121: Chapter 80: The Journey Begins!

As Chen Xuan finished speaking, he flicked his long sleeves.

A vortex of Spiritual Qi, carrying a five-colored halo, exploded above the Conquest Hall, creating a visible ripple in the air.

Wherever the ripple passed, the Spiritual Qi became as thick as paste; vegetation grew wildly, and spirit flowers bloomed.

Every Disciple on Qingming Peak stopped what they were doing and looked up toward the Conquest Hall.

"It is recorded in the books that this phenomenon signifies the Perfection of the Five Elements!"

"It is the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment!"

An elderly Foundation Establishment Elder blurted out, his voice trembling.

"Five hundred years! The Liuyang Sword Sect has finally produced another Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment!"

The Qi Refining Disciples looked at each other, not understanding what Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment meant.

But they could see the five-colored light filling the sky, see the Spiritual Qi converging into a river and pouring into the quiet room, and see the spirit trees on Qingming Peak growing three feet taller in an instant.

Such a phenomenon was unprecedented.

Senior Brother Zhang Qian rushed out of the Conquest Hall, his Late Stage Foundation Establishment aura becoming somewhat unstable amidst the tide of Spiritual Qi.

He looked toward the quiet room, his tiger-like eyes welling up with tears.

"Junior Brother, you did it."

Second Senior Sister Xu Miao followed behind him, her small body pushed back repeatedly by the tide of Spiritual Qi, her eyes wide open.

"Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment! This is Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment!"

Third Senior Brother Yun He stood under the veranda, his handsome Face full of emotion.

He had entered the sect much earlier than Chen Xuan and had a higher cultivation base, but at this moment, he felt nothing but admiration.

Such talent was beyond jealousy.

Senior Sister Wen Yao walked out of her Immortal Cave, twin swords hanging at her waist, her long hair tied in a ponytail.

She watched the five-colored light, the red lotus petal mark between her brows glowing slightly.

"Junior Brother, well done."

She said softly, her tone calm, but a trace of an imperceptible smile played on the corners of her lips.

Liu Lili stood at the closest spot outside the door of the quiet room.

Looking at her beloved in the sky, her eyes were filled with adoration.

Chen Xuan was dressed in a cyan Daoist robe, his hair neatly tied in a crown, the Three Brilliance Moon Sword hanging at his waist, standing in the air.

His Face still looked like that of a seventeen-year-old, but his eyes were much deeper.

His aura was as thick as a mountain; with every step he took, the Void Realm beneath his feet would tremble slightly.

Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, Peak of the second level of Foundation Establishment.

Sunlight fell on his Face, illuminating his young features.

The sound was not loud, but it clearly spread across the entire Qingming Peak and every mountain of the Liuyang Sword Sect.

The bell of the Yanfa Hall rang automatically, sounding nine times in succession.

This was an ancient tradition triggered only when someone in the sect achieved Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment.

Five hundred years ago, when the bell last rang, a Prodigy of the Central Province Liu Clan walked out from here and later became a Golden Core Master.

Now, the bell rang again.

The old man in the Scripture Pavilion put down the bamboo slip in his hand, walked to the window, looked toward the Conquest Hall, and remained silent for a long time.

The Alchemists of the Baimu Peak Pharmacy stopped their work, looking at the five-colored halo above Qingming Peak with envy in their eyes.

The Hall Master of the Defense Hall on Wenjian Peak stood on the mountaintop, stroking his beard and laughing heartily.

"Master Chonghe has taken in a good Disciple!"

Master Liu Yun smiled without saying a word.

His gaze was as gratified as if he were watching his own child succeed.

"Good."

He uttered a single word, his voice very soft, yet carrying the pressure of a Golden Core Master, echoing over Qingming Peak.

The Zhang Clan Golden Core and the Dharma body of another Golden Core Master hovered in mid-air, looking at Chen Xuan, speechless for a long time.

The Zhang Clan Golden Core sighed.

"This child's future is limitless."

The other Golden Core Master nodded.

"Fellow Daoist Chonghe, your lineage is likely to produce another true Golden Core."

Master Liu Yun appeared beside the two, his white hair fluttering, looking like an immortal.

"Wait and see."

Chen Xuan withdrew his gaze and turned to look beside him.

Liu Lili stood there, tears streaming down her Face.

She did not care about Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment or the once-in-five-hundred-years event.

She only cared that he came out alive.

"Senior Sister."

Chen Xuan called out, reaching out to wipe the tears from her Face.

"I am fine."

Liu Lili sniffled and broke into a smile through her tears.

