Heaven and Earth Thunder Fire!

"Understood... Old Ancestor..."

Zhang Yunshan nodded, then spoke: "Everything that happened on the Back Mountain today is classified as a family secret. All elders and stewards present must swear an Inner Demon oath not to leak a single word."

He paused, glancing at the trusted disciples on perimeter guard duty: "As for the phenomenon witnessed earlier... to outsiders, we'll claim the Old Ancestor performed a Merit Marrow Cleansing for the younger generation of the family..."

The elders upon hearing this nodded one after another.

This tactic could both explain the source of the Spirit Rain and further lull external enemies into complacency—killing two birds with one stone.

"Go handle it."

Zhang Yunshan waved his hand: "Also, Chen'er needs time to stabilize his realm. Until he emerges from seclusion, everything proceeds as usual—play weak when needed, play the fool when needed."

"Yes!"

As the crowd dispersed, the "truth" about this Spirit Rain quickly spread within the Zhang family.

Those clan members who had been ecstatic from receiving the blessing, upon hearing that the Old Ancestor had traded his life for this opportunity...

Each had red-rimmed eyes, filled with grief and indignation.

The entire Zhang Family Courtyard did not grow restless from the power boost, but instead was shrouded in a tragic atmosphere called "Victory of the Grieving Army."

And this atmosphere was exactly what Zhang Chen wanted.

Though the Zhang family sealed off the news, this heavenly phenomenon covering a hundred miles...

Could not be hidden in the end.

Within half a day, all kinds of rumors spread like wings, flying across the entire East Mountain Islands.

Black Reef Island, the Wang Family.

"You're saying it rained golden rain over the Zhang territory?"

Wang Lie sat on his tiger-skin chair, brows tightly furrowed.

The pair of Iron Gallbladders in his hands creaked as he squeezed them.

The scout kneeling below wore a grave expression: "Reporting to Family Head, it's absolutely true."

"I saw it with my own eyes—golden Spiritual Energy turned to rain, and many of the Zhang family's low-rank disciples broke through because of it."

"Family Head, this is definitely suspicious."

The Wang Clan Brother beside him frowned: "Such a phenomenon, even Nascent Soul Formation wouldn't match it. Could Zhang Tianzheng really have regained his youth?"

"Absolutely impossible!"

Wang Lie denied it outright: "Nascent Soul Formation comes with a Thunder Tribulation. Did you hear any thunder? That Old Ghost probably used some kind of Ancient Forbidden Art that drains his potential."

He stood up, pacing back and forth in the hall, finally letting out a Cold Smile: "Hmph, I think that Old Ghost knows his time is short and is using this method to forcibly boost the younger generation's strength, so they won't lose too badly in the Arena Competition."

"This kind of Final Radiance trick might fool outsiders, but trying to fool me, Wang Lie? Dream on!"

"Pass down the order—ignore it."

"The more they jump around now, the faster that Old Ghost dies. We just follow the plan and prepare for the arena."

"Yes!"

Not just the Wang Family, but the several Small Families attached to them, as well as some neutral rogue cultivator factions...

All reached similar conclusions.

After all, "Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment"—a myth that only existed in ancient records and biographies...

Was far too distant from this barren East Mountain Islands.

Too distant for anyone to even think in that direction.

In their eyes, the Zhang family was nothing but a cornered beast struggling in its death throes.

Everything they did was to prolong their dying bloodline.

The mockery, speculation, and pity from the outside world did not affect Zhang Chen in the slightest, secluded in his chamber on the Back Mountain of Dao Seeking Peak.

At this moment, he sat cross-legged on a massive Cold Jade Bed, eyes tightly shut.

His mind was entirely immersed in the world within his own body.

Though he had mentally prepared himself, when he truly looked inward...

He was still shaken by the terrifying transformation.

When ordinary cultivators establish their foundation, the Spiritual Energy in their dantian liquefies into a lake, and the Dao Foundation is mostly a crude spiritual platform.

Those with slightly better talent might have a platform with a few steps.

Its color would also be purer.

But in Zhang Chen's dantian, a purple-gold nine-tier altar now floated.

That altar was ancient and weathered, covered in countless Dao patterns.

Each Dao pattern seemed to contain the principles of heaven and earth.

Below the altar, the original Spiritual Lake had transformed into a Vast Ocean, its surface calm and waveless, yet fathomlessly deep.

"So this is Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment..."

Zhang Chen attempted to stir a thread of Spiritual Energy.

Boom!

With just a single thought, that Vast Ocean erupted into towering waves.

A power so vast it was suffocating instantly flooded his meridians.

This feeling was like someone accustomed to rowing a small wooden boat.

Suddenly taking the helm of a Giant Warship.

"Total Spiritual Energy... at least ten times that of a cultivator at the same rank!"

Zhang Chen's heart shook violently.

Ten times—what did that mean?

It meant he would hardly ever worry about Spiritual Energy depletion in battle.

It meant he could recklessly unleash those high-consumption, high-power spells.

Even more terrifying was the recovery speed.

He tried circulating a single cycle, and saw the Spiritual Energy in the surrounding space, as if pulled by a Black Hole, crazily pouring back into his body.

This devouring speed was at least a hundred times faster than during his Qi Refining Stage.

"If I add the aid of Pills, I am simply a tireless battle machine."