134: Chapter 134, Sect Master

The night was silent, and ten thousand people sighed.

"All five people failed their Foundation Establishment. Are the three gates of Foundation Establishment really that difficult?"

Some Qi Refining Cultivators found this hard to believe.

Inside the restaurant, an old man with messy hair and a haggard face said, "The three gates of Foundation Establishment seem simple, but in reality, they have trapped countless Cultivators. Those who fail to reach Foundation Establishment are merely Mortals who know how to manipulate a bit of spiritual energy; only those at Foundation Establishment are true Cultivators."

"To put it plainly, it's about Aptitude and resources. Aptitude determines whether you can break through the Qi and Blood Gate, while resources relate to whether you can break through the Mana and the Spiritual Sense Gate."

"What a pity. I thought the foundation establishment pills released at this grand event would significantly boost the overall strength of Great Wei."

The discussions of the Cultivators in the inn rose and fell. Cheng Ningxiang unconsciously pressed her lower lip with her teeth, her gaze tightly locked on the direction of the quiet room, the worry in her eyes almost overflowing.

"Grandfather, he..."

"Senior Cheng will definitely succeed!" Su Xuanxiao took a step forward to stand beside her, his voice steady and powerful.

By order of his Elders, he had been interacting frequently with Cheng Ningxiang these days. At this moment, he also raised his head to look at the distant mountains, a starlike glimmer settling in the depths of his eyes.

A sigh of lamentation drifted out from the Foundation Establishment quiet room.

Under the gaze of countless stunned eyes, a vast surge of spiritual energy erupted once again!

"Someone else is attempting Foundation Establishment?!"

No one expected that at a time when the spirits of the Cultivators throughout the city were low, someone would still step up to the challenge.

"If nothing unexpected happens, it's Elder Cheng this time." Qin Jiangmei took her husband's arm, her fingertips pressing slightly.

Su Yang took a deep breath, gazing solemnly at the distant mountain peak.

Cheng Yue had said he would wait for the two Elders to attempt Foundation Establishment first; if they failed, he would then take the risk. Therefore, this Cultivator who was a step slower to start must undoubtedly be Cheng Yue.

"Five stars dispersing, surrounding a brilliant star... Could it be?"

Su Yang's Star Gazing Art was only half-baked, making it difficult to determine if the celestial phenomenon he saw was certain. As Cheng Yue began his Foundation Establishment, Su Yang's heartstrings tightened as well.

It was often this kind of 'seeming hope' that made people exceptionally nervous and agitated.

Cheng Yue's qi and blood fluctuations were sometimes strong and sometimes weak, causing the Cultivators in the teahouses and wine shops to shake their heads.

Another elderly Cultivator attempting Foundation Establishment; in everyone's eyes, such a person was undoubtedly wasting a foundation establishment pill.

Boom!

Suddenly, a surge of abundant qi and blood power spread out abruptly.

"The Qi and Blood Gate is passed?!!"

Cheng Ningxiang cried out loudly, her small face flushed with excitement as she grabbed Su Xuanxiao's arm beside her.

Su Xuanxiao's eyes flickered with admiration: "Elder Cheng is reaching Foundation Establishment at an advanced age; for him, the hardest is the Qi and Blood Gate, the simplest is the Mana, and finally, the Spiritual Sense Gate depends on the quality of the foundation establishment pill."

Since even the hardest Qi and Blood Gate had been broken through by Cheng Yue, there might truly be hope for a successful Foundation Establishment!

For a moment, exclamations rang out continuously in Luoxuan City, followed by a majestic surge of spiritual pressure sweeping through the area; the Mana was like a thin film that was broken through instantly.

Under the shocked gazes of countless people, Cheng Yue's Divine Sense pressure seemed to condense into a giant hammer, slamming heavily against everyone's chests.

Rumble!

The Spiritual Sense Gate was broken as easily as water flowing in a channel!

Cheng Yue had successfully reached Foundation Establishment!

Cheng Ningxiang was so excited she almost screamed, but her voice was instantly swallowed by the uproar that erupted in the inn.

Just as everyone was feeling desolate over the difficulty of Foundation Establishment, Cheng Yue successfully reached it at the age of over sixty!

This shocking scene was like a shot of adrenaline for the crowd, reigniting the fighting spirit of all the Qi Refining Cultivators present, and making those old fellows long stuck in the Qi Refinement Stage feel their blood boil with anticipation, ready to take action.

