The Flying Boat sailed on for a few more minutes, as a small island in the middle of a lake gradually came into view.
Chen Rubai, who was steering the Flying Boat, glanced back anxiously and said, “Immortal Envoy, the demon beast’s lair is right below us. What do you think we should—”
“Hm…”
Limuqun ignored Chen Xiuxiu’s words and sent out a wave of Divine Sense.
Inside a cave on the island, a beast’s figure curled up, resting.
Hmph, just as the bounty described—a demon beast at Qi Training Perfection!
“Bring the boat closer!” he said confidently.
“Ah?” Chen Rubai was momentarily stunned but quickly urged, “Immortal Envoy, perhaps we should—”
Limuqun laughed scornfully. “Who do you take me for? Bring the boat closer!”
With that, he finally stopped concealing his aura, revealing his cultivation.
Foundation Establishment!
In an instant, the air inside the Flying Boat turned eerily silent.
Limuqun soared up on the wind, overlooking the entire island.
He firmly took control of the sky above and chanted under his breath:
“Early years I knew life’s hardship deep, yet still allowed the swan to sweep the clouds. Gone twenty years in mortal dust, with single-minded focus on azure truth. Tempered by countless trials, steadfast and strong, exerting every effort to establish the base. Today my sword points to layered clouds, cleansing demon miasma to restore the clear sky!”
Chen Xiuxiu on the Flying Boat snapped back to reality, eagerly raising both hands and cheering:
“Foundation Establishment! A Foundation Establishment Cultivator! Full Moon Lake is saved!”
Then, in a hushed tone, he warned:
“Immortal Envoy, such a commotion—might it startle the demon beast?”
“Hmph, trying to escape?”
Limuqun drew a fiery red talisman from his Storage Ring, channeling his spiritual energy to cast it into the sky.
The talisman was no larger than a palm, but as soon as it met his spiritual energy, it rapidly expanded, transforming into an invisible and intangible thin membrane that enveloped the entire island, completely shrouding it.
“What is this?”
Limuqun laughed heartily, his deep cultivation now on full display:
“This is the magical treasure, the Blazing Heaven Sevenfold Ring, forged from Blazing Fire Glazed Crystal and Blacksteel. It can change size at my will, forming an independent domain that is impenetrable inside and out—watertight. Until my spiritual energy is depleted, not even I can undo it.”
“With this treasure, Daoist Chen, what fear is there of the demon beast escaping?”
“None at all, none at all.”
“Daoist Chen, watch as I capture this fiend.”
With a grand flourish, Limuqun’s spiritual energy formed an invisible giant hand that swept toward the cave.
“Come out!”
He poured all his spiritual power into this strike, confidence radiating from him. There was no way this would—
Wait?
Where did my spiritual energy go?
The surge of energy that had rushed into the darkness of the cave was instantly swallowed and extinguished without a trace, like snow dropped into a blazing furnace—no ripple stirred, no sound made.
“Immortal Envoy, what is this?”
“Cough, cough. Don’t panic. Just a technical adjustment,” Limuqun said as he drew a long sword from his Storage Ring under Chen Xiuxiu’s watchful eyes.
“Daoist Chen, behold. This sword is called the Sword of Great Rivers, forged with my newly mastered Foundation Establishment sword technique. One slash, like the endless flow of mighty rivers, sure to kill the demon beast!”
To save face in front of Xiuxiu, Limuqun didn’t hold back and immediately unleashed his killing move.
That wretched beast dares to embarrass me in front of Xiuxiu? I will kill you!
He gritted his teeth and swung the sword with all his might. Sword light cascaded forward, thundering into the cave, even chipping away at the rocky walls.
“Excellent swordsmanship, excellent swordsmanship!” Chen Rubai, a mere Qi Cultivation practitioner, had never seen such a spectacle and immediately applauded enthusiastically.
“Hoo.” Limuqun exhaled deeply, sheathing the sword and brushing dust off his shoulder. “Daoist Chen is too kind.”
It was only a bit of dirt on the hem of his robe.
“Let me go in and finish this demon beast off.”
“By all means, by all means.”
Feeling he had regained his footing, Limuqun stepped toward the cave whistling a tune.
But just as he lifted his left foot to step in, a lazy, teasing voice rang out beside his ear.
“Big brother, that sword just now was way too hard. You even hurt me.”
Who?
Limuqun’s pupils contracted sharply as he leapt backward.
The demon beast?
Impossible!
A demon beast at Qi Training Perfection couldn’t have taken his full-strength strike.
Unless it’s hiding its true cultivation.
But to fool my Divine Sense—it must be stronger than me.
Damn, this fishpond just turned into a shark tank!
Goosebumps rose on Limuqun’s back, cold sweat pouring down. His Immortal Foundation, Heaven sees me, erupted with fierce light.
“Immortal, Immortal Envoy, what is this—”
On the island, Chen Rubai was still staring blankly at Limuqun, obviously clueless about what was happening.
Of course, if it fooled him, how could Chen Xiuxiu have seen through it?
“There’s no time to explain. If you don’t want to die, stay right behind me.”
He used his spiritual energy to shield Chen Xiuxiu behind him, fully activating his Immortal Foundation.
A brilliant light bathed his body, making his figure even taller and grander, like an exiled immortal, radiating an indescribable aura of dominance.
“What is heaven but a mere scene?
I am the Red Sun, eternally shining upon the firmament.
Know this: Heaven must see me!”
With a roar that was part rebuke, part decree, the entire world inside the Blazing Heaven Sevenfold Ring trembled and bowed before him.
This is the power of Heaven sees me—Limuqun’s trump card.
‘Even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator would be hard-pressed to resist me for a moment.’
‘If not for the Blazing Heaven Sevenfold Ring, I could have slipped away by now.’
‘Damn you, Xiuxiu!’
Limuqun wasn’t some decadent Lu Family cultivator who had wasted thirty-plus years of ease.
He’d been a Loose Cultivator for over a decade, fighting through fire and water, killing and escaping, hardened by the perilous world of the jianghu.
Almost instantly, he formed a rough assessment of the situation in his mind.
‘Strike first, strike hard!’
Without hesitation, he grabbed his sword and charged into the cave, condensing all his spiritual power into his hands, slashing out wave after wave of sword qi like it cost nothing.
In midair, the Sword of Great Rivers’ sword qi nearly filled his entire field of vision. From afar, it looked like a raging storm, tides rising without end.
‘Sword of Great Rivers is my strongest killing move, with formidable power even at Foundation Establishment.’
‘This fiend cannot possibly withstand the entire sword qi unscathed.’
Thoughts racing, he swung relentlessly, even as stinging pain radiated from his tiger mouth.
‘As long as I keep slashing, I can—’
“Bang!”
He struck something with a loud crash. Dust engulfed his vision completely.
As the smoke slowly cleared, he tried to raise his sword but found it impossible no matter how hard he tried.
“Little brother, enjoying yourself?”
Limuqun lifted his gaze through the dust and saw a figure standing before him—so alluring she was almost bewitching.
She was close enough that every detail on her exaggeratedly full, jade-white legs could be clearly seen.
Between them, Limuqun’s long sword was trapped under one of her slender legs, encased in thin, wing-like azure silk.
Impossible.
Feeling the aura emanating from her, Limuqun swallowed hard.
A Purple Mansion cultivator—a Purple Mansion cultivator!
You fish me, I fish you; this fishpond has turned into a king’s arena.
He forced a weak smile and said, “Heh. Can we negotiate?”
The enchanting figure before him covered her mouth with a light laugh, the exotic fragrance she exuded making Limuqun slightly dizzy.