Ambush

Misty Gorge Mountain.

Boom—

The instant the Five Elements Qi went berserk, Chen Qing made his decision. Instead of suppressing the change within his body, he circulated his cultivation method with all his might, drawing every last wisp of the rampaging spiritual energy into his meridians!

The morning sun rose, and purple qi streamed in from the east.

Though the spiritual energy of the waking world was not as abundant as in his dream, it was better suited to his physical body in this world.

He formed the Ziwu hand seal, every pore across his body opening wide as the spiritual energy of heaven and earth poured toward him like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea!

Whoosh!

A great river seemed to surge through Chen Qing's body. His skin took on a lustrous sheen, his bones cracked like gold and jade clashing, and the long-dormant Supreme Harmony Qi rose from his dantian like a soaring dragon!

"Supreme Harmony Qi harmonizes yin and yang and unites the Five Elements!"

The Supreme Harmony Qi surged up his Governing Vessel to the Niwan Palace, then flowed down his Conception Vessel. With each circuit, it mingled a little more with the five-colored radiance. Gradually, phantom mountains and seas drifted above Chen Qing's head, while golden light blazed beneath his navel, illuminating the entire quiet room!

"Break!"

At his sharp cry, a clear spring suddenly poured forth from his Niwan Palace: a newly born wisp of Supreme Harmony Qi!

This Qi was utterly unlike the one he had received in his dream. It came from the world beyond his dream, a sign that Chen Qing's original physical body had truly entered the Soothing Harmony Foundation Establishment realm!

This was Foundation Establishment!

Huff—

Turbid Qi, black as ink, seeped from his pores.

When the Supreme Harmony Qi returned to his Yellow Court, the golden light in his dantian abruptly drew inward, condensing into a single speck of vital light.

From then on, all inner breath that passed through this point could be transformed from ordinary into true, condensed into magical power, and used to activate techniques!

"Breath flows through the hut into the dantian; clear water from the Jade Pool nourishes the spiritual roots! The foundation of longevity is laid!"

Chen Qing slowly finished circulating his cultivation. The light in his eyes settled, but although he had broken through, he didn't dare relax in the slightest. He still needed to stabilize his realm. According to his master Zhou Yuanjing's arrangements, he was supposed to take the treasured Solidifying Origin Pill now.

"But why bother?"

The memory of his breakthrough in the dream flashed through his mind.

Chen Qing immediately focused his thoughts. Spiritual energy swirled around him like mist, while phantom mountains and seas interwove at his sides, finally gathering above his head into a profound vision!

Whoosh—

His eyes shone like lightning.

Every speck of dust in the room stood out in his sight, and he could clearly hear the insects chirping and birds calling outside the window.

Chen Qing's once-slender frame now stood straight as a pine. A jade sheen flowed across his skin, and with every movement, Supreme Harmony Qi surged through his meridians, bringing a strength he had never felt before.

"It feels just like it did in the dream. This is truly the Second Realm! Soothing Harmony as the foundation, laying the Dao's foundation."

If he encountered those Sea Abyss Temple cultivators again, his mere presence would be enough to crush them.

"But they're only outer-sect riffraff. The real threat is the Temple's senior cultivators! I've heard Sea Abyss Temple has not only several elders at Foundation Establishment Late Stage, but also a newly ascended cultivator of the Third Realm. That's why they've been expanding without restraint lately, recruiting disciples left and right..."

He looked toward the sunset outside the window.

"After Master's death, Hidden Star Gate became a piece of meat left out for the taking. Even though I've entered the Second Realm, the sect's secrets must have already leaked. We've made enemies, and it won't be easy to simply call a truce..."

As he thought this over, Chen Qing's mind returned to the state of the sect.

"We're almost out of Spirit Marrow for powering the formation. Now that I've advanced, I can replenish it with magical power, but my power is still shallow, and I've only just broken through. I need to go down the mountain and buy some resources, too..."

As he pondered, his gaze grew cold.

