After solidifying his cultivation, Elian finally pushed open the door of his seclusion chamber and stepped out.
His granduncle had been waiting outside for months. The moment he saw Elian, tears of joy streamed down the old man's face.
"Sixty-seven years... Sixty-seven years of hardship and tribulation."
"The heavens have opened their eyes. Our Chen family finally has another Foundation Establishment cultivator!"
Elian smiled and supported his granduncle.
Looking at Chen Changyan's aged face, a wave of emotion swept through him, and he firmly declared, "Granduncle, you don't need to worry anymore."
"From now on, the Chen family... has me!"
After resting for three days at Linghu Isle, Elian decided to return to Qingyuan Mountain.
This time, he traveled using a second-tier magical artifact, the Crimson Iron Blade Embryo. With its speed, he could cover three to four thousand miles a day, reaching the Qingyuan Mountain Range in under two days.
During the journey, he tested his abilities and discovered that because he hadn't used a Foundation Establishment Pill, his true essence was sharper than that of other cultivators of the same stage.
Any offensive spells or magical artifacts wielded by him displayed thirty percent more power than those of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators. Combined with his more abundant true essence, his combat strength likely surpassed most early Foundation Establishment cultivators.
"No wonder it's said that cultivators who establish their foundation without using Foundation Establishment Pills often have greater potential."
"So this is the reason."
Sensing his sharp true essence, Elian thought to himself.
Although Foundation Establishment Pills made true essence gentler and increased the chances of a successful breakthrough, they also reduced the sharpness of the transformed true essence.
This loss in sharpness reduced the effect of true essence on tempering the meridians by thirty percent, and combat power was similarly diminished.
Without a Foundation Establishment Pill, the sharpness of true essence after a breakthrough was three times greater. This enhanced the tempering of the meridians, making them more robust and the physical body tougher. It also increased the chances of success when breaking through to the Purple Mansion stage by an additional ten to twenty percent.
"Unfortunately, for most people, the odds of breaking through without a Foundation Establishment Pill are far too low."
"And the risk is too high."
Elian dismissed the thought as he descended a hundred miles outside Qingyuan Mountain.
Having just broken through to Foundation Establishment, Elian knew that the family's enemies were unaware of his progress. He decided to keep it a secret and consult with the family patriarch before making any plans.
Upon returning to Qingyuan Mountain, Elian headed straight to the patriarch's seclusion chamber.
Although Chen Changxuan had not yet emerged from his retreat, it had been five years since he obtained the Yangmai Pill. By Elian's calculations, the patriarch should be nearing the end of his seclusion within the next month or two.
Elian waited for over ten days until the array protecting the spiritual spring finally opened. When the old patriarch saw him, his face lit up with joy and he immediately invited Elian inside.
"Come in quickly."
Inside the spiritual spring in the rear mountain, the old patriarch carefully examined Elian, his excitement evident.
"Good, good, good."
"When did you break through to Foundation Establishment?"
Elian nodded.
"I emerged from seclusion half a month ago."
"Excellent." A serious expression crossed Chen Changxuan's face.
"For now, keep your breakthrough a secret."
Elian smiled faintly.
"Aside from Granduncle, you are the only one who knows."
Hearing this, the old patriarch let out a hearty laugh and stroked his long beard.
"It seems we were thinking the same thing."
Seven years ago, the Chen family faced a coordinated attack by several enemies over a Foundation Establishment Pill, leading to the near-total loss of the elder generation and leaving the patriarch severely injured.
Such a deep grudge was not easily forgotten. Now that Elian had reached Foundation Establishment, both men were eager to devise a plan to settle the score.
The old patriarch enthusiastically discussed strategies with Elian and inquired about major family events from the past few years.
Elian didn't hold back, recounting his experiences and informing the patriarch about Chen Qingyuan's failed breakthrough.
Chen Changxuan's expression shifted repeatedly as he listened, a trace of sorrow appearing in his eyes.
"For sixty years, I sent five talented clansmen to Qingyang Sect for the sake of that Foundation Establishment Pill. Most of them didn't even survive to the ninth level of Qi Refining due to the sect's missions."
"Even your father, Qingming, and Chen Qingyuan—the two most talented members of the Qing generation—I sent to Qingyang Sect, only for it to ruin them both."
Elian was shaken. Born with the wisdom of past lives, he vividly remembered how, at the age of three, his father had returned to Qingyuan Mountain, covered in blood and gravely injured. His father had dragged his broken body to deliver Elian to his Seventh Granduncle before drawing his last breath.
The clansmen had thought he was too young to remember, but Elian had buried the memory deep in his heart, unwilling to mention it because the forces behind it were far too powerful.
"It seems Qingyang Sect can no longer be trusted," the old patriarch said, his eyes turning icy.
Grasping Elian's hand, the patriarch spoke with solemnity.
"Elian, my path forward grows uncertain in this lifetime."
"But you, having achieved Foundation Establishment on your own, have far greater prospects than I ever did. If one day you break through to the Purple Mansion or even the Golden Core stage, I hope you will resolve this karmic debt."
Elian's gaze met the patriarch's, and he clasped the old man's hand, nodding calmly.
Sometimes, a single glance conveys more than a thousand words. Some things need not be spoken aloud; mutual understanding is enough.
Satisfied with Elian's response, the old patriarch withdrew his hand and returned to their earlier discussion.
"Seven years ago, those who attacked me included four others besides Old Devil Zhang. Two were Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Zuo family of Feng County, and the other two were rogue cultivators from Tianxu Mountain—one named Liu Yuanyang and the other Lin Taihe."
"Liu Yuanyang's cultivation was mediocre, and I killed him with the Heavenly Flame Sword Art. The others, however, are still alive."
As the patriarch described these individuals, Elian began analyzing the situation.
Among those who attacked the Chen family, Old Devil Zhang was at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. However, the patriarch had destroyed his magical treasures, including the core item, the Blood Refining Blade Embryo, which Elian now possessed and renamed Crimson Iron Blade Embryo. With his methods weakened by fifty to sixty percent, he was no longer a major threat.
The Zuo family was one of Feng County's seven Foundation Establishment clans, with two Foundation Establishment cultivators.
The family head, Zuo Mingxu, was at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment and wielded the Mingxu Sword, a treasure on par with Chen Changxuan's former Crimson Flame Spirit Blade, making him a formidable opponent.
The second was Zuo Zhouqi, who had broken through to Foundation Establishment less than twenty years ago and was only at the second layer seven years earlier. His strength was average, and without his magical tools, he likely couldn't match Elian.
Lin Taihe was slightly stronger than Zuo Zhouqi but had been stuck at the third layer of Foundation Establishment for over thirty years, making him a minor concern.
"My true essence is sharp and abundant, comparable to that of mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even if I lack superior magical tools, I should be capable of defeating Old Devil Zhang."
"Zuo Zhouqi is mediocre. With the Third Elder deploying the Fiery Sun Heavenly Fire Flags, he should be manageable."
Elian turned to the patriarch and said, "As for the other two, I believe your strength is sufficient to deal with them."
Chen Changxuan nodded, stroking his beard.
"Though I've lost the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade, I can still wield the Heavenly Flame Sword Art."
"Moreover, with this set of Blazing Fire Divine Flags (Fiery Destruction Array that mc discovered in the cave, transformed in flags), even ordinary late-Foundation Establishment cultivators are no match for me. Taking down those two will be no problem at all."
...
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