Foundation Establishment Level 8

Within Listening Bamboo Garden, moonlight streamed through the bamboo window onto Qin Yuan, forming a faint silver halo around him.

He cultivated through the night.

When the first ray of dawn pierced the darkness, Qin Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

A sharp gleam lay hidden in his gaze, his breathing long and steady as a dragon's, while the circulation of spiritual power throughout his body faintly carried the sound of wind and thunder.

Foundation Establishment Level 8.

Over a single night, he had crossed from the peak of Level 6 through Level 7 and surged straight into Level 8!

If news of such speed spread, it would be enough to make all the elders of the Xuan Yuan Sect question their lives.

But Qin Yuan knew this was still far from his limit—last night, he had drawn out the system's stored twenty years of cultivation, supplementing it with a wisp of the pure Spiritual Energy Elder Xu had left within the Xuan Yuan Token. Only then had he achieved such a leap.

He examined himself inwardly. The sea of qi within his dantian had expanded to a radius of two zhang, and liquid spiritual power rippled within it like a lake. Every circulation contained majestic power far beyond that of others at the same realm.

His Spiritual Sense had expanded to a range of eight hundred zhang, nearly enough to cover half of Fifth Peak.

"About time."

Qin Yuan rose and changed into a clean gray robe. Though the robe was plain, paired with his current abyss-deep composure, it unexpectedly carried an air of returning to simplicity.

The moment he pushed open the bamboo door, a respectful voice came from outside the courtyard.

"Senior Brother Qin, Elder Xu requests your presence in the main hall to discuss matters."

Qin Yuan looked up and saw a young disciple of about seventeen or eighteen standing outside the courtyard. He wore the green robe of an ordinary Fifth Peak disciple, his restrained expression tinged with reverence.

"Understood."

He answered and strode toward the main hall.

Fifth Peak was quiet in the early morning. Birdsong rang crisp and clear, while the mountain wind passed through the bamboo grove with a soft rustling sound.

Along the way, several disciples who had risen early stopped upon seeing Qin Yuan. They bowed in greeting, their eyes filled with admiration.

After yesterday's battle in the grand competition, Qin Yuan's name had already spread throughout the Nine Peaks.

He had crippled Liu Feng, a Foundation Establishment Level 4 cultivator, with a single punch despite being only at Foundation Establishment Level 6. Such combat power ranked among the very best of the Xuan Yuan Sect's younger generation.

What was more, rumors said he had leaped from Level 7 Qi Condensation to Foundation Establishment Level 6 in three days—talent alone could no longer explain that. It was simply monstrous.

Qin Yuan remained calm, turning a blind eye to everyone's gazes as he made his way directly to the main hall.

The hall doors were slightly ajar, and voices drifted from within.

Just as he was about to push the door open, his Spiritual Sense swept into the hall ahead of him—

There were three people standing in the main hall.

At the center stood a young man of around twenty-five or twenty-six. He had sword-like brows and starry eyes, and his green robe was embroidered with silver trim, the mark of a Fifth Peak elite disciple.

He stood in the hall with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression arrogant. He was Fifth Peak's senior disciple—Chen Tianyu.

To his left stood a tall, skinny man with a sharp mouth and monkey-like cheeks. His eyes darted around constantly; one look was enough to tell he was skilled at scheming. His name was Sun Xing, Chen Tianyu's foremost lackey.

To the right stood a broad-shouldered, thick-waisted brute with a face full of flesh and a fierce aura. His name was Wang Meng, and he was also one of Chen Tianyu's trusted followers.

"Senior Brother Chen, that Qin Yuan was far too much in the limelight yesterday." Sun Xing lowered his voice. "He had barely joined Fifth Peak before Elder Xu personally received him and even bestowed the Xuan Yuan Token upon him. If this goes on, I'm afraid your position as senior disciple..."

Chen Tianyu sneered. "My position? I, Chen Tianyu, have built my standing on Fifth Peak for ten years. Could some newly arrived brat possibly shake it?"

"Even so," Wang Meng said in a rough voice, "that kid is indeed strange. I heard he was only at Level 3 Qi Condensation before being driven out of Third Peak. How many days has it been? Foundation Establishment Level 6! That cultivation speed is simply unheard of."

Chen Tianyu frowned slightly. "Have you investigated it clearly? Where has he been these past few days?"

Sun Xing hurriedly replied, "We checked everything. On the day Liu Feng humiliated him, he returned to his outer sect hut. The next day, he was much stronger and crippled Zhao Hu. Then he joined the challenge matches, knocking down ten people from Seventh Peak by himself. After that, he accepted a mission to White Bone Cave—there are said to be evil creatures there in the Foundation Establishment Realm, yet he returned completely unharmed."