"Better to strike first than sit around waiting to die! I should go down the mountain as soon as possible, before they've figured out what I can do, and make them think twice. If I keep yielding, they'll only push their luck, and the disciples will lose heart. As long as I control the force of the Mountain-Crushing Sea-Torrent technique I comprehended in my dream, I can reduce the damage to my body. It'll make a perfect trump card in a fight!"

Still thinking, he pushed open the door.

Creak—

He came face-to-face with two pairs of worried eyes.

The tense expressions on Fang Da'ao and Qu Xiaoyao's faces froze, then gave way to shock!

"Martial Uncle, there was quite a commotion in your room just now. You..." Sensing the change in Chen Qing's bearing, Fang Da'ao asked cautiously.

Chen Qing smiled. "My cultivation has made some progress. There's no need to make a fuss. Go sort out the spirit plants and local specialties in the storeroom. I'll be going down the mountain to buy supplies in a couple of days."

Fang Da'ao guessed that Chen Qing had advanced, and his spirits soared. "I'll go down the mountain with you, Martial Uncle."

"You two stay here, just as before," Chen Qing said, shaking his head. "The grand formation protects this place. You'll be safer here than at my side."

Qu Xiaoyao asked, "Martial Uncle, are you going down the mountain to find Senior Brother Han?"

Chen Qing shook his head. "Of course not."

Three days later, at dawn, the mountain mist had yet to lift.

With a pack on his back and a mustard-seed pouch at his waist, Chen Qing took a bamboo slip from his robes and handed it to Fang Da'ao. "I've taken three pieces of Spirit Marrow. What's left can keep the formation running for seven more days. This bamboo slip contains the method for controlling it. You can use talismans to operate the formation. Remember, if I haven't returned in three days, take Xiaoyao and leave through the secret passage behind the mountain."

"It's that dangerous?" Fang Da'ao was startled. He was about to try to dissuade him, but Chen Qing's gaze was hard as iron. He could only clasp his fists firmly. "This disciple will obey!"

Chen Qing nodded, turned, and left.

When he reached halfway down the mountain, he suddenly stopped.

After entering the Second Realm, his five senses had become many times sharper. The scent of the trees and grass, the damp earth, and the burbling stream in the distance all unfolded before his senses like a painted scroll.

In a thicket a mile away, he heard faint breathing. It was ragged and hurried, clearly not the breath of some wild animal.

Chen Qing gave no sign that he'd noticed and walked a few more steps. Then he suddenly called out, "Come out."

At first, all was silent. A few breaths later, the grass rustled, and Han Sha stumbled out. His face was pale, dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his lips were cracked and peeling. He looked nothing like the handsome young man he had been back at Hidden Star Gate.

"M-Martial Uncle." Han Sha's voice was hoarse. He paused, then gritted his teeth. "Martial Uncle, hurry back! Liu Wang of Sea Abyss Temple brought people and set an ambush up ahead!"

Chen Qing's expression remained cold. He gave no reply.

Just then—

"Thinking of going back now? Too late!"

A flash of white darted through the trees. Liu Wang emerged at an unhurried pace, the short sword in his hand gleaming a ghostly blue as its icy edge flickered. A cold smile played on his face.

"I knew you were up to no good." Liu Wang flicked the tip of his sword, and a strand of Sword Qi slashed across Han Sha's cheek, leaving a thin line of blood. "Did you think I wouldn't notice your little tricks? I let you go deliver the warning just to draw the snake out of its hole. And while I was at it, I thought I'd let you see how your Martial Uncle meets his end."

Chen Qing's gaze darkened. He sensed four others concealed in the thicket, closing in from all sides. One of them had an especially icy aura and formidable presence. Like the man before him, that person was likely at the Second Realm.

Liu Wang grinned at Chen Qing. "Sect Leader Chen, I assume you know why I'm here, so I'll spare us the nonsense. I'll send you off to join your master—and firm up my Dao Heart while I'm at it!" Before he had even finished speaking, he suddenly swept his hand outward!

Killing intent surged as a streak of blue light shot straight for Chen Qing's throat!