Chapter 108: Foundation Establishment

“Captain, put it away, or that guy will discover it, and our secret will be exposed.”

Next to him, a figure in a black robe donned a mask, then spoke to the square-jawed middle-aged man.

Only then did the man recite an incantation while holding the token, then immediately put it away after speaking.

With a sigh, he donned his mask. Dozens of people put on their masks simultaneously, making it impossible to distinguish one from another—except for the leader, whose black robe bore a sword-shaped emblem; the rest were indistinguishable.

In the backyard of the Purple Gold Merchants’ Guild in Purple Immortal City, Lin Zhi and Lin Na were discussing matters. Suddenly, something inside Lin Zhi’s pants began to vibrate. Lin Na, noticing the movement, instinctively stepped back, her face flushing red.

Lin Zhi reached inside his pocket; the vibrating ceased instantly. He pulled out the object—a token identical to the one used by the black-robed figures.

The token emitted a voice: “Master, I have been following Zi Chen Yu. This fellow is fairly reliable. I have already located Dao Sansheng’s whereabouts. We are heading toward the Purple Cloud Mountains. However, without the Master’s permission, I secretly left something for that old man in the Refining Valley. Now, he may be dead. I see he is about to break through to the Golden Core stage and might soon enter Nascent Soul. I fear this could affect the Master’s plans. Your subordinate, Black Shadow, is willing to accept punishment.”

Lin Zhi listened briefly, then nonchalantly resumed his discussion with Lin Na.

Elder Yang had been waiting at the entrance of the formation for over an hour, but no one emerged. It seemed something had gone wrong. At this moment, all forces from Refining Valley had gathered at the cave’s entrance, staring at the swirling mist before them, unsure of what to do.

After a while, as if by silent agreement, all the disciples and elders launched simultaneous attacks. Inside the cave, Chao Xiong and Li Zihong were unharmed, but a young disciple trapped within the formation was struck repeatedly. Suddenly, the formation contracted sharply.

Chao Xiong, sitting inside the cave, laughed heartily, muttering, “You were told to help Zi Chen Yu, and to trouble Senior Brother Dao.”

The contracted formation caused all attacks to land on that disciple. The onlookers watched in horror as various magical and spiritual instruments inadvertently killed their own junior apprentice brother.

Several elders stepped forward cautiously but only managed a few steps before the formation expanded abruptly again. Those who had just entered were shrouded in white mist. Those who had been standing side by side moments before now could no longer see one another.

Elder Yang frantically reached around but found no one, nearly stumbling. Looking down, he saw the corpse of the disciple they had just slain. As he was about to collect the body, it vanished instantly.

Elder Liu experienced the same. Several of them cried out in terror within the formation, but their calls went unheard by elders outside, who also could not see inside.

Chao Xiong watched his handiwork with a racing heart, feeling exhilarated. Yet, seeing the face of the junior brother he once met, he felt a twinge of regret.

Li Zihong, however, was indifferent. Seeing Chao Xiong’s furrowed brow, he offered comfort, “As the saying goes, ‘Better dead than a wayward fellow.’ They were chasing behind us. Had we been caught, it would have been you and me who died. Cultivators seek longevity, but this is fate’s reckoning for going against the flow.”

Those few words untied Chao Xiong’s knot of anxiety. Suddenly, he felt his bottleneck loosen. He sat cross-legged, took out a Foundation Establishment Pill given by Dao Sansheng, and swallowed it.

Though the cave was sealed, due to Chao Xiong’s advancement, spiritual energy was drawn inside. Li Zihong could clearly feel the cave’s aura growing thin. Outside, the formation blocked any influx of spiritual energy.

“That fool is about to break through now—damn me for speaking out and causing this mess.”

Chao Xiong’s internal spiritual energy was nearly saturated. Having just consumed the pill, the energy surged uncontrollably inside him, like a wild horse unleashed.

He struggled to control it, but within minutes, his spiritual energy faltered, like a kite with a broken string, threatening to stall. If it stopped now, it would damage his meridians, and the next breakthrough would be uncertain.

Li Zihong, seeing Chao Xiong’s condition, took a white jade bottle from his storage pouch. The bottle was exquisitely carved, unlike ordinary pill containers. Slowly uncorking it, a peculiar fragrance wafted out.

The scent was intoxicating. Li Zihong carefully dripped two drops of the milky liquid, which shimmered with spiritual energy, into a cup. The surrounding aura seemed to rise by a level. Holding the cup, Li Zihong murmured, “This was left to me personally by my father for my breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. Unexpectedly, I never used it—now it’s for you.”

He then tilted the cup, pouring the liquid into Chao Xiong’s mouth.

Outside the cave, the other elders anxiously stood at the formation’s entrance. Neither daring to enter nor attack, they were at an impasse. They couldn’t afford to wait indefinitely. Meanwhile, the prodigal Zi Chen Yu was still waiting at the plaza, and these elders had yet to report back.

Unbeknownst to the group, Zi Chen Yu had already left Refining Valley aboard a magical treasure ship, accompanied by the black-robed figures who also took Elder Guo Meng with them.

At the plaza, Duan Xin was growing increasingly frantic, clutching the corpse of the Supreme Elder as he strode toward the grand hall behind Refining Valley’s plaza.

The hall was still guarded by some inner disciples. Duan Xin reached the entrance and took out a refining cauldron. There happened to be a recessed spot near the door, into which he carefully placed the cauldron.

As soon as the cauldron settled, some formation activated. The door’s countless talismans glowed, golden lines weaving among the runes until they formed an ancient totem. It was no ordinary shape but a fierce beast-man holding a massive cauldron, with eight great cauldrons in the void echoing it.

The formation dissolved swiftly, revealing a winding tunnel. Duan Xin entered. As the tunnel’s lights brightened with the inflow of spiritual energy, the disciples outside stood solemnly, none following him in.

Duan Xin ventured deeper. After a long passage, a grand and lavish palace appeared. The refining cauldron that had vanished earlier now rested inside the main hall.

The walls bore many strange runes, identical to those at the entrance.

Aside from a sacrificial altar covered in dust—indicating it hadn’t been used for a long time—the hall was empty, its vast space a mystery.

Duan Xin stepped forward, lifted the cauldron, and headed toward the altar.