Chapter 118 – Preparing for Foundation Establishment, Aiming for First-Grade Great Dao Immortal Foundation!

[Azure Lotus Sword Art: Breakthrough 1/30000]

[Effect: Azure Lotus as Sword, Lotus Blooms with Sword’s Emergence]

The Azure Lotus Sword Art was a unique sword technique Lu Chen comprehended after observing Yi Hanqing’s Peach Blossom Sword Intent and Shangguan Yunmeng’s Bright Moon Sword Intent.

After all, as the saying goes, what suits others may not necessarily suit oneself.

Although Yi Hanqing and Shangguan Yunmeng’s Sword Intents were excellent, they were tailored for those two individuals.

Thus, while learning from their Sword Intents, Lu Chen also integrated some of his own insights into the Sword Path.

Thereby creating a sword technique suited to himself… the Azure Lotus Sword Art.

Within this sword technique, traces of both Yi Hanqing’s Peach Blossom Sword Intent and Shangguan Yunmeng’s Bright Moon Sword Intent could be found.

It belonged to a rare special sword art that contained dual Sword Intents.

As for why he took the initiative to seek out Shangguan Yunmeng for a Dao discussion after comprehending this sword technique,

it wasn’t because he particularly cared about winning or losing this debate.

He simply wanted to use Shangguan Yunmeng’s Sword Intent to temper his own Azure Lotus Sword Intent.

To see if it could help perfect his Sword Intent further.

Because Lu Chen had a feeling that this Sword Intent might be his second skill capable of directly reaching the Harmony Realm.

After all, from the very beginning, this sword technique had fused two types of Sword Intent.

On the Dao Platform, as Shangguan Yunmeng unleashed her Sword Intent,

the familiar scene of the bright moon once again appeared before Lu Chen.

Facing this illusory scene, Lu Chen didn’t look at Shangguan Yunmeng but instead gazed at the reflection of the bright, full moon in the pond on the ground.

Or rather, he was looking at the Fairy’s shadow reflected in the moon within the pond.

Just as Lu Chen was intently watching the moon in the pond, Shangguan Yunmeng’s Bright Moon Sword Intent began to spread toward him.

An intangible chill instantly swept over his body.

Not only did the water around Lu Chen quickly freeze over, but even his eyebrows began to frost with a white layer.

To this, Lu Chen acted as if he hadn’t noticed anything at all.

Seeing this, Shangguan Yunmeng immediately frowned.

With such a completely unresisting attitude, wasn’t he afraid of getting hurt?

It had to be understood that although she was only attacking Lu Chen with Sword Intent at the moment,

that didn’t mean Sword Intent was harmless.

If Lu Chen continued to remain indifferent like this, even Sword Intent could cause him significant harm!

Lu Chen’s strange behavior also puzzled those around him.

Meow King looked at him and said, perplexed, “What is this kid doing? Going up to debate Dao with this girl without having mastered Sword Intent—isn’t this just asking for humiliation?”

That’s right, Meow King, watching Lu Chen remain motionless from start to finish,

thought he hadn’t mastered Sword Intent at all.

And for someone who hadn’t mastered Sword Intent to debate Dao with someone who had,

was simply like a kindergarten child challenging a boxing champion—both ridiculous and humorous.

Similar thoughts arose in the minds of the many Golden Core Stage Cultivators in the clouds.

They, too, were unclear about what Lu Chen was doing.

However, one person, though also puzzled, was confused about something different from the others.

Jing Gong looked at Lu Chen’s contemplative expression, unable to figure out why Lu Chen, who had clearly mastered more than one Sword Intent, still hadn’t unleashed his own Sword Intent.

Could it be that this kid was comprehending something?At this thought, Jing Gong immediately began to observe with great seriousness.

And this careful observation truly allowed him to notice some clues.

He saw cracks slowly appearing on the ice around Lu Chen.

Initially, they were only near Lu Chen’s feet, but then they began to spread outward continuously.

Others might not have noticed this detail.

But Shangguan Yunmeng on the Dao Platform clearly observed it.

As if realizing something, she didn’t rush to unleash her Sword Intent at full strength but instead gradually increased its intensity.

During this process, Lu Chen’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.

[Through a moment of enlightenment, your skill Azure Lotus Sword Art has advanced to ‘Embodiment of the Dao’…]

Crack!

With a crisp shattering sound, the ice near Lu Chen’s feet completely fractured, and azure lotus flowers immediately sprouted from within.

