Chapter 130: Establish Already

Normally, Qi Refining disciples were not allowed to descend the mountain for training and travel unless there were special circumstances.

Chen Zui was able to descend the mountain this time for two reasons. First, Venerable Yanshan had been pestered by him to the point of exhaustion, so under the pretext of “letting the disciples handle the labor,” he simply dumped his troublesome youngest disciple onto his eldest disciple for a few days. Second, the training location this time was exceptionally suited for Chen Zui’s saber practice.

The Yonglu Mountain Range was vast. Aside from Yonglu Mountain at its center, many other cultivation sects, large and small, stood within its bounds. This was because the Yonglu Mountain Range possessed rich earth energy, and even contained quite a few areas where the spiritual energy of the five elements gathered.

Their destination for this trip was one such Land of Sharp Metal.

Naturally, weapon cultivators were well-suited to training here. After all, most weapons were forged from sharp metal elements. Even if a cultivator lacked a metal spiritual root, they could still draw upon the spiritual energy within their weapon to resonate with it. Furthermore, Chen Zui possessed dual earth and metal spiritual roots. Earth generates metal^[1], making his aptitude absolutely superb. Back then, Venerable Yanshan had been blinded by this talent, which was why he had been so eager to take Chen Zui in.

Once Chen Zui arrived at their destination, he was like a fish in water. If his senior brothers had not urged him to rest every day, he could have kept practicing his saber indefinitely, completely oblivious to fatigue. Although everyone on Saber Peak was a workaholic, someone as devout as Chen Zui was still extremely rare.

“No wonder Master likes Little Junior Brother so much, even though he gives him such a headache.” Who wouldn’t like an honest, earnest, and self-disciplined disciple?

“Eldest Senior Brother, if you’ve got the guts, say that to Master’s face.”

Venerable Yanshan’s eldest disciple shook his head with great honesty. “Ah, it’s just that I, your senior brother, lack the courage.”

“…”

Eldest Senior Brother, you don’t look like a saber cultivator at all. Even the abacus-wielders next door aren’t as slick as you.

“However, I still have the ability to discipline you. Spar with me.”

“…Eldest Senior Brother, I was wrong.”

“Really? Let’s begin.”

It seemed a “fierce battle” between the senior and junior brothers was inevitable. The two quickly ended their idle chatter and entered a state of sparring and cultivation.

As for Chen Zui, he had not noticed his senior brothers talking about him at all. Of course, even if he had, he would not have cared in the slightest.

His current state was so good that he felt he could fight Wen Xu for three days and three nights. He did not know if it was the effect of the earth energy in this Land of Sharp Metal, but Chen Zui felt that when he swung his saber here, the feedback from the weapon was exceptionally strong. Strictly speaking, the spiritual energy here was not as dense as back at the sect, yet he felt that the spiritual energy here was incredibly close to him, exceptionally friendly, as if he could accomplish whatever he set his mind to.

Chen Zui pondered the reason for a moment before quickly giving up. Wen Xu had also said that thinking was not his strong suit, so he might as well practice his saber. It would be a terrible waste of such a great state not to practice.

Thus, over the next three months, day after day, he lived a fulfilling and happy life, never even thinking about returning to the sect. He was truly having too much fun to think of home.

“…You really don’t want to go back?”

Chen Zui nodded. “Eldest Senior Brother, you’ve already asked me that three times.”

“Aren’t you afraid that Little Grand-Uncle Master will come and drag you back?” the eldest senior brother teased. “Stop dreaming. Even if you don’t want to go back, you have to. We can only occupy this place for three months. The next time we can come will probably be the year after next.”

After all, this was a sacred ground for weapon cultivation, and it was not ownerless. Even as disciples of Yonglu Mountain, they could not take advantage of others for nothing.

“Why so long?” Chen Zui found this hard to accept. “Do we have to trade Spirit Stones for it?”

“Spirit Stones alone aren’t enough. We set off back to the sect tomorrow. I won’t watch over you today, so practice to your heart’s content.” The eldest senior brother patted his junior brother’s shoulder with mischievous amusement, then went to inform the other junior brothers.

Chen Zui was a bit annoyed, but he still had to make the most of his time to practice.

When it came to other matters, Chen Zui was extremely slow-witted, sometimes to the point of being completely oblivious. But when it came to the saber, he could detect even the slightest change instantly.

For instance, right now, he suddenly noticed his saber light up. It was not something visible to the naked eye, but rather, at a certain moment when he swung the saber, it resonated… with the spiritual energy inside his body.

It was a very subtle sensation. He even felt as though his hand had become a part of the blade. At this moment, even if the faintest sliver of light flashed across the saber, he could capture it precisely with his five senses, allowing him to determine the direction and accuracy of his strike.

Chen Zui’s mind was incredibly straightforward. In an instant, he felt that the saber was responding to him, so he had to respond in kind!

The benefit of a linear mind showed itself now.

He did not even need to think; his body simply began to “flow” along with this change. Chen Zui did not even care to what extent this change had reached. He only felt that he should do this, and so he quickly did.

Chen Zui had always believed that the saber was flawless. To match the saber, he had to be flawless as well. Therefore, upon realizing he was missing something, he felt he had to make up for that missing piece so he could achieve Foundation Establishment without any distractions.

He absolutely could not let down the saber in his hand.

