Chapter 95.2: This Is Called Foundation Establishment

Before them stood a massive cage. On the left, there were over hundreds of naked young women and on the right, more than a hundred naked young men. Their eyes were dull and lifeless, as if suffering had shattered their spirits.

Even when Qi Yuan and Old Liu appeared, they barely glanced and didn't react, as if hope itself had long abandoned them.

Qi Yuan’s face darkened.

Old Liu suddenly recalled something and slapped his forehead. Fear flickered in his gaze. "Oh no, this is bad! This cavern is guarded by Lord Zuyuan, one of the Black Rooster Demon’s disciples! He spares neither man nor woman! He did this! He’s in the late stage Core Formation realm and is Black Rooster Demon's most favoured disciple. His cultivation is profound and his strength terrifying!"

Old Liu’s heart sank. A chill of impending disaster ran through him. If Lord Zuyuan was here, they had to flee immediately.

"Fellow Daoist, we must leave at once!"

At times like this, survival was all that mattered. If not for the Nascent Soul monster's presence, Lord Zuyuan would have been invincible.

In the next moment, someone said mockingly, "You know quite a bit. Unfortunately it's too late."

A man in emerald robes stepped out slowly, his bearing ethereal like an immortal. The imprisoned men and women suddenly trembled in terror. Their eyes widened, as though gazing upon a demon from the abyss.

Old Liu’s expression turned grim.

We can no longer escape...

At least, one of them should live. If he fled alone, Lord Zuyuan wouldn't have let him. Meanwhile, Qi Yuan was only at the Foundation Establishment realm, and had no chance of stopping that monster.

He gritted his teeth and turned toward Qi Yuan. "I’ll hold him off. You go! My name is Liu Guan, a cultivator from Bloodless City."

Old Liu had hoped if Qi Yuan survived, he would return this favor and look after his family. If he was doomed to die here, Lord Zuyuan would find out who he was anyway.

Clenching his jaw, Old Liu charged toward Lord Zuyuan like a man marching to his death.

Lord Zuyuan’s lips curved into a disdainful smile. The sudden disturbance had to be ended swiftly. This, he directly summoned his Core.

Qi Yuan grew anxious. "Old Liu, that's sneaky of you, trying to steal my kill!"

After all, he has to kill a Core Formation cultivator to pass Lord Withered Tree’s test. And there was only one in this cavern! No way was he leaving it to Old Liu!

Qi Yuan drew his vegetable knife and shouted, "Die!”

His speed surpassed Old Liu's. Before Old Liu could register his words, Qi Yuan was already in front of Lord Zuyuan. Old Liu couldn't believe his eyes.

So fast, even though he's just a Foundation Establishment cultivator?

When Old Liu saw Lord Zuyuan’s core appear, he immediately shouted, "Don’t touch the Core!"

The main difference between a Core Formation cultivator and Foundation Establishment cultivator was precisely the Core. Built using spirit qi as its foundation, it'd solidify through spirit essence.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator’s mana was fluid, within the abdomen. When they reached the Core Formation realm, their energy solidified and became a tangible Core, floating above the spirit object within. Its indestructibility was only one of its most significant features.

"

Hmph!

A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator dares to trespass into the Six Demon Cavern? Courting death!"

From the massive Core, a blinding light burst forth, each ray infused with rich mana. It was powerful enough to scorch a Foundation Establishment cultivator to ash.

Yet, Qi Yuan’s vegetable knife was unflinching, cleaving straight toward Lord Zuyuan’s Core.

Qi Yuan's eyes curved in amusement. "You call this a Core? It can’t even take a single swing from my vegetable knife!"

A faint crack appeared across the so-called indestructible core.

Crack!

The core shattered. Vast spiritual energy poured down like rain.

Lord Zuyuan’s eyes bulged with disbelief. Clutching his chest, he stammered, "Wh-what... how?"

The core he had labored so hard to form, shattered by a vegetable knife? By a Foundation Establishment cultivator?!

He spat a mouthful of blood. “

Pff!

”

A flash of light followed, and his body was split apart.

Qi Yuan held up his knife and gently blew across the sharp edge. The fresh blood slid off the blade instantly.

Not far away, Old Liu stood frozen, completely stunned by what he had just witnessed.

A vegetable knife splitting a Core apart? Is he really a Foundation Establishment cultivator? Even the so-called Ten Geniuses of Great Shang aren’t worthy to carry his shoes! He isn't just a prodigy, but a peerless genius!

Old Liu swallowed hard, his heart trembling with awe and excitement. He had gambled correctly! He hurried forward, his face full of reverence and flattery.

However, before he could speak, a deafening roar shook the cavern.

"You think you can seize my Nascent Soul? Dream on!"

A furious bellow echoed from every direction, followed by a thunderous blast that shook heaven and earth.

Old Liu felt a shattering vibration pierce straight into his soul. His face turned deathly pale, and he collapsed to the ground, limp and motionless.

Qi Yuan, still gripping his vegetable knife, glared around furiously and shouted, "Who the hell just let out that massive fart?!"

No one answered. Well, it indeed sounded exactly like an enormous fart echoing through the cavern.

He looked over and saw Liu Guan lying flat on the ground, completely unconscious.

Qi Yuan murmured, "You’ve got to be kidding me. Knocked out by a fart?"

***

Deep within the Six Demon Cavern...

The nine Nascent Soul cultivators stood battered and bloodstained. Their robes were tattered and their aura unstable. The cane-bearing elder had a gaping hole in his chest, where blood flowed freely.

"Black Rooster Demon truly lives up to his name! Even in death, he managed to wound three of us!"

The hunched woman turned toward Lord Withered Tree with astonishment. "If you hadn't blocked the final divine soul strike, at least four of us would have perished!"

Only his soul was stronger than Black Roster Demon’s, as his spiritual strength had reached the late stage Nascent Soul realm.

One by one, the remaining cultivators cupped their hands, thanking Lord Withered Tree.

"Many thanks, fellow Daoist!"

"Indeed, our thanks!"

Lord Withered Tree's expression remained calm. "Let us rest here for a while, then we'll leave this place."

The others nodded. None of them dared separate. If they split up, the wounded could be silently killed by one of their own. They simply couldn't trust one another.

One elder sighed, eyes gleaming with relief. "At last, Black Rooster Demon is dead. The cultivation world of Great Shang shall enjoy peace for a hundred years."

The others shared the sentiment. Not only had they killed Black Rooster Demon, but all of his treasures now belonged to them.

***

Meanwhile, in another cavern, Qi Yuan glanced at the unconscious Old Liu and saw that he wouldn’t be waking anytime soon.

Then, he suddenly turned, frowning. "That fart was way too ridiculous, I could understand it knocked out the living, but would it bring the dead back to life?"

He looked ahead. There, the man he had killed moments ago, Lord Zuyuan, was still alive.