32: Chapter 32 The Battle of Foundation Building

Xie Wantang stepped forward and gave a graceful salute, "Long time no see, Guest Official Xu. This is my cousin, Xie Yuzhu."

Xu Changsheng returned the salute, "So it is Fairy Yuzhu."

Xie Yuzhu also saluted along with Xie Wantang but did not speak.

Suddenly,

The atmosphere became a bit awkward.

Seeing this,

Xu Changsheng lifted his foot, intending to take his leave.

Xie Wantang hastily tried to keep him there, "Wait a moment, Guest Official Xu. Do you still remember the proposal I mentioned to you last time?"

"What proposal? Is there a quality issue with that batch of Talismans?"

"No."

Xie Wantang didn't know whether to laugh or cry; it seemed neither of them had any interest in the other.

"It's about you marrying into our Xie Family. What does Guest Official Xu think of my cousin?"

Xu Changsheng slapped his forehead, "Oh, I remember now."

He then carefully sized up Xie Yuzhu.

Her cheeks flushed red under his gaze, and she slightly turned her head away.

*Clap!*

Xu Changsheng clapped his hands and chuckled, "Fairy Yuzhu possesses a beauty that could sink fish and make birds fall, hide the moon and shame the flowers. She truly has a peerless appearance."

Upon hearing this,

Xie Yuzhu couldn't quite handle it and lowered her head, her fingers twisting together.

Xie Wantang smiled faintly, "Guest Official Xu certainly knows how to give a compliment."

Then she got straight to the point.

"Then I shall be so bold as to ask: are you willing to become Dao Companions with Yuzhu and pursue longevity together, Guest Official Xu?"

Xu Changsheng shook his head, using the same excuse as before, "I still stand by what I said then. In the Qi Refinement Stage, life is like a mayfly, born in the morning and dying by dusk. This Xu will not take a wife until I reach Foundation Establishment."

"Sigh."

Hearing the expected response, Xie Wantang sighed, "Very well. Since Guest Official Xu is unwilling, I will not force the matter."

"Farewell."

Xu Changsheng did not linger and quickly walked away.

Leaving the two sisters of the Xie Family behind.

Xie Yuzhu suddenly brightened up from her previous awkwardness, "It seems this Xu Changsheng is also a dedicated cultivator. I suppose there's just no fate between us."

Xie Wantang, feeling in the wrong, didn't reply. She watched Xu Changsheng's departing figure and fell into thought.

"This man clearly only has a Low Grade Spiritual Root, so why does he dare to aim for Foundation Establishment?"

"Also, I always feel an unfathomable aura about him. Why is that?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by her cousin, "Second Sister, what are you dazing about? I've been looking at these mediocre people all day. When are you going to take me to the market's brothels?"

"Now. Let's go."

...

At the same time,

Thousands of miles away at the Chixiao Sect.

At the summit of Xuanxiao Peak, inside the Star-Plucking Hall.

A pot-bellied, greasy-faced middle-aged man sat atop the main hall.

Below him, a man and a woman knelt in worship.

"Alright, Su Xiaojing, isn't it? Chen Xuan has told me about you."

Su Xiaojing raised her charming face, looking flattered, "It is because Brother Chen is thoughtful. I am hardly worthy of Senior's Dharma Eye."

But internally, she was exceptionally nervous.

The man in the hall was none other than Chen Xuan's Revered Master—Xiao Tongguang, a long-renowned Foundation Establishment Elder of the Chixiao Sect with deep foundations.

"Alright, no need to be formal. Since Chen Xuan says you have awakened the Hundred Flowers Body, you are qualified to become my Named Disciple."

"Thank you, Elder."

Su Xiaojing hurriedly kowtowed several more times.

Beside her, Chen Xuan tugged at her sleeve, "Jinger, you need to change how you address him."

"Oh."

Only then did Su Xiaojing realize, and she quickly kowtowed twice more, "This disciple was too excited. Greetings, Revered Master."

"A teachable child. From now on, you are my third Named Disciple."

"Thank you, Revered Master!"

"Alright, give me your Sect token."

Su Xiaojing did as she was told.

