Chapter 665: To Root Out

"The sword broke?" Ye Qin blinked, thinking to himself: "As expected, a mortal sword is just a mortal sword; outer sect disciples can only be equipped with such a sword."

"Unless one buys it themselves with money, or their family has money."

"The sword technique won't work; with my current strength, I can't even unleash ninety percent of its power, at most only ten percent now. He can't dodge, but he doesn't need to—his immense strength is enough to suppress this sword technique of mine."

"Since the sword technique won't work, is there any other way?"

Ye Qin curled the corner of his mouth into a cold smile. Though the sword technique is sharp and allows him to challenge above his level, Foundation Establishment cultivators already possess some low-grade magic treasures; even if low-ranked, they cannot be compared to the ordinary iron sword in his hand.

This gap cannot be made up by the exquisite nature of the sword technique.

However, Ye Qin still had a trump card. He also possessed a more mysterious palm technique—the Sunset Palm. Although not exquisite, it is enough to deal with many people. "Even if he is a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he may not be able to block the power of the Sunset Palm."

The sword technique can be blocked, but the Sunset Palm's power is hard to resist.

Thinking this, Ye Qin rolled on the spot, quickly rose and leapt. The Sunset Palm's power had already gathered and turned in his palm; in the blink of an eye, a powerful and mysterious force surged forth, unfathomable.

Zhao Kai stared, dazed, and involuntarily asked curiously: "What kind of evil trick is this? Why do I sense a dangerous aura?"

He had just wanted to turn and leave, but suddenly thought of something, and the whole person became terrified: "Who exactly are you? Even without reaching Foundation Establishment, you actually have such terrifying methods?"

His face turned dark as iron, and he finally roared: "Opening Mountain Slash, kill!"

After a loud shout, Zhao Kai's scarlet treasure sword in his right hand slashed forward, sword light like a rainbow, forming a strange beam of light, attempting to block Ye Qin's Sunset Palm power. For some reason, he vaguely felt that this palm power was extremely terrifying.

However, Ye Qin's face was cold and stern, he sneered: "You can't dodge it. This power is inherently mysterious and unfathomable; relying on material things cannot block it at all."

Zhao Kai naturally didn't understand what "materiality" meant, nor why it couldn't be blocked, but he instinctively felt that Ye Qin's words made sense.

What he didn't know was that the Sunset Power is essentially a kind of solar power, only slightly different. At the same time, it is also a kind of light that can penetrate most defenses. Such a miraculous energy—who could block it?

"Who exactly are you? What do you really want to do?" Zhao Kai roared angrily, "You should know the seriousness of this matter."

Ye Qin gave a faint smile and said: "Nothing else, just for killing and seizing treasure. Originally I only wanted a Foundation Establishment Pill, but now I see you have plenty of treasures on you, such as that sword..."

Zhao Kai held a long sword, waving it while roaring, as if trying to shatter the Sunset's power. However, before he could react, he felt he had been struck, and strange changes began to occur on his body.

His right hand, which originally gripped the sword with strength, suddenly became covered in old calluses, turning into a wrinkled old hand. His body felt no pain or injury; his left hand quickly condensed a force, a dark red light flashed, he pointed to the sky, and a water-mirror-like thing appeared before his eyes.

"What on earth is going on?" Zhao Kai discovered in shock that his originally youthful face was now rapidly aging, and this aging trend continued; in the blink of an eye, he seemed to have lost decades of lifespan.

He originally relied on his Foundation Establishment realm strength being immensely powerful, but now he felt none of that strength at all. His body began to feel unbearably heavy; although his true qi circulated within, the loss of lifespan was not alleviated.

Terror! A fear never before felt surged in his heart; he felt as if he were heading toward destruction. This month, the rear mountain hardly sees any sect disciples coming to train, because the outskirts are only ordinary wild beasts.

"You..." Zhao Kai still wanted to say something to Ye Qin, but his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, as if he had no strength left at all.

Ye Qin's face darkened, he stepped forward quickly, his hands intertwined before him into a mysterious seal, the Sunset's power gathered again. "Strike while you're ill to take your life; Foundation Establishment cultivators have a three-hundred-year lifespan—I'll first drain you dry, then talk!" He lunged forward, a terrifying force gathering.

Zhao Kai could feel an extreme weakness washing over him; although his realm hadn't dropped, his dantian was full of true qi, but his body could no longer bear the load. With a clang, his scarlet long sword fell to the ground; he didn't even have the strength to grip a sword.

