Tide Rises

"Break!"

Shen Yi remained unruffled. His golden body's aura surged, and as his battle halberd swept out, the black mist grew even denser.

In an instant, it swallowed the flames whole.

The two Blazing Fire Sect disciples had their hair flying wildly and their clothes shredded. Their faces were deathly pale, their chests deeply caved in.

Under Shen Yi's violent aura, the gale stirred up by the battle halberd actually shoved them over. Like lone boats in raging waves, they were completely beyond control, blood spraying endlessly from their mouths.

The woman trembled like a sieve, blood pouring from her seven orifices. At the critical moment, Luo Youdao grabbed her and dragged her before himself as a shield.

She bore the brunt of it. Blood filled her eyes, and caught between two ferocious auras, attacked from both front and back, she could no longer endure it.

She let out a shrill scream. With disbelief in her eyes, her body exploded.

Her entire body turned into a mist of blood, scattered into the wind and snow by the gale.

"No!"

Blood sprayed all over Luo Youdao's body. He was so stunned he could not move. He had merely instinctively wanted to grab something to block the attack; he had never imagined it would end like this.

Still less had he expected to provoke such a ruthless man—an utterly monstrous figure he could not defeat.

The pressure radiating from Shen Yi's aura surpassed even the strongest Qi Refining disciple of the Blazing Fire Sect. At this moment, Shen Yi's aura pointed directly at a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator.

"Don't kill me, I..."

Luo Youdao's mind collapsed. Trembling, he cried and begged for mercy. He did not want to die; he wanted to live.

But before he could finish speaking, Shen Yi's golden hand had already descended. One palm struck his forehead. A trace of regret flashed through Luo Youdao's eyes, and with unwillingness in his heart, he fell backward.

The compass beneath his feet pointed wildly at Shen Yi.

"Little Black is my companion. Anyone who covets him must die!" Shen Yi muttered. After everything that had happened, he knew he was no saint. Anyone who wished to harm those he wanted to protect would have to pay the price.

The surroundings fell silent. Shen Yi dispersed the mist and returned to Little Black's side.

"That Luo Youdao said this compass could seek treasures, and that there was even some precious treasure capable of allowing Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment. What did he mean?"

Shen Yi held the compass in his hand. Its needle was still pointing madly at him, making him suspect that the thing might be broken.

"Forget it. I might as well give it a try."

With a thought, Shen Yi dumped everything from his Cosmic Ring and laid it out before the compass.

"This is my entire fortune. I hope you won't disappoint me."

"Fourth-grade spirit herb. Not it."

"High-grade Spirit Stone. Not it."

"A letter of recommendation. Not it."

"Blue pill..."

Shen Yi nearly cried out. The compass pointed toward the blue pill, its needle trembling wildly once more. He was overjoyed, yet also somewhat doubtful.

"Can this thing really let me achieve Foundation Establishment?"

With what seemed to be the catalyst in hand, all he needed now was to find a Law Node and begin the Spiritual Qi Tide.

A sharp gleam flashed in Shen Yi's eyes, and his hands clenched unconsciously.

"Foundation Establishment!"

However, Shen Yi did not plan to leave immediately. This was only the beginning. Presumably, every region ahead would see desperate battles to the death. Only those who survived would be qualified to contend for the chance at Foundation Establishment.

Rather than fight and kill, he might as well lie low here for now.

Thus, Shen Liang cultivated while refining the cold qi in his left arm and solidifying his peak Qi Refining strength, all while waiting for Little Black to hatch.

In the blink of an eye, a month passed. Though many cultivators passed through this snowy mountain, Shen Yi's overwhelming strength forced them to leave in frustration, none daring to provoke him.

"Activate simulation!"

Simulation activated. Remaining simulations this month: 0

Year One: You triggered a heavenly phenomenon, successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, and became an Inner Disciple.

Year Two: The conflict between Qingxuan Sect and Yunxuan Sect deepened. You devoted yourself to cultivation.

Year Three: Qingxuan Sect sent you to Yunxuan Sect to suppress the rebellion. Wang Shangren saw through your identity, and you were severely injured and defeated.

You died.

Simulation ended. Reward obtained from this simulation: Restore Appearance Pill. It can remove the effects of a Disguise Pill and restore one's appearance.

This simulation excited Shen Yi somewhat. Since he could trigger a heavenly phenomenon, it meant he could at least achieve Earthly Dao Foundation Establishment. Although he still ultimately died, Yunxuan Sect was bound to rebel in the future.

Shen Yi looked again at Little Black's eggshell. Though the cracks had grown much larger, there was still no sign of it breaking open. He put away the beast egg, spread his Spirit Wings, and flew into the distance.

Spiritual qi fluctuations were frequent there. Clearly, someone had already begun Foundation Establishment.

"Damn it! He got there first!"

"He's from the Blazing Fire Sect. We can't let him achieve Foundation Establishment so easily!"

"Blazing Fire Sect disciples, stop them!"

From the air, Shen Yi saw many cultivators fighting fiercely in the distance. At the center of the battlefield, however, a Blazing Fire Sect disciple was drawing in heaven and earth spiritual qi, carrying out Foundation Establishment.

"So that is a Law Node!"

Shen Yi committed the golden curtain of light around that person to memory. After glancing at the people still fighting, he swiftly left.

As he flew onward, more and more cultivators began Foundation Establishment, throwing even the spiritual qi within the secret realm into disorder.

Shen Yi crossed mountains and forests, and finally found a Law Node beneath a waterfall.

"Though I'm a few days late, I'm still among the first."

Expectation appeared in Shen Yi's eyes. He took out the blue pill and crushed it in one squeeze. The spiritual power of peak Qi Refining within him erupted instantly, like a surging river rushing toward the blue powder in his hand.

As Shen Yi's spiritual power poured in, the blue powder emitted a crystalline glow that grew brighter and brighter. It gradually condensed into a crystal stone, wrapping around a mass of white qi.

With a crack, the crystal stone split as though it were burning. Strands of white qi entered his body through his seven orifices. In just a few breaths, the crystal stone completely vanished.

Golden light flickered in Shen Yi's eyes. The white qi entered his body, merged into his meridians, and traveled throughout him. An indescribable sense of comfort spread through his body.

When it finally flowed into his dantian, a sharp pain struck, making him tremble slightly. Shen Yi gritted his teeth and endured it until the final strand of white qi fused together, forming a circle within his dantian.

In an instant, Shen Yi's mind roared like heaven collapsing, shaking his soul.

The spiritual power throughout his body transformed into streams of spiritual rivers, flowing through him. At first they were a chaotic mess, but gradually they formed a precious cauldron.

Shen Yi was overjoyed. The records stated that transforming spiritual power into a cauldron was the key to initiating the Spiritual Qi Tide. When spiritual power struck the precious cauldron, it became one layer of tide.

Once the precious cauldron formed, even the weakest tide could grant him Earthly Dao Foundation Establishment.

"Spiritual Qi Tide, rise!"

Shen Yi suddenly raised his head. Veins bulged all over his body as he let out a low roar.

Beneath that roar, the precious cauldron inside him finally took shape. Like a black hole, it began madly devouring the spiritual qi of heaven and earth.

Drawn by the precious cauldron, the spiritual qi grew greater and faster. In the end, it actually burst beyond Shen Yi's body, shrouding the entire area around the waterfall.

At that moment, every disciple within the secret realm looked up, horror etched across their faces.

"Who is it?! Someone actually triggered the tide for Earthly Dao Foundation Establishment!"