced and not daring to resist, Li Hu and the others obediently followed Han Tianrui out of the cave. Before leaving, Han Tianrui said to Ye Wuji and the others: "The secret realm is about to close. After resting briefly, you should return as well. Remember to truthfully recount today's events before the Sect Master."
After Han Tianrui led Li Hu and the others away, everyone in the cave finally let out a sigh of relief.
"That was a close call," Zhao Linger said, letting out a long breath. "I never expected the Sect Master to have anticipated this and arranged for core disciples to enter the secret realm to oversee it."
Lin Tianyu nodded: "The Sect Master is far-sighted. He is truly worthy of being a sect master."
Ye Wuji, however, looked thoughtful: "Senior Brother Han is Master Xuanyang's senior disciple. I heard he achieved Foundation Establishment many years ago and possesses extraordinary strength. I wonder when I will be able to reach his realm."
Wang Zheng smiled weakly: "With Junior Brother Ye's talent, surpassing Senior Brother Han is only a matter of time."
The four of them rested for a few more hours in the cave. Sensing that the secret realm was about to close, they packed their gear and prepared to return. Before leaving the cave, Wang Zheng once again expressed his gratitude to the three of them and promised to richly reward them in the future.
Walking out of the cave, the four of them followed the path they had taken earlier back to the entrance of the secret realm. Along the way, Ye Wuji asked Wang Zheng how he had managed to gather the materials and refine the Foundation Establishment Pill all by himself.
Wang Zheng explained: "I have quite a bit of research in the Dao of alchemy, so after entering the secret realm, I focused entirely on searching for medicinal herbs. Fortunately, I discovered a medicine garden in the western part of the secret realm where all kinds of materials needed for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill grow. As for the Demonic Beast's blood essence, I captured a First-Rank Demonic Beast by setting traps and extracted its blood essence."
"To accomplish every step entirely on your own—Senior Brother Wang's ability is truly admirable," Zhao Linger praised sincerely.
Wang Zheng smiled modestly: "Everyone simply has their own strengths. When it comes to combat, I am far inferior to you junior brothers and junior sister."
Returning to the entrance of the secret realm, they found that many disciples were already waiting to be teleported back to the sect. Han Tianrui stood to the side with Li Hu and the others. Li Hu and the others kept their heads down with dejected expressions, evidently having already paid the price for their actions.
Before long, the teleportation array at the entrance of the secret realm lit up. The disciples took their turns stepping onto the teleportation array and were teleported back to the Qingyun Sect.
Upon returning to the sect, the disciples who participated in the assessment were led directly to the grand discussion hall, where Sect Master Yun Tianqi and several elders were already waiting.
Yun Tianqi swept his gaze across the crowd and began: "In this Foundation Establishment assessment, a total of nine people obtained Foundation Establishment Pills. Seven of them have already successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, while the other two chose to make their attempts in a safer environment. This is a joyous occasion."
He paused, his gaze turning stern: "However, some people took desperate chances during the assessment, violated sect rules, and made ruthless moves against their fellow disciples. Such behavior cannot be tolerated and must be severely punished!"
Li Hu, Zheng Feng, and the other two were led to the center of the hall, where they knelt on the ground with pale faces.
Yun Tianqi announced: "Li Hu, Zheng Feng, Chen Hai, and Liu Fang formed cliques for private gain in the secret realm, bullied fellow disciples, and attempted to forcibly seize Foundation Establishment Pills. The evidence of their crimes is conclusive. According to the sect rules, their status as inner sect disciples is stripped, they are demoted to outer sect disciples, and they are to remain behind closed doors to reflect for three years! Should there be any similar behavior again, they will be expelled from the sect!"
Desperation filled the faces of the four, yet they dared not put up the slightest resistance. They could only kowtow to acknowledge their guilt and accept their punishment.
After handling this matter, Yun Tianqi's tone returned to gentleness: "As for the rest of you, your performances were all quite good. In particular, Lin Tianyu, Zhao Linger, and Ye Wuji supported one another and progressed together in the secret realm, displaying the fine character of Qingyun Sect disciples. You are worthy of commendation."
The three of them hurriedly stepped forward to bow and express their gratitude.
Yun Tianqi specifically singled out Ye Wuji for praise: "Ye Wuji, you joined the Qingyun Sect only half a year ago, yet your cultivation went directly from Layer 7 Qi Condensation to a successful Foundation Establishment. Such a speed is truly rare even in the history of the Qingyun Sect. Your talent and hard work are gratifying."
