86: Sword-nurturing gourd.

Gu Changsheng stood in the courtyard, his azure robe swaying without wind. He slowly raised his right hand, and a wisp of Qingyuan Sword Qi, condensed to the extreme, pulsed erratically at his fingertip.

This wisp of Sword Qi was no longer as illusory as it was during the Qi Refining Stage; it was as solid as substance, exuding a heart-pounding sharpness.

He even had a feeling that if he fully activated the Azure Origin Sword Art now, he might be able to catch a glimpse of the threshold of the 'Perfection' realm.

After Foundation Establishment, it was a world of difference.

He was somewhat eager to know the extent of his current strength.

Just then, the pale golden panel in his mind, which had been dormant for a year, refreshed on time with the first ray of morning sunlight.

[Information One: In the central area of Wuyin Marsh, beside a three-hundred-year-old 'ink heart lotus', nourished by the Evil Qi of the earth veins, a 'sword nurturing gourd' has been conceived. It can store Sword Qi and nurture its sharpness. Risk: Low.]

[Information Two: In the western district of the outer city, Wang Ergou, a Disciple of the miscellaneous chores courtyard, was resented by the steward Zhang San for accidentally obtaining half a broken Spirit Stone yesterday. Tonight, at the zi hour, Zhang San intends to push him into a dry well, faking an accidental fall. Risk: None.]

[Information Three: Deep within the City Lord's Mansion's treasury, a bottle of 'Clear Profound Pills' privately stored by Pei Xiuyuan is about to lose its medicinal efficacy due to improper preservation. Risk: None.]

Gu Changsheng's attention was instantly drawn to the first piece of information.

sword nurturing gourd!

He had seen this item described in the Sect miscellaneous Jade Slip; it was an auxiliary Magical Artifact that Sword Cultivators dreamed of.

It could not only store Sword Qi but also nurture it day and night with the spiritual essence within the gourd, making it purer and sharper. For him, who primarily cultivated the Azure Origin Sword Art, it was simply a gift from the heavens.

Just then~

His gaze fell upon the words "Risk: Low."

Low does not mean none.

As long as there was risk, it meant there were variables.

With a thought, he unhesitatingly consumed ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

"Deduction, the specific source of risk for the sword nurturing gourd in Wuyin Marsh."

[Deduction Result: The risk comes from a Demonic Path Cultivator. This person barely achieved Foundation Establishment by forcefully breaking through with mixed Evil Qi. Their strength is far inferior to others of the same rank, and they have long been entrenched in Wuyin Marsh, absorbing earth Evil Qi to stabilize their cultivation. They will most likely appear when you retrieve the treasure.]

A Demonic Cultivator who achieved Foundation Establishment with mixed Qi?

A name, Lin Xiren, flashed through Gu Changsheng's mind.

However, he quickly dismissed this thought.

A year ago, after Lin Xiren broke through to Foundation Establishment, he received an order from above and left the small pond of Wuyin City. His name had long since disappeared from the System's character panel.

So, this should be some unlucky fellow who took over Lin Xiren's position.

Cultivating Qi with mixed energies already made one's Foundation weak; forcefully achieving Foundation Establishment was adding insult to injury.

Such a Foundation Establishment Cultivator had an immortal foundation like rotten wood full of cracks, with obstructed magical power circulation, fluctuating strength, and if a battle lasted slightly longer, their immortal foundation would tremble, or even suffer magical power backlash.

Not to mention compared to him, who had a legitimate Foundation Establishment with two Heaven And Earth Treasures and favorable timing; even an ordinary righteous Foundation Establishment Cultivator could easily suppress him.

In short, he was a half-crippled product with a ruined Foundation. He had the name of Foundation Establishment, but not the reality.

Not to be feared.

Gu Changsheng instantly made a judgment in his heart.

A year ago, if he had seen this information, he wouldn't have bothered to look twice. A Foundation Establishment Cultivator? Even a defective one was still Foundation Establishment. Wasn't a small Qi Refining Cultivator like himself, going to snatch something from them, just asking for trouble?

But now it was different.

He was also Foundation Establishment, and his immortal foundation and Dao lineage far surpassed the opponent's.

One was driving a top-tier battle vehicle, while the other was driving a tractor about to fall apart. How could he lose?

For years, he had believed in absolute safety, only taking Opportunities with no risk. But he also understood that the path to longevity could not always be smooth sailing. Constantly hiding would only make him miss good opportunities and eventually be eliminated by the times.

True prudence was not inaction, but rather, with absolute control, to eliminate all potential threats and variables with the force of thunder.

This Demonic Cultivator who achieved Foundation Establishment with mixed Qi was an excellent touchstone.

Just right to offer up as my first sword strike after Foundation Establishment!

Once this thought emerged, it could no longer be suppressed.

