Foundation Establishment Ceremony

The Market, after the unrest, returned to peace once more.

It was not that the Rogue Cultivators had grown accustomed to it, but that Green Bamboo Mountain Market was already a rare, stable rear base.

The entire Cultivation World of the Yue Kingdom was growing ever more chaotic. Murder and plunder, turmoil in Markets—these had become as commonplace as daily meals.

Within Li Fire Palace territory alone, there had already been reports of two or three Markets being breached and looted clean.

Thus, in the eyes of the Rogue Cultivators, so long as the Foundation Establishment Cultivators stationed by Li Fire Palace and Mystic Sound Pavilion at Green Bamboo Mountain Market stood as steady as Mount Tai, the Market's unrest would not spiral out of control.

A month after the last disturbance.

"Foundation Establishment Ceremony?"

That day, Li Erniu arrived with an invitation, his face brimming with smiles. Seeing Lin Chang'an's stunned expression, he nodded and explained,

"Big Brother Lin, it's not just you. Little Marquis, Junior Sister, and the others all received invitations too. Earlier, Grandpa Tai'an and I even went together to deliver one to Fellow Daoist Yun."

Seeing the joy on Er Niu's face, Lin Chang'an understood.

For a great Sect like Li Fire Palace, Foundation Establishment was merely called a small celebration. But for an ordinary cultivation Lineage, Foundation Establishment represented the continuation of the family for a hundred years.

Its importance went without saying. Thus, cultivation Lineages would often hold a "Foundation Establishment Ceremony" to display their strength.

At the same time, the Zhou Family wished to use this opportunity to steady the hearts of its clansmen.

"I see. Then half a month from now, I will certainly attend."

Lin Chang'an nodded with a smile, and Li Erniu left with an equally bright expression. After all, the better the Zhou Family fared, the more secure his whole family would be.

"A Foundation Establishment Ceremony, huh? Looks like I'll need to make some preparations."

Not only did he need to bathe and burn incense each day, he also needed to prepare a new Dharma Robe, lest any traces remain from his battle with Zhou Qing.

Watching Er Niu depart, the smile on Lin Chang'an's face gradually turned solemn as he pondered in secret.

He still had a wonderful future ahead of him. He could not afford to be careless.

Returning to the secret chamber, Lin Chang'an looked over the bottles and jars on the table. One Jade Bottle in particular stood out, and as usual, he dripped its contents into his eyes every day.

"The Zhou Family clearly intended this Spirit Liquid for cultivating precious Spirit Grass, yet I'm wasting a treasure granted by Heaven."

Spirit Liquid was something only the Three Great Sects possessed. It was spirit water drawn from a Spirit Vein Springhead, known as Spirit Liquid. Even this small bottle would start at a hundred Spirit Stones outside.

It greatly benefited the growth and recovery of Spirit Grass. Normally, only precious spirit medicines were worthy of such use.

It was equally miraculous for a cultivator's cultivation and healing, but it could not be stored for long. Thus, Lin Chang'an could only use it for cultivation.

After all, if he did not use it now, its spiritual energy would greatly dissipate after a while.

[Spirit Eye +1 (Beginner 12/100)]

A sense of clarity instantly swept through his entire body, accompanied by a voice in his mind. Lin Chang'an closed his eyes and rested his spirit.

Using Spirit Liquid to aid his cultivation kept his spiritual platform clear, and there was a noticeable benefit to the growth of his Divine Sense. Yet the unexpectedly awakened Spirit Eye also brought a smile to his face.

"Although this Spirit Eye's ability is somewhat useless, it's still better than having nothing."

A Spirit Eye was, plainly put, a necessary foundation before cultivating divine eye techniques. One could obtain it by washing one's eyes with Spirit Liquid over a long period. However, pupil arts and divine powers of that sort were still far too distant for him.

The Basic Spirit Eye had but a single ability: it simply sharpened the senses and granted a faint power of Mist-Piercing Stone-Penetration.

Half a month later.

The Zhou Family's Foundation Establishment celebration was truly grand.

Not only had they invited the major Lineages within the Market, but even some outstanding Rogue Cultivators had received invitations.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators from both Li Fire Palace and Mystic Sound Pavilion had also come.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist."