Ye Wuji respectfully replied: "Thank you for the praise, Sect Master. This is entirely the result of Master's meticulous guidance."
Elder Xuanyang was also present at the time and nodded with gratification: "Wuji indeed possesses natural intelligence and extremely high comprehension; teaching him is effortless."
Yun Tianqi nodded with satisfaction: "Very well, this assessment concludes here. Disciples who have successfully achieved Foundation Establishment should return first to consolidate their cultivation. One month from now, I will announce the arrangements for the next stage."
After the meeting was dismissed, Elder Xuanyang called Ye Wuji aside and said earnestly: "Wuji, you performed exceptionally well this time. Not only did you successfully achieve Foundation Establishment yourself, but you also helped a fellow disciple at a critical moment, displaying a chivalrous and righteous spirit. Your master is very satisfied."
Ye Wuji bowed gratefully: "This is all due to Master's usual teachings."
Elder Xuanyang smiled slightly: "After Foundation Establishment, your cultivation direction will undergo some adjustments. The advantages of the Chaos Spiritual Root will gradually manifest after the Foundation Establishment stage. You must make good use of this talent while also avoiding complacency. Come to my cave dwelling tomorrow, and I will arrange a new cultivation plan for you."
"Yes, Master," Ye Wuji respectfully replied.
Returning to his small courtyard, Ye Wuji began to carefully experience the changes following his Foundation Establishment. Foundation Establishment cultivators were far more powerful than those in the Qi Condensation stage; not only was their spiritual power far purer and denser, but they were also able to preliminarily manipulate the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth from the outside world, and even briefly achieve flight.
More importantly, the lifespan of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was greatly extended, reaching around two hundred years. This gave cultivators much more time to cultivate and laid a solid foundation for assaulting the Golden Core.
Following the methods in the Hunyuan Formula, Ye Wuji began to sort out the circulation routes of his spiritual power after Foundation Establishment. Unlike ordinary cultivators, his Chaos Spiritual Root caused the spiritual power within his body to display a five-colored luster, with spiritual power of various attributes coexisting harmoniously and promoting one another.
"After Foundation Establishment, I can better leverage the advantages of the Chaos Spiritual Root," Ye Wuji muttered to himself. "What I need to do next is to fully master the Five Elements spells and attempt to use them in combination."
Just as he was immersed in his cultivation, a knock came from outside the courtyard gate.
Opening the door, he saw Zhao Linger and Lin Tianyu.
"Senior Sister, Senior Brother, is something the matter?" Ye Wuji asked in surprise.
Zhao Linger smiled: "We came to say goodbye. After Foundation Establishment, both of us will be entering new stages of cultivation. Senior Brother Lin is going to follow his master to execute a secret mission and may be leaving for some time. As for myself, the Sect Master has arranged for me to go to the Scripture Pavilion to study high-level talisman arts, so I will also be very busy."
Lin Tianyu nodded: "Indeed, we may not have many opportunities to gather in the future, so we specifically came to bid farewell to Junior Brother Wuji. This trip to the secret realm relied entirely on your wit and courage for us to successfully complete the assessment."
Deeply moved, Ye Wuji said: "Senior Brother and Senior Sister, you flatter me. As fellow disciples of the Qingyun Sect, we ought to support one another."
The three of them sat down in the courtyard, chatting about their experiences and gains over the past half year in an atmosphere that was harmonious and warm.
"Oh, that's right, Junior Brother Wuji," Lin Tianyu said, suddenly remembering something. He drew a Jade Slip from his robe and handed it to Ye Wuji. "This is a set of sword techniques passed down in my family, the Thirteen Qingyun Swords. While it is not some peerless cultivation method, its advantage lies in its practicality. I am giving it to you as a memento."
Flattered, Ye Wuji said: "This is far too precious. I cannot accept it."
Lin Tianyu insisted: "You saved my life, what does a small gift like this amount to? Besides, with your Chaos Spiritual Root, learning this set of sword techniques will be effortless."
Zhao Linger also produced a small bundle from her sleeve: "I also have a gift to give Junior Brother. These are a few high-level talismans I carefully drew, including attack talismans, defense talismans, and invisibility talismans. They might be able to help at a critical moment."
So moved that he did not know how to express it, Ye Wuji could only solemnly accept the gifts and promise that he would make good use of them.
The three chatted for a long time, parting reluctantly only when it was deep into the night. After sending Lin Tianyu and Zhao Linger off, Ye Wuji returned to his room to carefully study the Thirteen Qingyun Swords that Lin Tianyu had given him. Although this set of sword techniques was not a peerless cultivation method, its moves were exquisite and highly practical, making it truly a rare and excellent technique.
