As the spirit sources were placed, radiant light flared across the four stone altars. Pure spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged toward them like a rising tide, officially marking the start of the Foundation Establishment process.
Under Su Yi’s command, the remaining disciples formed a defensive perimeter at key choke points around the valley, watching their surroundings with vigilant eyes.
At this moment, a young Divine Might Manor disciple sidled up to Su Yi. Seeing their Young Manor Lord’s calm and composed demeanor, he could not resist lowering his voice to ask, “Senior Brother Su, you’ve shown such extraordinary prowess this time—is there any way we could get a step ahead of the others? For instance, could we make the demonic cultivators fail their Foundation Establishment?”
Hearing this, Su Yi opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow. “Looking to pull a dirty trick? There is a way, actually.”
The disciple’s eyes lit up with eager anticipation.
Only to hear Su Yi continue at an unhurried pace, “However, how is your family’s ancestral reputation?”
“Quite honorable and well-renowned. Why do you ask?”
“And are your parents still with us?”
“My father and mother are both alive and well, in robust health.”
“Ah. Then I wouldn't recommend using it. I’m fresh out of tricks, then.”
“???”
Ignoring the disciple’s bewildered expression, Su Yi rose to his feet. “Still, although I am thoroughly upright and honorable, those demonic scoundrels certainly lack my sense of martial virtue.”
Just as Su Yi’s teasing words left his mouth, the light barrier of the valley’s defensive restriction rippled violently, like a stone thrown into water. Accompanied by a grating, tooth-grinding tear, over a dozen figures shrouded in dense demonic qi forcefully ripped open a breach and stormed inside!
“What?! How could they...” The disciples stationed on guard blanched in shock, with someone blurting out in disbelief, “The restriction wasn’t even fully triggered!”
The demonic cultivator leading the group radiated billowing waves of demonic qi, his aura vastly superior to an ordinary peak Qi Condensation cultivator. Hearing their cries, he erupted into arrogant laughter: “A restriction laid down by Qi Condensation cultivators thinks it can stop Foundation Establishment cultivators? Dream on!”
“Foundation Establishment? How could they be so fast?!” Dread washed over the faces of many righteous disciples.
How long had it been since their own had begun Foundation Establishment?
Furthermore, there were over a dozen enemies before them—where did they find so many Foundation Establishment Spirit Platforms?!
Seeing the blood drain from the righteous cultivators’ faces, the demonic cultivator wore a cruel and smug smirk. “Why couldn't we? We used the essence blood of our own kin as a catalyst to forcefully refine the spirit sources. Tell me, why wouldn’t it be fast?!”
He spoke as if it were only natural, treating the sacrifice of his own companions as standard procedure.
Yet before the words had finished leaving his mouth, Su Yi’s calm voice rang out once more, laced with clear insight and cutting mockery:
“Ah, so out of the hundred or so demons who entered, after all this scrambling, aside from the two commanders who established their foundations, all that’s left are you dozen-odd ‘pseudo-Foundation Establishment’ stragglers relying on crooked shortcuts and unstable auras?”
The demonic leader’s laughter cut off abruptly. His pupils contracted in shock as he glared at Su Yi.
He hadn't expected Su Yi to see through their reality in a single glance! They had indeed used a secret technique to forcefully elevate their cultivation, leaving their realms unstable and spiritual power hollow, far inferior to a legitimate Foundation Establishment. But an ordinary Qi Condensation cultivator shouldn't have been able to tell!
Ignoring his shock, Su Yi continued in an unhurried drawl, his tone dripping with pity that stabbed like a dagger straight into the demonic cultivators’ hearts:
“You truly are pitiful. Your commanders must have used orthodox methods to establish their foundations, forging solid demonic foundations with boundless potential, a thousand times greater than yours. And you? Taking this shortcut means your cultivation will likely never progress again in this lifetime, reducing you completely to abandoned pawns and cannon fodder. Truly... pathetic and lamentable.”
These words ruthlessly tore open the deepest scars and hidden dread buried within their hearts.
How could they not know this was akin to drinking poison to quench a thirst? Yet under the overbearing might and orders of the three Elders, they had no choice at all! Now that Su Yi had exposed it in broad daylight, boundless resentment and fury completely consumed their reason.
“Su Yi! You’re courting death!” The leading demonic cultivator roared with a twisted expression. The demonic qi around him erupted, coalescing into a jet-black claw that lunged straight toward Su Yi with shrieking ghostly wails! His speed was startlingly swift!
“Young Manor Lord Su, watch out!” cried the surrounding disciples in alarm.
Yet facing this thunderous assault, Su Yi merely smiled faintly, even having the leisure to confirm a prompt in his mind.
“Activate.”
On the UI interface, a prompt flashed past: 【Combat Assist Feature Activated】.
In an instant, several minute yet distinctly glowing points of light appeared across the lunging demonic cultivator in Su Yi’s vision. The light pulsed especially clear at the wrist, elbow, and core demonic qi circulation nodes of the demonic claw.
“You broke the game balance first,” Su Yi said loudly, as though merely stating an established fact. “So I have no choice but to... turn on my cheats.”
Before his voice even faded, without so much as assuming a stance to gather power, he casually thrusted and flicked his longsword forward!
Clang—!
A crisp, resounding clash of metal exploded through the air!
Under everyone’s disbelieving gazes, Su Yi’s sword—which seemed light, airy, and entirely devoid of power—struck with pinpoint precision right at the weakest point of the demonic claw, where its demonic qi flow was momentarily obstructed!
It was just like striking a snake on its seven-inch mark!
The ferocious demonic claw violently shuddered as the condensed demonic qi shattered and dispersed in an instant. The demonic cultivator groaned, his forward charge violently halted as he stumbled back half a step, his face filled with shock and bewilderment.
He couldn’t fathom how his fully charged strike had been neutralized so effortlessly and accurately by his opponent!
The other demonic cultivators who were about to swarm forward froze in place, stunned by this bizarre scene.
Su Yi stood with sword in hand, the hem of his robes fluttering gently in the breeze kicked up by the clashing energies. His expression remained utterly composed, as if he had merely brushed a speck of dust from his sleeve.
Looking at the shaken and hesitant demonic cultivators, the corner of his lips curled into a playful smirk. “Don’t look so surprised. This next move is called—”
“The Developers' Favor for Clumsy Hands.”
Rate on N.U.
