Chapter 154: The Niece of An Miaoli Arrives?

Upon returning to the Green Cloud Sect’s station in Middle Mountain, Ye Chen was met with a degree of reverence from the elders. Initially, everyone had thought it fortunate enough that Ye Chen, with his third-grade spiritual root, had managed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Although he had been fierce during the Qi Refining stage, it was assumed his combat effectiveness would be moderate after advancing.

Yet, Ye Chen had managed to defeat opponents above his level, specifically two mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. Despite relying on various strategies and sustaining severe injuries himself, requiring a month to recuperate, his proven combat prowess was undeniable.

When Yao Xi, informed of Ye Chen’s return, hurried over. If it were not for the sect’s rules against leaving assignments arbitrarily and her duties in pill refining, Yao Xi would have likely returned to the sect sooner to visit Ye Chen.

“I’m fine now, no need to worry!” Ye Chen reassured a concerned Yao Xi with a smile.

He invited Yao Xi into his room to thoroughly examine his injuries, after which he resumed his assigned duties at the station. Once the week-long cooldown had passed, Ye Chen decided to pass on the sword talisman his master had gifted him to Yao Xi.

Ye Chen felt no qualms about giving it away. Although it was a gift from his master intended to protect him, his interpretation was that making the talisman even more powerful through a gift would align with his master’s original intention. Even if his master found out, she wouldn’t blame him.

“Reward Blood Sword Talisman: Can be used once to unleash a bloodthirsty sword qi capable of slashing through early-stage Golden Core!”

Disappointed with the reward, Ye Chen had hoped that, with a 30x boost plus a critical hit, it might yield a talisman capable of cutting down a late-stage Golden Core or even a Nascent Soul cultivator. It appeared he had been overly optimistic.

However, this was to be expected. The higher one advanced in cultivation, the more significant the gaps between levels became. The difference between the later stages of Foundation Establishment and the powers of the Golden Core stage was more than just fiftyfold.

Under such circumstances, a talisman that could severely injure someone at the late Foundation Establishment stage, transforming into one that could potentially kill an early-stage Golden Core cultivator through a critical hit, was incredibly fortunate.

With this talisman, Ye Chen would stand a chance even against Golden Core cultivators, leaving little to be unsatisfied with.

In the days that followed, Ye Chen dedicated himself to cultivating at the station. Each day, in addition to his practice, he would also forge pills and occasionally tutor Yao Xi in the art of alchemy, sharing his knowledge and experience.

Whenever there was a need to send someone back to the sect, Ye Chen would volunteer, seizing the opportunity to visit his master and boost their rapport.

In the blink of an eye, another half-year passed.

…

The ruins of the Boundless Demon Sect were vast. Even after being open for over a year, new discoveries were made almost daily, attracting an increasing number of cultivators to Middle Mountain.

In the quiet room at the Green Cloud Sect’s station, Ye Chen sat with his eyes tightly shut. His body was engulfed in the blazing Myriad Star Fire, his spiritual power vibrating intensely, producing thunderous sounds that resonated throughout. This bore testament to the formidable nature of Ye Chen’s spiritual power.

After an indeterminate period, Ye Chen suddenly opened his eyes, which were deep and profound. His body shook violently as if breaking through some barrier, and at that moment, his spiritual power surged tremendously.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

With that breakthrough, Ye Chen advanced to the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment phase. The flames retracted into his pores, and feeling the immense increase in his spiritual power, he couldn’t help but smile. Finally, he had reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

Calculating the time, it had been two years since his initial breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment phase. Advancing a minor realm in two years was, in fact, incredibly fast, enough to evoke envy among many cultivators. After all, it was common for most at the Foundation Establishment stage to take eight to ten years, or even longer, to make such progress.

However, Ye Chen still felt it was too slow! Not out of vanity, but because he genuinely believed so.