Ye Qin slapped out several palms in succession, confirming that Zhao Kai's lifespan was almost exhausted, then he silently nodded. "I originally didn't intend to kill you, but now I have no choice but to kill you." He secretly decided.

He picked up that scarlet treasure sword, secretly praising: "This should only be a first-grade magic treasure, but for a Foundation Establishment cultivator it's already enough to use—what a treasure." Then he also searched out several porcelain bottles from Zhao Kai's body, containing elixirs that restore true qi and hemostatic medicines.

"You..." Zhao Kai looked at Ye Qin with an ashen face, wanting to say something but ultimately unable to speak. He knew he no longer had the strength to resist; although his power remained strong, such power needs a body to bear it, and his fleshly body simply isn't strong enough.

"Cutting the grass without removing the roots, the spring wind blows and it grows again—I understand this principle." Ye Qin said lightly, "Although I don't know your name, I've decided to burn you to ashes; I suppose that's also what you'd want as your final resting place."

"Bullshit! I want to live!" Zhao Kai roared in his heart, but he clearly knew he was finished, schemed against by a half-step Foundation Establishment outer sect disciple, losing not only two Foundation Establishment Pills but also barely able to preserve his life. The aura of death was already approaching.

"Damn bastard, my Zhao Clan will definitely have someone to avenge me, no matter who you are!" Zhao Kai thought this, feeling somewhat relieved in his heart. Having someone to avenge him lessened his worries about the future.

Boom! Ye Qin struck Zhao Kai again with a palm of Sunset Power, casually saying: "Enjoy your last moments well; you might not be the first cultivator to die of old age."

To Zhao Kai, this statement amounted to a death sentence. He had no future, only endless despair. He roared angrily: "You'll regret it; my Zhao Clan wields tremendous power within the Haoran Immortal Sect—you simply cannot oppose it. Kid, just wait to accept your fate; no matter how well you disguise yourself, it's useless."

For someone with no power at all, the Zhao Clan dealing with him would be as easy as flipping a hand. Ye Qin gave a slight smile, then unexpectedly replied: "You don't need to worry about that. Actually, I think you should consider whether ending your life like this is really not a good idea? Why not hand over the techniques and arts you've learned to me?"

If he could learn some skills, that might also be a gain. After all, he hasn't cultivated any techniques or immortal arts yet, not even Foundation Establishment. Cultivating the truth to seek immortality, asking the way to seek the root. Many people pursue only the strength and ascension of the Nascent Soul, so from the start no one paid attention to the physical body, because the fleshly body cannot ascend.

"Do you regret it now?" Ye Qin looked at the already stooped, white-haired Zhao Kai and said indifferently, "But it's already too late, and after using this method I also can't reverse it. Death is the destination you should enjoy."

Speaking, Ye Qin quickly searched Zhao Kai's body clean, then lit flames to burn him to ashes, not even leaving that light blue inner sect disciple robe. That robe was originally worn by newly initiated disciples; after becoming strong, they would exchange it for something resembling a defensive magic treasure, although low-ranked.

Finally, Zhao Kai could only close his eyes unwillingly, swallowed by the flames. Although he had true qi protecting his body, at this moment it could not shield his flesh. He was merely someone who had just succeeded in Foundation Establishment not long ago, so he knew little and lacked sufficient trump cards, which became his greatest fatal flaw.

Bang! In the end, he could only fall to the ground unwillingly, and was slain!

To ensure the eradication of roots and all, Ye Qin did not leave immediately, but brought some fresh soil to bury Zhao Kai's ashes. He didn't want to see any miraculous resurrection-like events occur.

"The Azure Mystic Continent is a place that eats people and doesn't spit out bones. It's savage and terrifying here, also the place that most tests human nature and is most realistic. Sorry." Ye Qin sighed. He felt that if it were anyone else, they'd probably choose to kill and silence. After all, not eliminating the source, who knows what could happen.

After tidying up, Ye Qin patted the dust off his clothes and left. This trip yielded a bountiful harvest, also letting him see hope for the future. Cultivation is not rootless duckweed, but something valuable and meaningful.

"Next, I need to achieve Foundation Establishment as soon as possible, so I can have some self-defense ability in this world." Only Foundation Establishment cultivators can become inner sect disciples and gain more resources. This is his main world, and also the place he came over to stay. As for Earth, perhaps only when there's an opportunity can he return.

"Let's start Foundation Establishment!" Returning to the backyard, Ye Qin took out a Foundation Establishment Pill and began his Foundation Establishment journey.

