Chapter 56: Foundation Establishment

Chen Zhao settled within the Taiyin Palace.

This place was shrouded in mist and clouds, like a fairyland. This novel is originally published on TianTian Kan XiaoShuo, ttks. tw, where you can find countless quality books, offering you a reading experience with no errors or disordered chapters.

Upon closer inspection, the jade cassia and golden branches, the phoenix pavilions and dragon towers, were made of materials far superior to the Wuqing Treasure Sword—yet now they were covered in fine cracks, as if a single finger could shatter them.

Only a single stele and a single hall still stood, but both had endured countless years and lost most of their spiritual essence.

Inside the hall were two small chairs and several wine jars; if not for the long, pale-blue blade on the altar, the scene would have felt almost warm.

Besides the blade, there were four jade vials and a single array platform.

"Teleportation Array..."

Xin Tong furrowed her eyebrows and murmured softly.

She had only seen it in ancient texts, unable to judge its authenticity or know how to activate it.

Yet Fang Zijing's eyes flashed with sharp light.

The mist here had a calming, spirit-stabilizing effect—his spiritual sense was slowly recovering.

Quick strike, quick kill—eliminate Chen Zhao, then he could attempt to activate the array and escape alive.

Fang Zijing no longer held back; the jade pendant at his waist blazed with radiant light.

This object was Fang Zhang's contingency, storing a single full-power strike from his peak state, usable three times.

The first two had been used to break the ruins' restrictions; Fang Zijing had intended to save this final strike to flee the immortal city.

Now that he had found the Teleportation Array, and held additional cards not yet refined, he could use this contingency to gamble for a future.

A flash of green light—a blazing sun appeared above the silver moon.

Sun and moon shining together!

"Great Sun Burning Heaven—Fang Zhang's signature technique!"

Su Muqing's face paled.

The power of Foundation Establishment—how could a Qi Refining insect hope to resist?

Called for help...

Chen Zhao frowned; this technique was several times stronger than the one in the immortal city—likely capable of burning away half the Qi Refining cultivators within the city.

Yet such a method demanded an enormous cost and had limited uses—thus, not truly fearsome.

He immediately pulled out a Jade Tablet, conjuring a Stone Turtle Shield, faintly patterned with tortoise-shell lines.

Boom!

The sun plummeted and exploded upon the shield—blinding light erupted, sand and stones flew.

Fang Zijing was blinded by the glare; for half a stick of incense, his vision was utterly black.

When he opened his eyes again.

The Stone Turtle Shield stood unmoved, while the sun had vanished into smoke and mist.

Even so, Chen Zhao and the other two were shaken by the shockwave—coughing up blood—but protected by the array, they suffered no serious injuries.

"Could Zhang Chunfeng really have made this protective Jade Tablet?"

Fang Zijing's expression turned grim.

Failing this plan, he pinched a Second-tier Talisman, preparing to burn his blood and sacrifice his lifespan to activate it.

But he did not know how many uses remained in the Jade Tablet—if the Talisman failed to kill the enemy, he would be left with no strength to fight after losing his blood.

He must first exhaust the Jade Tablet's uses, then deliver one decisive blow!

Yet in weapon combat, Chen Zhao wielded the Qingming Naling Sword.

In technique combat, the opponent had three people—and the Kuai Xue Shi Qing Sword was also extremely troublesome.

If he sought a prolonged battle, the opponent had a Formation Master who could drain his spiritual energy with a few Spirit Stones.

Frustrating!

He pulled out a crimson pill, his eyes filled with resolve.

This pill had been given by an Evil Cultivator; after ingestion, one's spiritual energy would transform into Evil Qi, granting a temporary surge in power.

But if no antidote was taken within two hours, he would gradually lose his sanity and fall into demonic deviation.

Unfortunately, during this time, all information he received had been filtered by Su Muqing, and Liang Chenfeng had merely been using him—neither had revealed that Chen Zhao possessed the Muchen Stone.

Thus.

The blood-red pill rolled down his throat—watching this, Chen Zhao felt inwardly pleased.

He had expected a long, grueling battle, waiting for Su Family cultivators to enter—but instead, this man, in his desperation, willingly embraced demonic corruption.

Less than two breaths later.

Fang Zijing's body brimmed with Evil Qi; his aura had surged to Qi Refining ninth layer.

He forcibly activated his Body Refining Technique and punched forward—the clouds and mist rolled backward!

Yet a streak of cold light struck—again, the Kuai Xue Shi Qing Sword.

Yet his punch was too fierce, shaking the Sword Qi violently.

"Out of tricks—surrender now!"