"Of course you are fine, you are very powerful. Go and stabilize your Realm first! I will wait for you."

Senior Sister Wen Yao walked over, took a Jade Slip from her Storage Pouch, and handed it to Chen Xuan.

"Junior Brother, this is the essential formula for cultivating the minor Divine Ability [Shuiyue Mountain] after Foundation Establishment."

Chen Xuan took the Jade Slip and tucked it into his robe.

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

Senior Brother Zhang Qian strode over and slapped Chen Xuan on the shoulder with astonishing force.

"Good lad! Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment! From now on, your Senior Brother will have more Face when outside!"

Second Senior Sister Xu Miao hopped over and looked up at Chen Xuan.

"Little Junior Brother, you must not forget us in the future."

Third Senior Brother Yun He stood to the side, nodding with a smile.

"Junior Brother, congratulations."

Chen Xuan returned the salute to each of them, a faint smile on his Face.

But his heart was very calm.

Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment was just the beginning, not the end.

His goal was the Golden Core, the Nascent Soul, and immortality.

It was the head of the Cloud-Swallowing Eagle, the fall of Maitreya, and all the grudges of his past and present lives.

The excitement lasted all day.

By evening, the crowd finally dispersed.

Chen Xuan returned to his Immortal Cave, sat down on the meditation cushion, and closed his eyes to look inward.

The Purple Mansion in his Dantian was as stable as a mountain, with five-colored light flowing ceaselessly.

His mana was as thick as the sea, every drop weighing a thousand jun.

Sword Intent merged into his mana; with a casual move, it became Sword Qi Condensing into Silk.

He opened his eyes and took out the Jade Slip that Senior Sister Wen Yao had given him.

He probed it with his Divine Sense.

The Jade Slip recorded a minor Divine Ability.

"Shuiyue Mountain"!

Using water to transform into the moon, and the moon to reflect the mountain; if one cannot break through the two layers of illusions, it is like a flower in the mirror or the moon in the water, dying in one blow!

In addition, he also needed to prepare to practice his Foundation Establishment Cultivation Technique.

"Haohai Sword Art", a Foundation Establishment Cultivation Technique and its accompanying sword techniques; when practiced to Major Achievement, one could sever a river with a single sword strike.

Chen Xuan memorized the formulas for the two Cultivation Techniques and Divine Ability, then got up and walked out of his Immortal Cave.

Senior Sister was still waiting for him.

The night was already deep.

Moonlight spread over the stone steps of Qingming Peak like a layer of thin frost.

Liu Lili stood at the entrance of his Immortal Cave, wearing a water-blue dress, a jade hairpin inserted into her hair bun.

Moonlight fell on her Face, illuminating her immortal-like countenance, making it look dreamlike.

"Junior Brother."

She called out, her voice very soft.

Chen Xuan looked at her, a wave of warmth surging in his heart.

"Senior Sister, it is so late, why are you not resting?"

Liu Lili shook her head and walked into his Immortal Cave.

She walked into the quiet room, sat down on the meditation cushion, and looked up at him.

"Junior Brother, I have something to tell you."

Chen Xuan sat down opposite her, already having a rough idea of what she wanted to say.

"Please go ahead, Senior Sister."

Liu Lili remained silent for a long time, so long that the moonlight moved from the window to the corner of the wall.

Then she spoke, her voice trembling slightly.

"Junior Brother, I have waited for you for many years."

"From the Water Marsh Kingdom until now, it has been almost five years."

"I do not want to wait anymore."

As she spoke, she reached out and untied her sash.

Her outer robe slipped off, revealing the undergarment beneath.

The moonlight shone on her, outlining her curves perfectly.

Chen Xuan's breath hitched.

Having lived three lifetimes, he had seen many women.

The femme fatales of the Qingcang Sect, the refined young ladies of the Fusheng Sect, and the fisherwomen by the Long Sea.

But no one was like Liu Lili.

She had spent five years slowly walking into his life and into his heart, bit by bit.

Not by beauty, not by family background.

It was the times she stood by him when he was injured, and the times she waited while he was in seclusion.

Chen Xuan stood up and walked over to her.

He crouched down to look at her at eye level.

"Senior Sister, you know that what I seek is the Great Dao."

Liu Lili nodded, her eyes slightly red.

"I know."

"But the Great Dao does not conflict with me."

"You cultivate your Dao, and I will be your Dao Companion."

"I will not hold you back; I will only help you."

Chen Xuan looked at her for a long time.

Then he smiled.

"Senior Sister, you have won."

He reached out and pulled her into his embrace.