During the month that followed, under Elder Xuanyang's guidance, Ye Wuji devoted himself entirely to consolidating his cultivation in the Foundation Establishment stage while studying the Thirteen Qingyun Swords and more profound Five Elements spells.
Cultivation after Foundation Establishment was far more complex than in the Qi Condensation stage; one not only had to elevate the quality and quantity of spiritual power, but also begin tempering the physical body to prepare for the future emergence of the Nascent Soul. Elder Xuanyang particularly emphasized the importance of advancing steadily and firmly, urging him not to be overly anxious for quick success.
Just like that, a month passed quickly. On this day, the Qingyun Sect suddenly issued a notice summoning all disciples at or above the Foundation Establishment stage to gather at the grand discussion hall.
Ye Wuji and other disciples arrived at the grand discussion hall together, discovering that over a hundred disciples had already gathered. The majority of them were Foundation Establishment cultivators, along with a small number of Golden Core core disciples and elders.
Sect Master Yun Tianqi sat high upon the main seat with a solemn expression, speaking once everyone had arrived: "Fellow disciples, you have been summoned today to announce an important matter."
Sweeping his gaze across the crowd, he continued: "Qingshan County has once again suffered a Demonic Beast attack, on a scale even larger than the last. Several villages have already been destroyed, resulting in heavy casualties. What is even more worrying is that this attack appears organized and planned, and may be artificially manipulated behind the scenes."
As soon as these words were spoken, an uproar broke out within the main hall.
Yun Tianqi raised a hand to signal everyone to quiet down: "According to the agreement between our Qingyun Sect and Qingshan County, we have the responsibility to protect the safety of the people within the county. Therefore, I have decided to dispatch a team to investigate and resolve this matter. This team will be led by Elder Xuanyang and will include ten Foundation Establishment disciples and two Golden Core disciples."
A shock ran through Ye Wuji's heart. Elder Xuanyang was leading the team? Then he himself would very likely be chosen to participate in this mission.
Sure enough, Yun Tianqi soon read out the list of team members, and Ye Wuji was among them.
"Qingshan County..." Ye Wuji muttered softly. "My parents are still there..."
When he last left Qingshan Village, he had assumed that with Qingyun Sect disciples stationed there, the village would be very safe. He never expected that in just a few short months, Demonic Beasts would launch another large-scale attack, and this time it seemed even more dangerous.
After the meeting ended, Ye Wuji immediately went to find Elder Xuanyang to inquire about the situation in Qingshan Village.
Elder Xuanyang's expression was grave: "The situation is not looking good. Among the villages attacked this time is Qingshan Village."
Ye Wuji's expression changed drastically: "Then... what about my parents and the villagers?"
Elder Xuanyang comforted him: "Don't panic. The disciples we dispatched arrived in time, repelled the Demonic Beasts, and protected the majority of the villagers. Your parents are both safe and sound, though the village suffered heavy damage and requires rebuilding."
Ye Wuji let out a sigh of relief, but his brows immediately furrowed tightly again: "Master, could this Demonic Beast attack still be for the sake of that mysterious elder and the so-called 'Hunyuan Pill'?"
Elder Xuanyang nodded: "It is very likely. The types of Demonic Beasts attacking this time are varied and formidable, and they seem to be controlled or driven by some kind of force. Moreover, according to the reports of our disciples, they discovered traces of human cultivators. It is very likely that someone is manipulating all of this from behind the scenes."
"Human cultivators?" Ye Wuji was greatly surprised. "What kind of person would direct Demonic Beasts to attack ordinary villages?"
Elder Xuanyang said in a deep voice: "This is precisely the main focus of our investigation on this trip. A few days ago, we intercepted a mysterious letter which mentioned the 'Hunyuan Pill' and 'relics of Taishang Daoist'. It seems a mysterious organization has been searching for these things. The elder you mentioned is very likely related to this."
Ye Wuji pondered: "Master, could that copy of the Hunyuan Formula be one of the relics of Taishang Daoist?"
Elder Xuanyang nodded: "Quite possibly. After Taishang Daoist founded the Taishang Dao, he allegedly left behind quite a few precious cultivation methods and treasures, among which was the 'Hunyuan Pill', capable of enhancing cultivation and prolonging life. These items have always been coveted by major factions in the immortal cultivation world."
"Aside from protecting the villagers, will our trip this time also involve investigating the whereabouts of the relics of Taishang Daoist?" Ye Wuji asked.