"The brilliant star! Elder Cheng is that brilliant star in the celestial omens."

On the terrace, Su Yang's lips curled up, his eyes gleaming: "His future will definitely not stop at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment. The Lingxi Sect is about to rise!"

...

The door of the quiet room on the mountain peak slowly opened.

Cheng Yue, who was at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, walked out of the quiet room and was met by a group of Cultivators waiting outside.

The two Lingxi Sect Elders who had failed their Foundation Establishment were weak in breath, their expressions complex.

They had failed at the optimal age, while Cheng Yue had succeeded at an advanced age; by comparison, they felt they had lost face, yet they were still relieved and happy that a Foundation Establishment Cultivator had been born in the Lingxi Sect.

If Cheng Yue had also failed, the Lingxi Sect would truly have been ruined in their hands.

"Congratulations, Elder Cheng... no, I should say, congratulations to the Sect Leader on his successful Foundation Establishment!"

The Third Elder and Fourth Elder bowed respectfully to Cheng Yue with cupped hands.

Whoever becomes a Foundation Establishment Cultivator becomes the Sect Leader of the Lingxi Sect; this was a rule they had established within the School.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist, on your successful Foundation Establishment!"

Many Cultivators, whether they knew him or not, crowded forward to offer their compliments and congratulations, their eyes filled with admiration.

Cultivators who can succeed at an advanced age often have deeper foundations than those who succeed at the optimal age, making them worth being recruited by various forces.

"My thanks to all of you, Fellow Daoists!"

Cheng Yue smiled and returned the gesture with cupped hands.

After some lively pleasantries, Cheng Yue finally freed himself from the crowd and returned to the inn.

Su Yang had already been waiting in a private room in the inn for a long time.

"Congratulations, Senior Cheng, on your successful Foundation Establishment and for restoring the glory of the Lingxi Sect," Su Yang said with a smile.

"Hahahaha!"

Cheng Yue was in a great mood and waved his hand. "There's no need for formalities between us. This successful Foundation Establishment was purely a stroke of luck. Speaking of which, I must thank the Head of the Su Family for helping me regain my confidence."

Without Su Yang's reminder a few days ago, how could he have succeeded?

Originally, he had no expectations for Foundation Establishment; with his mindset at the time, he would have certainly failed today.

It was Su Yang's words about letting him attend his granddaughter's wedding as a member of the Lingxi Sect that caused his mindset to shift.

"When does the Head of the Su Family plan to leave Luoxuan City?"

Cheng Yue knew why Su Yang had come, so he didn't continue the topic of Foundation Establishment and went straight to the point.

Su Yang's smile faded, and he said seriously, "We leave tomorrow. We'll exit the city together, but our two parties will separate once we're outside."

"Separate?" Cheng Yue frowned slightly. "This plan can indeed disperse the pressure from the Devil Cultivators, but the Su Family will have to face most of the Robber Cultivators. Can you really handle it?"

The Devil Cultivators had their eyes on the Su Family and the Lingxi Sect, but the Robber Cultivators were only after the Su Family's Lesser Five Elements Art.

In reality, even if they moved together, he, at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, would find it hard to withstand a siege from many Foundation Establishment Robber Cultivators. However, the Su Family was, after all, the savior of the Lingxi Sect.

Even if he couldn't win, he had to brace himself and step up.

"The Su Family possesses some special means to evade the pursuit of Foundation Establishment Cultivators."

Su Yang said in a low voice, "However, for a portion of the journey after leaving Luoxuan City, I'll need to trouble Senior to take the Su Family along for a while to shake off the pursuers as much as possible."

"Additionally," he continued, "I will contact the Branch President of the Bihai Association to help hold back a group of people. Also, the Su Family has means for rapid array formation, which can trap a group of Foundation Establishment Cultivators."

"No problem!" Cheng Yue's lips curled up, his eyes carrying the composure and confidence of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. "The path of Escape Techniques is precisely the specialty of my Lingxi Sect."

The reason they could contend with the Shi Family's Devil Cultivators for so long was precisely due to the Lingxi Sect's Escape Techniques, which allowed them to hold out until Su Yang arrived.

The two quickly finalized every detail of the evacuation plan.

Everything was ready; they only awaited the break of dawn to set out!