Soon after, a fragrance of lotus blossoms began to permeate the Arena.

Then, Lu Chen gripped his Spirit Sword, lowered his head to gaze at the full moon reflected on the pond’s surface, and said with utmost seriousness, “May I ask if the Sword Immortal at the bottom of the pond… is present?”

As he spoke, Lu Chen swung his sword toward the mysterious figure standing upon the moon in the pond.

Countless lotus petals converged into a massive azure lotus sword, descending upon the Fairy atop the moon in the pond’s depths.

Before Shangguan Yunmeng could even react, the mysterious figure in the pond calmly pointed a finger.

In the next instant, Lu Chen’s colossal lotus sword shattered to pieces.

Simultaneously, his body was forced back three steps, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

It was evident he had suffered significant injuries.

Yet, far from feeling anger, Lu Chen seemed to have grasped some profound insight.

[Through the guidance of ‘****’, the upper limit of your Azure Lotus Sword Intent has been unlocked. It can now be upgraded to ‘Unity with the Dao’ using experience points…]

Lu Chen glanced at his now-shattered Spirit Sword, then turned toward the bewildered Shangguan Yunmeng in the distance, cupping his hands respectfully. “Thank you for your guidance, Senior.”

With that, he turned and left the platform.

From start to finish, apart from that final sword strike, Lu Chen had done nothing more.

This abrupt and seemingly incomplete display left many puzzled about what he had actually accomplished.

However, after a moment, a few began to piece it together.

“He… seems to be at the Qi Condensation Stage as well, right?” one Azure Cloud Sect disciple remarked in surprise, watching Lu Chen return below the platform and begin meditating to circulate his Qi.

Another disciple nearby nodded. “Indeed, he is at the Qi Condensation Stage. And judging by the final outcome, he must have comprehended his own Sword Intent. Truly a natural talent! When did Hidden Sword Peak produce another peerless Sword Immortal? There was no prior information about him.”

“Hidden Sword Peak? He’s from Dan Yang Peak, you blind fool!”

“Ah?!”

Only then did the Azure Cloud Sect disciple belatedly glance at the token hanging from Lu Chen’s waist.

It unmistakably bore the emblem of Dan Yang Peak.

For a moment, he was at a loss for words.

Someone who could comprehend Sword Intent at the Qi Condensation Stage… was actually a disciple of Dan Yang Peak?

Seriously, brother.

With talent like that, why are you holed up on Dan Yang Peak as a slovenly Alchemist instead of becoming a renowned and dashing Sword Cultivator on Hidden Sword Peak?

Do you not have a clear understanding of your own aptitude?!

While ordinary disciples only witnessed Lu Chen’s final moment of comprehending Sword Intent, the Elders of both sects observing from the clouds perceived much more.Luo Anshan, a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator from Jade Void Mountain, looked at Lu Chen with a serious expression and frowned, “His final sword strike didn’t seem like a discussion of the Dao, but more like questioning the Dao. Who was he questioning?”

Jing Gong beside him also showed confusion as he said, “I’m not sure. I don’t even know how Shangguan Yunmeng managed to break his final sword technique. It seemed like something special happened at that moment.”

“Did any of you see clearly how Yunmeng broke Lu Chen’s final sword strike?”

Faced with Jing Gong’s inquiry, everyone shook their heads, indicating they didn’t know either.

They only saw that when Lu Chen’s sword strike was about to land on the round moon reflected in the pond, it immediately shattered.

Initially, they thought it was because Lu Chen had just comprehended the Azure Lotus Sword Intent and couldn’t control this power well, thus allowing Shangguan Yunmeng to easily break it.

But now that they thought about it, Shangguan Yunmeng didn’t seem to do anything at that time.

Lu Chen’s Azure Lotus Sword Intent appeared to dissipate on its own.

Strange, truly strange.

Among all those present, only two people knew what had actually happened.

One was Shangguan Yunmeng, and the other was Lu Chen.

Shangguan Yunmeng looked at Lu Chen meditating in the distance, her expression becoming extremely serious.

Because this was the first time she had seen Fairy Sister take action in reality.

It was also the first time she learned that Fairy Sister could actually appear in the real world.

That’s right, the one who broke Lu Chen’s final sword strike wasn’t her.

It was the Fairy Sister who had always existed only in her dreams.

Similarly, Lu Chen’s final words weren’t directed at her.

