376: Chapter 11 – Comprehend the Dao and Foundation Establishment, Chi Venerable Approaches_2 376: Chapter 11 – Comprehend the Dao and Foundation Establishment, Chi Venerable Approaches_2 But this was also a form of love for his disciple; cultivation was cruel, and no one could always have smooth sailing.
Lan Yongning had long ceased to be the young man he once was, having seen and met too many people and things, and had even experienced his Dao heart being shattered by Gu Wen.
If one were to look at the entire world, his disciple was merely mediocre.
For someone like him, being a True Monarch might have been the peak, but his own status had given the other party excessive illusions and the ability to harm others.
Recently, he dared to cause trouble for others out of jealousy, so there was a possibility of harming others in the future.
If he and Gu Wen were not friends, perhaps Chunxuan would already be dead.
A child not taught is the father’s fault.
“I have been ill for a long time, and in these years, I have somewhat neglected to discipline my disciple, who is willful and unreasonable.
If I don’t intervene, it may lead to a great disaster.”
“I actually don’t think it’s that bad.”
Gu Wen held the opposite opinion because he had truly seen beasts when he was at Dragon Bridge.
“To put it that way, Chi Yu Zi and I could have been beaten to death back then.”
“It’s different, you were capable.
Whereas Fellow Daoist Chi Yu Zi only minded her own business, she wouldn’t provoke others unless they provoked her first.”
—————–
Three days later, the Tianxuan Conference resumed after some rearrangements, still featuring the Class A to D secret realms.
Gu Wen entered a desolate Class A secret realm.
He saw both the contemporary sword fanatic known as ‘No Disciples’ overpowering the crowd, and figures like Chunxuan who were typical sect geniuses, as well as grassroots heroes like Wang Li.
“Senior, may I have a match with you?”
Xie Yunnan transmitted her voice to Gu Wen; her towering figure stood out amidst the crowd of geniuses as she cast an intense gaze at him.
Fond of fighting, strong, competitive, she was indeed gentle towards others, but at her core, she was still a sword cultivator.
Gu Wen’s gaze seemed to foresee the future, seeing himself winning with a single sword strike and looking back to see that the participants were not the same people.
Standing on the stage was a stern man, the crowd below included a female disciple from the Yuqing Sect.
Startled for a moment, he came back to his senses and shook his head, “No need.”
Xie Yunnan showed disappointment, then looked around.
At this moment, the entire secret realm had become her wheel of combat, as the attention of all talented individuals converged on her.
She restrained her feminine gentleness, her smile sharp as she said, “Everyone, the first place of this Tianxuan Conference should belong to Broken Sword Mountain.”
The crowd was silent until suddenly a young man from the grassroots jumped onto the stage.
Wang Li clasped his hands and said, “Wang Li, seeking advice from Fairy Xie.”
After ten moves, Wang Li, who was a full realm lower, was overwhelmed; followed by the second, third, fourth challenger against Xie Yunnan.
No matter how many came, all invariably fell under her sword.
These young people were full of vitality, striving to be first.
Although it was a very poor fight, Gu Wen still watched with great interest.
Eventually, a hundred people were decided, and the secret realm concluded.
After exiting the secret realm, Xie Yunnan became even more surrounded by stars.
People had moved on from her appearance and had come to the main venue of the competition to submit their tokens.
“Hello, I want to withdraw from the competition.”
“Please wait a moment.”
The female disciple from Taiyi City checked the token, somewhat surprised, and asked, “Senior, you’ve only just begun the preliminaries.
If you withdraw now, you can only rank five hundred.”
“That’s enough.”
“Alright, please wait a moment while I finalize your ranking.”
A half-hour later, Gu Wen walked out of the office.
Lan Yongning awaited him outside and asked,
“Back then the Heavenly Girl also ranked five hundred, and the Three Pure Daoist hadn’t yet shown their brilliance, while Xiao Yunyi shined alone.
You’re not even twelve hundred years old now, why not try for first place to make up for the regret?”
“Would it still be a regret if I could mend it?”
Gu Wen countered, leaving Lan Yongning momentarily at a loss for words.
No one in the world is fulfilled; the longer one cultivates, the more trials one endures, but Gu Wen was clearly a bit beyond the ordinary.
Simply eight hundred years ago, everyone ascended, leaving him alone, the number one in the world, to await death in Immortal Land, which was not something ordinary people could endure.
“I’m not complaining, just stating.” Gu Wen answered himself: “I originally thought of taking first place, but without her below the stage, it’s meaningless; and without you on the stage, it’s rather boring.”