"After that came yesterday's grand competition, where he crippled Liu Feng with one punch."

If you can't find it by searching the book title, try searching for the author instead. It may simply have been renamed!

"During all that time, he only left the sect once, and that was to go to White Bone Cave." Sun Xing paused, greed flashing through his eyes. "Senior Brother, do you think he found some heaven-shaking fortuitous opportunity somewhere?"

Chen Tianyu fell silent for a moment before slowly saying, "White Bone Cave is thick with yin energy. It is indeed possible that it hides some ancient ruin or the cave abode of a powerful cultivator. But there is also the possibility... that he truly attained enlightenment."

"Enlightenment?" Wang Meng snorted. "He attained enlightenment once a day? And every time his cultivation soared? What kind of enlightenment is that?"

"Either way," Chen Tianyu said, a trace of coldness flashing through his eyes, "he definitely has a secret. And secrets... can be shared."

Sun Xing's eyes lit up. "Senior Brother means..."

"Find an opportunity to sound him out." Chen Tianyu spoke blandly. "If it is an ordinary fortuitous opportunity, have him hand it over as tribute to his senior brother. Then I can look after him on Fifth Peak in the future. But if it is a great opportunity..."

He did not finish, but the icy glint in his eyes said it all.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the hall.

A disciple hurried in and reported, "Senior Brother Chen, Lin Qing'er from Third Peak has come. She says she wants to see Qin Yuan."

"Lin Qing'er?" Chen Tianyu raised an eyebrow. "The little girl from the same hometown as Qin Yuan? I hear her talent is decent—she's already at Level 10 Qi Condensation."

"That's right." The disciple said, "She has already reached the foot of the mountain."

Sun Xing suddenly leaned closer and whispered, "Senior Brother, I hear this Lin Qing'er is quite close to Qin Yuan. If we were to..."

He made a grabbing gesture.

Chen Tianyu's gaze shifted. "You mean, use her to threaten Qin Yuan?"

"Exactly!" Sun Xing gave a sinister laugh. "Qin Yuan has only just arrived at Fifth Peak, and his foundation is still unstable. If we seize this fellow townsman of his and force him to hand over his fortuitous opportunity, would he dare refuse?"

Wang Meng frowned. "This... isn't very good, is it? What if we botch it and forge a deadly enmity..."

"A deadly enmity?" Chen Tianyu sneered. "Do you think he thinks well of me now? When Elder Xu bestowed the Xuan Yuan Token upon him yesterday, I was standing right beside them, yet he did not even spare me a proper glance. A brat who knows neither heaven nor earth like that must either be completely subdued, or..."

He did not continue, but his meaning was unmistakable.

"But Senior Brother," Wang Meng still hesitated, "Lin Qing'er is from Third Peak after all. If we seize her, Third Peak..."

"Would Third Peak really fall out with Fifth Peak over a little girl in the Qi Refining Stage?" Chen Tianyu sneered. "Besides, we do not need to act personally. Find two disciples who 'don't know' her, have them pretend it was a misunderstanding, and 'invite' her to the back mountain. Qin Yuan will naturally panic then. We can step in afterward to 'mediate,' earn his gratitude, and sound out his background along the way."

Sun Xing clapped his hands. "Brilliant! Senior Brother's plan is brilliant!"

"Go handle it." Chen Tianyu waved a hand. "Remember, keep it clean."

"Yes!"

Sun Xing and Wang Meng accepted the order and withdrew.

Chen Tianyu stood alone in the hall, his eyes dark and unreadable.

He had been stuck at Foundation Establishment Level 7 for three years. Three whole years! One more step would bring him to Foundation Establishment Level 8, qualifying him to compete for a Direct Disciple position. Yet that one step was as difficult to cross as a heavenly chasm.

Fifth Peak's resources were already scarce, and there were only three Direct Disciple positions, two of which had long been firmly occupied by his two other senior brothers. If he wanted to rise above the rest, he needed strength far beyond ordinary people—or... a fortuitous opportunity.

Qin Yuan's appearance had shown him hope.

"No matter what secret you possess," Chen Tianyu murmured, "I will make it mine."

Outside the hall, Qin Yuan withdrew his Spiritual Sense.

His face showed no expression, but his eyes had turned cold.

He had originally thought Fifth Peak would be quieter. He had not expected that on his very first day here, someone would set their sights on him—and even drag Lin Qing'er into it.

"Courting death."

Qin Yuan pushed open the hall doors and walked inside.