They were meant for Fairy Sister.

Thinking of this, Shangguan Yunmeng began to feel inexplicably curious about Lu Chen.

Because she never expected that besides herself, there would be another person in this world who could contact Fairy Sister.

With this in mind, Shangguan Yunmeng decided to ask Lu Chen later how he was able to see Fairy Sister.

As for Shangguan Yunmeng’s thoughts, Lu Chen was unaware.

But even if he knew, he wouldn’t care.

Because his attention was completely focused on the new skill he had acquired.

[Azure Lotus Sword Intent: Dao Entry 1/1,000,000]

[Effect: Using the azure lotus to enter the Dao, supplemented by a clear pond. When the sword emerges, lotuses bloom; when lotuses open, a hundred swords appear.]

Regarding this newly comprehended Sword Intent, Lu Chen now had a clear understanding and recognized how it differed from his other two Sword Intents.

The Dragon Transformation Sword Intent was for battlefield control, mainly focused on intimidating enemies and subduing them without fighting.

The Righteous Sword Intent represented extreme attack, mighty and straightforward.

The Azure Lotus Sword Intent, meanwhile, was for area attacks, somewhat similar to Yi Hanqing’s Peach Blossom Sword Intent – ten thousand swords firing simultaneously.

But this wasn’t surprising, as the foundation of his Azure Lotus Sword Intent was originally learned from Yi Hanqing’s Peach Blossom Sword Intent.

However, compared to Yi Hanqing’s Peach Blossom Sword Intent, Lu Chen’s Azure Lotus Sword Intent actually incorporated part of the pond Concept from the ‘Bright Moon Sword Intent’.

For example, when he executed this lotus sword technique, a calm water surface would also appear around him.

But his water surface was different from Shangguan Yunmeng’s.

The essence of his water surface was actually a manifestation of the lotus pond Concept.

Its effect was simple – it could continuously generate new Sword Qi lotuses.

And each of these lotuses was equivalent to a Flying Sword.

Therefore, theoretically, the longer an enemy remained within his Sword Intent domain, the more Sword Qi threats they would face.Although the single-strike power of the Azure Lotus Sword Intent couldn’t compare to the Dragon Transformation Sword Intent and Righteous Sword Intent,

its advantage lay in its high attack frequency and wide area of effect.

If he encountered numerous enemies in the future who were immune to aura attacks, not particularly powerful, but large in numbers,

employing the Azure Lotus Sword Intent would undoubtedly be an excellent choice.

It could be considered a perfect skill for clearing minor foes.

Moreover, although Lu Chen could currently only execute one sword intent at a time, this wouldn’t necessarily remain the case in the future.

Once he merged the Righteous Sword Intent with the Azure Lotus Sword Intent,

the weaknesses of the Righteous Sword Intent—slow attack speed and long charging time—would naturally disappear.

As for the Dragon Transformation Sword Intent, it currently stood apart from these two sword intents,

as it seemed incompatible with both the Azure Lotus and Righteous Sword Intents.

Instead, it showed remarkable synergy with several fist intents Lu Chen had previously mastered.

After he advanced the Dragon Transformation Sword Intent to the Harmony Realm, he could integrate the Entering Dao Conception of ‘Mountain-Shaking Fist Intent’, ‘Bull Demon Fist’, or Meow King’s ‘Tiger Form Ten Fists’.

By then, his transformation would no longer be into a flood dragon, but a true dragon.

Although he hadn’t yet fully cultivated the Bull Demon Fist and Tiger Form Ten Fists,

his prior experience with the Mountain-Crushing Fist gave him confidence

that achieving Entering Dao Conception with these two fist techniques wouldn’t be particularly difficult.

Especially since he could now summon two Heretical Avatars.

With both avatars and his main body training simultaneously,

he expected to rapidly advance the skill ranks of these two fist techniques.

Two fist intents and one sword intent—

this Five Peaks Tournament had certainly been worthwhile.

After regulating his Qi through meditation to heal the minor injuries caused by the ‘Immortal’s Finger’,

Lu Chen prepared to leave Azure Cloud Peak without hesitation.

He had no interest in the tournament’s final outcome,

having already obtained what he sought.

Whether the Azure Cloud Sect or Jade Void Mountain won this debate meant little to him,

as compared to the impending calamity of Immortal Fiends,

such face-saving contests as the Five Peaks Tournament were insignificant.

His current priority was singular:

achieve Foundation Establishment.