But now that the saber was responding to him, Chen Zui wondered if he had already filled in that missing corner. He thought about it. I don’t know. Whatever, I’ll just keep practicing. The saber will help me judge.

Thus, he threw himself entirely into his practice, completely unaware that the spiritual energy around him, drawing in the surrounding earth and metal spiritual energy, had already formed a rhythmic fluctuation. Moreover, this fluctuation was gradually expanding.

Soon, someone noticed. After all, it was a spectacular sight, and it would be hard for any cultivator not to notice.

“Eldest Senior Brother, did you provoke him?”

For once, the eldest senior brother was unsure. “I… don’t think so?” Was leaving this place really so hard for Chen Zui to accept?! To make such a huge scene on the night before their departure?!

“What do we do now? Should we interrupt him?”

“Of course not!”

Tonight, the moon was full. It hung in the sky like a jade plate, illuminating the area with brilliant clarity. Unfortunately, the person swinging the saber was entirely oblivious. He did not even notice the changes in himself; he only felt that swinging his saber today was exceptionally relaxing, as simple as breathing or drinking water.

Thus, he swung the saber in his hand, completely absorbed. Chen Zui was never picky about the sabers he used. As long as it was a saber, even if it lacked spiritual light and was just a piece of ordinary iron, he would still cherish it. Many people on Saber Peak made saving up to forge their most compatible life-bound blade their primary goal, but Chen Zui had never thought that way.

He believed that every saber in this world was perfect; the only difference lay in the person using it. Chen Zui never made friends with those who complained about their weapons, because he felt such people were not worthy of practicing the saber at all.

When the first ray of morning light fell upon the blade, Chen Zui finally stopped. His eyes were bright. Even though he had not stopped for a single moment tonight, he did not feel much fatigue. He could have easily practiced for another day and night.

What a pity he had to go back today.

Chen Zui squeezed the saber in his hand. The blade buzzed in response right on cue. Though it was clearly wordless, Chen Zui felt as if he had just heard the saber’s assessment of him.

It seemed to say: You’ve passed. Hurry and establish your foundation.

Chen Zui thought about it with his slow-moving brain, then decisively took out his Transmission Talisman to send messages to his two friends. Afterward, he said to his eldest senior brother, “Eldest Senior Brother, I’m going to establish my foundation.”

“What? Foundation Establishment? When?”

“Now.”

“No way! Hold it in! Can’t you wait until we get back to the sect?”

Chen Zui stubbornly shook his head. “No, I can’t hold it in anymore.” He had waited for so long; he couldn’t wait another second.

“Then, then, then… you brat! At least change locations!”

His eldest senior brother was driven to the brink of madness. He had to repeat to himself three times that this was his own junior brother before storming off to negotiate with the others. If he had known this would happen, he would have told his junior brother the day before yesterday. Maybe then the boy would have figured things out by yesterday.

Meanwhile, Wen Xu and Bian Chunzhou, who had received the Transmission Talisman, were rushing over. Naturally, Wen Xu was flying them on his sword; otherwise, traveling on foot would have taken far too long.

When the two arrived, they were stunned. The spiritual energy here was so dense that the other elemental energies of the five elements were practically invisible. No wonder Chen Zuizui had enjoyed himself so much that he forgot about everything else, failing to send even a single Transmission Talisman over the past three months.

“Little Grand-Uncle Master, what brings you here?”

Wen Xu exchanged a few pleasantries before finally spotting Chen Zui, who was still swinging his saber. Frankly, it did not surprise him in the slightest.

“Is he attempting Foundation Establishment?”

“Yes. We saber cultivators have always been unconventional when it comes to Foundation Establishment. As long as the intent is there, the form doesn’t matter.”

Wen Xu: “…Alright then.”

Bian Chunzhou, however, was already watching with great interest. He had watched Senior Sister Mingjing’s Foundation Establishment from start to finish. Honestly, he had not gained much insight from it, as he had spent the entire time worried sick for her. As for Wen Xuxu’s Foundation Establishment, it had taken place on Guochun Peak; since he could not go up, he had missed it, though he had still been quite worried for him. But this time…

Perhaps it was because of Chen Zuizui’s personality, but he did not feel worried at all.

I actually feel like Chen Zuizui will definitely succeed this time, Bian Chunzhou thought. He might even get his wish and achieve Perfect Foundation Establishment.

“The radiant glow has appeared. Why is he moving through the process so quickly?”

He vaguely recalled that neither Senior Sister Mingjing nor Wen Xuxu had been this fast.

Having already gone through it himself, Wen Xu figured this was likely because the Heart Trial was simply too easy for Chen Zui. The guy was just too simple-minded. Even the Heavenly Dao could not make bricks without straw.

“Wait, is the radiant glow in a rush today? Is it running late to catch a show?”

As the only Qi Refining cultivator present, Bian Chunzhou was utterly dumbfounded. It was not that he did not want to take this seriously, but the scene before him made it impossible to do so. He could not shake the feeling that Chen Zuizui would finish his saber practice and find himself already in the Foundation Establishment stage.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, the radiant glow actually began to condense and descend. By the time he blinked, lo and behold, the Foundation Establishment was already complete.

What had he even just witnessed? It was a whole lot of nothing.

Even the man of the hour, a certain Mr. Chen, could not help but speak up after receiving the gift of the radiant glow. “I actually succeeded in Foundation Establishment?”