Tide Rises

"Break!"

Shen Yi remained unhurried. His golden body surged with power as he swung his battle halberd, intensifying the black mist and instantly engulfing the flames.

Two disciples from the Blazing Fire Sect, their hair flying, clothes tattered, and faces ashen, had their chests deeply caved in. Under Shen Yi's ferocious aura, the gale generated by his battle halberd pushed them back. Like lone boats in a raging storm, they lost control, blood gushing uncontrollably.

The woman trembled like a sieve, blood flowing from her seven orifices. At the critical moment, Luo Youdao grabbed her and used her as a shield. She bore the brunt of the attack, her eyes bloodshot. Caught between two ferocious energies, she could no longer endure and let out a piercing scream. Her eyes filled with disbelief as her body exploded.

She turned into a mist of blood, blown away by the gale into the wind and snow.

"No!"

Luo Youdao, splattered with blood, was so shocked he couldn't move. He had instinctively grabbed something to defend himself, never expecting such a gruesome end, nor that he would provoke such a ruthless individual. He was terrified, facing an unconquerable, heaven-defying person.

Shen Yi's aura and the pressure it exuded were beyond even the strongest Qi Refining disciples of the Blazing Fire Sect. At this moment, Shen Yi's aura pointed directly towards a cultivator in the middle stages of Foundation Establishment.

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

Luo Youdao's mind shattered. Trembling, he cried and begged for mercy. He didn't want to die; he wanted to live. But before he could finish, Shen Yi's large golden hand descended, striking his forehead. A flicker of regret flashed in Luo Youdao's eyes, and with unwillingness, he tilted his head back and fell.

The compass beneath his feet pointed frantically at Shen Yi.

"Little Black is my companion. Anyone who covets him will die!" Shen Yi murmured. After experiencing many things, he considered himself not a person of universal love. Anyone who dared to harm those he protected would pay the price.

Silence fell around them. Shen Yi dispersed the mist and returned to Little Black's side.

"Luo Youdao said this compass has treasure-hunting functions, and even mentioned a treasure that could lead to Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment. What did he mean?"

Shen Yi held the compass, its needle still pointing wildly at himself, making him wonder if it was broken.

"Whatever, I'll give it a try."

With a thought, Shen Yi poured out all the items from his Cosmic Ring, placing them before the compass.

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

"Fourth-grade spirit herb, no."

"High-grade spirit stone, no."

"A recommendation letter, no."

"Blue pill..."

Shen Yi almost cried out. The compass pointed at the blue pill, and the needle trembled wildly again, making him incredibly excited, yet also somewhat skeptical.

"Can this thing truly help me establish my foundation?"

With a potential catalyst in hand, all that was needed now was to find a Law Node to trigger the Spiritual Qi Tide.

Shen Yi's eyes gleamed, and his hands clenched unconsciously.

"Foundation Establishment!"

However, Shen Yi didn't plan to leave immediately. This was just the beginning. He expected fierce battles in various areas later on, and only those who survived would be qualified to compete for the chance to establish their foundation. Rather than engaging in constant fighting, it was better to lie low here for now.

Thus, Shen Yi continued to cultivate, refining the cold energy in his left arm and solidifying his strength at the peak of Qi Refining, all while waiting for Little Black to hatch.

A month passed in the blink of an eye. Although many cultivators passed through the snowy mountains, Shen Yi's dominance forced them to leave dejectedly, not daring to provoke him.

"Start simulation!"

[Simulation started. Remaining simulations this month: 0]

[Year 1: You caused an anomaly in heaven and earth, successfully established your foundation, and became an Inner Disciple.]

[Year 2: The Qingxuan Sect's conflict with the Yunxuan Sect deepened, and you focused on your cultivation.]

[Year 3: You were sent by the Qingxuan Sect to quell a rebellion in the Yunxuan Sect. Your identity was discovered by Wang Shangren, and you were severely injured and defeated.]

[You died.]

[Simulation ended. Reward for this simulation: Restore Appearance Pill, which can counteract the effects of the Disguise Pill and restore one's appearance.]

This simulation made Shen Yi somewhat excited. Since he could trigger an anomaly in heaven and earth, it meant he could at least achieve Earthly Dao Foundation Establishment. Although the outcome was still his death, the Yunxuan Sect would inevitably rebel in the future.

Shen Yi glanced at Little Black's eggshell. The cracks were much larger, but there was still no sign of it hatching. He put away the beast egg, spread his Spirit Wings, and flew towards the distance.

Spiritual energy fluctuations were frequent there, indicating that someone had already begun to establish their foundation.

"Damn it! He beat me to it!"

"He's from the Blazing Fire Sect! We can't let him establish his foundation so easily!"

"From the Blazing Fire Sect, stop them!"

Shen Yi saw from the air that in a certain area far away, many cultivators were fighting. In the center of the battlefield, a disciple from the Blazing Fire Sect was drawing upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to establish his foundation.

"So, that's a Law Node!"

Shen Yi memorized the golden barrier around that person. He glanced at the ongoing fight and quickly departed.

As he flew, more and more cultivators began to establish their foundations, causing the spiritual energy in the secret realm to become somewhat chaotic.

Shen Yi flew over high mountains and through forests, finally finding a Law Node beneath a waterfall.

"Although it's a few days late, I'm still among the first."

Shen Yi's eyes lit up with anticipation. He took out the blue pill, crushed it in his hand, and instantly unleashed the spiritual energy from his peak Qi Refining stage. It surged like a rushing river towards the blue powder in his palm.

As Shen Yi's spiritual energy poured in, the blue powder began to emit a crystalline glow, growing brighter and brighter. It gradually condensed into a crystal, enveloping a mass of white mist.

With a "crack," the crystal, as if burning, developed a fissure. Wisps of white mist seeped into his body through his seven orifices. In just a few breaths, the crystal completely dissipated.

Golden light flickered in Shen Yi's eyes. The white mist entered his body, merging with his meridians and circulating throughout him. An indescribable feeling of comfort spread through his body until it reached his Dantian. A sharp pain shot through him, causing him to tremble slightly. Shen Yi gritted his teeth and endured until the last wisp of white mist fused, forming a circle within his Dantian.

In an instant, Shen Yi's mind roared like thunder, shaking his very soul.

All the spiritual energy in his body transformed into rivers of energy, flowing through him. Initially chaotic, they gradually coalesced into a precious cauldron.

Shen Yi rejoiced. The ancient texts described the transformation of spiritual energy into a cauldron as the key to initiating the Spiritual Qi Tide. When the spiritual energy struck the precious cauldron, it would trigger a layer of the tide.

Once the precious cauldron formed, even the weakest tide would allow him to achieve Earthly Dao Foundation Establishment.

"Spiritual Qi Tide, rise!"

Shen Yi suddenly looked up, veins bulging on his body, and let out a low roar.

Beneath his roar, the precious cauldron within his body finally formed, acting like a black hole, madly absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Drawn by the cauldron's gravity, more and more spiritual energy surged in, faster and faster. Finally, it broke through Shen Yi's body, enveloping the entire area around the waterfall.

At this moment, all the disciples within the secret realm looked up, expressions of shock etched on every face.

"Who is it! Who has initiated the tide for Earthly Dao Foundation Establishment!"