His [Withered Meets Spring] immortal foundation seemed to sense its master's Battle Intent, and the verdant young tree swayed without wind, as pure magical power surged forth, flowing through his limbs and bones.

"It's time to let the people of Wuyin City know what a surprise is," Gu Changsheng murmured, a cold smile appearing on his lips.

He did not set off immediately.

Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit.

He first returned to his quiet room and inventoried all his belongings in his Storage Pouch.

Dozens of various Talismans, mainly for defense and escape techniques.

Several bottles of Medicinal Pills to restore magical power.

And several sets of Formation Plates, from illusion Formations to killing Formations, all complete.

After doing all this, he removed the layers of Formations shrouding the Listening to Rain Pavilion and pushed open the courtyard door, which had not been opened for a year.

The sun was warm, and the small tree outside the courtyard now stood tall and lush.

As soon as he stepped out of the courtyard gate, a figure rushed over from not far away, with undisguised joy on his face.

"Great Master Gu! You've come out of seclusion!"

The person was Pei Xiuyuan.

This past year, he had lived in constant trepidation.

Although the Demonic Cultivator side had been more disciplined, the great mountain pressing down on them had never been removed, and he couldn't sleep soundly each day.

Gu Changsheng, the stabilizing pillar, remaining in seclusion, made him even more uneasy.

Now seeing Gu Changsheng, half of his hanging heart finally settled.

But as he approached, ready to bow in greeting, his steps suddenly halted.

Pei Xiuyuan looked at Gu Changsheng before him in horror.

It was still that ordinary, gentle face, still that simple azure robe, but the feeling he gave off had undergone an earth-shattering change.

If Gu Changsheng a year ago was a warm, unpolished jade, deeply hidden.

Then Gu Changsheng at this moment was a bottomless, serene deep pool, its waters clear, yet containing a vast vitality capable of devouring everything.

Just standing there, an invisible, vast pressure surged forth, making it difficult for him, a Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivator, to even breathe.

Foundation... Foundation Establishment!

These two words exploded in Pei Xiuyuan's mind. He trembled with excitement, his lips quivering, unable to utter a single word.

Heavens!

In a desperate place like Wuyin City, with its thin Spiritual Qi and scarce resources, Great Master Gu had actually taken only one year to break through from Qi Refining Perfection to the Foundation Establishment realm!

What kind of talent was this!

Gu Changsheng understood upon seeing Pei Xiuyuan's ghost-stricken expression. He had tried his best to conceal his aura, but Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining were leaps in life's essence. That trace of leaked Dao rhyme was not something a Qi Refining Cultivator could withstand.

He smiled slightly, and a gentle magical power supported Pei Xiuyuan, who was about to kneel.

"Young friend Pei, it's been a year, are you well?"

"Congratulations, Master! My heartfelt congratulations, Master! With success in the immortal Dao, longevity can be expected!" Pei Xiuyuan stammered, his face flushed with excitement.

"Just a lucky Breakthrough," Gu Changsheng waved his hand, looking calm and composed.

The more he acted this way, the more awe Pei Xiuyuan felt.

This was the true demeanor of a distinguished expert!

"I intend to go outside the city. This place still requires your diligent attention, young friend Pei," Gu Changsheng said.

"Master, rest assured! As long as I am here, Wuyin City will stand!" Pei Xiuyuan immediately patted his chest in assurance, then cautiously asked, "Master, this trip... are you going to..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Gu Changsheng merely smiled, not answering.

His figure shifted slightly, wind rising beneath his feet, and he transformed into a cyan afterimage. In a few flashes, he disappeared at the end of the long street.

Pei Xiuyuan stared blankly in the direction Gu Changsheng disappeared, only regaining his senses after a long while.

He pinched himself hard, and the sharp pain confirmed that he wasn't dreaming.

He suddenly turned around, running and shouting joyfully.

"Someone! Quick! Prepare generous gifts! No! Bring out all the best things in my treasury! The sky of Wuyin City is about to change!"

...Wuyin Marsh, perpetually shrouded in grayish-black miasma, was a Forbidden Ground for Cultivators due to its numerous swamps and venomous insects.

However, a cyan figure ignored the poisonous miasma, which could instantly kill Qi Refining Cultivators, and moved through it with a leisurely stroll.

After Gu Changsheng's Foundation Establishment, his Divine Sense coverage increased exponentially to several thousand zhang in radius.

The entire marsh held no secrets in his eyes. Where there were venomous insects, where there were undercurrents, and where Evil Qi gathered, all were clear.

Following the information's guidance, he quickly arrived at the central area of Wuyin Marsh.

Ahead was a lake as black as ink. In the center of the lake, a three-hundred-year-old ink heart lotus grew quietly.

And beside the ink heart lotus, a small gourd, the size of a fist, entirely emerald green, emitting a faint spiritual light, swayed gently with the water.

sword nurturing gourd!