Foundation Establishment Success and a First Test

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

Foundation Establishment was complete!

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

The change was barely visible, but Lu Zeming knew that succeeding in Foundation Establishment had transformed him completely.

Every pathway in his body was now open!

His strength, speed, and ability to recover had surpassed anything an ordinary person could imagine. If he had to make a comparison, Lu Zeming reckoned his physical abilities could rival Tsunade's.

His Spiritual Power had changed in nature too, becoming dense as liquid. Both the power of his spells and his endurance in battle had more than doubled. If he wanted, a C-rank Ninjutsu cast by him could reach A-rank power.

Then there was the Divine Sense he had awakened, a power on an entirely different level from sensing Spiritual Power.

After Foundation Establishment, his Consciousness Sea had opened for the first time. His Divine Sense formed from the union of his mental power, the power of his soul, and his Spiritual Power.

It could do more than probe his surroundings. It could see through most disguises and illusions, and even transmit his voice directly into another's mind.

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

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

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

Lu Zeming did not rush to stand, because he noticed that his Inner Landscape had changed as well.

The scene around him was now reflected within it.

The wheat stalks surrounding him, each over two meters tall, appeared especially clear.

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

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

Spirit Wheat, formed through the infusion of pure Spiritual Power. Eating it strengthens the body and slightly extends one's lifespan.

"Haha! My Inner Landscape has gained a new ability too. That's wonderful news."

Lu Zeming suddenly realized that with so much Spirit Energy in this world, there was no reason for creatures like Toad Pill and White Snake to exist while spirit herbs and immortal medicines did not. There had to be plenty of them.

Lu Zeming looked toward the mountain behind the village. Beyond it lay more mountains, stretching as far as he could see.

No, those were not mountains. They were treasure troves.

Lu Zeming could hardly wait to search for immortal herbs.

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

Only then did Lu Zeming stand. Everyone who had been keeping watch around him hurried over.

"Village chief, are you all right?"

"Big brother, Rin was so worried about you!"

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

Lu Zeming turned and pointed toward the patch of Spirit Wheat. "Harvest that wheat carefully. Put half in the storehouse and send the other half to the reward exchange as prizes for completed tasks."

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 wanted to say something.

Helpless, Lu Zeming changed course and went to the office instead.

Once inside, Lu Zeming got straight to the point.

"What happened?"

"The people watching the bandits' hideouts have reported back. Several gangs are gathering their men, apparently to move against us. A group of government soldiers has also appeared on the main road about fifteen li from the village. They're heading straight here."

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

"Officials and bandits working together? They're dead set on causing us trouble."

Kumi Uzumaki was worried, and her voice carried a hint of panic.

"Most of our ninja are away on missions. Even if we hold them off with the people we have, we're bound to suffer heavy losses!"

Lu Zeming remained perfectly calm.

"I'll handle it. Rather than wait for them to attack the village, we might as well 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 rounded belly.

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

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

Lu Zeming understood her good intentions and did not refuse again.

"Then have Yuka and Rofu come with me."

"Yes!"

Seeing that Kumi Uzumaki still had not left, Lu Zeming asked, "Was there something else?"

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

Lu Zeming smacked his forehead. He had nearly forgotten the important business.

He also felt keenly how few people he could truly rely on. He even had to make a delivery himself!

Kumi Uzumaki was capable, but pregnancy limited her energy. Ikeda and his two companions had both ability and strength, but Lu Zeming did not trust them enough yet.

Yuka, Rofu, and the others were still too young, and their strength was lacking!

When you're just starting out, 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 thieves, I'll go straight to make the delivery!"

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

Ten minutes later, Lu Zeming, Tingyu 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 tremendous speed.

Kumi Uzumaki and the others who had seen the three off stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what they were seeing.

"People don't have wings, but they can still fly?"

"Incredible! How does he do it?"

"I'm so jealous. I want to try it too! What does it feel like to fly while standing on a blade?"

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

"He seems to have gotten stronger again!"

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

Disappointment showed in the eyes of Ikeda and his two companions. At that moment, all three found themselves wanting to become Lu Zeming's disciples.

Rofu reacted differently from the villagers. Once his excitement wore off, he began vomiting violently.

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

Vomiting was no great problem. Lu Zeming was in a hurry, so he did not put Rofu down. At least the boy could not throw up on the blade.

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

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

A blade was asymmetrical. In flight, one side met less resistance than the other, making it constantly veer off course.

Several times, Lu Zeming nearly crashed into a mountain.

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

While he was thinking, Lu Zeming spotted the soldiers on the march.

There were more than a hundred fully armored samurai. Surprisingly, 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 arrived in this world.

The goateed man wore official robes and a hat taller than his neck was long. He sat in a soft sedan chair carried by four men, resting with his eyes closed and looking perfectly at ease.

Lu Zeming gave a cold laugh.

"What a small world."

He set Yuka and Rofu down some distance away, then flew directly above the soldiers.

The soldiers felt the sunlight dim overhead. When they looked up, they saw a child standing in the air. With the sun behind him, they could not make out 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?"