Chapter 76: The Millennia-Old Sect

Everyone’s expression changed. The eldest brother, Pale Wave, swallowed his words and let out a quiet sigh. Fang Xiaotian glanced at Lin Feng, strode to the master’s seat, and knelt beside Lin Feng, pleading, “Master, please calm your anger and forgive him this time.”

Yan Dongjue replied coldly, “My mind is made up. Zhao Liu, Song Qing, take him to the Illusory Rainbow Cavern. Fourth, you follow me!” With a snort, he vanished from the hall without another word.

Zhou Kui cast a cold glance at Lin Feng and Wuzhui, then quickly exited. Zhao Liu and Song Qing exchanged a look, bound Wuzhui, and led him to the cavern. The others shook their heads and looked to Pale Wave.

“What are you all staring at? Get on with your business!” Pale Wave huffed, flung his arm, and strode out.

The rest rolled their eyes and left, until only Fang Xiaotian and Lin Feng remained in the hall.

“Get up, Brother Lin,” Fang Xiaotian said, rising and soothing him gently, “In my opinion, Master won’t do anything severe. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you, brother.” With his reassurance, Lin Feng felt much relieved and stood up with a sigh.

“Master values strength above all, and especially favors those who train diligently. You possess the Fiery Sun Physique—if you devote yourself to practice, you’ll surely win his favor. When that day comes, you’ll have no need to worry about Wuzhui,” Fang Xiaotian encouraged him with a smile.

“Thank you for the advice, brother. By the way, I wanted to ask—how can I break through my bottleneck and reach Foundation Establishment?” Lin Feng inquired.

Fang Xiaotian laughed, clapped him on the shoulder, and gestured, “Come, let’s discuss this outside.”

They stepped out onto the terrace where the mountain breeze swept in from all sides, cool and refreshing. Several stone tables and chairs were set upon the platform, and the two sat down together.

“You’re in the late stage of Qi Refinement. To break through this bottleneck, you first need to understand what Foundation Establishment means. Simply put, it is the process of solidifying your spiritual energy—transforming it from gaseous to liquid, and finally to solid, forming the Golden Core. It’s a long and taxing journey. Only after liquefying your energy can you solidify it, much like how water vapor becomes rain before turning to ice,” Fang Xiaotian explained gravely. “The transition from Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment is the crucial turning point. When you comprehend how to transform your spiritual power, you will break through in one leap. Your senses and body will undergo a qualitative change, and you’ll truly step into the path of cultivation.”

“I see. Brother Fang, if I don’t use a Foundation Establishment Pill, what are my chances of success?” Lin Feng asked.

Fang Xiaotian chuckled. “Some grasp the Great Dao in a single day, while others, even with the aid of a pill, never pass the threshold in a lifetime. It depends on perception and fate. Don’t overthink it—just give your best. Once you establish your foundation, I’ll teach you the Art of Spirit Control, as Master instructed me. Our eldest brother himself passed it on to me.”

“Understood. There’s one more thing—why do I always fail at the Water Summoning Art when practicing the Five Elements Control? The others come easily, but not this one. It’s strange,” Lin Feng frowned.

Fang Xiaotian paused, then laughed heartily. “Brother, have you forgotten? You have the Fiery Sun Physique—fire and water don’t mix. You’ll never master water arts in this life!”

“Ah, so that’s why…” Lin Feng smiled awkwardly, thinking to himself, “Could the Fiery Sun Physique be the work of the Manjusaka?”

Fang Xiaotian, having laughed, grew serious again. “Master asked me to teach you the sect’s rules. We cannot be careless—he’s always strict. If he asks, you mustn’t answer wrong.”

Lin Feng straightened and listened intently as Fang Xiaotian recited the eighteen commandments of the Myriad Blossoms Sect, a heritage thousands of years old. He also handed Lin Feng a copy of the rulebook.

“Brother, our Heavenly Pillar Peak may not compare to Uncle Hui’s Dragon Prosperity Peak, with its Hidden Pavilion and Celestial Cauldron Tower, but as for disciples, we’re second to none—not even the leader’s own Gentleman Peak surpasses us. Our master’s status is unrivaled. When the four peaks send disciples down the mountain to train, make a good showing and you’ll earn his praise—then all will be well. Also, do not visit the Illusory Rainbow Cavern, lest you provoke Master’s wrath. One more secret: Master loves swordsmanship and favors those who train in the sword arts…” After a few final reminders, Fang Xiaotian took his leave, and they parted to their own affairs.