Fang Zijing let out a clear cry and punched again at Chen Zhao!

But Xin Tong did not come to his aid—instead, she released the Trapping Array Disk.

Trap!

He realized he had been deceived—but it was too late.

The Wuqing Treasure Sword pierced through the Evil Qi, its Sword Qi instantly reaching his face.

Fang Zijing felt a searing pain—staggered back three steps, eyes wide with shock.

This Chen Zhao—once merely a Registered Disciple—where did he get so many strange techniques?

"Su Muqing, you repeatedly withheld knowledge—you deserve your father never becoming clan head!"

He gritted his teeth and cast a spell to disperse the mist, but it was useless.

The evil qi within him sharply diminished; his cultivation regressed to Qi Refining eighth layer.

Fang Zijing gasped in pain, and after swallowing the antidote, his spiritual power was less than half.

And the stacked sword qi piled like snow—he could no longer withstand it.

"It was merely my junior brother's mission."

Su Muqing sneered; the golden talisman transformed into chains, binding his hands and feet completely.

In that hairbreadth instant.

A thunderclap rang out; a hundred-zhang fire dragon rose through clouds and mist, charging toward Chen Zhao and the other two.

Fang Zijing's long hair turned white; he pinched a second-tier talisman—and aged over ten years in an instant!

His fingers trembled, his eyes filled with humiliation.

But when the stone turtle shield rose, Fang Zijing sighed softly, his heart now resigned to defeat.

How laughable—the Su and Fang families thought themselves the players, yet ended up mere pawns.

And Chen Zhao, the sect, the evil cultivators... all parties had achieved their goals.

His aura plummeted rapidly, now below Qi Refining sixth layer; he could only watch the cold blade's glow grow larger in his vision.

Sword qi like autumn wind; heads fell like blossoms.

The Wuqing Treasure Sword spun back; Chen Zhao reached out to catch it, yet still dared not lower his guard.

He activated the Beast Control Tablet, ordering Xiao Bai to test the waters.

It was still in its cub stage, unable to fight Fang Zijing—but fleeing was more than enough.

From Fang Zijing's shadow, a tiny fleshy paw crept inch by inch toward the Storage Bag, then suddenly grabbed it and swiftly retreated into the shadow.

Fortunately, the Storage Bag was finally in hand.

"This cowardice—where did you learn it from...?"

Chen Zhao's eyelid twitched.

He activated the Yin Thunder Sword Art twice more, until the headless corpse turned charred black—his heart's heavy stone finally settled.

He had repeatedly activated the Kuai Xue Shi Qing Sword, and the Illusion Heart Zither never ceased—his body was nearly drained.

As his spirit relaxed, a wave of exhaustion surged into his mind; his eyelids grew unbearably heavy.

In a daze, he saw Xin Tong hurrying forward, revealing the stele's inscription behind her.

Perhaps because he had practiced calligraphy day and night.

Even as he closed his eyes, the sword marks on the stele surged in his mind.

In running script or regular script, flowing then halting.

This stele was no original, yet Chen Zhao recognized its pattern—it was the Kuai Xue Shi Qing Sword.

It seemed the Duan Family ancestors had deep ties to it.

Alas, he did not know the cause and effect, nor was he a sword cultivation genius.

After much thought, he deduced only the final move could stack the previous sword forms.

But the exact method? He'd have to figure it out slowly after waking.

He slept for three hours.

Chen Zhao slowly woke, seeing Xin Tong's small head also dazed—he smiled faintly and let her lean on his shoulder.

He himself opened the Storage Bag.

Inside: five second-tier talismans, three third-tier, one fourth-tier—all with diminished spiritual energy.

Probably already picked over by Fang Zijing.

"Fourth-tier... Nascent Soul Rune Master?"

Chen Zhao's heart surged with waves of shock.

Had he not seen this, he'd never have believed this place belonged to a Nascent Soul sect.

Such a colossal force, yet lay in ruins like a Foundation Establishment clan.

How many years had passed?

Beside the talismans was a letter, crumbling at a touch.

It was written by the Rune Master to a close friend; the talismans were left for him.

According to the letter, among the third-tier talismans was one Transformation Talisman and two Breath Concealment Talismans.

Left for his friend to use during his Tribulation.

"Good thing it's an odd number—I'd have been confused otherwise."

Chen Zhao's lips twitched.

But he couldn't use them yet, nor did he know their exact effects.

The fourth-tier talisman was only half-drawn; it seemed the event happened suddenly, forcing the Rune Master to abandon it.

Now devoid of spiritual energy, it was useful only for reference and observation.

As for the second-tier talismans.

Chen Zhao couldn't recognize a single one.