Xiao Tongguang lightly stroked the token and then returned it.

"I still have matters to attend to. You two head back first. When there is an opportunity another day, I will personally guide your cultivation."

The two bowed in thanks once more and then left hand in hand.

Su Xiaojing was excited. Looking at Chen Xuan beside her, she couldn't help but lean in and give him a kiss.

"Brother Chen, you're amazing. You're so much better than that Xu Changsheng I had before. Five years with him wasn't as blissful as a single day with you."

"Hmph, don't mention that unlucky piece of trash." Chen Xuan turned his face away.

"What's wrong? Is Brother Chen unhappy? Shall we go back and play that game from last night again?"

"No."

Chen Xuan stopped responding and quickly increased the distance between them, thinking to himself, "That Huang Laifu is so slow. When exactly is the news going to arrive?"

Su Xiaojing hurriedly followed.

What they didn't know was...

Xiao Tongguang watched their departing figures with a strange expression, his gaze fixed on the hem of Su Xiaojing's skirt, his narrowed eyes gleaming.

As if filled with endless greed.

...

Another three months passed.

One day,

Xu Changsheng sat quietly in his room meditating. After relentlessly consuming pills, he finally touched the Bottleneck for breaking through to the sixth level of Qi Refining.

He only needed to focus on refining his magic power for a while longer to Breakthrough to the sixth level of Qi Refining.

His Formation attainment had also improved, reaching the Tier 1 Medium Grade level.

Suddenly,

A thunderous roar came from outside the window.

"Xie Chengye, get the hell out here!"

A voice full of vigor seemed to fly in from the highest heavens, deafening everyone within the market. A powerful Foundation Establishment Stage pressure weighed heavily on everyone's heads.

"Lai Mingyuan, what business brings you to my Liuyun Market today?"

Another Foundation Establishment aura suddenly appeared, pushing upward to offset the pressure.

"It's nothing much, just here to demand this Liuyun Market of yours."

"Fellow Daoist Lai sure has a big mouth. Do you perhaps want to test the power of our Liuyun Floating Formation?"

"Of course!"

Xu Changsheng looked out the window.

Two Foundation Establishment powerhouses were facing off in the sky above the market. One of them, a handsome middle-aged man, was indeed Xie Chengye.

The other was a brawny man with a fierce countenance, likely the head of the Lai Family, Lai Mingyuan.

"Since it is your request, then today this old man shall let you witness it!"

Xie Chengye took out a small white Formation Flag and began chanting.

The next moment,

Countless white clouds gathered from all directions to the center, condensing into a Heaven-Piercing Great Spear.

"Don't be so arrogant in your next life, Lai Mingyuan!"

Xie Chengye roared, lifting his hand. The Heaven-Piercing Great Spear seemed to sense it, its tip pointing directly at Lai Mingyuan in mid-air.

"Well met!"

Lai Mingyuan held a Crescent Saber in each hand, swinging them continuously to condense streaks of baleful red Saber Qi.

"Hah!"

The Saber Qi converged and struck directly at the great spear.

In the next moment, a bizarre scene unfolded.

Four golden Talismans with the character for 'Restrict' suddenly appeared in the four corners of the market, emitting intense Restriction fluctuations. The great spear formed by the Formation crumbled layer by layer, and then the entire Formation vanished into thin air.

"How is this possible?"

Xie Chengye cried out in shock, unable to understand why the market Formation he relied on most had failed.

Above the market,

The Saber Qi ignored Xie Chengye's confusion and continued to press down.

"Ah!"

In a flash, the latter didn't have time to take out any Spiritual Artifacts and could only manage to manifest a protective spiritual light on his body.

He was instantly severely wounded! The scar was deep enough to see bone, and blood gushed out like a fountain.

At the same time,

The white clouds of the Liuyun Floating Formation suddenly dissipated, crumbling away.

At some unknown point,

Countless dark shadows flooded into Liuyun Market from all directions.

Xie Chengye retreated, pouring out several Medicinal Pills and swallowing them. Seeing this scene, he shouted angrily, "Lai Mingyuan, you actually colluded with Robber Cultivators! Are you not afraid of being held accountable by the righteous Sects?!"