Lin Feng remained alone on the mountaintop for a while, gazing at the iridescent clouds, pondering, “I should hone my swordsmanship, win Master’s favor, and then Wuzhui will be released sooner. Yes, I’ll go buy a sword right away!”

Descending the stone steps from the peak felt like walking through clouds. Pines and cypresses flanked the path, birds occasionally soaring overhead. Halfway down, four grand halls stood on a broad terrace, each with a spacious courtyard, tranquil and nearly deserted. The terrace connected upper and lower paths, and in the northwest, an iron rainbow bridge arched through the mist to places unknown.

When he’d hurried up the mountain with Fang Xiaotian, he’d only glimpsed the “Heroic Hall” plaque. Looking closely now, the left side housed the “Spirit Treasure Pavilion” and “Literary Hall,” the right the “Heroic Hall” and “Crane Cauldron Room.”

He chose the Spirit Treasure Pavilion first. Pushing open the red wooden door, he was greeted by an ancient atmosphere. The empty main hall held only a single counter, behind which sat a white-bearded old man, absorbed in examining a black object.

“Excuse me, sir, is this…?” Lin Feng greeted with a bow.

The old man looked up, squinted at him, then lowered his gaze. “Spirit Treasure Pavilion. My surname is Liangqiu. What do you need—mystic weapons, armor, or celestial pills?”

Lin Feng, curious, replied, “Disciple Lin Feng, newly accepted by the master, wishes to find a sword. Sir Liangqiu, do you have an ordinary but affordable sword?”

Old Liangqiu set his item aside with a smile. “Since you’re a disciple of my senior brother, pick any weapon that suits you. It’s my gift.”

Overjoyed, Lin Feng looked around. Yet, the pavilion had no shelves or stairs. Perplexed, he asked again, “Thank you, sir, but where do I choose a sword?”

The white-bearded old man smiled, gestured with his chin, and turned slightly to indicate Lin Feng should come closer.

Lin Feng stepped forward and looked past the old man. What he saw was a wondrous sight.

On the celadon-tiled floor, a square area about three meters across shimmered with multicolored, translucent light, resembling a rainbow bridge—mysterious and beautiful.

“Step on it. This Transmission Array will take you where you need to go. Take what pills you wish, but don’t be greedy,” Old Liangqiu said with a smile.

Lin Feng quickly complied, stepping lightly onto the array. Instantly, his vision blurred, and he found himself elsewhere.

A dazzling brilliance flooded his eyes, nearly blinding him. The air was thick with the scent of metal, like a blacksmith’s forge. The vast chamber, some two hundred meters across, was filled with neatly arranged stacks of weapons—blades, spears, swords, halberds, axes, hammers, staves, and maces—far more than in the Hidden Pavilion. On a distant set of shelves stood rows of bottles and jars, clearly containing pills.

Amazed, Lin Feng wandered among the treasures. He soon realized that the magical weapons of the Hidden Pavilion’s upper floors were all select pieces from here. This must be the Myriad Blossoms Sect’s arsenal, one of its foundations, its vast stores of weapons and armor for the use of disciples in Qi Refinement. There were no true spirit treasures, and the pills ranged from basic to intermediate, many available even in the outer sect’s Repository.

The mysterious hall had no doors or windows; under the gleam of countless blades, the stone floor shone golden. On closer inspection, it was paved with solid gold bricks! At the far end, four identical arrays matched labels on the wall: Gentleman, Hibiscus, Heavenly Pillar, and Dragon Prosperity—the return routes.

Strolling through the hall, Lin Feng was filled with awe. This secret arsenal could arm tens of thousands of cultivators! Such wealth, accumulated over a millennium, would dwarf even the combined riches of the Four Kingdoms.

Weapons that would usually cost thousands of contribution points could be freely chosen here, with no time limit. A sense of privilege swelled within him, and a smile crept to his lips.

He selected a Yangmourning Sword from the racks—a seven-foot blade, its light flickering like fire, radiating fierce, blazing energy. He also took some commonly used Qi Enhancing and Wound Healing Pills, then stepped onto the array and returned to the pavilion.

Old Liangqiu acknowledged his return with a smile. Lin Feng thanked him and left. By now, dusk had fallen. Glancing at the other three halls, sword in hand, he hurried down the steps toward his quarters.

Thus ended his first, hurried day in the inner sect.