"Congratulations, Senior Zhou."

Amid one congratulatory greeting after another, the Zhou Family Patriarch greeted everyone with a rosy complexion, vigorous spirit, and a face full of smiles.

He did not look at all like someone whose lifespan was nearly exhausted.

Some offered sincere congratulations, while others sneered inwardly. The Zhou Family was merely the afterglow of the setting sun; its glorious moment would not last long.

Though the Zhou Family had produced a new Foundation Establishment Cultivator, how could he compare with a Foundation Establishment Cultivator with a Mutated Spirit Root?

Moreover, the Zhou Family was about to lose an old-established Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

"Brother Lin."

After Lin Chang'an took his seat, he spotted the busy Shen Lie and Junior Sister Lu Qingqing. Shen Lie stepped forward with a smile and said,

"This time, the Zhou Family's Foundation Establishment Ceremony banquet is being jointly handled by Gathering Immortal Pavilion and Mystic Sound Pavilion's Restaurant."

Lin Chang'an could not help but smile upon hearing that. The Zhou Family truly left no drop of water unaccounted for, offending no one.

Yun Yao, behind Gathering Immortal Pavilion, represented Li Fire Palace.

"I see. No wonder Brother Shen is so busy."

Lin Chang'an teased him on this rare occasion, then took his seat.

"Big Brother Lin, look—even Fellow Daoist Yun has come."

After coming over, Li Erniu smiled and gestured with his eyes toward the table occupied by the Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the distance.

Lin Chang'an cooperatively nodded lightly and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Yun has already achieved Foundation Establishment, so naturally she is among the invited guests."

Everyone at their table was either at Qi Refining Late Stage or outstanding in the Hundred Cultivation Arts. Although Li Erniu had been warmly entertaining everyone as a member of the host family, he did not wish to lose face.

Thus, he brought up Yun Yao. Sure enough—

The several cultivators at their table, who had initially ignored them or looked upon them with disdain, now wore warm, familiar smiles.

"So it is Master Lin."

"Fellow Daoist Li is now in charge of the Zhou Family's businesses. You must give us a discount when the time comes."

Everyone at the table smiled broadly. Their purpose was to make connections and offend no one.

For this Foundation Establishment celebration, Lin Chang'an had even presented two Upper-Grade Golden Light Talismans as congratulatory gifts.

Those two talismans alone were worth a hundred Spirit Stones, so the Zhou Family treated him with exceptional courtesy.

At the same time, Lin Chang'an's open-handed conduct made others sigh that he knew how to repay kindness.

"Big Brother Lin, look at those two Black Wind Wolf cubs. Li Fire Palace and Mystic Sound Pavilion each gave one. Otherwise, they could never have exchanged them for two Foundation Establishment Pills."

Li Erniu spoke with feeling, making no effort to avoid being overheard.

"I see."

Lin Chang'an nodded in realization, though a rare smile appeared as he looked at Er Niu.

This Er Niu—no, this was the Zhou Family's deliberate purpose in holding the Foundation Establishment Ceremony: to tell everyone that they had attached themselves to the Two Major Sects.

Li Fire Palace and Mystic Sound Pavilion, by appearing so prominently, were also cooperating with the Zhou Family while achieving their own aims.

They were declaring to the outside world the unbreakable closeness of their alliance. At the same time, regarding strategic resources like Foundation Establishment Pills, they would not be stingy so long as one was their own.

It could be called a win-win situation.

At the banquet, Lin Chang'an could not help but sigh. Ever since friction had arisen among the Three Great Sects, there had not been a single peaceful year. He only hoped there could be a few more stable years, so that he could cultivate properly.

After all, he had no desire to live a life of drifting from place to place.

Yet just as the Foundation Establishment Ceremony hall was filled with harmony and laughter, and night had fallen, two disciples from Li Fire Palace and Mystic Sound Pavilion suddenly entered the hall with panicked expressions, heading straight for their Foundation Establishment stewards.

Those outside looked at one another suspiciously, their gazes shifting back and forth.

At the table of Foundation Establishment Cultivators within the hall, they seemed to hear something, and all their expressions changed.

For even Foundation Establishment Cultivators to be so greatly shaken, one could imagine that something momentous had happened.

War had begun!