“People are just a pile of mud; the purpose of Foundation Establishment is to solidify the foundation.
If one were as solid as rock from the beginning, then what is the need for Foundation Establishment?”
With that, Gu Wen looked up at the sky, on the bustling streets of Taiyi Inner City, where countless people came and went.
The past, the present, and the future—Gu Wen saw many youths, all full of vitality.
And among them, the most numerous, and the most important, were those at the Foundation Establishment stage.
Some people forcibly established their foundations using secret techniques, others commonly used pills for Foundation Establishment, and some had their talents fulfilled for it.
He had attained enlightenment, regarding humanity as mere mire and stabilizing his foundation.
He realized, within the Cultivation World, the technique of Foundation Establishment was such that when the energy filled the Governor Vessel and the twelve meridians were unblocked, Foundation Establishment would be achieved.
Thus, the Foundation Establishment was complete.
Gu Wen exhaled a breath of Dull Energy.
It seemed to him as if eons had passed, but in reality, it had only been a moment.
As the aura of the Foundation Establishment Stage revealed itself, Lan Yongning naturally could not perceive the way of the enlightened Saint and asked with some confusion, “Brother Gu, what are you doing?”
“Foundation Establishment.”
“Foundation Establishment?
Are you only establishing your foundation now?”
Lan Yongning was stunned, then his expression drastically changed, and he transmitted a message to Gu Wen’s ears, “Since your strength hasn’t reached its peak, why didn’t you seek the protection of the Qingcang Immortal?
What if someone blocks your path?”
Even if one could kill a Demi-Immortal, there were beings even more formidable than a Demi-Immortal in this world.
Gu Wen waved his hand and explained, “Those who are not Saints cannot harm me.
Moreover, given your current conditions, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to cultivate in peace.
It’s better to cure this first.”
“Are you truly alright?”
Lan Yongning was still worried, then Gu Wen gently patted his shoulder.
Thud.
He fell to his knees, or more accurately, collapsed onto the ground.
His Mana could not be deployed, and the mighty strength that could move mountains was now incapable of even standing.
The illusion concealing his true forms also dissolved, drawing gazes from some onlookers.
Lan Yongning hurriedly spoke, “Brother Gu, quickly withdraw your Divine Skills.”
If word of this got out, where would the face of a Venerable of his stature stand?
Nothing was bigger than face!
Once Gu Wen’s hand lifted off, it was like a primordial Divine Mountain lifting off his shoulders, and his Mana instantly returned to normal.
Lan Yongning stood up and no longer doubted, his expression unsettled and reverent as he looked at Gu Wen.
He realized something—Little Saints were also Saints.
Many things, without personal experience, were incomprehensible to others.
If the difference between a Demi-Immortal and a Venerable was merely lifespan, then the difference between a Little Saint and an Immortal was like mayflies to the sun and moon.
Gu Wen said, “After the Tianxuan Conference, I will accompany you to the Liuyun Sect to study the techniques of your sect and seek Xuan Yue.
I will also learn Alchemy.”
“Really?!”
Lan Yongning’s face broke into a wide, relieved smile, putting the previous shock behind him.
Being in the company of a Little Saint, this was an immense opportunity.
Three days later, the Tianxuan Conference formally began.
On the first day, Wang Li faced Chunxuan, overcoming him in a closely matched battle of crossing levels.
As a disciple of a literary Saint, Chunxuan found it incredibly hard to accept, questioning Wang Li’s integrity in an ugly manner before being personally taken away by Lan Yongning.
After explaining everything, once Chunxuan learned that Wang Li had won by merit and not by deceit, he fainted on the spot.
Another month passed, and the Tianxuan Conference officially concluded.
Xie Yunnan emerged as the undisputed champion, just as Xiao Yunyi once did.
That evening, Taiyi City held a grand banquet.
During the banquet, Xie Yunnan couldn’t find Gu Wen anywhere and searched to no avail.
Believing Gu Wen, the elusive elder, wasn’t too concerning, she turned and was swayed by her junior brothers and sisters to meet many who had been defeated, getting to know many geniuses.
A circle gradually formed, a new generation of geniuses.
The next day, Xie Yunnan woke up groggily.
“…I drank too much last night, this Spiritual Wine is really potent, Taiyi City is indeed generous.”
She got up intending to freshen up when she suddenly noticed a red paper crane by the window, watching her with its head tilted.
“A Ten-thousand-mile Sound Transmission Crane, who sent this?”
Xie Yunnan grabbed the paper crane, and then, a cold, emotionless voice entered her ears.
[Three days later, I will be at Taiyi City.]