Dao Foundation

Fang Yu looked at the flying sword before him as it struggled to break through his protective spiritual light, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

"So this is a sword cultivator at the Dao Foundation Realm?"

The presence of Tie Chanyi, who stood opposite him, had long since changed. She was no longer at the Qi Ingestion Seventh Layer, but at the Dao Foundation Realm, just like him.

No, he himself was only at the Quasi-Dao Foundation stage. Only after completing a blood sacrifice could he truly attain the Molten Edge Flow Dao Foundation.

And that blood sacrifice could be his own, or someone else's.

"Break!"

Tie Chanyi formed a sword gesture with her fingers. A beam of golden sword light appeared and passed into the flying sword in tandem, making it erupt with dazzling golden light.

The flying sword, which had been blocked by the protective spiritual light, plunged through it like a blade through tofu.

Sun Gold Wheel

At the same time, a small golden sphere appeared beside Su Yu's hand, radiating pale golden light that formed a curved screen before him. It shielded him within, stopping the flying sword just three inches from his forehead from advancing any farther.

Phoenix Cry

With a flash of Fang Yu's divine thought, the talisman treasure he had nurtured within the Yuanchen Pearl for nearly a year, the Phoenix Cry Talisman, appeared before his chest and transformed into a sparrow-like firebird.

"Go!"

At Fang Yu's soft command, the firebird beat its wings and flew toward Tie Chanyi. In the blink of an eye, it grew into an enormous firebird, enveloping and engulfing her.

"Clang!"

Suddenly, a sword rang out. The firebird burst apart, flames scattering in all directions as a streak of golden light shot upward, breaking through the roof of the cave abode and soaring into the sky.

"Trying to run!"

Fang Yu snorted and turned into a red streak, following close behind. Flames throughout the cave abode gathered into firebirds once more, streaming into the red streak and vanishing.

The two streaks of escaping light sped through the air, one chasing the other, both as swift as meteors.

"This Metal Virtue sword cultivator's escape speed is truly astonishing!"

Fang Yu clung closely to Tie Chanyi's trail, but she continued to pull farther and farther ahead. A ruthless light flashed in his eyes. He bit hard on his tongue and spat out a mouthful of Essence Blood, which became a thick mist that enveloped him and coated his escaping light in crimson. His speed surged, and he caught up within a few breaths.

"I am a Dao Foundation cultivator of the Tie Household. You dare kill me?!"

A terrified voice suddenly rang out.

But in the next moment, Fang Yu's crimson light enveloped the golden light. The golden light then burst forth with countless rays, piercing the red light full of holes, but afterward fell silent.

The red light filling the sky gathered in an instant, revealing Fang Yu holding the Flowing Flame True Fire Sword.

A faint layer of golden light now coated the Flowing Flame True Fire Sword in his hand, and its grade had astonishingly reached Earth Grade.

Fang Yu sensed the Molten Edge Flow Dao Foundation within him settling into stability. Scene after scene flashed through his mind, the experiences of the past sixty-two years appearing clearly and rapidly, like a revolving lantern.

"So the true purpose of the Flowing Flame True Fire Cultivation Method was to forge this Earth Grade Flowing Flame True Fire Sword. No, it was only because my Flowing Flame True Fire was purified by the Yuanchen Pearl that I was able to force its grade up to the peak of Profound Grade. Only after the blood sacrifice of a Dao Foundation cultivator did it rise to Earth Grade. Under normal circumstances, sacrificing me would only have brought it to upper Profound Grade."

"Should I run now?"

Fang Yu murmured, and the Flowing Flame True Fire within him blazed fiercely.

Several golden points appeared on the horizon, turning into golden streaks that reached him in an instant and revealed several sword cultivators dressed in black.

They released their Dao Foundation presence without reservation, and were who knew how many times stronger than Tie Chanyi.

"Chanyi..."

One of the sword cultivators looked at the Flowing Flame True Fire Sword in Fang Yu's hand and cried out, his eyes filled with venomous hatred.

Fang Yu swept a glance over him, and the spiritual light around his body grew a little brighter.

"You! Very good, very good!"

The sword cultivator did not attack, however. He merely stared coldly at Fang Yu and voiced his grating praise.

Just then, several more figures approached from afar. One Dao Foundation cultivator riding a cloud of fire looked at Fang Yu, his face full of delight.

"Hahaha! I never expected another Dao Foundation cultivator to emerge from our Heavenly Craft Lineage. This is truly cause for celebration!"

