Foundation Establishment and a First Test of Strength

A surge of powerful Spiritual Power burst from Lu Zeming, sending waves rippling through the wheat.

Foundation Establishment—success!

The moment Lu Zeming opened his eyes, a divine gleam flashed through them. His aura swelled, and his skin, muscles, and bones felt as though they had been forged anew.

The change was hard to see with the naked eye, but Lu Zeming knew he was no longer the man he had been before Foundation Establishment.

Every meridian in his body was now open!

His strength, speed, and recovery had surpassed anything an ordinary person could imagine. If he had to compare, Lu Zeming reckoned his physical abilities could give Tsunade a run for her money.

His Spiritual Power had also undergone a qualitative change, growing dense as liquid. Both the power of his spells and his endurance in battle had more than doubled. If he wished, a C-rank Ninjutsu released from his hands could reach A-rank power.

Then there was the awakening of his Divine Sense, a power on an entirely different level from sensing Spiritual Power.

With Foundation Establishment, his Consciousness Sea had opened for the first time. His mental energy, soul power, and Spiritual Power had combined to form his Divine Sense.

It could do more than probe his surroundings. It could see through most disguises and illusions, and even transmit messages mind to mind.

The pressure of his Divine Sense could slow an enemy's movements. If he took it further, he could even weave illusions to cloud their judgment and stir up their inner demons.

What excited Lu Zeming most was that he could finally fly on a sword.

With Foundation Establishment behind him, Lu Zeming finally had the power to protect himself.

Lu Zeming did not rise at once. He had noticed that his Inner Landscape had changed too.

The scene around him was now reflected within it.

The wheat standing over two meters tall around him appeared especially clear.

Lu Zeming raised a hand, and a wheat stalk bent of its own accord, placing its ear in his palm.

The moment he took the ear of wheat, a description appeared in his Inner Landscape.

Spirit Wheat. Formed through exposure to pure Spiritual Power. Eating it strengthens the body and slightly extends one's lifespan.

"Haha! My Inner Landscape has evolved a new ability too. This is wonderful news."

A thought suddenly struck Lu Zeming. With Spirit Energy so abundant in this world, it made no sense for Toad Pill, White Snake, and the other beasts to be all it had produced. There had to be plenty of spiritual herbs and immortal medicines as well.

Lu Zeming looked toward the mountains behind the village. Beyond them stretched more mountains, an endless range.

No, those were not mountains. They were a treasure trove.

Lu Zeming could hardly wait to go search for immortal herbs.

Suppressing his excitement, Lu Zeming decided it was more important to first familiarize himself with his abilities and stabilize his new realm.

Only then did Lu Zeming get up. The people who had been keeping watch nearby hurried over.

"Village chief, are you all right?"

"Big brother, Rin was worried about you!"

"I'm fine. Better than I've ever been!"

As he spoke, Lu Zeming turned and pointed to the patch of Spirit Wheat. "Harvest that wheat and store it carefully. Put half in the warehouse and send the other half to the reward exchange to be given as rewards for completing missions."

Kumi Uzumaki promptly agreed and sent people to handle it.

After reassuring everyone, Lu Zeming headed for his training room. Kumi Uzumaki followed, looking as though she had something to say.

Lu Zeming had no choice but to turn toward the office.

Once inside the office, Lu Zeming got straight to the point.

"What happened?"

"The people watching the bandits' hideouts have sent back reports. Several groups are gathering their men and seem to be planning to move against us. A force of government troops has also appeared on the main road fifteen li from the village. They're heading this way."

Lu Zeming narrowed his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Officials and bandits in league together. They're determined to come after us!"

Kumi Uzumaki was worried, and panic crept into her voice.

"Most of our ninja are out on missions. With only the people we have here, even if we hold them off, we'll suffer heavy losses!"

Lu Zeming, however, remained perfectly calm.

"I'll deal with it. Rather than wait for them to come knocking, we'll choose the battlefield ourselves!"

The confidence radiating from Lu Zeming left Kumi Uzumaki momentarily dazed.

"I'll go with you!"

Lu Zeming glanced at Kumi Uzumaki's heavily swollen belly.

"No. You need to rest and take care of the baby. I'm enough on my own!"

Still uneasy, Kumi Uzumaki insisted, "It's not that I doubt your strength. I just thought someone would need to clean up the battlefield afterward."

Lu Zeming understood Kumi Uzumaki's good intentions and did not refuse again.

"Then I'll take Yuka and Rofu with me."

"Yes!"

When Kumi Uzumaki made no move to leave, Lu Zeming asked, "Is there something else?"

Kumi Uzumaki spoke nervously. "Today is also the delivery date we agreed on with the Shinbu family!"

Lu Zeming slapped his forehead. He had nearly forgotten the real business at hand.

At the same time, Lu Zeming realized how few people he could truly rely on. He even had to make a delivery himself!

Kumi Uzumaki was capable, but her pregnancy limited her energy. Ikeda and the other two had both ability and strength, but he did not trust them enough yet.

Yuka, Rofu, and the others were still too young, and their strength was not quite there!

The business has only just started. It's normal for the boss to be busy, Lu Zeming told himself.

"Here's what we'll do. Pack the goods into a Sealing Scroll, and I'll take it with me. Once I've dealt with those petty crooks, I'll go straight to the delivery!"

"Yes, I'll see to it right away!"

Ten minutes later, Lu Zeming, Listening Yuka, and Rofu appeared at the village entrance.

Lu Zeming tossed his long blade into the air. Grabbing one of them by each arm, he stepped onto the blade and flew north at breakneck speed.

Kumi Uzumaki and the others who had seen them off stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

"People can fly without wings?"

"Incredible! How does that even work?"

"I'm so jealous! I want to know what it feels like to fly standing on a blade!"

"The village chief is amazing. He always does things we wouldn't even dare imagine."

"He seems to have gotten stronger again!"

"The speed he's growing at is frightening. I can't imagine how powerful he'll be in a few years!"

Ikeda and the other two looked crestfallen. At that moment, all three felt the urge to ask Lu Zeming to take them as disciples.

Unlike the villagers, Rofu's excitement soon gave way to violent vomiting.

Lu Zeming had never expected the boy to get airsick. No, not airsick—flying-blade sick.

Vomiting was no great problem. Lu Zeming was in a hurry, so he did not put Rofu down. After all, Rofu could not vomit onto the blade.

And so a strange sight appeared in the sky: a flying object trailing not colored smoke, but vomit.

After flying for a while, Lu Zeming finally understood why cultivators in those novels preferred flying on swords rather than blades.

A blade was uneven from side to side. One side met less resistance in flight than the other, so it kept veering off course.

Lu Zeming nearly crashed into a mountain several times.

"I need to get a sword when I go back!"

As he considered this, Lu Zeming spotted the government troops on the march.

There were more than a hundred fully armored warriors. To his surprise, they also had a ten-man squad of musketeers.

Lu Zeming recognized their leader. It was the goateed man who had brought men to the village to seize grain just after Lu Zeming had arrived in this world.

The goateed man wore an official robe and a hat taller than his neck. He sat in a cushioned sedan chair carried by four men, resting with his eyes closed and looking thoroughly at ease.

Lu Zeming gave a cold laugh.

"Well, look who it is."

After setting Yuka and Rofu down some distance away, Lu Zeming flew directly over the troops' heads.

The soldiers felt the sunlight dim above them. Looking up, they found a child standing in the sky. The sun behind him hid his face, but he radiated a pressure that made them afraid to look straight at him.

The goateed man sat up and opened his triangular eyes, casting a sidelong glance overhead.

"Who are you? How dare you block this Bugyo's path?"