With the Foundation Establishment Pill in hand, Ye Qin had a seventy percent confidence in his Foundation Establishment success rate. After all, the energy contained within the Foundation Establishment Pill is extremely strong, also harboring some special power sufficient to support his cultivation needs. Furthermore, his improved Nine Grade Dao Technique should more than suffice to help him cultivate to Foundation Establishment—at least that's how it looks now.

As for further perfecting subsequent techniques, although he hasn't yet devised a concrete plan, this doesn't hinder him from spreading the wings of imagination.

"This Foundation Establishment attempt, I might try not relying directly on solar cultivation, so I can draw on more diverse energy. If the Foundation Establishment Pill fails, I can still use solar power to continue cultivating, forging a unique path of Foundation Establishment."

Ye Qin deeply knows that solar power, though dangerous and terrifying, is unique to him. Only by fully utilizing these powers can he possibly become the strongest existence, even after Foundation Establishment.

Thinking of these, Ye Qin secretly let out a sigh of relief; at least he is not without opportunity.

Even if that thirty percent failure rate truly arrives, he also has backup plans, so the Foundation Establishment path won't be completely cut off.

"The Nine Grade Dao Technique itself integrates the essence of the Golden Crow Orthodoxy, allowing me to fearlessly withstand the ferocity of solar power. This is precisely my best opportunity."

In the courtyard, he found a quiet spot, set up simple defenses, then Ye Qin sat cross-legged and began adjusting his condition.

Threads of mysterious qi emanated from his body, both shoulders and crown showing strange power fluctuations. Immediately after, the Nine Grade Dao Technique began operating, his body seemingly generating a miraculous attractive force, quickly drawing the spiritual qi of heaven and earth from all sides. At the same time, he resolutely placed the Foundation Establishment Pill into his mouth.

"Success or failure hangs in this single move!"

It is either breaking through Foundation Establishment, joining the inner sect to become a person above others, from then embarking on the cultivation path; or else falling here, becoming an oddity—everything is hard to predict.

Every muscle on his body began to emit a divine light, true qi surging through the seven meridians and eight arteries. The meridians that needed to be opened he has already opened one by one; he only needs to circulate and refine the true qi.

"I hope the Foundation Establishment process won't be too lengthy." Feeling his own changes, Ye Qin murmured to himself.

One month later, it will be the time to examine this batch of people who entered the Haoran Immortal Sect five years ago and became outer sect disciples. This is also their last chance.

If one fails, they can only descend the mountain in gloom.

Those disciples who went down the mountain early to develop in the mundane world could still receive some support from the sect, but disciples who went down the mountain later would no longer receive such treatment. After all, the quotas are limited.

Wang Dacai earlier had a deep understanding of this; he knew he had no hope of cultivating to become an immortal, but as long as he maintained contact with the Haoran Immortal Sect, his descendants would have more opportunities to come into contact with the way of cultivation, and even joining the Immortal Gate would not be difficult.

"Heavenly Mystery Nine Apertures, striving makes one an immortal, following makes one a mortal. Fighting with one's life, one should transform the decayed into the miraculous with qi, connect the apertures to the spiritual, and furthermore supplement with yang."

The complicated cultivation method kept turning in his mind, and gradually, the sunlight was also drawn in. Yet Ye Qin, immersed in his cultivation, was completely unaware.

Everything in the outside world seemed unrelated to him; white mist-like spiritual energy surged like a tide, and the sunlight was attracted, absorbed, and refined by him.

With the aid of the Foundation Establishment Pill, Ye Qin's body was undergoing earth-shaking changes. "What exactly is Foundation Establishment? And what kind of realm is this?"

Ye Qin, in the midst of cultivation, suddenly thought of these questions, his heart filled with curiosity. The more he thought, the more he felt the problem was complex and hard to solve.

After who knows how long, when a flash of inspiration appeared in Ye Qin's mind, he suddenly realized: "Foundation Establishment is simply Foundation Establishment; it lays a solid foundation for the later Golden Core Realm. If we compare cultivation to building a house, then Foundation Establishment is laying the groundwork, and the Golden Core Realm is where true cultivation truly begins."

His eyes flashed, and he suddenly understood: "The main task is to construct a foundation in the dantian that can support later Golden Core formation, just like building an altar."

At this moment, surging solar power poured into his body, bringing a strong burning sensation. On a foundation about to be completed, some different patterns suddenly appeared—those were the sun's imprint. (End of chapter)