【Name: Lu Chen (Azure Cloud Sect · Inner Disciple)】

【Cultivation: Qi Condensation Stage Perfection (30000/30000)】

【Techniques: Dragon Transformation Sword Intent (Entering Dao 1/1 million), Azure Lotus Sword Intent (Entering Dao 1/1 million), Righteous Sword Intent (Entering Dao), Mountain-Shaking Fist Intent (Entering Dao), Purple Dawn Divine Fire (Breakthrough), Azure Lotus Eye (Breakthrough), Man-Mountain Art (Breakthrough), Body-Forging Art (Breakthrough), River Styx Curse (Major Achievement 1/30000)…】

【Current EXP: 16,000】

Although his River Styx Curse hadn’t reached the Breakthrough stage yet,

it wouldn’t take much time.

With Essence Nourishing Pills and daily cultivation, Lu Chen could now gain 2,000 EXP per game day.

In other words, he needed only seven game days to advance River Styx Curse to Breakthrough,

thereby achieving a qualitative transformation in his water Spirit Root.

Thus, he already met all conditions for Foundation Establishment.

All that remained were some routine preparations.For example, preparing some elixirs, a good breakthrough location, and stocking up on specialized magical artifacts and treasures.

Lu Chen had long prepared for this.

His approach was to tackle both reality and the game simultaneously.

His real self would focus on consuming elixirs, while his in-game self would concentrate on the breakthrough.

His decision to attempt the breakthrough in the game was the result of careful consideration.

After all, he was aiming to establish a First-Grade Great Dao Immortal Foundation.

According to the information he had read in the Azure Cloud Sect’s Scripture Pavilion,

any Foundation Establishment above the Third-Grade Heavenly Dao would produce special Heavenly Dao auspicious clouds upon success.

If these Heavenly Dao auspicious clouds were disrupted, the breakthrough effect would be significantly diminished for the cultivator.

Therefore, if he attempted the breakthrough in reality, he couldn’t guarantee whether remnants of the Black Lotus Sect still lurked in Luocheng.

If they emerged at that critical moment, they might ruin his plans.

In contrast, breaking through within the Azure Cloud Sect was far safer.

After all, if someone could interfere with his breakthrough inside the Azure Cloud Sect,

it would mean the sect was on the verge of destruction.

However, through his experiences in instances, Lu Chen knew clearly that the Azure Cloud Sect was still a full 1,500 years away from actual annihilation.

If everything went smoothly for him, he should have achieved Immortal Ascension by that time.

Thus, the current Azure Cloud Sect was undoubtedly the safest place in the entire Immortal Cultivation World.

Not attempting his breakthrough here would truly be foolish.

“Return to cultivate properly, quickly raise the Rank of the River Styx Curse, then discuss the breakthrough with Master. I believe he will provide considerable assistance.”

In terms of utilizing resources effectively, Lu Chen had learned genuine skills as Chen Fugui’s student.

Therefore, he would never let slip any resources he could use.

With these words, Lu Chen stopped observing the situation on the Dao Platform and turned to fly toward his Cave Residence.

Shangguan Yunmeng originally wanted to follow him, but was called back by her Senior Sister Li Xueke.

Li Xueke didn’t feel comfortable letting Shangguan Yunmeng run off alone again.

Otherwise, she might wander off who knows where.

Helpless, Shangguan Yunmeng could only stay behind, waiting for the Five Peaks Tournament to conclude before seeking out Lu Chen to inquire about Fairy Sister.

Seven days later, in Lu Chen’s Cave Residence within the Azure Cloud Sect.

“Success, hahaha, I’ve finally succeeded!”

Amidst excited laughter, Lu Chen stood up enthusiastically.

Half a year in reality, five years in the game.

He had finally met all the conditions for breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

[River Styx Curse: Mirror Breaking (Cannot be upgraded)]

[Effect: Waters of the River Styx, dwelling of lonely souls. When cast, directly attacks a cultivator’s Divine Soul, reducing their Yang lifespan]

[Special Effect·Underworld: Can reverse Yin and Yang, controlling certain dead objects]

Looking at the River Styx Curse that had reached the Mirror Breaking stage on his panel, Lu Chen understood he could finally attempt Foundation Establishment.

And once he completed Foundation Establishment, his strength would undergo a qualitative transformation!

Many things he previously couldn’t do or lacked confidence in attempting would become possible…

(End of Chapter)