As his laughter rang out, the faces of the Dao Foundation sword cultivators darkened.

"Hmph! So what if he has attained Dao Foundation?"

"An external alchemy grandmaster who can forge Earth Grade flying swords is a benefit to us all!"

"Fellow cultivator Fang, congratulations, congratulations!"

"Please look after us in the future, fellow cultivator Fang!"

"..."

Fang Yu looked at the Metal Virtue sword cultivators and Fire Virtue cultivators around him, each bearing the presence of a Dao Foundation cultivator. The Yuanchen Pearl in his sea of consciousness slowed its rotation.

Although he still had not figured out exactly what was happening, it seemed that his killing Tie Chanyi would have no great consequences.

Suddenly, his Divine Sense trembled, pierced by a sharp pain like a needle prick.

A space within the range of his perception rippled, and a foot stepped out of it. A figure followed, standing in the air.

The many Dao Foundation cultivators around him all bowed with cupped hands. "Greetings, Moon-Embracing Sword Immortal!"

A Sword Immortal!

Fang Yu's body trembled slightly, and he looked instinctively at the man. A faint silver radiance shrouded him, and Fang Yu could only vaguely make out that he was male.

This was the sect's Purple Mansion Sword Immortal, Moon-Embracing True Person.

"The sect has not produced such a dazzling Fire Virtue disciple in a hundred years. This is truly cause for celebration!"

As soon as he finished speaking, countless silver moons emerged throughout the surrounding world, turning into beams of silver light that shot in all directions and dyed the Flaming Mountain below into a silver mountain.

At the same time, a stream of profound information entered Fang Yu's mind, allowing him to suddenly comprehend a sword-control technique and understand some of the mysteries of sword cultivation.

The Tie Household sword cultivators' faces grew thoughtful, then delighted. Some even cried out, "Our thanks to the Sword Immortal for his enlightenment!"

Moon-Embracing True Person now looked at Fang Yu, or rather, at the sword in his hand. With a gentle beckon, the Earth Grade Flowing Flame True Fire Sword gripped tightly in Fang Yu's hand turned into a streak of red light and landed in his own.

Moon-Embracing Sword Immortal brushed the blade gently with the back of his hand. "A fine sword. It truly is a fine sword!"

As he spoke, he swept his palm out, and a flash of golden light turned into a three-inch-long miniature sword that came to rest before Fang Yu.

"Your cultivation is too low, and you are not a sword cultivator. It would be a true pity to leave this sword in your hands. I shall exchange this Sword Intent for it. Are you willing?"

Fang Yu looked at the miniature sword, which gave off a heart-stopping presence. How could he dare say he was unwilling? He immediately bowed with cupped hands. "This junior is willing!"

Moon-Embracing Sword Immortal nodded and looked at the Dao Foundation cultivator riding the fire cloud. "Wu Tong!"

Wu Tong immediately bowed. "Your disciple is here!"

Moon-Embracing Sword Immortal instructed, "For now, this young man shall be assigned to your Heavenly Craft Hall as an elder. As for where he goes afterward, that shall be entirely his own decision. You must make this clear to him."

"I shall obey the Sword Immortal's decree!" Wu Tong said respectfully.

In the next moment, a ripple appeared in the void and Moon-Embracing Sword Immortal vanished. The terrifying pressure weighing on everyone dispersed with him.

"Hmph!"

The sword cultivator who had taken a dislike to Fang Yu from the start snorted coldly and vanished in a streak of sword light. The others disappeared one after another, and in the blink of an eye, only Fang Yu and Wu Tong remained.

Wu Tong then turned to Fang Yu with a smile. "Elder Fang, come with me to the Heavenly Craft Hall!"

"Sorry for the trouble, Elder Wu!"

Fang Yu bowed with cupped hands and prepared to put away the Purple Mansion Sword Intent that Moon-Embracing Sword Immortal had given him. But the moment his divine thought touched it, the Sword Intent turned into a streak of golden light and slipped between his brows into his sea of consciousness.

In the next moment, the Yuanchen Pearl began spinning rapidly. His sea of consciousness immediately partitioned off a separate area for the Sword Intent, isolating it from the main sea of consciousness.

At the same time, a piece of information appeared:

[Fate Weaving: deduce heavenly secrets, conceal heavenly secrets, weave heavenly secrets.]

Fang Yu's body trembled slightly. He had triggered another new ability of the Yuanchen Pearl.